A football legend from the Ruhr area once said, “Those who talk a lot also lie a lot.” Now, the former national player Ernst Kuzorra was by no means an intellectual luminary, but he compensated for the perceived lack with invaluable human instinct.
If we apply the pearls of wisdom of a simple man to world politics, Berlin and Beijing must be racking up on both of those accounts these days. Government consultations between nine ministries here, a hoped-for meeting between the party leader and the foreign minister of the number one superpower there. And China is always in the midst of it, serving as a new reference point for topics such as peace and security, economic growth or climate change.
However, we can safely assume that, in principle, a lot of truth is also being spoken when middleweights and heavyweights of the geopolitical political arena come together. Germany’s politicians will certainly tell their Chinese counterparts during the 7th government consultations what they don’t like, as predicted by Finn Mayer-Kuckuk. While US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Xi Jinping have already exchanged the interests of China, the USA, and indeed the whole world, as reported by Michael Radunski.
And the Chinese? They are brutally honest when it comes to expressing their opinion. Much more open than we Germans will ever be. And that’s a good thing. Dealing honestly with each other creates clear relationships. Then everyone knows where they stand and can align their own behavior accordingly.
To the late Kuzorra’s credit, we could replace the verb “lie” in his quote about the grassroots of life with the verb “fib”. Because it’s very likely that it’s part of the political craft these days as well. Which party would want to reveal all the details of their strategy?
In that case, the former striker would have hit the bullseye posthumously with his claim. No wonder, after all, he was the top scorer of Schalke 04.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called on China to “use its global influence and leverage over Russia to work towards a just peace” in the Ukraine conflict. At the beginning of the multi-day government visit, Steinmeier received Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Bellevue Palace. Steinmeier did not hesitate to address the issue that weighs heavily on the meeting.
Steinmeier, however, otherwise followed the accepted government line. “Cooperation remains important but has changed in recent years,” according to the Federal President’s Office. China is a partner for Germany and Europe, “but also increasingly a competitor and rival on the political stage.” This corresponds to the assessment and wording of the National Security Strategy from last Wednesday.
Chinese government representatives did not have to listen to such confrontational tones during the past six consultations under Angela Merkel. However, even the current seventh ministerial meeting is already a certain success before it begins:
On the negative side, the preparations were rather meager. The pandemic, not least, has damaged the relationship. There are different people in the government on both sides compared to the previous meeting. Scholz himself is one of the few constants. In Germany, the faces have changed due to the 2021 federal election, and in China, due to government reshuffles by Xi Jinping in March. This affects not only the ministerial level but also the bureaucracy. The web of personal contacts, of existing business cards, is torn. This makes the actual meeting of the heads of government, ministers, and their staff all the more important.
The conclusion of Cosco’s entry into the port of Hamburg can be seen as a positive signal to Chancellor Olaf Scholz ahead of the consultations. The state-owned shipping company initially hesitated because it was only allowed to acquire 24.99 percent instead of the desired 35 percent of one of the terminals there – and because the deal became the focal point of a critical discussion about Chinese engagement in Europe. On Monday, Cosco signed the agreement, according to terminal operator HHLA.
Cosco has now accepted the conditions that were made more difficult by the federal government in October. Several ministries, including the Ministry for Economic Affairs, had security concerns about the deal. After it became known in spring, that HHLA had registered the terminal as “critical infrastructure”, further examinations were required.
The state-owned shipping company had previously let a decision deadline pass at the end of December 2022, causing unrest in Hamburg. The HHLA had always defended Cosco’s entry as necessary for the Port of Hamburg. Scholz is considered a supporter of the entry. The spirit of de-risking looks different.
Scholz positioned himself similarly flexibly on Monday regarding investment control. He spoke out against comprehensive monitoring of economic relations with China. While it is correct that greater scrutiny is needed when delivering goods for defense or surveillance purposes, he said at a congress of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), “One must be very cautious. But that does not mean subjecting the entire economic activity to administration.”
The background to this is the proposals of the European Commission for enhanced economic security. Brussels will present proposals for the control of investments in China and exports to the People’s Republic on Tuesday. The European Commission is expected to move towards tighter controls.
At the BDI conference, there was great consensus between Scholz and the industry representatives in wanting to pursue de-risking but by no means decoupling. This is also claimed to be the line of the seven leading Western industrialized countries (G7), according to Scholz. In the meantime, the United States expressed surprise that the consultations were taking place in such a friendly spirit at all. From their perspective, the G7 consensus was to contain China’s interests as much as possible.
However, the BDI and the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) made it clear to Scholz that they primarily have an interest in unhindered business with China. While they paid lip service to de-risking, they also urged the Chancellor to advocate for improved market access. Officials from the two major umbrella organizations stated that the Chinese government needs to show more willingness to improve the framework conditions.
The stance of the leading associations BDI and DIHK, ahead of the consultations is indeed critical of China. However, it represents different goals compared to the recent positions of the Green-led ministries, the G7, or European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Although all actors currently align their position towards China with the term de-risking, they each mean something different by it.
The industry refers to a gradual reduction of business risks, while politics aim to eliminate geopolitical vulnerability. Both goals, if consistently implemented, would impose different requirements on the economy and politics. Risk elimination would entail a painful reduction in German-China business. However, so far, no one is willing to make such a hard decision, and it also remains questionable whether it would be sensible. Even a small reduction in dependency on China is not yet discernible in any form.
Therefore, the new China strategy is shaped far away from China. It does not manifest in demands that could be addressed directly to the Chinese delegation but rather in Germany doing its homework. The reasons for the painful dependence lie deeper. Germany still has not understood that it holds the weaker position in negotiations with the People’s Republic, said Marcel Fratzscher, the president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), on Monday on the TV channel Phoenix. The reason is the lack of innovation power in the industry, which is falling behind in competition with China and the United States.
While Scholz received his special success from China with Cosco and spoke out against a too tough approach, the Greens do not hide their reservations about too much integration with China. Party chairman Omid Nouripour called on his own ministers to speak frankly and plainly on Tuesday. Human rights violations, especially the situation in the Xinjiang region, will be addressed, even if the Chinese side does not want that.
Practically all civil society organizations involved with China spoke out on Monday, including the Society for Threatened Peoples, the World Uyghur Congress, the Tibet Initiative Germany (TID) and the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). They also want the German side to advocate for human rights issues in the talks. The NGOs demand more weight for values than for the profits of major corporations and plan to demonstrate in front of the Chancellery on Tuesday morning for this cause.
On the other hand, another green topic is already receiving more support. Germany and China intend to intensify cooperation in climate and environmental protection, said German Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke of the Greens and her Chinese counterpart Huang Runqiu after preliminary discussions. Finn Mayer-Kuckuk/Christiane Kuehl/rtr
Until the last moment, Xi Jinping kept his cards close to his chest: Would he meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken or not? On Monday afternoon, China’s President and Party Leader finally met with Blinken just before his departure. In the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing, both sides made efforts to stabilize the bilateral relations between China and the United States. No major breakthroughs were achieved, but no one expected them either.
Nonetheless, the 35-minute meeting between Xi and Blinken sends a clear signal: China and the US want to prevent their rivalry from turning into open hostility.
China’s President and Party Leader showed a conciliatory attitude towards Blinken. He stated that they respect US interests and do not seek to challenge the United States. Xi even mentioned progress in the relationship with the United States and added, “That is very good.”
He expressed hope that Blinken’s visit could make a positive contribution to stabilizing the relations between China and the United States. The Chinese Foreign Ministry even stated that Blinken’s visit marked a “new beginning”.
However, one should not overly interpret Blinken’s China trip as entirely positive. Nevertheless, the US Secretary of State also assured that the American government intends to handle its relations with China responsibly. Both countries agree that the relationship needs to be stabilized. “It is in the interest of the United States, China, and the world,” said Blinken. At least on a diplomatic level, this was achieved on Monday afternoon.
However, as soon as the discussions in Beijing touched on substantive issues, the significant differences immediately came to the fore, especially during Blinken’s meeting with Wang Yi on Monday morning. China’s top diplomat bluntly stated that the relations between the US and China had reached a low point. He also placed the blame squarely on America’s flawed perception of China.
Washington should “stop the downward spiral in China-US relations and bring them back to a healthy and stable track.” The US must decide on its behavior towards China, “between dialogue and confrontation, between cooperation or conflict”.
Wang made clear demands to Blinken:
Blinken, on the other hand, raised the issue of halted communication at the military level in both meetings. “It is absolutely vital that we have this kind of military-to-military communication,” Blinken emphasized in Beijing. It is crucial to prevent the rivalry between China and the US from unintentionally turning into an open conflict. There have been enough dangerous incidents in recent times.
Unfortunately, no progress was made on this point. China will continue to reject any exchange at the military level, according to Beijing. The reason cited is the US sanctions, including those against China’s Defense Minister Li Shanfu.
No less dangerous is the issue of Taiwan. Wang Yi remained firm and made it clear that “China has no room for compromise or concession on this issue.” The US must “adhere to the one-China principle, respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and make a clear stand against ‘Taiwan independence.’”
US President Joe Biden discarded the approach of “strategic ambiguity” regarding Taiwan last year and made it clear that the US would defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion. Advisors later explained that it was merely a clarification and not a departure from the existing “one China” policy.
Wang Zichen from the Chinese think tank “Center for China and Globalization” draws a positive conclusion. “Secretary Blinken’s visit turned out to exceed expectations that were admittedly low, which shall be a good start to stabilizing China-US relations,” Wang said to Table.Media. The political expert hopes that this will pave the way for China visits by other senior US officials, including Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo and John Kerry.
Marina Rudyak, speaking with Table.Media, is also convinced that Blinken’s trip and especially the meeting with Xi are very important for stabilizing relations. “Despite the sharp rhetoric and aside from Xi’s power play, leaving it open until the last moment whether he would meet Blinken or not, a constructive signal emerges from these two days,” says the sinologist and substitute professor for Chinese society and economy at the University of Goettingen.
Two conditions are required to become the head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Firstly, a clear vision of the economic and political direction in which the People’s Republic of China should steer. Secondly, trusted connections within the center of power, allowing promotion to this central position within the apparatus by the Organization Department of the Communist Party.
These conditions are interdependent. It is the vision that creates the final bit of trust among those pulling the strings in the Politburo Standing Committee. Zheng Shanjie has been the head of the NDRC since March, making him the 14th person to hold this position in the country’s history.
Zheng is part of the Chinese delegation entering consultations with the German government today. His official meetings in Berlin begin at 7 am. He will start by speaking with Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck. Zheng is an especially important interlocutor for the German government representatives because he represents not only the interests of a single department but also encompasses the interests of all departments.
Planning and development of the big picture have been recurring themes throughout Zheng Shanjie’s career. His various positions come together like puzzle pieces, symbolically uniting the key topics of Chinese politics.
In addition to the usual functions of a classic Communist Party cadre in his early 60s, serving as a functionary here and there, two posts seem to have been crucial milestones in his career. Twenty years ago, Zheng became the Director of the Development and Planning Commission of the city of Xiamen in the south of the country. Five years later, he advanced to the provincial-level Development Commission. After serving as Deputy Director for two years, he became the Director in 2010.
Zheng apparently performed his job to the utmost satisfaction of the party leadership, which can select from a vast pool of millions of officials and typically demands decades of preparation for a role at the heart of the regime. It seemed to be time for him to make a name for himself in the capital as well.
In 2015, Zheng was reassigned from Fujian province to Beijing. From then on, he took on numerous tasks, each for a short period of time, presumably to gain an understanding of the various areas in which a chief planner must be knowledgeable.
As one of the top officials of the National Energy Administration, he dedicated two years to a critical Chinese interest: energy supply. He gained foreign policy experience through his appointment as Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the country’s quasi-cabinet.
His subsequent positions also fit the picture: Party Secretary in Ningbo and later Governor of Zhejiang province, where industry, trade, and craftsmanship thrive. Since 2021, Zheng has been the Party Secretary in Anhui. This central Chinese province represents the Party leadership’s determination to distribute the country’s income more equitably toward the hinterland. In recent years, more and more industries have settled in Anhui, triggering a structural transformation.
Over the past 20 years, the head of the NDRC has gained a multifaceted understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese economic system. As a graduate of Nanjing Tech University, he also possesses an understanding and affinity for the urgency of technological progress.
His academic expertise helps him understand the needs of the technology sector while also tightening regulatory reins where the Party fears losing control. Marcel Grzanna
Admittedly, today’s dessert is not entirely fresh. However, we didn’t want to withhold this moment of great fan joy from you either. The photo is from last week’s friendly match between Argentina and Australia at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing. A fan of the six-time world footballer Lionel Messi managed to run onto the field. He embraced the Argentine superstar and then embarked on a spectacular but ultimately unsuccessful sprint to escape from the security personnel. He managed to exchange a high-five with Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before being grabbed and carried off the field, hanging on for dear life but with a blissful grin on his face. Later, video recordings of the teenager surfaced on social media, showing him back in the stands, posing for photos with other fans.
A football legend from the Ruhr area once said, “Those who talk a lot also lie a lot.” Now, the former national player Ernst Kuzorra was by no means an intellectual luminary, but he compensated for the perceived lack with invaluable human instinct.
If we apply the pearls of wisdom of a simple man to world politics, Berlin and Beijing must be racking up on both of those accounts these days. Government consultations between nine ministries here, a hoped-for meeting between the party leader and the foreign minister of the number one superpower there. And China is always in the midst of it, serving as a new reference point for topics such as peace and security, economic growth or climate change.
However, we can safely assume that, in principle, a lot of truth is also being spoken when middleweights and heavyweights of the geopolitical political arena come together. Germany’s politicians will certainly tell their Chinese counterparts during the 7th government consultations what they don’t like, as predicted by Finn Mayer-Kuckuk. While US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Xi Jinping have already exchanged the interests of China, the USA, and indeed the whole world, as reported by Michael Radunski.
And the Chinese? They are brutally honest when it comes to expressing their opinion. Much more open than we Germans will ever be. And that’s a good thing. Dealing honestly with each other creates clear relationships. Then everyone knows where they stand and can align their own behavior accordingly.
To the late Kuzorra’s credit, we could replace the verb “lie” in his quote about the grassroots of life with the verb “fib”. Because it’s very likely that it’s part of the political craft these days as well. Which party would want to reveal all the details of their strategy?
In that case, the former striker would have hit the bullseye posthumously with his claim. No wonder, after all, he was the top scorer of Schalke 04.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has called on China to “use its global influence and leverage over Russia to work towards a just peace” in the Ukraine conflict. At the beginning of the multi-day government visit, Steinmeier received Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Bellevue Palace. Steinmeier did not hesitate to address the issue that weighs heavily on the meeting.
Steinmeier, however, otherwise followed the accepted government line. “Cooperation remains important but has changed in recent years,” according to the Federal President’s Office. China is a partner for Germany and Europe, “but also increasingly a competitor and rival on the political stage.” This corresponds to the assessment and wording of the National Security Strategy from last Wednesday.
Chinese government representatives did not have to listen to such confrontational tones during the past six consultations under Angela Merkel. However, even the current seventh ministerial meeting is already a certain success before it begins:
On the negative side, the preparations were rather meager. The pandemic, not least, has damaged the relationship. There are different people in the government on both sides compared to the previous meeting. Scholz himself is one of the few constants. In Germany, the faces have changed due to the 2021 federal election, and in China, due to government reshuffles by Xi Jinping in March. This affects not only the ministerial level but also the bureaucracy. The web of personal contacts, of existing business cards, is torn. This makes the actual meeting of the heads of government, ministers, and their staff all the more important.
The conclusion of Cosco’s entry into the port of Hamburg can be seen as a positive signal to Chancellor Olaf Scholz ahead of the consultations. The state-owned shipping company initially hesitated because it was only allowed to acquire 24.99 percent instead of the desired 35 percent of one of the terminals there – and because the deal became the focal point of a critical discussion about Chinese engagement in Europe. On Monday, Cosco signed the agreement, according to terminal operator HHLA.
Cosco has now accepted the conditions that were made more difficult by the federal government in October. Several ministries, including the Ministry for Economic Affairs, had security concerns about the deal. After it became known in spring, that HHLA had registered the terminal as “critical infrastructure”, further examinations were required.
The state-owned shipping company had previously let a decision deadline pass at the end of December 2022, causing unrest in Hamburg. The HHLA had always defended Cosco’s entry as necessary for the Port of Hamburg. Scholz is considered a supporter of the entry. The spirit of de-risking looks different.
Scholz positioned himself similarly flexibly on Monday regarding investment control. He spoke out against comprehensive monitoring of economic relations with China. While it is correct that greater scrutiny is needed when delivering goods for defense or surveillance purposes, he said at a congress of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), “One must be very cautious. But that does not mean subjecting the entire economic activity to administration.”
The background to this is the proposals of the European Commission for enhanced economic security. Brussels will present proposals for the control of investments in China and exports to the People’s Republic on Tuesday. The European Commission is expected to move towards tighter controls.
At the BDI conference, there was great consensus between Scholz and the industry representatives in wanting to pursue de-risking but by no means decoupling. This is also claimed to be the line of the seven leading Western industrialized countries (G7), according to Scholz. In the meantime, the United States expressed surprise that the consultations were taking place in such a friendly spirit at all. From their perspective, the G7 consensus was to contain China’s interests as much as possible.
However, the BDI and the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) made it clear to Scholz that they primarily have an interest in unhindered business with China. While they paid lip service to de-risking, they also urged the Chancellor to advocate for improved market access. Officials from the two major umbrella organizations stated that the Chinese government needs to show more willingness to improve the framework conditions.
The stance of the leading associations BDI and DIHK, ahead of the consultations is indeed critical of China. However, it represents different goals compared to the recent positions of the Green-led ministries, the G7, or European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Although all actors currently align their position towards China with the term de-risking, they each mean something different by it.
The industry refers to a gradual reduction of business risks, while politics aim to eliminate geopolitical vulnerability. Both goals, if consistently implemented, would impose different requirements on the economy and politics. Risk elimination would entail a painful reduction in German-China business. However, so far, no one is willing to make such a hard decision, and it also remains questionable whether it would be sensible. Even a small reduction in dependency on China is not yet discernible in any form.
Therefore, the new China strategy is shaped far away from China. It does not manifest in demands that could be addressed directly to the Chinese delegation but rather in Germany doing its homework. The reasons for the painful dependence lie deeper. Germany still has not understood that it holds the weaker position in negotiations with the People’s Republic, said Marcel Fratzscher, the president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), on Monday on the TV channel Phoenix. The reason is the lack of innovation power in the industry, which is falling behind in competition with China and the United States.
While Scholz received his special success from China with Cosco and spoke out against a too tough approach, the Greens do not hide their reservations about too much integration with China. Party chairman Omid Nouripour called on his own ministers to speak frankly and plainly on Tuesday. Human rights violations, especially the situation in the Xinjiang region, will be addressed, even if the Chinese side does not want that.
Practically all civil society organizations involved with China spoke out on Monday, including the Society for Threatened Peoples, the World Uyghur Congress, the Tibet Initiative Germany (TID) and the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). They also want the German side to advocate for human rights issues in the talks. The NGOs demand more weight for values than for the profits of major corporations and plan to demonstrate in front of the Chancellery on Tuesday morning for this cause.
On the other hand, another green topic is already receiving more support. Germany and China intend to intensify cooperation in climate and environmental protection, said German Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke of the Greens and her Chinese counterpart Huang Runqiu after preliminary discussions. Finn Mayer-Kuckuk/Christiane Kuehl/rtr
Until the last moment, Xi Jinping kept his cards close to his chest: Would he meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken or not? On Monday afternoon, China’s President and Party Leader finally met with Blinken just before his departure. In the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing, both sides made efforts to stabilize the bilateral relations between China and the United States. No major breakthroughs were achieved, but no one expected them either.
Nonetheless, the 35-minute meeting between Xi and Blinken sends a clear signal: China and the US want to prevent their rivalry from turning into open hostility.
China’s President and Party Leader showed a conciliatory attitude towards Blinken. He stated that they respect US interests and do not seek to challenge the United States. Xi even mentioned progress in the relationship with the United States and added, “That is very good.”
He expressed hope that Blinken’s visit could make a positive contribution to stabilizing the relations between China and the United States. The Chinese Foreign Ministry even stated that Blinken’s visit marked a “new beginning”.
However, one should not overly interpret Blinken’s China trip as entirely positive. Nevertheless, the US Secretary of State also assured that the American government intends to handle its relations with China responsibly. Both countries agree that the relationship needs to be stabilized. “It is in the interest of the United States, China, and the world,” said Blinken. At least on a diplomatic level, this was achieved on Monday afternoon.
However, as soon as the discussions in Beijing touched on substantive issues, the significant differences immediately came to the fore, especially during Blinken’s meeting with Wang Yi on Monday morning. China’s top diplomat bluntly stated that the relations between the US and China had reached a low point. He also placed the blame squarely on America’s flawed perception of China.
Washington should “stop the downward spiral in China-US relations and bring them back to a healthy and stable track.” The US must decide on its behavior towards China, “between dialogue and confrontation, between cooperation or conflict”.
Wang made clear demands to Blinken:
Blinken, on the other hand, raised the issue of halted communication at the military level in both meetings. “It is absolutely vital that we have this kind of military-to-military communication,” Blinken emphasized in Beijing. It is crucial to prevent the rivalry between China and the US from unintentionally turning into an open conflict. There have been enough dangerous incidents in recent times.
Unfortunately, no progress was made on this point. China will continue to reject any exchange at the military level, according to Beijing. The reason cited is the US sanctions, including those against China’s Defense Minister Li Shanfu.
No less dangerous is the issue of Taiwan. Wang Yi remained firm and made it clear that “China has no room for compromise or concession on this issue.” The US must “adhere to the one-China principle, respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and make a clear stand against ‘Taiwan independence.’”
US President Joe Biden discarded the approach of “strategic ambiguity” regarding Taiwan last year and made it clear that the US would defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion. Advisors later explained that it was merely a clarification and not a departure from the existing “one China” policy.
Wang Zichen from the Chinese think tank “Center for China and Globalization” draws a positive conclusion. “Secretary Blinken’s visit turned out to exceed expectations that were admittedly low, which shall be a good start to stabilizing China-US relations,” Wang said to Table.Media. The political expert hopes that this will pave the way for China visits by other senior US officials, including Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo and John Kerry.
Marina Rudyak, speaking with Table.Media, is also convinced that Blinken’s trip and especially the meeting with Xi are very important for stabilizing relations. “Despite the sharp rhetoric and aside from Xi’s power play, leaving it open until the last moment whether he would meet Blinken or not, a constructive signal emerges from these two days,” says the sinologist and substitute professor for Chinese society and economy at the University of Goettingen.
Two conditions are required to become the head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Firstly, a clear vision of the economic and political direction in which the People’s Republic of China should steer. Secondly, trusted connections within the center of power, allowing promotion to this central position within the apparatus by the Organization Department of the Communist Party.
These conditions are interdependent. It is the vision that creates the final bit of trust among those pulling the strings in the Politburo Standing Committee. Zheng Shanjie has been the head of the NDRC since March, making him the 14th person to hold this position in the country’s history.
Zheng is part of the Chinese delegation entering consultations with the German government today. His official meetings in Berlin begin at 7 am. He will start by speaking with Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck. Zheng is an especially important interlocutor for the German government representatives because he represents not only the interests of a single department but also encompasses the interests of all departments.
Planning and development of the big picture have been recurring themes throughout Zheng Shanjie’s career. His various positions come together like puzzle pieces, symbolically uniting the key topics of Chinese politics.
In addition to the usual functions of a classic Communist Party cadre in his early 60s, serving as a functionary here and there, two posts seem to have been crucial milestones in his career. Twenty years ago, Zheng became the Director of the Development and Planning Commission of the city of Xiamen in the south of the country. Five years later, he advanced to the provincial-level Development Commission. After serving as Deputy Director for two years, he became the Director in 2010.
Zheng apparently performed his job to the utmost satisfaction of the party leadership, which can select from a vast pool of millions of officials and typically demands decades of preparation for a role at the heart of the regime. It seemed to be time for him to make a name for himself in the capital as well.
In 2015, Zheng was reassigned from Fujian province to Beijing. From then on, he took on numerous tasks, each for a short period of time, presumably to gain an understanding of the various areas in which a chief planner must be knowledgeable.
As one of the top officials of the National Energy Administration, he dedicated two years to a critical Chinese interest: energy supply. He gained foreign policy experience through his appointment as Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the country’s quasi-cabinet.
His subsequent positions also fit the picture: Party Secretary in Ningbo and later Governor of Zhejiang province, where industry, trade, and craftsmanship thrive. Since 2021, Zheng has been the Party Secretary in Anhui. This central Chinese province represents the Party leadership’s determination to distribute the country’s income more equitably toward the hinterland. In recent years, more and more industries have settled in Anhui, triggering a structural transformation.
Over the past 20 years, the head of the NDRC has gained a multifaceted understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese economic system. As a graduate of Nanjing Tech University, he also possesses an understanding and affinity for the urgency of technological progress.
His academic expertise helps him understand the needs of the technology sector while also tightening regulatory reins where the Party fears losing control. Marcel Grzanna
Admittedly, today’s dessert is not entirely fresh. However, we didn’t want to withhold this moment of great fan joy from you either. The photo is from last week’s friendly match between Argentina and Australia at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing. A fan of the six-time world footballer Lionel Messi managed to run onto the field. He embraced the Argentine superstar and then embarked on a spectacular but ultimately unsuccessful sprint to escape from the security personnel. He managed to exchange a high-five with Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before being grabbed and carried off the field, hanging on for dear life but with a blissful grin on his face. Later, video recordings of the teenager surfaced on social media, showing him back in the stands, posing for photos with other fans.
