Deng Yuwen
Independent scholar and columnistArticles by Deng Yuwen
Politics
Zhu Rongji’s death triggers China’s ‘superpolitics’
The close proximity in timing of the death of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, the commemoration of former President Jiang Zemin’s 100th birth anniversary and the upcoming fifth plenum may give Zhongnanhai some cause for worry, says commentator Deng Yuwen.
Deng Yuwen
13 Aug 2026
Politics
Ten years after the South China Sea ruling: Is China’s position better or worse?
The reality of the South China Sea is increasingly being shaped by Chinese power. This is the outcome that could matter more than 2016’s arbitral ruling and the countries rallying around it, says commentator Deng Yuwen.
Deng Yuwen
16 Jul 2026
Politics
Did Japan and the Philippines expand Beijing’s reach in Taiwan’s eastern waters?
Taiwan seems to be the biggest loser, whatever the outcome of Japan-Philippines maritime delimitation talks, since this gives Beijing greater cause to regularise patrols in Taiwan’s eastern waters. Commentator Deng Yuwen shares his views.
Deng Yuwen
19 Jun 2026
Politics
Can Trump survive a fourth political assassination attempt?
Reflecting on the assassination attempts against US President Trump, commentator Deng Yuwen argues that institutions once seen as sources of public confidence have weakened, while repeated gunfire in symbolic spaces of power shows external hatred increasingly penetrating the system’s boundaries. This is especially dangerous when the US president becomes a highly symbolic figure embodying political conflict.
Deng Yuwen
28 Apr 2026
Politics
The limits of courts against shameless power
The Supreme Court’s ruling on US President Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” is not proof that American democracy is alive and well and that the system will self-correct. Instead, it shows that usual guardrails like Congress and the fourth estate have been breached, leaving the Court the last line of defence but a shaky one at that. Does that leave American democracy forever damaged under Trump? Commentator Deng Yuwen weighs in.
Deng Yuwen
25 Feb 2026
Politics
Why Chinese hawks cheer Takaichi's win
Takaichi’s landslide win and Japan’s hardline turn are not just Tokyo’s story. In Beijing, it gives hardliners moral cover, reframes tension as destiny and turns miscalculation into a dangerous new logic for East Asia. Commentator Deng Yuwen analyses the situation.
Deng Yuwen
19 Feb 2026
Politics
Zhang Youxia purged: Is Taiwan closer to conflict?
China’s latest military purge spills outwards and will reshape the structure and tempo of risk in the Taiwan Strait, says commentator Deng Yuwen. The major factor is not about the “removal of doves”, but the downgrading of professional judgment within decision-making.
Deng Yuwen
30 Jan 2026
Politics
Why 2026 won’t be a reset year for US-China relations
China’s live-fire drills around Taiwan at the end of 2025 were a statement of jurisdiction, a way for Beijing to reaffirm that deterrence is not passive — it is applied. Commentator Deng Yuwen analyses how China sees the Taiwan Strait as the architecture of US-China relations, and why dialogue should not be mistaken for progress.
Deng Yuwen
05 Jan 2026
Politics
When Trump says ‘G2’, does he mean US-China co-governance?
Trump’s recent enthusiasm for “G2” is likely less about sharing hegemony and more about direct engagement between strong powers — under an implicit assumption of continued US primacy. But even if the US were to genuinely offer equal governing authority, would Beijing accept a G2 framework? Commentator Deng Yuwen ponders the question.
Deng Yuwen
02 Jan 2026
Politics
What the new US national security strategy means for China
From the latest US National Security Strategy document released by the Trump administration, it is clear that the US is intent on excluding China, limiting its global influence, not least in its own backyard of the western hemisphere. Commentator Deng Yuwen gives his take.
Deng Yuwen
11 Dec 2025
Politics
How Sanae Takaichi crossed China’s four untouchable red lines
In the coming weeks, the intensity of Beijing’s countermeasures is unlikely to diminish and will likely continue to escalate, asserts commentator Deng Yuwen. In China’s view, Japan has just crossed too many of its red lines all at once.
Deng Yuwen
21 Nov 2025