Latest Articles about China and the Asia-Pacific
Abu Zar Al-Burmi—The Ideologue Spearheading an Anti-China Message and Reinvigorating the Pakistani Taliban
On August 26, a prominent jihadist ideologue affiliated with al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mufti Abu Zar-al-Burmi (hereafter Abu Zar), issued a congratulatory audio-visual statement praising the Taliban for reestablishing Islamic rule in Afghanistan. While he vehemently criticized Islamic State (IS) for its hasty and... MORE
Early Warning Brief: Implications of Xi’s Revival of the Maoist Slogan “Common Prosperity”
Introduction The Chinese President Xi Jinping has masterminded a major policy shift for the world’s second largest economy by underscoring the imperative of “common prosperity” (共同富裕, Gongtong fuyu). At a recent meeting of the Central Finance and Economic Affairs Commission (CFEC), which he leads, Xi... MORE
Kazakhstan Surges to Third Place in Global Crypto-Currency Production, Behind China and US
While many crypto-currency advocates worldwide promote this sector as the next step in international finance, multiple governments are becoming increasingly leery because of digital currencies’ energy-intensive mining requirements, volatile price swings, potential for fraud, associated criminal issues, and privacy concerns. China, formally the global leader... MORE
Taliban Victory Unsettles Geopolitics in Central Asia
The suddenness of the Taliban’s victory amidst the final departure of United States forces from Afghanistan has intensified fears in Central Asia about the threat that movement poses to them. Consequently, it has sparked discussions across Central Asian capital about how they should respond—both in... MORE
Xinhua Infiltrates Western Electronic Media, Part 2: Relationships with News Agencies and Distribution Services
Author’s Note: This is the second part of a two-part article series in China Brief exploring methods by which Xinhua and other Chinese state-owned media organizations are seeking greater presence and influence for their propaganda material in English-language online media. The first article examined recent... MORE
Expanding China’s Central Asia Playbook to Afghanistan
Introduction For almost 30 years, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has deployed various strategies to increase its economic and political influence in Central Asia. In 1994, then-Premier Li Peng suggested a plan to develop economic connectivity and “revive the old Silk Road” (Xinhua, December... MORE
‘Lips and Teeth’: The Enduring China-North Korea Relationship
Introduction The leaders of China and North Korea marked the 60th anniversary of the China-North Korea Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance (Peking Review, July 11, 1961) on July 11, and pledged to renew the treaty for another 20 years (UPI, July 7). "Despite... MORE
China’s New Biosecurity Law Gives Limited Insight into Government Priorities and Next Steps
Introduction The new Biosecurity Law ([生物安全法], Shengwu anquan fa, hereafter “Law”) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) went into effect on the country's sixth National Security Education Day on April 15 (Xinhua, April 15). Adopted by the National People’s Congress (NPC) in October 2020,... MORE
The Alat Free Economic Zone’s Role in Azerbaijan’s Long-Term Geo-Economic Strategy
The Azerbaijani authorities held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 1 for the planned Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ), which will be linked to the new Baku International Seaport also under construction near the village of Alat, around 50 miles south of the capital of Baku... MORE
Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline: Russia’s Key to South Asia?
Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov and Pakistan’s ambassador to Moscow, Shafqat Ali Khan, signed a revised agreement on May 28 that initiates the construction of the planned Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PSGP) (Minenergo.gov.ru, May 28). Formerly known as the North-South Gas Pipeline, this infrastructural mega-project... MORE