In Beijing, Xi and Trump agree to ‘constructive strategic stability’ in US-China relations
CCP propaganda has used the Trump trip to subtly weave the narrative of a U.S. “change of heart” and a PRC “victory” in major power competition.
Geopolitics

Geopolitics Watch: The CCP Downplays ‘Phase One’ Deal in Party-linked Media Before the Signing
◎ Articles by Taoran have to be scrutinized for what is not said as much as what is said to gain actual insights into what Beijing might or might not be thinking.

Geopolitics Watch: The ‘People’s Leader’ and the ‘Phase One’ Deal Signing
◎ Xi’s “people’s leader” tag is a sign of weakness, not strength.

China 2020 Outlook: Escalating Sino-US Rivalry Reshapes Global Geopolitics
◎ Presenting our China 2020 outlook.

Geopolitics Watch: US Trade Deal Pressure Could Trigger Black Swans in China
◎ Messaging from China and the U.S. suggest that both sides want to make the deal happen.

Geopolitics Watch: Early Analysis of the Sino-US ‘Phase One’ Trade Deal
◎ The “phase one” trade deal is a political “Catch-22” for Xi Jinping, whose “quan wei” and grip on power is far less secure than popularly believed.

Geopolitics Watch: Passing of Hong Kong Act Sinks the CCP Deeper into the Hong Kong Quagmire
◎ While the CCP has sought to extricate itself from the Hong Kong quagmire, its measures have thus far only caused it to sink in deeper.

Geopolitics Watch: What a ‘Rollback’ of Tariffs Means for the Sino-US Trade Deal
◎ A closer examination of recent developments suggests dim prospects for the “phase one” trade deal and future Sino-U.S. trade agreements.

Geopolitics Watch: Pompeo’s ‘China Challenge’ Speech Hints at the Future of Sino-US Relations
◎ Secretary Pompeo’s speech affirms several trends in U.S. policy toward the PRC which we have identified since July 2018.

Geopolitics Watch: Early Analysis of Pence’s Second China Speech, the Trade War, and Hong Kong
◎ Mike Pence generally adopted a more conciliatory tone towards China in his Wilson Center speech as compared with his fiery, hard-hitting Hudson Institute speech in October 2018.
