Region
East Asia
Bitcoin Mining and Blackouts Add to Anti-Chinese Sentiments in Iran
By Reza Khaasteh
Amid energy shortages in Iran, Iranians are pointing the finger at Chinese-run bitcoin mining operations.
Hong Kong’s Present Echoes Tibet’s Past
By Simon Shen
In both 1959 Tibet and 2019 Hong Kong, popular dissent became a flashpoint for the end of meaningful autonomy - just as Beijing had planned.
The Role of Political Culture in Taiwan’s COVID-19 Success
By Layne Vandenberg
Taiwan’s political culture is the unexpected key to public compliance with COVID-19 digital surveillance.
Taiwan Tightens COVID-19 Regulations Amid String of Hospital Infections
By Nick Aspinwall
Taiwan is working to contain a domestic outbreak and maintain its remarkable success in containing the coronavirus.
2 Films Offer 2 Tales of Wuhan Lockdown Ahead of 1-Year Anniversary
By Associated Press
A government-sanctioned look back at the early fight against COVID-19 differs sharply from a documentary directed by artist and dissident Ai Weiwei.
The Trump Administration’s Final China Push
By Ben Lowsen
The Trump administration in its waning hours took more aggressive measures against Beijing. Has it locked new President Biden into a needlessly hostile policy?
What’s Ahead for China’s Space Program in 2021?
By Namrata Goswami and Namrata Goswami
From a Mars mission to the beginnings of a new space station, this year will be full of milestones for China.
China’s Ocean Policy Specialist to Miss Out on 20th Central Committee
By Tristan Kenderdine
Liu Cigui’s promotion from Hainan party secretary effectively takes him out of the running for the ultimate prize: membership in the CCP Politburo.
In Hong Kong, COVID-19 and Racism Make an Ugly Mix
By Jessie Lau
In Hong Kong, the pandemic has fanned the flames of a more silent epidemic: systematic racism.
Mongolia’s Prime Minister Offers Shock Resignation Amid Protests
By Bolor Lkhaajav
Instability roils Mongolia’s political apparatus in the midst of a global pandemic.
Biden Administration Makes Early Outreach to Taiwan
By Shannon Tiezzi
For the first time since 1979, Taiwan’s representative in the U.S. received an official invitation to a U.S. presidential inauguration.
The Global Reach of China’s Venture Capital
By Sophie Zinser
Chinese VC investment has been excluded from India but is growing in South and Southeast Asia. How is that remaking foreign startup ecosystems?