Fifty years after Mao Zedong’s death, his image is finding renewed appeal among parts of China’s younger generation. Some young Chinese are turning to Mao’s writings and legacy amid economic uncertainty, workplace pressure, inequality and growing competition for jobs and education.

Is Mao the new Confucius of Chinese Gen Z

In response to a proposal about the relocation of Uyghur Muslims, China urged Canada on Thursday (February 2), to abstain from utilising&nbsp;Xinjiang-related concerns for "political manipulation." On Wednesday, (February 1), the Canadian Parliament unanimously passed a non-binding proposal for the two-year relocation of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim migrants from China's Xinjiang region into&nbsp;Canada, as per a Reuter's report.

A non-binding proposal to relocate 10,000 Uyghur Muslim migrants from China's Xinjiang province to Canada over the course of two years was approved by the Canadian parliament on Wednesday with a unanimous vote. The House of Commons approved Sameer Zuberi's bill, which also urged the government to acknowledge that Uyghurs and other ethnic Turkic Muslims who have migrated to other countries face "pressure and intimidation" from China to do so, by a vote of 322-0.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-india-enter-deal-that-aims-to-counter-china-on-ai-and-military-557726">US, India enter deal that aims to counter China on AI and military</a>

"At present, Xinjiang's society is safe and stable. The development continues to improve, and people are living and working in peace and happiness. The level of human rights protection for people of all ethnic groups has been continuously improved.&nbsp;We urge the Canadian side to respect the truth, stop political manipulation with ulterior motives on Xinjiang-related issues, stop spreading false information, and misleading the public," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing.

Also watch |&nbsp;China: Beijing says city has achieved 'temporary herd immunity'

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The region's human rights laws for all ethnic groups are increasing steadily, according to Mao, who also noted that the people of Xinjiang live in peace and work satisfactorily.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In response to a proposal about the relocation of Uyghur Muslims, China urged Canada on Thursday (February 2), to abstain from utilising Xinjiang-related concerns for "political manipulation.

In response to a proposal about the relocation of Uyghur Muslims, China urged Canada on Thursday (February 2), to abstain from utilising Xinjiang-related concerns for "political manipulation." On Wednesday, (February 1), the Canadian Parliament unanimously passed a non-binding proposal for the two-year relocation of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim migrants from China's Xinjiang region into Canada, as per a Reuter's report. A non-binding proposal to relocate 10,000 Uyghur Muslim migrants from China's Xinjiang province to Canada over the course of two years was approved by the Canadian parliament on Wednesday with a unanimous vote. The House of Commons approved Sameer Zuberi's bill, which also urged the government to acknowledge that Uyghurs and other ethnic Turkic Muslims who have migrated to other countries face "pressure and intimidation" from China to do so, by a vote of 322-0. Also read | US, India enter deal that aims to counter China on AI and military "At present, Xinjiang's society is safe and stable. The development continues to improve, and people are living and working in peace and happiness. The level of human rights protection for people of all ethnic groups has been continuously improved. We urge the Canadian side to respect the truth, stop political manipulation with ulterior motives on Xinjiang-related issues, stop spreading false information, and misleading the public," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing. Also watch | China: Beijing says city has achieved 'temporary herd immunity' The region's human rights laws for all ethnic groups are increasing steadily, according to Mao, who also noted that the people of Xinjiang live in peace and work satisfactorily. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

China urges Canada not to engage in 'political manipulation' over Uyghur Muslims

The top leaders of China's ruling Communist Party convened on Monday for a crucial meeting that is likely to strengthen President Xi Jinping's grip on power.

Some 400 members of the party's powerful Central Committee convened in Beijing for the four-day plenary, which is being held behind closed doors, as with all meetings of China's secretive leadership.&nbsp;

Xi Jinping is already regarded as a "central leader" of the Chinese Communist Party, and his ideological ideas are explicitly enshrined in the party's constitution. 
 
Watch | Gravitas | Third term for Xi Jinping: Will it raise the threat of war?

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Now, Xi Jinping's meteoric rise is about to continue, with an all-powerful body in single-party-ruled China due to pass an unusual resolution that is expected to further strengthen Xi's grasp on power while also paving the way for him to pursue an unprecedented third term in office.&nbsp;

The most significant move of the 19th Central Committee is likely to be the adoption of a "historic resolution" on the "great accomplishments and historical experience of the Party's 100 years of battles," with the text also recognising China's success in the nine years under Xi.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-steer-chinas-future-xi-is-rewriting-its-past-427513">Also Read:&nbsp;To steer China’s future, Xi is rewriting its past</a>

The Communist Party's fascination with history is founded in a tradition that dates back to ancient China.

For centuries, Chinese imperial courts engaged historiographers to chart an emperor's ascension, which frequently required gathering – and rewriting – the history of his predecessor.

History, or rather, certain controlled interpretations of it, may be immensely valuable to the Chinese Communist Party.&nbsp;

For example, Beijing has used alleged "historical claims" to disputed territories and waters to bolster its case for contemporary sovereignty, while the narrative attached to the so-called "century of humiliation" by foreign powers — from the First Opium War in 1839 to the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 — has become a central source of legitimacy for the party.&nbsp;

Xi has been elevated in the country to the same level as Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China, and Deng Xiaoping, the architect of the reforms that boosted Chinese economic development.

The 68-year-old Xi is largely considered as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao, with the stage set for him to pursue an unprecedented third term as China's supreme leader.

While a 1990s constitution specified a two-term restriction for the top Chinese leadership, the Chinese Communist Party approved by an overwhelming majority in 2018 to eliminate the limit.

Furthermore, there is an unwritten 68-year-old age restriction for key officials, which Xi is certain to disregard when he seeks re-election to a third term at the party congress next year.

(With inputs from agencies)

The top leaders of China's ruling Communist Party convened on Monday for a crucial meeting that is likely to strengthen President Xi Jinping's grip on power. Some 400 members of the party's powerful Central Committee convened in Beijing for the four-day plenary, which is being held behind closed doors, as with all meetings of China's secretive leadership.

The top leaders of China's ruling Communist Party convened on Monday for a crucial meeting that is likely to strengthen President Xi Jinping's grip on power. Some 400 members of the party's powerful Central Committee convened in Beijing for the four-day plenary, which is being held behind closed doors, as with all meetings of China's secretive leadership. Xi Jinping is already regarded as a "central leader" of the Chinese Communist Party, and his ideological ideas are explicitly enshrined in the party's constitution. Watch | Gravitas | Third term for Xi Jinping: Will it raise the threat of war? Now, Xi Jinping's meteoric rise is about to continue, with an all-powerful body in single-party-ruled China due to pass an unusual resolution that is expected to further strengthen Xi's grasp on power while also paving the way for him to pursue an unprecedented third term in office. The most significant move of the 19th Central Committee is likely to be the adoption of a "historic resolution" on the "great accomplishments and historical experience of the Party's 100 years of battles," with the text also recognising China's success in the nine years under Xi. Also Read: To steer China’s future, Xi is rewriting its past The Communist Party's fascination with history is founded in a tradition that dates back to ancient China. For centuries, Chinese imperial courts engaged historiographers to chart an emperor's ascension, which frequently required gathering – and rewriting – the history of his predecessor. History, or rather, certain controlled interpretations of it, may be immensely valuable to the Chinese Communist Party. For example, Beijing has used alleged "historical claims" to disputed territories and waters to bolster its case for contemporary sovereignty, while the narrative attached to the so-called "century of humiliation" by foreign powers — from the First Opium War in 1839 to the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 — has become a central source of legitimacy for the party. Xi has been elevated in the country to the same level as Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China, and Deng Xiaoping, the architect of the reforms that boosted Chinese economic development. The 68-year-old Xi is largely considered as the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao, with the stage set for him to pursue an unprecedented third term as China's supreme leader. While a 1990s constitution specified a two-term restriction for the top Chinese leadership, the Chinese Communist Party approved by an overwhelming majority in 2018 to eliminate the limit. Furthermore, there is an unwritten 68-year-old age restriction for key officials, which Xi is certain to disregard when he seeks re-election to a third term at the party congress next year. (With inputs from agencies)

Xi's further grip on power at China Communist Party meet will make him another Mao

China is in a crackdown mode. From tech to education to real-estate, even gaming has not escaped the reach of the Communist Party of China (CCP). Though the entire and clearest picture as to why the state has resorted to such measures is yet to fully come to light, media reports are rife with claims from experts around the world who say that this is an attempt by the Chinese state to rein in 'out of control' sectors and assert its primacy in China's internal affairs.

Billions of dollars have been wiped out from the wealth of Chinese business tycoons like Jack Ma and their companies. The crackdown in many sectors has investors, both within and outside China, worrying about their money stuck in Chinese financial system. The government, till now, appears in no mood to stop.

But when you play with economy too much, the game comes back to bite you as it has been already seen in the Mao era.

In this particular example, Mao did not play with economy as much as he apparently satisfied his urge to show the country that he is the man who can successfully implement sweeping reforms.

The hasty, unscientific decision

Mao Zedong in his Great Leap Forward in the 1950s, announced major, sweeping campaigns with an aim to modernise China and improve Chinese life. It was viewed that sparrows were an obstacle to development as they ate foodgrains.

In 1958, Mao appealed the Chinese to undertake a massive campaign to eliminate the bird that in his view was keeping China from fully achieving its potential.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/chinas-evergrande-crisis-a-global-financial-crisis-in-the-making-414669">China's Evergrande crisis: A global financial crisis in the making</a>

Large number of people were mobilised for this. They destroyed sparrow nests, shot the birds down from the sky, set up traps, even beat drums to stop sparrows from landing so that they would die by exhaustion. The scale of this operation was massive.

Exact numbers are not known but even if it is considered that one person killed one sparrow, it would come to more than 600 million birds having been killed!

The effects of such a hasty and unscientific decision were apparent immediately in the following year.

Sparrows did not just eat foodgrains. They also ate insects that destroyed the crops. As sparrows effectively vanished from the Chinese skies, it caused massive increase in the number of insects like locusts who brought devastation to Chinese agriculture. With its natural predator gone, the insects were free to destroy crops at will.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/hong-kong-stock-exchange-halts-trading-of-evergrande-shares-418036">Hong Kong Stock Exchange halts trading of Evergrande shares</a>

The result was death of millions of Chinese people due to shortage of food or other domino effects that had killing of sparrows as their cause. Official Chinese estimates say that 15 million people died. But some scholars say that the number was between 45 and 78 million.

Current crackdown similar to Mao's?

Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown may have come at a time when China is not a primitive nation but one capable of challenging reigning superpower, but effects of the sweeping decisions are more than apparent.

Take <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/chinas-evergrande-crisis-a-global-financial-crisis-in-the-making-414669">Evergrande crisis</a> for example.

The prominent real estate group in China is tottering on the brink of collapse. It has a debt upwards of USD 300 billion, far greater than the company's actual value. Evergrande failed to pay interest to bondholders at least two times recently. This has sent a major scare among investors worldwide.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/evergrande-investors-in-dark-as-no-news-on-interest-payment-emerges-415591">Evergrande investors in dark as no news on interest payment emerges</a>

The recent warning bells from China's real estate sector followed country's crackdown on excessive borrowing by real estate companies. Though the intention may be to discipline the sector, collapse of a major firm can have a disastrous effect across Chinese economy and have a spillover in global economy. The crackdown is already causing loan losses at banks and pain in credit markets. They are wary eyes on the fate of Evergrande.

Real estate sector forms a quarter of China's economy. A major rumble in this sector can shake the economy that invests heavily in US economy. It is too well known that when US economy sneezes, global markets go down with high fever.

Chinese way of decision-making may necessitate an iron fist and sweeping decisions. But will China make the same mistake twice is something that is being actively observed.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

China is in a crackdown mode. From tech to education to real-estate, even gaming has not escaped the reach of the Communist Party of China (CCP). Though the entire and clearest picture as to why the state has resorted to such measures is yet to fully come to light, media reports are rife with claims from experts around the world who say that this is an attempt by the Chinese state to rein in 'out of control' sectors and assert its primacy in China's internal affairs.

China is in a crackdown mode. From tech to education to real-estate, even gaming has not escaped the reach of the Communist Party of China (CCP). Though the entire and clearest picture as to why the state has resorted to such measures is yet to fully come to light, media reports are rife with claims from experts around the world who say that this is an attempt by the Chinese state to rein in 'out of control' sectors and assert its primacy in China's internal affairs. Billions of dollars have been wiped out from the wealth of Chinese business tycoons like Jack Ma and their companies. The crackdown in many sectors has investors, both within and outside China, worrying about their money stuck in Chinese financial system. The government, till now, appears in no mood to stop. But when you play with economy too much, the game comes back to bite you as it has been already seen in the Mao era. In this particular example, Mao did not play with economy as much as he apparently satisfied his urge to show the country that he is the man who can successfully implement sweeping reforms. The hasty, unscientific decision Mao Zedong in his Great Leap Forward in the 1950s, announced major, sweeping campaigns with an aim to modernise China and improve Chinese life. It was viewed that sparrows were an obstacle to development as they ate foodgrains. In 1958, Mao appealed the Chinese to undertake a massive campaign to eliminate the bird that in his view was keeping China from fully achieving its potential. Also Read | China's Evergrande crisis: A global financial crisis in the making Large number of people were mobilised for this. They destroyed sparrow nests, shot the birds down from the sky, set up traps, even beat drums to stop sparrows from landing so that they would die by exhaustion. The scale of this operation was massive. Exact numbers are not known but even if it is considered that one person killed one sparrow, it would come to more than 600 million birds having been killed! The effects of such a hasty and unscientific decision were apparent immediately in the following year. Sparrows did not just eat foodgrains. They also ate insects that destroyed the crops. As sparrows effectively vanished from the Chinese skies, it caused massive increase in the number of insects like locusts who brought devastation to Chinese agriculture. With its natural predator gone, the insects were free to destroy crops at will. Also Read | Hong Kong Stock Exchange halts trading of Evergrande shares The result was death of millions of Chinese people due to shortage of food or other domino effects that had killing of sparrows as their cause. Official Chinese estimates say that 15 million people died. But some scholars say that the number was between 45 and 78 million. Current crackdown similar to Mao's? Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown may have come at a time when China is not a primitive nation but one capable of challenging reigning superpower, but effects of the sweeping decisions are more than apparent. Take Evergrande crisis for example. The prominent real estate group in China is tottering on the brink of collapse. It has a debt upwards of USD 300 billion, far greater than the company's actual value. Evergrande failed to pay interest to bondholders at least two times recently. This has sent a major scare among investors worldwide. Also Read | Evergrande investors in dark as no news on interest payment emerges The recent warning bells from China's real estate sector followed country's crackdown on excessive borrowing by real estate companies. Though the intention may be to discipline the sector, collapse of a major firm can have a disastrous effect across Chinese economy and have a spillover in global economy. The crackdown is already causing loan losses at banks and pain in credit markets. They are wary eyes on the fate of Evergrande. Real estate sector forms a quarter of China's economy. A major rumble in this sector can shake the economy that invests heavily in US economy. It is too well known that when US economy sneezes, global markets go down with high fever. Chinese way of decision-making may necessitate an iron fist and sweeping decisions. But will China make the same mistake twice is something that is being actively observed. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion | Is China's Xi Jinping repeating Mao's mistake?

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Is Mao the new Confucius of Chinese Gen Z

China urges Canada not to engage in 'political manipulation' over Uyghur Muslims

Xi's further grip on power at China Communist Party meet will make him another Mao

Opinion | Is China's Xi Jinping repeating Mao's mistake?