AFP: Japan births in 2024 fell below 700,000 for first time "The fast-ageing nation welcomed 686,061 newborns in 2024 — 41,227 fewer than in 2023, the data showed. It was the lowest figure since records began in 1899." www.digitaljournal.com/life/japan-b...

I really love this review of my Xi Zhongxun biography from the wonderful @mauracunningham.bsky.social , who keeps the focus on Xi Zhongxun, the subject of the book (even though the book does have something to say about Xi Jinping too) mauracunningham.org/2025/06/03/t...

My latest in the #China Leadership Monitor: “Going Xianzhong Mode”: Can Local Governments Stop “Revenge Against Society” Attacks? #献忠 #献忠学 #枫桥经验 prcleader.org/post/going-x...

Where can I sign up? fortune.com/2025/05/11/u...

Thrilled to see this Wall Street Journal feature on my new book about Xi Jinping’s father Xi Zhongxun www.wsj.com/world/china/...

If you're wondering about the current state of Marxist scholarship in China, Du Gangjian from Hunan University just published a piece claiming Marx was Chinese. Not metaphorically or spiritually, like literally his bloodline originates in China

To understand why Jeremy Daum freaking begged me not to compare an American panopticon with the Chinese panopticon that is not, the social credit system, see here:

Chosun Daily: S. Korea experts propose raising elderly age to 70 Furthermore, they also recommend raising the age thresholds for pension eligibility. Currently that is set to rise from 63 to 65 by 2033. They propose raising it further to 68 by 2048. www.chosun.com/english/nati...

Yicai: "China’s migrant workers are getting noticeably older, with nearly a third (31.6 percent) now over 50 years' old. This is a notable jump from 17.9 percent in 2015." www.yicaiglobal.com/news/chinas-...

En pleine guerre commerciale contre les Etats-Unis, la montée en puissance de la Chine semble inévitable. Pourtant, rappelle l'universitaire @CarlMinzner, le régime de Xi Jinping traverse une ère de "contre-réforme" ➡️ l.lexpress.fr/v61

En pleine guerre commerciale contre les Etats-Unis, la montée en puissance de la Chine semble inévitable. Pourtant, rappelle l'universitaire @CarlMinzner, le régime de Xi Jinping traverse une ère de "contre-réforme" ➡️ l.lexpress.fr/v61

SCCI Brief: Overbuilt? Assessing the Diminishing Returns to Building in China Almost 80% of China’s housing stock has been built in less wealthy tier 3 cities, which have experienced slower income growth and an exodus of population. sccei.fsi.stanford.edu/china-briefs...

This is the official White House account.

1/2 Interesting Caixin article on the structure of population decline: "Before 2021, population loss in the Northeast was primarily caused by a net population outflow characterized by educated young people moving to... www.caixinglobal.com/2025-04-30/w...

One key fact all of us China specialists face is state officials manipulating all kinds of data, particularly things regarded as politically sensitive. Question for US specialists: how easy would it be for a US administration to start altering econ/financial stats to make things look more rosy?

Applications are now open to join the next generation of American China specialists as the ninth cohort of the Public Intellectuals Program (PIP). Deadline: May 11, 2025 Learn more: www.ncuscr.org/applications...

Call for applications: @ncuscr.bsky.social will welcome its 9th cohort of fellows in the Public Intellectuals Program this year—China scholars and specialists are invited to apply to the program by May 11.

"The point of this censorship is not to drive public opinion in any certain direction. It’s beside the point whether something is positive or negative. The point is for censors to obliterate the event so that the public completely forgets about it." Great interview with a Gen Z PRC content auditor

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) – The decade-long growth of government-authored news media in China under Xi Jinping www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

(ICYMI) Three-Child Policy Monitoring Network: "The Impact of the Three-Child Policy on Women's Reproductive Rights" hrichina.substack.com/p/launching-...

Close to a million Chinese citizens live in Japan. via @nikkei-asia.com

part of the global attacks on humanities in higher ed, president of Fudan university, one of the most prestigious in China, says they are planning to reduce student intake in humanities and social sciences (文科) from the current 30-40% to 20%. finance.sina.com.cn/roll/2025-03...

What does China Islamic Association’s rebrand reveal about Beijing’s integration drive? – SCMP: ‘the official website of the China Islamic Association is now devoid of any logos or Islamic imagery’

Caixin: Why Individuals May Need to Shoulder More of China’s Social Insurance Burden Faced with an aging society and worsening local government debt, fiscal subsidies required to support China's social insurance programs nearly tripled from 2015 to 2024. www.caixinglobal.com/2025-03-12/i...

Amid Broad Public Support for Proposed Abolition of Divorce “Cooling-off” Period, Weibo Censors Related Hashtag "This isn’t saving marriages, but it’s clearly fueling a ‘divorce arms race.’"

With soaring fuel prices and an ICE vehicle ban, ride-hailing drivers like Solomon Shenkutie are turning to electric cars. Is this the future of African mobility?

Exclusive: the European Parliament has removed curbs on lawmakers meeting Chinese officials www.scmp.com/news/china/d...

Really great reporting here by Vivian Wang

"The American system is tearing itself apart with no outside pressure--similar to what the Communist Party did at the peak of the Cultural Revolution in 1966." Thanks to @liyuan6.bsky.social for quoting me in her piece on America's ongoing Cultural Revolution. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/b...

In US, domestic politics now moving chaotically, and at warp speed. In China, pace is a little different. Left: People's Daily front page 3/6/2024. Right: 3/6/2025.

Reuters: China to Adopt Policies for Aging Population, Try to Boost Birth Rates www.usnews.com/news/world/a...

Bloomberg: Xi Just Got the Chance He's Been Waiting For www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...

Saudi Arabia is integrating Chinese as a mandatory second foreign language in schools across six regions—aligning with China's rise as a global economic powerhouse.

fantastic piece by Yanzhong Huang on the need for a renewed push by American China scholars to understand CN - research access (and thus insight) has been deeply damaged by moves made by both CN and US, some of which (at least on the US side) should be reversed. (1) www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/o...

A wave of purges has hit China's leadership, sweeping up officials widely presumed to be allies of Xi Jinping. It was one thing for Xi to purge rivals, but these latest ousters suggest a different logic at work, writes Wu Guoguang-www.chinafile.com/re...

NYT: Trump Plans 'Gold Card' Alternative to Green Cards Asked whether a Russian oligarch might be eligible for a gold card, Mr. Trump seemed amused. “Yeah,” he replied. “Possibly.” He added, “Hey, I know some Russian oligarchs that are nice people. It’s possible.” www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/u...

A national advisor proposes lowering China's legal marriage age to boost births and counter aging.

An insightful piece by my former student @markwitzke about why interest in China has declined in the US among young people: economic opportunities for foreigners have crashed thediplomat.com/2025/01/the-...

Breaking News: The federal order to drop Mayor Eric Adam’s corruption case led three Manhattan prosecutors to resign, the highest-profile resistance so far in President Trump’s Justice Department.

Defunding the National Endowment for Democracy seen as a gift to the CCP, by @eliotchen.bsky.social www.thewirechina.com/2025/02/12/d...

"China Labour Watch (CLW), an NGO based in New York City, has investigated labour abuses in Chinese supply chains for 20 years. It is small, with a staff of seven and a budget of $800,000 a year. Now it is on the verge of collapse."

My latest: With the U.S. funding freeze, an entire ecosystem of vital China-related work is now in crisis. Dozens of scrappy nonprofits in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the US are at risk of suspending their operations, firing employees, and even shutting down. www.aspistrategist.org.au/with-us-fund...

"Beijing assumes that Washington’s own policies will dismantle the foundations of U.S. global hegemony . . . China’s top priority, then, is simply to weather the storm." www.foreignaffairs.com/china/chinas...