News that caught our eye / The week ending October 21
NOTE: The news reports below are not in chronological order. There is often a time lag in their reaching the US and in gaining our attention. These reports reflect the opinions of a variety of news sources.
One congress, five years of change in infographics / October 19, 2022
Since the 19th Congress of China’s Communist Party in 2017, monumental changes have happened in the country. The World of Chinese has created a series of infographics to describe some of those changes.
What these buzzwords say about Xi's China / October 19, 2022
The BBC mined the People's Daily, the biggest state-run newspaper, to identify buzzwords that define Mr Xi's time at the helm. The words that had the most prominence were “The core,” “Red country,” “anti-China forces,” and “the great struggle.” The article describes what they mean.
How Xi Jinping is reshaping China, in five charts / October 17, 2022
The Christian Science Monitor has designed five charts to describe how China has changed since Chairman Xi came to power ten years ago. ”Understanding how Mr. Xi has transformed China over the past decade can offer clues for what comes next.”
Key Issues Highlighted in China’s 20th Party Congress / October 19, 2022
The Sixth Tone highlights three topics that the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China discussed this week. Those topics are carbon emissions, food security, and anti-corruption.
Infographic: A glimpse of China in 2035 / October 19, 2022
Global Times offers an infographic that pictures Chairman Xi’s vision of China by 2035.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Press Conference / October 18, 2022
Wang Wenbin, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, commented on a number of topics at his regular press conference on October 18. Those topics included China’s commitment to building a worldwide community with a shared future for mankind, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
Xi: China’s economy will surpass the US by 2030 / October 17, 2022
Chairman Xi promised the China Communist Party that by 2030 their country’s economy will be the top economy in the world. By 2050, it will be double the size of the US. The driving force for this growth, Xi said, is based on “the high-quality development,” “innovation and security of development,” and overcoming “a growing ‘decoupling’ push from the West” (Global Times).
Opinion: Chairman Xi’s 3rd term and its impact on the US / October 16, 2022
This opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal considers Xi Jinping’s leader of China, especially in a third 10-year term. It concludes, “If Mr. Xi becomes convinced China has an advantage in hard power, he will find a moment to act against Taiwan or some other U.S. strategic interest. The U.S. must rally its confidence and resources, and soon, if it doesn’t want a world dominated by Xi Jinping thought” (WSJ).
4 key points from Xi's speech at the Chinese Communist Party congress / October 16, 2022
On Sunday, October 16, China’s Communist Party opened its twice-a-decade congress. National Public Radio (NPR) has identified four key points that General Secretary Xi made in his keynote address: He will not back down from 'zero COVID', There's a push for economic improvement—but it will be an uphill battle, Continued pressure will be put on Taiwan, China's global ambitions will continue (NPR).
Analysis: China’s tough economic choices loom / October 31, 2022
“In all likelihood, China’s high-growth era is over—or at least already ending… China’s best way of sustaining economic competitiveness and modest growth in the future is by doing things that depart from old recipes and go strongly against its leaders’ usual instincts” (Foreign Policy).
Opinion: Chairman Xi is more emperor than Marxist revolutionary / October 13, 2022
Xi Jinping resembles an imperial Chinese emperor more than a Marxist revolutionary. “Mao wished to overturn the established order, both at home and abroad, and fomented political and social upheaval to achieve his goals. Xi’s agenda is much closer to imperial China’s. He intends to restore the nation as the dominant power in Asia at the core of a new Sinocentric system, similar in nature to the position it held in the region under the dynasties” (The Atlantic).