China Brief

China Brief is a primary source of timely information and cutting-edge analysis for policy-makers, intelligence and military personnel, academics, journalists, and business leaders. In addition to its audience in Europe and the United States, China Brief is widely-read in East Asia, where articles are regularly translated and reprinted in leading newspapers, journals, and websites.

Submission Guidelines

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

02.03.2026 Youlun Nie

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

01.30.2026 Sunny Cheung

Late Stalinism in Beijing

01.26.2026 Matthew Johnson

Latest

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

02.03.2026 Youlun Nie

Economics & Energy

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

01.30.2026 Sunny Cheung

Technology

Late Stalinism in Beijing

01.26.2026 Matthew Johnson

Politics & Society

Zhang Youxia’s Differences with Xi Jinping Led to His Purge

01.26.2026 K. Tristan Tang

Military & Security

Reports

Rigging the Game: PRC Oil Structures Encroach on Taiwan’s Pratas Island

Executive Summary: Beijing’s relentless pressure on Taiwan now includes oil rigs: twelve permanent or semi-permanent structures and dozens of associated ships. The structures, which are...

Building a Strong Informatized Strategic Missile Force: An Overview of the Second Artillery Force with a Focus on Training in 2014

This report analyzes the training and personnel recruitment of the People’s Liberation Army Second Artillery Force (PLASAF), China’s main strategic deterrent force. While there has...

PLA Air Force, Naval Aviation, and Army Aviation Aviator Recruitment, Education, and Training

This report provides an overview of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aviation branch’s aviator recruitment, education, and training. Although the focus of the...

Terminal Authority: Assessing the CCP’s Emerging Crisis of Political Succession

07.26.2025 Peace Ajirotutu

CCP

CNP Part II: Seven National Development Strategies

09.26.2025 Erik R. Quam

Foreign Policy

‘Mainlander’ Narratives Dominate Kuomintang Leadership Race

10.04.2025 Peter Mattis

cross-strait

DeepSeek Use in PRC Military and Public Security Systems

10.27.2025 Sunny Cheung

Military & Security

China Brief Notes

China Brief Notes offers short-form, incisive articles 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.

PRC Attempts to Shape Norms at UNHRC

02.06.2026 Anouk Wear 華穆清

Foreign Policy

Hefei’s Fusion Sector Drives New Approach to Development

02.06.2026 Shijie Wang

Economics & Energy

All China Brief

Clear Filters

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

02.03.2026 Youlun Nie

Executive Summary The structural exhaustion of the “Land Finance” model has compelled local governments in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to abandon the reform-era...

Publication China Volume 26 Issue 3

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

01.30.2026 Sunny Cheung

Executive Summary: Across People’s Liberation Army units, defense universities, and defense state-owned enterprises, Russia’s war in Ukraine has reinforced calls for the Chinese military to...

Publication China Volume 26 Issue 3

Late Stalinism in Beijing

01.26.2026 Matthew Johnson

Executive Summary: General Secretary Xi Jinping appears to have prevailed in the latest round of military purges in the Central Military Commission (CMC), but only...

Publication China Volume 26 Issue 3

Zhang Youxia’s Differences with Xi Jinping Led to His Purge

01.26.2026 K. Tristan Tang

Executive Summary: On January 24, authorities announced investigations into Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Chief of Staff of the CMC Joint...

Publication China Volume 26 Issue 3

Editorial Team

Arran Hope

Editor, China Brief

Arran Hope is the editor of China Brief at The Jamestown Foundation, where he also has responsibility for additional China-related publications and programming. His writings analyzing political developments in the…

Shijie Wang

Deputy Editor, China Brief

Shijie Wang is a Deputy Editor for China Brief. He is a graduate of the Master of Public Policy Program at Georgetown University.

China Brief

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

Late Stalinism in Beijing

Latest

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

Late Stalinism in Beijing

Zhang Youxia’s Differences with Xi Jinping Led to His Purge

Reports

Rigging the Game: PRC Oil Structures Encroach on Taiwan’s Pratas Island

Building a Strong Informatized Strategic Missile Force: An Overview of the Second Artillery Force with a Focus on Training in 2014

PLA Air Force, Naval Aviation, and Army Aviation Aviator Recruitment, Education, and Training

Featured

Terminal Authority: Assessing the CCP’s Emerging Crisis of Political Succession

CNP Part II: Seven National Development Strategies

‘Mainlander’ Narratives Dominate Kuomintang Leadership Race

DeepSeek Use in PRC Military and Public Security Systems

Most Read

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

Late Stalinism in Beijing

China Brief Notes

PRC Attempts to Shape Norms at UNHRC

Hefei’s Fusion Sector Drives New Approach to Development

All China Brief

The PRC’s Local Governments Turn to Predatory Revenue Tactics

PLA Assessments on the Centrality of Space Power in Ukraine

Late Stalinism in Beijing

Zhang Youxia’s Differences with Xi Jinping Led to His Purge

Editorial Team

Arran Hope

Shijie Wang