Sunday Press: “Resolutely preventing a Return of Large-Scale Poverty”

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1. Headlines

Let’s start with “Guanchazhe, a news portal from Shanghai that is frequently considered as not-so-politicized, but don’t buy into that, because it’s complicated.

New Normal:
Moving across Guanchazhe’s (Shanghai) wbsite top line, we are told that “the most important thing is to boost confidence” – a report on the economic conference held by the central committee and state council on Friday and Saturday – see details further down, under “Economic Work Conference”.

Another New Normal (or who knows):
Nucleic acid test station booths are advised to turn into service stations that provide feverish passerbys with “convenient” treatment and advice (through the booth window). That, the Chinese press and radio suggest, are ideas that had become “hot” among netizens in Suzhou.

“Guanchazhe” on Sunday

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Old Normal:

When Sino-U.S. relations are bad, it must be America’s fault. Will U.S. President Biden come to his senses and stop believing that he can win against China? That’s the teaser for an exchange of opinions between Professors Zhang Weiwei (张维为) and Fan Yongpeng (范勇鹏), both from Fudan University.

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Now, a few words ab out that “economic work conference, as promised. Let’s turn to an article published by CPBS, China’s nation-wide radio network.

2. Economic Work Conference

Reportedly held in Beijing on December 15 and 16. It’s an annual meeting … here’`s Wikepedia, as accessed on December 19:

held in the People’s Republic of China which sets the national agenda for the Economy of China and its financial and banking sectors. It is convened by the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council[1] following themes, keywords, set by the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed] As of 2012, the meetings, which are closed, were being held for 2 or 3 days during the 2nd or 3rd week of December.[1]

While closed, they do publish some details of what has been said (or what sounds plausible, etc.). The entire party, country and all nationalities have been up to the challenges, achieving that wasn’t easy and should be highly valued, and the foundations of economic recovery aren’t sound yet, as demand contraction, supply shocks and weakening expectations remain the three big pressures¹⁾. To blame were – who would have thought it – “a turbulent and unsafe environment outside China’s borders” (外部环境动荡不安，给我国经济带来的影响加深). A general upturn was expected for 2023, given the strength anbd potential of the Chinese economy.

The two unwaverings (两个毫不动摇) are going to stay with us, and so will the promotion of a policy of opening up to outside world on a high level (持推进高水平对外开放). The three safeguards (三保, people’s livelihood, safe wages, and operation of authorities) are also featuring, and so are greater efforts in attracting and using foreign investsment, and resolute prevention of a large-scale return of poverty (坚决防止出现规模性返贫). High-quality development (高质量发展) is mentioned a number of times.

Have a good pre-Christmas week.
________________

Notes

1)	demand contraction, supply shocks and weakening expectations

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Xi’s Kitchen Cabinet (2): Li Qiang

The following is a translation of a report that toes a fine line between coming across as a moderately modest local hero, giving credit to your great sponsor, and still make people aware of your personal rise through the ranks. Li Qiang doesn’t visibly dominate the article and leaves a lot of space to Xi Jinping’s role in “Shanghai’s story”.

The article was published by Xinhua, in June 2021.

Apart from that, readers may get an idea of some of the key words in the megacity’s projects, and not least about the world according to Beijing.

Surveys about other nation’s attitudes towards China, certainly when published by Western media, often focus on OECD countries’ attitudes. At least when it comes to third-world countries’ “elites”, the picture can be different, and given the many failures of development projects in the past of the “global South”, the Chinese model does often sell there – especially when it comes with grants and scholarships.

This is the second part of a series about Xi’s kitchen cabinet, the 20th Politburo’s Standing Commission.

Previously posted:

Xi’s Kitchen Cabinet: (1): For what we are about to receive

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^{Top left: Li Qiang; top right: Song Tao}

Main Link:

The China Communist Party’s Story – the Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Shanghai

Xinhua, Shanghai, June 16, report by Wu Yu.
Jointly organized by the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Communist Party of China Shanghai Municipal Committee, a dialogue under the name “China Communist Party’s Story – the Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Shanghai” was carried out in Shanghai on June 16. Titled “Set out for the Dream, Witness the Wonders”, the world was shown the Communist Party of China’s glorious course through the century, and especially the party’s great achievements since its 18th National Congress, [illustrated by] the great changes from Shanghai as the party’s birthplace to the forefront of reform and opening up. 126 political parties and friendly organizatons with more than 740 representatives took part through video link, and ambassadors from more than 40 countries were present at the meeting.
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新华社上海6月16日电（记者吴宇）由中共中央对外联络部和中共上海市委共同主办的“中国共产党的故事——习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想在上海的实践”特别对话会16日在上海举行。对话会以“启航梦想，见证奇迹”为主题，通过上海从中国共产党的诞生地到中国改革开放前沿阵地的沧桑巨变，向世界展现中国共产党百年光辉历程，特别是党的十八大以来以习近平同志为核心的党中央带领中国取得的伟大成就。来自近100个国家、126个政党和友好组织的740多名代表通过视频连线参加对话会，40多个国家驻华大使现场出席会议。
–

Li Qiang, member of the CPC Central Committee’s Politburo and Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, said in his address that Shanghai is the birthplace of the CPC, the place from where the CPC’s dream set out, a window for the world on China, a hub that connects China with the world, and a main carrier for major national strategies. Since the CPC’s 19th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally visited Shanghai in four consecutive years, issued strategic arrangements for Shanghai’s development, poured in great momentum, Shanghai became more radiant by the day, an even more dazzling pearl of the Orient.
Binding together the vivid stories of the rise of Luziazui Financial City‘s rise, the Huangpu and Suzhou Rivers’ shoreline linkup, the “two networks” in step with the municipality (integrated online government services, “management on one website”), [Li Qiang] described Shanghai’s concrete practice in Pudong’s development and opening up, in people’s city building and megacity administration. He said that under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Thought, Shanghai will unswervingly follow the road of liberating thought, deepening reform, orientation towards the world, and of broadening openness, of smashing routine, creating new breakthroughs, and of constantly producing extraordinary achievements that are worthy of the party’s place of origin.
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中共中央政治局委员、上海市委书记李强在致辞中表示，上海是中国共产党的诞生地，是中国共产党梦想启航的地方，也是世界观察中国的窗口、中国链接世界的枢纽、国家重大战略的重要承载地。中共十九大以来，习近平总书记连续四年亲临上海，为上海发展作出战略擘画、注入强大动力，上海正日益焕发出更加璀璨的光彩，成为更加耀眼的东方明珠。李强结合陆家嘴金融城兴起、黄浦江苏州河“一江一河”岸线贯通、政务服务“一网通办”和城市运行“一网统管”“两张网”建设等生动故事，讲述了上海在浦东开发开放、人民城市建设、超大城市治理方面的具体实践，表示上海将在习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指引下，坚定走解放思想、深化改革之路，面向世界、扩大开放之路，打破常规、创新突破之路，不断创造无愧于党的诞生地的不凡业绩。
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Song Tao, director of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party, said that Shanghai, as the place where the dream of the Communist Party of China had set out from, had witnessed the beginnings of the great cause of the CPC’s founding, witnessed the quantum leap of China standing up, prospering and its rise to become a strong country. Over the past century, the CPC had persisted in following the goal of the people’s happiness, in the struggle towards the goal of the nations’s great rejuvenation, and especially since the party’s 18th national congress, under the strong leadership of the party’s central committee with Xi Jinping as the core, all the party’s and the state’s undertakings had achieved historic successes. The masses’ sense of gain, feeling of happiness and sense of security had been enormously improved, and so had China’s international status and influence. The Communist Party had also always striven for the cause of mankind’s progress. As for the future, the CPC wants to work with political parties from all the countries of the world to strengthen friendly contacts, to bring together the majestic power of building the Community of common destiny for mankind, and to make new and greater contributions global peaceful development and the progress of mankind.
–
中共中央对外联络部部长宋涛表示，上海作为中国共产党梦想启航地方，见证了中国共产党成立这一开天辟地的大事，见证了中国从站起来到富起来、强起来的伟大飞跃。一百年来，中国共产党坚持把为人民谋幸福、为民族谋复兴作为奋斗目标，特别是党的十八大以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，党和国家的各项事业取得历史性成就，人民群众的获得感、幸福感和安全感极大提升，中国的国际地位和影响力极大提升。中国共产党也一直为人类进步事业而奋斗。展望未来，中国共产党愿同世界各国政党加强友好往来，凝聚构建人类命运共同体的磅礴力量，为世界和平发展和人类进步事业作出新的更大贡献。
–
The representatives of political parties etc. participating in the meeting earnestly listened to the story of Shanghai’s economic and social development and the people’s improved standard of living, narrated by representatives from all walks of life in Shanghai. Chairman of the Socialist Party of Serbia and President of Parliament Ivica Dačić, Cambodian People’s Party Central Committee’s Standing Committee and Second Vice President of Cambodia’s National Assembly Khuon Sodary, the Party of the European Left‘s first vice chairperson Mola, Gabonese Democratic Party‘s General Secretary¹⁾ Bounguendza, Panama Democratic Revolutionary Party General Secretary González, People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan vice chairman²⁾ Yousufei etc. warmly congratulated on the CPC’s 100th founding anniversary and its successes that had caught the attention of the world. They said that the CPC’s foundation had not only greatly changed China’s development process, but also contributed significantly to world peace and global development, having become a model for study by the world’s political parties, and an example to learn from. Following the CPC’s 18th national congress, the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core had proposed the “Belt and Road” initiative, helping developing countries to achieve greater development, vividly adding to the concept of a Community of common destiny for mankind. They hoped to strengthen exchanges with the CPC about government experience, and to advance pragmatic cooperation in all fields so as to benefit all countries and peoples even better.
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与会政党代表等认真听取了上海各界人士代表讲述上海经济社会发展和人民生活水平提升的故事。塞尔维亚社会党主席、议长达契奇，柬埔寨人民党中央常委、国会第二副主席昆索达莉，欧洲左翼党第一副主席莫拉，加蓬民主党总书记本根扎，巴拿马民主革命党总书记冈萨雷斯，塔吉克斯坦人民民主党副主席尤苏菲等在发言中热烈祝贺中国共产党百年华诞和取得的举世瞩目成就，表示中国共产党的成立不仅极大改变了中国的发展进程，也为世界和平、发展与进步作出了重大贡献，成为世界政党研究、借鉴和学习的榜样。中共十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的中共中央提出“一带一路”倡议、助力发展中国家实现更大发展，生动诠释了人类命运共同体理念。愿同中国共产党加强治国理政经验交流，促进各领域务实合作，更多造福各国和各国人民。
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Notes

1)	the title might look revolutionary, but Wikipedia suggests that his party is center-right
2)	supposing this is a man

To be continued.

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Related

Many Miracles, “China Daily”, June 18, 2021
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Merry Christmas, …

Stay in touch

… and keep warming your hands here in this cold war.
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Center for China and Globalization develops “new narrative system”

The following is my translation of an excerpt from a book review by a Chinese think tank named Center for China and Globalization (全球化智库), (re)published by a number of Chinese online media. The book is probably CCG’s own work. The review and the content related there should not be too easily thought of as a possible new trend in Chinese public diplomacy unless it is echoed elsewhere in Chinese politics. An article published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute contains some information about the think tank’s work abroad and its background.

My translation may contain mistakes. Corrections are welcome.

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

[…]

Based on CCG’s practice of track-II diplomacy, this book summarizes the ten experiences CCG went through while developing a new narrative system. Specifically, CCG, in new international narrative exchanges, CCG emphasizes the following aspects.

基于CCG二轨外交的实践，本书总结了CCG打造新叙事体系的十条经验：具体来说，CCG国际交流新叙事注重以下几个方面：

1. Look at China’s topics from a global perspective, talk more about common values and emphasize universality. Let China’s voice in globalization be heard.

第一，全球化视野思考中国问题，多说共同价值，多讲普遍性，向世界发出中国的全球化声音；

2. Less conceptional advocacy¹⁾, and more objective and reasonable ways of expression. Use facts and figures. Talk more about China’s contributions to globalization, and tell China’s story from a multilateralist point of view.

第二，少理念倡导，多客观理性表达，用事实与数据说话。多讲中国对全球化的贡献，从多边角度讲中国故事；

3. Be modest but self-confident, tolerant but not without a position of your own. Practice mutual respect and an interlocutory attitude, without an aim of defeating your counterpart, communicate your own ideas and communicate effectively.

第三，谦和而自信，包容而有立场，相互尊重，对话姿态，不以博倒对方为目的，传递自身理念，做有效沟通；

4. Innovate the popularized narrative discourse system, all-embracing, narrating your case multi-levelled and multi-angledly, from the perspectives of politics, diplomacy, trade, human affairs, and individual experience. Above all, analyze the logic of China’s development with inside information about concrete details of Chinese culture.

第四，创新民间化叙事话语体系，兼容并包，从政治、外交、商业、人文、个体经验多层次多角度讲述个案。尤其通过讲述中国文化底蕴分析中国现实发展逻辑；

5. Take interviews from international mainstream media and make yourself heard on international social media.

第五，接受国际主流媒体访问，通过国际社交媒体发声；第六，走出去主动参与国际主流轮坛平台，积极发言交流；

6. Go out and participate in international mainstream forum platforms, speak out actively and communicate socially.

第六，走出去主动参与国际主流轮坛平台，积极发言交流；

7. Actively set an agenda and expand the topic’s impact on international mainstream platforms.

第七，主动设置议题，在国际主流平台扩大议题影响力；

8. Be creative in building new types of international exchange platforms. Constructively initiate new types of multilateral international organizations.

第八，创造性搭建新型国际交流平台，建设性发起新型多边国际组织。

9. Take the courage to face different opinions, make contact with a multitude of interlocutors. Establish wide-ranged exchange and dialogue in Chinese and foreign political, business, academic and research circles. Promote track-II diplomacy.

第九，勇于直面不同意见，接触多元交流对象，在中外政商学研界建立广泛交流与对话，促进民间二轨外交。

10. Keep up with international and domestic points of strong [public] interest, be flexible in strengthening the think tank’s²⁾ influence through a multitude of channels and methods.

第十，及时紧跟国际国内热点，灵活通过多渠道多方式传播增强智库影响力。

[…]

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Notes

1	conceptual advocacy is just my guess for the Chinese term for 理念倡导 – to argue in favor of a topic, approach, or perspective. It may as well be translated as <em>idea advocacy</em>.
2	the think tank in question here should be CCG.

“People’s Daily” commentary: “The Greatest Global Humanitarian Relief Operation in the History of New China”

The following is a translation of an excerpt from an editorial by “People’s Daily” of June 7 (Sunday). The statistics used in the article had been given by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi during a press conference last month. The greatest global humanitarian relief operation in the history of New China wording was his, too.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s
13th NPC 3rd session press
conference, May 24, 2020

Main Link: People’s Daily commentator, Building a humankind hygiene and health community (共同构建人类卫生健康共同体)

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

[…]

At present, humankind is going through the most serious global public health crisis since the end of World War 2. After arduous and extraordinary efforts, after paying a huge price and after bearing major sacrifices, China has effectively brought the new corona pneumonia epidemic under control, and protected the lives, safety and health of the people. China has shown an attitude based on openness, transparency and sense of responsibility all along, by promptly informing the World Health Organization about the epidemic, releasing the virus gene sequence information right away, by sharing prevention, control and treatment experience with all sides and without retaining anything, and has done its best to provide countries in need with support and help. By the last third of May, China has provided nearly 150 countries and four international organizations with emergency aid, dispatched 26 medical expert groups to 26 countries in urgent need, held health experts video conferences with 170 countries and, under the precondition of assured quality, worked as hard as possible to produce scarce medical treatment products and equipment, among them 56.8 billion face masks and 250 million protective garments. This has been the greatest global humanitarian relief operation in the history of New China1), and international figures have pointed out that China’s holding fast to the concept of human destiny community2) is a display of high degree of responsibility, and that it deserves high praise from the international community.

[…]

[…..]

当前，人类正在经历二战结束以来最严重的全球公共卫生危机。经过艰苦卓绝努力，付出巨大代价，承受重大牺牲，中国有力控制住了新冠肺炎疫情，维护了人民生命安全和身体健康。中国始终本着公开、透明、负责任的态度，及时向世卫组织及相关国家通报疫情信息，第一时间发布病毒基因序列等信息，毫无保留同各方分享防控和救治经验，尽己所能为有需要的国家提供支持和帮助。截至5月下旬，中国已向将近150个国家和4个国际组织提供了紧急援助；向24个有紧急需求的国家派遣了26支医疗专家组，为170多个国家举办了卫生专家专题视频会议；还在保证质量的前提下，开足马力生产紧缺的医疗物资和设备，仅口罩和防护服就分别向世界出口了568亿只和2.5亿件。这是新中国历史上规模最大的一次全球紧急人道行动，国际人士指出，中国在这次全球公共卫生危机中秉持人类命运共同体理念，展现出高度的国际责任感，值得国际社会高度赞扬。

[…..]

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Notes

1)	“New China”, referring to the “People’s Republic”
2)	the usual English-language handle in sinicized English would be community with a shared destiny for mankind, or community of common destiny.

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Related

王毅：新中国历史上最大人道行动, JFDaily, May 24, 2020

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x

Radio or the Internet? It’s both or neither

Why are “social media” so successful? Seems to me that the most obvious reason is that they give you a chance to speak out publicly, to make a difference in political ways. You can compliment the actress of your choice (ahem), you can shout at your region’s members of parliament, at top politicians, or at industrial managers.

(Those who appoint the managers won’t usually do Facebook or Twitter, though. They may not even bother to hire some ghostwriters.)

Then there may be a need to network. When all people relevant for your career are on Facebook or Twitter, you may have to be there, too. There may be a real need to follow them there, if you want to succeed in your job, or in “smashing the system”, or whatever your mission may be.

If both these motivations – making yourself heard and networking – are important, this could help to explain why “social media” haven’t helped to make our societies more democratic. What they have produced is a crude dialectics, though I’m not sure if there’s a never-ending synthesis, or if synthesis is completely out when sloganeering (with some more or less original variations of peoples’ credos) is the only thing that matters.

Bertolt Brecht doesn’t come across as an optimist. He usually saw the potential in new developments, including radio broadcasting – in 1932 and one year before the Nazis seized control of it. Brecht also knew – or learned – that newly-emerging media wouldn’t necessarily help the cause that he held dear.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is a guy who is talking about the Internet, not radio,

writes a headphones guy in California.

Sounds logical, but it isn’t. Just as radio has become a mostly linear medium, so has the internet – at least on its commercial side, i. e. Twitter, Facebook, etc.. Yes, people can voice their opinions there. But I can’t see how they would shape things in a way different from the old days^*). No matter if radio or internet, their democratic effectiveness depends on how they are organized, or how people organize themselves while using radio or the internet as their media.

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Note

^*) Except for a more intense cultivation of enmity on the internet, maybe.

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Related

My first ten days on Twitter, Jan 30, 2020

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Hong Kong Security Secretary: “Terrorism breeding in HK, iron fact”

The following is a translation of an RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) report on yesterday’s LegCo security panel session. Translated off the cuff. If you find mistakes, please let me know.

Links within blockquote added during translation.

Police have said that from last year to now there have been 14 cases involving explosives, four cases of genuine arms, and 76 arrested, of who 30 had already been prosecuted. Security Bureau secretary John Lee Ka-chiu said that this illustrated that local terrorism was breeding in Hong Kong. He emphasized that counter-terrorism was a responsibility of the entire population, and called on the public to cooperate in law enforcement. The authorities would strike with the strictest laws.

警方說，去年至今出現14宗涉及爆炸品及4宗真槍的案件，共拘捕76人，30人已被檢控。保安局局長李家超說，顯示本土恐怖主義正在香港滋生，強調反恐是全民責任，呼籲公眾配合執法，當局會以最嚴厲的法律打擊。

At the Legislative Council’s Panel on Security meeting, John Lee Ka-chiu said he believed that in various violent [events] there had been financial funding organizations and assistance, such as supplies of helmets, gas masks, weapons and umbrellas, etc., and there had been cases where such material had been provided from ranks behind to the first lines. John Lee Ka-chiu described great numbers of resources, and a lot of related material left behind on the streets after insurrection. He believed that because of the authorities’ recent effective strikes, and maybe because of decreasing funding from abroad, such equipment had been reduced in recent violent incidents.

在立法會保安事務委員會會議上，李家超說，相信在不同暴力中都有資金提供組織及支援，例如提供頭盔、防毒面罩、武器和雨傘等，亦出現將有關物品由後方提供到前方的情況。李家超形容資源很多，而在暴動過後很多有關物品留在街上，他相信由於當局近期有效打擊，又或者是外來資金減少，近期暴力事件中，有關裝備已減少。

Legislative Council member Claudia Mo Man-ching asked the authorities to provide evidence for the cases mentioned, and asked if the authorities had been part of terrorism in the Yuen Long July 21 incident of last year. John Lee Ka-chiu retorted that the other side should not trivialize the violence and added that evidence would be seen in court, describing this as an iron fact.

議會陣線毛孟靜要求當局就提到的案件提供證據，又詢問當局去年元朗7.21事件是否屬本土恐怖主義。李家超反駁對方不要淡化暴力，又說上到法庭就會見到證物，形容是鐵一般的事實。

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Related

Attendance list, June 2, 2020
Background brief, June 2, 2020
For discussion, June 2, 2020

HK officers in Xinjiang, SCMP, Jan 9, 2019

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Updates/Related

“Riding roughshod,” RTHK, Jul 4, 2020

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“Someone has falsified the Chinese Embassy’s official Twitter Account”

PARIS (AFP) – China’s embassy in Paris said Monday (May 25) its Twitter account had been “falsified” after a tweet portraying the US as a bloodthirsty grim reaper sparked disquiet over the diplomatic mission’s conduct on social media.

Click picture for source

Clarification: Someone has falsified the Chinese embassy’s official Twitter account by publishing a drawing titled “‘Who is next”? The embassy makes a point of condemning it and is always committed to truth, objectivity and reason of information.

____________

Update / Related

Click picture for source

French embassy says that “such a drawing is against the French law”, and refers to itself as a “victim of disinformation”.

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