Latest China Brief Articles
Trouble and Strife in the South China Sea: Vietnam and China
A source of serious interstate tension between some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China for much of the 1990s, territorial disputes in the South China Sea became less contentious in the early 2000s: A less assertive stance by China being... MORE
Terrorism and the Beijing Olympics: Uyghur Discontent
A suicide bomb attempt on a plane from the restive western region of Xinjiang in China en route to the home of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing highlights a key security dilemma for Beijing: The Olympics have become a stage to showcase political grievances and... MORE
China’s Ascendancy to a Space Power
2007 registered another major step in China’s relentless pursuit of space prowess. On October 24, 2007 a Chinese Changzheng (Long March) 3A rocket was launched from the Xichang launch site in Sichuan Province, sending the country’s first moon exploring Chang’e-1 spacecraft into the lunar orbit.... MORE
Sino-Russian Strategic Partnership Matures
Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie met with Viktor Zavarzin, the visiting chairman of the State Duma's Defense Committee, on April 7 at the Chinese Pentagon (Bayi Dalou). During their meeting, Liang stated that growing Sino-Russian defense relations "reflects the level of political trust and strategic... MORE
China’s Generation Y Talks “Openly” About Taiwan and Tibetan Independence
In an article published in Taiwan-based newspaper China Times, a staff news reporter in Shanghai asked the views of China's Generation Y—those born between 1981 and 1995—in China's bustling metropolis, following Taiwan's presidential election on March 22, about their views toward Taiwan and Tibet. The... MORE
Time for Conflict Prevention Across the Taiwan Strait
As Taiwan’s presidential election concludes, Beijing and Washington both will—pro tempore—breathe a sigh of relief to have successfully stifled Taiwan’s most recent attempt to validate its de facto sovereignty through the holding of two controversial UN referenda, which both ended in vetoes because the total... MORE
China’s New National Energy Commission and Energy Policy
The long-anticipated plan for Beijing to undertake major structural reforms to the energy sector by merging a number of central-level ministries, commissions and departments to form a so-called energy “super-ministry" or "super-commission" passed, albeit with some tweaks to satisfy the powerful vested interests that dominate... MORE
China’s Central Military Commissions After the NPC
The 11th National People’s Congress (NPC) stamped in the new leadership of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Membership of the state organ’s CMC and the 17th CMC of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are identical, in that... MORE
Stability Trumps Reform at China’s Parliamentary Session
The Chinese leadership at the ongoing National People’s Congress (NPC) has announced tough measures to rein in inflation and to promote government efficiency. In their talk to deputies in the two-week-long parliamentary session, however, Premier Wen Jiabao and his senior colleagues appeared to have made... MORE
Heixiazi Island to Return to PRC by End of 2008
Liu Guchang, the Chinese ambassador to Russia, announced that the demarcation of borders for the Heixiazi Island (Bol’shoi Ussuriiskiy Island) is complete and the island will be officially returned to the People's Republic of China's (PRC) jurisdiction by the end of 2008 (China Times, March... MORE