China Brief Notes is a supplemental publication for China Brief, offering a venue for short-form (700-1,000 words), incisive articles published on a when-ready basis responding to a new event, law, speech, tifa (提法), or other development in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that is of strategic interest to policymakers across the world.
Latest Articles
Hong Kong’s Pivotal Role in RMB Internationalization
Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues to use Hong Kong to test policies and build support for the internationalization of its currency, the renminbi (RMB). The city is now the world’s largest offshore RMB clearing center. The Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS)... MORE
PRC Unveils New Space Plan
Executive Summary: The first national-level long-term plan for space science development from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) sets the goal of becoming a global leader by 2050, by which point it aims to lead in revolutionary scientific breakthroughs, deep space missions, and by becoming... MORE
HarmonyOS NEXT: Beijing’s Bid for Operating System Independence
Executive Summary: Huawei has launched HarmonyOS NEXT, the first fully self-developed mobile operating system in the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) that is independent of Android and Linux/Unix kernels. HarmonyOS has seen substantial domestic adoption, surpassing iOS to become the PRC’s second-largest operating system with... MORE
National People’s Congress Deepens External United Front Work
Executive Summary: The National People’s Congress (NPC) actively engages in diplomatic exchanges with foreign legislative bodies as part of the Party’s united front strategy. This work aims to build a favorable international environment for the PRC’s “One Belt One Road” initiative and its concept of... MORE
Beijing’s Latest Data Security Regulations Create Framework for Broad Domestic and Extraterritorial Supervision
Executive Summary: The State Council-approved “Network Data Security Management Regulations” impose stringent compliance requirements on data processors and platform service providers to safeguard personal information, important data, and cross-border data. The “Regulations” signal continued efforts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to assert control... MORE
PRC Launches First Algorithm Registration Center, Strengthening AI and Data Regulation
Executive Summary: The Beijing Algorithm Registration Center—also known as the Model Share Center—has opened as the PRC’s first physical algorithm registration center, marking a significant step in regulating AI development. The center is co-established by the local government, Zhongguancun Development Group, and Huawei through the... MORE
Beijing’s Stimulus Package Comes Amid Growing Challenges
Executive Summary: In a departure from the long-term economic program announced at the Third Plenum in July, the Party leadership used an unusual politburo meeting in September to acknowledge “new situations and challenges” in the economy, unveiling its most significant stimulus package in recent years.... MORE
Q&A: What was the Relationship Between the United Front System and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office?
Editor’s Note: Q&A articles are short responses to research queries that we have received from external readers, including government officials and journalists, and that we believe are useful to a wider audience. The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (OCAO) merged with the United Front Work Department... MORE
Beyond the List: The Broad Range of United Front Work in Sweden
Executive Summary: Sweden contains at least 103 organizations that are part of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) united front system and exist across the country’s culture, business, politics, and education sectors. The organizations promote strengthening cultural, economic, and technological ties with the PRC and amplify... MORE
The Lianyungang Conference and Beijing’s Attempts to Reshape Global Security
Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has trained 2,700 foreign police officers in the past year and pledged to train an additional 3,000 in the coming 12 months, as part of its growing involvement in global security governance. The Global Public Security Cooperation... MORE
Beijing’s Supervision Law Overhaul: Proposed Amendments Push Extraterritorial Anti-Corruption Enforcement
Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) proposed amendments to the Supervision Law aim to strengthen the National Supervision Commission’s (NSC) authority, particularly its ability to conduct extraterritorial anti-corruption enforcement. The amendments align with Xi Jinping’s “foreign-related rule-by-law (涉外法治)” concept, extending PRC legal and... MORE
MIIT Overhypes Lithography Breakthrough
Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has announced breakthroughs in semiconductor manufacturing, specifically in Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) lithography, as part of its effort to achieve technological self-sufficiency amid US sanctions. The DUV machines showcased by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)... MORE
Ahead in the Cloud: Revolution at the RISC-V Summit China
Executive Summary: A state-private partnership involving China Telecom, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Alibaba has unveiled the industry’s first cloud computing platform dedicated to RISC-V architecture, to accelerate the adoption of RISC-V in cloud-native applications. The RISC-V Summit China, held in Hangzhou, signaled RISC-V’s... MORE
Beijing Strengthens Data Security with New Regulations, Expanding Control Over Domestic and Cross-Border Data
Executive Summary: New Network Data Security Management Regulations approved by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Council will serve as a national-level framework to clarify and enhance the implementation of existing laws, including the Cybersecurity Law (CSL), Data Security Law (DSL), and Personal Information... MORE
Turkish Journalists are Now ‘Telling the Xinjiang Story Well’ for Beijing
Executive Summary: Türkiye could be a key player in the People's Republic of China's (PRC) strategy of coopting foreign journalists in order to create a more favorable image of its policies in Xinjiang. Türkiye’s participation in PRC state-backed tours for journalists, along with recent economic... MORE
Hong Kong’s New Strategic Role After the Third Plenum
Executive Summary: Key officials visited the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in late August to explain the city’s political, economic, cultural, and security responsibilities. They signaled deeper integration with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) mainland while leveraging its unique international position. Hong Kong... MORE
Scientist at Forefront of US Army Research Selected to Lead PRC’s Strategic Chip Production Line
Executive Summary: Beijing continues to exploit US policies to circumvent technology controls and to lower the scrutiny applied to its technology transfer activities. Hong Kong as part of the Greater Bay Area—is tasked to focus on third-generation chip production to leapfrog US and allied chokepoints... MORE