Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced Monday that she will step down in June, ending a divisive term that saw democracy protests squashed and strict pandemic curbs plunge the business hub into international isolation.

Ending months of speculation, Lam confirmed she would not seek a second term when a committee made up of the city's political elite chooses a new leader next month.&nbsp;

"I will complete my five-year term as chief executive on June 30, and officially conclude my 42-year career in government," Lam told reporters.

Lam said China's leaders "understood and respected" her choice not to seek another term and that she wanted to spend more time with her family.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-judges-quit-hong-kongs-top-court-over-security-law-467072">UK judges quit Hong Kong’s top court over security law</a>

The 64-year-old had dodged questions for months over her future and during Monday's announcement she revealed that she had informed Beijing of her plans to quit more than a year ago. &nbsp;

A career bureaucrat, Lam became Hong Kong's first woman leader in 2017 but she is on track to leave office with record-low approval ratings.&nbsp;

Kenneth Chan, a political scientist at Baptist University, said Hong Kong leaders have always suffered from a "chronic legitimacy crisis" because they are not popularly elected.

But Lam had lost support across the political spectrum.&nbsp;

"Not merely among the pro-democracy citizens but also increasingly among the pro-Beijing camp as she has done such a terrible job with the pandemic," he told AFP.

Security tsar next leader?&nbsp;

Hong Kongers and businesses based in the finance hub currently have little clarity on who will be the next leader at a time when Beijing is increasingly calling the shots directly.

The chief executive position is not popularly elected, something that years of democracy protests failed to change.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Hong Kong separates 2,000 Covid-positive children from parents

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Instead, the position is selected by a 1,500-strong pro-Beijing committee, the equivalent of 0.02 percent of the city's 7.4 million population.&nbsp;

The next chief executive will be chosen on May 8 but so far no one with a realistic prospect has publicly thrown their hat into the ring.&nbsp;

Hong Kong's number-two official, John Lee, who has a background in the security services, has been tipped by local press as the most likely contender.

Another potential front runner is finance chief Paul Chan.

Lam's successor will take office on July 1, the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover by Britain to China.

Supporters saw Lam as a staunch Beijing loyalist who steered the city through huge democracy protests and a debilitating pandemic.&nbsp;

Starry Lee, who leads Hong Kong's largest pro-Beijing party the DAB, described Lam on Monday as a "hard-working" official.

"Her merit... should be left to history to judge," she said.

Critics, including many Western powers, viewed Lam as someone who oversaw the collapse of Hong Kong's political freedoms and its reputation as a stable regional business hub.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-hong-kong-says-to-halve-flight-suspension-rule-to-seven-days-465864">COVID-19: Hong Kong says to halve flight suspension rule to seven days</a>

Protests and pandemic

After huge and sometimes violent protests swept Hong Kong in 2019 Beijing responded with a crackdown that has remoulded the once-outspoken city into a mirror of the authoritarian mainland.&nbsp;

Lam became the first Hong Kong leader to be sanctioned by the United States, because of her support for the crackdown, which has seen most of the city's prominent democracy supporters arrested, jailed or flee overseas.

Her administration also hewed to China's zero-Covid model, implementing some of the world's toughest anti-coronavirus measures and exasperating international businesses.

The largely closed borders and strict quarantine rules kept infections at bay for some two years at the expense of Hong Kong being cut off internationally.

But the strategy collapsed when the highly transmissible Omicron variant broke through earlier this year leaving Hong Kong with one of the developed world's highest fatality rates.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kongs-lam-mulls-easing-covid-rules-as-public-tolerance-fading-463165">Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam mulls easing Covid rules</a>

Hong Kongers have been leaving the city over the last two years at a rate not seen since the period before the handover.

Thousands of foreign residents have also departed, especially in the first quarter of this year when the Omicron outbreak raged and it became clear the city would remain cut off.

Hong Kong's stock exchange was trading up two percent following Lam's announcement.

While the return of protests are unlikely in the current draconian political climate, Lam's successor will need to reboot business confidence and tackle perennial Hong Kong problems such as a dismal shortage of housing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

But Lam predicted on Monday that whoever replaces her will have an easier ride.&nbsp;

"Compared to this term of government, the next government will be seeing a more stable political environment," she told reporters.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced Monday that she will step down in June, ending a divisive term that saw democracy protests squashed and strict pandemic curbs plunge the business hub into international isolation.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced Monday that she will step down in June, ending a divisive term that saw democracy protests squashed and strict pandemic curbs plunge the business hub into international isolation. Ending months of speculation, Lam confirmed she would not seek a second term when a committee made up of the city's political elite chooses a new leader next month. "I will complete my five-year term as chief executive on June 30, and officially conclude my 42-year career in government," Lam told reporters. Lam said China's leaders "understood and respected" her choice not to seek another term and that she wanted to spend more time with her family. Also read| UK judges quit Hong Kong’s top court over security law The 64-year-old had dodged questions for months over her future and during Monday's announcement she revealed that she had informed Beijing of her plans to quit more than a year ago. A career bureaucrat, Lam became Hong Kong's first woman leader in 2017 but she is on track to leave office with record-low approval ratings. Kenneth Chan, a political scientist at Baptist University, said Hong Kong leaders have always suffered from a "chronic legitimacy crisis" because they are not popularly elected. But Lam had lost support across the political spectrum. "Not merely among the pro-democracy citizens but also increasingly among the pro-Beijing camp as she has done such a terrible job with the pandemic," he told AFP. Security tsar next leader? Hong Kongers and businesses based in the finance hub currently have little clarity on who will be the next leader at a time when Beijing is increasingly calling the shots directly. The chief executive position is not popularly elected, something that years of democracy protests failed to change. Watch | Gravitas: Hong Kong separates 2,000 Covid-positive children from parents Instead, the position is selected by a 1,500-strong pro-Beijing committee, the equivalent of 0.02 percent of the city's 7.4 million population. The next chief executive will be chosen on May 8 but so far no one with a realistic prospect has publicly thrown their hat into the ring. Hong Kong's number-two official, John Lee, who has a background in the security services, has been tipped by local press as the most likely contender. Another potential front runner is finance chief Paul Chan. Lam's successor will take office on July 1, the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover by Britain to China. Supporters saw Lam as a staunch Beijing loyalist who steered the city through huge democracy protests and a debilitating pandemic. Starry Lee, who leads Hong Kong's largest pro-Beijing party the DAB, described Lam on Monday as a "hard-working" official. "Her merit... should be left to history to judge," she said. Critics, including many Western powers, viewed Lam as someone who oversaw the collapse of Hong Kong's political freedoms and its reputation as a stable regional business hub. Also read | COVID-19: Hong Kong says to halve flight suspension rule to seven days Protests and pandemic After huge and sometimes violent protests swept Hong Kong in 2019 Beijing responded with a crackdown that has remoulded the once-outspoken city into a mirror of the authoritarian mainland. Lam became the first Hong Kong leader to be sanctioned by the United States, because of her support for the crackdown, which has seen most of the city's prominent democracy supporters arrested, jailed or flee overseas. Her administration also hewed to China's zero-Covid model, implementing some of the world's toughest anti-coronavirus measures and exasperating international businesses. The largely closed borders and strict quarantine rules kept infections at bay for some two years at the expense of Hong Kong being cut off internationally. But the strategy collapsed when the highly transmissible Omicron variant broke through earlier this year leaving Hong Kong with one of the developed world's highest fatality rates. Also read | Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam mulls easing Covid rules Hong Kongers have been leaving the city over the last two years at a rate not seen since the period before the handover. Thousands of foreign residents have also departed, especially in the first quarter of this year when the Omicron outbreak raged and it became clear the city would remain cut off. Hong Kong's stock exchange was trading up two percent following Lam's announcement. While the return of protests are unlikely in the current draconian political climate, Lam's successor will need to reboot business confidence and tackle perennial Hong Kong problems such as a dismal shortage of housing. But Lam predicted on Monday that whoever replaces her will have an easier ride. "Compared to this term of government, the next government will be seeing a more stable political environment," she told reporters.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam not seek a second term

China's closed-door trial of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, accused of providing state secrets to a foreign country,ended on Thursday with the court deferring its verdict, Australia's foreign minister said.

It was not clear when a verdict would be handed down. China's courts have a conviction rate of well over 99 per cent, according to calculations by China Justice Observer, a local web site.

Cheng, 46, was a television anchor for Chinese state broadcaster CGTN before being detained in August 2020. She was formally arrested a year ago.

Cheng's family members have said they are convinced she is innocent.

A heavy contingent of uniformed police and plain-clothed security personnel were positioned outside the No.2 People's Intermediate Court in Beijing where Cheng was tried. Police, who had taped off areas close to the north and west entrances of the court, checked journalists' IDs and asked them to move away.

Australian Ambassador Graham Fletcher was denied entry to the court.

"This is deeply concerning, unsatisfactory and regrettable. We can have no confidence in the validity of a process which is conducted in secret," Fletcher told journalists after being barred from the proceedings on Thursday morning.

"Our consular agreement says that we ought to be able to attend trials," he said before leaving.

Chinese officials said that trials involving state secrets are not open to the public.

"The defendant is suspected of the crime of illegally providing state secrets to a foreign country, which is a case involving state secrets and is not handled openly, so is not open to visitors," a court official told Fletcher.

Australia has said it was concerned about Cheng's welfare and conditions of detention and what it said was a "lack of transparency" over the case.

Its diplomats have had regular visits with Cheng, most recently on March 21. "Considering the circumstances she’s doing okay," Fletcher said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that a verdict in the case would be announced "at a scheduled date".

"We urge the Australian side to earnestly respect China's judicial sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the handling of cases by the Chinese judicial authorities in any form," Wang told a regular daily briefing.

The deferral of the verdict was announced in a statement by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Last May, in a separate case at the same court, Australia's ambassador to China was denied entry to the trial of Australian blogger Yang Hengjun, who was accused of espionage. In a trial last March of Canadian former diplomat Michael Kovrig in the same court, Canadian officials were denied entry.

Cheng was born in China and moved with her parents to Australia as a child. Later she returned to China where she built a television career first with CNBC, starting in 2003, and later, starting from 2012, as a prominent business news anchor for China's English-language CGTN.

"Her two children and elderly parents miss her immensely and sincerely hope to reunite with her as soon as possible," Cheng's family said in a statement provided to Reuters.

The trial comes as diplomatic relations between Australia and China remain tense, after Canberra urged an international probe into the source of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and Beijing responded with trade reprisals.

China's closed-door trial of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, accused of providing state secrets to a foreign country,ended on Thursday with the court deferring its verdict, Australia's foreign minister said.

China's closed-door trial of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, accused of providing state secrets to a foreign country,ended on Thursday with the court deferring its verdict, Australia's foreign minister said. It was not clear when a verdict would be handed down. China's courts have a conviction rate of well over 99 per cent, according to calculations by China Justice Observer, a local web site. Cheng, 46, was a television anchor for Chinese state broadcaster CGTN before being detained in August 2020. She was formally arrested a year ago. Cheng's family members have said they are convinced she is innocent. A heavy contingent of uniformed police and plain-clothed security personnel were positioned outside the No.2 People's Intermediate Court in Beijing where Cheng was tried. Police, who had taped off areas close to the north and west entrances of the court, checked journalists' IDs and asked them to move away. Australian Ambassador Graham Fletcher was denied entry to the court. "This is deeply concerning, unsatisfactory and regrettable. We can have no confidence in the validity of a process which is conducted in secret," Fletcher told journalists after being barred from the proceedings on Thursday morning. "Our consular agreement says that we ought to be able to attend trials," he said before leaving. Chinese officials said that trials involving state secrets are not open to the public. "The defendant is suspected of the crime of illegally providing state secrets to a foreign country, which is a case involving state secrets and is not handled openly, so is not open to visitors," a court official told Fletcher. Australia has said it was concerned about Cheng's welfare and conditions of detention and what it said was a "lack of transparency" over the case. Its diplomats have had regular visits with Cheng, most recently on March 21. "Considering the circumstances she’s doing okay," Fletcher said. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that a verdict in the case would be announced "at a scheduled date". "We urge the Australian side to earnestly respect China's judicial sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the handling of cases by the Chinese judicial authorities in any form," Wang told a regular daily briefing. The deferral of the verdict was announced in a statement by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Last May, in a separate case at the same court, Australia's ambassador to China was denied entry to the trial of Australian blogger Yang Hengjun, who was accused of espionage. In a trial last March of Canadian former diplomat Michael Kovrig in the same court, Canadian officials were denied entry. Cheng was born in China and moved with her parents to Australia as a child. Later she returned to China where she built a television career first with CNBC, starting in 2003, and later, starting from 2012, as a prominent business news anchor for China's English-language CGTN. "Her two children and elderly parents miss her immensely and sincerely hope to reunite with her as soon as possible," Cheng's family said in a statement provided to Reuters. The trial comes as diplomatic relations between Australia and China remain tense, after Canberra urged an international probe into the source of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and Beijing responded with trade reprisals.

Australian journalist's Beijing trial ends with verdict deferred

In New Delhi today, the Indian government conveyed to China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi that disengagement is a precondition for normalisation of ties. Why is Beijing making an effort to resume a dialogue with New Delhi? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Why Wang Yi came to India

China's ambassador to the US said Sunday his country was not sending weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, but he did not definitively rule out the possibility Beijing might do so in the future.

In a lengthy phone call Friday, US President Joe Biden warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that there would be "consequences" if Beijing provided material support to Moscow as it prosecutes its war against Kyiv.

Asked Sunday on CBS whether China might send money or weapons to Russia, Ambassador Qin Gang spoke about the present, saying: "There is disinformation about China providing military assistance to Russia. We reject that."

Instead, "what China is doing is sending food, medicine, sleeping bags and baby formula, not weapons and ammunition to any party," he said.

Beijing, which shares with Moscow a sense of hostility and resentment toward the United States, has been loath to criticize its Russian ally over the invasion of Ukraine, despite urging by US, British and other officials.&nbsp;

Qin, interviewed on CBS talk show "Face the Nation," said Beijing was continuing to "promote peace talks and urge immediate cease-fire."

But the sort of public condemnation urged by many in the West "doesn't help," he said. "We need reason. We need courage. And we need good diplomacy."

The Chinese foreign ministry has said the West must take Russian security concerns into account.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday lent his voice to calls for China to join in condemning the Russian invasion.

"As time goes on, and as the number of Russian atrocities mounts up, I think it becomes steadily more difficult and politically embarrassing for people either actively or passively to condone Putin's invasion," he told the Sunday Times.

Mikhailo Podolyak, a top advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, pleaded with Beijing on Saturday to "condemn Russian barbarism."

Were Beijing to deliver military support to Russia, analysts say, it could transform an already explosive transatlantic standoff into a global dispute pitting the West against the world's second-biggest economy, prompting turmoil on international markets.

WATCH |&nbsp;Biden warns Xi of a global backlash if it aids Russia amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine

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China's ambassador to the US said Sunday his country was not sending weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, but he did not definitively rule out the possibility Beijing might do so in the future.

China's ambassador to the US said Sunday his country was not sending weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, but he did not definitively rule out the possibility Beijing might do so in the future. In a lengthy phone call Friday, US President Joe Biden warned his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that there would be "consequences" if Beijing provided material support to Moscow as it prosecutes its war against Kyiv. Asked Sunday on CBS whether China might send money or weapons to Russia, Ambassador Qin Gang spoke about the present, saying: "There is disinformation about China providing military assistance to Russia. We reject that." Instead, "what China is doing is sending food, medicine, sleeping bags and baby formula, not weapons and ammunition to any party," he said. Beijing, which shares with Moscow a sense of hostility and resentment toward the United States, has been loath to criticize its Russian ally over the invasion of Ukraine, despite urging by US, British and other officials. Qin, interviewed on CBS talk show "Face the Nation," said Beijing was continuing to "promote peace talks and urge immediate cease-fire." But the sort of public condemnation urged by many in the West "doesn't help," he said. "We need reason. We need courage. And we need good diplomacy." The Chinese foreign ministry has said the West must take Russian security concerns into account. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday lent his voice to calls for China to join in condemning the Russian invasion. "As time goes on, and as the number of Russian atrocities mounts up, I think it becomes steadily more difficult and politically embarrassing for people either actively or passively to condone Putin's invasion," he told the Sunday Times. Mikhailo Podolyak, a top advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, pleaded with Beijing on Saturday to "condemn Russian barbarism." Were Beijing to deliver military support to Russia, analysts say, it could transform an already explosive transatlantic standoff into a global dispute pitting the West against the world's second-biggest economy, prompting turmoil on international markets. WATCH | Biden warns Xi of a global backlash if it aids Russia amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine ×

China envoy says Beijing not sending arms to Russia, for now

When China’s legislature opened its weeklong annual session Saturday, Chinese leaders were eager to use the event to bolster confidence in the country’s economy.

Beijing used the National People’s Congress to pledge that China’s economy, the engine of global growth, will regain momentum despite a punishing slump in housing, rising commodity prices, scattered lockdowns to control coronavirus outbreaks and widespread uncertainty over the war in Ukraine.

Beijing’s ability to maintain political and economic stability is paramount as the ruling Communist Party prepares the ground for Xi Jinping, China’s leader, to secure another term in power at a party congress late this year. Xi has used a nationalistic vision of rejuvenation to justify his strongman rule and the party’s expanding grip into everyday life, but the challenges his country faces are grave.

The Chinese economy is slowing. Continued lockdowns and other stringent pandemic-control measures have hurt consumption. The average age of the population is rising fast, threatening to result in labor shortages. Officials are grappling with an unusually sustained wave of public anger about human trafficking and the shoddy protection of women.

Stabilizing China’s weak economy will be the central focus

On Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang announced that the government set a goal of "around 5.5%" economic growth for this year. That would signify continued gradual deceleration of the Chinese economy, although still faster growth than in most other countries.

Economies have rebounded strongly over the past year in the West, helped by heavy consumer spending as the pandemic ebbs at least temporarily. But China is on the opposite track. China’s economy expanded 8.1% last year but slowed markedly in the final months of last year, to 4%, as government measures to limit real estate speculation hurt other sectors as well.

Consumers, sometimes kept home by lockdowns and domestic travel restrictions, are pulling back.

A high level of household indebtedness, mainly for mortgages, has also dampened spending. Even exports appear to be growing a little less rapidly after spectacular growth through most of the pandemic.

“In pursuing economic development, China is under the triple pressures of shrinking demand, disrupted supply and weakening expectations,” Li said.

To offset weak consumption, Li announced another round of heavy, debt-fueled spending on infrastructure and on assistance to very poor households, particularly in rural areas.

Transfers from the central government to provincial governments, which mainly pay for social programs and infrastructure, will jump 18% this year.

Zhu Guangyao, a former vice minister of finance who is now a Cabinet adviser, had said at a news conference in late January that he expected the target to be about 5.5%. But Jude Blanchette, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, had suggested that global supply-chain difficulties and the economic and financial fallout from the war in Ukraine might prompt China to set a lower target.

At the congress, Blanchette predicted, “the biggest concern and the central focus is going to be the economy.”

How long will China seek to keep COVID-19 out?

China has kept the coronavirus almost completely under control within its borders after the initial outbreak in Wuhan two years ago, but at considerable cost: intermittent lockdowns, particularly in border cities, as well as lengthy quarantines for international travelers and sometimes domestic ones as well. Hints could emerge of how China intends to follow the rest of the world in opening up, although possibly not until next year.

Experts say China is unlikely to throw open its borders before the Communist Party congress late this year. When China does start opening up, it will want to avoid the kind of uncontrolled outbreak that has overwhelmed nursing homes and hospitals in Hong Kong, largely taking a toll on the city’s oldest residents, many of whom are unvaccinated.

But in interviews with state media, posts on social media and in public remarks in the past week, China’s top medical experts have begun dropping clues that the country is looking for a less stringent approach that protects lives without being overly disruptive to the economy.

The challenge for Beijing is increasing the rate of vaccination among the country’s older population. In December, a senior health official said the country’s overall vaccination rate was high but only half of citizens older than 70 were vaccinated.

China’s COVID-19 strategy relies heavily on mass surveillance of the population’s movements — with mobile phone location tracking as well as swift containment of buildings and neighborhoods when cases emerge — to impose mass testing and quarantines.

But in a sign of Beijing’s concern about the economic toll of such measures, the National Development and Reform Commission ordered local governments last month not to impose unauthorized lockdowns. The top economic planner said governments “must not go beyond the corresponding regulations of epidemic prevention and control to lock down cities and districts, and must not interrupt public transportation if it’s unnecessary or without approval.”

Beijing faces intense public pressure over women’s rights

Officials have struggled to contain the public outrage that erupted after a short video of a woman chained in a doorless shack went viral in late January. The woman in east-central China’s Jiangsu province, who was described by government investigators as having been abducted in 1998, had given birth to eight children.

Her case drew renewed public attention to the long-standing problem of trafficking in women. Decades of the country’s one-child policy led to a shortage of women, after families abandoned newborn girls or aborted female fetuses in favor of boys. Many men now find it hard to locate wives, and some have resorted to criminal gangs who abduct women.

In a tacit acknowledgment of the immense public anger that has erupted in recent weeks, Li pledged to take action against human trafficking, without going into specifics. “We will crack down hard on the trafficking of women and children and protect their lawful rights and interests,” he said.

Close to a dozen lawmakers and members of a top political advisory body have proposed measures to address the problem, including suggesting more severe punishments for buyers of abducted women and children.

But changing laws through the National People’s Congress is a lengthy process, and the congress often leaves this to its standing committee, which convenes every couple of months, and sometimes more often. “I don’t expect the NPC to take any specific legislative action on the social issues,” said Changhao Wei, who is the founder, manager and editor of a blog that tracks the Chinese legislature.

No such legislation appeared on the agenda released Friday before the opening of the National People’s Congress.

Beijing will probably be tight-lipped on the war in Ukraine

In many countries, a legislative gathering would offer a chance for robust debate on the war in Ukraine. But China’s Communist Party-controlled congress is a gathering so rigidly controlled and swaddled in ritual that the whole point seems to be to keep controversy at bay.

Beijing’s pact with Moscow a month ago and the subsequent Russian invasion of Ukraine may get scant mention. China’s country’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, will hold a news briefing Monday at which he is expected to reiterate Beijing’s stance that Russia’s security interests should be respected and that both sides should hold talks.

Guo Shuqing, China’s top banking regulator, said Wednesday that China would not join Western sanctions on Russia and planned to maintain normal trade and financial relations with Russia and Ukraine.

The clearest signal on foreign policy may come not from Li’s work report but from his budget, a document scheduled for release Saturday. The budget is expected to call for another large increase in military spending, which grew four times as fast last year as nonmilitary spending by the central government and provincial governments.

When China’s legislature opened its weeklong annual session Saturday, Chinese leaders were eager to use the event to bolster confidence in the country’s economy.

When China’s legislature opened its weeklong annual session Saturday, Chinese leaders were eager to use the event to bolster confidence in the country’s economy. Beijing used the National People’s Congress to pledge that China’s economy, the engine of global growth, will regain momentum despite a punishing slump in housing, rising commodity prices, scattered lockdowns to control coronavirus outbreaks and widespread uncertainty over the war in Ukraine. Beijing’s ability to maintain political and economic stability is paramount as the ruling Communist Party prepares the ground for Xi Jinping, China’s leader, to secure another term in power at a party congress late this year. Xi has used a nationalistic vision of rejuvenation to justify his strongman rule and the party’s expanding grip into everyday life, but the challenges his country faces are grave. The Chinese economy is slowing. Continued lockdowns and other stringent pandemic-control measures have hurt consumption. The average age of the population is rising fast, threatening to result in labor shortages. Officials are grappling with an unusually sustained wave of public anger about human trafficking and the shoddy protection of women. Stabilizing China’s weak economy will be the central focus On Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang announced that the government set a goal of "around 5.5%" economic growth for this year. That would signify continued gradual deceleration of the Chinese economy, although still faster growth than in most other countries. Economies have rebounded strongly over the past year in the West, helped by heavy consumer spending as the pandemic ebbs at least temporarily. But China is on the opposite track. China’s economy expanded 8.1% last year but slowed markedly in the final months of last year, to 4%, as government measures to limit real estate speculation hurt other sectors as well. Consumers, sometimes kept home by lockdowns and domestic travel restrictions, are pulling back. A high level of household indebtedness, mainly for mortgages, has also dampened spending. Even exports appear to be growing a little less rapidly after spectacular growth through most of the pandemic. “In pursuing economic development, China is under the triple pressures of shrinking demand, disrupted supply and weakening expectations,” Li said. To offset weak consumption, Li announced another round of heavy, debt-fueled spending on infrastructure and on assistance to very poor households, particularly in rural areas. Transfers from the central government to provincial governments, which mainly pay for social programs and infrastructure, will jump 18% this year. Zhu Guangyao, a former vice minister of finance who is now a Cabinet adviser, had said at a news conference in late January that he expected the target to be about 5.5%. But Jude Blanchette, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, had suggested that global supply-chain difficulties and the economic and financial fallout from the war in Ukraine might prompt China to set a lower target. At the congress, Blanchette predicted, “the biggest concern and the central focus is going to be the economy.” How long will China seek to keep COVID-19 out? China has kept the coronavirus almost completely under control within its borders after the initial outbreak in Wuhan two years ago, but at considerable cost: intermittent lockdowns, particularly in border cities, as well as lengthy quarantines for international travelers and sometimes domestic ones as well. Hints could emerge of how China intends to follow the rest of the world in opening up, although possibly not until next year. Experts say China is unlikely to throw open its borders before the Communist Party congress late this year. When China does start opening up, it will want to avoid the kind of uncontrolled outbreak that has overwhelmed nursing homes and hospitals in Hong Kong, largely taking a toll on the city’s oldest residents, many of whom are unvaccinated. But in interviews with state media, posts on social media and in public remarks in the past week, China’s top medical experts have begun dropping clues that the country is looking for a less stringent approach that protects lives without being overly disruptive to the economy. The challenge for Beijing is increasing the rate of vaccination among the country’s older population. In December, a senior health official said the country’s overall vaccination rate was high but only half of citizens older than 70 were vaccinated. China’s COVID-19 strategy relies heavily on mass surveillance of the population’s movements — with mobile phone location tracking as well as swift containment of buildings and neighborhoods when cases emerge — to impose mass testing and quarantines. But in a sign of Beijing’s concern about the economic toll of such measures, the National Development and Reform Commission ordered local governments last month not to impose unauthorized lockdowns. The top economic planner said governments “must not go beyond the corresponding regulations of epidemic prevention and control to lock down cities and districts, and must not interrupt public transportation if it’s unnecessary or without approval.” Beijing faces intense public pressure over women’s rights Officials have struggled to contain the public outrage that erupted after a short video of a woman chained in a doorless shack went viral in late January. The woman in east-central China’s Jiangsu province, who was described by government investigators as having been abducted in 1998, had given birth to eight children. Her case drew renewed public attention to the long-standing problem of trafficking in women. Decades of the country’s one-child policy led to a shortage of women, after families abandoned newborn girls or aborted female fetuses in favor of boys. Many men now find it hard to locate wives, and some have resorted to criminal gangs who abduct women. In a tacit acknowledgment of the immense public anger that has erupted in recent weeks, Li pledged to take action against human trafficking, without going into specifics. “We will crack down hard on the trafficking of women and children and protect their lawful rights and interests,” he said. Close to a dozen lawmakers and members of a top political advisory body have proposed measures to address the problem, including suggesting more severe punishments for buyers of abducted women and children. But changing laws through the National People’s Congress is a lengthy process, and the congress often leaves this to its standing committee, which convenes every couple of months, and sometimes more often. “I don’t expect the NPC to take any specific legislative action on the social issues,” said Changhao Wei, who is the founder, manager and editor of a blog that tracks the Chinese legislature. No such legislation appeared on the agenda released Friday before the opening of the National People’s Congress. Beijing will probably be tight-lipped on the war in Ukraine In many countries, a legislative gathering would offer a chance for robust debate on the war in Ukraine. But China’s Communist Party-controlled congress is a gathering so rigidly controlled and swaddled in ritual that the whole point seems to be to keep controversy at bay. Beijing’s pact with Moscow a month ago and the subsequent Russian invasion of Ukraine may get scant mention. China’s country’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, will hold a news briefing Monday at which he is expected to reiterate Beijing’s stance that Russia’s security interests should be respected and that both sides should hold talks. Guo Shuqing, China’s top banking regulator, said Wednesday that China would not join Western sanctions on Russia and planned to maintain normal trade and financial relations with Russia and Ukraine. The clearest signal on foreign policy may come not from Li’s work report but from his budget, a document scheduled for release Saturday. The budget is expected to call for another large increase in military spending, which grew four times as fast last year as nonmilitary spending by the central government and provincial governments.

China’s slowing economy tops agenda at legislative session

China will spend 7.1% more on defence this year, outpacing last year's hike and the government's modest economic growth forecast as Premier Li Keqiang seeks to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests.

Li pledged to enhance military training and combat readiness for the People's Liberation Army, which is developing an array of weapons from stealth fighters to aircraft carriers.

The spending figure, set at 1.45 trillion yuan ($229.47 billion) in the national budget released on Saturday, is closely watched by China's neighbours and in Washington as a barometer of how aggressively the country will beef up its military.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-chinese-broadcaster-censors-call-for-peace-at-paralympic-games-opening-ceremony-459155">Russia-Ukraine war: Chinese broadcaster 'censors' call for peace at Paralympic Games opening ceremony</a>

This year's 7.1% hike marks the seventh consecutive single-digit increase, but is the fastest pace since the 7.5% proposed for 2019.

It also comes in above targeted slower economic growth of around 5.5% amid domestic headwinds for the world's second largest economy, including a downturn in the country's vast real estate sector and lacklustre consumption.

China is nervous about challenges on several fronts, ranging from Chinese-claimed Taiwan to U.S. naval and air missions in the disputed South China Sea near Chinese-occupied islands and a festering border dispute with India.

Li, in his state-of-the-nation address to the largely rubber-stamp legislature, said this year the government would move faster to modernise the military's logistics and asset management systems, and build a modern weaponry and equipment management system.

"We will continue the reform of national defence and the military and step up innovations in defence science and technology," he added.

"Government at all levels must give strong support to the development of national defence and the armed forces, so unity between the military and government and between the military and the people will remain rock solid."

The budget gives only a raw figure for military expenditure, with no breakdown. Many diplomats and foreign experts believe Beijing under-reports the real number.

China's reported defence budget in 2022 is less than a third of proposed U.S. spending.

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Arms race

Takashi Kawakami, a professor at Japan's Takushoku University, said the spending increase was "significant."

"We will see how the U.S. responds to the increase in the defence budget, and how much China will increase its defence budget next year, but it looks like it will result in an arms race."

President Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress for a U.S. defence budget exceeding $770 billion for the next fiscal year as the Pentagon seeks to modernize the military, sources told Reuters last month.

China has long argued that it needs to close the gap with the United States. China, for example, has two aircraft carriers, compared with 11 in active service for the United States.

Beijing routinely says that spending for defensive purposes is a comparatively low percentage of its GDP and that critics want to demonize it as a threat to world peace.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Has Russia lost China's support?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-invasion-has-russia-lost-chinas-support-458718/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Kuo Yu-jen, a security expert at Taiwan's National Sun Yat-sen University's Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, said Beijing was being forced to spend more on research and development in light of the China-U.S. technology war.

"Costs for China's third and fourth aircraft carriers are going up, too," he added.

China will spend 7.1% more on defence this year, outpacing last year's hike and the government's modest economic growth forecast as Premier Li Keqiang seeks to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests.

China will spend 7.1% more on defence this year, outpacing last year's hike and the government's modest economic growth forecast as Premier Li Keqiang seeks to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests. Li pledged to enhance military training and combat readiness for the People's Liberation Army, which is developing an array of weapons from stealth fighters to aircraft carriers. The spending figure, set at 1.45 trillion yuan ($229.47 billion) in the national budget released on Saturday, is closely watched by China's neighbours and in Washington as a barometer of how aggressively the country will beef up its military. Also read | Russia-Ukraine war: Chinese broadcaster 'censors' call for peace at Paralympic Games opening ceremony This year's 7.1% hike marks the seventh consecutive single-digit increase, but is the fastest pace since the 7.5% proposed for 2019. It also comes in above targeted slower economic growth of around 5.5% amid domestic headwinds for the world's second largest economy, including a downturn in the country's vast real estate sector and lacklustre consumption. China is nervous about challenges on several fronts, ranging from Chinese-claimed Taiwan to U.S. naval and air missions in the disputed South China Sea near Chinese-occupied islands and a festering border dispute with India. Li, in his state-of-the-nation address to the largely rubber-stamp legislature, said this year the government would move faster to modernise the military's logistics and asset management systems, and build a modern weaponry and equipment management system. "We will continue the reform of national defence and the military and step up innovations in defence science and technology," he added. "Government at all levels must give strong support to the development of national defence and the armed forces, so unity between the military and government and between the military and the people will remain rock solid." The budget gives only a raw figure for military expenditure, with no breakdown. Many diplomats and foreign experts believe Beijing under-reports the real number. China's reported defence budget in 2022 is less than a third of proposed U.S. spending. Also read | Aiming to diminish Uyghur culture, China orders closure of 160 organisations Arms race Takashi Kawakami, a professor at Japan's Takushoku University, said the spending increase was "significant." "We will see how the U.S. responds to the increase in the defence budget, and how much China will increase its defence budget next year, but it looks like it will result in an arms race." President Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress for a U.S. defence budget exceeding $770 billion for the next fiscal year as the Pentagon seeks to modernize the military, sources told Reuters last month. China has long argued that it needs to close the gap with the United States. China, for example, has two aircraft carriers, compared with 11 in active service for the United States. Beijing routinely says that spending for defensive purposes is a comparatively low percentage of its GDP and that critics want to demonize it as a threat to world peace. Watch | Gravitas: Ukraine invasion: Has Russia lost China's support? Kuo Yu-jen, a security expert at Taiwan's National Sun Yat-sen University's Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, said Beijing was being forced to spend more on research and development in light of the China-U.S. technology war. "Costs for China's third and fourth aircraft carriers are going up, too," he added.

China plans 7.1% defence spending rise this year, outpacing GDP target

Russia's contingent at the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing plan to leave China after being banned from participating because of the country's invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) said on Friday.

The RPC added that it would not appeal the decision to ban its athletes to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following legal advice.

Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from the Winter Paralympics by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Thursday after initially being allowed to compete as neutrals.

Belarus has been a key staging area for the full-scale invasion Russia launched on Ukraine a week ago.

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Russian news agency TASS had reported that Russia was planning to challenge the IPC's decision at CAS, but its Paralympic Committee said on Friday that it was prevented from doing so by the IPC's rules.

Article 2.9 of the IPC rules for the Games gives the international governing body the discretion to "refuse any athlete entry, without indication of grounds."

The IPC's constitution also does not contain an arbitration clause that would allow for an application to CAS to resolve disputes, the RPC added.

"The Russian Paralympic Committee and its athletes currently do not consider it possible or expedient to stay in Beijing and are planning to leave the Winter Games capital, the city of wonderful people, in the near future," the governing body said.

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Russians competing as neutrals won 24 medals four years ago in Pyeongchang and they were set to field a 71-member team for the Games in Beijing while Belarus had 12 athletes.

Belarus's Olympic committee did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Russia's contingent at the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing plan to leave China after being banned from participating because of the country's invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) said on Friday.

Russia's contingent at the Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing plan to leave China after being banned from participating because of the country's invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) said on Friday. The RPC added that it would not appeal the decision to ban its athletes to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following legal advice. Russian and Belarusian athletes were barred from the Winter Paralympics by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Thursday after initially being allowed to compete as neutrals. Belarus has been a key staging area for the full-scale invasion Russia launched on Ukraine a week ago. ALSO READ: Indian batters have a scope for improvement in tackling spin: Gambhir on Kohli, Mayank's dismissal Russian news agency TASS had reported that Russia was planning to challenge the IPC's decision at CAS, but its Paralympic Committee said on Friday that it was prevented from doing so by the IPC's rules. Article 2.9 of the IPC rules for the Games gives the international governing body the discretion to "refuse any athlete entry, without indication of grounds." The IPC's constitution also does not contain an arbitration clause that would allow for an application to CAS to resolve disputes, the RPC added. "The Russian Paralympic Committee and its athletes currently do not consider it possible or expedient to stay in Beijing and are planning to leave the Winter Games capital, the city of wonderful people, in the near future," the governing body said. ALSO READ: Rishabh Pant misses out on his hundred as India post 357/6 on Day 1 of 1st Test against Sri Lanka Russians competing as neutrals won 24 medals four years ago in Pyeongchang and they were set to field a 71-member team for the Games in Beijing while Belarus had 12 athletes. Belarus's Olympic committee did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Winter Paralympics: Russian contingent to leave Beijing after deciding against appeal

Power failures were&nbsp;reported&nbsp;in many&nbsp;parts&nbsp;of&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;on Thursday following what the presidential office said was "an incident" at a power plant.

The&nbsp;blackouts&nbsp;occurred after 9 am (0100 GMT)&nbsp;across&nbsp;the island, from the capital Taipei to central Taichung city and southern Pingtung county, reports said.&nbsp;

The electricity failures came as&nbsp;President Tsai Ing-wen was set to meet the former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-sends-delegation-to-taiwan-amid-invasion-fears-457815">United States sends delegation to Taiwan amid ‘invasion’ fears</a>

They also came a day after a visit by a delegation of former US security officials, a trip denounced by Beijing, which sees&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;as its territory and denounces any official ties the island has with other countries.&nbsp;

The Presidential Office said an initial probe showed the&nbsp;blackouts&nbsp;were caused by "an incident" at a power plant in southern Kaohsiung city. &nbsp;

While power supply at the president's office was normal, it said a scheduled live stream of Tsai's meeting with Pompeo was cancelled.

"President Tsai has instructed the cabinet and relevant agencies to clarify the cause of the incident... and resume power supplies as soon as possible," the statement read.

State-run Taipower said a malfunction occurred at Kaohsiung's Hsinta power plant, the island's third-largest coal-fired station which supplies around a seventh of&nbsp;Taiwan's power.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-us-warship-sailing-in-taiwan-strait-provocative-456800">China says US warship sailing in Taiwan Strait 'provocative'</a>

It then caused an ultra-high voltage station in neighbouring Tainan to trip, which led to the blackouts, it said.

The outage hit about 5.5 million homes across&nbsp;Taiwan, the company said, of which 4 million have since had power restored.

Economic minister Wang Mei-hua told reporters the Hsinta plant has been cut off from the power system after the incident, with hydro and other power plants being brought online to supply electricity.&nbsp;

TV footage showed police officers directing cars as traffic lights failed and some shops were forced to stay closed due to the lack of power.

Taiwan&nbsp;High-Speed Rail said an unspecified number of its trains were affected by the power outage.&nbsp;

Taiwan&nbsp;Railways Administration said some of its trains operating in southern Tainan, Pingtung and central Nantou have been delayed or suspended.&nbsp;

The island does occasionally experience large power outages, particularly during warmer seasons when demand spikes.&nbsp;

In 2017,&nbsp;Taiwan's economic minister resigned following an outcry over massive power failures across the island, affecting more than six million households.

Blackouts also hit in May last year as demand spiked during a heatwave.&nbsp;

Power failures were reported in many parts of Taiwan on Thursday following what the presidential office said was "an incident" at a power plant. The blackouts occurred after 9 am (0100 GMT) across the island, from the capital Taipei to central Taichung city and southern Pingtung county, reports said.

Power failures were reported in many parts of Taiwan on Thursday following what the presidential office said was "an incident" at a power plant. The blackouts occurred after 9 am (0100 GMT) across the island, from the capital Taipei to central Taichung city and southern Pingtung county, reports said. The electricity failures came as President Tsai Ing-wen was set to meet the former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo. Also read | United States sends delegation to Taiwan amid ‘invasion’ fears They also came a day after a visit by a delegation of former US security officials, a trip denounced by Beijing, which sees Taiwan as its territory and denounces any official ties the island has with other countries. The Presidential Office said an initial probe showed the blackouts were caused by "an incident" at a power plant in southern Kaohsiung city. While power supply at the president's office was normal, it said a scheduled live stream of Tsai's meeting with Pompeo was cancelled. "President Tsai has instructed the cabinet and relevant agencies to clarify the cause of the incident... and resume power supplies as soon as possible," the statement read. State-run Taipower said a malfunction occurred at Kaohsiung's Hsinta power plant, the island's third-largest coal-fired station which supplies around a seventh of Taiwan's power. Also read | China says US warship sailing in Taiwan Strait 'provocative' It then caused an ultra-high voltage station in neighbouring Tainan to trip, which led to the blackouts, it said. The outage hit about 5.5 million homes across Taiwan, the company said, of which 4 million have since had power restored. Economic minister Wang Mei-hua told reporters the Hsinta plant has been cut off from the power system after the incident, with hydro and other power plants being brought online to supply electricity. TV footage showed police officers directing cars as traffic lights failed and some shops were forced to stay closed due to the lack of power. Taiwan High-Speed Rail said an unspecified number of its trains were affected by the power outage. Taiwan Railways Administration said some of its trains operating in southern Tainan, Pingtung and central Nantou have been delayed or suspended. The island does occasionally experience large power outages, particularly during warmer seasons when demand spikes. In 2017, Taiwan's economic minister resigned following an outcry over massive power failures across the island, affecting more than six million households. Blackouts also hit in May last year as demand spiked during a heatwave.

Mass blackouts reported across parts of Taiwan, 5.5 million homes affected

Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutrals at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Wednesday, despite calls to ban them following Russia's invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week recommended that sports federations suspend teams and athletes from the two countries but added that they could compete as neutrals if time or legal constraints prevented their removal.

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"They will compete under the Paralympic flag and not be included in the medal table," the IPC said in a statement.

"In deciding what action to take, the Board was guided by the IPC's core principles, which include a commitment to political neutrality and impartiality, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of sport."

"These are key components of the new IPC Constitution that was approved at the 2021 IPC General Assembly held just over three months ago."

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A number of sports federations, including world soccer governing body FIFA, have banned teams and athletes from Russia and Belarus.

The Games run from March 4-13.

Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutrals at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Wednesday, despite calls to ban them following Russia's invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area.

Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutrals at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Wednesday, despite calls to ban them following Russia's invasion of Ukraine for which Belarus has been a key staging area. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week recommended that sports federations suspend teams and athletes from the two countries but added that they could compete as neutrals if time or legal constraints prevented their removal. ALSO READ: Drivers from Russia, Belarus to participate only in their neutral capacity, says FIA President Md. Ben Sulayem "They will compete under the Paralympic flag and not be included in the medal table," the IPC said in a statement. "In deciding what action to take, the Board was guided by the IPC's core principles, which include a commitment to political neutrality and impartiality, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of sport." "These are key components of the new IPC Constitution that was approved at the 2021 IPC General Assembly held just over three months ago." ALSO READ: Players from Russia, Belarus allowed to compete in ATP, WTA events A number of sports federations, including world soccer governing body FIFA, have banned teams and athletes from Russia and Belarus. The Games run from March 4-13.

Beijing Winter Paralympics: Athletes from Russia, Belarus can compete as neutrals

China has placed US companies Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp under sanctions over US&nbsp;arms sales to Taiwan. 
 
The sanctions are countermeasures against the two companies over a $100 million Feb. 7 arms sale that "undermined China`s security interests, seriously undermined China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait", foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing. 
 
Beijing says that the self-ruled island of Taiwan is a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland. 
 
"In accordance with the relevant stipulations in China`s anti-foreign sanctions law, the Chinese government has decided to take countermeasures on the infringing acts of Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin," Wang said. 
 
"Both are military enterprises that have long participated in U.S. arm sales to China`s Taiwan region." 
 
No further details were given on the nature of the sanctions. 
 
This is the first time the companies have faced sanctions under China`s new anti-foreign sanctions law drawn up last year in response to U.S. sanctions against Chinese companies. 
 
On at least two previous occasions China has announced sanctions against Lockheed and Raytheon, in 2019 and 2020, though Beijing provided no further details.

China has placed US companies Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp under sanctions over US arms sales to Taiwan. The sanctions are countermeasures against the two companies over a $100 million Feb.

China has placed US companies Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp under sanctions over US arms sales to Taiwan. The sanctions are countermeasures against the two companies over a $100 million Feb. 7 arms sale that "undermined China`s security interests, seriously undermined China-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait", foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing. Beijing says that the self-ruled island of Taiwan is a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland. "In accordance with the relevant stipulations in China`s anti-foreign sanctions law, the Chinese government has decided to take countermeasures on the infringing acts of Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin," Wang said. "Both are military enterprises that have long participated in U.S. arm sales to China`s Taiwan region." No further details were given on the nature of the sanctions. This is the first time the companies have faced sanctions under China`s new anti-foreign sanctions law drawn up last year in response to U.S. sanctions against Chinese companies. On at least two previous occasions China has announced sanctions against Lockheed and Raytheon, in 2019 and 2020, though Beijing provided no further details.

Beijing places sanctions on US arms companies Lockheed and Raytheon

Beijing&nbsp;will include more than a dozen&nbsp;fertility&nbsp;services&nbsp;in a government-backed medical&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;scheme for the&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;capital, state media reported on Monday,&nbsp;supporting those seeking to have babies with China's birth rate at a record low.

A total of 16 medical&nbsp;services&nbsp;using assisted reproductive technologies (ART) will be covered by the city's state&nbsp;insurance&nbsp;effective from March 26, in a move to "take proactive&nbsp;fertility&nbsp;support&nbsp;measures", according to the&nbsp;Beijing&nbsp;Daily.

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The new reproductive&nbsp;coverage&nbsp;could help lower out-of-pocket costs and benefit couples in lower-income brackets seeking to have babies and those with little or no access to private medical&nbsp;insurance.

Official data showed China's birth rate dropped to a record low in 2021, extending a downward trend that led the national government last year to begin allowing couples to have up to three children.

China will work towards achieving an "appropriate" birth rate, Premier Li Keqiang said at the start of the annual parliamentary meeting in March last year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-human-rights-chief-can-visit-xinjiang-but-beijing-doesnt-welcome-any-probe-says-chinas-foreign-minister-454717">UN human rights chief can visit Xinjiang but Beijing doesn't welcome any probe, says China's foreign minister</a>

China faces what experts call a "demographic time-bomb" as its elderly population increases while its workforce gets smaller due to decreasing&nbsp;births, partly due to a one-child policy in place for about four decades before being scrapped in 2016.

China will raise the statutory retirement age "in a phased manner", Li said last year.

The eastern province of Jiangsu said last month that starting from March, employees eligible for state pensions will be able to apply for delayed retirement for no less than one year from the statutory retirement age.

Beijing will include more than a dozen fertility services in a government-backed medical insurance scheme for the Chinese capital, state media reported on Monday, supporting those seeking to have babies with China's birth rate at a record low.

Beijing will include more than a dozen fertility services in a government-backed medical insurance scheme for the Chinese capital, state media reported on Monday, supporting those seeking to have babies with China's birth rate at a record low. A total of 16 medical services using assisted reproductive technologies (ART) will be covered by the city's state insurance effective from March 26, in a move to "take proactive fertility support measures", according to the Beijing Daily. Also read | Now, Chinese students to be taught Xi Jinping's 'thoughts' The new reproductive coverage could help lower out-of-pocket costs and benefit couples in lower-income brackets seeking to have babies and those with little or no access to private medical insurance. Official data showed China's birth rate dropped to a record low in 2021, extending a downward trend that led the national government last year to begin allowing couples to have up to three children. China will work towards achieving an "appropriate" birth rate, Premier Li Keqiang said at the start of the annual parliamentary meeting in March last year. Also read | UN human rights chief can visit Xinjiang but Beijing doesn't welcome any probe, says China's foreign minister China faces what experts call a "demographic time-bomb" as its elderly population increases while its workforce gets smaller due to decreasing births, partly due to a one-child policy in place for about four decades before being scrapped in 2016. China will raise the statutory retirement age "in a phased manner", Li said last year. The eastern province of Jiangsu said last month that starting from March, employees eligible for state pensions will be able to apply for delayed retirement for no less than one year from the statutory retirement age.

To support births, Chinese capital Beijing adds fertility services to insurance coverage

When it comes to Eileen Gu, the 18-year-old Olympic gold medalist freestyle skier who was born in San Francisco but competed for China, Chinese Americans have lots of opinions.

There are those who love her, moved by her ability to soar over treacherous slopes with ease. Others are inspired by her efforts to navigate the uneasy political tension between two countries and cultures. Some believe she chose to represent China simply to cash in on the lucrative opportunities it has afforded her.

But like her or not, many Chinese Americans interviewed in the New York region this week agreed on one thing: When Gu says, as she often does, “When I’m in the U.S., I’m American, but when I’m in China, I’m Chinese,” it resonates with them.

“I think what I’m seeing is somebody who isn’t afraid to love her identities and share that with people,” said Sarah Belle Lin, 28, a Harlem resident. “I think it’s so brave, actually, for her to speak about that on a public platform.”

To Lin and more than two dozen other Chinese Americans interviewed in the New York metro area, home to the country’s largest Chinese American population as of 2019, Gu’s statement expresses a duality that resembles their lived experiences. And they find that duality comfortable, they said, not counterintuitive.

For that reason, many expressed dismay about social media users and conservative pundits calling Gu a “traitor” and “ungrateful,” painting her as somehow not quite an American because she had chosen to compete for China, and suggesting that her identity must fall into a binary — Chinese or American, but not both.

Gu has repeatedly stated that she made her choice because she wanted to serve as a role model for female athletes in China, and raise the profile of skiing in a country where it is still largely a nascent sport.

Some of those interviewed said they viewed the questioning of her loyalty as a troubling reminder of ongoing Orientalist stereotypes of Asian Americans as “perpetual foreigners” with the potential to undermine the United States, even though many of them call the country their home.

“I think, if political tensions continue to rise, we will find ourselves in situations, whether we’re in the States or in China, where people will push us to identify with one over the other,” said Easten Law, 38, of Princeton, New Jersey.

“For us everyday Chinese Americans, we’re going to have to deal with the same issues of, you know, claiming versus disassociating, and parsing through what to identify with and what not to,” he said. “I think it’s inevitable.”

For others, the criticism against Gu felt personal. Several described experiencing the weight of other people’s narrow expectations of how Asian Americans should act, think and identify.

Jessica Wu, a Queens resident, never felt this projection more clearly than in 2017, when she flew from Portugal to Philadelphia. While passing through immigration with others from her flight, Wu said, a Transportation Security Administration agent laughed when he saw her U.S. passport and asked if she was actually an American citizen.

“Even though I never felt like I have to choose or even think about my identity, I think other people make that assumption for me, or they put their own racist assumptions on me,” Wu said.

Though Gu, who was born to a Chinese mother and an American father, has described herself as a typical Asian American teen, she had an unusually privileged childhood. She was raised in an affluent neighborhood of San Francisco, attended an elite private school and spent most summers in Beijing.

Her experience since then has been similarly uncommon. She has been allowed to compete with an ambiguous citizenship status: China does not allow dual citizenship, but there is no record of Gu having renounced her American citizenship.

And then there’s the fact that she has been able to tap into a vast pool of sponsorships, in part because competitive skiing is still a growing field in China.

She has contracts with more than 30 international brands, according to The Wall Street Journal, including Tiffany &amp; Co. and Louis Vuitton, and her rising modeling career has put her on the covers of the Chinese editions of Vogue and Marie Claire.

Lai Ling Li, 38, who said she was a fan of Gu, said she thought China’s audience of 1.4 billion people likely drove the athlete’s decision.

“It really comes down to opportunity,” said Li, noting Gu’s impressive sponsorship roster.

“I don’t know any other athlete who’s able to do that, especially at 18 years old,” she added.

Whether or not Gu was motivated by identity or national preference, her story is one that is now inextricably tangled up in both.

The relationship between China and the United States has reached a new low in recent years as China’s economic and military global power has grown. The tension was compounded by former President Donald Trump’s punitive trade policies and explicit anti-Chinese statements at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. As assaults against Asian Americans spiked across the country over the past two years, many attackers parroted the former president’s rhetoric.

Under the shadow of today’s antagonism, Gu has had to field countless questions about everything from whether she intends to renounce her U.S. citizenship to her thoughts on China’s censorship policies and the sexual assault allegations made by Peng Shuai, one of the country’s star tennis players, against a senior government official.

Gu has stressed repeatedly that she wants to avoid discussing politics when it comes to China, telling The New York Times in a previous interview that she did not want to be “divisive” and that her mission is “all about inclusivity.”

In New York, many of those interviewed said her decision to compete for China should not be conflated with a political preference, arguing that it was unfair to expect someone’s identity to represent a country or its political climate. (Others noted that she was just 15 when she made the choice.)

“To be Chinese doesn’t mean that you are always in support of China’s government,” said Lucy Yu, 27, who recently opened Yu and Me Books, a bookstore in Manhattan’s Chinatown. “I can respect that and also understand the difficulties that come with expressing that.”

Some said they were confused as to why Gu had chosen to compete for a country facing widespread allegations of human rights abuses, such as accusations of carrying out a genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim residents, and a history of suppressing those who have attempted to sound the alarm over social unrest or government wrongdoing.

Others said that although they did not believe Gu was obligated to speak up on issues affecting Chinese people, they did not understand why she had chosen to stay tight-lipped on matters in China while making her position clear on issues relevant to Americans, such as the rise in anti-Asian attacks and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Ricky Yeh, 37, said as a Taiwanese American, he was troubled by Gu’s choice. Beijing considers the island part of China and has long demanded unification, but an increasing number of Taiwanese people have distanced themselves from mainland culture.

“If you are a supporter of human rights, according to her public speech, then why do you support that kind of country?” Yeh said. “Maybe that’s not her priority. But in recent days, every country has recognized that China has been harming human rights in every way they can.”

And some, such as Ming Xia, a professor of political science at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, feared that the longer Gu competes for China, the more vulnerable she may become to any of the country’s attempts to exploit her image for political propaganda.

“She was recruited to compete on behalf of China, but she was not recruited to become the spokesperson for China’s toxic patriotism,” Xia said.

Perhaps at the heart of the controversy is the question of what it means to be Asian American, and how that evolving description stretches and bends for each person.

Lin, the Harlem resident, plans to live in Hong Kong or Shanghai for a few years. She said that wherever she ends up moving, she would be just as American there as she is Asian while living in the U.S.

The idea that someone would feel justified in questioning her identity or even her political loyalty over this choice, she said, angered her. And although members of the public may have already made up their minds about who Gu is and what she stands for, she said, only the athlete herself will know the answer.

“I’m Asian American, now and forever,” Lin said. “And I feel like the same goes for anybody who wants to say the same.”

When it comes to Eileen Gu, the 18-year-old Olympic gold medalist freestyle skier who was born in San Francisco but competed for China, Chinese Americans have lots of opinions.

When it comes to Eileen Gu, the 18-year-old Olympic gold medalist freestyle skier who was born in San Francisco but competed for China, Chinese Americans have lots of opinions. There are those who love her, moved by her ability to soar over treacherous slopes with ease. Others are inspired by her efforts to navigate the uneasy political tension between two countries and cultures. Some believe she chose to represent China simply to cash in on the lucrative opportunities it has afforded her. But like her or not, many Chinese Americans interviewed in the New York region this week agreed on one thing: When Gu says, as she often does, “When I’m in the U.S., I’m American, but when I’m in China, I’m Chinese,” it resonates with them. “I think what I’m seeing is somebody who isn’t afraid to love her identities and share that with people,” said Sarah Belle Lin, 28, a Harlem resident. “I think it’s so brave, actually, for her to speak about that on a public platform.” To Lin and more than two dozen other Chinese Americans interviewed in the New York metro area, home to the country’s largest Chinese American population as of 2019, Gu’s statement expresses a duality that resembles their lived experiences. And they find that duality comfortable, they said, not counterintuitive. For that reason, many expressed dismay about social media users and conservative pundits calling Gu a “traitor” and “ungrateful,” painting her as somehow not quite an American because she had chosen to compete for China, and suggesting that her identity must fall into a binary — Chinese or American, but not both. Gu has repeatedly stated that she made her choice because she wanted to serve as a role model for female athletes in China, and raise the profile of skiing in a country where it is still largely a nascent sport. Some of those interviewed said they viewed the questioning of her loyalty as a troubling reminder of ongoing Orientalist stereotypes of Asian Americans as “perpetual foreigners” with the potential to undermine the United States, even though many of them call the country their home. “I think, if political tensions continue to rise, we will find ourselves in situations, whether we’re in the States or in China, where people will push us to identify with one over the other,” said Easten Law, 38, of Princeton, New Jersey. “For us everyday Chinese Americans, we’re going to have to deal with the same issues of, you know, claiming versus disassociating, and parsing through what to identify with and what not to,” he said. “I think it’s inevitable.” For others, the criticism against Gu felt personal. Several described experiencing the weight of other people’s narrow expectations of how Asian Americans should act, think and identify. Jessica Wu, a Queens resident, never felt this projection more clearly than in 2017, when she flew from Portugal to Philadelphia. While passing through immigration with others from her flight, Wu said, a Transportation Security Administration agent laughed when he saw her U.S. passport and asked if she was actually an American citizen. “Even though I never felt like I have to choose or even think about my identity, I think other people make that assumption for me, or they put their own racist assumptions on me,” Wu said. Though Gu, who was born to a Chinese mother and an American father, has described herself as a typical Asian American teen, she had an unusually privileged childhood. She was raised in an affluent neighborhood of San Francisco, attended an elite private school and spent most summers in Beijing. Her experience since then has been similarly uncommon. She has been allowed to compete with an ambiguous citizenship status: China does not allow dual citizenship, but there is no record of Gu having renounced her American citizenship. And then there’s the fact that she has been able to tap into a vast pool of sponsorships, in part because competitive skiing is still a growing field in China. She has contracts with more than 30 international brands, according to The Wall Street Journal, including Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton, and her rising modeling career has put her on the covers of the Chinese editions of Vogue and Marie Claire. Lai Ling Li, 38, who said she was a fan of Gu, said she thought China’s audience of 1.4 billion people likely drove the athlete’s decision. “It really comes down to opportunity,” said Li, noting Gu’s impressive sponsorship roster. “I don’t know any other athlete who’s able to do that, especially at 18 years old,” she added. Whether or not Gu was motivated by identity or national preference, her story is one that is now inextricably tangled up in both. The relationship between China and the United States has reached a new low in recent years as China’s economic and military global power has grown. The tension was compounded by former President Donald Trump’s punitive trade policies and explicit anti-Chinese statements at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. As assaults against Asian Americans spiked across the country over the past two years, many attackers parroted the former president’s rhetoric. Under the shadow of today’s antagonism, Gu has had to field countless questions about everything from whether she intends to renounce her U.S. citizenship to her thoughts on China’s censorship policies and the sexual assault allegations made by Peng Shuai, one of the country’s star tennis players, against a senior government official. Gu has stressed repeatedly that she wants to avoid discussing politics when it comes to China, telling The New York Times in a previous interview that she did not want to be “divisive” and that her mission is “all about inclusivity.” In New York, many of those interviewed said her decision to compete for China should not be conflated with a political preference, arguing that it was unfair to expect someone’s identity to represent a country or its political climate. (Others noted that she was just 15 when she made the choice.) “To be Chinese doesn’t mean that you are always in support of China’s government,” said Lucy Yu, 27, who recently opened Yu and Me Books, a bookstore in Manhattan’s Chinatown. “I can respect that and also understand the difficulties that come with expressing that.” Some said they were confused as to why Gu had chosen to compete for a country facing widespread allegations of human rights abuses, such as accusations of carrying out a genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim residents, and a history of suppressing those who have attempted to sound the alarm over social unrest or government wrongdoing. Others said that although they did not believe Gu was obligated to speak up on issues affecting Chinese people, they did not understand why she had chosen to stay tight-lipped on matters in China while making her position clear on issues relevant to Americans, such as the rise in anti-Asian attacks and the Black Lives Matter movement. Ricky Yeh, 37, said as a Taiwanese American, he was troubled by Gu’s choice. Beijing considers the island part of China and has long demanded unification, but an increasing number of Taiwanese people have distanced themselves from mainland culture. “If you are a supporter of human rights, according to her public speech, then why do you support that kind of country?” Yeh said. “Maybe that’s not her priority. But in recent days, every country has recognized that China has been harming human rights in every way they can.” And some, such as Ming Xia, a professor of political science at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, feared that the longer Gu competes for China, the more vulnerable she may become to any of the country’s attempts to exploit her image for political propaganda. “She was recruited to compete on behalf of China, but she was not recruited to become the spokesperson for China’s toxic patriotism,” Xia said. Perhaps at the heart of the controversy is the question of what it means to be Asian American, and how that evolving description stretches and bends for each person. Lin, the Harlem resident, plans to live in Hong Kong or Shanghai for a few years. She said that wherever she ends up moving, she would be just as American there as she is Asian while living in the U.S. The idea that someone would feel justified in questioning her identity or even her political loyalty over this choice, she said, angered her. And although members of the public may have already made up their minds about who Gu is and what she stands for, she said, only the athlete herself will know the answer. “I’m Asian American, now and forever,” Lin said. “And I feel like the same goes for anybody who wants to say the same.”

Why Chinese Americans are talking about Eileen Gu

China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong made sure the Beijing Games'&nbsp;controversial figure skating competition ended in celebration on Saturday by winning the pairs title for the sport's final gold medal to the rapture of local fans.

Fevered cheers and thunderous applause filled the Beijing Capital Indoor Stadium as the pair's free skate score was announced in Mandarin, giving China the first figure skating trophy since pairs Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo in 2010.

Sui and Han, partners for 15 years - their entire career since they were children - were clearly in their element on home ice as they executed a series of high-scoring elements.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-winter-olympics-bart-swings-tops-mass-start-brings-first-belgian-winter-gold-in-74-years-454568">Beijing Winter Olympics: Bart Swings tops mass start, brings first Belgian Winter gold in 74 years</a>

Their opening quadruple twist lift in their free skate to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" sent spectators into a frenzy, with cheers erupting between hushed moments as they performed most of their jumps and throws with clockwork precision.

Their final score of 239.88 beat the world record of 239.82 held by Russians Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov.

Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov took silver with 239.25 points while the Mishina-Galliamov duo won bronze with 237.71.

The Games'&nbsp;figure skating competition has been embroiled in turmoil over Russian teen Kamila Valieva's doping case.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-winter-olympics-united-stated-appeal-to-cas-to-award-team-medals-454609">Beijing Winter Olympics: United Stated appeal to CAS to award team medals</a>

The 15-year-old, now back in Russia, was cleared to compete in the women's singles event despite having tested positive for a banned substance prior to the Games.

She finished in fourth place amid all the drama.

China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong made sure the Beijing Games' controversial figure skating competition ended in celebration on Saturday by winning the pairs title for the sport's final gold medal to the rapture of local fans.

China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong made sure the Beijing Games' controversial figure skating competition ended in celebration on Saturday by winning the pairs title for the sport's final gold medal to the rapture of local fans. Fevered cheers and thunderous applause filled the Beijing Capital Indoor Stadium as the pair's free skate score was announced in Mandarin, giving China the first figure skating trophy since pairs Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo in 2010. Sui and Han, partners for 15 years - their entire career since they were children - were clearly in their element on home ice as they executed a series of high-scoring elements. ALSO READ: Beijing Winter Olympics: Bart Swings tops mass start, brings first Belgian Winter gold in 74 years Their opening quadruple twist lift in their free skate to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" sent spectators into a frenzy, with cheers erupting between hushed moments as they performed most of their jumps and throws with clockwork precision. Their final score of 239.88 beat the world record of 239.82 held by Russians Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov. Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov took silver with 239.25 points while the Mishina-Galliamov duo won bronze with 237.71. The Games' figure skating competition has been embroiled in turmoil over Russian teen Kamila Valieva's doping case. ALSO READ: Beijing Winter Olympics: United Stated appeal to CAS to award team medals The 15-year-old, now back in Russia, was cleared to compete in the women's singles event despite having tested positive for a banned substance prior to the Games. She finished in fourth place amid all the drama.

Beijing Winter Olympics: Chinese pair of Sui Wenjing and Han Cong win gold medal in figure skating

Russian skater Kamila Valieva has missed out on a podium place in the women's single skating event at the Beijing Winter Olympics. The 15-year-old who is at the centre of a doping scandal made several errors in her routine as she finished fourth.

Beijing Winter Olympics: 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva misses out on podium

15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva is now allowed to compete in Beijing Winter Olympics. The CAS has rejected the IOC appeal.

The Winter Olympics doping scandal: Russian skater cleared to compete

A number of Olympic events were cancelled or postponed on Sunday after heavy snowfall swept across China's northern regions including the host city of Beijing.

Heavy snowfall disrupts Beijing Olympics: Athletes skidded, crashed & fell

CAS rejects IOC appeal: 15-year-old Russian skater can compete in Beijing Winter Olympics

Heavy snowfall disrupts the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics, authorities issue weather alert

The&nbsp;China&nbsp;Meteorological Administration issued a&nbsp;blizzard&nbsp;warning for Sunday (February 13) saying significant&nbsp;snowfall&nbsp;is expected in large parts of northern&nbsp;China&nbsp;including&nbsp;Beijing, the capital and current site of the Winter&nbsp;Olympics.

The weekend&nbsp;snowfall, which had already begun in some areas on Saturday (February 12) is the capital's&nbsp;first&nbsp;since the Winter&nbsp;Olympics&nbsp;opened on February 4, government notices showed.

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Beijing ushered in the first snow of the year of the tiger! The Winter Olympic Village in the snow is very beautiful! <a href="https://t.co/KeogtpLT02">pic.twitter.com/KeogtpLT02</a>
— 晨 (@zU3U3dNzX9azTW8) <a href="https://twitter.com/zU3U3dNzX9azTW8/status/1492754740958023680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Beijing from the bus in the snow. <a href="https://t.co/t00sDhwUpC">pic.twitter.com/t00sDhwUpC</a>
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The Women's Freeski slopestyle qualification in Zhangjiakou, featuring Team&nbsp;China&nbsp;gold medalist Eileen Gu, was rescheduled to later on Sunday due to the snow.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-games-russian-olympic-committee-wins-gold-in-4x5-km-cross-country-skiing-relay-452637">Also read |&nbsp;Beijing Games: Russian Olympic Committee wins gold in 4x5 km cross-country skiing relay</a>

The authorities issued a blue&nbsp;blizzard&nbsp;warning, the lowest of the country's four-tiered&nbsp;alerts, with some regions forecast to receive up to 4 cm (1.6 inches) of snow. They advised the public to cut back on unnecessary outdoor activities.

Beijing&nbsp;temperatures dropped, with the&nbsp;Beijing&nbsp;Meteorological Observatory forecasting a minimum temperature of -6 degrees Celsius (21°F).

The China Meteorological Administration issued a blizzard warning for Sunday (February 13) saying significant snowfall is expected in large parts of northern China including Beijing, the capital and current site of the Winter Olympics.

The China Meteorological Administration issued a blizzard warning for Sunday (February 13) saying significant snowfall is expected in large parts of northern China including Beijing, the capital and current site of the Winter Olympics. The weekend snowfall, which had already begun in some areas on Saturday (February 12) is the capital's first since the Winter Olympics opened on February 4, government notices showed. Beijing ushered in the first snow of the year of the tiger! The Winter Olympic Village in the snow is very beautiful! pic.twitter.com/KeogtpLT02 — 晨 (@zU3U3dNzX9azTW8) February 13, 2022 × Beijing from the bus in the snow. pic.twitter.com/t00sDhwUpC — Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) February 13, 2022 × The Women's Freeski slopestyle qualification in Zhangjiakou, featuring Team China gold medalist Eileen Gu, was rescheduled to later on Sunday due to the snow. Also read | Beijing Games: Russian Olympic Committee wins gold in 4x5 km cross-country skiing relay The authorities issued a blue blizzard warning, the lowest of the country's four-tiered alerts, with some regions forecast to receive up to 4 cm (1.6 inches) of snow. They advised the public to cut back on unnecessary outdoor activities. Beijing temperatures dropped, with the Beijing Meteorological Observatory forecasting a minimum temperature of -6 degrees Celsius (21°F).

China issues blizzard alert after it snows in Beijing; significant snowfall expected

The Chinese embassy in South Korea has denied accusations of cultural appropriation after a performer at the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony was condemned for wearing a hanbok, a traditional Korean dress.

Beijing Winter Olympics: Is hanbok this year’s kimchi?

The international Olympic committee is launching an urgent appeal and that's because they're going to the court of arbitration for sport. This is after confirming that 15-year-old Russian skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned substance.

Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: Russian skater in the deadlock after doping scandal confirmed

Just two days after the opening ceremony, Beijing Winter Olympics organisers are facing a litany of complaints from athletes and countries on multiple fronts.

Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 hit by athlete complaints

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee said on Monday that 24 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 6.

Eleven of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website.

Thirteen others were among those already in the “closed-loop” bubble that separates all event personnel from the public, five of whom were classified as either an athlete or team official, the notice said.

&nbsp;

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee said on Monday that 24 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 6. Eleven of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Organising Committee said on Monday that 24 new COVID-19 cases were detected among games-related personnel on Feb. 6. Eleven of the cases were found among new airport arrivals, according to a notice on the Beijing 2022 official website. Thirteen others were among those already in the “closed-loop” bubble that separates all event personnel from the public, five of whom were classified as either an athlete or team official, the notice said.

Beijing Olympics organiser says 24 new COVID-19 cases amongst games-related personnel on Feb 6

Chinese President Xi Jinping has supported the governments from around the world who support Beijing Winter Olympics.

Beijing mixes sports with Politics: President Xi Jinping hosts world leaders

A sharp drop in COVID-19 cases on Feb. 5 among Beijing Olympics-related personnel was due to fewer arrivals at the airport and organisers said on Sunday that they did not expect any more large fluctuations in infection numbers.

China detected 10 new COVID cases among Olympic Games-related personnel on Feb. 5, the organising committee of the Games said. That was down from Feb. 4`s 45 cases - the second-highest daily tally since arrivals commenced last month.

Among the latest cases, four were new airport arrivals, including two athletes or team officials. The remaining six were already in the "closed loop", a bubble keeping Games personnel away from the local population during the Feb. 4-20 Olympics.

"With an increased number of arrivals there were more positive cases," Huang Chun, the Games` deputy director-general of the office of pandemic prevention and control, told a news conference.

"After the (Games`) opening ceremony on Friday there is a drop in arrivals and we have even less inbound flights which means there will be fewer positive cases.

"We hope that we can keep that trend going and there might be just minor fluctuations."

While reduced arrivals mean a lower risk of infected individuals entering the country, organisers said measures within the "closed loop" should remain tight to avoid any internal spread.

"We have to pay attention to measures in the closed loop. We do not see any cluster spread and so far it has not affected the smooth progress of the competitions," Huang said.

While competitions have not been seriously affected, dozens of athletes have already tested positive and moved into isolation, affecting their preparations and training.

"If we all follow the countermeasures I believe the level of positive cases will remain at relatively low levels," Huang said.

Almost all of the 2,900 athletes expected at the Games have arrived as well as most of the team support and coaching staff.

In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has isolated itself with a zero-tolerance policy, cancelling nearly all international flights.

All Games participants - athletes, team officials, media and staff - arrive on special charter flights and are tested on a daily basis during their stay. They must also remain in the loop, which includes their accommodation as well as the sports venues, at all times.

A sharp drop in COVID-19 cases on Feb. 5 among Beijing Olympics-related personnel was due to fewer arrivals at the airport and organisers said on Sunday that they did not expect any more large fluctuations in infection numbers.

A sharp drop in COVID-19 cases on Feb. 5 among Beijing Olympics-related personnel was due to fewer arrivals at the airport and organisers said on Sunday that they did not expect any more large fluctuations in infection numbers. China detected 10 new COVID cases among Olympic Games-related personnel on Feb. 5, the organising committee of the Games said. That was down from Feb. 4`s 45 cases - the second-highest daily tally since arrivals commenced last month. Among the latest cases, four were new airport arrivals, including two athletes or team officials. The remaining six were already in the "closed loop", a bubble keeping Games personnel away from the local population during the Feb. 4-20 Olympics. "With an increased number of arrivals there were more positive cases," Huang Chun, the Games` deputy director-general of the office of pandemic prevention and control, told a news conference. "After the (Games`) opening ceremony on Friday there is a drop in arrivals and we have even less inbound flights which means there will be fewer positive cases. "We hope that we can keep that trend going and there might be just minor fluctuations." While reduced arrivals mean a lower risk of infected individuals entering the country, organisers said measures within the "closed loop" should remain tight to avoid any internal spread. "We have to pay attention to measures in the closed loop. We do not see any cluster spread and so far it has not affected the smooth progress of the competitions," Huang said. While competitions have not been seriously affected, dozens of athletes have already tested positive and moved into isolation, affecting their preparations and training. "If we all follow the countermeasures I believe the level of positive cases will remain at relatively low levels," Huang said. Almost all of the 2,900 athletes expected at the Games have arrived as well as most of the team support and coaching staff. In contrast to many countries seeking to live with COVID-19, China has isolated itself with a zero-tolerance policy, cancelling nearly all international flights. All Games participants - athletes, team officials, media and staff - arrive on special charter flights and are tested on a daily basis during their stay. They must also remain in the loop, which includes their accommodation as well as the sports venues, at all times.

No large fluctuations in COVID-19 cases expected, say Beijing Winter Olympics organisers

Despite all the calls for a boycott, China's ongoing human rights abuses, protests by Chinese citizens living in exile, the 2022 Beijing Olympics have kicked off. The games were inaugurated in a lavish ceremony attended by at least 20 heads of state, including the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Emir of Qatar, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Prime Minister of Pakistan.&nbsp;

This comes as 308 positive cases have been reported so far linked to the Winter Olympics inside the Chinese closed loop. However, the organisers continue to ensure that the games are safe.&nbsp;

From Japan, Switzerland, to the US and India, demonstrations are being held all over. In Tokyo, demonstrators were seen rallying outside the Chinese embassy slamming China for the persecution of the Uyghur Muslims, Hong Kongers, Mongolians and Tibetans.&nbsp;

In the Indian capital city New Delhi, Tibetans living in exile staged similar protests outside the Chinese embassy. People were seen holding placards denouncing the Genocide Games.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-recognises-taiwan-as-part-of-china-opposes-islands-independence-450437">Also read |&nbsp;Russia recognises Taiwan as part of China, opposes island's independence</a>

They also burnt the Chinese flag.&nbsp;

In San Francisco, demonstrators urged people to not watch the games and asked athletes to decline the medal.&nbsp;

In Switzerland, Tibetans marched outside the office of the International Olympic Committee as they accused the Swiss-based organisation of complicity in China's crimes.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, an Uyghur, who was a part of the group of students chosen to help carry the Olympic flame before the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, has been calling for a boycott of the upcoming Winter Games over China's treatment of the Uyghur ethnic community. &nbsp;

Kamalturk Yalqun, who was one of the torchbearers at the age of 17, is an activist in the United States now. He is currently living in exile in Boston.&nbsp;

In an interview, Yalqun said, "It seems to me that our sense of global citizenship and sportsmanship is not moving forward with these Olympic Games anymore." &nbsp;

Yalqun is disappointed with only the diplomatic boycott as he wants a full boycott of these games.&nbsp;

"It should be a collective responsibility when such kind of atrocities are happening. It's heartbreaking for me to see such a cold response from people," he said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-voa-co-production-2022-beijing-winter-games-dubbed-as-genocide-olympics-450536/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Despite all the calls for a boycott, China's ongoing human rights abuses, protests by Chinese citizens living in exile, the 2022 Beijing Olympics have kicked off.

Despite all the calls for a boycott, China's ongoing human rights abuses, protests by Chinese citizens living in exile, the 2022 Beijing Olympics have kicked off. The games were inaugurated in a lavish ceremony attended by at least 20 heads of state, including the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Emir of Qatar, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This comes as 308 positive cases have been reported so far linked to the Winter Olympics inside the Chinese closed loop. However, the organisers continue to ensure that the games are safe. From Japan, Switzerland, to the US and India, demonstrations are being held all over. In Tokyo, demonstrators were seen rallying outside the Chinese embassy slamming China for the persecution of the Uyghur Muslims, Hong Kongers, Mongolians and Tibetans. In the Indian capital city New Delhi, Tibetans living in exile staged similar protests outside the Chinese embassy. People were seen holding placards denouncing the Genocide Games. Also read | Russia recognises Taiwan as part of China, opposes island's independence They also burnt the Chinese flag. In San Francisco, demonstrators urged people to not watch the games and asked athletes to decline the medal. In Switzerland, Tibetans marched outside the office of the International Olympic Committee as they accused the Swiss-based organisation of complicity in China's crimes. Meanwhile, an Uyghur, who was a part of the group of students chosen to help carry the Olympic flame before the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, has been calling for a boycott of the upcoming Winter Games over China's treatment of the Uyghur ethnic community. Kamalturk Yalqun, who was one of the torchbearers at the age of 17, is an activist in the United States now. He is currently living in exile in Boston. In an interview, Yalqun said, "It seems to me that our sense of global citizenship and sportsmanship is not moving forward with these Olympic Games anymore." Yalqun is disappointed with only the diplomatic boycott as he wants a full boycott of these games. "It should be a collective responsibility when such kind of atrocities are happening. It's heartbreaking for me to see such a cold response from people," he said.

Beijing's 'Genocide Games' kick off amid backlash from all across the world

Chinese President Xi Jinping support the governments who support Beijing Winter Olympics

Beijing Winter Games have kicked off while china may be lauding its zero COVID-19 strategies, its officials drag away a reporter.

Chinese officials drag away Dutch reporter as Winter Olympics are underway in Beijing

As Beijing winter games have begun officially, protests against the games were held across the world. In San Francisco a coalition of groups including people from Hong Kong, Tibet and Uyghurs gathered at the golden gate bridge and urged people not to watch the games.

Global protests rage against Beijing Winter Olympics

Taiwan alleges an insult to the spirit of winter Olympics as China holds the Beijing-Moscow summit amid the tainted Human Rights record of the Chinese nation.

Taiwan condemns China-Russia summit & alleges it is an insult to the spirit of Olympic games

The 2022 Winter Olympics have kicked off in Beijing amid protests the world over. Protesters in India, Japan, Switzerland & US staged demonstrations slamming the 'genocide games'. Some even accused the IOC of being complicit in China's crimes. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: 'Genocide Games' kick off amid protests globally

beijing

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