China remains a one-party state under the Chinese Communist Party, with Xi Jinping as head of state and Li Qiang as head of government. Economically, its manufacturing sector shows contraction (PMI 49.8 in August 2026), but export demand—particularly for AI-related goods—drove a 36.3% year-on-year surge in September 2026, widening the trade surplus to $133.5 billion.
