China’s faltering zero COVID policy

As Beijing doubles down on “dynamic clearing,” widely known as the “zero COVID” policy, our experts continue to unpack the domestic political drivers, economic repercussions, and the political, diplomatic, and human costs.

How badly has the recent turn in Beijing’s policy undermined the domestic narrative of China’s superior pandemic response and the stature of Xi Jinping’s rule? Explore content below to learn more.

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Online Event Wed, June 1, 2022 • 2:00 pm ET

How powerful is Xi Jinping?

Experts with deep knowledge of China’s political landscape work to dispel misconceptions and provide evidence-based analysis of likely trajectories for Xi’s political control and policy agenda in the months ahead.
Online Event Fri, January 21, 2022 • 12:00 pm ET

Inside out: Investigating the domestic drivers of PRC foreign policy in 2022

An expert panel forecasts the year ahead for China’s foreign policy and approach to bilateral relations with the United States given the raft of domestic imperatives facing Beijing.
China Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy Security & Defense
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Content

New Atlanticist

Nov 22, 2021

China’s debt-reduction campaign is making progress, but at a cost

By Hung Tran

Global economies must prepare accordingly for the coming Chinese slowdown caused by efforts to pare back the country's corporate debt.

China Economy & Business

Fast Thinking

Nov 4, 2021

FAST THINKING: China’s stunning military buildup

By Atlantic Council

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could field one thousand nuclear warheads by 2030. What should the US do about it?

Arms Control China

Fast Thinking

Oct 18, 2021

FAST THINKING: What to do about China’s hypersonic weapons

By Atlantic Council

Should US defense officials be worried about the pace of Chinese military modernization? What could China do with such weapons? Our experts fire off their thoughts.

Arms Control China

Blog Post

Oct 12, 2021

To Bailout or not? This is Xi’s question.

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou

President Xi is concerned about growing wealth and income inequality in China. The Evergrande crisis could nevertheless challenge his determination to address this inequality, a considerable portion of which has been fueled by rising wealth disparities in the housing sector.

China Economy & Business

Blog Post

Oct 6, 2021

Geopolitical change and the emergence of Chinese banking

By Elmar Hellendoorn

Although China's "Big 4" state banks remain focused on supporting domestic Chinese growth and consumption for now, they are also increasingly active across international borders. Their global expansion could seriously challenge the primacy of Western banks and may thus have geopolitical reverberations.

China Economy & Business

China Inside Out

Oct 5, 2021

The 2021 Economic Scorecard: How China stacks up with the US and its allies

By Josh Lipsky

With China, the story is never so simple. The truth is that China still hasn’t decided which direction its economy is ultimately headed. And we need a credible way to track its trajectory.

China Economy & Business

Report

Oct 5, 2021

China Pathfinder: Annual Scorecard

By GeoEconomics Center and Rhodium Group

Over the past eight months, teams from the Atlantic Council and Rhodium Group have taken a dive into China’s economy to address a fundamental question: Is China becoming more or less like other open-market economies? 

China European Union

Blog Post

Sep 24, 2021

Evergrande’s debt distress: Withdrawal symptoms of China’s debt-fueled growth model

By Hung Tran

On September 24th China’s giant property developer Evergrande Group entered a 30-day grace period before being declared in default. Although they may not default, this slowdown highlights the key contradiction in China’s policy goals.

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Sep 21, 2021

Evergrande’s place in China’s house of cards

By Jeremy Mark

The market uncertainty around China's teetering property giant is decidedly political, a reflection of President Xi Jinping's shifting policies.

China East Asia

China Inside Out

Sep 17, 2021

Global Sanctions Dashboard: Summer edition

By Julia Friedlander, Michael Albanese and Castellum.AI

Current state of sanctions against the Taliban, China’s use of its Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, and combating corruption through sanctions.

Afghanistan Belarus
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