Aris Teon

A majority of citizens in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) view their country as the dominant global power, according to a recent survey by the University of Alberta China Institute. PRC citizens overwhelmingly view their nation as the dominant global power, with 68 percent of respondents rating their nation’s influence as the highest, compared to the United States (63 percent), Russia (23…

The Third Plenum of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held in 1978 does not sound like a fun topic one would talk about at a dinner party. Yet this meeting of the leading CCP members marks a watershed moment in the history of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the world. It is also an extremely fascinating example of how a hierarchical political system…

In 1977, an internal power struggle erupted within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) between Huá Guófēng (华国锋/華國鋒) and Dèng Xiǎopíng (邓小平/鄧小平). Hua Guofeng had succeeded Máo Zédōng (毛泽东/毛澤東) as the leader of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1976. He pursued a policy of continuity, embodied in the slogan of the “Two Whatevers” (两个凡是). Deng, by contrast, propagated deeper reforms and…

This article contains affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Trump speaking virtually from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room to the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2020. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. On November 5, Donald Trump was elected for a second term as…

A reform of the Hong Kong school system has introduced "patriotic education", including the study of "Xi Jinping Thought"

The legacy of Mao Zedong looms large over the People’s Republic of China (PRC). His portrait hangs prominently on Tiananmen Square in the capital Beijing. The national currency, the Renminbi, bears his image. The Communist regime continues to worship Mao as a great leader, hero and founder of the country. Public debate regarding Mao’s botched economic policies, repression of dissent, and warfare…

On December 29, 2023, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) appointed a new defence minister after leaving the post empty for two months. The man selected for the job was Dong Jun (董军), a former naval commander who led the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy since 2021.¹ Dong’s predecessor, Li Shangfu (李尚福), was abruptly removed from the role in October by the PRC’s rubber stamp…

The Civic Party (公民黨), a pro-democracy political group in Hong Kong, held its last meeting today (December 23) as part of its voluntary liquidation process. The liquidator appointed by the party presented and explained the liquidation report to the members and announced that the remaining balance of NT$97,494.25 of the party’s funds had been donated to a local charity organisation. Alan Leong…

As Taiwan prepares for its general election on January 13, 2024, a group of young activists from Hong Kong and Taiwan are campaigning to raise awareness of the threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the island’s democracy.¹ The group has launched an initiative called “Hong Kong Walk With Taiwan” (台港同行) and will travel across Taiwan to urge people not to trust “China’s lies”.…

Belgian far-right politician Frank Creyelman was reportedly paid off by the Ministry of National Security of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for over three years in order to influence European politics in Beijing’s favour.  Creyelman, 62, is an honorary Belgian MP and former member of the far-right Flemish nationalist party Vlaams Belang. He previously served in the Flemish parliament and…

In recent years, state-run media in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have increasingly used “televised confessions” as a propaganda tool to publicly show prisoners’ alleged repentance on camera. TV confessions have now made their debut on Hong Kong’s local media. Hong Kong-based Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) aired a total of 12 episodes of a programme titled “Securing the Country with…

A former member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and president of a prestigious university was sentenced to prison on charges of corruption and bribery. But among the reasons for his downfall are also his interest in the West and his alleged disregard for party discipline. An article in the latest issue of “China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Magazine” (中国纪检监杂志) reported that Li…

Agnes Chow Ting (周庭), a prominent Hong Kong politician and social activist, announced on Sunday (December 3) that she has left the former British colony and is now in self-exile in Canada. Chow is a former member of the Standing Committee of the pro-democracy party Demosisto and former spokesperson of Scholarism. She was involved in the 2014 Umbrella Movement and the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests.…