Politics
China has introduced new rules on exit and entry administration, setting out when authorities can intervene in border crossings and when citizens may be barred from leaving the country. The regulation brings national security, export controls and technology concerns more directly into the rules governing cross-border movement. ThinkChina’s Lingming Lu looks into the issue.
Lu Lingming
07 Aug 2026
Politics
Why Trump is ready to lose the midterms
As the US midterms loom and polls plunge, Donald Trump appears strangely indifferent to his party’s fate. US commentator Ian Bremmer argues that despite Trump’s claims of rigged systems, US institutional guardrails will hold as the post-Trump era nears.
Ian Bremmer
07 Aug 2026
Politics
Why China and the US need each other to compete
Far from heading towards complete decoupling, China and the US remain locked in a relationship where mutual dependence underpins both competition and cooperation, reshaping the future global order, notes academic Tan Kong Yam.
Tan Kong Yam
06 Aug 2026
Politics
Why Xi gathered China’s top scientists in Beidaihe
China’s annual Beidaihe retreat has put basic research and frontier technologies centre stage, offering a rare glimpse into President Xi Jinping’s priorities as Beijing seeks breakthroughs in critical technologies. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Chen Jing finds out.
Chen Jing
06 Aug 2026
Politics
Is Taiwan’s proposed AI-powered T-Dome shield combat-ready?
Taiwan is leveraging AI to boost its defence capabilities, but it will still face challenges such as China’s robust electronic warfare and cybersecurity capabilities in the event of a Taiwan emergency, says academic Ghulam Ali.
Ghulam Ali
05 Aug 2026
Politics
Japan and Taiwan’s strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific
Japan’s updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy and Taiwan’s expanding diplomatic vision are helping to foster an increasingly aligned approach while avoiding unnecessary confrontation with China. Japanese academic Madoka Fukuda tells us more.
Madoka Fukuda
04 Aug 2026
Politics
Quietly, not silently: How Vietnam deals with China on the South China Sea
Vietnam did not sign the joint statement on the Tribunal Award invalidating China’s claims on the South China Sea. Hanoi’s consistent “speak less, do more” approach combines public restraint with a range of quieter policy tools, observes ISEAS academic Huynh Trung Dung.
Huynh Trung Dung
04 Aug 2026
Politics
Is Cai Qi China’s real number two?
Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi appears to be Chinese President Xi Jinping’s right-hand man, but depending on whether trust or caution is higher in Xi’s calculations, Cai’s fate will be decided at the 21st Party Congress, says Taiwanese academic Wen-Hsuan Tsai.
Wen-Hsuan Tsai
04 Aug 2026
Politics
Why China’s land routes may fail in a Taiwan crisis
China has built overland routes to reduce its reliance on vulnerable sea lanes. But lessons from Ukraine and Iran suggest cheap drones and long-range strikes could leave those lifelines exposed in a Taiwan crisis, says Italian commentator Emanuele Scimia.
Emanuele Scimia
31 Jul 2026
Politics
Why China rescued Vietnam’s ship in the South China Sea but targets the Philippines
China rescued a Vietnamese vessel in disputed waters even as maritime tensions with the Philippines flared. The contrast reveals Beijing’s South China Sea calculus. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei explains.
Sim Tze Wei
30 Jul 2026
Politics
Has China really ‘won’ in the Iran war?
The Iran war has boosted China’s leverage in the energy sector and deepened its commercial presence in the Gulf. But states in the region want China to be a more proactive stakeholder, a role Beijing may not be ready to take on, says researcher Jing Lin.
Jing Lin
30 Jul 2026
