China News
The Daily Signal reports on China news with analysis and commentary on foreign policy, trade, technology, and security challenges.
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opinion
China’s Economy Is Headed for a Hard Landing
The world’s second-largest economy is going to make a hard landing one day, China watchers have speculated for several years. The fact is, though, the Middle Kingdom already is well on its way. Let’s first examine the “official” top-line numbers. In 2007, a year before the great global crisis, China’s real gross domestic product expanded… -
opinion
With a Domestic Economy Slowing Down, China Doubles Down on Foreign Investments
China is the world’s largest exporter of merchandise. What is not well known: it is the world’s second largest net creditor nation, increasingly acquiring western companies and technology. According to the China Global Investment Tracker from the America Enterprise Institute and The Heritage Foundation, Chinese global outbound foreign direct investment (defined as having at least a… -
opinion
How Will China’s Economic Slowdown Affect the US?
Since the 2008–2009 global recession, China has accounted for roughly one-third of global economic growth, by far the highest in the world. With a GDP of roughly $11 trillion (current prices), the second-largest in the world after that of the United States, any economic slowdown in this Asian juggernaut is bound to have enormous global… -
opinion
How the US Must Respond to China’s Rejection of South China Sea Court Decision
An arbitration court accepted claims made by the Philippines against China in the South China Sea, however, China’s refusal to obey the court’s decision requires a swift, but measured response from the United States. On Tuesday, the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague, Netherlands, handed down its final decision in The Republic of… -
opinion
China Builds World’s Fastest Computer
On Monday, the inconceivable happened. China announced it had built the world’s fastest computer. China has always been good at copying and/or stealing intellectual property, but it has rarely produced “indigenous innovation,” particular in the high-tech sector. The Chinese supercomputer, called the Tianhe-1A, is capable of performing over 2.5 thousand trillion operations a second and… -
opinion
The Great Firewall of China Gets Even Stronger
The Chinese government is tightening its control over free speech in China. Once sheepish in the face of censorship accusations, China is now touting its “internet sovereignty” as something to be admired and adopted. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which also spearheads the anti-corruption campaign, recently conducted a two-month examination of the Communist Party’s… -
opinion
China Unlikely to Live Up to Its Economic Promises
U.S. and European businesses continue to find China a harder place to do business with its increasing regulations. This struggle between the West and China was made clear at the 8th annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, which was held last week. The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue is a high-level dialogue between the U.S…. -
opinion
Flying the Unfriendly Skies: China’s Dangerous Behavior
For the second time in a month, a Chinese fighter jet has made an unsafe approach to an American military aircraft. This time, a Chinese air force J-10 fighter intercepted a U.S. RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the East China Sea. The Chinese fighter approached at high speed at the same altitude, and… -
opinion
Chinese Ballistic Missile Submarines Should Definitely Cause Concern
As the United States continues to struggle with adequately funding its armed forces, other nations around the world are developing impressive military capabilities. Case in point: In a recent article published by The Guardian, China is set to deploy nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines, or what many in the naval community affectionately call “boomers,” armed… -
opinion
Tensions Rising With China After Near Collision
To say the bilateral relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China is ‘complex’ might just be the ultimate of understatements. Consider the facts: Beijing and Washington enjoy rich historic and cultural ties that date back generations. Over 300,000 Chinese students today attend American universities, only adding to the richness and cultural… -
opinion
China Flexes Its Military Muscles While America Does Nothing
In the last few days, China has undertaken several new military actions. These include landing a military aircraft on one of their new artificial islands in the South China Sea, a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to a newly established military headquarters, and testing a new ICBM. The purpose is simple: To send messages… -
opinion
Why China’s Economy Is on Borrowed Time
On Friday China announced its economy had expanded at a 6.7 percent rate in the first quarter of 2016. While this is the slowest growth since the depths of the great recession, it conveniently remains within the government’s official target of 6.5-7.0 percent. Unlike all developed countries, there will be no revisions to this figure… -
opinion
Draconian One-Child Policy Has Left China With Massive Sex Ratio Imbalance
With all the talk surrounding International Women’s Day this week, it is important to remember the many women of China. Innumerable Chinese women have been denied the right to have children, and many others have been denied the most fundamental right of all: the right to take their first breath and live. China currently has… -
opinion
China Hikes Defense Budget by 7.6 Percent
As the Chinese National People’s Congress met in Beijing this week, one announcement was the planned defense budget for 2016. Contrary to some rumors, China’s defense budget will rise by “only” 7.6 percent in 2016, only the second time in 20 years that the growth has been in single digits. At 954 billion renminbi, or approximately… -
opinion
China Has Raised the Stakes in South China Sea With Surface-to-Air Missile Batteries
The U.S. government has reported that China has deployed several batteries of surface-to-air missiles (HQ-9) to Woody Island, Paracels, in the South China Sea. This is a significant military move, and it makes clear that China is prepared to employ military forces to support its expansive claims to the South China Sea. The People’s Liberation… -
news
Internet Governance CEO Under Fire for Role in Chinese Conference
Three senators have challenged the head of a U.S.-funded Internet management organization to show that his leadership role in a Chinese-run conference doesn't conflict with his commitment to an open Internet. Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla.; Ted Cruz, R-Texas; and Mike Lee, R-Utah, last week sent a letter to Fadi Chehadé, chief executive officer of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names… -
opinion
US Conducts Freedom of Navigation Operation in South China Sea
Some 90 days after the last attempt at conducting a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea, the American destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island in the Paracels. The central point of this mission was to sail near the islands without prior notification. Unlike the October case,… -
opinion
China Announces Third Major Military Reform Measure
In a move that will make the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) a more competitive and capable force for any future conflict contingency, Chinese leader Xi Jinping today announced the reorganization of the major Chinese military commands. From seven “military regions (junqu),” the PLA will now move to five “major war zones (da zhanqu),” or five… -
opinion
Chinese Military Announces Major Changes in Organization
Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced a massive overhaul in the organization of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) headquarters structure. This comes after the announcement that three new services will be created (Ground Force, Rocket Force, and Strategic Support Force). The PLA is different from the U.S. military in several major respects. First, it is… -
opinion
China’s Big Military Reforms
Amidst the New Year transition from 2015 to 2016, the Chinese announced the first set of long-awaited major military reforms. This constitutes an enormous shift in the organization of the Chinese military. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Dec.31 the creation of—essentially—three new services for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). These new services will join…