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“In recent years the pressure on the Muslim minority Rohingyas, who are mostly located in the western state of Rakhine, has been rising. An estimated 700,000 have fled to neighboring Bangladesh. Many less fortunate have been killed and or seen their homes destroyed by the military.”

“Xi has always had his political enemies but they have kept their heads down. He has been mocked on social media but this is perhaps the first time that mainstream Han Chinese intellectuals have raised tough questions about negative effects for China from his foreign policy.”

“What is the deal? It might be total border security for NATO members in Eastern Europe in return for a solid commitment to freeze NATO expansion eastwards. It might be settling the Japan issue, mutual de-escalation of nuclear weapons and a clean-up of hostile cyber-activity in return for recognition of Russia’s legitimate role in the Middle East, acceptance of the status quo in the Ukraine and Georgia and ending of sanctions.”

“Over 70 per cent of China’s corporate debt belongs to state owned enterprises but well over half of GDP is generated by the private sector. Furthermore, it is the private sector which struggles to raise finance and is being hurt by the shadow banking squeeze. Most finance raised by private firms has been going to pay off current debt. Misallocation of capital is a tale of modern China.”

“Although the deteriorating health environment in China should be optimal for Hua, there must be serious concern. Beijing could slow down urbanization, encourage breast feeding, address lack of exercise and poor diet and even review the expensive “drugs first” medical policy. It is not that diabetes is yet a top area of concern, but each of these measures is independently relevant to Beijing’s other concerns. This raises the likelihood of action. It reduces the implied valuation of Hua.”

“Why has Beihai, a city of 572,000 – or 1.5 million if we include the surrounding area – seen 58,000 arrests for pyramid selling alone since 2014, equivalent to either four or 10 per cent of the whole population? This coastal city is calculated to be the fastest growing city in China, possibly in the whole world. There is no other Chinese city ranked in the world’s 50 fastest growing up to 2020.”

“This entire peace process is perhaps like carrying a priceless porcelain vase through a minefield, vulnerable to disasters, but if everyone becomes convinced – rightly – that they can all emerge as winners, then we could see a very satisfactory conclusion.”

“The number of births looks likely to move downwards despite party policy on birth control liberalizing. This is because although there has been a small improvement of 7 per cent in 2016 and 2017 from before the changes in 2012 and 2013, the fact is that most couples affected by the changes do not want a second child – usually on economic grounds – and many simply don’t wish a child. There is also an increase in the numbers not marrying at all.”

“The party certainly wants the refinancing which is provided by new private sector investors. It may even want some rub-off of ideas in marketing or innovation. However, we should not look for a breakthrough in accountability. It is likely that Chinese private investors are going into these situations with their eyes wide open.”

“It is difficult to forget 2008 when the EU wanted to embark on its first ‘serious’ military mission, which was to the rather large African country of Chad. They eventually realized they would need – but couldn’t find – a number of helicopters. Rather than borrow them from President George W Bush, tacitly acknowledging US military superiority, they decided it would be more palatable to get them from Mr Putin. This happily coincided with his adventure occupying part of Georgia which the EU then found it difficult to criticize.”