John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution
Recent News About John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution
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Washington is concerned about TikTok, particularly regarding Beijing’s influence through the platform's parent company ByteDance. Critics allege that TikTok is used to "silence free speech," "undermine democracy," and "promote propaganda." These fears led President Joe Biden to sign a bill requiring TikTok to find a new owner within a year or face a ban in the United States.
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During a visit to Heilongjiang Province in September 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the nation to mobilize “new quality productive forces” (新质生产力) to drive economic growth. This message was reiterated at the annual Central Economic Work Conference in December and emphasized by Premier Li Qiang during his annual work report at the National People’s Congress in March 2024. Additionally, on January 31, a coalition of seven ministries led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued a list of “future industries” (未来产业), which are intended to be major...
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By the spring of 2024, China had come to terms with the significant possibility of a second Trump presidency. According to national polling organization FiveThirtyEight, by May 22, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump held a 0.9% lead over President Joe Biden in national presidential polls, at 41.1% versus Biden’s 40.2%. Despite a guilty verdict in his criminal trial, Trump's support remained strong, reflected in a 1.7% lead according to FiveThirtyEight on May 30.
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As the inauguration of William Lai, Taiwan's next president, draws near on May 20, there is a growing anticipation of news analyses forecasting heightened tensions and potential conflict. This is due to Lai's self-proclaimed identity as a "pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence." Given Beijing's stern warning against Taiwan independence, many predict that Lai's inauguration could signal upcoming turmoil.