The recent virtual summit commemorating 30 years of ASEAN-China dialogue relations was held without a representative from Myanmar, the second time in a month that Myanmar was absent from the ASEAN family. The Myanmar issue is likely to pull ASEAN on many sides in the days to come, but the fact that the summit went on and concluded with some deliverables speaks for the strength of ASEAN-China relations.

Yang Danxu observes that the recent virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is a good start, but deep-seated issues remain, not least the real and present issue of Taiwan.

China celebrates Journalists’ Day on 8 November every year. While Chinese media practitioners posted their reflections on social media, Global Times editor Hu Xijin laments increasing interference from government departments and local governments in media work. As the function of Chinese media as a mouthpiece is strongly emphasised, would Journalists’ Day have to be called “Mouthpiece Day” instead?

Even as the Chinese government sticks to its zero-Covid strategy, with lockdowns and other measures to handle even single cases of infection, Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu observes that sometimes under the pressure of meeting the policy, the authorities can go overboard with their measures. Although the people have largely adopted a grin-and-bear-it attitude, if this policy is set to persist for some time, perhaps some consideration and practical adjustments are in order?

While China’s latest third quarter year-on-year growth rate of 4.9% is still considered strong, some international commentaries have recently revisited the idea that “China’s economy is collapsing”. Taking a hard look at the situation of power cuts, a depressed property sector and the fact that state media saw fit to rebut these conjectures, Yang Danxu notes that there is some truth to slowing growth in the Chinese economy. However, the larger question is not how many percentage points drop here and there, but if downward momentum will shake the nation’s resolve to make structural adjustments for the good of the long-term health of the Chinese economy.

Zaobao’s Beijing correspondent Yang Danxu experienced a 14-day home quarantine for being in the vicinity of Covid-19 patients while in Gansu. From her first-hand experience, she observes that people at large have gotten used to and even expect sudden but orderly disruptions when outbreaks erupt and are stamped out under a zero-Covid regime. But as borders start opening around the world, will China be forced to open up to new mindsets of living with the virus?

Recent changes to the governor posts in Hebei and Liaoning follows on the heels of the Communist Party of China (CPC)’s new party secretary appointments in seven provinces in China. This suggests that China’s top leadership is preparing to bring in fresh faces to the next CPC Central Committee following the 20th Party Congress in autumn next year. Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu traces the careers of several prominent names to watch for in the coming months.

Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu notes that Lenovo’s aborted bid to get listed on Shanghai’s STAR Market is telling of it being held back by a lack of R&D and innovation. Is this emblematic of other companies in China’s manufacturing industry who went for low-hanging fruits in the early days instead of planning for long-term technological development?

Amid a widespread power shortage across China, the authorities have implemented power cuts in several regions. But what is the underlying cause for the power crunch, and will the current measures be effective and sustainable? Zaobao correspondent Yang Danxu tells us more.