More than ever, what happens in China affects everyone, everywhere. Far from the monolith that China is often perceived as in the West — it is a vast country of 34 provinces & autonomous regions comprising 1.4 billion people. Politically, China may have a one-party system, but its domestic politics are more complicated than meet the eye. You can’t understand the world without understanding China.
Some of Hong Kong’s most senior and prominent pro-democracy leaders have been given jail time or suspended sentences for their participation in demonstrations or on national security law offenses. Beijing is getting real.
Beijing has formalized new election rules for Hong Kong that cut in half the number of directly elected seats in LegCo, the city's parliament, and require all candidates to be vetted for their loyalty to Beijing by a committee.
In the last 20 years, Beijing has turned healthcare into a national priority. But the country's history of counterfeit drugs and weak regulation casts a lingering shadow. The topic is particularly pertinent now, with Beijing's COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy in full swing.
Surreal images from China's capital.
As expected, the National People’s Congress in Beijing passed a resolution to change the electoral system in Hong Kong. The new rules will effectively ensure that pro-democracy politicians remain in a permanent minority in the territory.
Chinese state media have highlighted four meetings led by Xi Jinping in the past week, with delegations from Inner Mongolia and Qinghai Province, representatives from the health and education fields, and security and military personnel.
The annual gathering of the National People’s Congress in Beijing kicked off with modest goals for the economy and environment, and plans for the more complete subjugation of opposition forces in Hong Kong.
Judging by the voting history of NPC delegates, Chinese President Xi Jinping is enjoying greater support within the Chinese Communist Party now than ever. Whether that’s more attributable to coercion or genuine support is unknown, but either way, it’s evidence that Xi continues to consolidate his authority.
Last summer, the National People’s Congress in Beijing bypassed the Hong Kong Legislative Council to impose a national security law. Next month, the NPC is expected to take a similar action to ensure that only “patriots,” as Beijing defines them, hold public office in the city.
Are they skeptical of their version of the COVID-19 vaccine?