
Latest China Brief Articles

Political Drivers of China’s Private Sector Demise
Beijing has recently introduced a blitzkrieg of regulatory measures targeting industries ranging from video games and financial technology to food delivery and education (Tuzhixi, July 27, 2021). The introduction of these regulatory measures has had profound implications on China’s economic trajectory. China’s tech giants have... MORE

Characterizing China’s Rule of Law
Chinese President Xi Jinping is working in earnest to develop for China what his government calls “rule by law” (法治). It is sometimes translated into English as “rule of law,” though this is misleading, as Chinese law cannot restrict arbitrary exercise of power at the... MORE

The Chinese Debate on Economic Reform
A steady drumbeat of ominous data and troubling commentary on the state of China’s economy has punctuated the summer months. Reports from the commentariat in the anglosphere have provided diagnostic analysis and detailed potential policy solutions that the Chinese government might pursue. However, China’s central decision... MORE

A Belt and Road to Nowhere? Italy on the Frontlines of Europe’s Changing Strategy Toward China
Introduction During her tenure as Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni has been far more active on the international scene than most observers predicted. Within the first ten months of her tenure, she has traveled to capitals across Europe, Asia, and North Africa and has hosted numerous... MORE

The No Limits Partnership: PRC Weapons Support for Russia
Introduction Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, there is growing concern about the possible involvement of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in supplying Russia with weapons, munitions, and various other technology that could have dual-use applications. Notably, no significant provision of large-scale military hardware... MORE

The PRC’s “One Family” Concept and Taiwanese Views of a Cross-Strait Familial Bond
Introduction The concept that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to “one family” (兩岸一家人 or 兩岸一家親), an idea promoted by China’s top leadership, has failed to gain popularity in Taiwan. Even members of the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨)—Taiwan’s main opposition party that supports greater engagement... MORE

China’s Floods and Party Priorities
Introduction Typhoon Doksuri (杜苏芮) crashed onto the Chinese mainland over Fujian Province on Friday, July 28. From there it pushed northward, where a constellation of meteorological factors led it to slow down over North China, where it unleashed huge volumes of rain over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei... MORE

Xi’s Mismanagement Fuels Political Scandals and Exacerbates Economic Woes
Introduction After emerging as China’s “leader for life” and filling top party organs such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee and the Politburo with members of his own faction, paramount leader Xi Jinping has been relentlessly buffeted by what he refers to as... MORE

Demystifying ‘De-Risking’: Can the PRC Sell to Countries and Coerce Them at the Same Time?
Introduction With the rapid growth of its economic and diplomatic power, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has cultivated diverse new connections with the societies of other states. These connections, most often deriving from economic activity, have given the PRC methods to influence the political... MORE

Laying Down the Law Under the Sea: Analyzing the US and Chinese Submarine Cable Governance Regimes
Introduction In May 2018, the World Bank opened bidding to “all eligible firms from any country” on a $72.6 million submarine fiber-optic cable system that sought to enhance the Internet infrastructure of three Pacific island nations: the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, and Nauru... MORE