SINCE CHINA re-embraced capitalism decades ago, rich rewards have flowed to entrepreneurs who understand what the Communist Party wants. Today grasping what the party dislikes may be a more precious skill. This is an era when leaders’ priorities can change overnight. When the winds turn, entrepreneurs need to curb their ambitions without complaint. The Economist
The PLA Navy recognizes the importance of a robust anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system to counter adversaries seeking undersea asymmetric advantages, and its aviation component is a key part of that system. This report discusses the PLAN’s efforts to improve its airborne ASW platforms and equipment and describes how PLAN-affiliated sources discuss the employment of those assets. The PLAN’s significant buildup and growing employment of fixed-wing maritime patrol aircraft in recent years are key indicators of the importance it attaches to the airborne ASW mission set, as is its push to…
A tank-destroying drone known for helping Ukraine push back on Russian advances is getting a major infusion of support – as part of an accelerated Pentagon effort to prepare for a possible conflict with China. The 50-pound (23kg) Switchblade 600 is the first of a new wave of lower-cost autonomous weapons the Pentagon is publicly acknowledging it is funding through its Replicator programme – an effort to field new systems by August 2025 to help counter Chinese capabilities. Produced by AeroVironment Inc, an Arlington, Virginia-based company, the drones can fly…
China’s President Xi Jinping is on a rare state visit to France, which started with trilateral talks with French President Emanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Ahead of Xi’s visit, both von der Leyen and Macron indicated the meetings would focus on establishing fair trade between the European Union and China. Both leaders have complained of overproduction by China’s subsidized industries, allowing them to flood European markets with cheap goods. France currently holds the revolving presidency of the European Council, defined as the EU institution that…
THE POPULATION of Serbia is less than one-third of Beijing’s. China’s trade with the Balkan country is less than one-fortieth of that with Germany. Yet for China’s ruler, Xi Jinping, Serbia is important. It is a rare close friend on a continent where wariness of China has become the norm. And the country’s capital, Belgrade, witnessed a seminal moment in the evolution of Chinese nationalism. Twenty-five years ago American bombs hit the Chinese embassy there, killing three people. On his first visit to Europe since 2019 Mr Xi held talks…
Since covid-19 emerged over four years ago in the central city of Wuhan, the Communist Party has made life miserable for those seeking to study the disease and share their findings with the world. Take Zhang Yongzhen, a Chinese virologist whose team sequenced the genome of the virus that causes covid in early 2020. Days later he granted permission for a British scientist to publish the groundbreaking work. This allowed the world to design covid tests and begin developing vaccines. But to party officials, hell-bent on deflecting blame for their…
Employees of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), a giant state-owned lender, typically wear suits. But some are now slipping into combat fatigues. On April 19th an ICBC branch in the western province of Qinghai said it had organised some of its staff into a part-time militia. As well as uniforms, they have training facilities, a “command centre” and a warehouse for storing military equipment. ICBC wants to “contribute its strength towards national defence”, the manager of the branch told local media. The Economist
CHAIRMAN MAO ZEDONG was a fan of meetings. “Whenever problems arise, call a meeting,” he wrote in 1949. “Place problems on the table.” Otherwise, he warned, they can drag on for years. A tableful of problems now beset China’s economy, including deflation, debt distress and demographic decline. A property slump has eroded confidence and hurt the land sales that help finance local governments. China also faces growing opposition from trading partners, who are limiting what they sell and buy from a country they now count as a geopolitical rival. The…
MOST COUNTRIES have no desire to choose between China and America. But it is becoming clear that they might have to. The contest between the two powers is going global. This is an age of political turmoil, economic angst and rising barriers to trade. In Beijing and Washington leaders see opportunities to blame rivals in the other capital for making the chaos worse. The Economist