Palmer-James-foreign-policy-staff-portraits-202226
Palmer-James-foreign-policy-staff-portraits-202226

James Palmer

Deputy Editor james.palmer@foreignpolicy.com

James Palmer is a deputy editor at Foreign Policy and writes FP’s weekly China Brief newsletter. Palmer is the author of The Bloody White Baron: The Extraordinary Story of the Russian Nobleman Who Became the Last Khan of Mongolia and The Death of Mao: The Tangshan Earthquake and the Birth of the New China. He won the Shiva Naipaul prize for travel writing in 2003.

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Articles by James Palmer
Jim Jones (center), leader of the Peoples Temple cult, and some of his followers are seen in an undated photograph found in an album in Jonestown, Guyana.
Jim Jones (center), leader of the Peoples Temple cult, and some of his followers are seen in an undated photograph found in an album in Jonestown, Guyana.

The Jonestown Massacre in Black and White

Review
James Palmer
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House in Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House in Washington.

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

China Brief
James Palmer
A user is seen chatting with her virtual boyfriend on her phone at a shopping mall in Beijing.
A user is seen chatting with her virtual boyfriend on her phone at a shopping mall in Beijing.

China Wants to Regulate AI Companions

China Brief
James Palmer
A baby looks up at the person pushing its stroller on a street in Beijing.
A baby looks up at the person pushing its stroller on a street in Beijing.

The Myth of Chinese Birth Tourism

China Brief
James Palmer
People gather near the CITIC Tower in Beijing on June 26.
People gather near the CITIC Tower in Beijing on June 26.

Small-Plane Crash Tests China’s Security State

China Brief
James Palmer
A supporter of China’s men’s national soccer team shows dejection after the team’s 0-1 defeat in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match against South Korea in Seoul.
A supporter of China’s men’s national soccer team shows dejection after the team’s 0-1 defeat in a FIFA World Cup qualifier match against South Korea in Seoul.

Why the World Cup Keeps Eluding China

China Brief
James Palmer
Chinese President Xi Jinping, wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie, stands in front of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, looking onward.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie, stands in front of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, looking onward.

What Will China Learn From the Iran War?

China Brief
James Palmer
A studio shot of an artifact displayed on a black, textured stone pedestal against a solid red background. The artifact is a white porcelain vase with a cracked glaze texture and a large, serpentine blue dragon painted on its side. Geometric blue patterns decorate the rim and base of the vase. A large chunk is missing from the upper right side of the vessel, showing a broken edge. The front of the pedestal features a small white label that reads "EXHIBIT 4: Chinese Growth".
A studio shot of an artifact displayed on a black, textured stone pedestal against a solid red background. The artifact is a white porcelain vase with a cracked glaze texture and a large, serpentine blue dragon painted on its side. Geometric blue patterns decorate the rim and base of the vase. A large chunk is missing from the upper right side of the vessel, showing a broken edge. The front of the pedestal features a small white label that reads "EXHIBIT 4: Chinese Growth".

Breaking China’s Golden Streak This article has an audio recording

Essay
James Palmer
A person rides past a giant screen displayed outside a shopping mall in Beijing. The screen shows a news program about the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
A person rides past a giant screen displayed outside a shopping mall in Beijing. The screen shows a news program about the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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

China Brief
James Palmer
Rescuers are seen entering the mine shaft after a gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, northern China’s Shanxi province.
Rescuers are seen entering the mine shaft after a gas explosion at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, northern China’s Shanxi province.

The Deadly Price of China’s Coal Boom

China Brief
James Palmer
Protesters shout “Want peace, support arms purchases” during a rally in Taipei.
Protesters shout “Want peace, support arms purchases” during a rally in Taipei.

Trump Is Treating Taiwan Like Collateral

China Brief
James Palmer
High school students in matching maroon and gray jackets sit in a classroom and study at desks piled high with stacks of books, notebooks, and papers at their sides.
High school students in matching maroon and gray jackets sit in a classroom and study at desks piled high with stacks of books, notebooks, and papers at their sides.

Why China Is Cracking Down on Elite Education

China Brief
James Palmer
Two men in dark suits stand side-by-side in a large, paved outdoor courtyard. The man on the left wears a bright red tie and looks off to the side with a serious expression. The man on the right wears a burgundy tie and has a slight smile. In the background, a large, multi-tiered circular traditional building with a blue roof and ornate details stands under a pale sky. A person in a dark uniform is visible in the far distance to the right.
Two men in dark suits stand side-by-side in a large, paved outdoor courtyard. The man on the left wears a bright red tie and looks off to the side with a serious expression. The man on the right wears a burgundy tie and has a slight smile. In the background, a large, multi-tiered circular traditional building with a blue roof and ornate details stands under a pale sky. A person in a dark uniform is visible in the far distance to the right.

The Trump-Xi Summit Was Remarkably Banal This article has an audio recording

Analysis
James Palmer
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press at the White House. Behind him, an American flag, greenery, a construction crane, and the Washington monument can be seen in the distance.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press at the White House. Behind him, an American flag, greenery, a construction crane, and the Washington monument can be seen in the distance.

What Trump and Xi Want From Their Summit

China Brief
James Palmer
Containers and ships are seen at a port in Qingdao, China.
Containers and ships are seen at a port in Qingdao, China.

China Tests a Rare Tool in Its Sanctions Arsenal

China Brief
James Palmer
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