Emanuele Scimia

For Beijing, the pact will fuel the arms race and nuclear proliferation. Australia will have nuclear-powered submarines, not nuclear weapons, says US President Biden. Australians will buy three to five US submarines and develop a new type with the UK for US$ 235 billion. In China, observers note that Australia is sacrificing its economy for US containment of China.

Chinese president envisages a greater role for the country in global affairs. Diplomatic blow with mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Xi: Communist China has erased "national humiliation". Supreme leader fills positions of power with his men.

More powers are given to the agency charged with citizens’ petitions. The country’s leaders fear new protests after those by anti-lockdown advocates and pensioners. While the National People's Congress is underway, the authorities have blocked and placed under surveillance defrauded savers in Henan. The police place lawyers and humanitarian activists under virtual house arrest. For Freedom House, China remains a police state.

Beijing's defence budget reached USD 225 billion. Taiwan responds with a 13.9% year-on-year increase. Japan will double its outlay in five years. Vietnam and Indonesia are not standing idly by. India a danger for China. Australia close to buying nuclear submarines from Washington.

Outgoing Prime Minister Li Keqiang said that it is necessary to “actively guide religions to adapt to socialist society”. In Henan, believers must fill out an online form to attend church Masses, mosque prayers or rituals in Buddhist temples. The newly selected (and useless) Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference has 11 Catholic representatives.

The new Foreign Minister to Chinese 'Parliament': Washington a source of global instability. Support for Russia reiterated, even if Ukraine invasion is contrary to the new international order desired by Beijing. Saving Putin means continuing the war, which threatens China's economy: Chinese exports in January-February register -6.8%.

China’s “Parliament” opened its annual session. Outgoing Prime Minister Li Keqiang performs his final act in office. China is hoping domestic consumption will boost economic recovery. Investors fear greater government control of the private sector. Military budget rises to US$ $225 billion. Xi Jinping faces major foreign policy hurdles.

Tomorrow at the National People's Congress his last official act as the regime's number two. Subtle attack on Xi Jinping: China's economy still needs 'reforms'. However, greater centralisation of power in favour of Xi and the Communist Party is expected.

Today's headlines: Three pro-democracy activists sentenced in Hong Kong; UN: endless violence by coup junta in Myanmar; Taiwanese hi-tech giant to invest in India's Telangana state; Japan will help Asean fight climate change; Russian oligarch: move country's capital to Siberia.

He would have convinced the Chinese president to bring forward the reopening after the popular protests at the end of November. The economy was in danger. Placating the young was politically less risky than sacrificing the elderly and vulnerable to contagion. Doubts remain about the official figures for deaths and infections.

China is banning the chatbot developed by US-based OpenAi, which allows humans to chat with an artificial intelligence system. Baidu is ready to roll out its own version, while Alibaba is said to be developing one as well. Censorship and public opinion management remain an issue in China. Taiwan wants to offer its own “democratic" alternative for Chinese-speaking communities.

Today's headlines: China and Belarus sign cooperation agreements; New US missile sale to Taiwan approved; New Vietnamese president elected; London's Royal Navy seizes Iranian weapons in the Gulf of Oman; Journalistic investigation into Putin's wealth.