CSIS China Power Project

China’s purchases of Russian military equipment have significantly decreased in volume and type in recent years. What led to this decline? What does China still buy from Russia? Find out in our feature: buff.ly/iHYyeWG

In 2022, yields on U.S. bonds overtook Chinese bonds, sowing fears in Beijing that investors may leave to pursue higher returns in the U.S. How do U.S. monetary policies affect China’s economy? Learn about China’s vulnerabilities in its financial security here: buff.ly/f5rvzno

China’s growing urban middle class led to a shift away from a grain-oriented diet to a more meat-heavy intake. This demand for meat directly translates to high demand for animal feeds—driving up demand for grain imports. Read about China’s food security: buff.ly/n72WHgj

U.S. allies watched the Trump–Xi summit closely for signals about Washington’s approach. This podcast examined how partners interpreted the meeting and what the U.S. needs to communicate next: https://buff.ly/OJvgvRQ

China sourced roughly 30% of its natural gas imports through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, a far lower share than Japan, South Korea, or Taiwan. Pipeline gas from Central Asia and Russia and domestic production reduce China’s vulnerability. Learn more in this feature: https://buff.ly/8BWlLt4

Every time Western powers act in ways that exclude Africans, Beijing seizes the opportunity to project itself as a more “equal partner.” Read how China is building narrative power across Africa in this guest-authored analysis:

US-China-Africa Relations: A View from Africa | ChinaPower Project Lina Benabdallah discusses the impacts U.S.-China rivalries have on African countries and the African perspectives on the future of U.S.-China competition.

As China has grown wealthier, women’s life expectancy has risen to 81 years— up from 67 in 1980 and 75 in 2000. While now equal to the U.S., China still trails regional peers Japan (87) and South Korea (86). Learn what this reveals about women’s health in China: https://buff.ly/RflhgL2

After the Trump–Xi summit, Taiwan played a central role in China’s messaging, even though it did not appear in the U.S. fact sheet. In this podcast, Amb. Edgard Kagan explains what that contrast reveals about each side’s priorities: https://buff.ly/bpEDMKd

China’s 2025 policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean places sharper emphasis on the one-China principle than earlier versions, spelling out more detailed expectations for regional support on Taiwan. Learn more about how this language has evolved over time in this commentary:

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China is growing giant wheat-rye hybrids in its western deserts - SCMP https://buff.ly/uXgtzL8

China’s total arable land declined by 12 million hectares between 2009 and 2021. By 2022, China had much less arable land than the U.S. while having five times the population. Learn more: buff.ly/n72WHgj

How is China feeding its population of 1.4 billion? Decades of near double-digit GDP growth has enabled China’s leaders to make considerable strides in increasing food access across the country. Yet China’s economic boom has generated a new set of demographic demands and environmental strains that have affected its agricultural capacity.