Unpacking the complexity of China’s rise through objective analysis and data visualization. Follows, RTs ≠ endorsements.
Washington, DC
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- Following 924
- Followers 57,282
- Likes 975
Vote on the fourth proposition of our debate series and watch @osmastro and @fravel debate this proposition on Dec. 9 from 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm EST: bit.ly/CPDebate4
"Within the next five years, China will use significant military force against a country on its periphery."
58%
Agree
42%
Disagree
3,053 votes • Final results
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[UPDATED FEATURE] China is conducting military exercises near Taiwan at an unprecedented scale. Where are these exercises occurring and what do they mean for regional security? Follow along and read our day-by-day breakdown here: chinapower.csis.org/tracking…
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NEW ANALYSIS: In recent weeks, misinformation has spread online about China’s third aircraft carrier, with netizens posting images that purportedly show large cracks in the vessel’s deck.
@ChinaPowerCSIS uses satellite imagery to debunk these claims: bit.ly/cp230613
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Between 2017 and 2022, China built or upgraded 37 airports and heliports throughout its western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. We track these developments and utilizes satellite imagery to analyze key Chinese facilities along the China-India border: bit.ly/CP_China_west_border
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In a full maritime quarantine of Taiwan, China could employ law enforcement vessels around the island and PLA Navy vessels further away. Additionally, China may position a carrier strike group to the east of Taiwan to further add pressure against Taiwan. bit.ly/quarantine-tw
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China still depends on Russian-made engines for many PLA aircraft. From 2017-2023, aircraft engines accounted for over half of China’s arms imports by value, with the overwhelming majority coming from Russia. Learn more: bit.ly/ChRusMil
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[NEW IMAGERY] Satellite imagery from August 18 shows the hull blocks of China’s third carrier laid out in order and uncovered by environmental shelters, allowing the clearest view of the vessel since construction began. Read the full analysis: bit.ly/CP_third-carrier
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We are now accepting applications for our 2019 Taiwan-U.S. Policy Program. Learn more about this unique opportunity for mid-level experts to gain in-depth knowledge of Taiwan and U.S.-Taiwan relations: bit.ly/2Gaz11E
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NEW FEATURE: China’s approach to Taiwan is a hotly debated issue. @ChinaPowerCSIS polled 64 top experts to shed light on China's strategy, timelines, and willingness to use force against Taiwan.
See key findings below and explore full results here: bit.ly/CP_Taiwan_poll
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NEW: Satellite imagery analyzed by @ChinaPowerCSIS shows that China is investing in a significant, long-term military presence at Pangong Tso near the disputed China-India border.
Explore our analysis and imagery here: bit.ly/cp_pangongtso
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The largest zone of China’s missile exercises is off Taiwan’s southwest coast, a region that has been a political stronghold for President Tsai-ing wen. What messages is China trying to send by conducting large scale live-fire exercises? Learn more: chinapower.csis.org/tracking…
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He Weidong was likely elevated to the CMC Vice Chairmanship because of his past experience with PLA activities around Taiwan and at the border with India. Learn more about the new members of the CMC in our feature: bit.ly/cp_party_congress
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NEW: China is undertaking a major expansion of its infrastructure that is enhancing its ability to project military power along its western frontier—especially its border with India. Explore our data and satellite imagery analysis in our new feature: chinapower.csis.org/china-ti…
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[NEW FEATURE] Over the last few decades, China’s naval fleet has rapidly expanded. Explore our latest feature on China’s naval modernization, including satellite imagery analysis of the Jiangnan Shipyard. chinapower.csis.org/china-na…
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Only the United States and France have nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Despite other advanced capabilities, China’s new Fujian carrier is still conventionally powered. Learn more about the Fujian here: bit.ly/third-carrier
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Will China have a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific by 2027? Vote in our poll & watch @GrahamTAllison and Gen. David Stilwell debate this proposition on Dec. 17 1-2:15pm ET: bit.ly/3rPJRlv
“China will establish a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific by 2027.”
50%
Agree
50%
Disagree
854 votes • Final results
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Both DPP and KMT presidents have transited the United States, but Beijing has responded more forcefully to DPP leaders. Our feature analyzes Chinese behavior related to Taiwan presidential transits of the United States: bit.ly/cp_tsai_transit
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Much attention is paid to China’s military modernization, but weaponry and equipment are only part of the equation. China is significantly expanding its infrastructure to enhance its ability to project military power on its western frontier. Learn more: bit.ly/CP_China_west_border
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NEW FEATURE: Following Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's transit to the US and meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, China staged major military exercises around Taiwan. Our feature tracks key Chinese activities before, during, and after the exercises: bit.ly/pla_exercises
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China has surpassed Russia as the bigger trading partner of all former Soviet States in Central Asia. So far China and Russia have worked to mitigate competition with each other in the region, but that could change as China’s influence grows. Learn more: bit.ly/mistrust3
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US amb calls China’s tech support for Russia during Ukraine invasion a ‘major mistake’ - AP
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Russia's leverage over other countries through arms and energy exports makes it a valuable partner. Learn about how China benefits here: bit.ly/CP_china-russia1
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Between 2003 and 2016, China participated in over 350 military exercises with dozens of partners around the globe. bit.ly/mildip
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NEW FEATURE: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will soon transit the United States and is expected to meet with Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Beijing strongly opposes the transit and meeting.
Our feature analyzes China’s past behavior related to transits: bit.ly/cp_tsai_transit
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Most of China’s naval fleet was built in just six shipyards in China. Learn more about the China’s effort to upgrade its navy here: bit.ly/CP_navy
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China has surpassed Russia as the bigger trading partner of all former Soviet States in Central Asia. So far China and Russia have worked to mitigate competition with each other in the region, but that could change as China’s influence grows. Learn more: bit.ly/mistrust3
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The law enforcement nature of a quarantine poses challenges for Taiwan and the international community to effectively respond. Our digital report maps out two possible quarantine scenarios: bit.ly/quarantine-tw
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Will China be the most influential external power in Afghanistan in two years? Vote in our poll & see Zhou Bo and @SethGJones debate the proposition on Dec. 14 at 8:45am ET: bit.ly/339QFQw
“In two years, China will be the most influential external power in Afghanistan.”
64%
Agree
36%
Disagree
743 votes • Final results
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Is Russia a net strategic asset for Beijing? Vote in our poll now and watch @DaveShullman and Yun Sun discuss on this Thursday, Nov. 17. Register: csis.org/events/chinas-power…
"Russia is a net strategic asset for Beijing."
50%
Agree
50%
Disagree
290 votes • Final results
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We are thrilled to announce that Bonny Lin has joined us as the director of the China Power Project and senior fellow for Asian security! Please join us in welcoming Dr. Lin. bit.ly/3grK8Vt
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The majority of China’s naval fleet were built in just six shipyards in China, find out where below. More on China's naval buildup with our latest feature : bit.ly/CP_navy
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Both DPP and KMT presidents have transited the United States, but Beijing has responded more forcefully to DPP leaders. Our feature analyzes Chinese behavior related to Taiwan presidential transits of the United States: bit.ly/cp_tsai_transit
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Has Covid-19 accelerated the timeline by which China will surpass the US to become the world’s leading economic power?
Vote in our poll & watch @PKU1898’s Yao Yang and @CSIS_Econ’s Gerard DiPippo debate the proposition on Nov. 19, 9-10:15 am. Register: bit.ly/cpp_debate1
50%
Yes (agree)
50%
No (disagree)
513 votes • Final results
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[NEW FEATURE] How does China’s nuclear arsenal compare to those of other countries? Learn about China’s nuclear modernization efforts and the current status of global nuclear forces with our feature: bit.ly/CP_nuclear-weapons
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[APPLY NOW] Our 2020 Taiwan-US Policy Program (TUPP) application is now live! Learn more about program details and eligibility here: bit.ly/2Gaz11E
Below: The 2018 TUPP delegation hikes Taroko Gorge in Hualien.
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Much attention is paid to China’s military modernization, but weaponry and equipment are only part of the equation. China is significantly expanding its infrastructure to enhance its ability to project military power on its western frontier. Learn more: bit.ly/CP_China_west_border
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Why have China-Australia relations declined? Dr. Charles Edel (@CharlesEdel) argues that China’s aggressive behavior in the region played a role, but the main causes lie in Australia itself. Find out what these factors were in this #ChinaPower Podcast: bit.ly/prc-aus
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Explore our new #SouthChinaSea incident tracker. Track the countries and vessels involved. bit.ly/CPMLE
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China has the world’s largest coast guard fleet. How does its coast guard tonnage compare to other countries in the region? Find out: bit.ly/CPMLE
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Why did China launch military exercises around Taiwan in April 2023? @SugioNIDS says that the goal was to “improve the general readiness for actual operations” against Taiwan. Watch our recorded event to learn more about recent cross-Strait tensions: bit.ly/3KZHCox
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In the 19th century, Russia was party to several “unequal treaties,” which still stoke nationalist anger in China. Learn how China and Russia’s checkered past contributes to China’s considerable mistrust of Russia: bit.ly/mistrust3
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China’s 2023 budget report provides information on central government spending. But this only tells part of the story, since roughly 86% of spending takes place at the local level. Learn more with our feature: bit.ly/cp_budget
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[ONLINE EVENT] Join us for a discussion on COVID-19 and US-Taiwan collaboration, featuring Taiwan Vice Premier @chimaichen and @HHSGov's @depsechargan, with @MorrisonCSIS as respondent and @BonnieGlaser as moderator. Watch here on May 8th @ 9:00am EDT: bit.ly/3c8cC1W
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Most of China’s naval fleet was built in just six shipyards in China. For more: bit.ly/CP_navy
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[EVENT] Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell will deliver a speech on “U.S.-China Bilateral Relations: The Lessons of History” at 1:30 pm tomorrow @CSIS. Watch here: bit.ly/348e3IN
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According to our satellite imagery analysis on China’s Jiangnan Shipyard, there were significant construction, modification, and repair activities centered around the Type 052 destroyer the Type 055 cruiser in 2018. More analysis on our feature: bit.ly/CP_jiangnan
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Will Beijing's crackdown on tech firms significantly stifle Chinese innovation? Vote in our poll & see @MattSheehan88 and @RuiMa debate the proposition on Dec. 6 at 4pm ET: bit.ly/cppdebate2
“Beijing’s crackdown on tech firms will significantly stifle Chinese innovation.”
52%
Agree
48%
Disagree
869 votes • Final results
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NEW FEATURE: What do overseas visits by top Chinese officials reveal about Beijing’s foreign policy priorities? Find out in our feature on Chinese high-level diplomacy: bit.ly/CP_diplomatic_visits
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Venezuela is the top Chinese arms export destination in the Americas. In the last decade, more than 85 percent of Chinese weapons sold to the region went to Caracas. Find out why in our feature: bit.ly/CP_armstrade
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In the near term, a quarantine of Taiwan is more likely than an invasion or blockade. The law enforcement nature of a quarantine poses challenges for Taiwan and the international community to effectively respond.
Explore two possible scenarios: bit.ly/quarantine-tw
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Of the total Chinese investment in Africa between 2005 and 2017, 40% was invested in metals. To learn more about where China is targeting its foreign investment, check out our feature: bit.ly/CP_fdi
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Compare China’s aircraft carriers, the Liaoning, the Shandong, and the Fujian, with our analysis unpacking their key differences: bit.ly/third-carrier
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China is pursuing an unprecedented and rapid expansion of its nuclear forces. Explore our feature to learn about China’s evolving nuclear capabilities: bit.ly/CP_nuclear-weapons
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China has emerged as one of the biggest arms traders in the world. Who are China’s customers and suppliers? Find out with our latest feature: bit.ly/CP_armstrade
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Compare China’s aircraft carriers, the Liaoning, the Shandong, and the Fujian, with our analysis unpacking their key differences: bit.ly/third-carrier
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74% of China’s conventional weapons exports in the past decade went to Asia. Who are the buyers? Learn more with our feature on China’s global arms trade: bit.ly/CP_armstrade
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[NEW PODCAST] Greg Levesque on how effectively China is implementing its Military-Civil Fusion strategy: “Based on the indicators I’ve seen, they are making very real and rapid progress.” Listen here: bit.ly/3c9CQku
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NEW: As China ramps up pressure on Taiwan, one major step it could take is a law enforcement-led quarantine of the island.
Explore our interactive report, which lays out China’s potential motivations and maps how it could conduct quarantine operations: cs.is/4aMeGdr
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Most of China’s naval fleet was built in just six shipyards in China. Learn more about the China’s effort to upgrade its navy here: bit.ly/CP_navy
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In 2020, the number of Chinese companies on the @FortuneMagazine Global 500 list (124) overtook the number of US companies (121) for the first time. Learn more with our interactive: bit.ly/CP_companies
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Once China began spending more on defense than countries like Japan and Russia, it stopped reporting military budget comparisons in its defense white papers. More on the lack of transparency in China’s military spending in our feature: bit.ly/CP_milspend
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Join us on Jan 24 9:30-11 am ET as @RhodiumDan and Fred Bergsten debate US-China economic cooperation. Vote below & register: csis.org/events/chinapower-d…
“China can work with the US to provide cooperative global economic leadership to help the world economy function effectively.”
29%
Agree
71%
Disagree
90 votes • Final results
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China’s large-scale military exercises in August 2022, April 2023, and May 2024 have offered insights into how China could conduct a quarantine of Taiwan. We map out two possible scenarios in our digital report: bit.ly/quarantine-tw
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Can the US-China relationship best be described as a "new Cold War?" Vote now in our poll and watch @HalBrands and Mel Leffler debate this proposition on Nov. 19 from 3:00-4:15pm EST: bit.ly/CPDebate1
The US-China relationship can best be described as a "new Cold War."
55%
Agree
45%
Disagree
2,444 votes • Final results
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Taiwan’s major shipping ports are located on the island’s west coast, close to mainland China. If China can control traffic into just one port, it can achieve significant influence over what gets into Taiwan. bit.ly/quarantine-tw
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“China is building ships so rapidly that Chinese sources often liken this to dumping dumplings into soup broth...China's getting its ships together in quantity and quality.” - @AndrewSErickson discusses China’s naval modernization. Listen here: bit.ly/2A8D4ri
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Xi Jinping’s 20th Party Congress report mentions the word “security” (安全) 91 times, a significant leap from 54 mentions in the 19th Party Congress report. Read @ChinaPowerCSIS analysis on the implications of Xi’s report: bit.ly/20thPartyCongress.
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We’re co-hosting a live online event with @CSISHealth TOMORROW @ 9AM EDT examining Taiwan’s response to COVID-19 and US-Taiwan collaboration, featuring Taiwan Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai and @HHSGov Dep. Sec. Eric Hargan. Submit questions and watch here: bit.ly/3c8cC1W
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Taiwan is a leader in religious freedom and gender equality in the Indo-Pacific. Join our panel discussion on Taiwan’s role in the Indo-Pacific security architecture on January 12 from 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm EST. Register and watch live: bit.ly/2JJs0cf
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[APPLY NOW] Our 2020 Taiwan-US Policy Program (TUPP) application is now live! Learn more about program details and eligibility here: bit.ly/2Gaz11E
Below: The 2019 TUPP delegation meets with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen @iingwen.
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China accompanied its October 14 Joint Sword-2024B military exercises with unprecedented coast guard activities near Taiwan. Explore our analysis of China’s activities here: bit.ly/joint-sword-2024B
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Since 2008, more than 60% of China’s conventional weapons found their way to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. More on China’s arms exports to Asia here: bit.ly/CP_armstrade
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At least one Chinese maritime law enforcement vessel was involved in 73% of 70 major incidents in the South China Sea since 2010. How does this impact regional security? Explore our feature: bit.ly/CPMLE
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“...The TRA has helped create a force for good, and laid the foundations for Taiwan to become a beacon of democracy in the world.” - Her Excellency President Tsai Ing-wen. Watch live: bit.ly/2JPritj
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At age 72, CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia is now the oldest member of the entire CCP Politburo. Learn about China’s CMC and its members in our feature: bit.ly/cp_party_congress
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In an all-out kinetic blockade of Taiwan, China’s PLA forces will strike Taiwan’s civilian ports, airfields supporting transportation, energy import terminals, fuel storage facilities, and power grid to undermine the island’s ability to sustain itself. bit.ly/china-blockade-taiwan
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In 2020, the number of Chinese companies on the @FortuneMagazine Global 500 list (124) overtook the number of US companies (121) for the first time. Learn more with our interactive: bit.ly/CP_companies
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At age 72, CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia is now the oldest member of the entire CCP Politburo. Learn about China’s new CMC and its members in our feature: bit.ly/cp_party_congress
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In an all-out kinetic blockade of Taiwan, China’s PLA forces will strike Taiwan’s civilian ports, airfields supporting transportation, energy import terminals, fuel storage facilities, and power grid to undermine the island’s ability to sustain itself. bit.ly/china-blockade-taiwan
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Two zones of China's recent unprecedented military exercises (Zones 3 and 4) overlap into Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. What signals is China sending to Japan and other countries in the region? Find out in our feature: chinapower.csis.org/tracking…
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Happening now: @BonnieGlaser says that if Xi Jinping feels “pushed into a corner” and perceives that permanent loss of Taiwan is inevitable, he will go to war over Taiwan whether the PLA is ready or not.
Watch our debate on Xi's timeline for Taiwan: bit.ly/cpp_debate2023
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Over 1,600 new robotics companies were established in China in 2017. What’s driving this “robot revolution”? Learn more in our feature on intelligent automation in China: bit.ly/CP_automation
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China still depends on Russian-made engines for many PLA aircraft. From 2017-2021, aircraft engines accounted for more than 54 percent of China’s arms imports (by value), with the overwhelming majority coming from Russia. Learn more: bit.ly/ChRusMil
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With over 150 oceangoing vessels and more than 400 smaller vessels, the Chinese Coast Guard is the largest in the world and greatly outnumbers Taiwan’s coast guard. What challenges might this pose if China were to quarantine Taiwan? Visit here for more bit.ly/quarantine-tw
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Stronger ties between Beijing and Moscow have led to growing imports of Russian oil and gas by China, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about how China leans on Russia to help secure its energy supplies here: buff.ly/SjWv3YW
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NEW FEATURE: Our latest #ChinaPower feature breaks down @SIPRIorg data on the global arms industry and explores China's efforts to develop its defense industrial base through efforts like military-civil fusion: bit.ly/CP_arms_companies
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China’s corporate debt has risen sharply from 106.5% of GDP in 2006 to 166.3% of GDP in 2016. bit.ly/CPdebt
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[NEW FEATURE] Is China a global leader in research and development? Find out here: bit.ly/2GErIwD
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Most of China’s naval fleet was built in just six shipyards in China. For more: bit.ly/CP_navy
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Which countries receive the most aid from China? Find out with our interactive: bit.ly/CP_DevFn
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China has 4 active Jin-class nuclear ballistic submarines. The US has 14 active Ohio-class SSBNs bit.ly/1TCPY38
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In a mining blockade scenario, the PLA cyber forces will conduct non-kinetic attacks to disrupt Taiwan’s communication systems and disable energy and transportation infrastructure. See what may happen next at: bit.ly/china-blockade-taiwan
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[NEW PODCAST] What does the latest China-India border clash signal about the changing nature of Chinese foreign policy and China’s willingness to be more aggressive on sovereignty issues? Find out in our podcast episode with Dr. M. Taylor Fravel (@fravel): bit.ly/3kA4UlI
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NEW: The @ChinaPowerCSIS website now has a new "Tracker" section, which contains short pieces packed with data. For the first tracker, we start with the fundamentals: unpacking China's GDP in 10 charts. Explore our visualizations and analysis here: bit.ly/tracker_gdp
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China’s locations of the five zones during the Joint Sword-2024A exercises were noticeably different from the August 2022 exercises. In 2024, one of these zones is located near Taipei, Taiwan’s capital. More on China’s signals behind these placements: bit.ly/lai-inauguration
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NEW: In a major new feature, ChinaPower assesses the scope and impact of Beijing's efforts to supply countries with Covid-19 medical aid and vaccines. The feature centers on an index built by ChinaPower, which scores China’s influence on each country. chinapower.csis.org/china-co…
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Unlike exercises in the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1995-96, China’s August 2022 military exercises encircled Taiwan. Explore our feature to stay updated on Chinese activities amid the Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis: chinapower.csis.org/tracking…
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Since 2017, China has built or upgraded 37 airports and heliports throughout its western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. Our feature tracks these development and utilizes satellite imagery to analyze key Chinese facilities along the China-India border: bit.ly/CP_China_west_border
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China’s DF-21D is believed to be the world’s first operational anti-ship ballistic missile. What other major missile capabilities has China fielded in recent years? Find out in our feature: bit.ly/CP_conventional_missi…
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China’s dominance in the rare earth industry is the result of decades of targeted industrial policies aimed at leapfrogging other nations. Learn about Beijing’s rare earth policies in our feature: bit.ly/CP_rare_earths
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Does China’s accelerated expansion of its nuclear arsenal represent a shift in China’s nuclear strategy and doctrine? Come and watch @zhaot2005 and Dr. Fiona Cunningham join the #ChinaPower conference to discuss this question and more. Register: bit.ly/cpp_debate2023
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