What did we learn from China's biggest political meeting?
"Technology is now seen not just as an economic priority but as a strategic one, as tensions with the US intensify."
--- Now? Seems to be another journalist who has not paid attention to China's development over the last 20-30 years.
"For years economists have been calling on China to improve the overall health and long-term sustainability of its economy by increasing domestic consumption and weaning itself off a heavy reliance on the export of manufactured goods.
So the rhetoric from leaders at this NPC who pledged to "vigorously stimulate consumer demand" will be welcomed."
--- Well, yeah, the problem is, it is just rhetoric, not much more.
'Investing in people': Can China's new push to boost spending revive the economy?
"China's leaders are trying something new to revive the country's slowing economy: encouraging people to spend more.
At this year's Two Sessions in Beijing - the country's most important political meeting of the year - officials set an annual growth target of 4.5%–5%, the lowest since 1991.
Alongside the goal, policymakers unveiled measures aimed at boosting household spending - a tacit admission that the old drivers of growth may no longer be sustainable.
In many ways, it marks a reversal of China's traditional approach."
--- Also not really new. The CCP has been saying this for a long time, several years at least. But, again, it's mostly just rhetoric.
China approves 'ethnic unity' law requiring minorities to learn Mandarin
"On paper, it aims to promote integration among the 56 officially recognised ethnic groups, dominated by the Han Chinese, through education and housing. But critics say it cuts people off from their language and culture.
It mandates that all children should be taught Mandarin before kindergarten and up until the end of high school. Previously students could study most of the curriculum in their native language such as Tibetan, Uyghur or Mongolian.
[...] Beijing argues that teaching the next generation Mandarin will help their job prospects.
It also says the law for "Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress" is crucial for promoting "modernisation through greater unity".
[...] The Chinese government started to push for what it describes as the "sinicisation" of minority groups in the late 2000s and create a more unified national identity by assimilating ethnic groups into the dominant Han culture."
--- National socialism with Chinese characteristics.
China’s exports turbocharge into 2026 after record-breaking year
"Outbound shipments from Asia's powerhouse grew 21.8% in U.S. dollar terms in the January-February period, sharply up from the 6.6% increase recorded in December"
--- Yawn... Chinese numbers.
"Factory activity data for February released last week showed Chinese firms still struggling to turn a profit at home, even as overseas orders improved"
--- The realistic view is that the problems persist.
Iran sends millions of oil barrels to China through Strait of Hormuz even as war chokes the waterway
"Iran has sent at least 11.7 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began on Feb. 28, all of which were headed to China"
--- The only surprise here is that the USA seems to let them go.
China condemns 'evil designs' of Taiwan premier's Japan visit
"Cho flew to Japan on Saturday to watch Taiwan play in the World Baseball Classic"
--- Such evil machinations.
The half-abandoned Japanese island at the heart of tensions with China
Trump raises the stakes on China with Section 301 trade probe, weeks before Beijing summit
--- China Uncensored: "Even I Had No Idea How Bad the Chinese Economy Was"
--- China Uncensored: "Iran Falls, Xi Jinping Goes NUCLEAR On His Military"
--- DW: Why China's support for Iran has clear limits
China: Neues Gesetz in China erhöht Kritikern zufolge Druck auf Minderheiten
"Dem Gesetz nach müssen sich religiöse Gruppen sowie Schulen an Han-chinesische Traditionen anpassen. Eltern sollen ihren Kindern zudem beibringen, die Kommunistische Partei zu schätzen. Außerdem soll es möglich sein, Organisationen oder Einzelpersonen im Ausland rechtlich zu belangen, wenn sie die "ethnische Einheit" untergraben."
--- Man könnte fast meinen, da seien han-chinesische Ethnonazis an der Macht.
China als Lebensgefühl – Pekings heimlicher Siegeszug im Land des großen Rivalen
"Andere zeigen sich auf dem Netzwerk TikTok in traditionellen Tang-Jacken mit Drachen-Stickereien, schwärmen von Reissuppe zum Frühstück oder „TCM Mornings“. Das sind Morgenroutinen im Zeichen der traditionellen chinesischen Medizin, mit sanftem Abklopfen des Körpers oder Tai-Chi-Übungen, um Energien in Fluss zu bringen.
Allerdings sind es keine Influencer aus China, sondern junge US-Amerikaner, die sich so präsentieren. Nicht als chinesisch im Sinne einer ethnischen Zugehörigkeit, sondern in der Ästhetik ihres präsentierten Alltags. Unter Hashtags wie #Chinamaxxing oder #BecomingChinese kursieren diese Videos auf Plattformen wie TikTok"
--- Ich bezweifle, dass es viel mehr sein wird, als ein Tik-Tok-Hype. Zeigt aber doch sehr schön, was für eine Verdummungsmaschine Tik Tok ist.
