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

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

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

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