Blog
China Power
China's rise inspires a mix of awe, fear and skepticism. But what will its global role be? Are we on the brink of a bipolar world? How will its neighbors respond? Will it all come crashing down? The Diplomat's daily China blog will try to find some answers.
The African Continental Free Trade Area Is a Boon for China
By Jonathan Munemo
The biggest beneficiary of the new trade bloc may be China rather than Africa.
China’s Foreign Policy: Inflexibility Rules
By KAWASHIMA Shin
We’re in a period of Chinese diplomatic rigidity.
China’s Tang Dynasty and Afghanistan, the Graveyard of Empires
By Chan Kung
The rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty points to the crucial strategic significance of the region today known as Afghanistan.
Chen Min’er Guarantees Xi Jinping’s Influence Into the 2030s
By Tristan Kenderdine
Chen Min'er has long been near the top of China’s governance structure. His development as a likeness to Xi means he is now the conduit between the elder and younger factions of Xi’s New Core.
China’s Communist ‘Common Prosperity’ Campaign
By Sara Hsu
The “common prosperity” ideology is the realization of Chinese socialism imposed upon market-based, modern activity, which makes it especially hard for investors to interpret.
Afghanistan’s Collapse: The View From Taiwan
By Brian Hioe
How are Taiwan’s various political players interpreting the U.S. withdrawal, and the subsequent fall of Kabul?
Shen Yiqin, Party Historian, to Bring Depth to CCP Politburo
By Tristan Kenderdine
Shen Yiqin, a party history expert and representative of the emerging Guizhou faction, is the leading female candidate for Politburo promotion in 2022.
China and the Taliban: What to Watch
By Bonnie Girard
Developments in two areas – Afghanistan’s illicit drug trade and the Sino-Afghan shared border – will give us early indications of Beijing’s approach to a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
What Will Happen in Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou’s Canada Extradition Case?
By Lizzi C. Lee
The latest hearings wrapped up on August 18 in a case that has attracted international attention and torpedoed Canada-China relations.
New Chinese Law Tightens Requirements for Data Privacy
By Associated Press
The law would impose some of the world’s strictest controls on private sector handling of information about individuals.
Does the Belt and Road Have a Future in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan?
By Sebastien Goulard
The Taliban will welcome the hard infrastructure elements of the BRI. The “soft” components are a different story.
China’s Political Calculations and Potential Options in Afghanistan
By Jianli Yang
Beijing will approach Afghan affairs – and the Taliban – more cautiously than people think.