Featured Article
Keeping China’s Labor Misery Off the Record (October 28, 2026, China Media Project)
Feng Rui’s case comes amid an increasingly precarious labor market and a social security system under strain. As China’s government continues to release growth data whose validity some economists find questionable, viral social media posts of retirement-age individuals searching for employment and eating out of the trash reflect the country’s pessimistic mood.
Government / Politics / Foreign Affairs
Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders (October 25, 2026, The Guardian)
The “fifth plenum” began on Monday and is set to focus on “major issues on advancing the party’s full and rigorous self-governance,” according to a Chinese state media. In party-speak, “governance” is a byword for discipline, loyalty, and anti-corruption. As Xi continues to crack down on corruption, the fact that investigations nearly always result in a conviction begs the question over whether targets are truly guilty of corruption, or are they just political rivals to the people in charge.
What Does China Want in Latin America? (October 26, 2026, National Committee on U.S.-China Relations)
Dr. Leland Lazarus joins Natalia Cote-Muñoz to discuss Latin America’s role within the future of US-China relations. Drawing on original research, fieldwork, and policy experience, Leland Lazarus examines China’s efforts to establish “strategic support points” across Latin America and the Caribbean in his new book, Dragon in the Americas: China’s Power, Presence, and Regional Influence. The book explains how Beijing increasingly blends economic engagement with strategic ambition, even as countries in the region exercise their own agency, balancing relations with China and the United States. The result is a nuanced, data-driven framework for understanding power, dependency, and sovereignty in a rapidly evolving region.
Will China Travel Hurt US Students’ Careers? FBI Battles Fears as Talent Pipeline Stalls (October 27, 2026, South China Morning Post) (may require subscription)
An American student considering studying in China attended a briefing with a senior FBI official at a Washington think tank last month to address her concerns about whether such an experience could jeopardize her prospects for a career in the federal government. The official’s message: traveling to China would not automatically disqualify her. She welcomed the clarification but said she wasn’t “completely reassured”. “I’m still wondering if it’s a good idea to go,” said the student, who requested to remain anonymous because of the issue’s sensitivity. Her hesitation illustrates a dilemma for Washington: the US needs more Americans with first-hand knowledge of China to navigate the growing US-China rivalry, but students and educators say fears about future security clearances are discouraging some young Americans from gaining that experience.
Secure Research On and In China: Lessons from Community Experiences (October 28, 2026, MERICS)
The need to study China and engage with its research and innovation system has never been greater. Given China’s importance on the global stage, its political system, society and culture, economy, and foreign policy all demand greater attention from international observers. In a wide range of fields, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the People’s Republic of China (PRC) produces world-class talent and innovation. Individuals and institutions interested in collaborating with such talent must nurture China literacy and build expertise. At the same time, however, institutions are increasingly likely to experience political blowback stemming from China-related work.
How Is China Really Governed?–Reflections Following the 5th Plenum of the Communist Party of China (November 3, 2026, The Earnest Assessment, via Substack)
The 5th Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took place on October 26–29. In this three-part series, we’ll take a closer look at the important decisions made there and what they might mean for the regime in Beijing. However, before we move on to the Plenum itself, following the example of ancient tragedy, let’s start by introducing the characters and the setting in which the drama unfolded. Only then will we be able to accurately examine the course of events and their conclusion. In other words, let’s explain exactly how the Chinese Communist Party functions.
Religion
A Century After Pius XI Ordained Six Chinese Bishops, Who Chooses China’s Bishops? (October 28, 2026, National Catholic Register)
When Pope Pius XI ordained six Chinese priests as bishops in St. Peterʼs Basilica on October 28, 1926, he had picked each of them himself from lists sent from China. A century later, bishops in mainland China are appointed under a controversial agreement the Holy See made with Beijing in 2018. Its text has never been published.
Chengdu Early Rain Church: Pastor Wang Yi’s Family Denied Visitation Rights; Elder Li Yingqiang and Two Others Denied Access to Bibles (October 29, 2026, China Change)
Pastor Wang Yi (王怡) is the founding pastor of Early Rain Covenant Church, a house church in Chengdu, China. On December 9, 2018, police raided the church and arrested dozens of pastors, elders, preachers, and workers, including Pastor Wang Yi. In December 2019, the Chengdu Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Pastor Wang Yi to nine years in prison on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” He is currently serving his sentence at Chengdu Jintang Prison (成都金堂监狱). Over the past nearly eight years, his family has been permitted to visit him only five times—an extraordinary anomaly that blatantly violates Chinese prison regulations, which grant inmates one family visit per month.
Chinese Catholic News, October 2026 (October 29, 2026, The US-China Catholic Association)
At the end of each month, the USCCA compiles a brief list of interesting news articles about Chinese Catholicism. Here is an aggregate of links for October 2026.
Chinese on Mission: Hope for Japan (October 29, 2026, China Partnership)
The House Church in China Podcast tells the stories of the modern Chinese house church. In season four, we hear the story of two non-Christian Chinese who turned to Jesus and left their homes to be a part of reaching all nations with the good news. Today, we are proud to publish an excerpt from the last episode of Season 4. Daisy and Mike’s mission is to reach Japan by influencing the next generation. Will this unique strategy work?
Reframing the Mission V (October 30, 2026, ChinaSource)
If we are serious about effectiveness, we need to be intentional about the qualities that Christ said are key to the world knowing who he is. Saying that we can’t measure the work of the Spirit and can only measure our own work tends to result in an overemphasis on human enterprise and to shrink what’s possible down to what is measurable, effectively excluding the Spirit from the process.
Neither Church nor Sect (November 2, 2026, ChinaSource)
For more than a century, scholars have often used the terms “church” and “sect” to describe different kinds of Christian communities…This distinction has been useful. It helps us notice differences in organization, membership, moral discipline, authority, and attitudes toward society. However, problems arise when this historically generated typology is applied to a very different historical context and allowed to become fixed labels for determining what a Christian community is—or what it ought to be.
Perspective Is in the Eye of the Beholder (November 3, 2026, ChinaSource)
Scholarship on Chinese Christianity is a field of diverse methods and contested spaces. Despite differences among individual scholars and theological communities engaged in this academic pursuit, one remarkable feature is the strong collegiality that characterizes gatherings of Chinese theologians and Sino-Christian scholars at academic symposia and conferences.
Society / Life
Hit Podcasts Reveal the Angst of China’s Youth (subscription required) (November 1, 2026, The Economist)
In 2007, David Brooks, an American columnist, suggested that the period from adolescence to adulthood should be called the “odyssey years,” alluding to the hazards of the voyage described in Homer’s epic poem. This year the term, aodesai shiqi, has turned viral online in China. Young people use it to describe the many torments they face on life’s journey including getting a job, finding a partner, and getting on the housing ladder. State media, forever striving to sound upbeat, offer them little guidance. Instead, growing numbers are turning to an independent and remarkably feisty forum: podcasts.
Slow Ride: A Journey Through Time Aboard one of China’s “Moving Markets” (November 2, 2026, The World of Chinese)
At around 7:00 am, Puxiong station’s platform is already lined with passengers. They are waiting to board the 5633, a train that departs from the small town in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture for Panzhihua, a city over 370 kilometers away to the south in Sichuan province. Some carry with them chickens, ducks, and geese—cargo usually forbidden on the country’s public transport network due to health and hygiene concerns. Pigs, sheep, and even cattle are also a common sight on board, especially around the Torch Festival and New Year celebrations of the local Yi ethnic group, which are held in the sixth and tenth months of the traditional lunisolar calendar.
Economics / Trade / Business
China regulator tells banks to pause IPOs, FT reports (November 3, 2026, Reuters)
China’s securities regulator has told investment banks to pause initial public offerings and has suspended large share sales by existing shareholders until markets recover, The Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing three people with knowledge of the discussions. The China Securities Regulatory Commission held meetings with investment banks and gave informal “window guidance” over the past few days, the report added.
History / Culture
The Rivalry Over Buddhism’s Future (July 3, 2026, Bloomberg)
Lumbini in southern Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, is defined by an austere, almost pastoral calm. Its manicured gardens and reflecting pools evoke the deep tranquility of a prince who, roughly 2,500 years ago, abandoned his palace to spark a spiritual movement that would reshape Asia.
Retelling the Story of the Last Emperor, with an American Twist (October 2026, AmCham HK)
In his latest book, one of Asia’s great storytellers tackles the subject matter of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Emperor (1987). Filmed on location in Beijing, the movie relied heavily on the memoir of Emperor Pu Yi’s British tutor, Reginald Johnston. The fact that Empress Wanrong had an American tutor, Isabel Ingram, has largely been forgotten–until French stumbled upon her diaries in correspondence with Ingram’s relatives in Pennsylvania.
Uncovering the Terracotta Army’s Stunning Hidden Artistry (October 28, 2026, Sixth Tone)
When glimpsing the Terracotta Army for the first time, almost everyone is awestruck by its sheer scale: thousands of armored clay figures standing in perfect formation, their gray earthen bodies stretching rank upon rank. At first glance, the ghostly 2,000-year-old soldiers look as if they were cast from a single mold. But look closer, and the impression of uniformity begins to dissolve. No two faces are exactly alike: brows thick or faint, eyes wide open or slightly narrowed, cheekbones high or low, jawlines rounded or square. When viewed individually, each warrior is far more than a figure: it is a work of art as intricate as many Renaissance statues.
Science / Technology
China Wants Its AI to Go Global, on Its Own Terms (October 28, 2026, The Diplomat)
China wants its artificial intelligence (AI) to go global. But Beijing also wants tailored control over what leaves, who acquires it, and what remains in the hands of the Chinese government. That’s the tension behind proposed revisions to technology export measures, announced on October 16. Spurring international adoption while retaining authority over strategic technology creates room for China to exert leverage over those who use or build on Chinese AI abroad.
Is Half of China’s AI Making Slop? (October 30, 2026, ChinaTalk, via Substack)
AI slop offers an escape from that pressure, and the shame is the same pressure catching up with people even in their escape. Its shoddy production deserves criticism, but the pleasure people take in it should not have to justify itself by being useful.
Powering the US-China AI Race (November 2, 2026, National Committee on U.S.-China Relations)
Discussions of US-China competition in artificial intelligence (AI) tend to focus on chips, but AI also runs on electricity, and here the two countries diverge sharply. China generates roughly twice as much electricity as the United States, and its capacity continues to grow rapidly. The United States leads in AI laboratories and chip technology, but interconnection backlogs and equipment shortages limit how quickly its grid can expand, even as electricity demand from data centers is projected to more than double by 2030.
As AI Solves Maths Puzzles Faster than Humans, Mathematicians Face Uncertain Future (November 3, 2026, South China Morning Post)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now solving maths puzzles that have long stumped humans, prompting mathematicians around the world, including in China, to ponder not only whether machines will replace them, but also what achievement and research in their field will mean in the future.
Travel
Beijing’s Shougang Park Enters Vibrant New Chapter after Olympics (October 18, 2026, Our China Story)
Shougang Park (首鋼園) in China’s Beijing is a century-old industrial heritage site reborn through the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Following the Games, this historic industrial estate has quietly upgraded its core in recent years, transforming its rusty blast furnaces into a neon-soaked, sci-fi metaverse theme park. You can even step inside the ruins of a blast furnace core to enjoy a coffee and try cultural fusion fried chicken as black as slag, all whilst soaking up the rebirth story of Beijing Shougang Park.
Arts / Entertainment / Media
The 2026 Halloween Costume Guide (Chinese Memes Version) (October 30, 2026, The World of Chinese)
For Chinese urban youth, Halloween is more than just putting together the scariest outfit with a Chinese twist, whether it’s hopping vampires from 1980s Hong Kong films or supernatural beings from Chinese mythology. In recent years, the event has become an occasion to celebrate trending memes, whether it’s a memorable character from a hit TV series or a viral meme that manages to sneak into everyone’s Xiaohongshu (RedNote) feed, giving rise to the nickname “10-thousand memes festival,” or 万梗节, an adaptation of its Chinese name, 万圣节 (literally, “10-thousand hallows festival”).
China’s first AI-generated film is a flop. Some still see it as the future of cinema (November 3, 2026, The Guardian)
China’s first fully AI-generated movie has flopped, earning just 1.7m yuan (£191,000) at the box office despite costing “tens of millions” to make, according to its producer. But is it any good? The Guardian watched Sanxingdui: Future Past in a virtually empty cinema in Beijing, and found it no worse than plenty of human-centred mindless action flicks. OK, well maybe a bit worse.
Events
Livestream Lecture: Syriac Christians in Tang China (7th-10th centuries AD)
In 1625, workers digging in the Chongren Temple complex in the city of Xi’an unearthed a ponderous nine-foot monument. Its inscriptions detailed the history of Christian missionaries to China during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD). At the time, Jesuit missionaries had been working in China for some four decades. They were stunned to learn that they had been preceded by almost a millennium. Join the McGrath Institute for Church Life’s Asia program for a lecture on:
Syriac Christians in Tang China (7th-10th centuries AD)
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time: 2:00 pm EST
Livestream Link
This lecture is co-sponsored by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and the Global Catholic Research Initiative.
Fall Public Lecture (ERRChina/CAC)
“How Chinese Christians Saved America’s Soul,” by Timothy Tseng, PhD. During the period of extreme anti-Chinese in US history, most Americans used the “heathen” label to justify discriminatory laws and violently attack and drive out Chinese migrants from Western towns. Yet, Protestants were among the very few Americans who defended the Chinese. This stalk will explore how Chinese Christians in the North American diaspora, along with white American missionaries, resisted the anti-Chinese movement on the basis of their Christian faith. In doing so, they changed American Protestant ideas about race, missions, the social gospel, and immigration policy. Indeed, by shifting the direction of 20th century American Protestantism, Chinese Christians helped rescue American’s soul. Dr. Tseng is Director of Asian American Christian History Institute, Research Professor of the History of Christianity and Asian American Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary.
Date: November 14, 2026
Time: 5-8PM
Location: Calvin Room, First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, 2407 Dana St.
Free light meal and beverages served 5-6PM.
For more information and/or to register, email [email protected]
Online Book Club (ERRChina and ChinaSource)
On December 9, we will discuss the book Builders of the Chinese Church: Pioneer Missionaries and Chinese Church Leaders, by Wright Doyle. “Builders of the Chinese Church contains the stories of nine leading pioneers—seven missionaries and two Chinese. Here we meet Robert Morrison, the heroic translator; Liang Fa, the first Chinese evangelist; missionary-scholar James Legge; J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission; converted opium addict Pastor Hsi (“Overcomer of Demons”); Griffith John and Jonathan Goforth, both indefatigable preachers; and the idealistic advocates of education and reform, W. A. P. Martin and Timothy Richard. Readers will be inspired by their courage, devotion, and sheer perseverance in arduous work, and will gain an understanding of the roots of the two “branches” of today’s Chinese Protestantism.” Bonus: Author Wright Doyle will join the discussion to give deeper insight and answer your questions.
Date: December 9, 2026
Time: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST (US)
Location: Zoom
Registration link: https://www.errchina.com/book-club
Pray for China
November 8 (Pray For China: A Walk Through History)
On November 8, 1863, Huang Guangcai (黄光彩牧师) was ordained as the first clergyman of the American Episcopal Church in China. He became a Christian through the ministry of William J. Boone (文惠廉).* As a 15-year old boy, Huang took care of Boone’s wife during her terminal illness, and then cared for their two surviving children. When Boone moved to Shanghai, Huang joined him there and was baptized on Easter Sunday 1846. Huang was ordained as a deacon in 1851 and served in that role for 13 years before his ordination as a priest. He had the joy of seeing one of his daughters, Huang Su’e (黄素娥女士), become the founding principal of St. Mary’s School for Girls before his death on November 12, 1886 at age 59. Pray for Christian educators in Fujian and Shanghai to share the good news that has been revealed to them and to thank God for the things He has kept secret.
Boone, who moved to Xiamen in 1842, was one of the first missionaries to live in Fujian. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29
From Deep Thinking to Deep Prayer (July 21, 2026, ChinaSource)
Prayer 2026: Off the Beaten Path (January 1, 2026, China Partnership)
Operation World (April 21, 2025, ChinaSource)
Pray for China (prayforchina.us)
Prayer Walking as a Rhythm of Life (May 30, 2025, ChinaSource)