Xi and Putin: are there limits to the “no limits” friendship?
The two leaders seek to remake the global order, while Turkey braces itself for a hotly contested May election.
Xi Jinping
Xi Jinping is general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (since 2012) and president of China (since 2013). He was born in 1953 and joined the Communist Party in 1974. He studied chemical engineering at Tsinghua University. From 1999 to 2002 he was governor of Fujian province, and was governor of Zhejiang for the next five years; he was first secretary of the Central Secretariat from 2007 and became the presumed successor to the presidency in 2008.
The world according to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin
China and Russia are united in an epic struggle against the West – and their leaders seek nothing less than…
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The meaning of the battle for Bakhmut
Without taking the city Vladimir Putin cannot achieve his war aims.
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Best friends forever? What we learned from Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin’s meeting in Moscow
China’s leader vows changes not seen in 100 years, plus the legacy of the Iraq war.
Xi Jinping’s desperate gamble on Vladimir Putin
The Chinese leader is framing his visit to Moscow as a “journey for peace” but his calculations go far beyond…
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How Xi Jinping views the world
China’s leader came to power determined to ensure the country's continuing rise, but he may yet turn out to be…
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The diplomatic battle for Taiwan
Taiwan’s remaining allies are being whittled away as Beijing positions itself as a peacemaker between Russia and Ukraine.
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The US is readying itself for another moral crusade, this time against China
The drumbeat of war is growing louder in Washington, where the political class is transfixed by Beijing.
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China is laying out a path to conflict with the US
Qin Gang, the foreign minister, has warned that the two powers are heading toward a confrontation that would risk “the…
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Xi Jinping lashes out at the US
China’s leadership took aim at America in an uncharacteristically direct attack during Beijing’s annual parliamentary session.
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Qin Gang: China’s new foreign minister and the taming of “wolf warrior” diplomacy
A former ambassador to the US, Qin Gang has a ferocious reputation. Who is he, and what does his rise…
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Axis of Autocrats: Putin, Xi and Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko’s Beijing visit undermines China’s claim to neutrality as drone strikes hit Russia.
Why Alexander Lukashenko’s trip to China matters
The Belarusian autocrat is a close ally of Vladimir Putin, and a useful friend in Beijing’s contest with the West.
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China’s hollow peace plan for Ukraine
Any hopes that Wang Yi’s visit to the Kremlin might have been to broker an end to the conflict have…
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This is how China wants the war in Ukraine to end
Chinese officials have called for peace talks on the first anniversary of the war, but Beijing has already chosen sides.
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Will China stop Russia going nuclear?
When Chinese diplomats say they want the war to end, they undoubtedly mean it – but not at any cost.
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The balloon debacle is a needless crisis – but a crisis nonetheless
Whether it was a spy balloon or not, US politicians’ ability to take a nuanced approach to Beijing has been…
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How a rogue balloon could scupper US-China relations
A Chinese surveillance balloon has been spotted over the US. Donald Trump wants the military to shoot it down.
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Where is Xi Jinping?
Covid failures are keeping the Chinese leader away from Lunar New Year celebrations.
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China’s economy will rebound. But for how long?
A falling population and the political scars from its zero Covid policy present warning signs for China.
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