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.
How China’s Poverty Alleviation Campaign Helped Give Birth to COVID-19
By Canghao Chen
China’s wildlife trade, believed to be the origin of the new coronavirus, was encouraged as a way to lift rural workers out of poverty.
China and the Budapest-Belgrade Railway Saga
By Andreea Brînză
The railway became the BRI’s most important project in Europe -- but nearly seven years later, the story still isn’t over.
African Countries Respond to Guangzhou’s ‘Anti-Epidemic Measures’
By Eleanor Albert
Widespread reports of racism against Africans put China into damage control mode.
China’s Diplomats Show Teeth in Defending Virus Response
By Associated Press
Chinese envoys have taken to using sharper language overseas.
Casino-Heavy Macau Looks to End COVID-Induced Slowdown
By Jason Hung
Macau should start to lift border restrictions in order to boost its tourist-dependent economy.
Why China’s Propaganda Efforts So Often Backfire
By Jo Kim
An obsession with finding enemies and uniting the front makes it difficult to “tell China’s story well.”
Racism Is Alive and Well in China
By Bonnie Girard
The problem is decades old, but some Chinese are trying to do something about it.
China’s Hidden Crackdown in Tibet
By Kate Saunders
The Chinese state has used the coronavirus pandemic to deepen its advance into the private and devotional lives of Tibetans.
Gaokao in the Time of COVID-19
By Kate Kologrivaya and Emma Shleifer
Debate over the decision to postpone China’s college entrance exam crystallizes deeper problems with educational inequality.
Hong Kong Arrests Spark Fears of Crackdown
By Associated Press
The U.S. and U.K. condemned the arrests of democracy activists over the weekend.
Why Some of China’s Most Ardent Nationalists Are Fangirls
By Xu Xin
The latest Twitter war, centering on a Thai idol named Bright, reveals a curious trend in Chinese nationalism.
China and Ethiopia, Part 4: Mekelle Industrial Park
By Istvan Tarrosy, Zoltán Vörös, and Seife Hailu Gebreslassie
Ethiopia, with dreams of being a textile and apparel manufacturing hub, is following China's blueprint for industrial parks.