This page is designed to help you remain up-to-date with breaking news about contemporary China and U.S.–China relations. It also provides resources for conducting research related to Chinese government, politics, and international relations.
NOTE: This page is a work in progress. Improvements to content and page design are to be expected.
The China Reader: Rising Power (2016)
Primary sources on China in the 21th century.
United States Think Tanks
Founded in 1921, The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan organization, providing analysis and resource to help people better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. CFR produces the blog "Asia Unbound" which addresses current affairs in Asia. Episodes for the podcast titled "The President's Inbox" also regularly broadcasts episodes related to Asia.
Foreign Affairs (1922–present), which is published by The Council on Foreign Relations, is a leading journal on American foreign policy and global affairs. To access issues of the journal, click the cover image at left. There are many viewing options, but I recommend using "HeinOnline" because it preserves the original typesetting and illustrations.
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. For the latest blog posts and reports related to China click Here. The John L. Thornton China Center (est. 2006)in Washington is a leading research center on China’s political system and its foreign and economic policies. The Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy at Tsinghua University in Beijing informs China’s leadership and the Chinese policy community.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) focuses on disorder, governance, geoeconomics, strategy, technology, international affairs, and international peace. Click here for the CEIP's analysis of China. For its analysis of Taiwan click Here. For broader analysis of East Asia click Here. Click here to explore regions and topics. The affiliated Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy in Beijing facilitates collaborative dialogue and research to identify constructive solutions to common global challenges.
Founded in 1962, The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) sponsors in several research initiatives related to China, including: China Analysis; China Power Project; Chinese Business and Economics; Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative; Freeman Chair in Chinese Studies; and Reconnecting Asia. CSIS also maintains an up to date Leadership Chart of China's current leaders. See also the podcast: The Asian Chess Board.
Eurasia Group is a consulting firm that seeks to forecast fast-moving risks and opportunities. They provide risk assessment briefs on their website that are useful for scholars of international relations.
GZERO Media, a subsidiary of Eurasia Group, produces interviews, podcasts, and newsletters that provide intelligent and engaging coverage of global affairs.
Since 1968, The Wilson Center convenes scholars to create a global dialogue of ideas that Congress and the international policy community can act on. Click here for analysis on Asia.
The Chinese Foreign Policy Database maintained by the Wilson Center Digital Archive aggregates 1000s of documents from Chinese and international archives, it offers insights into China’s foreign policy since 1949 and its relationship to ideology, revolution, the economy, and traditional Chinese culture.
BYU students now have free premium access to all content on The China Project (formerly SupChina). This site is very helpful for staying up to date with current affairs affecting China and US-China relations. The cultural analysis is also very good. Click and use your @BYU.edu email address to register for a free account.
The Hoover Institution is an ideologically conservative organization that promotes "the principles of individual, economic, and political freedom; private enterprise; and representative government." Link to the Hoover Institute's Asia Collection. Explore the work of Hoover Fellows with expertise about Asia.
Asia Society is dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context. Across the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, the Society aims to address present challenges and create a shared future. The Asia Society operates the Center on US–China Relations. The Asia Society also produces the podcast The Asia Inside Out.
Founded in 1948, the RAND Corporation's research concentrates on energy, education, health care, justice, the environment, international affairs, and national security. For analysis and commentary on China click Here; for Taiwan click Here; For Hong Kong click Here. RAND also operates the Tang Institute of US-China Relations.
The Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) is dedicated to strengthening prosperity and human welfare in the global economy through expert analysis and practical policy solutions.
Founded in 1989, the Stimson Center has pioneered practical new steps toward stability and security in an uncertain world. Today, as changes in power and technology usher in a challenging new era, Stimson generates innovative ideas and analysis to promote international security, prosperity, and justice. The Stimson Center produces significant research on Asia.
The Cato Institute, founded in 1977 by Charles Koch, Ed Crane, and Murray Rothbard, is an American Libertarian public policy research organization “dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace."
Respected Foreign Think Tanks
Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is based in London. Its mission is to help governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous, and just world. For analysis on China, click Here. For analysis particularly dedicated to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), click Here.
China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) is a respected Think Tank that publishes analysis and opinion on important international issues affecting China. CICIR also publishes the journal Contemporary International Relations six times a year. To access this journal navigate to the National Social Science Database, create a personal login, paste “Contemporary International Relations” into the main search box, browse and download any articles of interest.
Green Finance and Development Center Fudan University Shanghai, China
Click on "Publications" to view annual reports on the Belt and Road Initiative.
The French Institute of International Relations or Institut Française des Relations Internationales. Founded in 1979, the IFRI is the leading independent research and debate institution in France dedicated to the analysis of international issues and global governance. To access IFRI’s China analysis, click Here.
The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), founded in 1959, is a private, nonpartisan policy think-tank focused on foreign affairs and security issues. The institute promotes dialogues and joint studies with other institutions and experts at home and abroad, examines Japanese foreign policy and makes proposals to the government, and disseminates information on international relations to the public.
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It does not take policy positions. The Center conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. It studies U.S. politics and policy; journalism and media; internet, science and technology; religion and public life; global attitudes and trends; and U.S. social and demographic trends. Several studies including information about US-China relations.
Since 1935, GALLUP has built its reputation on delivering relevant, timely, and visionary research on what humans around the world think and feel. Using impeccable data, its advisers assist leaders in identifying and monitoring critical economic and behavioral indicators that are vital to their strategic plans. The Gallup Poll has chronicled reactions to the events that have changed our world. Today, The Gallup Poll remains a reliable source of intelligence for a changing world. Through its offices worldwide, Gallup measures public opinion and attitudes on virtually every political, social, and economic issue. Its data reach the highest levels of government, the judiciary, business, and academia. Click to access Foreign Affairs and Asia Pacific research.
Roper Center iPoll This databank preserves polling information conducted by The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (Cornell University). "The Roper Center exists to promote the intelligent, responsible, and imaginative use of public opinion in addressing the problems faced by Americans and citizens of other nations. The Roper Center hopes to foster increased international understanding and to promote cross-national research.
The Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies was founded in 1955 by Professor John King Fairbank, a leading scholar in modern and contemporary China studies. Under Professor Fairbank’s leadership, the Center took an active role in promoting the study of modern and contemporary China from a social science perspective. The Fairbank Center’s mission is to advance scholarship in all fields of China Studies.
Sigur Center for Asian Studies | George Washington University
The Sigur Center for Asian Studies was founded in September 1991 at the George Washington University and named in honor of Gaston J. Sigur, Jr., a long-time university professor and noted expert on Asia. Today, the Sigur Center coordinates the largest Asian Studies program in the Washington, DC metropolitan region, with a national and international reputation for its educational program and the quality of its academic and policy research.
The Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) at Stanford University is dedicated to the study of critical issues affecting the countries of Asia and their regional and global relations. Our scholar community is comprised of distinguished academics and practitioners in government, business, and civil society. Through policy-relevant research, publications, education, public programs, and international collaborations, we address pressing challenges in a world in which Asia plays an increasingly central role.
The UCLA Center for Chinese Studies was founded in 1986 to promote cutting-edge scholarship in all disciplines, fosters a research and teaching environment free from political and financial pressures, and makes the results of scholarly investigations available for use beyond academic circles.
Established in 2006, the University of Southern California’s U.S.-China Institute (USCI) informs public discussion of the evolving and multidimensional U.S.-China relationship through policy-relevant research, graduate and undergraduate training, and professional development programs for teachers, journalists, and officials. It produces compelling public events, widely viewed documentary films, and the popular magazines US-China Today and Asia Pacific Arts. In fall 2011, USCI became part of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, whose world-class programs include those on public diplomacy, new Chinese media, and economics reporting.
The Georgetown Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues is a university platform for research, teaching, and high-level dialogue among American and Chinese leaders from the public sector, business, and the academy that addresses common challenges facing the global community. The initiative also produces the podcast China in the World.
The China Africa Research Initiative is based at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington D.C. It was established in 2014 to promote evidence-based understanding of the relations between China and African countries through high quality data collection, field research, conferences, and collaboration.
BYU students now have free premium access to all content on The China Project (formerly SupChina). This site is very helpful for staying up to date with current affairs affecting China and US-China relations. The cultural analysis is also very good. Click and use your @BYU.edu email address to register for a free account.
ChinaFile is an excellent English-language online magazine published by the Asia Society’s Center on US–China Relations.
Sinocism This website and newsletter by Bill BishopProvides analysis, commentary and curated links to the important English and Chinese news of the day.
China Digital Times (CDT) brings uncensored news and online voices from China to the world. It aggregates content that has been censored or blocked in Chinese cyberspace. They translate the most relevant content into English.
The SINICA PODCAST is dedicated to current affairs in China. Hosted by Kaiser Kuo and Jeremy Goldkorn.
There are five tones in Mandarin Chinese. When it comes to coverage of China, SIXTH TONE believes there is room for other voices. Sixth Tone provides fresh takes on trending topics, in-depth features, to highlight the nuances and complexities of today’s China.
China Heritage is an independent web-based publishing and archival project run by Geremie R. Barmé. China Heritage advocates for a multifaceted intellectual engagement with contemporary China, and with the modern Chinese-speaking world in all of its complexity.
Afterlives of Chinese Communism: Political Concepts from Mao to Xi. Australian National University Press, 2019. Free eBook.
Each of the 53 chapters discusses a concept or practice from the Mao period, what it attempted to do, and how it influences today.
WHAT'S ON WEIBO reports on social media trends in an ever-changing China. It aims to explain the story behind the hashtag. What’s on Weibo is fully independent, and is not affiliated with Sina Weibo or other social media companies.
The American Presidency Project is maintained by political science professors John Woolley and Gerhard Peters and hosted at UC Santa Barbara. This database provides access to numerous documents related to US-China relations. You can search for key terms and limit your search to a particular president's era of administration.
Digital version of US Congressional Serial Set contains all the Reports, Documents, and Journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives from 1817 to the present. These documents constitute a rich source of primary source material on all aspects of American history. A print version of the Serial Set would consist of over 12 million pages.
The Whitehouse Website provides "Statements and Releases" that document the official accounts of meetings with heads of state and other important meetings involving the president and cabinet.
USA Department of State. Information about China.
The CIA World Factbook provides information on the history, people and society, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 counties and other geo-political entities.
Digital National Security Archives Classified government document collections consisting of over 94,000 documents covering critical world events, countries, and U.S. policy decisions from post World War II through the 21st century. Search for China related topics. There is a several collection on US-China Policy. This database requires BYU NetID to login.
The United States Institute of Peace is a national, nonpartisan, independent institute, founded by Congress. The Institute works with local partners to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict. The Institute pursues its mission by linking research, policy, training, analysis, and direct action to support those who are working to build a more peaceful, inclusive world. Click to access the institute's Asia activities.
Links to the homepage of the US Embassy in Beijing with access to information on the Consulates General in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan.
People's Republic of China Sites
习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想三十讲课件
These materials are used in China's schools as part of the political education curriculum.
CPC Central Committee Bimonthly Periodical
Official website of the central government of the Peoples Republic of China. Click the appropriate box above to view the English or Chinese version of the site.
China Vitae is a resource of biographical information on more than 5000 Chinese leaders in government, politics, the military, education, business, and the media. China Vitae also tracks the appearances and travel of approximately 500 leading Chinese officials. Searchable information is available on date and location of activity, officials in attendance, topics raised, and source of the data. CV also records official announcements of new appointments to senior Party and government positions. China Vitae is maintained and operated by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The National Bureau of Statistics of China website provides a trove of official economic and demographic data reported monthly, quarterly, and annually. It can also be viewed in Chinese.
China Data Online is a valuable data source for China studies. It includes (1) China Statistical Databases; and (2) China Census Databases; It provides easy access to the various statistical yearbooks published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, comprehensive statistics, and Census data of economy and population at national, provincial, city, county, and even township levels.
Taiwan Sites
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is a non-profit, private corporation established shortly after the United States Government changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing on January 1, 1979. AIT’s Taipei Office with a total staff of over 450 people undertakes a wide range of activities representing U.S. interests, including commercial services, agricultural sales, consular services and cultural exchanges. The Institute also operates a Chinese language school, trade center, and library. AIT has a branch office in Kaohsiung that handles local commercial promotion, consular services, information and cultural work.
Europa World This year book is renowned as one of the world's leading reference works, covering political, economic, and demographic information in more than 250 countries and territories. For Asian countries look for the relevant link on the "Regions Available" menu on the left side of the homepage.
The CIA World FactBook provides information on the history, people and society, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 counties and other geo-political entities.
Wikipedia • Various Ranked Lists of the Countries of the World
CQ Researcher provides in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the economy. Reports are published online 44 times a year. Each single-themed report is researched and written by a seasoned journalist, footnoted and professionally fact checked providing researchers with an introductory overview; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; a pro/con debate by representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.
Foreign Affairs (1922–present) is a leading forum for discussing American foreign policy and global affairs. Foreign Affairs is published by the Council on Foreign Relations. Click the image to view the many options available for viewing this publication. I recommend using HeinOnline because it provides a PDF with the original typesetting and illustrations.
Foreign Policy (1970–present) is an American news publication, founded in 1970 and focused on global affairs, current events, and domestic and international policy. It produces content daily on its website, and in six print issues annually. Click the link and then click "EBSCOhost Academic Search Premier" to access the current issue.
The New Statesman is the leading progressive political and cultural magazine in the United Kingdom. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, the New Statesman has notably recognized and published new writers and critics, as well as encouraged notable careers. Today, it is a vibrant print-digital hybrid, and one of the most respected and influential titles in the United Kingdom.
The Department of State Bulletin (1939–1989)
Full-text access digital access to The Atlantic (1988–present). The "EBSCO Academic Search Ultimate" option provides full color PDF files of each article.
Full-text, digital access to The New Yorker magazine (1992–present). Paper copies covering 1933–2018 are located in the periodicals reading room (Level 2 North). Call No. AP 2 .N6763
CPC Central Committee Bimonthly Periodical
ProQuest Global Newsstream provides one of the largest collections of full-text news resources from the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Australia covering content from 1980 to the present. You can set a date range to get the most recent news. You can also limit your search to specific newspapers by title.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers provides full-text searchable content ranges from 1849 to 2005. The newspapers indexed in this database include: the New York Times and Wall Street Journal as well as the Atlanta Constitution, Austin American Statesman, Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Hartford Courant, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Toronto Star.
Reuters News Organization
You can use the search box on the NYT's website for "China" to locate relevant articles which you can then access through the library's databases.
Influential Newspapers Current Issues and Archives
Historical Newspaper for Expats in China (1850–1940)
The North China Herald Online Newspaper (1850–1940) is the prime printed source for the history of the foreign presence in China from around 1850 to 1940s. No other newspaper existed over such an extended period or covers the era with such depth and variety. Full-text searchable.
South China Morning Post was founded in 1903. It is a leading news media company headquartered in Hong Kong with global impact. SCMP’s news team is committed to informing and inspiring through journalism of the highest standards. SCMP’s vision is to “Elevate Thought,” and its mission is to “Lead the global conversation about China.” Click Here for news focused on China.
Caixin Global is the English version of one of China's most respected sources of business and financial news. Some articles are behind a paywall. Follow Caixin on Twitter.
The China Biz Roundup Podcast by Caixin Gobal provides a daily overview of major Chinese business news. Each episode is about 15 minutes.
Renmin ribao 人民日报 (The People's Daily) is the most influential and authoritative newspaper in China. It is the official voice of the central government of the People's Republic of China for the last 71 years, the People's Daily has published daily issues that provide the single location where the central government and the Communist Party of China announce their respective policies and disseminate governmental, political, and economic messages to the public and the world. Click for the English version of the site.
On July 1, 2006, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China approved the launch of “The People’s Network” (Renmin wang 人民网, the Chinese Communist Party News Network) hosted by The People's Daily Online, which became an authoritative website for propagating and introducing the Chinese Communist Party's ideas, theories, policies, and information.
Ecns.cn is the official English-language website of China News Service (CNS), a state-level news agency established in October 1, 1952 and headquartered in Beijing. Ecns.cn aims to provide in-depth news coverage, feature stories and visual content, with topics such as current events, art, lifestyle, people and travel. There is also a Chinese language version of the site.
News from Hong Kong
News from Taiwan
Encyclopedia of Chinese-American Relations by 
The Encyclopedia of Taiwan Studies contains almost 600 entries providing a portal to the multifaceted world of Taiwan, with its vibrant culture, important developments, and radical transformations.
This version of the online Encyclopedia, contains 5 of its 15 sections. Release of the rest of the content is planned in two additional installments, to take place in the course of 2024.
Search for "China"
With China rapidly becoming the world’s second superpower, CNN’s reporters in Hong Kong, Beijing and around the world bring you a three-times-a-week update on the latest news you need to know about China’s rise, analysis on what it means for the world, and predictions on what could happen next.
Voice of America (VOA) is the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of more than 280 million people. Since its creation in 1942, Voice of America has been committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the news and telling audiences the truth free of political interference. VOA is part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the government agency that oversees all non-military, U.S. international broadcasting. It is funded by the U.S. Congress.
The Video Library records all three C-SPAN networks seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. Programs are extensively indexed, making the database of C-SPAN programming an unparalleled chronological resource. Hundreds of thousands of hours of programming are available to the public for free including interviews with historians, policy experts, and politicians. You can use key words to search for Asia related subject matter.
How to Stay Up to Date with News About China
[This list is organized from the most rapid accounts of breaking news to more detailed analysis.]
1. For breaking news, social media platforms like Twitter, as well as Blogs and other news and culture Websites are useful. (Click the "Websites" tab at the top of this box). The China Project has provided a list of 100 must-follow Twitter accounts for Chinese News and Analysis.
2. For reporting and analysis of important current affairs look to Newspapers (including English language newspapers from a particular country), Radio (NPR, Voice of America) and TV News. (Click on the "Newspapers," and "Radio and TV" tabs.)
3. For “long-form” journalism and investigative reporting explore Weekly/Monthly news magazines (Atlantic, New Yorker, Foreign Policy, etc.). (Click on the "News Magazines" tab.)
4. For expert analysis by academics click on the "Think Tanks" and "Research Centers" tabs. These sites provide access to upcoming and archived video recorded discussion and podcasts. Pew Research Center and Gallup polls are also valuable sources of information (find these under the "Research Centers" tab).
5. For scholarly (often data driven) analysis that emphasizes a longer view and which places events in their historical context, click on the "Academic Journals" tab (The China Quarterly, The Journal of Asian Studies, etc.)
A List of Useful Databases for Finding Scholarly Articles
Use the databases listed below to search for scholarly articles on your research topic. Hovering over the "info" icon 
will reveal detailed information about each database. For some very helpful tips on how to conduct a successful database search, click Here.
TIP: Use multiple databases when searching for articles related to your research project as each database has different coverage and unique features. Also, don't forget to search for Dissertations and Theses, as these often have very comprehensive bibliographies.
Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) CIAO is a searchable archive of full-text articles from government research organizations, independent think tanks, university analysis centers, and scholarly journals. Topics include: international politics, security, global finance, diplomacy, humanitarian law, global governance, development, and the environment.
The CNKI Database (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) is an indispensable database for finding full-text scholarly articles in Chinese. Use this database to access 1,574 academic journals in Chinese that focus on literature, history, and philosophy.
China Online Journals (COJ) by Wanfang Data provides access to thousands of scholarly articles from Chinese academic journals. Topics covering include Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Computer Sciences, Medicine, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Most articles can be downloaded directly to your device from the site. Searching is done in Chinese.
Dragon Source 龙源: Magazines from China. Access to thoursands of Chinese magazines. Topics include: Art, Literature, Lifestyle, Business, Economics, Politics, Law, etc.
National Social Sciences Database (China) Provides current access to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) core journals. Many journals provide full text links to article PDF files, others just provide citations (use Interlibrary Loan to get a copy of the article). To make use of some features you will need to create a personal username and password.
Airiti Library: Search this database to find citations for articles published in academic journals from Taiwan. After discovering an article you want, order it through Interlibrary Loan; this database does not provide access to full text articles.
Open Access Records for Chinese Studies Open access digitized Chinese texts, journal articles, and books from China, Japan, Macau, and Hong Kong.
The China Journal (1995–present) The China Journal is a cutting-edge source of scholarship, information and analysis about China and Taiwan. Interdisciplinary in scope, TCJ provides deep coverage of important anthropological, sociological, and political science topics.
The China Quarterly (1960–present) The China Quarterly is a top-tier, peer-reviewed journal covering all aspects of contemporary China including Taiwan. The subjects treated include history, international affairs, law, politics, business, economics, anthropology, sociology, geography, literature, and the arts.
Journal of Asian Studies (1956–present) The Journal of Asian Studies (JAS) publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed empirical and multidisciplinary work on Asia, spanning the arts, history, literature, the social sciences, and cultural studies. Coverage includes South and Southeast Asia, China, Inner Asia, and Northeast Asia.
Journal of Contemporary China (1992–present) The Journal of Contemporary China is a peer-reviewed journal providing exclusive information about contemporary Chinese affairs for scholars, business people and government policy-makers. The journal's fields of interest include economics, political science, law, culture, literature, business, history, international relations, sociology and other social sciences and humanities.
Asian Affairs (London; 1970–present) covers the whole region of Asia—Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and East Asia. The journal generally consists of articles on specific countries, locales, or historical episodes, as well as contemporary affairs. The Journal favors articles of a practical and general character above those which are highly technical, or which concentrate on academic theory. A substantial section of each issue consists of book reviews of new publications.
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences (1890–present)
Department of State Bulletin (1939–1989)
Journal of Strategic Studies (1978–present)
The China Reader: The Reform Era by The China Reader: Rising Power by Fordham University Internet Sourcebook: East Asian History
Click to view a selection of primary source documents translated into English.
Columbia University, Education for Educators: Chinese Primary Sources in English Translation. Organized Chronologically, covers material from Shang Dynasty 1200 BC to the late 20th Century. Includes Discussion Questions.
The Making of the Modern World Primary Source Collection (Gale)
Visualizing Cultures: Image Driven Scholarship was launched at MIT in 2002 to explore the potential of the Web for developing innovative image-driven scholarship and learning. The mission of Visualizing Cultures is to use new technology to reconstruct the past as people of the time visualized the world (or imagined it to be). Topical units to date focus on Japan in the modern world and early-modern China.
China, America, and the Pacific (18th–20th Centuries). This database contains an extensive range of archival material connected to the trading and cultural relationships that emerged between China, America and the Pacific region between the 18th and early 20th centuries. Manuscript sources, rare printed texts, visual images, objects and maps document this fascinating history. Maintained by Adam Matthews Digital.
Asia and the West: 19th Century Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange. 19th Century British Foreign Office and United States consular and diplomatic records from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. These records reflect the day-to-day activities with the indigenous populations, the expansion of trade, and the exercise of extraterritorial rights and treaty provisions. Also included is a substantial selection of missionary correspondence and journals from China, Japan, Korea, and Siam (Bangkok). Maintained by Gale-Cengage.
[British] Foreign Office Files China (1919–1980). The six parts of this collection (listed below) make available all British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980. Maintained by Adam Matthews Digital.
The Chinese Foreign Policy Database maintained by the Wilson Center Digital Archive enhances the ability of contemporary observers and historians to gain broader perspectives on Chinese policies. Agregating 1000s of documents from Chinese and international archives, it offers insights into China’s foreign policy since 1949 and its relationship to ideology, revolution, the economy, and traditional Chinese culture. The Database is supported by the MacArthur Foundation and the Henry Luce Foundation.
The American Presidency Project is maintained by political science professors John Woolley and Gerhard Peters and hosted at UC Santa Barbara. This database provides access to numerous documents related to US-China relations. You can search for key terms and limit your search to a particular president's era of administration.
Digital version of US Congressional Serial Set contains all the Reports, Documents, and Journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives from 1817 to the present. These documents constitute a rich source of primary source material on all aspects of American history. A print version of the Serial Set would consist of over 12 million pages.
The National Bureau of Statistics of China website provides a trove of official economic and demographic data reported monthly, quarterly, and annually. It can also be viewed in Chinese.
China Data Online is a valuable data source for China studies. It includes (1) China Statistical Databases; and (2) China Census Databases; It provides easy access to the various statistical yearbooks published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, comprehensive statistics, and Census data of economy and population at national, provincial, city, county, and even township levels.
China Vitae is a resource of biographical information on more than 5000 Chinese leaders in government, politics, the military, education, business, and the media. China Vitae also tracks the appearances and travel of approximately 500 leading Chinese officials. Searchable information is available on date and location of activity, officials in attendance, topics raised, and source of the data. CV also records official announcements of new appointments to senior Party and government positions. China Vitae is maintained and operated by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
The China Mission History Repository holds original materials and reproductions relevant mainly to the history of Roman Catholic missionary activities in China from the late-imperial era to the present.
The North China Herald Online Newspaper (1850–1940) is the prime printed source for the history of the foreign presence in China from around 1850 to 1940s. No other newspaper existed over such an extended period or covers the era with such depth and variety. Full-text searchable.
ProQuest's Alexander Street is the world’s leading provider of academic streaming media to libraries. They have partnered with top video producers around the world to deliver more than 60,000 video titles across all disciplines. They are particularly strong in the fields of anthropology, history, diversity studies, theatre, film, music, dance, news, current affairs, and the social sciences. For video related to Asian Studies, click Here.
FRONTLINE produces works of investigative journalism that both question and explain complicated and controversial aspects of our modern world. Frontline has been one of American television’s top long-form news and current affairs series since 1983. They have won every major journalism and broadcasting award, including 91 Emmy Awards and 22 Peabody Awards. You can watch more than 200 documentaries online, for free, any time.
Kanopy partners with public libraries and universities to stream thoughtful entertainment to your preferred device with no fees and no commercials. Click the logo above and log in with your BYU NetID to enjoy Kanopy's diverse catalog with new titles added every month. You can search for films on Asian topics and in Asian languages.
Films on Demand is an extensive collection of streamable documentary video. Maintained by Infobase.
Sydney D. Gamble Photography Collection, Duke University Sidney D. Gamble (1890-1968), sociologist, renowned China scholar, and avid amateur photographer, began taking pictures in China during his first trip to the country with his family in 1908. He returned three more times between 1917 to 1932 and continued photographing the daily life of Chinese citizens. He traveled throughout the country to collect data for social-economic surveys and to photograph urban and rural life, public events, architecture, religious statuary, and the countryside. Gamble used a few of the photographs from his extensive collection in his scholarly publications and in slide lectures, the majority of images were never published or exhibited during his lifetime.
Historical Photographs of China is an open-access resource for more than 8,000 digitized photographs taken in China between 1850 and 1950. Users may search or browse across the collections and conduct Boolean searches, refining results by date, viewing geo-tagged map results, and exploring connections between results. Users may download images of interest and save them to "My Workbench."
Norman Spencer Photographs (University of California, San Diego Library) 683 items
From 1999 to 2019, Norman A. Spencer repeatedly traveled to China documenting notable artists, writers, directors and musicians active in the Chinese independent and underground film and art scene. Most of the photographs were taken in Beijing and later in Dali in Yunnan Province in the southwest of China. Spencer also documented well known Chinese artists and writers who live in exile in New York City, London, and Paris. Spanning more than twenty years, the photographs in this collection capture a rare glimpse into the lives of the Chinese film and art scene at the turn of the 21st century.
Chinese Propaganda Posters. This database provides access to hundreds of images portraying events and personalities from the history of the Chinese Communist Party. Click on “Themes” to view posters for such topics as “The Long March,” “The Sino-Japanese War,” “The Great Leap Forward,” “The Cultural Revolution,” Mao Zedong and other Communist Party leaders, "Models and Martyrs," "Working Women," "Villains," etc.
Cultural Revolution Posters • University of California San Diego Library. Seventy-seven propaganda posters created by various Chinese agencies, 1968-1989.
Bridgeman Education Images (requires BYU NetID to login) offers over 1,000,000 digital images of art, history and culture from global museums, galleries, private collections and contemporary artists all copyright cleared for educational use. Bridgeman Education gives you access to the visual culture of every civilization and every period from Prehistory to the present day across continents and civilizations.
Encyclopedia of Modern China, David Pong (ed.). 4 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, 2009. Ebook. Accessing and searching this encyclopedia is a bit tricky.
Follow these instructions:
(1) Click the link provided above, this will take you to Gale E-books "Advanced Search."
(2) Change search criteria from "Keywords" to "Publication Title" and type or paste the title "Encyclopedia of Modern China" into the search box.
(3) Click on the publication title link "Encyclopedia of Modern China" that appears in any entry that you see; this will take you to a search page for this 4 vol. work.
(4) Enter search terms in the box at the right of the screen that reads "Search within this publication."
Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science: A User's Guide to its Terms (1999). Physical Volume: JA 61 .B43 1999 (1st Floor; Social Science Stacks)
Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Political Thought. Edited by R. Scruton (2007). Physical Volume: JA 61 .S37 2007
(1st Floor; Social Science Stacks)
A Dictionary of Modern Politics. eBook. Edited by David Robertson. 3rd ed. (2002).
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics. eBook. 3rd ed. (2009).
A Glossary of Political Theory. eBook. Edited by John Hoffman (2007).
China in the 21st Century: What Everyone Needs to Know. eBook. 3rd ed. (2018)
Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Communist Party. eBook. Edited by L. R. Sullivan. (2012).
Physical Volume: JQ 1519 .A5 S883 2012 (1st Floor; Social Science Stacks)
Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Civil War, 2nd ed. (2013)
Physical Volume: DS 774.5 .L49x 2013 (1st Floor; Social Science Reference)
Historical Dictionary of Chinese Foreign Affairs. eBook. Edited by L. R. Sullivan & R. Paarlberg (2018)
Historical Dictionary of Chinese Foreign Policy. eBook. Edited by R. G. Sutter. (2011).
Historical Dictionary of Chinese Intelligence. eBook. Edited by I. C. Smith & N. West (2012).
Scholars Currently Researching Chinese Government & Politics
Michael Beckley, Tufts University (Political Science) Personal Website
Elizabeth Economy, Hover Institute, Senior Fellow
William Hartung, Senior Research Fellow, Quincy Research Institute
Ian Johnson, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, Personal Website
William Kirby, Harvard University (History, Business Schoool)
Bary Naughton, UC San Diego (School of Global Policy and Strategy)
Minxin Pei, Claremont-McKenna College (Department of Government)
Rory Truex, Princeton (Dept. of Politics; School of Public and International Affairs)
Jeffry Wasserstrom, UC Irvine (Chancellor's Professor of History)
Jessica Chen Weiss, Cornell University (Department of Government) Personal Website
Helen was born in Cedar City, Utah and educated in Salt Lake City. She later travelled to China during the 1930s becoming involved in student movements and supporting the establishment of industrial cooperative ventures. She met several of the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party, including Mao Zedong. She wrote widely on her experiences and took many photographs; her manuscripts, letters, and photos are housed in BYU's Special Collections.
L. Tom Perry Special Collections Call Number: MSS 2219 On-site Use Only: Ask at Special Collections Help Desk (1130 HBLL).
Link 1: Collection Intro and Finding Aid
Link 2: Detailed Register of Many Individual Items Found in the Collection
Books By Helen Foster Snow
(a.k.a. Nym Wales)
China Builds for Democracy (1942)
The Chinese Communists: Sketches and Autobiographies (1952; rpt. 1972)
Alexander Street Press
Those who Browse the Stacks* always discover additional research materials!
* The term "stacks" refers to the miles of bookshelves placed throughout the library.
All Chinese Language Books are found in the Asian Collection on the 4th Floor. Click the map above for location details.
English language materials about China are located in different parts of the library as noted below (in parentheses).
Call number categories are the same for materials in the Asian Collection and English language materials shelved in other parts of the library.
DS 700–799 History of China (1st Floor, Social Science Library)
HN 671–680 Social History and Conditions of China (1st Floor, Central Stacks)
JQ Political Institutions & Public Administration, Asia (1st Floor, Central Stacks)
JZ 1730–1734 Chinese Politics and Government (1st Floor, Central Stacks)
PL 1001–3300 Chinese Language and Literature (5th Floor, North Stacks)
