China

Last month, when China marked one year to go before the start of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the slogan was “We Are Ready.” In one sense it’s largely true: Beijing is far ahead of past host cities when it comes to building stadiums and other infrastructure for the Games. But when it comes to handling the scrutiny that will come …

The United states Congress reopened Tuesday after the long summer recess. Speaking to people who follow this in Washington and Beijing, it’s pretty clear it is going to be a rough few months for China. The food safety issue is a natural for populist hysteria and some members of Congress will definitely rise–or lower themselves–to the …

Concluding onversation with Thomas P.M. Barnett, one of the leading defense intellectuals in the United States and author of ‘The Pentagon’s New Map,’ about the possibility of a US-China alliance.

TIME: Now there are a lot of Americans who will object I think to your analogy of the US as the UK in the early part of the 20th …

Yuan Weijing is turning into the Eveready bunny of activists in China. After being bundled back home (see earlier posts below) from Beijing airport, she made another break for it last Friday and managed to board a bus for the capital. However, Shandong’s cops aren’t quite as Keystone-ish as they have appeared sometimes in the past. They …

An add to the post below about the replacement of the Finance Minister. It was formally announced yesterday along with some other changes in the cabinet. As I said expect more to come. This is merely an appetizer for Zhongnanhai (the Communist Party HQ in Beijing) junkies and tea leaf readers who will be jiggling with impatience in the 6 …

Part two of my conversation with Thomas PM Barnettt, big think Pentagon strategist, author of the “Pentagon’s New Map,’’ “Blueprint for Action,” and the forthcoming “The Coming Realignment: Reconnecting American Grand Strategy to a World Transformed” (due in 2009). Tom in his second book argues that the US and China …

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The people moving my stuff to Beijing are not the sort to let a few things go astray. So I should have expected this email that came yesterday:

Dear Austin,

I got the information from the customs that due to the China not allowed to import Anti-Goverment books.

So, there are two books was sequestrated by customs and

…

As a foreign journalist, it’s hard enough to travel to China. Every time I go, even if it’s just to go sightseeing in Xi’an or shopping across the border in Shenzhen, I must first check in with the foreign ministry in Hong Kong. And I stand no chance of getting a coveted multiple-entry sticker, nor can I enjoy the full 30 days most …

China’s Finanace Minister Jin Renqing has stepped down. This is interesting as any move that’s even slightly anomalous in the top ranks of the government always attracts attention. Mr. Jin’s sudden departure (which Chinese officals steadfastly refuse to confirm) definitely seems to fall firmly into that category: the Reuter’s story …

I recently had a long talk with Thomas P.M. Barnett, one of the most interesting defense and foreign policy thinkers in the United States. For years Tom served in the Center for Naval Analysis and was part of the Pentagon’s brain squad—big think guys whose job it is to mull the strategic future for the United States. He routinely …

Whenever the foreign press in China mentions the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, there’s always a contingent here that likes to say, among other things, that it occurred XX years ago and that we should all forget about it. I’m beginning to wonder if those whitewashers should start filing similar complaints with the China Daily. Earlier this …

A quick follow up on the post below. According to Zeng Jinyan. she received a call on Sunday from Yuan Weijing to say that she was back home in Shandong, having been forcibly taken back by local police, and is once again under house arrest. Yuan reportedly said she was was stopped by airport customs officers after checking in and taken …