Latest China Brief Articles

Nihilism, Denialism, and Annihilation in New Xinjiang White Paper

Executive Summary: Xi Jinping’s personal imprimatur on the Party-state’s policies in Xinjiang are unambiguous, according to a new white paper published to coincide with a central-level delegation to the region in late September. The Party uses cultural and historical arguments to justify its ongoing policies... MORE

‘Mainlander’ Narratives Dominate Kuomintang Leadership Race

Executive Summary: Leading candidates in the KMT party chair elections strongly self-identify as Chinese and are advocating to resolve cross-Strait tensions with a dialogue approach rooted in the 1992 Consensus. Notably lacking amongst the leading candidates is someone who represents the “Taiwanese” faction of the... MORE

AGI Has Quietly Become Central to Beijing’s AI Strategy

Executive Summary: Pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a top-priority project within the Party’s increasingly centralized technology planning apparatus. Its success would both close the gap with U.S. firms and bind AGI models to Party-state governance, shaping how intelligent systems are aligned, deployed, and... MORE

Comprehensive National Power Part 2: Seven National Development Strategies

Executive Summary: Since 1992, the Party has enshrined seven national development strategies in the Party Charter, embedding development of “comprehensive national power” (CNP) at the heart of its approach to governance. In the first phase (1992–2008), three strategies focused on strengthening science and education, as... MORE

Yarlung Tsangpo Hydropower Fuels PRC’s Energy-Computing Strategy

Executive Summary: Tibet’s Yarlung Tsangpo hydropower project, which broke ground in July, is set to become the world’s largest hydrpower installation. Officials see it as a key pillar of the PRC’s energy sovereignty and a step toward implementing the “total national security concept” and the... MORE

The Three Pillars Underpinning the 2027 Centennial Military Building Goal

Executive Summary: Chinese analysts see achievement of the 2027 Centennial Military Building Goal as being based on advances in three key dimensions: military modernization, military readiness, and anti-corruption work. Western analysts frequently link the 2027 Goal to readiness—if not a deadline—for a Taiwan scenario. Chinese... MORE

‘AI +’ Initiatives Multiply After Years of Experimentation

Executive Summary: By 2035, artificial intelligence (AI) will underpin practically all sectors of the economy and society, according to recent plans from policy planners in Beijing. The upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan could become the first to include “AI+” as a major policy initiative. Development of... MORE

PRC Consolidates Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Dominance

Executive Summary: The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) appears to be consolidating around a handful of national giants such as Sino Biopharm and Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine. These companies occupy a large and growing presence in international supply chains and hold... MORE