The NYRB China Archive
11.27.17
China’s Art of Containment
On the evening of May 20, 1989, in response to weeks of mass demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government placed Beijing under martial law. The following morning, in Hong Kong, far to the south, Wen Wei Po, the main Communist-...
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11.22.17Air China Indefinitely Suspends Flights between Beijing and Pyongyang
Reuters
Air China Ltd has indefinitely suspended flights between Beijing and Pyongyang, citing poor demand as North Korea faces growing sanctions from the United States over its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
Viewpoint
11.22.17
The Accomplice in Chief
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump declared victory following his 12-day Asia trip. On the campaign trail, Trump had repeatedly promised to stop making nice with his country’s adversaries; now, thanks to his efforts, he proclaimed, “America is...
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11.22.17President Trump Has Imposed New Sanctions on North Korea and Chinese Trading Firms
Time
The Trump administration imposed new sanctions Tuesday on a slew of North Korean shipping firms and Chinese trading companies in its latest push to isolate the rogue nation over its nuclear weapons development and deprive it of revenue.
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11.22.17China Is Investigating Its Former Internet Censor-In-Chief for Corruption
Time
China’s former top internet regulator and censor is being investigated by the ruling Communist Party’s anti-corruption arm, the agency said Tuesday.
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11.22.17Donald Trump's Unwitting Surrender to China
Financial Times
Sixty years ago Russia shocked the world with the launch of the Sputnik satellite. Donald Trump was 11 years old.
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11.22.17China Turns Its Back on Comrade Bob to Embrace Change in Zimbabwe
Guardian
Confirmation of Robert Mugabe’s ouster prompted revelry on the streets of Harare. “The Goblin has gone!” raved one.
The China Africa Project
11.21.17
A New Generation Looks at the China-Africa Relationship
Independent filmmakers Jidi Guo and Philip Man join Eric and Cobus to discuss their new documentary about how a new generation is responding to China’s growing influence in Kenya. This is the first documentary produced by the Shanghai-based pair,...
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11.21.17China Jails yet Another Human Rights Lawyer in Ongoing Crackdown on Dissent
Washington Post
Jiang Tianyong, 46, is the latest lawyer known for defending government critics to be jailed. More than 200 have been detained over the last two years in the ongoing crackdown on criticism in China.
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11.21.17Mugabe's Downfall Could Be Good Business for China
Bloomberg
China has seen its influence rise in Zimbabwe during Robert Mugabe’s nearly four decades in power, becoming the African nation’s third-largest trading partner and biggest foreign investor. Beijing might gain even more if he goes.
China in the World Podcast
11.21.17
The North Korean Nuclear Threat: The View From Beijing
from Carnegie China
North Korea was atop the list of priorities for President Donald Trump during his first visit to China, but it remains to be seen how much substantive progress was made on bringing parties closer to a dialogue aimed at denuclearizing the Korean...
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11.20.17China Draws Three-Stage Path for Myanmar, Bangladesh to Resolve Rohingya Crisis
Reuters
China called for a ceasefire in Myanmar’s Rakhine State so that Rohingya Muslim refugees can return from Bangladesh, proposing a three-stage approach to the crisis as diplomats from 51 mostly Asian and European countries gathered in Myanmar on...
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11.20.17Chinese Envoy Wraps up North Korea Trip after Meetings
ABC
A high-level Chinese envoy wrapped up a four-day trip to North Korea on Monday after meeting with top officials and discussing the tense state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.
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11.20.17Rosneft Deal Boosts Russia-China Relationship
Financial Times
Russia’s state-run oil group Rosneft has agreed to supply its new partner CEFC China Energy with almost 61m tonnes of oil over the next five years, strengthening the most high-profile corporate link in the burgeoning relationship between Moscow and...
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11.20.17Australian Furor over Chinese Influence Follows Book's Delay
New York Times
The book was already being promoted as an explosive exposé of Chinese influence infiltrating the highest levels of Australian politics and media. But then, months before it was set to hit bookstore shelves, its publisher postponed the release,...
Viewpoint
11.17.17
China and the United States Are Equals. Now What?
Donald Trump’s Asia trip was historic in one respect: it belatedly focused American attention on the competition between the United States and China for global primacy. China has risen, the era of uncontested American leadership has ended, and any...
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11.17.17Trump Hails China's North Korea Envoy as 'Big Move' but Experts Doubtful
CNN
US President Donald Trump has hailed the Chinese government sending an envoy to North Korea Friday as a "big move" in the wake of his five-country trip to Asia.
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11.17.17There's Legitimate Suspicion That China Approved of Zimbabwe's Coup
Quartz
When general Constantino Guveya Chiwenga, head of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), was on his way to China in early November, his vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa was being unceremoniously dismissed from the government and the ruling ZANU-PF...
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11.17.17Trump's First Asia-Pacific Tour: The View From Taiwan
Diplomat
What implications did Trump’s trip have for the U.S.-China-Taiwan triangle?
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11.17.17China Could Sell Trump the Brooklyn Bridge
New York Times
There is a saying — “When you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there” — and it perfectly sums up the contrast between China’s President Xi Jinping and President Trump.
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11.17.17"A Man Who Makes Things Happen": Chinese State Media's 8,000-Word Profile on Xi Jinping
Quartz
Chinese president Xi Jinping officially became the most powerful leader in China since Mao Zedong at a recently concluded Communist Party congress. Now, you can read all about why Xi is so great in a lengthy profile published today...
Excerpts
11.16.17
Mementos of 1949
Bodies jostled, elbow to elbow, angling all morning for a spot in the square. Soldiers clomped in the cold—tanned, singing as they marched, steel helmets and bayonets under the October sun. Tanks moved in columns two by two; then howitzers, teams of...
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11.16.17Donald Trump Tells UCLA Trio to Thank Xi Jinping for Releasing Them from China
South China Morning Post
US President Donald Trump has exhorted three suspended UCLA basketball players to thank Chinese President Xi Jinping for their freedom following a shoplifting incident while they were in China.
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11.16.17Zimbabwe Army Chief's Trip to China Last Week Raises Questions on Coup
Guardian
When one of the architects of Zimbabwe’s low-key coup landed in Beijing last week he was met by two of the most senior members of the world’s largest military force.
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11.16.17Seeing U.S. In Retreat under Trump, Japan and China Move to Mend Ties
New York Times
When Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, met with President Xi Jinping of China on the sidelines of a regional summit meeting in Vietnam over the weekend, the pair shook hands and posed for a photo. Mr. Xi, who had looked more dour in previous...
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11.16.17China Appears to Have Crossed Trump on North Korea
Business Insider
After a 12-day trip to Asia in which President Donald Trump stressed his friendship and mutual understanding with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Beijing appears to have crossed Trump on a key issue: North Korea.
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11.15.17U.S. Congress Urged to Require Chinese Journalists to Register as Agents
Reuters
A report to the U.S. Congress released on Wednesday accused Chinese state media entities of involvement in spying and propaganda and said their staff in the United States should be required to register as foreign agents.
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11.15.17Three UCLA Players Return from China to Calls for Suspensions — and a Twitter Scolding from Trump
Washington Post
The three UCLA players who were detained in China for shoplifting returned to the U.S. on Tuesday night, following intervention from, among others, President Trump. As immensely relieved as LiAngelo Ball, Jalen Hill and Cody Riley must be to have...
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11.15.17China Could Sell Trump the Brooklyn Bridge
New York Times
There is a saying, “When you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there,” and it perfectly sums up the contrast between China’s President Xi Jinping and President Trump.
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11.15.17‘Bloodless’ Takeover ‘Won’t Dampen’ Chinese Investment in Zimbabwe
South China Morning Post
China will continue to invest in its “all-weather friend” Zimbabwe despite a military takeover of the African country’s government, observers said.
Media
11.15.17
What Happened When Trump Met Xi?
An edited transcript of “ChinaFile Presents: What Happened When Trump Met Xi?” a discussion of Donald Trump’s five-country trip to Asia with Daniel Russel, Bonnie Glaser, and Orville Schell, moderated by Susan Jakes. The panel took place at Asia...
The China Africa Project
11.14.17
China is Challenging the West’s Dominance in Foreign Aid
Quietly, and largely out of sight, China has emerged to become a major player in the foreign aid space, challenging institutions and norms long established by the West. Although China’s international development budgets remain a tightly guarded...
Conversation
11.14.17
Was the Trump-Xi Summit in Beijing a Hit or a Miss?
On November 8 and 9, Communist Party Secretary Xi Jinping and Donald Trump held their first Beijing-based summit, a year after Trump’s surprise victory and just weeks after the predictable announcement Xi would serve a second term. During the visit...
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11.14.17China or the U.S.? Asian Nations' Answer: Neither
Wall Street Journal
It’s a neat narrative: America’s inevitable decline means the inexorable rise of China. But Asian countries have more to say.
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11.14.17China Blocks Son of Human Rights Lawyer from Leaving Country
New York Times
The travel ban against Bao Zhuoxuan, 18, was seen by his family and human rights groups as retaliation against his mother, Wang Yu. Ms. Wang was a commercial lawyer who became involved in politically delicate cases, and was the first person targeted...
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11.13.17Trump Offers to Mediate on South China Sea
Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he was prepared to mediate between claimants to the South China Sea, where five countries contest China’s sweeping claims to the busy waterway.
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11.13.17Behind the Scenes, Communist Strategist Presses China’s Rise
New York Times
He was a brilliant student during the dark days of China’s Cultural Revolution. He visited America, and left unimpressed with democracy. Plucked from academia, he climbed the ladder of Beijing’s brutal politics.
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11.13.17Taiwan Boosts Cyber Defences Against Threat from China
Financial Times
Taiwan’s ruling party is bolstering its cyber defences after hacking attacks that have raised fears that groups linked to the Chinese government plan to influence elections.
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11.13.17Trump Humbled in China as Beijing Visit Underlines the New World Order in Asia
South China Morning Post
Of the stops on Donald Trump’s five-country trip to Asia, the one that stands out is Beijing. After all, China is considered America’s biggest regional rival, and often the object of the president’s non-stop tirades.
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11.10.17The Diplomatic Dishes China Picked to Keep Donald Trump Happy at a State Banquet
South China Morning Post
Safety-first menu for big set piece dinner shows Beijing was taking no risks when hosting a man who is not known for his adventurous palate
Viewpoint
11.10.17
Bathed in the Xi Jinping Bromance
Sitting in a grand salon of the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square and awaiting the official arrival ceremony of President Trump was to be taken back to that period of Sino-Soviet amity when Stalin was Mao’s “big brother” and the Chinese...
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11.10.17US Finds Unlikely Ally in Vietnam as a Former Partner Tilts to China
CNN
US President Donald Trump may have left China for the final leg of his Asia tour, but the specter of Beijing will loom large over his discussions with Southeast Asian nations on the issues dominating the region.
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11.10.17These Are the 37 Major Deals US Firms Signed with Chinese Entities during Trump's Visit
CNBC
The Commerce Department has revealed the 37 major deals signed between U.S. and Chinese companies during President Donald Trump's trip through Asia, totaling more than $250 billion.
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11.10.17While We Obsess over Trump, China Is Making History
Washington Post
While news and analysis in the United States continue to be obsessed with President Trump’s daily antics and insults, halfway around the world, something truly historic just happened
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11.10.17Trump's Visit to China Provides a Propaganda Bonanza
New York Times
#TrumpHasArrived! The Chinese news media broke out the hashtags this week as soon as Air Force One landed in Beijing, delivering both President Trump and an irresistible propaganda opportunity for President Xi Jinping of China.
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11.10.17AP FACT CHECK: US-China Trade Package Mostly about Symbolism
Washington Post
A trade and investment package announced during President Donald Trump’s visit to China is more about the art of diplomacy than the art of the deal.
Viewpoint
11.09.17
Protecting the Rights of the Accused in U.S.-China Relations
As President Donald Trump visits China, the Chinese government wishes that billionaire fugitive Guo Wengui would follow suit and board a plane to Beijing. For months, he has regaled the world from his luxury apartment in Manhattan with stories of...
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11.09.17Donald Trump and Xi Jinping's Grand Gestures Can't Paper over Diplomatic Divide
South China Morning Post
China and the United States announced a record-breaking “gift pack” of a quarter of a trillion US dollars worth of business deals as the presidents of the two nations wrapped up their talks on Thursday.
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11.09.17Trump Touts 'Great Chemistry' with China's Xi as Leaders Agree to Closer Ties
NPR
President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping say they have agreed to work together on the denuclearization of North Korea and closer cooperation on trade.
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11.09.17Trump Is Ceding Global Leadership to China
New York Times
Amid the pomp that President Xi Jinping of China is bestowing upon his visiting American counterpart, President Trump, it’s hard not to see two leaders — and two countries — heading in very different directions.
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11.08.17China’s Xi Fetes Trump on First Day of Beijing Trip
Reuters
With lavish pageantry and an uncharacteristic personal flourish, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday rolled out a red carpet welcome for U.S President Donald Trump at the Forbidden City, the ancient home of China’s emperors.
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11.08.17Trump, in China, Seeks Help Over a Nuclear North Korea
New York Times
President Trump arrived in China on Wednesday, primed to ask his host, President Xi Jinping, to step up Chinese pressure on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. But Mr. Trump’s latest foray into personal diplomacy may end in...
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11.08.17In Saudi Crown Prince’s Crackdown, Echoes of Xi’s China
Bloomberg
If Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s bid to speed economic reforms by rounding up rivals in graft raids sounds familiar, that’s because China has been doing it for years.
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11.08.17Philippines, Seeking to Appease Beijing, Halts Construction in South China Sea
New York Times
President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has ordered military officials to stop construction work on a sandbar in a disputed area of the South China Sea after Beijing complained, the country’s defense chief said on Wednesday.
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11.08.17Trump’s Granddaughter Plays Diplomat Once More as She Sings for ‘Grandpa’ Xi Jinping
South China Morning Post
She might be only five years old, but Arabella Kushner played her diplomatic role perfectly again on Wednesday as she helped ease the interaction between two of the world’s most powerful men – Chinese President Xi Jinping and her grandfather, Donald.
Viewpoint
11.08.17
Will Trump’s ‘Flattery Machine’ Work on Xi Jinping?
Before winging off to Beijing, Trump managed to convince his staff and Korean President Moon to take him to the demilitarized zone (DMZ). Many of his aides were said to have been wary about the idea, fearing he might make some kind of provocative...
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11.07.17Ex-Spy on What His CIA Experience Taught Him about China
NPR
Randy Phillips spent 28 years with the CIA, most recently serving as the chief CIA representative in China. He talks about what leverage the U.S. has when it comes to managing China's ambitions.
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11.07.17Big Stakes in Beijing: A Triumphant Xi vs. A Chastised Trump
Washington Post
When China rolls out the red carpet for Donald Trump, the grandeur of its welcome for the larger-than-life American president will mask a sobering reality.
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11.07.17Africa Will Take China’s Place as the next Factory of the World
Quartz
I’m only thirty, but I personally witnessed a time when China’s now car-clogged streets were full of bicycles instead. Such has been the rapidity of China’s transformation, sparked by the rise of Factory China. In the quarter century since I first...
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11.07.17Exclusive: China Curbs Tourism to North Korea Ahead of Trump Visit
Reuters
Chinese tour operators based in the border city of Dandong have been told to halt trips to the North Korean capital Pyongyang, five sources told Reuters on Tuesday, the day before U.S. President Donald Trump’s first official visit to China.