More than ever, what happens in China affects everyone, everywhere. Far from the monolith that China is often perceived as in the West — it is a vast country of 34 provinces & autonomous regions comprising 1.4 billion people. Politically, China may have a one-party system, but its domestic politics are more complicated than meet the eye. You can’t understand the world without understanding China.
The 2020 Chinese census showed a population continuing to grow, but at its slowest rate since the People’s Republic of China’s first census in 1953, with the lowest number of new births since 1961. How will China deal with its rapidly worsening demographic crisis?
For the past year, international alarm over China’s abuse of Uyghurs has been heightened by reports of targeted birth control. A New York Times report confirms that even as birth restrictions have loosened in much of China, they have tightened and become more coercive for Muslims in Xinjiang.
Less than 30% of farmers in China are involved in new businesses like agricultural e-commerce and organic farming, Pinduoduo is helping attract young talent back to rural areas
Results from the latest Chinese census, which have not yet been released, will show that China’s population declined for the first time since 1949, according to the Financial Times.
Some of Hong Kong’s most senior and prominent pro-democracy leaders have been given jail time or suspended sentences for their participation in demonstrations or on national security law offenses. Beijing is getting real.
Beijing has formalized new election rules for Hong Kong that cut in half the number of directly elected seats in LegCo, the city's parliament, and require all candidates to be vetted for their loyalty to Beijing by a committee.
In the last 20 years, Beijing has turned healthcare into a national priority. But the country's history of counterfeit drugs and weak regulation casts a lingering shadow. The topic is particularly pertinent now, with Beijing's COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy in full swing.
Surreal images from China's capital.
As expected, the National People’s Congress in Beijing passed a resolution to change the electoral system in Hong Kong. The new rules will effectively ensure that pro-democracy politicians remain in a permanent minority in the territory.
Chinese state media have highlighted four meetings led by Xi Jinping in the past week, with delegations from Inner Mongolia and Qinghai Province, representatives from the health and education fields, and security and military personnel.