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.
Xi Jinping’s Quest for Self-governance Without Democracy
By Jonghyuk Lee
In the quest to ensure local accountability, elections are out; the “Fengqiao Experience” is in.
China Should Be Wary of the Trap of History
By Nicholas Ross Smith and Tracey Fallon
China has long leaned into historical narratives in policymaking. Now Chinese officials are increasingly resorting to emphasizing the negative histories of their adversaries.
Taiwan: The Future of the ‘Republic of China’
By KAWASHIMA Shin
How the ROC is defined could have profound repercussions for cross-strait relations.
A Month After Taiwan’s Election, Cross-Strait Tensions Continue to Simmer
By Brian Hioe
From sending balloons over Taiwan to forcing a scheduled sports competition to relocate, China has been upping the pressure.
China’s Chronic Zero COVID Trauma
By Donald Low
More than a year after China scrapped its zero-COVID policy, it has become clear that most analysts underestimated the adverse impacts on business and consumer sentiment.
How to De-Risk From China: Lessons From Italy
By Nicola Casarini
Italy’s de-risking has been a gradual, and often winding, process of reducing critical dependencies on China. But is it permanent?
China-Russia Energy Ties Feature in the Xi-Putin Lunar New Year Call
By Joseph Webster
Sino-Russian oil trade grew in 2023, although Putin might have been piqued by Chinese actions on coal and inaction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline.
‘To the Masses’: Decoding Xi Jinping’s Lunar New Year Visits
By Zhuowen Li
Understanding Xi’s take on a longstanding CCP tradition: visiting ordinary citizens ahead of the holiday season.
China’s YouTube Propaganda in Latin America
By Sascha Hannig Nuñez
The efforts are obvious, but many of the videos fail to garner significant attention.
Unpacking the Layers of China’s Spring Festival Gala
By Nick Carraway
This year, three trends stood out amid the Gala’s presentations, echoing through other official policies.
Messi’s Absence in Hong Kong Game Sparks Anger, Boycott Calls in China
By Kanis Leung
Disappointment from Hong Kong fans ballooned into a nationalistic controversy after the soccer superstar took the pitch in Japan.
China’s Zombie East China Sea Policy
By Denny Roy
The decade-old approach is failing to gain any substantial benefit, while maximizing the chances of an accidental war that Beijing does not want.