Red Lanterns

Some opinion polls suggest that the outgoing mayor, Chiang Wan-an – long regarded as the rising star of the party closest to Beijing – is struggling. Running against him in the 29 November election is Puma Shen, one of the politicians most hardline towards the People’s Republic. It is a neck-and-neck race that will have repercussions beyond the local government sphere.

Next week, the final plenum before the 2027 Congress is set to further tighten internal controls over officials, this despite the tenfold increase in anti-corruption probes since Xi Jinping came to power. One of every four members of the Party’s governing body are expected to be present. The fate of the Central Military Commission is a paradox.

Ignatius Ding Zuyao, a priest born in 1986, was consecrated this morning in Jiangsu province under the terms of the agreement with the Holy See. This diocese saw Bishop Shen Bin moved (by the Communist Party) to Shanghai. Ding becomes the youngest bishop in the world, confirming a clear trend in episcopal appointments in China.

Raised from childhood to value conformity and the same outcome, people in China today follow a precise standard when taking pictures to share on social media. This trend is fuelled by the boom in things like "photo-tourism" in traditional clothing, meant to "perform" a specific ideal of Chinese beauty.

A survey promoted by the Fondazione Intercultura found that 45 per cent of teenagers are interested in a period of study in China. It also gathered the impressions of those who have already done so, suggesting a positive view of relationships and culture, and excellent professional benefits. Yet, there is also a greater awareness of the country as it really is, beyond the myth of its technological prowess.

While Xi Jinping visits Washington (where the issue of human rights remains taboo), Chinese authorities informed the family of Shi Tingfu that he had died in prison from a “heart attack”.  The long-time activist had been detained in 2024 for reporting on protests by a group of farmers. For the CHRD, the denial of medical care constitutes a form of torture in China today.

In the Chinese education system, having an independent mind is a disqualifying factor from the outset and is subject to criticism from teachers and parents. It is no coincidence that the teaching method is mnemonic. And – as an AsiaNews source explains in this account – this is the broader context in which the growing bans on minors entering churches must also be understood.

Beijing has confirmed that the Chinese president will attend the BRICS summit on 12-13 September. This is his first visit to India in seven years, marking a thaw facilitated by Trump's slights against India. However, following the 2020 conflict in Ladakh, a border agreement remains elusive, and competition persists.

Due to the economic crisis, some of these establishments have become temporary shelters for the homeless and gig workers. In a small town in Guizhou, the owner has turned his café into a trendy place with live online broadcasts during which he raises funds to make up for the shortcomings of social services.  

The mountain pass swept away by the flood of water and debris was a symbol of China’s ambitions for the ‘Nepalese corridor’. But it was also the hub of a region where Beijing is providing aid to local mountain communities to strengthen its control over Tibet.

Zijin Gold International has acquired a minority stake in the Canadian company Allied Gold, which aims to commence mining operations in Kurmuk, in an area of Ethiopia close to the border where the RSF has major logistics centres (and, via Dubai, interests in the gold market).

The Sea Legend Shipping Company will inaugurate the first regular container service via the Northern Sea Route. South Korea is following with a trial voyage. The thawing Arctic and the difficulties affecting traditional routes are making the arctic more attractive. But ice, costs, sanctions, and security are limiting commercial ambitions (for now).