Antony Blinken will meet China’s top diplomat and perhaps its president on Monday, on the final day of a rare visit aimed at trying to bring relations back from historic lows. In the first visit by a US secretary of state to China in five years, Blinken is set to meet Wang Yi but all eyes will be on whether he also meets president Xi Jinping, an engagement sources familiar with the matter said was expected but yet to be confirmed by the state department. On Sunday, Blinken held talks…
Day: June 18, 2023
China’s university exam promotes Xi’s cult of personality
Zhang, a student from China’s central Henan province, encountered a cryptic essay prompt while taking his university entrance exam this month: “Blowing out other people’s lamps will not make you brighter.” The Chinese language essay question in China’s notoriously gruelling gaokao, which lasts two days and determines students’ university placements — and often their careers — has become increasingly nationalist in recent years. But this year, examiners turned directly to “Xi Jinping Thought”, as the collected sayings of China’s president are known, asking students to respond to texts with strongly…
China university exam promotes Xi’s cult of personality
Zhang, a student from China’s central Henan province, encountered a cryptic essay prompt while taking his university entrance exam this month: “Blowing out other people’s lamps will not make you brighter.” The Chinese language essay question in China’s notoriously gruelling gaokao, which lasts two days and determines students’ university placements — and often their careers — has become increasingly nationalist in recent years. But this year, examiners turned directly to “Xi Jinping Thought”, as the collected sayings of China’s president are known, asking students to respond to texts with strongly…
China’s university hopefuls tested on grasp of Xi’s nationalist credo
Zhang, a student from China’s central Henan province, encountered a cryptic essay prompt while taking his university entrance exam this month: “Blowing out other people’s lamps will not make you brighter.” The Chinese language essay question in China’s notoriously gruelling gaokao, which lasts two days and determines students’ university placements — and often their careers — has become increasingly nationalist in recent years. But this year, examiners turned directly to “Xi Jinping Thought”, as the collected sayings of China’s president are known, asking students to respond to texts with strongly…
North Korea: Botched Satellite Launch Was ‘Gravest Failure’
Seoul — North Korea has said its botched military satellite launch last month was the “gravest failure” at the ruling party’s latest key meeting, state media KCNA reported Monday. The enlarged plenary meeting was held between Friday and Sunday, ordering workers and researchers to analyze the failed military satellite launch and prepare for another in the near future. Those in charge of the satellite launch were “heavily criticized,” the report said. It marked the eighth enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK),…
Consumption Soft Even Amid Deep Discounts During Major China Shopping Festival, Analysts Say
Hong Kong — Chinese consumers snapped up billions of dollars’ worth of items in China’s first major online shopping festival after emerging from the pandemic as merchants slashed prices, but analysts say that consumer confidence still remains weak. Chinese merchants offered customers steep discounts during the 618 shopping festival, which ran on China’s major shopping platforms from the end of May until June 18, in the hopes of shoring up sales amid a weaker-than-expected recovery in consumption. Major shopping festivals, like e-commerce retailer JD.com’s 618 and Alibaba’s Singles’ Day, are…
Thailand’s Caretaker Government Criticized for Holding Meeting to Discuss Military-Ruled Myanmar
Bangkok — Thailand on Monday will host a meeting of neighboring countries to discuss the violent political deadlock in Myanmar, an initiative that has been criticized for potentially undermining regional peace efforts and for being carried out by a caretaker government. A statement released Sunday by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the purpose of its informal dialogue, being hosted by Thailand for the third time, is to discuss a range of topics to complement the efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to resolve the situation in Myanmar.…
Timeline: Top US-China Exchanges Since Biden Took Office
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began two days of talks in Beijing on Sunday, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit China since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. Blinken’s visit, postponed after a suspected Chinese spy balloon flew over U.S. airspace in February, was aimed at stabilizing tense relations between the two world’s two biggest economies, but hopes for a breakthrough were low. Below is a list of some other high-level U.S.-China exchanges during Biden’s term. Biden-Xi phone call – February 10, 2021 Biden and his Chinese…
Beijing’s ties with Moscow behind hardening Polish views on China
Mindful of how difficult it can be to see the right people in Beijing, Polish officials wanted to insert some structure and reciprocity into the relationship, according to people familiar with the strategy. Touring envoys can be granted an audience, but only if Warsaw sees some advantage to it. Huo Yuzhen, special representative for China-CEEC Cooperation, recently made a multi-nation trip to Europe. Photo: Weibo When the Chinese envoy for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui, stopped off in Warsaw on his way back from Kyiv in May, he met deputy foreign…
FirstFT: Antony Blinken meets China’s foreign minister in Beijing
Good morning. US secretary of state Antony Blinken has met China’s foreign minister Qin Gang in Beijing as part of a highly anticipated mission to reboot the countries’ relations, which suffered after an alleged Chinese spy balloon flew over North America. Blinken is the first secretary of state to visit China since 2018, a reflection of Beijing’s strict Covid-19 lockdowns but also of how US-China ties have fallen to their lowest level in decades. The US diplomat began two days of meetings with officials on Sunday, but it was unclear…