China 5 Archive

Welcome to the China 5 newsletter archive.

The Center for China Analysis's China 5 delivers a unique digest of five essential developments from and about China every week. The newsletter offers in-depth, inside-out analysis of the most pressing and newsworthy topics — ranging from international diplomacy and domestic policy to societal and climate issues — from five CCA experts who provide specialized insights from their respective fields. Do not miss this expert perspective on the week’s crucial stories.

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Below, you will find past editions of China 5 starting from January 1, 2024.

The China 5 newsletter is edited by Ian Lane Smith, Research Associate at the Center for China Analysis.

2025

2024

December

Dec 20: U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement, private retirement accounts, Taipei-Shanghai sister cities.

Dec 13: Jack Ma returns, Nvidia investigated, December Politburo meeting, NBA rebounds.

Dec 6: Tighter U.S. controls on chip industry, top naval officer suspended, investors favor bonds.

November

Nov 22: Tensions at APEC 2024, PLA navy in Hong Kong, videos inspire farmers.

Nov 15: Trump’s China hawks, car attack kills 35, China at COP29.

Nov 8: China prepares for Trump and COP29, Myanmar leader in Yunnan, and a population in decline.

Nov 1: Xi meets Iranian president, Party disciplinary inspections, and a scary Halloween.

October

Oct 25: Xi’s BRICS initiatives, Trump’s Taiwan comments, engagement on biological diversity.

Oct 18: Slower trade growth, possible fiscal strategy, solar industry overcapacity.

Oct 11: Economic measures underwhelm markets, justice minister expelled, China's film industry.

Oct 4: Xi’s National Day message, Beijing’s pro-growth agenda, rare missile test.

September

Sep 20: Growth target slips, retirement age increases, fighting EV import tariffs.

Sep 13: Electric vehicle milestone, new Huawei phone, and national security textbook.

Sep 6: China-Africa ties, South China Sea escalation, and “smash iron pots and sell the steel.”

August

Aug 23: Rural banks being restructured, Li Qiang chairs meetings, and another South China Sea incident.

Aug 16: South China Sea tensions near Scarborough, credit issuance contraction, and political rise and fall of “throwing eggs.”

Aug 9: New direction for carbon, summer vacation in Beidaihe, and PLA turns 97.

Aug 2: Post-Plenum economic policy surge, natural disasters are a political headache, and China consolidates environmental law.

July

Jul 26: Reforms adopted at the Third Plenum; supply-side strategies for demand woes; unpacking the "garbage time of history."

Jul 19: Economic growth slower than expected, Xi sticking to his guns on economic strategy, and steering China’s economic policy at the Third Plenum.

Jul 12: Upcoming Third Plenum outcomes likely modest, contaminated tankers transport cooking oil, and People’s Bank of China’s unprecedented bond strategy.

June

Jun 28: Xi emphasizes innovation in global sci-tech battlefield, financial reform announcements at 2024 Lujiazui Forum, and China eyes new Russia-DPRK pact.

Jun 21: Filipino sailor injured in South China Sea incident, Xi emphasizes modern corporate governance, and China-Australia relations steadily stabilizing.

Jun 14: Li Qiang visits Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia; 2024 China Automobile Forum; and testing times for Chinese students.

Jun 7: Semiconductor investment, China’s lunar landing, and cash for cults.

May

May 31: China–Japan–South Korea trilateral, Xi meets business executives, and China–Central Asia emergency management

May 24: Lai’s inauguration address, Lou Jiwei on structural reforms, and Beijing’s bold property rescue

May 17: PLA Navy drills, U.S.-China AI risk reduction, and Xi prioritizes political education

May 10: Xi Jinping in Paris, Climate Change Envoy in Washington, and Chinese migrants on social media

May 5: Xi Jinping to visit Europe, Elon Musk seals the deal, and a belated Third Plenum

April

Apr 26: Xi Jinping goes West, Beijing's car show returns, and overhauling the PLA

Apr 19: A new opening in U.S.-China relations, Germany’s Chancellor, and Guest Contributor Jane Perlez

Apr 12: Ma Ying-jeou and Janet Yellen in Beijing, maritime safety, and Moutai's record profits from Baijiu sales

Apr 5: Sino-Indonesian relations, FDI falters, and cracking down on spiritual masters

March

Mar 29: Xi's appeal to business leaders, Li Qiang on local government debt, and China's watery assault on a Philippine vessel

Mar 22: Xi calls out cadres’ behavior and Beijing envoy seeks greater diplomatic role on Ukraine

Mar 8: More on the Two Sessions, China's Ambassador to Australia touts cooperation, and the PLA

Mar 1: Two Sessions and cyber security company leak

February

Feb 23: Debate about changing political winds and China-Hungary relations

Feb 16: South China Sea exercises and “new momentum” for China-Russia

Feb 9: China sacks market regulator, Beijing lifts foreign ownership restrictions

Feb 2: China's big bet on green industry, security over growth in Hong Kong

January

Jan 26: China's Red Sea dilemma, China denies human rights abuses at UN review

Jan 19: China's response to the Taiwan elections, Li Qiang at Davos, and more

Jan 12: Five things you need to know about China this week

Jan 5: Five things you need to know about China this week

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