Chinese Communist Party

Former Chongqing mayor who outlasted Bo Xilai meets his downfall

Huang Qifan survived the downfall of two Chongqing party bosses and earned a reputation as a political untouchable. Now, nearly a decade after leaving office, he is under investigation. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei examines his career.

Sim Tze Wei

15 Oct 2026

Prof Daniel A. Bell: Ancient Chinese thoughts asked questions that still matter today

Professor Daniel A. Bell has spent decades studying China, its political system and philosophies. In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao video producer Audrey Jiajia Li, he shares his views about leadership, anti-corruption and Confucian principles.

Audrey Jiajia Li

01 Oct 2026

Why putting Chinese officials on speed dial won’t solve grassroots grievances

Chinese grassroots officials are handing out their mobile numbers for greater accessibility, but critics warn that the practice is little more than a fleeting PR stunt. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Zhang Guanghui finds out more.

Zhang Guanghui

01 Oct 2026

How China’s ethnic unity law targets Taiwanese identity

China’s new Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law goes beyond domestic ethnic policy, bringing cross-strait exchanges, media, education and online activity into a broader political narrative aimed at shaping Taiwanese identity and advancing unification, argues academic Chang Chun-Yen.

Chang Chun-Yen

29 Sep 2026

Xi is breaking succession rules. What about everyone else?

Xi Jinping has already broken key CCP leadership conventions. As the 21st Party Congress approaches, three possible succession models could determine whether Beijing sees greater stability, deeper political turbulence or stronger action abroad. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Miao Zong-Han reports.

Miao Zong-Han

28 Sep 2026

A sudden exit: Why Shenzhen replaced its mayor 100 days before APEC

With the high-stakes APEC summit just months away, Shenzhen’s sudden leadership change underscores intense political vetting. The last-minute reshuffle hints at a career setback for a rising star and sets an urgent task for his successor. Lianhe Zaobao’s China news editor Yang Danxu gives her take on the issue.

Yang Danxu

02 Sep 2026

[Photos] Guangdong: Where China first looked outward

From an isolated southern frontier to China’s main gateway to the maritime world, Guangdong’s early encounters with foreign traders, armed sea powers and overseas migration laid the foundations for its later role as a cradle of reform. Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao traces the early history of Guangdong in ThinkChina’s Eye on Guangdong series.

Hsu Chung-mao

01 Sep 2026

Beijing unleashes confidence campaign to reassure markets

Chinese authorities are using commentaries to reshape the country’s economic narrative, manage expectations and rebuild market confidence ahead of key political events. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei speaks with academics to analyse the matter.

Sim Tze Wei

25 Aug 2026

Xi invokes Jiang Zemin’s legacy to chart China’s ‘new journey’

Marking the centenary of Jiang Zemin’s birth, Xi Jinping praised the former leader’s legacy of reform, opening up and crisis management while placing it firmly within the current Xi-era framework of Communist Party leadership, national security and reunification. Lianhe Zaobao journalist Miao Zong-Han tells us more.

Miao Zong-Han

18 Aug 2026

Did Zhu Rongji take on China’s hardest reforms?

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji confronted some of China’s most difficult reforms, taking on vested interests and deep-rooted problems while pushing the country towards a more market-oriented, open and institutionalised economy, says academic Gu Qingyang.

Gu Qingyang

17 Aug 2026

What Zhu Rongji got right — and what he left unfinished

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji changed China without changing its political system. His reforms laid the foundations for decades of growth, but also imposed painful costs and left a legacy of unresolved problems. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong examines the issue.

Han Yong Hong

14 Aug 2026

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