China’s rise is one of the most consequential and dramatic developments of the 21st century. Reporting that story is a great privilege but also a special challenge — it can be hard to get information and make sense of it. My job is to overcome those challenges and explain the social and political forces shaping China’s future; how the Chinese Communist Party rules and the challenges to its rule; and how its top leader, Xi Jinping, has been reshaping the party, China and its relations with the world. China is not a monolith, and I also want to explore and explain the diverse ways that people across the country respond to these changes. Since I moved to Taipei in late 2022, Taiwan has become another focus for me, and I’m particularly interested in expanding our coverage of Taiwanese society, politics and culture.
Much of my working life has been in and about China. I grew up in Sydney, began learning Mandarin Chinese as an undergraduate at the University of Sydney, studied Chinese Communist Party history at Renmin University in Beijing, did graduate studies at Australian National University, and worked in China as a journalist for more than 20 years. I started at The Times as a news assistant and researcher, then worked as a reporter for Reuters in Beijing before returning to The Times as a correspondent in 2012. I was drawn to learning Chinese because of an interest in its past, especially the history of the Chinese Communist Party, and I try to bring an appreciation of the past into my reporting. Now that I’m also reporting on Taiwan, I’m on a new adventure to understand its history, culture and peoples.
As a Times journalist, I share the values and adhere to the standards of integrity outlined in The Times’s Ethical Journalism handbook. Reporting on China often involves working through a lot of rumors and speculation. I welcome readers’ feedback, especially when they think I’ve made mistakes or misjudgments. I also try to share as much as I can with readers about the sources I use, including through links in stories, so they can judge for themselves. I make every effort to understand issues from all angles, especially from the standpoint of people affected by those issues.
Readers who have ideas, comments and criticisms are welcome to contact me by email, and I always try to respond. You can also direct message me on Twitter, or through The Times’s Tip Line.
X: @ChuBailiang
Anonymous tips: nytimes.com/tips
No injuries or deaths were immediately reported, but four buildings partially collapsed in the tremors, which followed a powerful April 3 quake that killed 17 people.
By Amy Chang Chien and Yan Zhuang
China is using talks between its top leader and Ma Ying-jeou to signal a willingness to engage with Taiwan — but only on its terms.
By Chris Buckley
Decades of learning from disasters, tightening building codes and increasing public awareness may have helped its people better weather strong quakes.
By Chris Buckley, Meaghan Tobin, Siyi Zhao and Lam Yik Fei
The magnitude-7.4 quake was followed by more than 200 aftershocks. Dozens of people were trapped. Two buildings in the city of Hualien teetered perilously.
By Meaghan Tobin, Victoria Kim, Chris Buckley, Mike Ives, Siyi Zhao and John Yoon
Rescue efforts in the city were centered on two buildings, one of which appeared near collapse. Some roads to the region were cut off.
By Chris Buckley, Paul Mozur, Meaghan Tobin and John Yoon
A rare visit to mainland China by Ma Ying-jeou, who’s now in the opposition, is a chance for political messaging on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
By Chris Buckley and Amy Chang Chien
Threats are mounting in space. GPS signals are vulnerable to attack. Their time-keeping is essential for stock trading, power transmission and more.
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The Treasury secretary, who plans to make her second trip to China soon, argued that the country’s excess industrial production warped supply chains.
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The assault comes amid a spate of terror attacks in Pakistan, as the country’s faltering ties to the Taliban affect regional security.
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By Chris Buckley and Amy Chang Chien