In mid October, the Chinese Communist Party held its 20th National Congress, which saw Xi Jinping confirmed for his third term as President. This news had been widely anticipated, but a number of other developments at the Congress took many observers by surprise. Meanwhile, the months leading up to the Congress have seen important developments within China, and relating to the country’s place in the world. The government continues to take a zero covid approach, with cities around the country being thrown into lockdown, including, recently, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Lhasa. These ongoing lockdowns, and a disastrous drought across the country, are now raising concerns about the Chinese economy. On the international stage, attention has focused on the release of a report on human rights in Xinjiang by the UN Human Rights Office, and the failed vote to conduct a debate on the issue within the UN Human Rights Council. In this session of MFU, two experts on China, James Leibold and He Baogang, will have a conversation about recent events and trends in China, and answer your questions about China and what events there mean for us here in Melbourne.
