A container ship is seen from directly above, at the port in Qingdao, China. It is heading toward the left of the image and flanked on its right by a smaller vessel. The containers on the main ship look rectangular from this angle and are brightly colored in shades of orange, red, white, and blue. The water beneath the vessels looks like a dark, almost emerald green.
A container ship is seen from directly above, at the port in Qingdao, China. It is heading toward the left of the image and flanked on its right by a smaller vessel. The containers on the main ship look rectangular from this angle and are brightly colored in shades of orange, red, white, and blue. The water beneath the vessels looks like a dark, almost emerald green.

China’s Rare-Earth Flex Sends the United States Scrambling

Beijing’s new export controls take a page from Washington’s playbook.

A woman in a long, brown dress stands in front of a crowd of tourists, her hand stretched above to take a selfie of her group of travelers. Most of the people in the photo are dressed casually, many of them carrying purses and backpacks. They are standing in front of the Shanghai skyline at a popular tourist destination on a partly cloudy day.
A woman in a long, brown dress stands in front of a crowd of tourists, her hand stretched above to take a selfie of her group of travelers. Most of the people in the photo are dressed casually, many of them carrying purses and backpacks. They are standing in front of the Shanghai skyline at a popular tourist destination on a partly cloudy day.

China’s Weak Passports Are Holding Back Its Soft Power

This week’s holiday shows the Chinese public’s immense appetite for travel.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te frowns as he talks with suited representatives from Lockheed Martin. He is wearing a striped tie.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te frowns as he talks with suited representatives from Lockheed Martin. He is wearing a striped tie.

How Taipei Should Handle Washington

There are several options for dealing with the Trump administration.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner is speaking animatedly from behind a brown podium with a "United States Senate" seal on its front. The room, located in the U.S. Capitol building, has blue carpet and brown, wood-paneled walls, with two U.S. flags standing at the left and right back corners of the frame. To Warner's right is a poster on a stand with "The Restrict Act" in capital letters and a mock-up of an iPhone. Behind Warner are (L-R) Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Michael Bennett, Sen. Jerry Moran, and Sen. Mitt Romney, all wearing suits.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner is speaking animatedly from behind a brown podium with a "United States Senate" seal on its front. The room, located in the U.S. Capitol building, has blue carpet and brown, wood-paneled walls, with two U.S. flags standing at the left and right back corners of the frame. To Warner's right is a poster on a stand with "The Restrict Act" in capital letters and a mock-up of an iPhone. Behind Warner are (L-R) Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Michael Bennett, Sen. Jerry Moran, and Sen. Mitt Romney, all wearing suits.

Why China Hawks Love Talking About AI

Artificial intelligence is not the most important part of the U.S.-China technology race, yet it receives the most attention in Washington.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, wearing sunglasses and a dark blue suit, exits a vehicle as he arrives at the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid. Surrounding him are several other people in suits and sunglasses, one opening the door and tapping his arm.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, wearing sunglasses and a dark blue suit, exits a vehicle as he arrives at the Spanish Foreign Ministry in Madrid. Surrounding him are several other people in suits and sunglasses, one opening the door and tapping his arm.

U.S., China Talk Trade and TikTok

Can the latest round of negotiations find a deal that sticks?

Russian President Vladimir Putin walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin walks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing.

No New World Order Here

China’s military parade was just another display of a long-standing relationship.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Putin Pays Homage at Xi’s Summit

Beijing is rapidly eclipsing Moscow’s role in Central Asia.

New York Mayor Eric Adams marches alongside advisor Winnie Greco in the 21st Autumn Moon Festival and 12th China Day Festival in New York.
New York Mayor Eric Adams marches alongside advisor Winnie Greco in the 21st Autumn Moon Festival and 12th China Day Festival in New York.

Why Does China Care About New York Politics?

Beijing’s influence efforts can be surprisingly small-scale.

A woman is seen from behind as she browses a wall of floor-to-ceiling shelving filled with books. Display tables closer to the camera house smaller trinkets, such as plush toys and small art prints. A poster hanging from the ceiling shows four men drawn in a manga style, with the text "Home Far Away" beneath them.
A woman is seen from behind as she browses a wall of floor-to-ceiling shelving filled with books. Display tables closer to the camera house smaller trinkets, such as plush toys and small art prints. A poster hanging from the ceiling shows four men drawn in a manga style, with the text "Home Far Away" beneath them.

A Guide to Censorship in China

Strange processes determine what does—or doesn’t—get published.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the White House in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the White House in Washington.

A New Chapter in the U.S.-China Chip Trade

Nvidia and AMD show how deals get done in Trump’s Washington.

A man rides a motorcycle on a flooded street in Miyun district, northern Beijing.
A man rides a motorcycle on a flooded street in Miyun district, northern Beijing.

Devastating Floods Highlight Beijing’s Water Problems

The Chinese capital is uniquely vulnerable to weather events, especially amid climate changes.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and a few other people dressed in military clothing.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te and a few other people dressed in military clothing.

Trump Snubs the Taiwanese President

The move is also a slap in the face to China hawks in Washington.

A section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River is seen from above in Medog County, Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region of China, on May 13, 2023.
A section of the Yarlung Tsangpo River is seen from above in Medog County, Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region of China, on May 13, 2023.

China Starts Construction on World’s Largest Hydropower Dam

Tibetans strongly oppose the controversial clean energy project.

A woman waves from behind the Chinese flag in Hong Kong.
A woman waves from behind the Chinese flag in Hong Kong.

How China Got Its Name

What pundits get wrong about the origins of the “Middle Kingdom.”

Rare-earth minerals are loaded for export to Japan at a port in Lianyungang, in China's Jiangsu province, on Sept. 5, 2010.
Rare-earth minerals are loaded for export to Japan at a port in Lianyungang, in China's Jiangsu province, on Sept. 5, 2010.

China’s Rare-Earth Leverage Is Paying Off

A new deal with the United States highlights Beijing’s tight grip on a crucial sector.

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