menu_open Columnists
James Palmer

James Palmer

Foreign Policy

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

The Jonestown Massacre in Black and White

The Jonestown Massacre in Black and White

Between 1945 and 2001, there was no greater U.S. disaster than Jonestown. On Nov. 18, 1978, 918 Americans, including over 300 children, died in the...

yesterday 2

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Trump’s China Threats Don’t Match His China Policy

Trump’s China Threats Don’t Match His China Policy

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: U.S. President Donald Trump alleges Chinese interference in the 2020 election,...

wednesday 1

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China Wants to Regulate AI Companions

China Wants to Regulate AI Companions

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China’s new rules governing artificial intelligence companions take effect, a...

14.07.2026 8

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

The Myth of Chinese Birth Tourism

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: U.S. President Donald Trump exaggerates claims of Chinese birth tourism, Chinese...

08.07.2026 50

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Small-Plane Crash Tests China’s Security State

Welcome to FP Free Week. To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, our entire site is completely unlocked this week only. Enjoy the article. Welcome...

30.06.2026 10

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Why the World Cup Keeps Eluding China

FP’s guide to the 2026 tournament Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. This week, as the FIFA World Cup heats up in North America, we explore...

23.06.2026 10

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

What Will China Learn From the Iran War?

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China considers relevant lessons from the Iran...

16.06.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Breaking China’s Golden Streak

This article is one of 10 essays in the Summer 2026 print issue, The End of the World as We Know It. For many countries, annual GDP growth of 4.5 to 5...

14.06.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Xi Seeks to Draw North Korea Back Into China’s Orbit

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: Chinese President Xi Jinping travels to North...

09.06.2026 10

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

The Deadly Price of China’s Coal Boom

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China is rocked by two fatal mining accidents, a top Chinese cartographer is...

02.06.2026 10

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Trump Is Treating Taiwan Like Collateral

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: The United States pauses an arms deal with Taiwan, Russian President Vladimir...

26.05.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Why China Is Cracking Down on Elite Education

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. Last week’s summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump saw a lot of...

19.05.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

The Trump-Xi Summit Was Remarkably Banal

Foreign & Public Diplomacy You could be forgiven, reading and watching the Chinese press this week, for entirely missing U.S. President Donald...

15.05.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

What Trump and Xi Want From Their Summit

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. This week, we’re previewing the highly anticipated summit between U.S....

12.05.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China Tests a Rare Tool in Its Sanctions Arsenal

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China blocks companies from complying with U.S. sanctions, Zambia cancels a...

06.05.2026 10

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China Pulls the Plug on Meta’s AI Acquisition

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: Beijing overturns Meta’s acquisition of a Chinese-founded AI company, the Iran...

28.04.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Pete Hegseth Is America’s New Secretary of Pestilence

Get audio access with any FP subscription. Subscribe Now ALREADY AN FP SUBSCRIBER? LOGIN Get audio access with any FP subscription. ALREADY AN FP...

23.04.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China Doesn’t Always Win When the U.S. Loses

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: The war in Iran tests assumptions about the U.S.-China rivalry, the China-Japan...

21.04.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Did London’s Dirty Money Really Kill a Teenage Fantasist?

One of the most frustrating experiences for a journalist is when a story turns out to be less than it seemed. A rise in deaths has a banal statistical...

17.04.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

On Iran, China Softens Its Approach

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China takes a relatively muted approach as the...

14.04.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Another Chinese Politburo Member Falls

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: Another Chinese Politburo member faces official investigation, Taiwan’s...

07.04.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Xi’s Innovation Paradox

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: The Chinese Communist Party announces new rules for local officials, the...

01.04.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Xi Doubles Down on His City of the Future

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: Chinese President Xi Jinping reinvigorates his Xiong’an New Area project, the...

24.03.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China’s Hormuz Problem

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: The Iran war disrupts China’s oil supply,...

17.03.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Why China Might Have a Role to Play in Iran

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: Beijing could be poised to mediate in the Iran war...

10.03.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

How China Sees the War in Iran

Foreign & Public Diplomacy Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China reacts to the war in Iran, the United...

03.03.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China’s Next Cyber Crackdown

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. The highlights this week: China considers a sweeping cybercrime law, a date is set for a summit between...

25.02.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

The Myth of ‘996’ Work Culture

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief. Tuesday marks the start of the Lunar New Year, and hundreds of millions of Chinese are home with their...

18.02.2026 100

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

The Year of the Fire Horse Finds Xi on Edge

11.02.2026 20

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

A Brief History of Confucianism

04.02.2026 70

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

New Military Purge Rocks the CCP

28.01.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

With Trade Deal, Canada Bets on China

21.01.2026 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

No, China Isn’t Going to Take Over Greenland

14.01.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

What the Venezuela Attack Means for China

07.01.2026 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

4 Predictions for China in 2026

30.12.2025 50

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China’s Year of Patience

23.12.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

What’s It Like to Be a Chinese Soldier?

17.12.2025 100

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

A Bad Week for Washington’s China Hawks

10.12.2025 50

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Deadly Fire Highlights Hong Kong’s Predicament

03.12.2025 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Decoding the Trump-Xi Phone Call

26.11.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China-Japan Rift Deepens Over Taiwan

19.11.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China’s Messy History With Mongolia

12.11.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

The Forgotten Visionary of U.S. War in Latin America

08.11.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

What Are China’s Nuclear Ambitions?

05.11.2025 60

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Trump and Xi Step Back From the Brink—for Now

30.10.2025 30

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

Can Trump and Xi Strike a Deal?

29.10.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China Announces Military Purge Ahead of Fourth Plenum

21.10.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China’s Rare-Earth Flex Sends the United States Scrambling

15.10.2025 40

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

China’s Weak Passports Are Holding Back Its Soft Power

08.10.2025 50

Foreign Policy

James Palmer

How Taipei Should Handle Washington

01.10.2025 60

Foreign Policy

James Palmer