NEWS / the week of Mar 14 to 20, 2026
Current news about China and the Chinese people
NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
Trump delays China trip as Iran tensions reshape trade strategy /Mar 18, 2026
Report on how geopolitical tensions, particularly regarding Iran, have affected Trump's trade agenda with China.
China’s Xi calls for political loyalty in the military as anti-corruption purge widens /Mar 8, 2026
China’s President Xi Jinping says political loyalty in the military must be ensured and called for resolutely pushing forward the fight against corruption as a military purge widens.
China announces resumption of passenger trains to North Korea after COVID /Mar 11, 2026
China has reopened passenger train service to North Korea, ending a long COVID-era shutdown and boosting cross-border travel.
Olympians Liu and Gu travel very different paths, and China-US relations hang over their stories /Mar 11, 2026
Eileen Gu and Alysa Liu have turned the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics into a debate about identity and loyalty for Chinese Americans.
3 men are charged with conspiring to smuggle US artificial intelligence to China /Mar 19, 2026
A senior vice president of Super Micro Computer Inc. and two others affiliated with the company have been charged with conspiring to smuggle billions of dollars of computer servers containing advanced Nvidia chips to China.
🛡️ Defense Budget & Military Priorities /Mar 14, 2026
During the 2026 National People's Congress, China announced a moderate increase to its defense budget of RMB 1.91 trillion (approximately $277 billion USD), with analysts noting the growth rate has slowed, likely due to ongoing anti-corruption efforts within the military. Asia Society 🔗 Asia Society
✈️ Reduced Chinese Military Activity Near Taiwan /Mar 20, 2026
Analysts have noted a net reduction in daily Chinese fighter plane activity near Taiwan over the past three weeks. Possible explanations include political calculations around an anticipated Trump-Xi summit, high jet fuel costs due to Middle East conflict, and the distraction of China's annual Two Sessions meetings.
⚡ China's Energy Strategy & Climate Goals /Mar 19, 2026
The final version of the plan places renewable energy "centre stage" in China's energy supply. Analysts note that the ongoing Middle East conflict and resulting oil price spikes have highlighted the national security benefits of China's clean energy push, with renewable additions cushioning the country from gas market volatility.
✈️ Reduced Chinese Military Activity Near Taiwan /Mar 19, 2026
Analysts have noted a net reduction in daily Chinese fighter plane activity near Taiwan over the past three weeks. Possible explanations include political calculations around an anticipated Trump-Xi summit, high jet fuel costs due to Middle East conflict, and the distraction of China's annual Two Sessions meetings.
🧑🤝🧑 "Chinamaxxing" — Young Americans Embracing Chinese Culture /Mar 16, 2026
As tensions between the world's two largest economies grow, many young Americans are increasingly adopting what they consider Chinese cultural habits. The trend has taken on a name — "Chinamaxxing" — and reflects how social media and geopolitical friction are paradoxically driving cultural curiosity.
📺 China's Local TV & Radio Are Disappearing /Mar 19, 2026
Over the past two years, China's local broadcast sector has seen rapid contraction under a wave of cost-cutting directives from the central government, described in euphemisms like "streamlining," "optimization," and "transformation" — but amounting to deep and painful attrition of local television and radio.
🏛️ New Ethnic Assimilation Law Passed /Mar 13, 2026
On March 12, China's National People's Congress adopted the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, codifying Xi Jinping's assimilationist approach to governing ethnic minorities. The law aims not just to strengthen citizens' sense of belonging to a unified Chinese national identity under the Party, but also to mute the expression of minority identities seen as competing with it.
✝️ Chinese Christians Emigrating at High Rates /Mar 19, 2026
Recent analysis of emigration patterns suggests that Christians are significantly overrepresented among new Chinese migrants, with some estimates placing them at around 15–20% of those leaving the country — far higher than their share of China's overall population.
📉 Youth Unemployment & the "Rùn" /Mar 19, 2026
Culture Youth unemployment in China hovers near 20%, fueling disillusionment and what's been called "rùn" culture — a term for the growing desire among young Chinese to emigrate. This sits alongside a broader economic paradox: China leads the world in EVs, solar, and supply chains, yet households remain hesitant and investors cautious.
Scattered for the Sake of the Kingdom /Mar 13, 2026
Walking down the streets and alleyways of Taiwan, one can hardly miss the growing number of Indonesian, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian restaurants everywhere. The world has come to Taiwan! Migration is now a global phenomenon. It is estimated that 200 million people live outside their countries of origin, voluntarily or involuntarily. The following diagram will give us a glimpse of the bigger picture.