According to a new report published by Human Rights Watch, the Xi Jinping regime is monitoring Chinese students living in Australia. If the students make statements critical of the CCP or in support of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, then their families back home are threatened with dire consequences.

Beijing monitors Chinese students at Universities in Australia

Chinese President Xi Jinping&nbsp;on Thursday hailed an "irreversible" course from colonial humiliation to great-power status at the centenary celebrations for the Chinese Communist Party.

In a televised address from Tiananmen Square in the centre of Beijing, Xi&nbsp;said&nbsp;China had achieved its centenary goal of building a "moderately prosperous society", and emphasised its sense of nationalism.

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"The Chinese people will never allow any foreign forces to bully, oppress, or enslave us. Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloodied against the Great Wall of Steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people," Xi told thousands of attendees who responded with claps and loud cheers.

Drawing a line from the subjugation of the Opium Wars to the struggle to establish a socialist revolution in China, Xi said the party had brought about "national rejuvenation" lifting tens of millions from poverty and "altered the landscape of world development".

Xi, wearing a Mao-style jacket, added the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical course" and vowed to continue to build a "world-class" military to defend national interests.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/secret-society-what-chinese-communist-party-doesnt-want-you-to-know-395048" hreflang="en">Secret society: What Chinese Communist Party doesn't want you to know</a>

Jinping and the party are riding high as China recovers briskly from the COVID-19 outbreak and takes a more assertive stand on the global stage, although Beijing also faces criticism over its actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and contends with a worsening demographic outlook that imperils long-term economic growth.

In the summer of 1921 Mao and a clutch of Marxist-Leninist thinkers in Shanghai founded the party which has since morphed into one of the world's most powerful political organisations.

It now counts around 95 million members, garnered over a century of war, famine and turmoil, and more recently a surge to superpower status butting up against Western rivals, led by the US.

In a ceremony of pomp and patriotism, thousands of singers, backed by a marching band, belted out stirring choruses including "We Are the Heirs of Communism" and "Without the Communist Party there would be no New China" as maskless invitees cheered and waved flags&nbsp;in a packed Tiananmen Square.

A fly-by of helicopters in formation spelling '100'&nbsp;a giant hammer and sickle flag trailing and a 100-gun salute followed while young communists in unison pledged allegiance to the party.

Xi, whose speech braided the economic miracle of China with the longevity of the party, has cemented his eight-year rule through a personality cult, ending presidential term limits and declining to anoint a successor.

He has purged rivals and crushed dissent, from Uyghur Muslims and online critics to pro-democracy protests on Hong Kong's streets.

The party has pivoted to new challenges; using tech to renew its appeal to younger generations, 12.55 million members are now aged 30 or younger,&nbsp;while giving a communist finish to a consumer economy decorated by billionaire entrepreneurs.

While the president did not mention himself in the speech, "it is quite clear that much of the credit for China's success belongs to Xi," said Willie Lam, China analyst at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Xi has presented a defiant face to overseas rivals, revving up nationalist sentiment. He has batted back criticism of his government's actions in Hong Kong, attitude towards Taiwan and treatment of the Uyghurs.

In its 100th year, the party has delivered a selective version of history through films, 'red tourism' campaigns and books, which dance over the mass violence of the Cultural Revolution, famines and the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Instead, it has drawn attention to China's rebound from COVID-19, which first emerged in the central city of Wuhan but has been virtually extinguished inside the country.

But reminders linger of the risks to stability.

Thursday also marks the 24th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, a date once met with mass demonstrations against Beijing inside the former British colony.

One year ago, China imposed a draconian national security law on the city in response to huge, often violent, pro-democracy protests.

The measure has seen activists charged, anti-China slogans criminalised and even the closure of a critical newspaper as the law sinks the once freewheeling city into what Amnesty International calls a "human rights emergency".

Four activists marched with a banner near the official anniversary reception on Thursday,&nbsp;tailed by 200 police officers, a fraction of the thousands deployed across the city to deter pro-democracy groups from mobilising.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday hailed an "irreversible" course from colonial humiliation to great-power status at the centenary celebrations for the Chinese Communist Party.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday hailed an "irreversible" course from colonial humiliation to great-power status at the centenary celebrations for the Chinese Communist Party. In a televised address from Tiananmen Square in the centre of Beijing, Xi said China had achieved its centenary goal of building a "moderately prosperous society", and emphasised its sense of nationalism. "The Chinese people will never allow any foreign forces to bully, oppress, or enslave us. Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloodied against the Great Wall of Steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people," Xi told thousands of attendees who responded with claps and loud cheers. Drawing a line from the subjugation of the Opium Wars to the struggle to establish a socialist revolution in China, Xi said the party had brought about "national rejuvenation" lifting tens of millions from poverty and "altered the landscape of world development". Xi, wearing a Mao-style jacket, added the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical course" and vowed to continue to build a "world-class" military to defend national interests. Also see| Secret society: What Chinese Communist Party doesn't want you to know Jinping and the party are riding high as China recovers briskly from the COVID-19 outbreak and takes a more assertive stand on the global stage, although Beijing also faces criticism over its actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and contends with a worsening demographic outlook that imperils long-term economic growth. In the summer of 1921 Mao and a clutch of Marxist-Leninist thinkers in Shanghai founded the party which has since morphed into one of the world's most powerful political organisations. It now counts around 95 million members, garnered over a century of war, famine and turmoil, and more recently a surge to superpower status butting up against Western rivals, led by the US. In a ceremony of pomp and patriotism, thousands of singers, backed by a marching band, belted out stirring choruses including "We Are the Heirs of Communism" and "Without the Communist Party there would be no New China" as maskless invitees cheered and waved flags in a packed Tiananmen Square. A fly-by of helicopters in formation spelling '100' a giant hammer and sickle flag trailing and a 100-gun salute followed while young communists in unison pledged allegiance to the party. Xi, whose speech braided the economic miracle of China with the longevity of the party, has cemented his eight-year rule through a personality cult, ending presidential term limits and declining to anoint a successor. He has purged rivals and crushed dissent, from Uyghur Muslims and online critics to pro-democracy protests on Hong Kong's streets. The party has pivoted to new challenges; using tech to renew its appeal to younger generations, 12.55 million members are now aged 30 or younger, while giving a communist finish to a consumer economy decorated by billionaire entrepreneurs. While the president did not mention himself in the speech, "it is quite clear that much of the credit for China's success belongs to Xi," said Willie Lam, China analyst at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Xi has presented a defiant face to overseas rivals, revving up nationalist sentiment. He has batted back criticism of his government's actions in Hong Kong, attitude towards Taiwan and treatment of the Uyghurs. In its 100th year, the party has delivered a selective version of history through films, 'red tourism' campaigns and books, which dance over the mass violence of the Cultural Revolution, famines and the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Instead, it has drawn attention to China's rebound from COVID-19, which first emerged in the central city of Wuhan but has been virtually extinguished inside the country. But reminders linger of the risks to stability. Thursday also marks the 24th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, a date once met with mass demonstrations against Beijing inside the former British colony. One year ago, China imposed a draconian national security law on the city in response to huge, often violent, pro-democracy protests. The measure has seen activists charged, anti-China slogans criminalised and even the closure of a critical newspaper as the law sinks the once freewheeling city into what Amnesty International calls a "human rights emergency". Four activists marched with a banner near the official anniversary reception on Thursday, tailed by 200 police officers, a fraction of the thousands deployed across the city to deter pro-democracy groups from mobilising. (With inputs from agencies)

President Xi Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary

President Xi Jinping has called for some comprehensive implementation of China's governance in Hong Kong as the Chinese Communist Party is celebrating its 100th founding anniversary which comes as Hong Kong for its part is marking 24 years since its handover.

Chinese Communist Party celebrates centenary of founding

Clocking in the centenary celebrations of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from the balcony of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, Xi Jinping highlighted the work that the party had done to transform China into a 'superpower' since its establishment in 1921 under Mao Zedong.

Xi Jinping says era of China being bullied is gone

Global views about China have remained broadly negative and confidence in its leader Xi Jinping near historic lows as per a&nbsp;survey of 17 advanced economies released on Wednesday.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;the image of the United States has rebounded since President Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump.

The survey by the US-based Pew Research Center found China scored higher marks for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic than the United States, however, while ratings on this for both had improved substantially since last year.

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Overall, unfavorable views of China had remained at or near historic highs, largely unchanged since last year, a summary of the survey said.

Last year, Pew found few had confidence that either Xi or Trump would "do the right thing" in world affairs, although in Western Europe more had confidence in the Chinese leader.

This year, confidence in Xi remained at or near historic lows, while "in contrast, views of Biden are much more positive than they were of Trump." The summary said that in all places, "a majority say they have confidence in Biden to do what is right in world affairs."

"Views of Xi continue to be widely negative," it said. "In all but one of the 17 publics surveyed, majorities say they have little or no confidence in him."

In Australia, France, Sweden and Canada, half or more said they had no confidence in Xi at all, it said.

The economies surveyed were Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United States.

Pew found that with the exception of Singapore and New Zealand, more than half of those surveyed in each place said it was more important to have strong economic ties with the United States than with China.

In many advanced economies though, assessments of China's handling of the pandemic had "improved precipitously" and a median of 49% said it had done a good job, compared with 37% who rated the U.S. response positively.

Europeans approved of China's response much more than those in the Asia-Pacific, while in both regions, few thought China respected the personal freedoms of its people, the survey found.

Across the Asia-Pacific, however, opinions were mixed as to whether it was more important to try to promote human rights in China, even if this harmed economic ties, or whether economic relations should be prioritized.

Majorities in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan and a plurality in Taiwan prioritized human rights, while majorities in South Korea and Singapore prioritized economic relations.

In the Asia-Pacific, majorities in all but Singapore said they had little or no confidence in Xi's handling of world affairs, with the most - 86 percent - expressing that view in Japan. In Singapore, 70 percent expressed confidence in Xi.

Pew said the non-US&nbsp;data came from 16,254 adults polled between March 12 and May 26. That from the United States came from 2,596 adults surveyed from February&nbsp;1-7.

(With inputs from agencies)

Global views about China have remained broadly negative and confidence in its leader Xi Jinping near historic lows as per a survey of 17 advanced economies released on Wednesday.

Global views about China have remained broadly negative and confidence in its leader Xi Jinping near historic lows as per a survey of 17 advanced economies released on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the image of the United States has rebounded since President Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump. The survey by the US-based Pew Research Center found China scored higher marks for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic than the United States, however, while ratings on this for both had improved substantially since last year. Overall, unfavorable views of China had remained at or near historic highs, largely unchanged since last year, a summary of the survey said. Last year, Pew found few had confidence that either Xi or Trump would "do the right thing" in world affairs, although in Western Europe more had confidence in the Chinese leader. This year, confidence in Xi remained at or near historic lows, while "in contrast, views of Biden are much more positive than they were of Trump." The summary said that in all places, "a majority say they have confidence in Biden to do what is right in world affairs." "Views of Xi continue to be widely negative," it said. "In all but one of the 17 publics surveyed, majorities say they have little or no confidence in him." In Australia, France, Sweden and Canada, half or more said they had no confidence in Xi at all, it said. The economies surveyed were Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United States. Pew found that with the exception of Singapore and New Zealand, more than half of those surveyed in each place said it was more important to have strong economic ties with the United States than with China. In many advanced economies though, assessments of China's handling of the pandemic had "improved precipitously" and a median of 49% said it had done a good job, compared with 37% who rated the U.S. response positively. Europeans approved of China's response much more than those in the Asia-Pacific, while in both regions, few thought China respected the personal freedoms of its people, the survey found. Across the Asia-Pacific, however, opinions were mixed as to whether it was more important to try to promote human rights in China, even if this harmed economic ties, or whether economic relations should be prioritized. Majorities in New Zealand, Australia, and Japan and a plurality in Taiwan prioritized human rights, while majorities in South Korea and Singapore prioritized economic relations. In the Asia-Pacific, majorities in all but Singapore said they had little or no confidence in Xi's handling of world affairs, with the most - 86 percent - expressing that view in Japan. In Singapore, 70 percent expressed confidence in Xi. Pew said the non-US data came from 16,254 adults polled between March 12 and May 26. That from the United States came from 2,596 adults surveyed from February 1-7. (With inputs from agencies)

New survey reveals ratings of Chinese leader Xi Jinping near historic lows

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to work together as they extended a 20-year-old bilateral agreement on friendship and cooperation to forge closer ties.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin extend 20-year-old friendship treaty

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Chinese Communist Party members to remain loyal and continue to serve the people, after awarding a new medal of the highest honour to 29 party members on Tuesday. 
 
The party is marking the 100th year of its founding on Thursday, when Xi is expected to make a longer speech about its future. 
 
The medal award ceremony took place in Beijing's Great Hall of the People with much fanfare and was broadcast live on national television. 
 
The 'July 1 medal', announced in 2017 and given out for the first time on Tuesday, is part of Xi's efforts to shore up the image of the party. 
 
Xi commended recipients and urged all party members to "firmly keep the loyalty and love for the party and the people close to one's heart, turn that into action, dedicate everything, even your precious life, to the party and the people". 
 
The recipients included soldiers, community workers and professionals in the arts and science. 
 
The party had 91.9 million members in 2019, or 6.6% of China's population. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Chinese Communist Party members to remain loyal and continue to serve the people, after awarding a new medal of the highest honour to 29 party members on Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Chinese Communist Party members to remain loyal and continue to serve the people, after awarding a new medal of the highest honour to 29 party members on Tuesday. The party is marking the 100th year of its founding on Thursday, when Xi is expected to make a longer speech about its future. The medal award ceremony took place in Beijing's Great Hall of the People with much fanfare and was broadcast live on national television. The 'July 1 medal', announced in 2017 and given out for the first time on Tuesday, is part of Xi's efforts to shore up the image of the party. Xi commended recipients and urged all party members to "firmly keep the loyalty and love for the party and the people close to one's heart, turn that into action, dedicate everything, even your precious life, to the party and the people". The recipients included soldiers, community workers and professionals in the arts and science. The party had 91.9 million members in 2019, or 6.6% of China's population. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese Communist Party awards medals in run-up to anniversary

In China, "difficult to detect" Swine flu variants have led to mass outbreaks. What is the Chinese government up to? President Xi Jinping is glorifying himself with a museum, as the Communist Party celebrates its 100th birthday. Palki Sharma has more.

Gravitas: Now, a Swine Flu outbreak in China

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the work of three astronauts building China's first space station as opening "new horizons" in humanity's bid to explore the cosmos.

Xi spoke to the crew from the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, thanking the astronauts for their "hard work," and sending "sincere regards" on behalf of their fellow countrymen.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/milestones-chinas-space-dreams-from-ground-zero-upwards-392152">'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards</a>

"Building a space station is an important milestone for the spaceflight cause," Xi said from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, speaking to the astronauts via video link.

The astronauts, who are documenting their first 24 hours aboard the Tianhe module, were seen napping during the afternoon in footage&nbsp;that aired on China's national broadcaster Central China Television (CCTV).

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First vlog released showing taikonauts cabin life in China's space station<a href="https://t.co/lENoc5pTN1">https://t.co/lENoc5pTN1</a> <a href="https://t.co/E8fobAUdfE">pic.twitter.com/E8fobAUdfE</a>
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The astronauts Nie Haisheng, 56, Liu Boming, 54, and Tang Hongbo, 45, departed earth on Thursday and entered the unfinished Tianhe space station capsule that evening. They will live aboard the space station for a total of three months, testing its various systems and getting the module fully up and running.

The launch of China's first crewed mission in nearly five years is a matter of huge prestige as Beijing prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1 with a massive propaganda campaign.

China's space station, due to be finished by the end of 2022, will be the only alternative to the two-decade-old, US-led International Space Station (ISS), which may be retired in 2024.

The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through to the&nbsp;end of next year, including three more crewed missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station, along with supplies and crew members.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the work of three astronauts building China's first space station as opening "new horizons" in humanity's bid to explore the cosmos.

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the work of three astronauts building China's first space station as opening "new horizons" in humanity's bid to explore the cosmos. Xi spoke to the crew from the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, thanking the astronauts for their "hard work," and sending "sincere regards" on behalf of their fellow countrymen. Also see| 'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards "Building a space station is an important milestone for the spaceflight cause," Xi said from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, speaking to the astronauts via video link. The astronauts, who are documenting their first 24 hours aboard the Tianhe module, were seen napping during the afternoon in footage that aired on China's national broadcaster Central China Television (CCTV). First vlog released showing taikonauts cabin life in China's space stationhttps://t.co/lENoc5pTN1 pic.twitter.com/E8fobAUdfE — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) June 23, 2021 × The astronauts Nie Haisheng, 56, Liu Boming, 54, and Tang Hongbo, 45, departed earth on Thursday and entered the unfinished Tianhe space station capsule that evening. They will live aboard the space station for a total of three months, testing its various systems and getting the module fully up and running. The launch of China's first crewed mission in nearly five years is a matter of huge prestige as Beijing prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1 with a massive propaganda campaign. China's space station, due to be finished by the end of 2022, will be the only alternative to the two-decade-old, US-led International Space Station (ISS), which may be retired in 2024. The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through to the end of next year, including three more crewed missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station, along with supplies and crew members. (With inputs from agencies)

Xi Jinping holds space chat with astronauts, lauds 'new horizons' for humanity

Chinese police have detained eight suspects over a gas blast that killed 25 people and reduced several buildings to rubble in the central city of Shiyan, authorities said Friday.

Over a hundred people were injured in the explosion, which struck a busy two-storey building packed with shoppers and people eating breakfast in the Hubei province city on Sunday morning.&nbsp;

Eight suspects, including the general manager of the company that owned the gas pipe, have been detained, according to the Shiyan government.

Authorities found that "the company's safety management system was unsound" and "there were serious defects in the operation of relevant equipment," the government's statement said.

The blast occurred in a building that had previously housed a vehicle frame manufacturer, and several survivors told local media that the gas pipeline had fallen into disrepair after the factory was moved last year.

Around 900 residents in surrounding buildings were evacuated following the blast, which littered the area with debris and saw rescuers carrying shocked survivors out on stretchers.

Industrial accidents are common in&nbsp;China&nbsp;due to weak safety standards and corruption among officials tasked with enforcing them.

Sunday's blast prompted a rare statement from Chinese President Xi Jinping urging local officials to "learn profound lessons from the incident".

Shiyan's government said its investigation was still in progress and that "the relevant organizations and individuals would be held accountable."

Chinese police have detained eight suspects over a gas blast that killed 25 people and reduced several buildings to rubble in the central city of Shiyan, authorities said Friday.

Chinese police have detained eight suspects over a gas blast that killed 25 people and reduced several buildings to rubble in the central city of Shiyan, authorities said Friday. Over a hundred people were injured in the explosion, which struck a busy two-storey building packed with shoppers and people eating breakfast in the Hubei province city on Sunday morning. Eight suspects, including the general manager of the company that owned the gas pipe, have been detained, according to the Shiyan government. Authorities found that "the company's safety management system was unsound" and "there were serious defects in the operation of relevant equipment," the government's statement said. The blast occurred in a building that had previously housed a vehicle frame manufacturer, and several survivors told local media that the gas pipeline had fallen into disrepair after the factory was moved last year. Around 900 residents in surrounding buildings were evacuated following the blast, which littered the area with debris and saw rescuers carrying shocked survivors out on stretchers. Industrial accidents are common in China due to weak safety standards and corruption among officials tasked with enforcing them. Sunday's blast prompted a rare statement from Chinese President Xi Jinping urging local officials to "learn profound lessons from the incident". Shiyan's government said its investigation was still in progress and that "the relevant organizations and individuals would be held accountable."

Eight detained over deadly China gas blast

Under clear blue skies, rugged peaks and the spectacular Potala Palace, one image is ubiquitous in Tibet's capital city Lhasa: portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders. 
 
In a rare and tightly chaperoned government tour of the region last week, a Reuters journalist saw the portraits in classrooms, streets, religious institutions, houses, and the bedroom of a Buddhist monk. 
 
More than a dozen other reporters were also on the trip. 
 
China is broadening a political education campaign as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of its control over Tibet. 
 
Chinese officials say the campaign is key to the future of Tibet, a region which makes up over 12% of China's land mass but is home to just 3.5 million people, mostly ethnic Tibetans. 
 
Civilians and religious figures who the government arranged to be interviewed on the five-day trip pledged loyalty to the Communist Party and Xi. 
 
Asked who his spiritual leader was, a monk at Lhasa's historic Jokhang temple named Xi. 
 
"I'm not drunk ... I speak freely to you," said the monk named Lhakpa, speaking from a courtyard overlooked by security cameras and government observers. 
 
The portraits of Xi were visible at almost all sites visited by Reuters during the trip to Tibet, where journalists are banned from entering outside of such tours. It was not clear when the posters and flags were put up. 
 
"The posters coincide with a massive political education programme which is called 'feeling gratitude to the party' education," said Robert Barnett, a Tibetan studies veteran scholar at the University of London`s School of Oriental and African Studies. 
 
China's foreign ministry said: "Tibet`s economy and society has made great achievements under the care of China's central government and the strong support of every Chinese person. 
 
"The right to religious freedom of all ethnic groups in Tibet are protected by the Constitution and the law." 
 
During the visit, government officials suggested that such images, along with small Chinese flags that lined many city streets, were a sign of the "patriotic feeling" in Tibet. 
 
Beijing says it "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951, after Chinese troops entered the then-country and took over its administration. 
 
The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, and has since established a government in exile based in Dharamsala, India. 
 
Beijing has labeled him a dangerous separatist and has said when he passes away the government will select its own successor. 
 
Reuters did not see any images of the Dalai Lama, previously common in homes throughout Tibet, on the trip from May 31 to June 5. 
 
Photos of the spiritual leader are now strictly banned, according to rights groups and Tibetans who have since left the region. 
 
The foreign ministry repeated China`s position that the Dalai Lama was "attempting to separate Tibet from China." 
 
"Since Dalai defected, he has not done anything good for the Tibetan people," said Fan Chunwen, the secretary for Tibet’s Department of Education. 
 
In Tibet's College of Buddhism, a major religious training school on the outskirts of Lhasa, Chinese flags flew atop temples and images of Xi featured prominently in every dorm and classroom visited by Reuters. 
 
"We are under the leadership of the Communist Party now, of course, we must learn about politics," said Kelsang Wandui, vice director of the college. 
 
Around 40% of the school's study programme was dedicated to political and cultural education, Wandui said, adding the monks will celebrate the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Communist Party on July 1. 
 
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the name of the exiled Tibetan government which oversees up to 150,000 Tibetans in exile, said the "political re-education campaign has been reinvigorated to Sinicize Tibet." 
 
Beijing has consistently strongly denied any accusations of rights abuses in Tibet, and says people in China are free to practice approved religions, including Buddhism. 
 
In a Lhasa high school political ideology class visited by Reuters, a teacher preached the benefits of China`s policy in Tibet and led them in chants of agreement. 
 
"Our young people must cherish the party, listen to the party and be guided by the party and be loyal to our beautiful new Tibet," said Wang Zhen, Director of the Department of Education in Tibet.

Under clear blue skies, rugged peaks and the spectacular Potala Palace, one image is ubiquitous in Tibet's capital city Lhasa: portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders.

Under clear blue skies, rugged peaks and the spectacular Potala Palace, one image is ubiquitous in Tibet's capital city Lhasa: portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders. In a rare and tightly chaperoned government tour of the region last week, a Reuters journalist saw the portraits in classrooms, streets, religious institutions, houses, and the bedroom of a Buddhist monk. More than a dozen other reporters were also on the trip. China is broadening a political education campaign as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of its control over Tibet. Chinese officials say the campaign is key to the future of Tibet, a region which makes up over 12% of China's land mass but is home to just 3.5 million people, mostly ethnic Tibetans. Civilians and religious figures who the government arranged to be interviewed on the five-day trip pledged loyalty to the Communist Party and Xi. Asked who his spiritual leader was, a monk at Lhasa's historic Jokhang temple named Xi. "I'm not drunk ... I speak freely to you," said the monk named Lhakpa, speaking from a courtyard overlooked by security cameras and government observers. The portraits of Xi were visible at almost all sites visited by Reuters during the trip to Tibet, where journalists are banned from entering outside of such tours. It was not clear when the posters and flags were put up. "The posters coincide with a massive political education programme which is called 'feeling gratitude to the party' education," said Robert Barnett, a Tibetan studies veteran scholar at the University of London`s School of Oriental and African Studies. China's foreign ministry said: "Tibet`s economy and society has made great achievements under the care of China's central government and the strong support of every Chinese person. "The right to religious freedom of all ethnic groups in Tibet are protected by the Constitution and the law." During the visit, government officials suggested that such images, along with small Chinese flags that lined many city streets, were a sign of the "patriotic feeling" in Tibet. Beijing says it "peacefully liberated" Tibet in 1951, after Chinese troops entered the then-country and took over its administration. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, and has since established a government in exile based in Dharamsala, India. Beijing has labeled him a dangerous separatist and has said when he passes away the government will select its own successor. Reuters did not see any images of the Dalai Lama, previously common in homes throughout Tibet, on the trip from May 31 to June 5. Photos of the spiritual leader are now strictly banned, according to rights groups and Tibetans who have since left the region. The foreign ministry repeated China`s position that the Dalai Lama was "attempting to separate Tibet from China." "Since Dalai defected, he has not done anything good for the Tibetan people," said Fan Chunwen, the secretary for Tibet’s Department of Education. In Tibet's College of Buddhism, a major religious training school on the outskirts of Lhasa, Chinese flags flew atop temples and images of Xi featured prominently in every dorm and classroom visited by Reuters. "We are under the leadership of the Communist Party now, of course, we must learn about politics," said Kelsang Wandui, vice director of the college. Around 40% of the school's study programme was dedicated to political and cultural education, Wandui said, adding the monks will celebrate the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Communist Party on July 1. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the name of the exiled Tibetan government which oversees up to 150,000 Tibetans in exile, said the "political re-education campaign has been reinvigorated to Sinicize Tibet." Beijing has consistently strongly denied any accusations of rights abuses in Tibet, and says people in China are free to practice approved religions, including Buddhism. In a Lhasa high school political ideology class visited by Reuters, a teacher preached the benefits of China`s policy in Tibet and led them in chants of agreement. "Our young people must cherish the party, listen to the party and be guided by the party and be loyal to our beautiful new Tibet," said Wang Zhen, Director of the Department of Education in Tibet.

'Xi Jinping is my spiritual leader': China's education drive in Tibet

Beijing's hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics offers concerned nations the chance to press China on its human rights record, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

Trudeau said China would only change its behaviour if faced with a united front, adding he would raise the matter at a Group of Seven leaders' summit next week.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/respect-human-rights-and-dignities-taiwans-former-defence-minister-to-china-at-wion-global-summit-372787">'Respect human rights and dignities': Taiwan's Former Defence Minister to China at WION Global Summit</a>

"The pressure on China right now from the international community ... is significantly acute, particularly with the Winter Olympics coming up in China next year," Trudeau told the Toronto Star in a video interview.

"It would be easy for China ... to shrug off what any one country, including just the United States alone, says. But when the global community comes together, that starts to shape their own calculations."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-solar-companies-tied-to-use-of-forced-labor-355576">Chinese solar companies tied to use of forced labor</a>

Canada, locked in a major diplomatic and trade dispute with China for more than two years, is one of the world's leading winter sports nations.

Trudeau did not raise the question of athletes staying away from the Games. The Canadian Olympic Committee opposes a boycott, saying it would not force a change to China's human rights record.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-human-rights-report-lambasts-china-over-uighur-atrocities-374537">US human rights report lambasts China over Uighur atrocities</a>

US&nbsp;House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month called for a US&nbsp;diplomatic boycott of the Games next year, citing the State Department's conclusion that genocide of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities is taking place in China.

Canada's parliament passed a nonbinding motion in February saying China's treatment of the Uighurs in the Xinjiang region constitutes genocide.

Beijing's hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics offers concerned nations the chance to press China on its human rights record, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

Beijing's hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics offers concerned nations the chance to press China on its human rights record, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday. Trudeau said China would only change its behaviour if faced with a united front, adding he would raise the matter at a Group of Seven leaders' summit next week. Also Read | 'Respect human rights and dignities': Taiwan's Former Defence Minister to China at WION Global Summit "The pressure on China right now from the international community ... is significantly acute, particularly with the Winter Olympics coming up in China next year," Trudeau told the Toronto Star in a video interview. "It would be easy for China ... to shrug off what any one country, including just the United States alone, says. But when the global community comes together, that starts to shape their own calculations." Also Read | Chinese solar companies tied to use of forced labor Canada, locked in a major diplomatic and trade dispute with China for more than two years, is one of the world's leading winter sports nations. Trudeau did not raise the question of athletes staying away from the Games. The Canadian Olympic Committee opposes a boycott, saying it would not force a change to China's human rights record. Also Read | US human rights report lambasts China over Uighur atrocities US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month called for a US diplomatic boycott of the Games next year, citing the State Department's conclusion that genocide of Uighurs and other ethnic minorities is taking place in China. Canada's parliament passed a nonbinding motion in February saying China's treatment of the Uighurs in the Xinjiang region constitutes genocide.

China's 2022 Olympics a chance to press Beijing on human rights: Canada

Xi Jinping wants to give China an image makeover. He wants senior leaders and diplomats to present a China that is "friendly, loveable and trustworthy". How are the wolf warriors responding to the diktat? WION’s Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Xi Jinping seeks "Loveable" image for China

Timeline: 32 years of China's brutal Tiananmen crackdown

After years of China`s growing aggressiveness towards other countries through warnings and insults, President Xi Jinping said that officials should create a lovable and respectable image of the country, which has raised more than a few sceptical eyebrows among China watchers.

In his remarks at a Politburo meeting on Monday as quoted by Xinhua news agency, Xi said: "We must pay attention to grasp the tone, be both open, confident and humble, and strive to create a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China."

Adam Taylor for Washington Post writes that China`s international relations have frayed significantly over the past years, with issues like the repression of the Uyghur ethnic minority in Xinjiang, aggressive rhetoric and action against Taiwan, India and Hong Kong activists and relentless obfuscation over the coronavirus darkening China`s global image.

Much of China`s hyperaggressive diplomacy was led by a team of `wolf warriors`, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, which evidence suggests was not winning friends.

In a Pew Research Center survey of 14 countries released in October, a majority of respondents gave a negative appraisal of China. Negative views reached decade highs in nine of those countries. Moreover, calls for countries to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics show no sign of dissipating over severe human rights abuses in Xinjiang and China`s vaccine diplomacy efforts have been complicated by reports of low efficacy and new COVID-19 waves.

According to Tufts University`s Sulmaan Wasif Khan, the wolf warriors had disrupted China`s "grand strategy" and posed a real domestic risk, reported Washington Post.

"The real danger is that once the toxin has spread through the system, there is no knowing where it will end," he said.

Last month, research from Yaoyao Dai and Luwei Rose Luqiu published by Washington Post`s The Monkey Cage last month found that an average of 10 per cent of Foreign Ministry speeches were "combative and hostile" before 2012. That increased to more than a quarter in 2019 and 2020.

When US President Joe Biden`s officials first met with their Chinese counterparts this March, they received a 16-minute tirade criticising America and accusing US officials of speaking from a position of hypocrisy and weakness.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, Zhao spread baseless theories that the US military could have been behind the coronavirus pandemic that first emerged in Wuhan, China -- a notion so bold that some other Chinese diplomats seemed to distance themselves from it, writes Taylor.

However, increasing international pressure on the origins of COVID-19 has highlighted that China has something to hide. Moreover, China`s relations with the European Union (EU) have also worsened amid disputes over Xinjiang, effectively ending plans for a trade and investment treaty. In their research, Dai and Luqiu found that the wolf warriors` tough talk was often a substitute for tough action, leading nationalistic netizens to proclaim victory and appealing to the poorer countries.

The rude tweets, along with Xi`s policies of repression in Xinjiang and Hong Kong or the systematic embrace of secrecy and paranoia that may make finding the cause of the coronavirus impossible that disrupt its relations abroad.

Adam Taylor further opined that keeping a tighter leash on the wolf warriors may not spell better international relations for China unless significant policy changes are in place.

After years of China`s growing aggressiveness towards other countries through warnings and insults, President Xi Jinping said that officials should create a lovable and respectable image of the country, which has raised more than a few sceptical eyebrows among China watchers.

After years of China`s growing aggressiveness towards other countries through warnings and insults, President Xi Jinping said that officials should create a lovable and respectable image of the country, which has raised more than a few sceptical eyebrows among China watchers. In his remarks at a Politburo meeting on Monday as quoted by Xinhua news agency, Xi said: "We must pay attention to grasp the tone, be both open, confident and humble, and strive to create a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China." Adam Taylor for Washington Post writes that China`s international relations have frayed significantly over the past years, with issues like the repression of the Uyghur ethnic minority in Xinjiang, aggressive rhetoric and action against Taiwan, India and Hong Kong activists and relentless obfuscation over the coronavirus darkening China`s global image. Much of China`s hyperaggressive diplomacy was led by a team of `wolf warriors`, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, which evidence suggests was not winning friends. In a Pew Research Center survey of 14 countries released in October, a majority of respondents gave a negative appraisal of China. Negative views reached decade highs in nine of those countries. Moreover, calls for countries to boycott the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics show no sign of dissipating over severe human rights abuses in Xinjiang and China`s vaccine diplomacy efforts have been complicated by reports of low efficacy and new COVID-19 waves. According to Tufts University`s Sulmaan Wasif Khan, the wolf warriors had disrupted China`s "grand strategy" and posed a real domestic risk, reported Washington Post. "The real danger is that once the toxin has spread through the system, there is no knowing where it will end," he said. Last month, research from Yaoyao Dai and Luwei Rose Luqiu published by Washington Post`s The Monkey Cage last month found that an average of 10 per cent of Foreign Ministry speeches were "combative and hostile" before 2012. That increased to more than a quarter in 2019 and 2020. When US President Joe Biden`s officials first met with their Chinese counterparts this March, they received a 16-minute tirade criticising America and accusing US officials of speaking from a position of hypocrisy and weakness. During the COVID-19 outbreak, Zhao spread baseless theories that the US military could have been behind the coronavirus pandemic that first emerged in Wuhan, China -- a notion so bold that some other Chinese diplomats seemed to distance themselves from it, writes Taylor. However, increasing international pressure on the origins of COVID-19 has highlighted that China has something to hide. Moreover, China`s relations with the European Union (EU) have also worsened amid disputes over Xinjiang, effectively ending plans for a trade and investment treaty. In their research, Dai and Luqiu found that the wolf warriors` tough talk was often a substitute for tough action, leading nationalistic netizens to proclaim victory and appealing to the poorer countries. The rude tweets, along with Xi`s policies of repression in Xinjiang and Hong Kong or the systematic embrace of secrecy and paranoia that may make finding the cause of the coronavirus impossible that disrupt its relations abroad. Adam Taylor further opined that keeping a tighter leash on the wolf warriors may not spell better international relations for China unless significant policy changes are in place.

Xi Jinping's idea of 'lovable' China raises eyebrows

India is driving the global Wuhan virus surge. India accounts for nearly 1 in 4 deaths in the world due to the virus. Help is pouring in from around the world. Now, Chinese President Xi Jinping has written to PM Modi and offered support.

Gravitas: Xi Jinping sends a letter to PM Modi, offers support to India

Chinese President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/xi-jinping">Xi Jinping </a>on Friday sent condolences to Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi </a>over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus </a>situation in India.&nbsp;

In a letter that was sent on Friday, the Chinese president said that he is "very concerned" about the recent situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and on behalf of the "Chinese Government and people, as well as in my own name," he expressed "sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and people."

Watch |&nbsp;

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This is the first official communication between the two leaders since the last year's stand-off in eastern Ladakh and the Galwan Valley clashes.&nbsp;

Highlighting how "humanity is a community with a shared future", Xi said, "only through solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world ultimately defeat the pandemic."

"Chinese side stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the Indian side in fighting the pandemic and provide support and help in this regard", he said, adding, "I believe that under the leadership of the Indian Government, the Indian people will surely prevail over the pandemic."

<img alt="Chinese President letter to PM Modi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2a872e6-c1b1-4dcf-a932-5180776fed48" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/015cef68-d194-4ceb-901a-d4b94002407d.jpg" />

Earlier, Sun Weidong, Chinese ambassador to India, said on Thursday that Beijing has provided India will over 5,000 ventilators and 21,569 oxygen generators, among other supplies.&nbsp;

"Since this April, #China has supplied more than 5000 ventilators, 21569 oxygen generators, over 21.48 million masks &amp; around 3800 tons of medicines to #India, according to statistics of the General Administration of Customs of China," the envoy wrote on a tweet.&nbsp;

A few days ago, media reports said that the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) accused Beijing of stopping shipments of oxygen concentrators being procured from China to be delivered to India. &nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/japan-to-provide-oxygen-concentrators-ventilators-to-friend-and-partner-india-to-combat-covid-381682">Japan to provide oxygen concentrators, ventilators to 'friend and partner' India to combat Covid</a>

Chinese foreign ministry denied these reports, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday saying that the country would do the utmost to help India fight the pandemic.&nbsp;

He also said that the anti-pandemic supplies from China are entering India at a faster pace.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Sidhant Sibal)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the coronavirus situation in India. In a letter that was sent on Friday, the Chinese president said that he is "very concerned" about the recent situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and on behalf of the "Chinese Government and people, as well as in my own name," he expressed "sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and people.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the coronavirus situation in India. In a letter that was sent on Friday, the Chinese president said that he is "very concerned" about the recent situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and on behalf of the "Chinese Government and people, as well as in my own name," he expressed "sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and people." Watch | This is the first official communication between the two leaders since the last year's stand-off in eastern Ladakh and the Galwan Valley clashes. Highlighting how "humanity is a community with a shared future", Xi said, "only through solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world ultimately defeat the pandemic." "Chinese side stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the Indian side in fighting the pandemic and provide support and help in this regard", he said, adding, "I believe that under the leadership of the Indian Government, the Indian people will surely prevail over the pandemic." Earlier, Sun Weidong, Chinese ambassador to India, said on Thursday that Beijing has provided India will over 5,000 ventilators and 21,569 oxygen generators, among other supplies. "Since this April, #China has supplied more than 5000 ventilators, 21569 oxygen generators, over 21.48 million masks & around 3800 tons of medicines to #India, according to statistics of the General Administration of Customs of China," the envoy wrote on a tweet. A few days ago, media reports said that the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) accused Beijing of stopping shipments of oxygen concentrators being procured from China to be delivered to India. Also read | Japan to provide oxygen concentrators, ventilators to 'friend and partner' India to combat Covid Chinese foreign ministry denied these reports, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday saying that the country would do the utmost to help India fight the pandemic. He also said that the anti-pandemic supplies from China are entering India at a faster pace. (With inputs from Sidhant Sibal)

Chinese President Xi offers condolences to Indian PM Modi over Covid situation

China on Thursday warned the United States for "forcing other countries" to accept its democratic ideals after US President Joe Biden's speech in which he criticised "autocrats".&nbsp;

Biden, in his first address to Congress, said that the US was in competition with China, adding that "autocrats think democracies can't compete".&nbsp;

Watch |

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/biden-delivers-first-joint-address-to-congress-says-america-on-the-move-again-381271/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Responding to Biden's speech, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that it was normal for both countries to compete in some fields.&nbsp;

"But this kind of competition should be a track and field race, not a duel to the death," he added in a press briefing on Thursday as quoted by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-says-it-does-not-seek-conflict-with-china-welcomes-competition-381252">US says it 'does not seek conflict' with China, welcomes 'competition'</a>

He also warned that imposing other nations to "accept one's democratic system... will only create divisions, intensify tension, and undermine stability."

Earlier Biden also said that Washington would stand up to discriminatory trade practices and intellectual property theft.&nbsp;

However, the Chinese spokesperson slammed the US for "violating the market principle of fair competition" and "politicising" economy, trade and other issues, in a reference to the trade war.&nbsp;

The US president also said that the country welcomes competition and not eyeing conflict, to which even Wang said that, "China is committed to developing a relationship with the US based on non-conflict and non-confrontation". &nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden also said that he told Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Washington would continue to keep a strong military deployment in the Indo-Pacific to prevent conflict, to which China highlighted issues with this US approach. &nbsp;

China's defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian on Thursday said that since Biden's inauguration, there has been a 20 per cent increase in the frequency of US warships sent to the Chinese maritime region.&nbsp;

He added that the frequency of reconnaissance aircraft activity in the territory has also spiked by 40 per cent, adding that Beijing &nbsp;"resolutely opposes this".

"The US frequently sends warships and planes to carry out activities in maritime waters and airspace near China, advancing regional militarisation and threatening regional peace and stability," the defence spokesperson said.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

China on Thursday warned the United States for "forcing other countries" to accept its democratic ideals after US President Joe Biden's speech in which he criticised "autocrats".

China on Thursday warned the United States for "forcing other countries" to accept its democratic ideals after US President Joe Biden's speech in which he criticised "autocrats". Biden, in his first address to Congress, said that the US was in competition with China, adding that "autocrats think democracies can't compete". Watch | Responding to Biden's speech, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that it was normal for both countries to compete in some fields. "But this kind of competition should be a track and field race, not a duel to the death," he added in a press briefing on Thursday as quoted by news agency AFP. Also read | US says it 'does not seek conflict' with China, welcomes 'competition' He also warned that imposing other nations to "accept one's democratic system... will only create divisions, intensify tension, and undermine stability." Earlier Biden also said that Washington would stand up to discriminatory trade practices and intellectual property theft. However, the Chinese spokesperson slammed the US for "violating the market principle of fair competition" and "politicising" economy, trade and other issues, in a reference to the trade war. The US president also said that the country welcomes competition and not eyeing conflict, to which even Wang said that, "China is committed to developing a relationship with the US based on non-conflict and non-confrontation". Biden also said that he told Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that Washington would continue to keep a strong military deployment in the Indo-Pacific to prevent conflict, to which China highlighted issues with this US approach. China's defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian on Thursday said that since Biden's inauguration, there has been a 20 per cent increase in the frequency of US warships sent to the Chinese maritime region. He added that the frequency of reconnaissance aircraft activity in the territory has also spiked by 40 per cent, adding that Beijing "resolutely opposes this". "The US frequently sends warships and planes to carry out activities in maritime waters and airspace near China, advancing regional militarisation and threatening regional peace and stability," the defence spokesperson said. (With inputs from agencies)

After Biden's speech, China warns US against imposing 'democratic ideals'

Chinese President Xi&nbsp;Jinping&nbsp;said on Tuesday that the global governance system should be made more equitable and fair, and that rules set by one country or some nations cannot be imposed on others. "The world wants justice, not hegemony," Xi said in his keynote speech at the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the region's answer to Davos.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-how-has-china-changed-from-mao-to-xi-378887/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But why is Xi Jinping doing and saying what he is?

To understand him, we must look at his country's history. The last 100 years were a red century for China dominated by communism. The vehicle of this domination was the Chinese Communist Party. Many leaders have come and gone but the party remains.

In a couple of months the CCP will celebrate its centenary - 100 years of the party’s founding. A lot has changed in these 100 years - Socialism has taken a back seat, equality has become an inconvenience. The party of peasants and guerillas is seeking global domination and they are not taking any prisoners.

Mao Zedong used to talk about seeking truth from facts. Today, his country specialises in propaganda and falsehoods.

How did this happen?

China is an image of its leader, and Chinese communism is personality-driven. The leader decides which way the party and the country go. Three chapters of Chinese communism are testimony to this.

First was the era of Mao Zedong, an insecure and ruthless leader who presided over deadly famines and a violent cultural revolution.Then came Deng Xiaoping and the era of reforms. China began adopting technocracy, embracing modernity which ended with the presidency of Hu Jintao. And then came Xi Jinping, who is leading China on a war path. This chapter of Chinese communism is still unfolding and he's already decided on the climax.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-facing-legal-talent-crisis-for-protecting-growing-interests-says-xi-jinping-367160" hreflang="en">China facing legal talent crisis for protecting growing interests, says Xi Jinping</a>

A world dominated by the People's Republic with him at the helm. Xi Jinping keeps talking about the Chinese dream. He plans to do this by putting the party firmly on top. The politburo is now a secretive cabal of which state companies have become party assets. The People's Liberation Army has been reduced to mercenaries. Xi Jinping is intent on creating a new world order.

China is hijacking world organisations and reshaping them. Chinese nationals head four of the 15 UN agencies. They have left the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization toothless.

So here's what a Beijing-led world will look like - Freedom and liberty will be state-regulated, the internet will be heavily censored, and democracy will be reduced to a theory. In addition, we can say goodbye to a rules-based order. This is China's mega-plan and step one is to test the waters. The South China Sea, where hundreds of Chinese vessels are still sailing in disputed waters is Beijing's dress rehearsal.

The Philippines has asked China to pull back but China says they are fishing vessels. President Duterte says he is prepared to deploy his navy to assert claims over disputed islands. Duterte said this on Monday - “I’m not so much interested now in fishing. I don't think there is enough fish really to quarrel about”. Turns out, there is no fish.

How can the world tackle this?

Democracies must close ranks. We saw a sample of this last week in Washington when Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga met US President Joe Biden.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/world-wants-justice-not-hegemony-says-chinese-president-xi-jinping-378722" hreflang="en">World wants justice, not hegemony, says Chinese President Xi Jinping</a>

Their joint statement mentioned three key issues - The Uighur genocide, the crackdown in Hong Kong, and the intimidation of Taiwan. Taiwan’s mention really riled up the Chinese. Japan has always been soft on Taiwan, and the last time they mentioned Taiwan in a joint statement was in 1969.

But what about Europe?

Historically, they've been a key player in world politics and this is a conflict they cannot afford to sit out. On Monday, the EU unveiled a new policy document on the Indo-Pacific. It does not name China but the intention is clear.

Europe wants a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific. Member states like France, Germany and the Netherlands are planning to boost their naval presence there. The document also talks about promoting democracy and human rights. These are clear references to China. But in typical European fashion, they have pulled their punches. The EU is seeing competition where there is conflict and are still committed to signing an investment deal with China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that the global governance system should be made more equitable and fair, and that rules set by one country or some nations cannot be imposed on others.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that the global governance system should be made more equitable and fair, and that rules set by one country or some nations cannot be imposed on others. "The world wants justice, not hegemony," Xi said in his keynote speech at the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the region's answer to Davos. But why is Xi Jinping doing and saying what he is? To understand him, we must look at his country's history. The last 100 years were a red century for China dominated by communism. The vehicle of this domination was the Chinese Communist Party. Many leaders have come and gone but the party remains. In a couple of months the CCP will celebrate its centenary - 100 years of the party’s founding. A lot has changed in these 100 years - Socialism has taken a back seat, equality has become an inconvenience. The party of peasants and guerillas is seeking global domination and they are not taking any prisoners. Mao Zedong used to talk about seeking truth from facts. Today, his country specialises in propaganda and falsehoods. How did this happen? China is an image of its leader, and Chinese communism is personality-driven. The leader decides which way the party and the country go. Three chapters of Chinese communism are testimony to this. First was the era of Mao Zedong, an insecure and ruthless leader who presided over deadly famines and a violent cultural revolution.Then came Deng Xiaoping and the era of reforms. China began adopting technocracy, embracing modernity which ended with the presidency of Hu Jintao. And then came Xi Jinping, who is leading China on a war path. This chapter of Chinese communism is still unfolding and he's already decided on the climax. Also read: China facing legal talent crisis for protecting growing interests, says Xi Jinping A world dominated by the People's Republic with him at the helm. Xi Jinping keeps talking about the Chinese dream. He plans to do this by putting the party firmly on top. The politburo is now a secretive cabal of which state companies have become party assets. The People's Liberation Army has been reduced to mercenaries. Xi Jinping is intent on creating a new world order. China is hijacking world organisations and reshaping them. Chinese nationals head four of the 15 UN agencies. They have left the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization toothless. So here's what a Beijing-led world will look like - Freedom and liberty will be state-regulated, the internet will be heavily censored, and democracy will be reduced to a theory. In addition, we can say goodbye to a rules-based order. This is China's mega-plan and step one is to test the waters. The South China Sea, where hundreds of Chinese vessels are still sailing in disputed waters is Beijing's dress rehearsal. The Philippines has asked China to pull back but China says they are fishing vessels. President Duterte says he is prepared to deploy his navy to assert claims over disputed islands. Duterte said this on Monday - “I’m not so much interested now in fishing. I don't think there is enough fish really to quarrel about”. Turns out, there is no fish. How can the world tackle this? Democracies must close ranks. We saw a sample of this last week in Washington when Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga met US President Joe Biden. Also read: World wants justice, not hegemony, says Chinese President Xi Jinping Their joint statement mentioned three key issues - The Uighur genocide, the crackdown in Hong Kong, and the intimidation of Taiwan. Taiwan’s mention really riled up the Chinese. Japan has always been soft on Taiwan, and the last time they mentioned Taiwan in a joint statement was in 1969. But what about Europe? Historically, they've been a key player in world politics and this is a conflict they cannot afford to sit out. On Monday, the EU unveiled a new policy document on the Indo-Pacific. It does not name China but the intention is clear. Europe wants a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific. Member states like France, Germany and the Netherlands are planning to boost their naval presence there. The document also talks about promoting democracy and human rights. These are clear references to China. But in typical European fashion, they have pulled their punches. The EU is seeing competition where there is conflict and are still committed to signing an investment deal with China.

Why China's Xi Jinping suddenly wants 'justice, not hegemony' in the world order

China's President Xi Jinping will attend a virtual climate summit this week hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as political tensions&nbsp;between the two countries remain high.&nbsp;

Xi will give an "important speech" at the meeting, the statement said, which comes days after climate envoys from the two countries met in Shanghai and pledged to cooperate on the pressing issue of climate change.

Biden&nbsp;has invited 40 world leaders to the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;summit, part of his effort to make the fight against global warming a top priority.

Beijing and Washington have persistently clashed over a range of issues from alleged human rights abuses to China's economic clout over other nations.

In Alaska last month, US&nbsp;and Chinese officials held the first high-level in-person talks that bristled with rancor and yielded no diplomatic breakthroughs.

But the two countries, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, have rediscovered a common interest in battling climate change.

Last week, US&nbsp;climate envoy John Kerry travelled to Shanghai to meet with his Chinese counterpart in the first high-level visit to China by a Biden administration official. Both agreed on concrete actions "in the 2020s" to reduce emissions.

The talks also marked a resumption of climate dialogue halted during the Donald Trump administration, who withdrew from the Paris agreement.

(With input from agencies)

China's President Xi Jinping will attend a virtual climate summit this week hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as political tensions between the two countries remain high.

China's President Xi Jinping will attend a virtual climate summit this week hosted by US President Joe Biden, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, as political tensions between the two countries remain high. Xi will give an "important speech" at the meeting, the statement said, which comes days after climate envoys from the two countries met in Shanghai and pledged to cooperate on the pressing issue of climate change. Biden has invited 40 world leaders to the climate summit, part of his effort to make the fight against global warming a top priority. Beijing and Washington have persistently clashed over a range of issues from alleged human rights abuses to China's economic clout over other nations. In Alaska last month, US and Chinese officials held the first high-level in-person talks that bristled with rancor and yielded no diplomatic breakthroughs. But the two countries, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, have rediscovered a common interest in battling climate change. Last week, US climate envoy John Kerry travelled to Shanghai to meet with his Chinese counterpart in the first high-level visit to China by a Biden administration official. Both agreed on concrete actions "in the 2020s" to reduce emissions. The talks also marked a resumption of climate dialogue halted during the Donald Trump administration, who withdrew from the Paris agreement. (With input from agencies)

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend virtual climate summit called by Biden

At an economic forum today, President Xi Jinping said China will never seek hegemony, never expand and never engage in an arms race. Do Xi Jinping's words match the actions of his government? WION’s Palki Sharma brings you a reality check.

Gravitas: China's expansionism takes a dangerous turn

As China gets set to celebrate 100 years of the Communist Party's founding, the country finds itself on a warpath. Xi Jinping's policies have led to tensions in the South China Sea. WION’s Palki Sharma decodes the growth of Chinese communism over the years.

Gravitas: HOW HAS CHINA CHANGED FROM MAO TO XI

Chinese President Xi&nbsp;Jinping&nbsp;said on Tuesday that the global governance system should be made more equitable and fair, and that rules set by one country or some nations cannot be imposed on others.

"The world wants justice, not hegemony," Xi said in his keynote speech at the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the region's answer to Davos.

Building barriers and pushing for decoupling will harm others and benefit no one, Xi said.

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It comes after Human Rights Watch said in a detailed report released Monday that&nbsp;China is guilty of ongoing "crimes against humanity" in its oppressive treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

China, under growing global pressure over its coronavirus response and treatment of minority Muslim Uighurs in far west Xinjiang, is mounting an unprecedented and aggressive campaign to push back.

Beijing has imprisoned more than one million members of the main ethnic group in its western Xinjiang region and keeps millions more under a tough system of surveillance and controls, said the report by HRW and Stanford Law School’s Human Rights &amp; Conflict Resolution Clinic. &nbsp;

"The Chinese government has committed, and continues to commit, crimes against humanity against the Turkic Muslim population," the report said.

"The Chinese government's apparent goal in creating the camps is the erasure of Turkic Muslim culture and religion," it said, specifying Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other groups in Xinjiang.

The ongoing policies violate the 1998&nbsp;Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which says widespread or systematic attacks on a civilian population are a crime, the report said.

It faulted the Chinese government for illegal imprisonment, torture and murder of Uyghurs, and of intentional policies of forced labor and sexual violence toward them.

HRW said Beijing's mistreatment of Uyghurs dates back more than two decades, but said that they have intensified since 2013 under Chinese President Xi&nbsp;Jinping.

Driven by nationalism and Islamophobia, Xi's government wants to "Sinicize" the Muslim communities, the report said.

HRW and the Stanford researchers did not go so far as to accuse Beijing of genocide in Xinjiang, an accusation that has been made by the US government, legislatures in Belgium, Canada and Netherlands, and other rights groups.

HRW said it hadn't documented evidence of "genocidal intent" by Beijing, but also said its report does not preclude such a finding.

"If such evidence were to emerge, the acts being committed against Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, a group protected by the 1948 Genocide Convention,&nbsp;could also support a finding of genocide."

HRW called for governments to work together to pressure China to change its policies and to help identify the perpetrators.

It also called for the United Nations to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate allegations.

Under international law, crimes against humanity are defined as widespread and systematic, whereas the burden of proof for genocide - the intent to destroy part of a population - can be more difficult to prove.

(With input from agencies)

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that the global governance system should be made more equitable and fair, and that rules set by one country or some nations cannot be imposed on others. "The world wants justice, not hegemony," Xi said in his keynote speech at the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the region's answer to Davos. Building barriers and pushing for decoupling will harm others and benefit no one, Xi said. It comes after Human Rights Watch said in a detailed report released Monday that China is guilty of ongoing "crimes against humanity" in its oppressive treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. China, under growing global pressure over its coronavirus response and treatment of minority Muslim Uighurs in far west Xinjiang, is mounting an unprecedented and aggressive campaign to push back. Beijing has imprisoned more than one million members of the main ethnic group in its western Xinjiang region and keeps millions more under a tough system of surveillance and controls, said the report by HRW and Stanford Law School’s Human Rights & Conflict Resolution Clinic. "The Chinese government has committed, and continues to commit, crimes against humanity against the Turkic Muslim population," the report said. "The Chinese government's apparent goal in creating the camps is the erasure of Turkic Muslim culture and religion," it said, specifying Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other groups in Xinjiang. The ongoing policies violate the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which says widespread or systematic attacks on a civilian population are a crime, the report said. It faulted the Chinese government for illegal imprisonment, torture and murder of Uyghurs, and of intentional policies of forced labor and sexual violence toward them. HRW said Beijing's mistreatment of Uyghurs dates back more than two decades, but said that they have intensified since 2013 under Chinese President Xi Jinping. Driven by nationalism and Islamophobia, Xi's government wants to "Sinicize" the Muslim communities, the report said. HRW and the Stanford researchers did not go so far as to accuse Beijing of genocide in Xinjiang, an accusation that has been made by the US government, legislatures in Belgium, Canada and Netherlands, and other rights groups. HRW said it hadn't documented evidence of "genocidal intent" by Beijing, but also said its report does not preclude such a finding. "If such evidence were to emerge, the acts being committed against Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, a group protected by the 1948 Genocide Convention, could also support a finding of genocide." HRW called for governments to work together to pressure China to change its policies and to help identify the perpetrators. It also called for the United Nations to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate allegations. Under international law, crimes against humanity are defined as widespread and systematic, whereas the burden of proof for genocide - the intent to destroy part of a population - can be more difficult to prove. (With input from agencies)

World wants justice, not hegemony, says Chinese President Xi Jinping

China's President Xi Jinping has called for a more fair and equitable world order in a clear message to the United States.

China's President Xi Jinping speaks at the Boao Forum

Chinese President Xi Jinping will join a virtual climate summit with France and Germany, Beijing announced Thursday, as US envoy John Kerry visited Shanghai to drum up support from the world's biggest polluter for America's drive to address environmental challenges.

Kerry, President Joe Biden's climate tzar, is in China for meetings with his counterparts until Saturday,&nbsp;the first visit by an official from the new US administration.

Kerry is not expected to meet with Xi, on a trip which has so far taken place behind closed doors.

Beijing unexpectedly announced Xi would join an online French-German climate summit on Friday&nbsp;"at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron".

Kerry's trip is seen as a chance for Beijing and Washington to put aside high political tensions -- following a heated initial meeting last month between diplomats in the US -- and focus on areas of potential climate collaboration.

The two sides clashed in Alaska over accusations about China's policies in Hong Kong and its treatment of Uyghurs in its northwestern Xinjiang region, criticisms China rejects as interference in its domestic affairs.

Biden has made reversing the climate-sceptic policy of his predecessor Donald Trump a priority.

He has rejoined the 2015 Paris accord, and is hosting a virtual summit of world leaders next week which the US hopes will result in stronger climate pledges.

Chinese leader Xi is yet to confirm if he will attend the summit.

The US consulate said Kerry arrived in China and would meet Chinese counterparts at a Shanghai hotel in a day of closed-door talks.

Officials are expected to discuss environmental challenges, areas which both China and the US say are top priorities, as well as the upcoming UN-led climate talks to be held in Glasgow at the end of the year.

"At this point understanding each others' expectations and ambition levels, and agreeing how to use those commitments to move the&nbsp;international climate negotiations forward would already be an important&nbsp;first step," Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told AFP.

China, the world's biggest polluter, announced an ambitious target to be carbon-neutral by 2060, but analysts have warned high reliance on coal and modest short-term targets could scupper the ambition.

As Trump turned away from the national climate agenda, Xi made bold promises to cut emissions.

China "now shouldered the responsibility of global climate governance" and won't be part of a US-centred climate campaign, the nationalistic Global Times cited experts saying Thursday.

Biden has yet to announce any new targets under the Paris agreement.&nbsp;

"Both countries have a long way to go to firm up their targets and commitments for this decade," said Myllyvirta.

No global solution on climate change is likely without both the US and China on board, since the world's top two economies together account for nearly half of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions.

Li Shuo from Greenpeace China said he hoped the talks might yield agreements on China's huge use of polluting coal.

"China is the largest coal consumer, it is still building coal-fired power plants, both domestically and along the Belt and Road region," he told AFP, referring to China's sprawling international infrastructure plan.&nbsp;

"There needs to be a reverse on that. In terms of potential outcomes, that would be top on my list."&nbsp;

While Beijing and Washington have clashed over Hong Kong and Xinjiang, the climate issue is seen as a shared interest which cuts through the rancour.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will join a virtual climate summit with France and Germany, Beijing announced Thursday, as US envoy John Kerry visited Shanghai to drum up support from the world's biggest polluter for America's drive to address environmental challenges.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will join a virtual climate summit with France and Germany, Beijing announced Thursday, as US envoy John Kerry visited Shanghai to drum up support from the world's biggest polluter for America's drive to address environmental challenges. Kerry, President Joe Biden's climate tzar, is in China for meetings with his counterparts until Saturday, the first visit by an official from the new US administration. Kerry is not expected to meet with Xi, on a trip which has so far taken place behind closed doors. Beijing unexpectedly announced Xi would join an online French-German climate summit on Friday "at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron". Kerry's trip is seen as a chance for Beijing and Washington to put aside high political tensions -- following a heated initial meeting last month between diplomats in the US -- and focus on areas of potential climate collaboration. The two sides clashed in Alaska over accusations about China's policies in Hong Kong and its treatment of Uyghurs in its northwestern Xinjiang region, criticisms China rejects as interference in its domestic affairs. Biden has made reversing the climate-sceptic policy of his predecessor Donald Trump a priority. He has rejoined the 2015 Paris accord, and is hosting a virtual summit of world leaders next week which the US hopes will result in stronger climate pledges. Chinese leader Xi is yet to confirm if he will attend the summit. The US consulate said Kerry arrived in China and would meet Chinese counterparts at a Shanghai hotel in a day of closed-door talks. Officials are expected to discuss environmental challenges, areas which both China and the US say are top priorities, as well as the upcoming UN-led climate talks to be held in Glasgow at the end of the year. "At this point understanding each others' expectations and ambition levels, and agreeing how to use those commitments to move the international climate negotiations forward would already be an important first step," Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told AFP. China, the world's biggest polluter, announced an ambitious target to be carbon-neutral by 2060, but analysts have warned high reliance on coal and modest short-term targets could scupper the ambition. As Trump turned away from the national climate agenda, Xi made bold promises to cut emissions. China "now shouldered the responsibility of global climate governance" and won't be part of a US-centred climate campaign, the nationalistic Global Times cited experts saying Thursday. Biden has yet to announce any new targets under the Paris agreement. "Both countries have a long way to go to firm up their targets and commitments for this decade," said Myllyvirta. No global solution on climate change is likely without both the US and China on board, since the world's top two economies together account for nearly half of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. Li Shuo from Greenpeace China said he hoped the talks might yield agreements on China's huge use of polluting coal. "China is the largest coal consumer, it is still building coal-fired power plants, both domestically and along the Belt and Road region," he told AFP, referring to China's sprawling international infrastructure plan. "There needs to be a reverse on that. In terms of potential outcomes, that would be top on my list." While Beijing and Washington have clashed over Hong Kong and Xinjiang, the climate issue is seen as a shared interest which cuts through the rancour.

Xi to join European climate summit, as Kerry in China for talks

The United States has invited the leaders of 40 countries, including that of China and Russia, to participate in a global summit on climate change in April.

US President Joe Biden's Earth Day global summit on climate is part of his effort to elevate climate change as a top priority. It will be held virtually given pandemic restrictions and will be live-streamed for public viewing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are invited to the April 22-23 summit, according to a White House statement.

Biden told reporters he had not yet spoken to the two leaders about it, "but they know they're invited."

At his first solo news conference since taking office, Biden on Thursday called Xi and Putin supporters of autocracy.

The White House statement said a key goal of the Earth Day summit and a separate gathering in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November will be to galvanise efforts to keep within reach a goal of limiting planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Climate was also a topic when Biden spoke to European leaders on Thursday in a virtual summit of the European Council.

The Biden administration is expected to announce what the White House called "an ambitious 2030 target" for reducing carbon emissions by the time of the summit.

The summit will bring together 17 countries responsible for 80 percent of global emissions and global GDP. The invitee list of 40 nations includes Canada and Mexico as well as allies in Europe and Asia as well as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and South Africa.

Biden is urging world leaders to use the summit as an opportunity to outline how their countries will contribute to reduced emissions, the White House said.

The United States has invited the leaders of 40 countries, including that of China and Russia, to participate in a global summit on climate change in April. US President Joe Biden's Earth Day global summit on climate is part of his effort to elevate climate change as a top priority.

The United States has invited the leaders of 40 countries, including that of China and Russia, to participate in a global summit on climate change in April. US President Joe Biden's Earth Day global summit on climate is part of his effort to elevate climate change as a top priority. It will be held virtually given pandemic restrictions and will be live-streamed for public viewing. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are invited to the April 22-23 summit, according to a White House statement. Biden told reporters he had not yet spoken to the two leaders about it, "but they know they're invited." At his first solo news conference since taking office, Biden on Thursday called Xi and Putin supporters of autocracy. The White House statement said a key goal of the Earth Day summit and a separate gathering in the Scottish city of Glasgow in November will be to galvanise efforts to keep within reach a goal of limiting planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climate was also a topic when Biden spoke to European leaders on Thursday in a virtual summit of the European Council. The Biden administration is expected to announce what the White House called "an ambitious 2030 target" for reducing carbon emissions by the time of the summit. The summit will bring together 17 countries responsible for 80 percent of global emissions and global GDP. The invitee list of 40 nations includes Canada and Mexico as well as allies in Europe and Asia as well as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria and South Africa. Biden is urging world leaders to use the summit as an opportunity to outline how their countries will contribute to reduced emissions, the White House said.

Biden invites 40 world leaders, including Xi and Putin, to virtual climate summit

The US said on Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet top Chinese officials next week, making this Biden administration's first face-to-face talks with its rival.&nbsp;

The State Department said Blinken and Sullivan will meet with senior Chinese official Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Anchorage in Texas on March 18.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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It will be held after Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit to Asia, to strengthen partners like India, Japan, and South Korea to shores up the alliance to counter Chinese aggression.&nbsp;

Last week, Blinken described China as "the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century" as it alone can "seriously challenge the stable and open international system" in a speech.

The US state secretary also vowed to put alliances first in the Washington strategy.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-apt-to-counter-chinese-aggression-now-369523">Why apt to counter Chinese aggression now?</a>

US-China ties strained under the term of former president Donald Trump due to the outbreak of coronavirus. &nbsp;

Rights abuses in Hong Kong and China's authoritarian approach towards Tibet and Taiwan also triggered the US's anger, which led to the imposition of sanctions on several Chinese officials.&nbsp;

In February, US President Joe Biden spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping where the former "underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing’s coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan."&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The US said on Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet top Chinese officials next week, making this Biden administration's first face-to-face talks with its rival.

The US said on Wednesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet top Chinese officials next week, making this Biden administration's first face-to-face talks with its rival. The State Department said Blinken and Sullivan will meet with senior Chinese official Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Anchorage in Texas on March 18. Watch | It will be held after Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit to Asia, to strengthen partners like India, Japan, and South Korea to shores up the alliance to counter Chinese aggression. Last week, Blinken described China as "the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century" as it alone can "seriously challenge the stable and open international system" in a speech. The US state secretary also vowed to put alliances first in the Washington strategy. Also read | Why apt to counter Chinese aggression now? US-China ties strained under the term of former president Donald Trump due to the outbreak of coronavirus. Rights abuses in Hong Kong and China's authoritarian approach towards Tibet and Taiwan also triggered the US's anger, which led to the imposition of sanctions on several Chinese officials. In February, US President Joe Biden spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping where the former "underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing’s coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan."

Biden administration to hold first face-to-face meet with Chinese officials next week

History tells us that most military blunders and political catastrophes could have been avoided only if the world had acted on time.

Today, we're at the same crossroads.

An expansionist China is not on the horizon anymore as it is sailing into the port.

Watch |

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Now is the time to counter Beijing's aggression and this urgency might sound alarming to some.

But we've got three reasons for backing this argument.

<h2>1. China's plans for the post-pandemic world order</h2>

March 11 marks one year when the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic. By this time, the virus had travelled the world, sowing the seeds of this massive crisis.

In this one-year period, most countries have focused on saving lives.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/quad-looks-to-checkmate-aggressive-china-369518">Quad looks to 'checkmate' aggressive China</a>

They've made tall sacrifices, but China was busy plotting its rise.

It was making plans to utilise this pandemic for political and economic gains.

Let's tell you how.

As countries shut their borders, China opened its purse strings.

<h3>Hostile takeovers</h3>

Foreign companies were struggling to break even in 2020, so China swooped in and acquired these assets.

That too at dirt-cheap rates. The list includes 112 mergers and acquisitions in North America, 142 in Europe, 220 in Asia, and 30 in Oceania.&nbsp;

If you notice, these are places where Chinese strategic interests are challenged by the US, Canada, Australia, and India.

In 2020, China's overall foreign investment was 132.9 billion dollars, that too in the pandemic year.&nbsp;

The total value of its mergers and acquisitions was 46.4 billion dollars.

Countries were slow to realise what was happening and when they did, FDI laws were tightened.

The US, the European Union, Australia and India, all blocked China's predatory investments.

Strategic assets had to be protected, but for some companies, it was too late.

Beijing also scored a few trade deals in 2020.

Phase one of its agreement with the US was finalised.

But the crowning achievement was the EU investment deal.

They haggled for seven years without any progress.

Then suddenly in December 2020, a deal was announced.

In exchange for some vague promises, Chinese companies gained access to the European markets.

And of course, there was nothing concrete on human rights violations.

China's pandemic strategy was crude and hinged on one thing to ensure it wouldn't be blamed for the pandemic.

It launched a massive disinformation campaign, in which Chinese diplomats blamed the US military and Europe for the crisis.

Part two of this strategy was to sabotage the WHO probe.

The entire world knows the virus originated in Wuhan, but the WHO probe team couldn't find evidence.

They were denied access to bat caves, tailed by Chinese spies and arm-twisted into granting them a clean chit.

<h2>2. The imminent threat of China's regional expansionism</h2>

China used the pandemic to implement a new security law in Hong Kong that has effectively killed the promise of "one country, two systems".

In the South China Sea, Beijing has made piracy a maritime policy. It regularly intimidates foreign vessels, carries out military drills near disputed islands, and sends fighter jets into Taiwanese territory.

The top US military commander in the Indo-Pacific has made a grim prediction.

He feels China could invade Taiwan in the next six years.&nbsp;

This was always Beijing's plan, but the hourglass is a lot shorter than many expected.

<h2>3. The horrors of a China-led global system</h2>

China wants to dominate the world.

The Indo-Pacific is only the dress rehearsal.

Some may ask, what's the issue here?

America has dominated the world for decades and India, Britain, Brazil, and Australia have global ambitions.

The difference, however, is that the China-led world order is the end of democracy.

It will be the end of human rights and free thought.

Leadership shapes politics and Chinese leadership would vitiate global politics.

In the end, expansionism always fails, but not before claiming thousands of lives and dismantling dozens of cultures.

So the question is - how long will the world wait this time? 
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History tells us that most military blunders and political catastrophes could have been avoided only if the world had acted on time. Today, we're at the same crossroads.

History tells us that most military blunders and political catastrophes could have been avoided only if the world had acted on time. Today, we're at the same crossroads. An expansionist China is not on the horizon anymore as it is sailing into the port. Watch | Now is the time to counter Beijing's aggression and this urgency might sound alarming to some. But we've got three reasons for backing this argument. 1. China's plans for the post-pandemic world order March 11 marks one year when the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic. By this time, the virus had travelled the world, sowing the seeds of this massive crisis. In this one-year period, most countries have focused on saving lives. Also read | Quad looks to 'checkmate' aggressive China They've made tall sacrifices, but China was busy plotting its rise. It was making plans to utilise this pandemic for political and economic gains. Let's tell you how. As countries shut their borders, China opened its purse strings. Hostile takeovers Foreign companies were struggling to break even in 2020, so China swooped in and acquired these assets. That too at dirt-cheap rates. The list includes 112 mergers and acquisitions in North America, 142 in Europe, 220 in Asia, and 30 in Oceania. If you notice, these are places where Chinese strategic interests are challenged by the US, Canada, Australia, and India. In 2020, China's overall foreign investment was 132.9 billion dollars, that too in the pandemic year. The total value of its mergers and acquisitions was 46.4 billion dollars. Countries were slow to realise what was happening and when they did, FDI laws were tightened. The US, the European Union, Australia and India, all blocked China's predatory investments. Strategic assets had to be protected, but for some companies, it was too late. Beijing also scored a few trade deals in 2020. Phase one of its agreement with the US was finalised. But the crowning achievement was the EU investment deal. They haggled for seven years without any progress. Then suddenly in December 2020, a deal was announced. In exchange for some vague promises, Chinese companies gained access to the European markets. And of course, there was nothing concrete on human rights violations. China's pandemic strategy was crude and hinged on one thing to ensure it wouldn't be blamed for the pandemic. It launched a massive disinformation campaign, in which Chinese diplomats blamed the US military and Europe for the crisis. Part two of this strategy was to sabotage the WHO probe. The entire world knows the virus originated in Wuhan, but the WHO probe team couldn't find evidence. They were denied access to bat caves, tailed by Chinese spies and arm-twisted into granting them a clean chit. 2. The imminent threat of China's regional expansionism China used the pandemic to implement a new security law in Hong Kong that has effectively killed the promise of "one country, two systems". In the South China Sea, Beijing has made piracy a maritime policy. It regularly intimidates foreign vessels, carries out military drills near disputed islands, and sends fighter jets into Taiwanese territory. The top US military commander in the Indo-Pacific has made a grim prediction. He feels China could invade Taiwan in the next six years. This was always Beijing's plan, but the hourglass is a lot shorter than many expected. 3. The horrors of a China-led global system China wants to dominate the world. The Indo-Pacific is only the dress rehearsal. Some may ask, what's the issue here? America has dominated the world for decades and India, Britain, Brazil, and Australia have global ambitions. The difference, however, is that the China-led world order is the end of democracy. It will be the end of human rights and free thought. Leadership shapes politics and Chinese leadership would vitiate global politics. In the end, expansionism always fails, but not before claiming thousands of lives and dismantling dozens of cultures. So the question is - how long will the world wait this time?

Why is it apt to counter Chinese aggression now?

China is freeing up tens of billions of dollars for its tech industry to borrow. It is cataloging the sectors where the United States or others could cut off access to crucial technologies. And when its leaders released their most important economic plans last week, they laid out their ambitions to become an innovation superpower beholden to none.

Anticipating efforts by the Biden administration to continue to challenge China’s technological rise, the country’s leaders are accelerating plans to go it alone, seeking to address vulnerabilities in the country’s economy that could thwart its ambitions in a wide range of industries, from smartphones to jet engines.

China has made audacious and ambitious plans before — in 2015 — but is falling short of its goals. With more countries becoming wary of China’s behaviour and its growing economic might, Beijing’s drive for technological independence has taken on a new urgency. The country’s new five-year plan, made public Friday, called tech development a matter of national security, not just economic development, a break from the previous plan.

The plan pledged to increase spending on research and development by 7% annually, including the public and private sectors. That figure was higher than budget increases for China’s military, which is slated to grow 6.8% next year, raising the prospect of an era of looming Cold War-like competition with the United States.

The spending pledges follow four tumultuous years during which former President Donald Trump rattled — and angered — the Communist Party leadership under Xi Jinping by restricting access to U.S. technology for some of its corporate giants, including Huawei.

The experience has hardened a view that the United States, even under a new administration, is determined to undercut the country’s advancement and that China can no longer rely on the West for a stable supply of the technologies that help drive its economic growth.

“The United States, which has already climbed to the summit, wants to kick away the ladder,” Zhang Xiaojing, an economist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote on the eve of the legislative meetings now underway in Beijing.

The road to the “global peaks of technology,” as Xi has described China’s aspirations, is decidedly uphill. The government had previously set out to spend 2.5% of the gross domestic product on research and development in the past five years, but actual expenditures failed to reach that target.

One sector that China has struggled with microchips, which much of its electronics production relies on. Bewilderingly complex production has stymied Chinese businesses, which instead import the majority of the semiconductors they require. Despite tens of billions of dollars invested, China’s domestic chip production met only 15.9% of its chip demand in 2020, barely higher than the 15.1% share it accounted for in 2014, according to IC Insights, a U.S. semiconductor research firm.

China’s premier, Li Keqiang, last week detailed proposals to accelerate the development of high-end semiconductors, operating systems, computer processors, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

“I think they’re really worried,” said Rebecca Arcesati, a tech analyst with the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin. “They know that without access to those technologies, they won’t be able to reach their targets.”

The new strategy, to a degree, rebrands the country’s previous Made in China 2025 campaign, which sought to propel it to the lead in a range of cutting-edge technologies. It broadly set out to produce 70% of the core components that Chinese manufacturers needed by 2025. The plan scared trade partners and contributed to a punishing trade war with the United States.

“China wants to reduce its dependency on the world — not to reduce its trade and interaction but to ensure that it is not vulnerable to the kind of strategic blackmail against China that it has historically used against others,” said Daniel Russel, a former U.S. diplomat who is now a vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute.

A confrontation has been brewing for more than a decade. Long-held Chinese policies to winnow reliance on foreign tech got a boost in 2013, after disclosures by Edward Snowden about National Security Agency hacks that relied on U.S. firms.

U.S. companies have long complained about policies mandating tech transfer. Chinese government-backed hacks aimed at American intellectual property have further raised tensions. China has in the past used corporate espionage to support economic interests, including in the high-tech fields that the government is now making a priority.

The latest intrusion against business and government agencies used Microsoft email systems and was discovered last weekend. Tentatively linked to Chinese hackers, it is likely to sharpen a divide that could split the tech world.

In recent weeks, Chinese officials have repeatedly emphasized the danger of “choke points” where the United States controls key foundational technologies. At a news conference in Beijing, Xiao Yaqing, who leads the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, announced a review of 41 sectors for “empty spots” that could cause the tech supply chain to break “during crucial times.”

Beijing is backing this effort with money and rhetoric.

China Development Bank, the country’s policy lender, said last week that it was preparing over $60 billion in loans for more than 1,000 firms key to strategic innovation and had raised $30 billion for a new government-backed microchip investment fund.

A Chinese Academy of Engineering official, Ni Guangnan, wrote recently that the country should create a “Chinese system” that could supplant the combined systems of Intel, Microsoft, Oracle and others that have historically dominated computing. China should also increase the world’s reliance on its telecom infrastructure technology to “form a powerful deterrent” against future embargoes, he added.

The tech supply chain remains hugely complex and resolutely global, and too much meddling in the markets can have unforeseen consequences, experts have warned. Top-down jockeying by the United States and China over microchips has in part triggered a chip shortage that recently hit the auto industry.

Neither country can imminently attain true self-reliance in the myriad cutting-edge technologies required to run a modern economy and military. In place of overarching policies, a proxy fight is emerging, with both sides working to secure missing pieces that come from other countries.

Many U.S. allies have been happy to see their companies take advantage of a Chinese market increasingly emptied of U.S. companies.

Earlier this month, ASML, a Dutch company that makes the tools required to mass-produce microchips, said it had extended a contract to provide equipment to China’s largest semiconductor maker, even though Washington put the firm, known as SMIC, on a blacklist last year. The extension did not break any restrictions but showed how there are limits to the United States’ ability to cut off supplies.

Decisions like that could continue to frustrate President Joe Biden, who has cast China as the country’s most significant foreign policy challenge. China hopes to undercut U.S. efforts to isolate it by entwining itself with major economies, including those politically allied with the United States.

“They’re certainly speaking and acting with a view of discouraging third countries from joining any posse the United States might organize against China,” Russel of the Asia Society Policy Institute said. The goal is to buy “time needed by China to seal up the remaining vulnerabilities in its armour.”

Whatever hopes Chinese leaders had about a diplomatic reset after the Trump years appear to have already waned.

Biden’s first conversation with Xi lasted about two hours and, according to the White House, included discussions about “Beijing’s coercive and unfair economic practices.”

At home, Biden has warned that the United States needs to keep up with China on investments in infrastructure, some in support of tech industries, including electric vehicles.

“If we don’t get moving, they’re going to eat our lunch,” he said while making the case for the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus plan.

The phrase echoed one he had made as a candidate only two years before — to dismiss the challenge posed by China.

“China’s going to eat our lunch?” he said while stumping in Iowa in 2019. “C’mon, man!”

China is freeing up tens of billions of dollars for its tech industry to borrow. It is cataloging the sectors where the United States or others could cut off access to crucial technologies.

China is freeing up tens of billions of dollars for its tech industry to borrow. It is cataloging the sectors where the United States or others could cut off access to crucial technologies. And when its leaders released their most important economic plans last week, they laid out their ambitions to become an innovation superpower beholden to none. Anticipating efforts by the Biden administration to continue to challenge China’s technological rise, the country’s leaders are accelerating plans to go it alone, seeking to address vulnerabilities in the country’s economy that could thwart its ambitions in a wide range of industries, from smartphones to jet engines. China has made audacious and ambitious plans before — in 2015 — but is falling short of its goals. With more countries becoming wary of China’s behaviour and its growing economic might, Beijing’s drive for technological independence has taken on a new urgency. The country’s new five-year plan, made public Friday, called tech development a matter of national security, not just economic development, a break from the previous plan. The plan pledged to increase spending on research and development by 7% annually, including the public and private sectors. That figure was higher than budget increases for China’s military, which is slated to grow 6.8% next year, raising the prospect of an era of looming Cold War-like competition with the United States. The spending pledges follow four tumultuous years during which former President Donald Trump rattled — and angered — the Communist Party leadership under Xi Jinping by restricting access to U.S. technology for some of its corporate giants, including Huawei. The experience has hardened a view that the United States, even under a new administration, is determined to undercut the country’s advancement and that China can no longer rely on the West for a stable supply of the technologies that help drive its economic growth. “The United States, which has already climbed to the summit, wants to kick away the ladder,” Zhang Xiaojing, an economist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote on the eve of the legislative meetings now underway in Beijing. The road to the “global peaks of technology,” as Xi has described China’s aspirations, is decidedly uphill. The government had previously set out to spend 2.5% of the gross domestic product on research and development in the past five years, but actual expenditures failed to reach that target. One sector that China has struggled with microchips, which much of its electronics production relies on. Bewilderingly complex production has stymied Chinese businesses, which instead import the majority of the semiconductors they require. Despite tens of billions of dollars invested, China’s domestic chip production met only 15.9% of its chip demand in 2020, barely higher than the 15.1% share it accounted for in 2014, according to IC Insights, a U.S. semiconductor research firm. China’s premier, Li Keqiang, last week detailed proposals to accelerate the development of high-end semiconductors, operating systems, computer processors, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. “I think they’re really worried,” said Rebecca Arcesati, a tech analyst with the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin. “They know that without access to those technologies, they won’t be able to reach their targets.” The new strategy, to a degree, rebrands the country’s previous Made in China 2025 campaign, which sought to propel it to the lead in a range of cutting-edge technologies. It broadly set out to produce 70% of the core components that Chinese manufacturers needed by 2025. The plan scared trade partners and contributed to a punishing trade war with the United States. “China wants to reduce its dependency on the world — not to reduce its trade and interaction but to ensure that it is not vulnerable to the kind of strategic blackmail against China that it has historically used against others,” said Daniel Russel, a former U.S. diplomat who is now a vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute. A confrontation has been brewing for more than a decade. Long-held Chinese policies to winnow reliance on foreign tech got a boost in 2013, after disclosures by Edward Snowden about National Security Agency hacks that relied on U.S. firms. U.S. companies have long complained about policies mandating tech transfer. Chinese government-backed hacks aimed at American intellectual property have further raised tensions. China has in the past used corporate espionage to support economic interests, including in the high-tech fields that the government is now making a priority. The latest intrusion against business and government agencies used Microsoft email systems and was discovered last weekend. Tentatively linked to Chinese hackers, it is likely to sharpen a divide that could split the tech world. In recent weeks, Chinese officials have repeatedly emphasized the danger of “choke points” where the United States controls key foundational technologies. At a news conference in Beijing, Xiao Yaqing, who leads the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, announced a review of 41 sectors for “empty spots” that could cause the tech supply chain to break “during crucial times.” Beijing is backing this effort with money and rhetoric. China Development Bank, the country’s policy lender, said last week that it was preparing over $60 billion in loans for more than 1,000 firms key to strategic innovation and had raised $30 billion for a new government-backed microchip investment fund. A Chinese Academy of Engineering official, Ni Guangnan, wrote recently that the country should create a “Chinese system” that could supplant the combined systems of Intel, Microsoft, Oracle and others that have historically dominated computing. China should also increase the world’s reliance on its telecom infrastructure technology to “form a powerful deterrent” against future embargoes, he added. The tech supply chain remains hugely complex and resolutely global, and too much meddling in the markets can have unforeseen consequences, experts have warned. Top-down jockeying by the United States and China over microchips has in part triggered a chip shortage that recently hit the auto industry. Neither country can imminently attain true self-reliance in the myriad cutting-edge technologies required to run a modern economy and military. In place of overarching policies, a proxy fight is emerging, with both sides working to secure missing pieces that come from other countries. Many U.S. allies have been happy to see their companies take advantage of a Chinese market increasingly emptied of U.S. companies. Earlier this month, ASML, a Dutch company that makes the tools required to mass-produce microchips, said it had extended a contract to provide equipment to China’s largest semiconductor maker, even though Washington put the firm, known as SMIC, on a blacklist last year. The extension did not break any restrictions but showed how there are limits to the United States’ ability to cut off supplies. Decisions like that could continue to frustrate President Joe Biden, who has cast China as the country’s most significant foreign policy challenge. China hopes to undercut U.S. efforts to isolate it by entwining itself with major economies, including those politically allied with the United States. “They’re certainly speaking and acting with a view of discouraging third countries from joining any posse the United States might organize against China,” Russel of the Asia Society Policy Institute said. The goal is to buy “time needed by China to seal up the remaining vulnerabilities in its armour.” Whatever hopes Chinese leaders had about a diplomatic reset after the Trump years appear to have already waned. Biden’s first conversation with Xi lasted about two hours and, according to the White House, included discussions about “Beijing’s coercive and unfair economic practices.” At home, Biden has warned that the United States needs to keep up with China on investments in infrastructure, some in support of tech industries, including electric vehicles. “If we don’t get moving, they’re going to eat our lunch,” he said while making the case for the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus plan. The phrase echoed one he had made as a candidate only two years before — to dismiss the challenge posed by China. “China’s going to eat our lunch?” he said while stumping in Iowa in 2019. “C’mon, man!”

Xi’s Gambit: China plans for a world without U.S. technology

China used the annual meeting of its parliament to send a message to the world. From tightening its grip on Hong Kong to trade deals with sparring partners - Beijing wants the world to believe the global momentum is on its side.

Gravitas: Xi Jinping has an ambitious agenda for 2021

After the coronavirus outbreak, face masks have become potent symbols in how leaders have responded to a public health crisis that often collides with politics and economic concerns.

But despite being one of the first countries in the world to authorize vaccines for use, China has said nothing about the vaccination status of its top leaders, who all including President Xi Jinping.

Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared without face masks in Beijing at the gathering of the National People’s Congress and its advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Not only Xi but Chinese Premier Li Keqiang moved around the Great Hall of the People mask-free.

Meanwhile, China has been stepping up coronavirus vaccine production as it looks to vaccinate its 1.4 billion population and boost its vaccine diplomacy to make strategic gains.&nbsp;

Last Friday, China welcomed India supplying more COVID-19 vaccines to a number of countries, playing down reports that New Delhi has beaten Beijing in its vaccine diplomacy around the world.

Responding to a question on a report that India has beaten China at its own game of vaccine diplomacy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin during a media briefing said, "We welcome that and hope to see more countries taking actions to provide vaccines to the world, especially developing countries, to help with the global response".

"China has been overcoming domestic difficulties to provide vaccines to other countries in concrete measure," he said, flagging China's own vaccine requirement to inoculate its 1.4 billion population.

He reiterated that China has been providing vaccines to 53 countries and exporting vaccines to 27 countries, amid reports that many of those countries are yet to receive Chinese vaccines or the promised quantities.&nbsp;

The coronavirus has mostly been brought under control inside China's borders, while the country's economy has rapidly rebounded from the damage dealt by the pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies)

After the coronavirus outbreak, face masks have become potent symbols in how leaders have responded to a public health crisis that often collides with politics and economic concerns.

After the coronavirus outbreak, face masks have become potent symbols in how leaders have responded to a public health crisis that often collides with politics and economic concerns. But despite being one of the first countries in the world to authorize vaccines for use, China has said nothing about the vaccination status of its top leaders, who all including President Xi Jinping. Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared without face masks in Beijing at the gathering of the National People’s Congress and its advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Not only Xi but Chinese Premier Li Keqiang moved around the Great Hall of the People mask-free. Meanwhile, China has been stepping up coronavirus vaccine production as it looks to vaccinate its 1.4 billion population and boost its vaccine diplomacy to make strategic gains. Last Friday, China welcomed India supplying more COVID-19 vaccines to a number of countries, playing down reports that New Delhi has beaten Beijing in its vaccine diplomacy around the world. Responding to a question on a report that India has beaten China at its own game of vaccine diplomacy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin during a media briefing said, "We welcome that and hope to see more countries taking actions to provide vaccines to the world, especially developing countries, to help with the global response". "China has been overcoming domestic difficulties to provide vaccines to other countries in concrete measure," he said, flagging China's own vaccine requirement to inoculate its 1.4 billion population. He reiterated that China has been providing vaccines to 53 countries and exporting vaccines to 27 countries, amid reports that many of those countries are yet to receive Chinese vaccines or the promised quantities. The coronavirus has mostly been brought under control inside China's borders, while the country's economy has rapidly rebounded from the damage dealt by the pandemic. (With inputs from agencies)

Xi Jinping appears without face mask at National People’s Congress

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