Two Very Different Men Visit D.C.: China’s Leader And His Teenage Nemesis

Emily Rauhala
Washington Post
Xi Jinping will get a state dinner and a 21-gun salute while Joshua Wong is in town to talk about Hong Kong’s fight for self-determination.

China Dissident's Wife Rejects Invite to State Department

MATTHEW PENNINGTON
Associated Press
The United States has warned that the toughest crackdown in years on Chinese activists threatens to cloud the high-profile visit by Xi.

China to the U.S.: Return Our Fugitives

Sophia Yan
CNN
China has launched campaigns dubbed "Operation Foxhunt" and "Operation Skynet," aimed at returning suspected criminals from abroad to stand trial at home.

Leading China Lawyer Says He Was Tortured

Isolda Morillo and Didi Tang
Associated Press
In his first interview in five years, leading Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng said he was tortured with an electric baton to his face and spent three years in solitary confinement during his latest period of detention since 2010.

Media

09.23.15

‘God’s United Front’ and the Battle Over China’s Crosses

This article first appear in Chinese on September 2 in Hong Kong-based outlet The Initium Media. Foreign Policy translates with permission, with edits for brevity and clarity.On the evening of August 16, nearly one hundred pastors, ministers, and...

China's Xi Tells Foreign NGOs to Obey the Law

Agence France-Presse
Foreign organisations in China should "obey Chinese law".

He Said What? China's Xi Jinping Makes 'House of Cards' Joke

Andrew Stevens
CNN
Xi Jinping did something unusual, almost unheard of, for a Chinese President: He cracked a joke. In public.

Caixin Media

09.22.15

Chinese Contractor Finds Project in Bahamas Is No Day at Beach

A giant luxury resort planned on a beach outside the Bahamas’ capital, Nassau, that is supposed to be a showpiece to help China’s largest construction company tap the U.S. market has become a headache for both its builder and a lender.The resort was...

Conversation

09.22.15

Can the U.S. & China Make Peace in Cyberspace?

Charlie Smith, Rogier Creemers & more
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in the United States today on his first state visit. Xi will address a group of American business leadersin Seattle. High on their list of concerns about trade with China is cyber hacking, cyber espionage and...

U.S. to China: Quit Cyber Spying

Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton
Reuters
Xi said China's government does not engage in the theft of commercial secrets and does not support Chinese companies that do so.

China’s Workers Stumble as Factories Stall

CHUN HAN WONG
Wall Street Journal
As factories run out of money and construction projects idle, China sees a rise in unrest.

China Says Investigating U.S. Woman Suspected of Spying

Megha Rajagopalan
Reuters
An American woman suspected of spying is being investigated.

Viewpoint

09.21.15

A New Book Praises China’s Governance Model, But Overlooks Its Politics

Thomas Kellogg
On August 12, China once again met with man-made tragedy. Massive explosions at a chemical storage warehouse in Tianjin took the lives of 173 people and injured nearly 700, some of them seriously. The owner of the warehouse that blew up, Rui Hai...

Neil Gaiman Joins Authors in Urging Chinese President to Release Jailed Writers

Alison Flood
Guardian
More than 40 authors have written to Xi Jinping, expressing ‘concern about the deteriorating state of free expression in China’.

Western Media ‘Welcome’ in China, Xi Tells Murdoch

Agence France-Presse
South China Morning Post
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Rupert Murdoch that Western media organisations are “welcome” in China, despite the continued blocking of numerous foreign websites for their reporting on the country. “(We) welcome foreign media and...

Xi Goes to Washington: 4 Problems for the U.S. and China

Charles Riley
CNN
Already, there's drama, drama, drama.

China Hails U.S. Repatriation of Corruption Fugitive

SUI-LEE WEE AND BEN BLANCHARD
Reuters
The repatriation of Yang Jinjun marked the first time that China has succeeded in getting a wanted corruption suspectback from the U.S.

Japan's 'Profound' New American Military Ties Are All About China: Q&A

Robert Marquand
Christian Science Monitor
Japan's parliament passes the most sweeping changes to Japan's defense policy since World War II.

Daring Sailboat Escape by Chinese Dissidents Ends in Rescue, Detention by Taiwan

Hsia Hsiao-hwa
Radio Free Asia
Chinese dissidents escaped by boat to Taiwan before attempting a journey to Guam.

Conversation

09.16.15

What Would New Breakthroughs on Climate Change Mean for the U.S.-China Relationship?

Junjie Zhang, Joanna Lewis & more
With just over a week to go before Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his first State Visit to the United States, there is much evidence to suggest that bilateral action to fight climate change is an area most ripe for meaningful Sino-U.S...

U.S. Won’t Impose Sanctions on Chinese Companies Before Xi Visit

Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post
Senior U.S. and Chinese officials reached “substantial agreement” on several cybersecurity issues.

China Frees Activist Academic Before Xi Trip to United States

SUI-LEE WEE
Reuters
Guo Yushan, founder of a think-tank that did research on business regulations, reform and civil society is released recently.

UN Rights Chief Airs Worry About Lawyers Detained in China

JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern about the detention and interrogation of more than 100 lawyers in China.

U.S. Drops Charges That Professor Shared Technology With China

MATT APUZZO
New York Times
The Justice Department dropped all charges against Mr. Xi, the chairman of Temple University's physics department.

China: Government Should Account for Activist’s Detention, Death

Human Rights Watch
United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) member states should press China to account for a Chinese activist's detention and death.

State Council Approves New Draft of Film Industry Promotion Law

EL Borromeo
Yibada
The law is now subject to discussion and approval by the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Environment

09.11.15

Beijing Slams Henan Capital for Using Scarce Fresh Water to Combat Smog

Officials in the city of Zhengzhou are under central government scrutiny after media reports revealed the capital of Henan province is using valuable fresh water supplies to combat air pollution. Scientists and academics have criticised...

Conversation

09.08.15

Advice for Xi Jinping

Nathan Gardels, Daniel H. Rosen & more
Later this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Washington for a state visit with President Obama. This week, a group of China experts from America traveled to Beijing to offer their advice to Chinese officials on how to conduct the...

The Important Anniversary China Won’t Celebrate in 2016

Kerry Brown
Diplomat
May 16, 1966 marked the start of the Cultural Revolution—but don’t except China to publicize the anniversary.

China’s Economic Crisis Ripples at Area Colleges

Laura Krantz and Jacqueline Tempera
Boston Globe
As of last year, more than 13,000 Chinese students were attending college in Boston, out of a total of 44,000 foreign students in the city.

Caixin Media

09.08.15

Amnesty As a Stepping Stone to Rule of Law

A recent amnesty declaration affecting convicted criminals deemed no threat to society was a poignant reminder of China’s tradition of prudent punishment, support for human rights, and progress toward of rule of law.The recent decision by the...

Seoul to Begin Discussions with Beijing on Unification

Kang Seung-woo
Korea Times
Park Gyun-hye said that Kim Jong-un is expected to take provocative actions in the future and it is important to deter them.

G-20 Seeks Reassurances that China Plans to Calm Markets

Dow Jones Newswires
Wall Street Journal
The Group of 20 biggest economies are concerned a stalled Chinese economy could spur further global sell-offs.

Suspect in Bangkok Bombing Has Chinese Passport, Thailand Says

Thomas Fuller
New York Times
The bombing was connected to the grievances of Uighurs who say they are oppressed by ethnic Han.

Five Chinese Navy Ships Are Operating in Bering Sea Off Alaska Coast

Jeremy Page in Beijing and Gordon Lubold
Wall Street Journal
Chinese naval presence off Alaskan coast appears to be a first.

Donald Trump Meet the Chinese American Cook and the Father of ‘Birthright Citizenship’

Fred Barbash
Washington Post
All born or naturalized in the US and subject to jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the state where they reside.

U.S. Developing Sanctions Against China over Cyberthefts

Ellen Nakashima
Washington Post
Obama is developing unprecedented economic sanctions against Chinese who have benefited from government cybertheft of U.S. trade secrets.

China’s Complexity Problem

Stephen S. Roach
Project Syndicate
The challenge for Xi Jinping is to prioritize plentiful political will in a way that keeps China on the course of reform and rebalancing.

China Cuts Interest Rates Amid Mounting Concerns Over Economy

Neil Gough, Chris Buckley
New York Times
The cut followed a global stock market rout in which China led with a 7.6 pct plunge Tuesday to its lowest level this year.

US, European Markets Bounce Back, China Crisis Continues

Dominic Rushe
Guardian
Dow Jones rises more than 300 points in first 2 minutes after opening following 3 days of market losses that erased close to $3 trillion globally.

Conversation

08.25.15

Is the Bloom Off the Rose of China’s Economic Miracle?

Arthur R. Kroeber, David Schlesinger & more
On Monday, August 24, the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 8.5 percent, its second such steep fall since late July, and its worst since 2007. On Tuesday, stocks fell an additional 7.6 percent. The steep slide translates into more than $4 trillion in...

What’s Scarier Than a Strong China? A Weak China.

Joshua Keating
Slate
When China actually does take a tumble, Americans feel it in their pocketbooks and portfolios.

Scott Walker Calls on Obama to Cancel Chinese State Visit

Zeke J. Miller
Time
Amid rising tension, a Republican calls to end a diplomatic courtesy.

Why is China’s Stock Market Falling and How Might it Affect the Global Economy?

Katie Allen
Guardian
Concerns about inflation, shares and interest rates raised after ‘Black Monday’ wiped billions off global markets.

Caixin Media

08.24.15

How to Solve China’s Currency Parity Puzzle?

Boosting exports, controlling outbound capital flow and supporting the Chinese currency’s bid for Special Drawing Rights (SDR) status are just some of the reasons cited by analysts for the yuan's unexpected devaluation in mid-August.The yuan...

Media

08.17.15

4 Questions Chinese Want Answered After Deadly Tianjin Blast

David Wertime
Around 11:30 p.m., Beijing time, on Wednesday, at least two fearsome blasts in quick succession rocked the large northeastern Chinese port city of Tianjin. Originating at or near a hazardous materials warehouse near the city’s downtown, the...

U.S.-China Aviation Talks Hit Stumbling Block on Airport Access

Fang Yan and Jeffrey Dastin
Reuters
In May talks China offered to permit more flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and lower caps for other domestic cities.

Bearish Bets Multiply as China Slows

Henry Sender
Financial Times
A slowdown in China is harder for its trading partners and manufacturing competitors than it is for China itself.

China TV Anchor Bi Fujian to be Punished for Mao Insult

BBC
He committed "a serious violation of political discipline" mocking the man who led the Cultural Revolution and sparked a crippling famine.

China Hits Back at U.S. Criticism over South China Sea ‘Restrictions’

Megha Rajagopalan
Reuters
Free overflights and navigation doesn't equal foreign warships and jets to violate sovereignty and security, Beijing said.

Conversation

08.05.15

Should the U.S. Extradite Chinese Wanted by Beijing?

Jerome A. Cohen, Chen Weihua & more
This week, The New York Times reported that Chinese officials have asked the U.S. government to help in apprehending Ling Wancheng, a wealthy Chinese business man and the brother of one of the highest-level officials to have been targeted in Xi...

Media

08.05.15

Beijing’s Ban on Smoking Is Actually (Sort of) Working

They rarely trash hotel rooms or boast about drugs, but Chinese rock stars could at least be counted on to smoke. Now even that’s starting to change in the face of a smoking ban in China’s capital that shows little sign of burning out, almost two...

China Seeks Businessman Said to Have Fled to U.S., Further Straining Ties

Michael Forsythe, Mark Mazetti
New York Times
Ling Wancheng is the younger brother of Ling Jihua, who for years held a post akin to that of the White House chief of staff.

In China, Michael Jordan Does Not Hold Rights to His Own Name

Zheping Huang
Quartz
Jordan first sued Qiaodan Sports in 2012 for using his Chinese name, his team number 23, and a jumping man logo to sell basketball shoes and jerseys.

China Uses ‘Picking Quarrels’ Charge to Cast a Wider Net Online

Edward Wong
New York Times
Artists, essayists, lawyers, bloggers and others deemed to be online troublemakers have been hauled into police stations and investigated or imprisoned for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a charge that was once confined to physical...

If China Wants More Children, It Needs to Get out of the Nation’s Bedrooms

Isabel Hilton
Guardian
The social and economic impacts are well documented: the world’s most rapidly ageing population, a growing labour shortage, a heavy and unfunded pension burden, an unknown number of undocumented “illegal” children and a gender imbalance of...

China Targeting Rights Lawyers in a Crackdown

Andrew Jacobs and Chris Buckley
New York Times
Beijing is mounting a broad crackdown on human rights lawyers, contending that they have exploited contentious cases to enrich themselves and attack the party.

Conversation

07.21.15

Is China’s Reform Era Over and, If So, What’s Next?

Carl Minzner, Jeremy L. Wallace & more
Fordham Law School professor and regular ChinaFile contributor Carl Minzner says we've arrived at “China After the Reform Era,” a development that’s “not entirely bad” but also has a “dark side.” Minzner’s conclusions, excerpted below, come...