Xi Jinping

Will Xi’s corruption purges paralyse China’s bureaucracy?

The 20th Central Committee’s fifth plenum reinforced Xi Jinping’s commitment to a sweeping anti-corruption drive, but tougher discipline raises a difficult question: will fear of punishment leave officials too paralysed to govern? Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong looks into the matter.

Han Yong Hong

30 Oct 2026

[Big read] China’s fifth plenum: What ongoing purges reveal about Xi Jinping’s power layout

From purged top generals to bypassed central cadres, China’s personnel arrangements are at their most chaotic in years. What can the upcoming fifth plenum tell us about its future leadership pipeline? Lianhe Zaobao journalist Miao Zong-Han speaks to analysts to find out more.

Miaw Zong-Han

20 Oct 2026

What ‘road warrior’ Xi’s overseas trips reveal about his health

​​​​There has been speculation about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s health following his overseas trips. Examining TV footage of Xi’s gait and walking posture in India and the US, Taiwanese academic Wen-Hsuan Tsai offers some observations about possible correlations to the state of the leader’s health.

Wen-Hsuan Tsai

02 Oct 2026

[Video] Trump and Xi meet again: What changed and what didn’t

This year’s historic Trump-Xi state visits delivered memes and pageantry, though Xi’s trip to Washington was shadowed by protests and Trump’s media ban. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina and Lingming Lu compare the two summits to see what changed and what didn’t.

Yi Jina, Lu Lingming

29 Sep 2026

Trump-Xi summit: Grand optics, unresolved rivalry

The Trump-Xi summit delivered grand ceremony and a few practical gains, while playing to the domestic audiences of both leaders. But issues such as AI, trade and Taiwan remain unresolved, underscoring the deep rivalry between the US and China. Joseph Chinyong Liow, Dean and Wang Gungwu Professor in East Asian Affairs, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS, shares his analysis.

Joseph Chinyong Liow

28 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.

Miaw Zong-Han

28 Sep 2026

Trump-Xi summit: Red carpet and bombers reveal new era of managed rivalry

Donald Trump’s lavish welcome for Xi Jinping blends pageantry with military force, but behind the red carpet lies Beijing’s push for managed rivalry. Lianhe Zaobao’s Han Yong Hong shares her views on the high-stakes summit.

Han Yong Hong

25 Sep 2026

How both sides can claim a win at Trump-Xi summit

The Trump-Xi summit slated for this week is set for a strong start as senior trade officials from both sides wrap up their meeting on a positive note. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Edwin Ong finds out more.

Edwin Ong

22 Sep 2026

China’s rural decline: The missing chapter in Zhu Rongji’s legacy

Nostalgia paints the late former Premier Zhu Rongji as China’s ultimate reformer. But a closer look at the 1990s reveals severe policy reversals that left the vast rural population behind. Professor Yasheng Huang analyses the missing piece of the picture.

Yasheng Huang

14 Aug 2026

[Video] Bilahari Kausikan: How to navigate the new world order

Bilahari Kausikan, in an interview with ThinkChina editor Chow Yian Ping, examines how US-China rivalry is reshaping the global order, why China’s “China dream” narrative of national rejuvenation remains powerful but limiting, and how a more fluid, multipolar Asia will test the nimbleness of smaller states such as Singapore.

Chow Yian Ping

12 Aug 2026

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

Xi in Pyongyang: Opening Asia’s frozen northeast frontier

The clearest signal delivered at Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Pyongyang visit was all in the map, says academic Hao Nan. A northern Northeast Asian corridor linking China’s northeast to the Tumen River, North Korea’s Rason, Russia’s Far East and the Sea of Japan, is now more possible than ever. 

Hao Nan

10 Jun 2026