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.
China’s Militia and the Battle Against COVID-19
By Shin Kawashima
The pandemic has offered some glimpses into Chinese governance.
China Didn’t Warn Public of Likely Pandemic for 6 Key Days
By Associated Press
Internal Chinese government documents show a delay in Beijing’s official reaction.
Chinese Debt Relief: Fact and Fiction
By Deborah Brautigam
COVID-19 has increased calls for China to forgive old loans. Time to sort out the facts and the fiction about how China manages debt in troubled times.
China Has a New Target in Its COVID-19 Battle: Africans
By Jason Hung
China should apologize for -- and admit to -- the discriminatory policies against African communities.
Chinese Women in Elite Spaces
By Olivia Halsall
Chinese women are swimming against the current of systemic gender inequality both in China and overseas to create their own space and value.
Beijing Covered up COVID-19 Once. It Could Happen Again.
By Sarah Cook
China’s political system is designed to cover up failure and exaggerate success. It can’t be trusted on the coronavirus.
China Confronts Major Risk of Debt Crisis on the Belt and Road Due to Pandemic
By Nick Crawford and David Gordon
Debt distress along the Belt and Road will be a serious threat to China’s own financial sustainability and to the operations of Chinese companies overseas.
The 1989 Tiananmen Crackdown Was Not Inevitable
By David Skidmore
In retrospect, the end of China's 1989 protest movement seems preordained. It was anything but.
Hong Kong’s Protests Amid COVID-19: A Dying Movement or a Halted War?
By Brian Wong
The seeming peace in Hong Kong reflects a gathering storm on the horizon – a storm Hong Kong and Beijing alike must address.
Latin America Used To Be Positive Toward China. COVID-19 Might Change That.
By Igor Patrick
Like other regions, Latin America has seen a rise in anti-Chinese rhetoric since the outbreak began.
Tsai Rejects Accusations Taiwan Attacked WHO Chief, Invites Him to Visit
By Nick Aspinwall
Tedros claimed racist slurs directed toward him had originated in Taiwan, allegations which were rejected by Taiwan’s president and its foreign ministry.
China’s Early COVID-19 Missteps Have an All-Too-Mundane Explanation
By Kyle Jaros
How intergovernmental dynamics influenced the coronavirus outbreak in China.