The China Race: Global Competition for Alternative World Orders

The World After a Great Power War

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Dr. Fe-Ling Wang – professor at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology, and author of “The China Trilogy”: “The China Order: Centralia, World Empire, and … Read more

China Should Be Held to Account for Its Companies’ Labor Abuses Abroad

China’s Crackdown on Foreign Firms Is a Symptom of a Much Deeper Problem

Many Chinese workers employed by Chinese companies abroad suffer degrading conditions. A China Labor Watch investigation in China’s Belt and Road nickel production projects in Indonesia, for example, found labor abuses such as wage withholding and extremely poor safety practices to be routine. Of course the employers shoulder much of the blame for these abuses, … Read more

Why China Doesn’t Have an Opposition Leader Like Navalny

Why China Doesn’t Have an Opposition Leader Like Navalny

The recent death of Russian democracy activist Alexei Navalny shocked and saddened observers around the world. In China, despite government propaganda that portrayed Navalny as a criminal who espoused extremism, many on the country’s highly censored internet were deeply touched by his vision, conviction, and courage. “Each nation has such heroes. They are willing to … Read more

Xi Jinping’s Quest for Self-governance Without Democracy

Xi Jinping’s Quest for Self-governance Without Democracy

In the quest for modern governance solutions, China continues to explore innovative methods to ensure local accountability without adopting Western-style democratic elections. This trend has been particularly notable during Xi Jinping’s tenure, marking a significant deviation from the methodologies preferred by his predecessors. Under Xi, the once-promoted enthusiasm for local elections has significantly waned.  A … Read more

‘To the Masses’: Decoding Xi Jinping’s Lunar New Year Visits

‘To the Masses’: Decoding Xi Jinping’s Lunar New Year Visits

Chinese state media Xinhua reported that President Xi Jinping visited the northern city of Tianjin on February 1 and 2, ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year. The visit continued a regular practice by Chinese leaders of engaging with grassroots communities as one year concludes and people from all walks of life slow down for … Read more

Will China Move Toward a ‘War-Driven’ Economy?

Will China Move Toward a ‘War-Driven’ Economy?

In the aftermath of the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the surge in anti-globalization sentiments, and escalating geopolitical competition, the landscape of the global economy has undergone substantial transformations.  China, too, felt these shifts, distinct from the era of globalization. China’s private enterprises are grappling with escalating challenges in their operations. The business milieu … Read more

What’s in the New Amendments to China’s State Secrets Law?

Will China’s Private Security Companies Follow the Wagner Group’s Footsteps in Africa?

At the sixth session of the Standing Committee of China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress, last month, a draft amendment to the State Secrets Law was submitted for review and deliberation. Given the pervasive securitization of information in China today, the submission is considered timely in expanding the purview of “secrecy work” — that … Read more

The Political Aims of ‘Xi Jinping Thought’

‘Party of One’: What the Rise of Xi Jinping Means for China and the World

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung – director and research fellow, respectively, of the China Institute at SOAS University of London and co-authors of “The Political Thought of … Read more

What Is the State of the Chinese State?

What Is the State of the Chinese State?

Advertisement Despite successive rounds of restructuring by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2018 and 2023 that led some analysts to proclaim the CCP’s absorption of the Chinese state, China’s government apparatus under the State Council survives and continues to strengthen important institutions. Since becoming CCP General Secretary in November 2012, Xi Jinping has redefined … Read more

China’s Economy Might Be Down, But Don’t Expect Regime Collapse

China’s Economy Might Be Down, But Don’t Expect Regime Collapse

Advertisement Since China missed its GDP growth target for the second quarter this year, Western media have started predicting that China has entered an economic “doom loop.” Although Xi Jinping tries to mitigate the failure, he cannot seal the cracks. Xi’s China is entering a period of stagnation.  All of these assessments and predictions sound … Read more