china

China is on the brink of profound change. In this series of articles, we examine the impact of these shifts on its people, its relationship with the West, and its future global role.
Wednesday 8th February

China's elite: a language deficit

Kerry Brown, 8 February 2012
Beijing is concerned by Washington's more assertive regional policy in Asia. But here as elsewhere the Chinese leadership's inability to talk to the rest of the world in a natural way blunts its capacity to respond, says Kerry Brown.
Tuesday 7th February

Taiwan's election, and the need for nuance

LC Russell Hsiao and Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao, 7 February 2012
Taiwan's presidential election saw the incumbent Ma Ying-jeou win another four-year term in office over his opponent Tsai Ing-wen. But the interpretation of this outcome by Washington and Beijing misses an important dimension of Taiwan's political reality. Their flawed understanding could have damaging consequences over the next four years, say LC Russell Hsiao & Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao.
Wednesday 19th October

The inharmonious society

Chris Wilkins, 19 October 2011
Often viewed as stable and prosperous, the failure of Hong Kong’s out-of-touch ruling elite to address social issues is driving up youth disaffection, political radicalism and protest.
Tuesday 4th October

The three laws of Chinese politics

Kerry Brown, 4 October 2011
China is moving towards a major leadership transition in 2012. A process that looks opaque is governed by clear if unwritten rules, says Kerry Brown.
Friday 29th July

China’s great transition: the next party

Kerry Brown, 29 July 2011
A month that began in China with official celebrations of the communist party’s ninetieth anniversary ends with furious public criticism over its reaction to a fatal train disaster. The contrast symbolises the epic political task the party is facing, says Kerry Brown.
Tuesday 5th July

Comic sign of social change?

Charles Humphrey, 5 July 2011
Chinese stand-up Zhou Libo blurs the line between comedy and political critique, discussing political taboos and poking fun at the Communist Party. How long will the government turn a blind eye?

Domestic politics fuel maritime disputes in East Asia

Andy Yee, 5 July 2011
The recent intensification of the dispute between China and Vietnam has highlighted the volatile and unpredictable nature of maritime disputes in East Asia. Despite the prevalence of nationalist sentiments, historical grievances and geopolitical interests, it is domestic politics that render these disputes more complicated, unpredictable and dangerous.
Tuesday 21st June

Inner Mongolia: China’s turbulent secret

Kerry Brown, 21 June 2011
A protest in another of China’s ethnically mixed regions highlights both Inner Mongolia’s singular history and the Beijing government’s political neglect, says Kerry Brown.
Wednesday 6th April

Chinese democracy: the neglected story

Kerry Brown, 6 April 2011
The evolution of new forms of governance in rural China is an important if often hidden part of the country’s major transition, says Kerry Brown.
Wednesday 16th March

How far will China's navy reach?

Graham Ong-Webb, 16 March 2011
China's growing naval prowess is not so much an exercise in belligerence but an effort to shake off the shackles that have long confined its strategic reach. Nevertheless, there is reason for concern: Any China-related military conflict is most likely to be triggered and fought at sea.
Wednesday 2nd March

China and the Egyptian rising

Kerry Brown and Cassidy Hazelbaker, 2 March 2011
The Arab democratic awakening makes China’s communist leaders nervous. But are they right to be worried, ask Kerry Brown & Cassidy Hazelbaker.
Wednesday 8th December

Hada, Liu Xiaobo, and China’s fear

Kerry Brown and Natalia Lisenkova, 8 December 2010
A powerful Chinese political elite fears those citizens who raise their voice against it. The case of a political prisoner in Inner Mongolia, as much as that of the Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, reveals the distance it has to go to temper strength with justice, say Kerry Brown & Natalia Lisenkova.
Wednesday 17th November

Repression’s paradox in China

Lester R. Kurtz, 17 November 2010
From the authoritarian’s perspective, internal dissidents are easy to deal with – put them in jail, have them disappeared, exiled, or executed. It is not so easy to silence the prestigious Nobel committee, however, let alone the international community. Of course, that is exactly why Professor Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Wednesday 20th October

Wen Jiabao: the verdict of history

Li Datong, 20 October 2010
China’s elite is preparing for the succession of power in 2012. But there is still time for the current generation to shape its legacy. In particular, says Li Datong, prime minister Wen Jiabao is an increasingly bold and outspoken figure in China’s political establishment.
Saturday 16th October

Claire Rayner: queen of British republicans

Anthony Barnett, 16 October 2010
A personal tribute to Claire Rayner, the 'agony aunt', novelist and broadcaster who died this week.
Wednesday 13th October

Why China's exchange rate is a red herring

Avinash D Persaud, 13 October 2010
Martin Coyne/Demotix. All rights reserved The US obsession with the Chinese exchange rate is a classic example of blaming foreigners for domestic woes. And we’ve been here before. In the 1980s, the US government – reacting to political pressure from ailing US manufacturers – engineered a massive yen appreciation. That did as little to save US manufacturing jobs then as a rise in the yuan would do today. (First published 10 April 2010)
Photo: Martin Coyne/Demotix. All rights reserved
Tuesday 12th October

Liu Xiaobo and China's future

Kerry Brown, 12 October 2010
The Beijing elite’s vehement reaction to an imprisoned dissident’s Nobel award is a sign of its political vulnerability, says Kerry Brown.
Monday 11th October

China and Liu Xiaobo: the weakness of strength

Kerry Brown, 11 October 2010
The award of the Nobel peace prize to Chinese rights activist Liu Xiaobo is a landmark moment. In January 2010, Kerry Brown assessed Liu's significance - and Temtsel Hao anticipated this moment (archive)
Wednesday 15th September

China and Tony Blair: the wealth circuit

Kerry Brown, 15 September 2010
China is a favoured stopover for a former prime minister with money on his mind. But this is a game that his hosts too are playing, says Kerry Brown.
Wednesday 18th August

China: a tide of workers’ protest

Li Datong, 18 August 2010
The growing militancy and confidence of China’s industrial workers are rooted in the epic social experience of the reform decades, says Li Datong. 
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