This is the first instalment in a series of notes designed to provide an overview of the geography, society, politics, history, and international relations of Taiwan.
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Beijing leveled corruption charges at and removed several key figures in China’s semiconductor industry. The charges are mostly related to the failure of Unigroup.
Chinese semiconductor companies will feel more pain from export controls the closer they get to producing chips of 7-nanometer and below.
Xi has expanded China’s definition of national security and upgraded its national security regime to accommodate new challenges.
Beijing’s initial response to Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit was more restrained than many expected, but military drills and political fallout will follow.
Uncertainty around the global food supply have drawn Beijing’s attention to the challenges of feeding China’s 1.4bn population.
Bankers and SOE managers, initially sent to provincial governments to prevent financial risks and SOE defaults, are now tasked with driving local growth.
Xi reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to “one country, two systems” in his recent visit to Hong Kong, while national security remains a top priority.
Liu Jianchao and Liu Jieyi are likely to become China’s top two diplomats in the next administration.
After Liu retires, the Office will likely be headed by either He Lifeng or Han Wenxiu, each with different implications for the Office’s future.