China is increasing its military spending more than in previous years. This is because Beijing sees itself confronted with a tense neighborhood. But that does not stop China's leadership from making clear threats of its own.
By Michael Radunski
Although China is showing great resilience, it has lowered its growth target to 5.5 percent. In times of war and sanctions, there are simply no winners. The strong tendency toward autarky at the current People's Congress is also bad news for German companies. The recently highly praised strategy of dual circulation, on the other hand, was not mentioned at all.
By Finn Mayer-Kuckuk
It is Beijing's biggest annual political event: More than 2,000 delegates form the plenum of the National People's Congress (NPC), which convenes starting Saturday. It is the stage for major policy decisions and key draft laws. The prime minister's speech provides clues about the focus of China's future policies. Xuewu Gu, Chair of Political Science at the University of Bonn, explains to Christiane Kuehl why economic policy will be again at the heart of the People's Congress – despite the tense situation.
By Christiane Kuehl
China is about to introduce a law to promote families. But this is not only met with approval – because the bill includes new thumbscrews for parents. They are to be held accountable for their children's bad behavior. Not a very far-sighted plan for an emerging superpower.
By Ning Wang
Not just the West criticizes China's National People's Congress. In China, too, its deputies are referred to as "hand-raisers" behind closed doors. President Xi now gives treatment to China's "parliament" with all kinds of ideological balancing acts. In his view, the People's Congress ensures broad participation of the population. And Xi gave Western democracies only bad marks.
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The suspension of the ratification of the CAI is not an unexpected step in view of the diplomatic friction between the EU and China. Nevertheless, economist Liu Wan-Hsin from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) regrets the temporary failure of the treaty: It would have brought Germany many advantages. Felix Lee spoke with Liu.
By Felix Lee
Wang Huning is exceptional among Chinese leadership technocrats. He has served as chief adviser to three presidents since 1995. His signature can be found in the teachings of Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. But Wang's once aspirational goal of greater democracy has since receded into the distant future.
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