Latest China Brief Articles
China’s African Inroads Shaken by Regional Political Uncertainties
Chinese state-owned enterprises and private companies doing business in Africa are increasingly finding their lucrative and unbridled trade and contracts mired in the pervasive domestic power struggles shaping African politics. Chinese businesses' risk aversion to political uncertainties and their ability to remain above the fray... MORE
Hu’s New Deal and the Third Plenary Session of CCP’s 17th Central Committee
The just-concluded Third Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 17th Central Committee has pledged a "new deal" with Chinese characteristics for the country’s 730 million-odd farmers through boosting their “material benefits and democratic rights.” The plenum communiqué promised that the party would raise... MORE
China En Route to Cap Antartica
The Chinese icebreaker and research vessel Xue Long (Snow Dragon) has left the port of Shanghai on October 20 for its 25th annual expedition to Antarctica for a six-month mission that will see the construction of China's first inland scientific research station in Antarctica, the... MORE
The Geopolitics of Sino-Syrian Relations
Solidifying the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) burgeoning relationships with the countries of the Middle East remains a top priority for Beijing. The impetus behind China’s resurgent efforts to extend its influence within the Middle East stemmed from Beijing’s pursuit of energy resources to sustain... MORE
China’s Reaction to the North Korean Succession Crisis
The Dear Leader's absence at the 60th anniversary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) founding on September 9 added currency to the speculation that Kim Jong-Il's health may be deteriorating after having suffered a stroke sometime between August 14 - 22. Yet leading... MORE
Advances in PLA Air Defense Capabilities Challenge Strategic Balance in Asia
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has made considerable progress since the end of the Cold War in constructing a modern integrated air defense system (IADS), using a diverse range of primarily Russian but also domestic technologies. As this system matures over the next decade, it... MORE
Global Crisis Presents Challenges and Opportunities for China’s Economic Reform
The massive bailout of Western financial institutions is remaking the international financial order, spurring debate in China about what adjustments and financial instruments need to be on the table for Beijing to address domestic challenges and the international financial crisis. These calls come amid the... MORE
The Hu-Wen Leadership Battles “Warlords” over Economic Policies and Bureaucratic Reform
For the Hu Jintao-Wen Jiabao leadership, the party is pretty much over. After the coming-out extravaganza of the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hoped to extend the festive mood through to late September for the launch of the country’s third manned space flight,... MORE
Media Control and the Erosion of an Accountable Party-State in China
In recent weeks, a scandal of international proportions involving the consumption of tainted Chinese milk has emerged beginning with the Sanlu Group extending out to include 22 producers of baby formula—among them China’s major dairy companies Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group and Mengniu Dairy Company—impacted... MORE
Evaluating Trends in Central Military Commission Membership
Leadership ascension in China has long been an opaque and unpredictable process. The 17th Party Congress, due to convene this year, will present another opportunity for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to reshuffle its top leadership. Included in this will likely be new members of... MORE