Li Keqiang

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on Tuesday that China has jailed Gu Wanming, a former bureau chief for the state-run Xinhua news service who dared to question the official account of Premier Li Keqiang’s death in 2023.

Halloween in Shanghai was interesting this year, as a fair number of young people chose to wear costumes that delivered not-very-subtle insults to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, including dictator Xi Jinping.

China held a funeral and cremation ceremony for former premier Li Keqiang on Thursday, making an effort to hustle him off the national stage quickly and quietly while mourners quoted his words as veiled criticism of increasingly unpopular dictator Xi Jinping.

The sudden death of former Chinese Premier Li Keqiang – who only lost his position as second-in-command to dictator Xi Jinping in March and cultivated an image as a “rival” to the totalitarian autocrat – follows a growing list of incidents in which China’s most powerful die, suddenly disappear, or are abruptly dismissed from their jobs.

The China National People’s Congress (NPC) announced on Monday that China’s military spending will be increased by 7.2 percent this year, the largest increase since 2019.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday struggled to reassure foreign investors that China’s constant coronavirus lockdowns will not cripple the national economy, even as China’s top pandemic official said that more “zero-Covid” lockdowns have not been ruled out.

The heatwave in northern and central China grew even worse on Wednesday, with temperatures of 105 degrees and higher reported. Shandong, one of the most populous provinces in China, bumped several of its cities to the highest level of heat alert. 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday told regional governors to take faster, stronger measures to stabilize the economy – a significant deviation from Beijing’s previous assurances that coronavirus lockdowns were not interfering with economic growth.

The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) annual legislative meeting this weekend will take action against the “unregulated expansion of capital,” according to Premier Li Kequiang, signaling another regulatory beating to teach outspoken tech billionaires who is truly in charge of the Chinese economy.

Communist Party leaders have reportedly begun circulating a letter demanding an emergency Politburo to address dictator Xi Jinping’s poor performance leading the country, Radio Free Asia (RFA) revealed on Monday.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Saturday published the text of a speech President Xi Jinping gave to the party central committee last week that provided some insight into how the Communists are attempting to manage the political fallout from the coronavirus epidemic. 

Chinese dictator Xi Jinping applauded Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam during her visit to Beijing Monday for her “courage” in leading a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, describing the past year as the “grimmest” since China seized the capitalist city from British control.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Friday came out in support of the efforts by the Beijing-appointed government of Hong Kong to end the pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese region.

Premier Li Keqiang, China’s leading official on economic policy, on Friday recommended market-based reforms – including tax cuts and reduced government spending – to revitalize the stagnating Chinese economy.

China on Tuesday reduced its forecast for economic growth in the coming year, potentially heralding the slowest growth in 30 years, and announced $298 billion in tax cuts to stimulate the economy.

Chinese officials warned on Monday that Vice President Mike Pence could destabilize the South China Sea by appearing at this week’s meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Meeting in Japan for a summit between their three nations, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed on Wednesday to pressure the United States into providing North Korea economic rewards for abiding by international law, if the Kim regime chooses to do so.

China revealed on Monday that it will raise its military budget by $175 billion for the 2018 fiscal year, an 8.1 increase that is the largest military spending hike in three years. According to Premier Li Keqiang, the additional funding will “advance all aspects of military training and war preparedness, and firmly and resolvedly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests.”

Chinese state media are celebrating Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for being a “snappy dresser” and challenging U.S. President Donald Trump as Trudeau concludes a two-day trip to the country that reports back home have evaluated as lackluster given that anticipated trade talks were “delayed by further haggling.”

TEL AVIV – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a three-day visit meant to bolster bilateral ties with China and to mark 25 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations.

Contents: Taiwan says it must defend against increasingly threatening China; China responds harshly to Taiwan’s defense report; Taiwan’s government responds to China’s threats; China begins construction on Philippines’ Scarborough Shoal

Speaking to the United Nations General Assembly, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was notably silent on the ongoing dispute in the South China Sea, instead demanding “developed countries” conform to climate change protocols and asserting “terrorism should not be linked with certain countries, races, or religions.”

Contents: Kenya’s huge ivory burning event may endanger elephants further; China makes four demands of Japan to improve relations

Contents: China blocks Miss World Canada from attending Miss World pageant; ASEAN leaders harshly criticize China over South China Sea actions; Occupied Crimea declares state of emergency after electricity is cut

As talks between Greek officials and members of the IMF and European Union approach their conclusion before a potential exit of the Hellenic nation from the eurozone, Chinese officials are suggesting they could play a role in helping Greece pay back its debts. The Greek crisis has negatively affected the Chinese economy, which has invested millions in Greece.

Turkey and Armenia schedule conflicting WW I centennial commemorations; China continues its double-digit military spending increases