China's Buffer Zone

China's Buffer Zone

Few countries have direct access to the Hermit Kingdom of North Korea in the way China does, but Russia is one of them. As Russia–DPRK collaboration reaches new heights, Beijing has grown increasingly uneasy. In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping has prioritized North Korea as his first foreign destination for 2026. How does China really view North Korea? How close is the China–Russia–DPRK alignment? And what, if anything, truly binds these three powers together?

The Truth Behind China's Long Game Strategy

For years, Western analysts have concluded that China is "playing the long game" in their effort to replace the United States as the world's new hegemony. However, most of what China has been achieving in recent years suggests the opposite. So why the persistent rhetoric? The answer lies in a discussion between U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai, before official US-China relations were ever established.

U.S.-Taiwan Arms Sales

After nearly a decade of not hosting a sitting U.S. president, and years of no communication with Washington, what moved Beijing to host its biggest adversary now? US-Taiwan relations cannot be ignored when analyzing the US-China relationship; and most importantly US arms sales to Taiwan.

The Terrifying US-China Recoupling

After years of failed attempts at decoupling between the world's largest economies, the leaders of the United States and China meet among what they both have come to realize is their true shared common interest: tech billionaires.

China's Hopeful Puppet

Following a historic U.S. weapons sale to Taiwan, what does KMT Chair Zheng Liwen's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping mean for the future of Taiwan? What does it mean about China today?