People's Republic of China - The Atlantic

People's Republic of China

China’s Economy Has a Huge Weakness

Michael Schuman

October 22, 2026

Photograph of a Chinese flag flying with an industrial construction scene in the background, under heavy clouds.

Americans Are Spending More Money to Drive Worse Cars

October 19, 2026

A black car and a green car, the latter of which is plugged into an outlet, face forward.

Photos of the Week: Rabbit Jumping, Floating Bazaar, Chief Mouser

October 16, 2026

A model poses outside, in front of a half-dozen passing hot-air balloons, wearing a flowing garment based on traditional designs.

Hi, I’m Your New Press Secretary, and It’s My First Time Reading Words Out Loud

Alexandra Petri

October 13, 2026

Katie Zacharia at the podium

Photos of the Week: Sleep Competition, Foggy Landscape, Virtual Tae Kwon Do

October 9, 2026

A person stands close to a huge circular curved mirror, their face magnified and distorted in the reflection.

Wushu, Teqball, and More: The 2026 Asian Games

September 30, 2026

An athlete, seen in mid-air, upside-down, during a leaping kick, with a ball flying toward an opponent

Photos of the Week: Human Tower, Pumpkin Pyramid, Monster Town

September 25, 2026

A crowd of people at Oktoberfest smile and raise mugs of beer toward the camera.

China Has No Use for AI Doomerism

September 23, 2026

A man walking by a poster of a robot and human almost touching hands.

The Makings of a Prewar World

September 23, 2026

A color image showing the view down the middle aisle of the United Nations General Assembly while President Trump speaks at the center podium.

Xi Is Getting What He Wants

Michael Schuman

September 23, 2026

Black-and-white photo of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping

Trump Battles Against an Economy of His Making

September 22, 2026

National Security

America’s Allies Are No Longer Waiting for Trump to Leave

September 22, 2026

photo of President Trump

What AI Anxiety Looks Like in China

Michael Schuman

September 19, 2026

An illustration of an eye against a red and yellow background, with a star in the middle and stars surrounding it.

Trump Is Betting on the Wrong Europe

September 19, 2026

Supporters of the AfD wear party shirts and hold up AfD cards in a large crowd.

Photos: Fighting Against Desertification in China

September 17, 2026

A drone photo of a road passing through sand dunes in a desert; the left side of the photo shows most of the dunes covered by a criss-cross pattern of straw windbreaks.

Trump’s Position on AI Makes No Sense

September 15, 2026

What Trump Doesn’t Understand About Xi

Jonathan A. Czin

September 14, 2026

Photos of the Week: Night Harvest, Heavy Surf, Pumpkin Kong

September 11, 2026

A person wearing a wingsuit flies overhead, with trees in the background.

National Security

Will Taiwan Just Give Up?

October 2026 Issue

photo at night of tank half buried in sand on shore with ominous red light above

Japan’s Strategic Turn

September 6, 2026

Photograph of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi inspecting the troops of the honor guard

What the Floods Say About Xi Jinping

Michael Schuman

September 3, 2026

A photo of the back of Xi Jingping's head over a grey background

China Is Flatlining

Michael Schuman

August 31, 2026

An illustration of the Chinese flag transforming into a downward arrow

The Terrible Movie That Chinese Audiences Can’t Stop Watching

August 29, 2026

A boy walks past a hand-drawn poster for the film.

Data Centers Are a Distraction

August 27, 2026

Scenes From the 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games

August 24, 2026

A humanoid robot riding on a four-legged robotic vehicle waves a flag during an opening ceremony.

Photos of the Week: Robot Training, Straw Chickens, Blessed Dogs

August 21, 2026

Several children float in a swimming pool during a training session.

What Really Happens If China Wins the AI Race?

August 18, 2026

Illustration of a black machine flywheel with yellow stars at its center on a bright-red background, recalling the Chinese flag.

National Security

NATO’s Nightmare

August 17, 2026

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin walking together in front of troops

Photos of the Week: Mudflat Trot, Waterfall Jump, Pole Vault

August 14, 2026

A wakeboarder holds onto a tow rope as they take a jump, kicking up a spray of water.

The Great Chinese Oil Mystery

July 29, 2026

Arial photograph of empty oil tanks at a storage facility

Photos of the Week: Alpine Swing, Disaster Simulation, Lumberjack Championship

July 24, 2026

Members of the press photograph a dead mouse caught by Larry the cat, who sits nearby.

China’s Questionable Tech Strategy

Michael Schuman

July 19, 2026

An illustration of the Chinese flag against a background of a green computer circuitboard.

The Best Running Shoes You Can’t Get Your Hands On

July 17, 2026

An image of a hand reaching for a sneaker against a red background.

Photos of the Week: Tall Ships, Cool Catacombs, Bastille Day

July 17, 2026

A person swims in calm water, with the Toronto skyline barely visible in the background, obscured by a thick orange haze of smoke.

Trump Still Hasn’t Found What He’s Looking For

Shane Harris, Michael Scherer, Sarah Fitzpatrick, and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

July 17, 2026

Trump points towards a group of people

Trump Just Did More Damage to American Elections Than China

July 16, 2026