Latest Articles about China
Xi Jinping and “Common Prosperity”: New Governance Paradigm or Tool to Consolidate Power?
Introduction During the 6th Plenum of the 19th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, held in November 2021, China’s top political leadership passed a “historical resolution” that cements President Xi Jinping’s (习近平) status as a transformative leader and secures his political legacy (People’s Daily, November... MORE
US and Allies Fail to Pull Moscow Away From Beijing
During a video-conference on December 15, Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China hailed close political, military and economic ties, as well as promoted their mutual personal friendship. The two leaders demonstrated their defiance to Western pressure and threats of escalating sanctions... MORE
Russia’s Pacific Fleet Upgrades Kamchatka Submarine Base
Amidst growing tensions in the Western Pacific over rival Chinese and United States efforts to bolster their presence there, Russia’s military is pursuing a major upgrade of the Viliuchinsk naval base in the Russian Far East. Viliuchinsk is the Pacific Fleet’s ballistic nuclear missile submarine... MORE
All-Out Defense of “Chinese-Style Democracy” Exposes Cracks in Xi Jinping’s Armor
In the run-up to the U.S. “Democracy Summit” hosted by President Joe Biden on December 9-10, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) pulled out all the stops to convince the world that China’s “whole-process democracy” (全过程民主, quanguocheng minzhu) is superior to the democratic ideals championed by... MORE
Moscow’s Trade With China Leaves Russians in the Far East Hungry, Cold and Angry
It is often said that most people have little difficulty living in huts until someone builds a castle nearby; then, the poverty they are experiencing becomes unbearable, and their anger at those in the castle will inevitably grow. That adage certainly holds true for the... MORE
Russia, China Dividing Responsibilities in Tajikistan: Is Conflict Possible?
Street clashes in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan region have quieted down at least for the present, but in their wake, geopolitical competition there has, if anything, increased. Russia and China are assuming an ever more active role for at least three reasons: 1) the region’s location on... MORE
Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: Beijing’s Blueprint for Foreign Relations or Sui Generis?
The triannual Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC, 中非合作论坛, Zhongfei hezuo luntan) convened in Dakar, Senegal this week (Xinhua, November 29). This year’s meeting was held at the ministerial level, a departure from the last two fora, which were leader-level summits. More African heads of state,... MORE
Borrowed Boats Capsizing: State Security Ties to CCP Propaganda Laundering Rile Czech Public
New revelations on the laundering of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda through local actors in the Czech Republic point to an underresearched aspect of influence operations. The CCP’s tactic of “borrowing a boat to go out to sea” (借船出海, jie chuan chu hai), i.e., coopting local... MORE
End of the Golden Era: Sino-British Relations Enter Difficult Period
Introduction In May, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Carrier Strike Group (CSG) led by the HMS Queen Elizabeth set off for the Indo-Pacific region on a seven-month deployment, which is the first of its kind (UK Ministry of Defence, May 22). The CSG has so far... MORE
Sri Lanka’s Balancing Act Between China and India
Introduction The tiny island nation of Sri Lanka has sought to navigate complex bilateral relationships between the two nearby great powers, China and India. India enjoys both geographic convergence with Sri Lanka, which is in its immediate Indian Ocean periphery, as well as historical, linguistic... MORE