Hu Jintao

Chinese President Xi Jingping speaks during the opening session of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogues at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Monday, June 6, 2016. 

Archetypes of autocracy: Part I

Critical State

Critical State, a weekly foreign policy newsletter, takes a deep dive this week into how and when power in regimes concentrates into the hands of a single individual.

China's President Xi Jinping claps after his speech as he and other new Politburo Standing Committee members meet with the press at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Oct. 25, 2017.

Xi’s grip on China tightens with new term and no heir in sight

Global Politics
A woman pushes at Chinese paramilitary police wearing riot gear as a crowd of angry locals confront security forces on a street in the city of Urumqi in China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region on July 7, 2009.

How China squeezes its Uighur minority — and how they’re fighting back

Conflict
The World

This week’s agenda: China, health care, economy

Global Politics

China ups presence in Afghanistan as U.S. withdraws

Outgoing Chinese leader admits failings of his term, encourages new leaders

Global Politics

China’s about to complete its once-a-decade leadership transition, with Xi Jinping taking over for Wen Jiabao. As Wen prepares to leave office, he was surprisingly frank about his administration’s failings — and offered concrete advice to his successor.

China looking to export its culture the same way it does gadgets and gizmos

Arts, Culture & Media

China is known around the world as the place that makes the televisions, iPhones and iPads that are in hot demand. Their culture doesn’t share the same way, though. But could it?

The US-China economy

Exploring how America and China became one economy and why the world’s prosperity depends on it.

China’s far-from universal health care

Health & Medicine

By 2020, the Chinese government wants to extend health care to all of its 1.3 billion citizens. The job won’t be easy.

China looks to invest in Africa

China’s president Hu Jintao visits Africa, signaling his country’s interest in doing major business on the continent.