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

James Palmer

Deputy Editor [email protected]

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.

Follow James Palmer:
On Bluesky
Articles by James Palmer
Donald Trump Jr. speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Mellon Auditorium in Washington on Aug. 24.
Donald Trump Jr. speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Mellon Auditorium in Washington on Aug. 24.

What Would Happen if the Whole World Were Voting Today?

Election 2020
James Palmer
Chinese soldiers from the People's Liberation Army march after a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of China's entry into the Korean War, on Oct. 23 in Beijing.
Chinese soldiers from the People's Liberation Army march after a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of China's entry into the Korean War, on Oct. 23 in Beijing.

Xi Is Out to Prove That This Is China’s Moment

China Brief
James Palmer
US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping arrive at a business leaders event inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017.
US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping arrive at a business leaders event inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2017.

Why Does Trump Have a Chinese Bank Account?

China Brief
James Palmer
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives with Premier Li Keqiang for a reception at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of China's National Day on Sept. 30.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives with Premier Li Keqiang for a reception at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of China's National Day on Sept. 30.

Xi Just Grabbed More Bureaucratic Power

China Brief
James Palmer
A customer shops for vegetables at a market in Shenyang, China, on Sept. 9.
A customer shops for vegetables at a market in Shenyang, China, on Sept. 9.

Are China’s Shelves Running Empty?

China Brief
James Palmer
Chaopan Lin of China competes in the men's horizontal bar final during day 10 of the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Oct. 13, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Chaopan Lin of China competes in the men's horizontal bar final during day 10 of the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Oct. 13, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Why Is China Sabotaging Its Own Athletes?

China Brief
James Palmer
A video still shows members of Azerbaijan's armed forces firing artillery during clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in an unidentified location, from footage released Sept. 28.
A video still shows members of Azerbaijan's armed forces firing artillery during clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in an unidentified location, from footage released Sept. 28.

Why Are Armenia and Azerbaijan Heading to War? This article has an audio recording

Explainer
James Palmer
 
 

TikTok’s Sale to Oracle Doesn’t Fix Anything


China Brief
James Palmer
Posters at the European premiere of Disney's "Mulan"
Posters at the European premiere of Disney's "Mulan"

Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Disaster Highlights Dangers of China Deals

Argument
James Palmer
A Su-35 fighter jet
A Su-35 fighter jet

Indian Social Media Goes Nuts Over Fake Claim of Su-35 Shootdown

Argument
James Palmer
Chinese police patrol outside the Australian embassy in Beijing on January 25, 2019.
Chinese police patrol outside the Australian embassy in Beijing on January 25, 2019.

Why Has China Detained a CGTN Journalist?

China Brief
James Palmer
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon greets the fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui before introducing him at a news conference in New York on Nov. 20, 2018.
Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon greets the fugitive Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui before introducing him at a news conference in New York on Nov. 20, 2018.

Who Is Guo Wengui, the Chinese Emigre With Links to Steve Bannon?

China Brief
James Palmer
Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares to vote during the third plenary session of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 11, 2018.
Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares to vote during the third plenary session of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 11, 2018.

Xi’s Latest Purge Reflects Climate of Fear

China Brief
James Palmer
Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai pushes through a media pack after being released on bail in Hong Kong on Aug. 12.
Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai pushes through a media pack after being released on bail in Hong Kong on Aug. 12.

Why China Arrested Hong Kong Tycoon Jimmy Lai

China Brief
James Palmer
In this photo illustration, the WeChat privacy policy is displayed on an iPhone in Washington on Aug. 7.
In this photo illustration, the WeChat privacy policy is displayed on an iPhone in Washington on Aug. 7.

Why Is the United States Effectively Banning WeChat and TikTok?

Explainer
James Palmer
Load more by James Palmer Return to staff list

Latest

See All Stories

Trending

  1. 1
    The Mother of All Currency Crises Is on the Horizon
  2. 2
    Russia’s Submarine Plans Are Bad News for the West
  3. 3
    The U.S.-India Trade Spat Boils Over
  4. 4
    Tehran’s Wake‑Up Call for Beijing
  5. 5
    Trump Piles the Pressure on Putin