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.
Hospitals Inundated As China Scales Back Covid Restrictions / December 27, 2022
Hospitals are being overrun with Covid patients after China released many of its strict zero-Covid policies, inadvertently opening the doors for Covid to spread freely on a population without herd immunity. The actual numbers of patients and deaths are not known—the government stopped publishing those statistics this week (NBC News).
People rush to book travel as borders finally reopen / December 27, 2022
Chinese travel sites experienced a large spike in online traffic after the government announced the opening of outbound travel starting January 8th. However, in response, many countries heightened their Covid travel policies for those coming from China, and China’s refusal to report the number and severity of cases (BBC News).
China’s Xi Jinping tells Politburo to toe party line / December 28, 2022
In a meeting of the Chinese Politburo, the 24 members of the party participated in a “self-criticism session,” assessing their own loyalty to Communism and Xi Jinping’s policies. Xi Jinping gave his critique to each one and mandated that all members devote themselves to these policies above all else (South China Morning Post).
Can Christmas in China survive competition with Mao's birthday? / December 28, 2022
While China has celebrated Mao Zedong’s birthday for decades, since 2017 his December 26th birthday has gained in notoriety—sometimes by force--due to Xi Jinping’s emphasis to promote Chinese Communist culture. Consequently, though, by rejecting Western culture, the country is becoming more monolithic and less multicultural (Nikkei Asia).
Taiwan moves to boost military training / December 27, 2022
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen announced an increase in its mandatorily conscripted military service from 4 months to a year, beginning in January, 2024 in response to China’s recent military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. This marks a shift in policy of Tsai’s more passive administration to one of self-defense (The China Project).
CDC urges Americans to "reconsider" travel to China over COVID surge / December 28, 2022
The CDC is recommending that potential travelers to China “reconsider” their travel plans, citing the recent surge in Covid cases and overwhelmed hospitals in China. Testing would also be required upon one’s return before entering the US. Concerns are growing that new “immune evasive” variants may be forming in China (CBS News).
China’s early reopening could hit supply chains, 2023 outlook is positive / December 29, 2022
While the current Covid surge could interrupt supply chains in China’s sphere of the global market early in the new year, forecasters see a positive growth likely in China’s economy for the rest of 2023 as China exits its era of pandemic policies (CNBC).
Reforms to China’s housing market not helping / December 28, 2022
China brought needed reforms to its housing market in 2020. But those reforms have not made a substantial difference in the affordability of homes (The Business Times).
China is building the world’s largest desert energy installation / December 28, 2022
China is taking another step away from fossil fuels with construction of what will be the world's largest energy project in a desert. The project will have a total capacity of 16 million kilowatts (kW). Twelve million of that will be solar and wind power (Science and Technology Innovation Board).
Chinese hydrogel may repair hearts faster / December 27, 2022
Chinese scientists have created a two-faced hydrogel that has the potential to repair hearts better and faster after an attack (SCMP).
Official: China’s economy has overcome the threat of Covid / December 25, 2022
According to the office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, “China's economy has survived the most difficult phase and the country's optimized COVID-19 response measures will have a positive effect on the economic recovery” (China Daily).
Covid in China: an AP report / December 26, 2022
“Over two days, Associated Press journalists visited five hospitals and two crematoriums in towns and small cities in Baoding and Langfang prefectures, in central Hebei province” (AP).
250 million infected by Covid / December 26, 2022 (CNN)
China to focus more on agricultural technology / December 24, 2022
Chairman Xi Jinping has called for China to achieve self-reliance in agricultural technology. To do this China will increase its effort to develop the right plants and agricultural equipment. China’s central leadership has identified the country's seed industry as a weak link in the food chain (CNA)
Investments are set to flow back into China / December 21, 2022
One investment manager states that professional investors will likely start investing in over 100 Chinese companies after the threat by the US to “delist” them from the US Stock Exchange was averted, and China declared support to these companies in an effort to reignite the Chinese economy (CNBC).
Xi Tells Russia’s Medvedev China Wants Talks on Ukraine / December 21, 2022 President Xi Jinping continues his global diplomatic strategy this week, meeting with former Russian President Medvedev and urging a diplomatic road to peace regarding Ukraine (Bloomberg News).
Should the CCP fear for its long-term existence? / December 2022
Chairman Xi’s surprising withdrawal from his Zero Covid policy hints at his government’s insecurity in the face of popular disapproval. “The protests only serve to show that the party is, in fact, fallible and responsive to public anger, that the people have more power than anyone thought” (Time)
What’s behind China’s meek response to chip ban? / December 18, 2022
“It is a puzzle,” an American analyst says of China’s meek response to US chip restrictions. The reason is probably due to a lack of retaliatory options (SCMP).
A Chinese dilemma: too few workers / December 20, 2022
Within a decade, China will not have sufficient workers to fuel its manufacturing jobs. China’s working-age population, defined as those aged between 15 and 64, declined from the peak of 997 million in 2014 to 986 million last year. According to projections released by the United Nations in July, it will start declining rapidly in the 2030s and shrink by more than 60 percent to 378 million by the end of the century (Policy Research Group/SCMP).
Covid death rise, China seems to underreport total / December 20, 2022
“China appears to be seeing an increase in Covid deaths across a swath of the country that aren’t being reported in government figures, according to social media posts, adding to speculation that officials are masking the full impact of their abrupt shift away from Covid Zero” (Bloomberg/MSN).
China's Covid statistics doubted as Cases Increase / December 20, 2022
With China’s recent report declaring suspiciously low Covid cases and deaths, many Chinese citizens are skeptical of the numbers, citing social media posts of crowded hospitals and knowledge of illnesses in their social circles. Epidemiologists predict hundreds of millions of cases, and over a million deaths in China in the coming months (Voice Of America).
China Covid: Five deaths under country's new counting method / December 20, 2022
Citing only deaths caused by respiratory failure due to the Covid virus, China counted only 5 Covid deaths so far this week. It raises the question: should deaths from comorbidities be included? (BBC News)
Christians compelled to honor deceased leader Jiang Zemin / December 16, 2022
The members of China’s only legalized Protestant denomination, the Three-Self Church, were encouraged by its leadership to “honor” the former president during his memorial ceremony as the “great Marxist we love,” even though Zemin upheld party laws to control religious groups and mercilessly persecuted the Falun Gong movement in 1999 (Bitter Winter).
The Prince: Searching for Xi Jinping
The Economist explores Xi Jinping’s turbulent past, how he has changed China, and how he is trying to change the world. “The Prince” by Sue-Lin Wong is an eight-part podcast.
US blacklists 36 Chinese companies / December 16, 2022
The U.S. Department of Commerce is adding 36 Chinese high-tech companies, including makers of aviation equipment, chemicals and computer chips, to an export controls blacklist, citing concerns over national security, U.S. interests and human rights (AP).
Opinion: Reasons church leaders are charged with fraud / December 12, 2022
“Many Chinese house church leaders have been arrested on charges of fraud…. These pastors are charged with defrauding their church members, running an illegal business, or other similar charges. In this excerpt, a house church elder shares a few theological comments on some of the reasons for these charges” (China Partnership).
Chinese AI advances drug research / December 14, 2022
“Chinese scientists say they have achieved “the impossible”: developing an AI that can predict the structural changes of proteins, a task so complex it is thought by many biologists – including China’s ‘goddess scientist’ Yan Ning – to be beyond the capabilities of machine learning” (SouthChina Morning Post).
India says China trying to ‘change status quo’ on disputed border / December 13, 2022
Chinese and Indian soldiers clashed along a disputed Himalayan border on Dec. 9th, the first clash since a deadly dispute in 2020. The two sides retreated soon after the incident occurred; however, India expects more skirmishes in the future and claims it has little leverage against China’s advances (Al Jazeera).
The factors behind the India-China border conflict / December 14, 2022
Earlier this month the border conflict between India and China flared again. This opinion piece suggests the backstory is not about a border but about China’s fear of India’s rising economic prominence (Swarajya).
China’s $143 billion package for chip firms in face of U.S. curbs / December 13, 2022
In response to challenges brought on by US sanctions against the Chinese microchip industry, the Chinese government is developing a 5-year, 143 billion dollar support package to bolster this branch of the economy, and to increase its presence in the global market (Reuters).
China Covid: Hospitals under strain in wave of infections / December 14, 2022
Chinese hospitals are struggling to meet the demands of a surging Covid outbreak, with many medical employees coming to work infected, passing the virus back on to patients. It is stated that culturally, Chinese citizens go to the hospital even when their symptoms could be treated at home (BBC News).
Xi and top China officials to hold economic talks as COVID spikes / December 14, 2022
Amid concerns that the Covid surge in China could hinder its plans, the Chinese government still aims to hold a major economic conference this week to strategize a plan to reinvigorate its Covid-battered economy. However, the virus’s recent wave threatens to make any recovery a long and difficult battle (Nikkei Asia).
Xi Jinping’s risky path for China / December 14, 2022
Scholar and author Francis Fukuyamas offers his opinion about China’s Covid policies, its national protests, and its future (China Project).
China’s adjustments to Covid create confusion / December 12, 2022
China has eased its restrictions intended to combat Covid. But various areas of China have taken various approaches (sometimes contradictory approaches to implementing new protocols. In addition, directions from the central government have not been clear. Citizens are reacting with fear and confusion.
China takes aim at “evil cults” / December 12, 2022
China’s propaganda against xie jiao, “evil cults,” is taking a new approach: manga-style posters. Xie jiao refers to any illegal religion. Poster 2 in the series of six warns against those who believe that human beings can be regarded as incarnations of immortal deities. Poster 5 warns against trusting religion to help in times of sickness.
House of Representatives establishes the Select Committee on China / December 8, 2022
Mike McCarthy, the Republican leader of the House of Representatives, has established the Select Committee on China. McCarthy stated, “The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest geopolitical threat of our lifetime. We need a whole-of-government approach that will … ensure America is prepared to tackle the economic and security challenges posed by the CCP” (Fox News).
How far is Saudi Arabia leaning toward China? / December 8, 2022
Saudia Arabia appears to be warming toward China, especially its weapons. At the same time, it appears to be cooling toward the US. In what ways will this reshape alliances in the Middle East? (SCMP).
Protest Violence in Mongolia’s Capital / December 7, 2022
Thousands of Mongolian citizens expressed their frustration in protests since Sunday over high inflation and alleged corruption by Mongolian leaders in an illegal coal deal with China. The Mongolian president states he has a plan to dissolve the government in response to the demonstrations (SCMP).
China’s Xi Busy Schedule with Heads of State / December 6, 2022
After a 3-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic and consolidating power at home, Chairman Xi of China has met with more than 25 heads of state since October 31st, seeking to establish a positive economic and political environment for China on the world stage (CNBC).
China Bids Farewell to Ex-leader Jiang / December 6, 2022
A memorial service was held on Tuesday for former China president Jiang Zemin, capping a week of mourning for the national leader while current President Xi faced nationwide protests over Covid restrictions and calls for reform. Security was tight since, historically, the death of former leaders can spark “unrest” (The Washington Post).
China Eases Controls, Gives No Sign When 'Zero COVID' Ends / December 5, 2022
In an attempt to help a struggling economy and likely in response to recent protests over Covid restrictions, China announced some loosening of its “zero-Covid” policies. However, the changes create confusion as rules change regionally and are dependent on where one wants to go locally (US News).
No US vaccines for China / December 4, 2022
Chairman Xi will not allow China to use Covid vaccines that were developed in the US. This decision comes despite the threat of loosened Covid restrictions allowing for increased infections, the comparative ineffectiveness of Chinese vaccines, and hesitance in China to use the country’s vaccines.
Russian, Chinese bombers fly joint patrols over Pacific / November 30, 2022
Russia and China demonstrated their military cooperation by conducting a “joint patrol” with bombers over the western Pacific on Wednesday. While the countries’ cooperative drills are not new, this was the first time that China landed its jets at a Russian air base, and Russia did the same at a Chinese base (Associated Press).
China signals ease in Covid policy after mass protests / December 1, 2022
After protests nationwide over China’s strict Covid policies, and the death of 10 people was popularly blamed on a Covid lockdown, some Covid restrictions were suddenly eased in Beijing and Guangzhou, due, according to a high-ranking pandemic official, to the weakening ability of the Covid virus to “cause disease” (BBC News).
Uyghur Women Forced to Marry Han Chinese Men / December 1, 2022
Interracial marriage is in China’s campaign for “social stability” but it really has assimilation in mind, and sees interracial marriage as a way to spread Chinese culture. Uyghur culture traditionally has rejected such unions, but with financial incentives and threats of punishment for refusing to comply, Uyghur women can’t refuse (Bitter Winter).