I ORIGINAL ARTICLES
- The Impact of China’s Demographic Policy on the Transformation of Family Values
Ainur Turgenbay, Nurzhamal Aldabek, Moldir Assyl and Alina Nurzhayeva
Abstract
- Inclusive Conservation or Controlled Displacement? Reassessing Community Participation in China’s Ecological Migration Programmes
Siyang Li
Abstract
- Explaining the Dramatic Policy Changes in Xi Jinping’s China: Agency, Structure and Conjuncture
Wen-Hsuan Tsai
Abstract
- China’s Educational Paradox: Does an Exam-centric System Allow Space for Creativity?
Wei Liu
Abstract
- Implications of China’s Road Construction to Iran via Afghanistan: Opportunities and Challenges for Regional Connectivity and Trade Development
Muhammad Sabil Farooq, Nazia Feroze, Jin Jing, Cheng Tongshun and Faisal Feroze
Abstract
- Contesting Indigeneity: Sun, Dai, Chiang and the Diplomatic Translation of KMT Legitimacy in 1920s China
Li Yang and Long Ting
Abstract
- The Architectural Manifestation of Political Culture and Political Space: A Comparative Analysis of the Great Hall of the People and the Sappaya-Sapasathan Parliament Building
Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat
Abstract
An Introductory Note for the Articles
- This study by Ainur Turgenbay, Nurzhamal Aldabek, Moldir Assyl and Alina Nurzhayeva aimed to identify the key mechanisms through which the demographic policy of the People’s Republic of China has influenced changes in family values from 1978 to 2024. The research analysed key legal and regulatory documents that shaped the development of China’s demographic policy, statistical data on marriage and birth rate trends, as well as the results of sociological studies and demographic forecasts. The findings revealed that demographic reforms have led to the formation of a new family model in Chinese society, characterised by a predominance of nuclear households, with the average family size decreasing from 4.8 to 2.9 members. A significant shift in gender roles was identified, marked by an increase in women’s economic independence and their participation in family decision-making—82% of urban women successfully balance careers with motherhood. A new parenting paradigm has emerged, with a notable rise in the amount of time parents spend with their children (from 1.2 to 3.8 h/day) and increased investment in children’s education. The transformation of intergenerational relationships is evident in the shift from traditional elder care models, as 45% of urban families now utilise professional care services. A key aspect of this transformation has been the digitalisation of family communication, with 85% of families actively using digital technologies to maintain intergenerational connections and manage household finances. Forecasts up to 2100 suggest the continuation of these trends, with the development of new family relationship models characterised by a high degree of individualisation in life strategies while preserving core Confucian values in a modernised form.
- This study by Siyang Li examines the extent and implications of community participation in the decision-making and governance processes surrounding ecological relocation induced by the establishment of protected areas. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with government officials, community representatives and relocated residents in two counties within the planning area of the Giant Panda National Park, the research finds that the quality of participation largely hinges on the localisation of policy implementation and the representativeness of community intermediaries. Although official narratives stress the voluntary nature of relocation, China’s distinctive rural governance structure tends to amplify the authority of community representatives, often at the expense of adequately reflecting residents’ voices and concerns. While the overall effectiveness of participatory approaches remains contested, recent innovations in institutional design have opened up new avenues for community involvement in protected area governance. This study contributes to the literature by shedding light on livelihood transformations and governance dynamics in resettled communities, and identifies potential entry points for enhancing local governance and collaborative management of protected areas.
- Should we regard the Xi Jinping and Hu–Wen eras as two completely different and separate periods? It is true that Xi Jinping has changed many of the norms of the Hu–Wen era, but the roots of many of his ‘reforms’ may have originated from some problems during the Hu–Wen era. Wen-Hsuan Tsai believes that agency and structure are two important aspects of our analysis of the Chinese Communist Party’s dramatic policy changes during the Xi era. Furthermore, this study argues that the Hu–Wen and Xi eras closely resemble a concept that Fernand Braudel calls conjunctures: these two periods are best understood as a unified whole and, therefore, should be examined simultaneously.
- The Chinese education system has long been characterised as one that produces disciplined and hard-working students, but at the expense of innovation and creativity. This perception has often been cited as a partial explanation for why China lagged behind its Western counterparts in modern industrialisation from the early nineteenth century onwards. However, the remarkable surge of technological innovation in China over the past two decades in the twenty-first century seems to challenge this long-held view, suggesting that the system may not be as detrimental to fostering creativity and innovation as once believed. To address this educational paradox, this article critically examines three major critiques of the perceived inability of Chinese education to foster creativity: (a) the traditional pedagogical culture is said to downplay creative thinking; (b) the highly competitive, exam-oriented system tends to prioritise knowledge accumulation over innovation; (c) the non-electoral political environment encourages conformity in thought. By unpacking these critiques, the article by Wei Liu argues for the importance of adopting a more nuanced and dialectical understanding of Chinese education.
- The establishment of a roadway from China to Iran through Afghanistan signifies a significant alteration in regional connectivity and trade advancement. This plan provides an economical, efficient and expedited pathway for China to get Iranian oil and export commodities via the strategically positioned Chabahar Port. The initiative corresponds with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), demonstrating its aspirations to enhance economic connections and promote integration throughout Eurasia. This study by Muhammad Sabil Farooq, Nazia Feroze, Jin Jing, Cheng Tongshun and Faisal Feroze analyses the strategic ramifications of the road project, focusing on opportunities like increased regional trade, diminished transit expenses and augmented geopolitical influence for the involved states. Nonetheless, it underscores significant hurdles, such as political instability in Afghanistan, security threats, environmental issues and competition with established commercial routes. The study utilises a mixed-methods approach, integrating geopolitical analysis, trade data assessment and stakeholder interviews for a thorough evaluation. The results highlight the imperative for strong international cooperation, security protocols and sustainable development strategies to guarantee the project’s success. This article enhances the discussion on regional connectivity by elucidating the potential effects of China’s infrastructural development on trade dynamics and power equilibrium in South and Central Asia.
- This article by Li Yang and Long Ting examines how claims to ‘indigenous’ legitimacy were contested, narrowed and reformulated within the Kuomintang (中國國民黨; KMT) and how that reconstructed political language was translated into diplomacy in the 1920s China. Rather than treating Confucian political vocabulary as a stable cultural inheritance, it argues that culturally resonant concepts functioned as a flexible political repertoire shaped by intra-party struggle, ideological authorisation and diplomatic adaptation.
- China and Thailand share similarities in their political transformations, transitioning from traditional governance to a modern state government in the early 1900s. The subsequent political ideologies have left a discernible impact on the public. This influence is evident in architectural expressions, particularly in buildings associated with politics, such as the Great Hall of the People (renmindahuitang 人民大会堂) in China and the Sappaya-Sapasathan Thai Parliament Building (สัปปายะสภาสถานอาคารรัฐสภาไทย). Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat argues that political spaces reflect the idea of the current national trend and identity. This research will focus on how architecture is associated with national ideology. This study is an interpretation of the relationship between political ideology and political space. Architecture and political ideology are intricately and diversely intertwined. Frequently, the architectural movement reflects and is impacted by the political, social and economic ideals of a particular era and location. It functions as a symbol of authority and control. Considering architecture as a material product that aids in the formation of collective memory, it also serves as an ‘instrument’ for achieving the objectives of political ideology. By employing the concept of ‘roles’ to analyse architecture, one can ascertain the extent to which these structures have become deeply embedded in the collective awareness of society and their connection to the natural world.
II BOOK REVIEWS
- Sarah Mellors Rodriguez, Reproductive Realities in Modern China: Birth Control and Abortion: Cambridge University Press, 2023
Aparajita Sarcar
Abstract
- Paul P. Mariani, China’s Church Divided: Bishop Louis Jin and the Post-Mao Catholic Revival, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2025
Bahram Kalviri
Abstract
- Czeslaw Tubilewicz (Ed.), Critical Issues in Contemporary China, London: Routledge, 2025
K.K Venkatraman
Abstract
- Keyi Tang, Power over Progress: How Politics Shape Development Finance in Africa, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2026
Youngjoon Lee
Abstract
- Martin K. Dimitrov, The Adaptability of the Chinese Communist Party, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2024
Vaishali
Abstract
- Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian, The Great Transformation: China’s Road from Revolution to Reform, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2024
Diptangshu Ganguly
Abstract
