How to Understand China’s 20th Party Congress

The ideology driving Xi’s ambitions for China.

Xi’s leadership may be more precarious than it appears.

Xi will pursue an aggressive and ambitious foreign policy in his third term.

Xi has bent China’s vast party network to his will—but the system could eventually catch up with him.

China is facing an economic reckoning that could shake up the international order.

How corruption has warped the Chinese economy.

Beijing’s options regarding China’s economic slowdown are all suboptimal.

The Chinese government’s campaign to boost falling birth rates has failed.

China’s strategic behavior is geared toward the long term.

Beijing’s political and military calculations are bending toward a decision to take Taiwan by force.

China’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal is upsetting the world’s nuclear balance.

Control of Taiwan would be a boon to Chinese military power in the Pacific.

How Beijing could wind down its zero-COVID policy.

What the failure of China’s zero-COVID policy means for Beijing’s hold on power.

A growing backlash could stifle Xi’s efforts to radically transform the international order.

The pros and cons of refusing to condemn Russia for its war in Ukraine.

Xi’s authority over Chinese foreign policy could set China on a volatile path.

The future of the unequal partnership between Moscow and Beijing.