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☆ Protests in China: What to Know as Xi Jinping Maintains Covid Controls
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Public resentment against Chinese leader Xi Jinping ‘s zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19 flared into large protests in major cities across the country over recent days, a dramatic outburst of defiance fueled by frustration with the economic and social costs inflicted by recurrent lockdowns and disruptions to ordinary citizens’ daily lives. Here is a rundown of how the demonstrations began, why they pose a significant challenge to China’s Communist Party, and what impact the unrest is having within the country and beyond.

SINGAPORE, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong received a top post in the ruling party on Saturday, cementing his position to become the city-state's next prime minister. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, secretary-general of the People’s Action Party (PAP), which has ruled the island nation since independence in 1965, announced this year that Wong, 49, would be his successor. Wong becomes deputy secretary-general, the party said in an announcement of new leadership positions. Lee, 70, is the son of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's independence leader and dominant figure for half a century. The younger Lee has said Wong would succeed him before or after the next general election, which is due in 2025.

☆ New San Francisco clubhouse represents a milestone moment for executive women in tech
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Executive women platform Chief opened a new clubhouse in San Francisco this week. ‘Sense that this is a first'On the opposite coast, a counterpart executive clubhouse just opened in San Francisco and it holds great meaning beyond its four walls. Chief's San Francisco clubhouse includes a full-service bar. A month after the San Francisco Chief club's opening, women say they already see it as a milestone moment that represents more than just a new building. “It’s interesting coming full-circle and it feels long overdue.”Executive women platform Chief opened a new clubhouse in San Francisco this week.

☆ China Is Investing Billions in Pakistan. Its Workers There Are Under Attack.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Saeed Shah | Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

KARACHI, Pakistan—In April, a Pakistani mother of two blew herself up outside the gate of Karachi University’s Chinese language and culture institute, incinerating a minibus and killing three Chinese teachers and a Pakistani driver. The attack—one of a growing number targeting Chinese nationals working abroad in Asia and Africa—was a sign of China’s deepening challenges as it pours money into the developing world with the aim of extending its influence.

☆ Analysis: In male-dominated North Korea, leadership prospects of Kim Jong Un's daughter are uncertain
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Chun Su-jin, the South Korean author of a book on North Korean women leaders, said the chance of North Korean elites welcoming Kim's daughter as ruler is close to zero. “That gives ample time for North Korea's political culture to change and create the conditions for a female successor,” Madden said. The increased participation of North Korean women in elite politics does not necessarily indicate change to the broader social or political systems, 38 North said in a 2020 report. North Korea is deeply isolated from world geopolitics and is under UN sanctions for its weapons programmes, which include nuclear bombs. "In North Korea, gender is still important to be a leader," said Hyun In-ae, a North Korean defector who now works at the Ewha Institute of Unification Studies in Seoul.

☆ Singapore minister says country won't take sides as there's no win-win scenario in fractured world
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Su-Lin Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Global businesses have a voice and need to make their voice heard, that you prefer an integrated world, and not a fragmented world," Singapore's Education Minister Chan Chun Sing (pictured here in 2019) said. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images"It's important to remember that a more interdependent world is a safer world. He cited Russia's war in Ukraine and the World Trade Organization dispute settlement crisis as some of the cracks in the system. "Global businesses have a voice and need to make their voice heard, that you prefer an integrated world, and not a fragmented world," Chan said. "World trade as a percent of GDP had in the past been going up very fast, which contributed to the very low rate of inflation.

☆ G-20 Leaders Agree to Declaration Against War, Pressuring Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Jason Douglas | Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NUSA DUA, Indonesia—Leaders of the Group of 20 countries unanimously endorsed a declaration saying the war in Ukraine is hurting the global economy, a message that showed Russia’s increasing isolation on the world stage as the costs of the conflict mount. G-20 representatives, including those from Russia and China, signed a statement that focused on the economic damage caused by the violence and called for an end to the fighting. The joint declaration marks a diplomatic victory for Western diplomats seeking to rally global opposition to Russia’s aggression.

NUSA DUA, Indonesia—A few weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s August visit to Taiwan, advisers to President Biden quietly opened back-channel talks with a senior Chinese diplomat. Beijing had largely severed lines of communication with the U.S. government, and the two sides were looking for a way forward. Over frequent video and phone calls throughout the subsequent weeks, the group laid the groundwork for the first face-to-face meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents since Mr. Biden was elected, according to U.S. officials. The negotiations continued until the day of the meeting, with senior Biden administration officials huddled with their Chinese counterparts until 3 a.m. on Monday at a hotel in Bali, Indonesia, before that day’s talks, U.S. and Chinese officials said.

☆ Bao Tong, Former Reformist Official and Critic of China’s Leader Xi, Dies at 90
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Bao Tong had remained a prominent figure within liberal party circles in the decades since his political fall from grace. A photo of the former Communist Party official from 2014. Bao Tong , a senior Communist Party official who became one of China’s most outspoken dissidents after his purge during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and later emerged as a vocal critic of Chinese leader Xi Jinping ’s autocratic rule, died Wednesday. Mr. Bao, who had been living in Beijing, died peacefully at around 7 a.m., according to a post published on his son Bao Pu’s Twitter account. The younger Mr. Bao couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

☆ Xi shook up the power order in China, but the world should expect little change — because Xi is still the complete puppet master, 2 experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Last month, Xi Jinping announced who would join him to be the top seven officials in China. Kevin Frayer/Stringer/Getty ImagesBoosted to the second-in-command spot by Xi, Li is thought to be one of the president's closest protégés. Having been the lowest-ranked member of the previous standing committee, Zhao has jumped four positions to get to his current role. It indicates to me that Xi Jinping is satisfied with the work that Zhao has done," said Loh. "Xi Jinping makes it very clear.

North Korea accused the United States and South Korea of provoking tensions on the peninsula. “I think we should focus on the facts not on what North Korea claims.”North Korea didn't release information about the specific missile models test fired last week. North Korea missile launches, unknown location, North Korea, November 2022. “What if North Korea conducted tests to obtain certain data it wanted to verify during the missile development?” Kim asked. Shin said the multiple launches could be a sign that North Korea is racing to prove its capabilities.

☆ China’s No. 2 Is a Business Pragmatist and a Party Loyalist. Which Will Prevail?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Keith Zhai | Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Xi Jinping ’s new right-hand man, Li Qiang, has shown two sides to his personality over his career. Mr. Li, whom Mr. Xi appointed last month as China’s new No. 2, is known inside the country as a pro-business pragmatist unafraid to push the boundaries of Communist Party rule. Party insiders say he’s also a loyalist who will implement Beijing’s policies effectively and aggressively when needed.

SEOUL, Nov 1 (Reuters) - South Korea's exports in October fell the most in 26 months while a trade deficit persisted for a seventh month, underscoring that Asia's fourth-largest economy is slowing and its currency is hovering near 13-year lows. The outlook remains dark as the global economy is losing momentum on a global wave of policy tightening to contain inflation. A survey by S&P Global of purchasing managers at South Korean manufacturing companies also showed new export orders in October fell for an eighth consecutive month as the global economy is slowing. As a result, the country posted a trade deficit of $6.70 billion, bigger than a shortfall of $3.78 billion in September and the seventh consecutive month of imports outweighing exports. Reporting by Choonsik Yoo and Jihoon Lee; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China’s Xi Jinping Set to Give ‘Wolf Warrior’ Diplomacy More Bite
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Chun Han Wong | Keith Zhai | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is overhauling his foreign policy team with promotions for some of his most loyal and combative envoys, a move likely to embolden his diplomats’ aggressive ethos in confronting the West. Qin Gang, Mr. Xi’s handpicked envoy to the U.S. since July 2021, is a leading contender to become China’s foreign minister in the spring, according to people familiar with the matter. Known for his often brusque rhetoric in asserting Beijing’s interests, the 56-year-old was appointed to the Communist Party’s Central Committee as one of its 205 full members on Saturday—making him the first incumbent ambassador to be promoted directly to full membership of the elite body since the end of the Mao era.

☆ Vice President Biden’s Greatest Blunder
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( James Freeman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Americans hoping that President Joe Biden won’t blunder his way into war with Russia can hardly take comfort from his history of poor judgment in matters of foreign policy. The latest news from China underscores how badly Mr. Biden misjudged the tyrant who has now consolidated power in Beijing. The Journal’s Rebecca Feng reports that on Monday foreign investors were fleeing Chinese stocks and it’s easy to see why. The Journal’s Chun Han Wong and Keith Zhai report:The old-fashioned communist thug’s determination to reassert state control of the economy threatens all of the progress the Chinese people have enjoyed since the late 1970s.

☆ China’s Leaders: Xi Jinping and His Men
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Chun Han Wong | Keith Zhai | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Xi Jinping, 69, general secretary: The most formidable Chinese leader of the post-Mao era has taken a third term as head of the Communist Party without designating an obvious successor, a move that eviscerates the party’s decadeslong efforts to ensure regular leadership succession and prevent a return to Mao-style dictatorship. Since taking power in 2012, he has reversed the party’s embrace of collective leadership, concentrated decision-making authority in his own hands and scrapped constitutional term limits on the presidency. Having dominated the latest leadership shuffle, he enjoys a firm hand to pursue his agenda, which includes a more egalitarian society, a state-led economy and a muscular foreign policy—under the stewardship of a strong, centralized party.

☆ China’s Xi Claims Third Term as Communist Party Leader
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( Keith Zhai | Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SINGAPORE— Xi Jinping cemented his status as China’s most formidable leader since Mao Zedong by extending his term as Communist Party chief into a second decade and declining to elevate a clear potential successor. Mr. Xi emerged first as China’s new seven-man leadership strode onto a red-carpeted dais inside Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Sunday, following a closed-door conclave of roughly 370 senior officials who completed the membership of the party’s top decision-making bodies.

As millions of Americans prepare to submit applications for student loan forgiveness through the Biden administration's new program, the residents of seven states could get a tax bill if they accept the loan cancellation. California is the largest state currently in line to tax student loan forgiveness. However, California legislators have promised to change the state's tax code to exempt student debt forgiveness from being taxed. In a statement to NBC News, a spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Revenue confirmed its residents will owe up to $323 for $10,000 in student loan forgiveness and $646 for $20,000 in student loan forgiveness. “Legislative leaders need to find a solution that treats student loan forgiveness the same way they handled the PPP loan forgiveness that many of them received,” Cooper said.

China’s Communist Party set the stage for its leader Xi Jinping to extend his rule into a second decade, nudging his rivals into retirement and positioning his loyalists for promotion into the top echelons of power. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang , the country’s No. 2-ranked leader, who has at times issued signals on economic policy that contradicted Mr. Xi’s views, was left off the party’s new 376-strong Central Committee, elected at the end of a twice-a-decade party congress in Beijing on Saturday.

☆ As Xi opens congress, China's state hands keep markets steady
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SHANGHAI, Oct 17 (Reuters) - As Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the landmark Communist Party Congress, the country's vast financial bureaucracy has been busily tamping down ripples of turmoil across its currency and stock markets. Scores of companies have announced share buybacks or executive share purchase plans since Friday, when regulators unveiled plans to ease share buyback rules. Investors and analysts believe government pressure on China's largely state-controlled fund sector may have played a role in the stock market rebound. Xia Chun, chief economist at wealth manager Yintech Investment Holdings, said this follows a pattern of China stocks typically rising before a party congress and then likely falling afterwards. On Monday, several state-controlled asset managers including E Fund Management Co, China Southern Asset Management Co and Zhongtai Securities Asset Management said they were investing their own money to buy products, echoing an identical refrain of confidence in China's capital markets.

☆ China’s Xi Jinping Hails Communist Party’s ‘Self-Revolution’ in Bid to Extend Rule
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

HONG KONG—Chinese leader Xi Jinping shook off concerns over Covid-19, a sluggish economy and troubled ties with the U.S. to offer a robust defense of his decadelong rule, calling on his Communist Party to battle through adversity and reclaim China’s place as a major force in human development. In a Sunday speech, opening a Communist Party congress in Beijing where he is set to defy recent norms and claim a third term as party chief, Mr. Xi recalled his efforts to curb corruption, rally public support for the party and champion China’s political system as a counterweight to Western liberal democracy.

☆ A Dissident Escapes Xi Jinping’s China and a Life ‘Made Up of Lies’
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For six months, Li Tingyu prepared meticulously to leave China—securing travel papers, creating a cover story and sanitizing her social-media accounts. Even her mother didn’t know what she was planning. Ms. Li, a former activist blogger, was making a risky gambit for her future. After getting detained in 2016 and spending nearly four years in police custody and probation for documenting social unrest in China, she felt alienated in her native country.

Chinese and Japanese officials and business leaders gathered in Tokyo on Thursday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the resumption of official ties between Beijing and Tokyo. China and Japan on Thursday marked 50 years since the restoration of diplomatic relations with a muted ceremony that reflected what Tokyo described as many issues of concern between Asia’s two biggest economic powers. While the two countries maintained a veneer of politeness on the anniversary day, earlier this week they rehashed some frequent arguments. China accused Japan of encouraging separatist forces in Taiwan, while Japan objected to what it said were Chinese incursions into its territorial waters.

☆ China Sentences Purged Police Officials as Xi Tightens Grip on Security Forces
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Former public-security vice minister Sun Lijun, pictured here in 2020, was convicted Friday of taking bribes, stock-market manipulation and illegal possession of firearms. HONG KONG—Chinese courts imposed lengthy prison sentences on several former senior law-enforcement officials for corruption, hammering home leader Xi Jinping ’s demands for loyalty from his security forces just weeks before he is expected to extend his rule. Municipal courts in four Chinese cities convicted an erstwhile vice minister of public security, a former justice minister, a onetime provincial security czar and three people who once served as regional police chiefs, according to state-media reports citing verdicts issued in quick succession between Wednesday and Friday.

☆ Bursele UWC. Tinerii din Moldova își pot continua studiile în colegiile din Costa Rica, Hong Kong sau Norvegia
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-09 | by ( Onixmedia Srl | ) diez.md time to read: +2 min

Colegiile Națiunilor Unite (United World Colleges) oferă burse pentru tinerii din Moldova pentru perioada academică 2021-2023. Tinerii își pot continua studiile în unul dintre cele trei colegii UWC eligibile. Colegiile eligibile pentru tinerii din Moldova:# UWC Costa Rica – bursă parțială (în funcție de necesități). Cheltuielile anuale ajung până la 22 000 de dolari pe an;# UWC Li Po Chun (Hong Kong) – bursă parțială (în funcție de necesități). Cheltuielile anuale ajung până la 11 600 de dolari pe an;# UWC Red Cross Nordic (Norvegia) – bursă completă (în funcție de necesități).

Persons: Chun, Pot, Radu Organizations: Națiunilor, United World Colleges, Cross Nordic Locations: Națiunilor Unite, Moldova, Rica, Kong, Norvegia, Moldovei, Singapore

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