
Latest China Brief Articles

Xi Signals Firm Strategy but Flexible Tactics at China’s Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference
Executive Summary: The readout from the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference (CFAWC) at the end of December indicated an emerging strategy of countering US leadership by mobilizing the support of Global South countries while dividing the West on contentious global issues. Recent changes in official... MORE

PRC Support Underpins Russia’s War Against Ukraine
Executive Summary: PRC aid to Russia is multidomain and underpins much of Moscow’s ability to continue to wage war in Ukraine. Attempts have been made to institutionalize the Sino-Russian relationship, deepening the military aspect in particular. The relationship between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin nevertheless... MORE

The PRC’s Continued Outsized Role in the Cryptocurrency Industry
Executive Summary: Despite the Chinese Communist Party's restrictions on decentralized virtual currencies, the PRC has maintained a significant underground cryptocurrency industry, with investors posting $1.15 billion in gains in 2023. PRC investors are driven to digital assets by practical considerations amid limited traditional investment opportunities... MORE

Deepfakes with Chinese Characteristics: PRC Influence Operations in 2024
Executive Summary: The PRC’s potential to interfere in elections with deepfakes has been noted, with strategies including creating false narratives around candidates and misleading information on electoral processes. Advanced AI tools could further sophisticate these interference efforts, impacting democratic processes worldwide. Beijing appears to have... MORE

Beijing’s Increasing Maritime Gray Zone Operations Around Taiwan’s Outlying Islands
Executive Summary: On February 14, an incident occurred to the east of Taiwan’s Kinmen Island, in which an unidentified PRC small boat capsized while allegedly fleeing from an attempted inspection by the Taiwan Coast Guard. The incident resulted in the deaths of two of the... MORE

Foreign Intelligence Hackers and Their Place in the PRC Intelligence Community
Executive Summary: Leaked files from iS00N reveal deep insights into the PRC’s intelligence operations, highlighting an intensified global security offensive as well as issues within the intelligence community. iS00N’s growth is tied to Xi Jinping’s aggressive policies and demonstrates the importance of private contractors in... MORE

When The Chips Are Down: Taiwan’s Water and Energy Conundrum
Executive Summary: Taiwan’s heavy reliance on energy imports, coupled with high energy demands, poses significant challenges, with semiconductor manufacturing being a major consumer. Environmental concerns such as droughts, exacerbated by climate change, and Taiwan’s fossil fuel-heavy energy mix raise serious alarm bells for the island’s... MORE

The National People’s Congress Exposes Xi Jinping’s Problems
Executive Summary: Li Qiang’s government work report offered no significant incentives to help the nation’s three sectors most in need of government support. Economic targets were practically identical to those for 2023 but will be harder to achieve. Xi amassed more power through sidelining Li... MORE

PRC Pursues Chip Design Software Dominance
Executive Summary: US-China technology competition is no longer confined to only leading-edge semiconductors but is now moving to also include older so-called mature-node or legacy chips. Central and local level Chinese industrial and innovation policies have long pursued a goal of achieving self-sufficiency in not... MORE

‘From Chancay to Shanghai’: Peru’s Strategic Role in PRC Maritime Strategy
Executive Summary: Majority ownership by state-owned Cosco Shipping, and involvement of companies like ZPMC which is closely linked to China's Military-Civil Fusion strategy, raises concerns about the dual-use nature of infrastructure projects and potential military implications. The PRC has become Peru's main trading partner and... MORE