Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The Year of the Fire Horse Finds Xi on Edge

China’s president looks secure on the world stage, but trouble is brewing on the home front.

Visitors walk past a statue on the grounds of the Confucius Temple in Beijing on Nov. 22, 2008.
Visitors walk past a statue on the grounds of the Confucius Temple in Beijing on Nov. 22, 2008.

A Brief History of Confucianism

How an ancient philosophy became a potent force in modern-day China.

Zhang Youxia, a vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, attends a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing on Aug. 29, 2024.
Zhang Youxia, a vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, attends a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Beijing on Aug. 29, 2024.

New Military Purge Rocks the CCP

The targeting of two top generals bodes poorly for China’s military readiness.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a press conference in Beijing.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a press conference in Beijing.

With Trade Deal, Canada Bets on China

For all its risks, Beijing has become a more predictable partner than the United States under Trump.

A man protests a potential U.S. annexation of Greenland in front of the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.
A man protests a potential U.S. annexation of Greenland in front of the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.

No, China Isn’t Going to Take Over Greenland

Trump’s absurd justification for potential U.S. action is blatantly false.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, right, walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they arrive to a welcoming ceremony in Beijing.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, right, walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they arrive to a welcoming ceremony in Beijing.

What the Venezuela Attack Means for China

Beijing’s response will test its “all-weather” partnership with Caracas.

A gray-haired woman, hair tied back, wearing a brown shirt with polka dots, is seen in front of a Chinese flag in the background.
A gray-haired woman, hair tied back, wearing a brown shirt with polka dots, is seen in front of a Chinese flag in the background.

4 Predictions for China in 2026

What we’re watching in the new year, from women’s rights to AI dangers.

In the foreground, a Chinese flag blows in the wind atop a flagpole. In the background are container ships, cranes, and stacked shipping containers, surrounded by cloudy skies and gray-blue water.
In the foreground, a Chinese flag blows in the wind atop a flagpole. In the background are container ships, cranes, and stacked shipping containers, surrounded by cloudy skies and gray-blue water.

China’s Year of Patience

The trends that defined Beijing’s 2025, from the trade war with Trump to challenges on the home front.

Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops look out from a bus as they arrive at Tiananmen Gate to take part in a military parade in Beijing.
Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops look out from a bus as they arrive at Tiananmen Gate to take part in a military parade in Beijing.

What’s It Like to Be a Chinese Soldier?

Behind the parades, recruits face long deployments, strict rules, and limited opportunities.

U.S. President Donald Trump, center, alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump, center, alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington.

A Bad Week for Washington’s China Hawks

Trump’s overtures to Beijing deal a blow to U.S. hard-liners.

Firefighters are seen following a massive fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong.
Firefighters are seen following a massive fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong.

Deadly Fire Highlights Hong Kong’s Predicament

The tragedy confirmed to many locals that the city’s freedoms have vanished.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, flanked by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, flanked by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea.

Decoding the Trump-Xi Phone Call

The leaders talked trade, Taiwan, and—likely—Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, dressed in a blue blazer with a pearl necklace, stands at a podium in the House of Representatives in Tokyo. She is speaking into multiple microphones while holding an open book of notes. The background features blurred green and red lights, and wooden furnishings are visible behind her.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, dressed in a blue blazer with a pearl necklace, stands at a podium in the House of Representatives in Tokyo. She is speaking into multiple microphones while holding an open book of notes. The background features blurred green and red lights, and wooden furnishings are visible behind her.

China-Japan Rift Deepens Over Taiwan

The new Japanese prime minister is unlikely to back down from recent comments.

About a dozen Mongolians walk on a crosswalk in front of cars waiting for them to pass. The demonstrators hold banners and the Mongolian flag while marching through the streets as pale clouds loom overhead.
About a dozen Mongolians walk on a crosswalk in front of cars waiting for them to pass. The demonstrators hold banners and the Mongolian flag while marching through the streets as pale clouds loom overhead.

China’s Messy History With Mongolia

The countries’ ethnic ties have grown strained in recent years.

Rows of large Chinese military vehicles carrying DF-31BJ intercontinental ballistic missiles are displayed during a parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, as uniformed soldiers stand nearby and journalists with cameras and microphones record the event.
Rows of large Chinese military vehicles carrying DF-31BJ intercontinental ballistic missiles are displayed during a parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, as uniformed soldiers stand nearby and journalists with cameras and microphones record the event.

What Are China’s Nuclear Ambitions?

Trump’s testing plans revive scrutiny of Beijing’s growing arsenal.

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