Top-ranked articles for week of 20-26 November 2022

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Commentary

The world’s attention may have switched to the protests which occurred in many locations in China last weekend, but last week’s official media were focused on follow up reporting of Xi Jinping’s visits to Indonesia and Thailand for G20 and APEC meetings, and his summit meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Two long articles, the second and the third, gave detailed views of Xi’s participation, while one short piece portrayed China as an eager participant in regional development, an advocate of rules-based multilateralism and economic openness and cooperation.

The two long articles are striking for their emollient, respectful and reasonable tone: of China as a country willing to help promote development across the Asia-Pacific region in any way possible.

Even its extended reportage of Xi’s summit with Biden carefully portrays the two sides as searching for ways of mutual cooperation and accepting of the differences between them.

The article presents Biden’s points first, then Xi’s – including a forceful but not strident assertion of China’s position on Taiwan. Entirely missing from the account is cold war rhetoric. Rather, the articles position China and the US as adults who have to sort things out.

The tone of the pieces and their key takeways were nicely summarized by four supposed talking points about China “discussed inside and outside the venues of the two major international conferences during [Xi’s] trip to Southeast Asia”:

— “An ancient Chinese said: ‘The way to govern the country starts with enriching the people.’ China has won the battle against poverty and built a well-off society in all respects. Now it must continue to promote the common prosperity of all people.”

— “When high-rise buildings are everywhere in China, the building of the spirit of the Chinese nation should also stand majestically.”

— “Chinese-style modernization must take a new path of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. This is responsible for ourselves and the world.”

— “What the Chinese people want most is peace and stability. Taking the path of peaceful development is a strategic choice based on the fundamental interests of the Chinese people.”

In short: China’s record is one of success; It can be proud of this success - and its modern form; This modernity of China’s has to be in harmony with nature; China wants peace and stability to keep developing.

As ever, the articles’ absences must also be noted: nothing on Russian and Ukraine, nor the fact that China, despite its protestations of openness, remains closed to the world.

Nor is there any acknowledge that Xi’s charm offensive is needed to rebuild relations with the various countries in the region it has fallen out with, either due to its “wolf warrior” diplomacy of the last few years (India, Japan, South Korea and Australia), or due to its tacit support of Vladimir Putin (Europe and the US).

We can’t help feeling that China’s tougher domestic conditions are persuading China’s leaders to seek a more relaxed international environment so as not to have too many problems on their plate simultaneously. Alternatively, they could be enjoying working on issues that feel more soluble than real estate crises or Covid.

1. Fire in Henan

要求全力救治受伤人员 依法严肃追究责任 始终坚持人民至上生命至上 坚决防范和遏制重特大事故发生

Call for all-out medical attention for the injured, Strictly pursue responsibility according to law, Always insist on the supremacy of the people and the supremacy of life, Resolutely prevent and contain serious accidents

Date of first publication: 22 November 2022

Article usage: 49%

Article source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 410 characters / 308 words

11月21日16时许，河南安阳市凯信达商贸有限公司厂房发生火灾。截至目前，事故已造成38人死亡、2人受伤。 Full article

At about 4pm on November 21, a fire broke out in the workshop of Kaixinda Trading Co., Ltd. in Anyang, Henan. As of now, the accident has caused 38 deaths and 2 injuries. Machine translation of full article

2. Xi’s APEC experience

同世界相互交融相互成就

Mutual integration, mutual achievement with the world

Date of first publication: 20 November 2022

Article usage: 45%

Article source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 7,304 characters / 4,858 words

浩瀚的太平洋潮起潮落，见证风云变幻、世事沧桑。伴随世界经济重心逐步东移，亚太地区吸引越来越多的全球目光。 Full article

The ebb and flow of the vast Pacific Ocean witnesses the vicissitudes of life. With the gradual eastward shift of the world’s economic center of gravity, the Asia-Pacific region has attracted more and more global attention. Machine translation of full article

3. Xi’s Bali experience

行大道的中国

On the road for China

Date of first publication: 20 November 2022

Article usage: 43%

Article source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 7,481 characters / 4,910 words

世界正在见证新的历史。

这是党的二十大后习近平主席首次出席多边峰会，地点在距离北京万里之遥的印度尼西亚巴厘岛。 Full article

The world is witnessing new history.

This is the first time President Xi Jinping is attending a multilateral summit after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The venue is in Bali, Indonesia, thousands of miles away from Beijing. Machine translation of full article

<a name="no4"></a><h3>4. Xi meets Cuba’s Díaz-Canel </h3>

习近平同古巴共产党中央委员会第一书记、古巴国家主席迪亚斯-卡内尔举行会谈

Xi Jinping holds talks with Cuban President Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba

Date of first publication: 25 November 2022

Article usage: 43%

Article source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 1,754 characters / 1,293 words

11月25日上午，中共中央总书记、国家主席习近平在人民大会堂同来华进行国事访问的古巴共产党中央委员会第一书记、古巴国家主席迪亚斯-卡内尔举行会谈。 Full article

On the morning of November 25th, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping met with the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who was on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People. Machine translation of full article

5. More on Xi’s APEC experience

习近平继续出席亚太经合组织第二十九次领导人非正式会议

Xi Jinping continues to attend 29th APEC economic leaders’ meeting

Date of first publication: 19 November 2022

Article usage: 37%

Article source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 609 characters / 365 words

当地时间11月19日上午，国家主席习近平在曼谷继续出席亚太经合组织第二十九次领导人非正式会议。 Full article

On the morning of November 19 local time, President Xi Jinping continued to attend the 29th APEC economic leaders’ meeting in Bangkok. Machine translation of full article

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