Yu Zeyuan

Yu Zeyuan

Beijing Correspondent and Senior Researcher, Lianhe Zaobao

Yu Zeyuan (real name Yu Haisheng) started in 1993 as a journalist and editor with Xinhua's foreign news desk, then joined the University of Hawaii as a visiting academic from 1996 to 1997. Since 2000, he has been Lianhe Zaobao's Beijing correspondent and senior researcher.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrives for an event in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, 5 April 2022. (Leah Millis/Reuters)

The Pelosi visit that wasn’t: How should China respond to provocations from US politicians?

A trip to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was postponed as she tested positive for Covid-19. Nonetheless, Beijing made the expected protests and the issue is still not over as the visit might be revived in the future. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan analyses US motives for the proposed visit and how China should appropriately respond to US politicians stirring the pot.
A volunteer takes position at a checkpoint in a district in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 20 March 2022. (Fadel Senna/AFP)

Must China choose sides in the Russia-Ukraine war?

Online discourse on China’s position in the Russia-Ukraine war is heating up this week as Western and Ukrainian officials criticise China’s ambiguous stance. Meanwhile, the West continues to put pressure on China to declare which side it is on despite Chinese officials’ strong rhetoric that it will judge the matter without external coercion and that the US and NATO should “shoulder their due responsibilities”. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan discusses how China is justifying its stance of not taking sides.
Pedestrians pass a Chinese flag in Beijing, China, on 3 March 2022. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Stability and growth: Two Sessions' government work report spells out what China wants

China’s Two Sessions annual meetings commenced this week amid the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang outlined the key theme of “stability first” for China's economic growth and geopolitical outlook. Despite some calls for an armed reunification with Taiwan, Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan says that nothing can distract China from its priority for stability, as it progresses towards building a modern China by 2035 amid challenges in its internal and external affairs.
Demonstrators march during a rally in support of Ukraine, in Santa Monica, California, on 27 February 2022. (Ringo Chiu/AFP)

China's tricky position on the Russia-Ukraine war

Russia’s military attack on Ukraine has shocked the world. While China has said that it does not wish to choose sides in the ongoing war, it has also refused to label Russia's military operation as an “invasion”. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan observes that the majority of online discourse in China is also unsurprisingly pro-Russia. As Russia’s strongest ally, China is maintaining a fine balance in the development of events in order to hold on to its "strategic advantage".
Performers during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, National Stadium, Beijing, China, 20 February 2022. (Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters)

Why China is the biggest winner of the 2022 Winter Olympics

Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan feels that the Beijing Winter Olympics has turned out much better than what was initially expected. Despite diplomatic boycotts by some Western countries and political bickering about China's human rights issues, the Chinese are more than pleased with the event. Not only did China give its best-ever showing at a Winter Olympics, it also pulled off a decent event despite the pandemic, and has generated great interest in winter sports among the Chinese public.
People watch a screen with live footage of the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Shenyang Olympic Sports Centre in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China, on 4 February 2022. (AFP)

Will political bickering overshadow sports events at the Beijing Winter Olympics?

Yu Zeyuan takes stock of the barbs that have been traded by mainstream Western media and Chinese state media at the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics. It seems that references to political issues such as Xinjiang and Taiwan have been thrown in by both sides. After this snowball fight and the warm glow of the opening ceremony, is it time to get down to the sports?
The Shandong and Jinan authorities have set up investigative teams to look into thousands of illegally constructed villas in the area. (Internet)

When China’s local governments ignore Xi Jinping’s instructions to demolish illegally built villas

Recent media reports have highlighted the issue of villas continuing to be illegally built in the mountains of southern Jinan even as those found are demolished. Shandong and Jinan authorities have swiftly launched investigations, including taking action against party cadres who might be involved, but will their persistence last? Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan reports.
Former senior official Sun Lijun was featured in the first episode of an anti-graft documentary series in China. (Internet)

How China's corrupt ex-police official Sun Lijun gained clout in the CCP

The first episode of an anti-graft documentary highlighted the case of former Vice-Minister of Public Security Sun Lijun, who built a personal following in the Communist Party of China (CPC) by helping other officials with promotions, despite not being among the very top leadership himself. How did he build up his clique? Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan reports.
Troops are seen at the main square where hundreds of people were protesting against the government, after authorities' decision to lift price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 6 January 2022. (Mariya Gordeyeva/Reuters)

China and Russia’s shared interest in preventing a pro-US Kazakhstan

To help quell the current unrest in Kazakhstan, Russia sent troops while China gave only verbal support to Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Despite their different levels of commitment, Russia and China share a common desire not to see Kazakhstan developing closer ties with the US. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan analyses the situation.