A public reference. Free to use.
Understand a China issue, follow how the reading changes and take the sources into your own work. Reading, available topic history and topic exports require no subscription or account.
Public access
Read, compare, inspect and reuse.
The topic reference
Current topic readings, their retained publishable revisions, original citations, evidence comparisons and relationships between topics are open. Each historical reading has a permanent link. Download Markdown or JSON, or copy a reading with its sources.
The daily Snapshot, dated daily editions, original investigations and their evidence downloads are also free.
Data and agents
Search public document metadata, platform attention and economic observations. The data browser provides filters and page exports. Scripts and agents can retrieve the same public datasets and topic readings without a key.
Retained coverage varies, and original publisher rights still apply. The developer guide explains the interfaces, limits and date meanings.
Research tools
Extra tools have controlled access.
Ask, saved research sessions, the intraday member workspace and its research API/MCP operations retain their existing access and usage limits. They are optional tools; you can follow a public topic and its sources without them. Creating an account does not start a trial or a charge.
Approved research access includes 300 questions a month, 5,000 requests a month across the research API and MCP, and two API keys. These are hard monthly caps with no overage charges; allowances reset at the start of each calendar month. Reaching a cap returns a limit response. Public readings and topic exports remain available.
Behind the reference
Created and maintained by Tristan McInnis.
China Snapshot brings together a source record, evolving analysis and tools for working with the evidence. Sharing a useful topic, citing an investigation and reporting a correction help the work reach the people who need it.
For a tailored research question, a monitoring brief or a dataset for your team, discuss a project. Public readings are prepared with AI assistance; personal editorial review is identified separately when recorded.