Latest China Brief Articles

New Rules Advance Data-Based Governance System

Executive Summary: New regulations that seek to build an integrated national system for sharing government affairs data are intended to boost the Party’s dual priorities of boosting innovation and safeguarding security. The regulations aim to resolve issues and inefficiencies caused by data silos and government... MORE

Fracturing Transatlantic Convergence, One Capital at a Time

Executive Summary: In the wake of U.S.–China trade talks in Geneva, Beijing launched a sequenced campaign across Europe—first signaling partnership, then reinforcing its trade credentials through multilateral forums, and finally engaging in targeted bilateral diplomacy. The aim was to present the People's Republic of China... MORE

Hongmen Associations Have Links to United Front and Organized Crime

Executive Summary: Hongmen associations, with historical roots in Qing-era secret societies, have become entangled in Chinese Communist Party (CCP) united front efforts abroad, particularly through patriotic messaging promoting unification with Taiwan. Their mythologized origins and rituals make them nearly indistinguishable from criminal triad societies. Criminal... MORE

Experts See Risk and Reward to Integrating AI in Nuclear Weapons

Executive Summary: Chinese experts see potential in the ability of cyberattacks enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) to disrupt nuclear infrastructure and increase the pressure to use nuclear weapons in a crisis. The development of early warning capabilities toward a launch-on-warning posture increases Beijing’s impetus to... MORE

White Paper Offers Chinese Wisdom at the Crossroads of History

Executive Summary: A new white paper titled “China’s National Security in the New Era” is targeted to both domestic and international audiences and offers “Chinese wisdom” and solutions to contemporary challenges. In a bid for global leadership, the document frames “unstoppable” world historical trends as... MORE

Latest PLA Anti-Corruption Campaign Enhances Xi Jinping’s Control Over the Military

Executive Summary: The PLA followed the overall disciplinary work of the Chinese Communist Party to promote the “all-around battle” against corruption. The “all-around battle” against corruption includes strengthening vertical control and enhancing horizontal coordination. The former focuses on centralizing power while delegating responsibility, and the... MORE

Encircling the West: The PRC Gains Ground in Legacy Chips

Executive Summary: Beijing is on course to dominate innovation in and production of legacy semiconductor chips, which strategists see as a way to push back against U.S.-led containment in critical technologies. These chips, used everywhere from vehicles to defense, offer a scalable and resilient path... MORE