China, Editor's Pick, Politics

The Unraveling of a Spy Saga: The Case of Yu Qiangsheng and Larry Chin (Part 2)

In the shadowy world of international espionage, few stories are as compelling and revealing as that of Larry Chin. This name resonated through the halls of power in the United States and China during the Cold War era. This story delves into the intricate web of espionage spun by Chin, the subsequent political fallout, and ...

Max Lu

Larry Chin.

The Unraveling of a Spy Saga: The Case of Yu Qiangsheng and Larry Chin (Part 1)

In the intricate world of espionage and national security, the tale of Yu Qiangsheng’s defection to the United States in the mid-1980s stands out as a stark reminder of the personal and geopolitical complexities that often underpin such events. This story sheds light on the reasons behind Yu Qiangsheng’s dramatic decision. It explores the consequential ...

Max Lu

A spy jigsaw.

Unifying Africa: Dissolving Colonial Borders for a United Africa

Like many other continents, Africa has its own experience of being under colonial rule. These colonial borders have significantly impacted Africa’s political, social, and economic landscape.  As the world moves forward, growing discussion regarding dissolving African colonial borders arises. This is rooted in the desire for a unified and harmonious Africa.  However, this is not ...

Viena Abdon

Africa.

Liang Shiqiu: 3 Reasons for Rejecting the Communist Party’s Ideology

During the 1920s and 1930s, the propaganda of communism that the Communist Party spread became quite popular among young intellectuals; equally, many people were confused. However, unlike others in his age group, Liang Shiqiu had understood the Communist Party since his early youth. At 14, Liang Shiqiu was admitted to the Tsinghua Academy. He graduated ...

Max Lu

Liang Shiqiu with his wife Cheng Jishu.

10 Questions About COVID China’s Central Policymakers Need to Address

The COVID pandemic has brought the world’s leadership into the spotlight. Since the outbreak, countries have responded in varying ways, so much so that the policies and measures taken by the governing bodies have become a litmus test highlighting their stance and attitude toward their people.  So what can be said about the current Chinese ...

Max Lu

A painted mural showing a child being swabbed for nucleic acid testing for COVID at a testing site in China.

A Brief History of Hot Dog Diplomacy

So, what is hot dog diplomacy? And how did the hot dog come to be a White House diplomatic symbol? The story goes like this:  In 1939 — when the war drums were sounding across Europe — the British royalty visited the American president Franklin D. Roosevelt. And this journey included a visit to FDR’s ...

Nathan Machoka

Man holding an American hot dog.