Preparing for the Worst

If Xi Jinping moves to take Taiwan by force, it will require logistical and political preparations that cannot be hidden from the rest of the world. In an essay adapted from his new book, Defending Taiwan, Eyck Freymann looks at how the U.S. and its allies can try to prevent Xi from pulling the trigger — and what they must do if he does.

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Chinese Solar's Sunny Future in Africa

The Wire China Podcast

Now on podcast platforms everywhere, The Wire China hits the airwaves to take you behind the scenes of the stories we cover each week. We are dedicated to understanding and explaining one of the biggest stories of our time: China’s economic rise and its influence on the world.

Eleven Days, Part I

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Hainan spy plane crisis, The Wire China talks with participants and reviews first-person accounts of the incident.

The Critical Raw Materials Gap

European democracies, threatened by Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine and Donald Trump’s designs on Greenland, are embarking on historic changes in their defense posture. But China’s grip on the supply of tungsten, gallium and other...

Eleven Days, Part II

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Hainan spy plane crisis, The Wire China is publishing the second installment of its discussions with people who participated in the dramatic showdown. For Part I see our...