Latest China Brief Articles
Themes from the CPPCC Signal the End of Hong Kong Autonomy—and the Effective End of the “One Country, Two Systems” Framework
Introduction The annual meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), known collectively as the “Two Sessions” (两会, Liang Hui), are the biggest official events on the annual political calendar of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Usually... MORE
Under a COVID-19 Cloud, China’s Gig Economy Comes of Age
Introduction In late April, as residents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) began to adjust to a new normal in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic, Ele.me—one of the country’s biggest food delivery platforms—unveiled its latest innovation. In a viral post, a delivery man... MORE
The Belt and Road Initiative: A Domestically-Motivated Program Fueling Global Competition
Introduction The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China’s ambitious overseas economic and infrastructure program, is having a significant impact on the world economy. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has pledged $1 trillion in investment; the extensive geographic scope of the initiative involves more than... MORE
Chinese Incursions Into Vietnamese Waters, Security Implications for the Region, and the Potential Role of India
Introduction: China Renews Its Maritime Sovereignty Claims at the Expense of Vietnam The outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic that began in the Chinese city of Wuhan has not deterred the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from pursuing its long-term strategic vision of asserting its... MORE
Beijing Announces Its Intention to Impose a New “National Security” Law on Hong Kong
Editor’s Note: This article was initially published as a Jamestown “Early Warning Brief” on May 26. It has since been updated for re-publication here. Introduction: Beijing Introduces Draft “National Security” Legislation for Hong Kong For many weeks, People’s Republic of China (PRC) authorities in Beijing... MORE
China’s Long March Rocket Program Sees Both Dramatic Successes and Failures in Spring 2020
Introduction The early months of 2020 have seen a number of significant launches for the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s Long March series of rockets (长征系列运载火箭, Chang Zheng xilie yunzai huojian). The venerable—but steadily evolving—Long March series dates its active history back to China’s first... MORE
Examining China’s Organ Transplantation System: The Nexus of Security, Medicine, and Predation / Part 2: Evidence for the Harvesting of Organs from Prisoners of Conscience
Editor’s Note: For many years, stories have circulated about instances of alleged involuntary organ harvesting in the People’s Republic of China. However, due to the difficulty of confirming these accounts—and due perhaps as well to their lurid and disturbing nature—the veracity of these alleged accounts... MORE
“Land Apart, Shared Sky”: Sino-Japanese Relations Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Introduction Over the last several years, Sino-Japanese relations have registered steady progress. Despite the intensified international criticism directed toward the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the administrations in both Beijing and Tokyo seem keen to... MORE
Chinese Private Security Contractors: New Trends and Future Prospects
Introduction In addition to the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Support Base in Djibouti, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has indicated ambitious plans for future “strategic strong point” naval bases in the Indian Ocean and Africa (China Brief, March 22, 2019), and has... MORE
AI-Powered Propaganda and the CCP’s Plans for Next-Generation “Thought Management”
Introduction The propaganda apparatus of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is in full swing: to ward off the negative international repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PRC’s diplomatic corps and state media are actively asserting Beijing’s perspectives online. For example, in April the Chinese... MORE