The Frail Foundations of the China-Russia Friendship
History helps reveal strategic differences that state leaders seek to obscure.
Opinion – The Domestic Roots of Xi’s Global Anti-Corruption Campaign
Fighting corruption is not just about catching crooks, but about changing the entrenched systems that breed them.
Xi Jinping at Davos
In 2017, Xi Jinping’s presence at Davos represented the first time a Chinese head of state attended, and the themes in his keynote suggested a different place for China in the international order.
Review – The Prince
Sue-Lin Wong, along with multiple guests on the podcast, sheds light on how Xi Jinping gained and consolidated power, but does not reflect on the role played by the CPC.
Opinion – Factors Giving Rise to Xi Coup Rumours in China
The swirl of rumours indicates that by making his leadership excessively opaque, Xi only helps fuel speculation.
Opinion – China’s ‘New Cold War’ Posturing
China looks set for a new multi-faceted, autocratic and prolonged Cold War as it expands its footprint across the Indo Pacific.
Opinion – Reconciling China’s Zero-Covid Policy with History
Unlike in Mao’s era, domestic problems in China that affect its economic and political strength are likely to also affect the world in greater measure.
Opinion – Former China-Premier Wen Jiabao’s Censored Essay
An alternative reading suggests that Wen believes that liberal universal values are worth fighting for – even in the context of China’s current repressive system.
Rebranding China’s Global Role: Xi Jinping at the World Economic Forum
China’s grand strategy under Xi Jinping is heading in a more assertive direction, yet still preserving a defensive-oriented foundation.
Opinion – Xi Jinping’s People-Oriented Narrative
Without the possibility to independently think and freely express, that allows us to question the reality around us, there are no ideas and there is no creativity.
