Podcasts about Plenum

Zakaz sprzedawania papierosów już jest a zakaz sprzedawania Tik-Toka w przygotowaniu. Jedno psuje płuca a drugie mózg, więc dla naszego dobra i tak dalej.Taki zakaz: dobry to pomysł czy niedobry? Ostatecznie wolność wyboru oznacza też prawo szkodzenia sobie. Czy nie?Plenum prowadzili Towarzysze Jakub i Martin i pojawiło się wiele różnych głosów z sali.

Et non ! Le Christ ne s'est pas arrêté à Pékin (certains pourtant, sur place, n'auraient rien contre), mais j'ai une belle histoire a vous raconter. En plus, je vous offre mon bilan du Plenum de l'assemblée nationale populaire, et puis encore la manière dont la Chine pourrait percevoir la guerre de Trump et de Netanyahou contre l'Iran des Mollahs. Bonne écoute ! Tous ces épisodes, inspirés par mes souvenirs et l'actualité, n'ont que le double but de  vous amuser et de matérialiser la Chine, la rendre  vivante et présente à vos oreilles. Si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, merci de reposter le lien sur Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok etc. J'en ai besoin, car le nombre d'auditeurs reste trop bas. Vous pouvez aussi me répondre pour commenter -sur LinkedIn, en titrant mon nom. Merci  - Eric MEYER

Paul shares an update on his septic system saga. Mike Guertin asks Ian about impact drivers. John asks about insulating the knee walls and roof of his Cincinnati-area Cape. Jim is building a ranch-style house and asks about using plenum trusses to hide heating and air conditioning ducts. Ian and Randy help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions.  The crew shares updates on current projects.   Tune in to Episode 730 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: A simple upgrade to make septic system maintenance easier The pros and cons of spray-foaming a 50's era Cape-style house  Getting contractors on board with HVAC in plenum trusses  Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.     ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 730 ➡️ Check out our latest eLearning course: Expert Guide to Installing Double, Pocket, and Flush-Concealed Doors with Casey Knips ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:   Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

David M. Lampton—“Mike”—is one of America's most distinguished scholars of U.S.–China relations, director of China Studies Emeritus at Johns Hopkins SAIS, and the author of landmark works on Chinese politics and foreign policy. He joins me this week to discuss a striking new Foreign Affairs essay he co-authored with the eminent Chinese international relations scholar Wang Jisi of Peking University: “America and China at the Edge of Ruin: A Last Chance to Step Back from the Brink.”Written against the backdrop of President Trump's planned visit to China (and before the outbreak of the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran), the essay is less a routine policy paper than an urgent intervention — two veteran scholars, one American and one Chinese, throwing a rope across a widening chasm. They argue that strategic rivalry has become self-reinforcing, that the greatest danger is no longer deliberate conflict but accidental war driven by miscalculation and escalation dynamics neither side fully controls, and that a rare, narrow window for “a new normalization” may now be opening.We range across the essay's boldest claims — on Taiwan as the unlikely starting point for stabilization, the corrosive logic of securitization, the ghost of the first Cold War, and the looming talent crisis in serious China studies — in a meaty, substantive conversation.3:39 How the Lampton–Wang Jisi collaboration came together6:31 The division of labor and the essay's unified voice9:15 Wang Jisi's cognitive empathy and his unusual depth of American understanding13:57 The essay's emotional register: veteran scholars and the specter of another Cold War16:32 From reassurance to deterrence—and why deterrence keeps getting harder to maintain25:02 Mirror-image threat narratives as self-fulfilling operating systems32:08 Securitization, the “one-way ratchet,” and whether economic interdependence can be rebuilt39:23 Accidental war: what has changed since Hainan 2001 and Belgrade 199944:16 Where the most damaging choices were made—China's Ukraine pivot, U.S. arms-control withdrawals51:29 The window of opportunity: Trump's China visit, the 4th Plenum, and post-Iran recalculation1:01:30 Taiwan as the counterintuitive starting point for stabilization1:10:03 Collapse fantasies, hubris, and the Pearl Harbor danger of “act now or lose the window”1:13:14 The looming China-talent crisis and the future of the fieldPaying It ForwardMike highlights Rosie Levine, executive director of the U.S.–China Education Trust, where she is leading a major new initiative to expand serious American scholarship in China and encourage Chinese institutions to open their doors wider to foreign researchers and students.RecommendationsMike: The Raider by Stephen R. Platt (Knopf, 2025) — a biography of Major Evans Carlson, the swashbuckling Marine officer who trained with Chinese Communist forces in the 1930s, befriended Zhu De, brought the word “gung-ho” into English, and died in 1947 just in time to miss both the PRC's turn away from liberty and McCarthyism's persecution at home.Kaiser: “How China Learned to Love the Classics,” a New Yorker piece by Chang Che on the remarkable renaissance of interest in Greco-Roman philosophy and literature in contemporary China — and what it says about the world we now inhabit. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So hart gesellschaftliche Umbrüche für die direkt Betroffenen sind: Kämpfer, Bürger, Mitläufer, Täter, gibt es zusätzlich Kollateralgeschädigte, die wir nicht vergessen wollen: die Connaisseure der im Umbruch unvermeidlich untergehenden Kulturprodukte, der originären Kunst der überwundenen Verhältnisse. Hechelte man als Zoni Prä-89 noch jedem Hauch subversiven Kunstwerks hinterher: das nur im Westen erschienene Buch, der Film, der es gerade so durch die Zensur geschafft hatte und als kompromittiertes und meist ziemlich langweiliges Stück Zelluloid mit den immer gleichen Schauspielern deutlich braver war als erwartet, interessierte all das 1990 niemanden mehr. Dreißig Jahre später bekommt mich selbst ein guter Kundera kaum hinter dem Ofen hervor, sorry, Radim, zu viel Neues, Interessantes ist zu lesen, zu verstehen.Das gleiche Phänomen könnten wir nun, fünfunddreißig Jahre nach dem Mauerfall in den USA beobachten, wo aus einer fehlerhaften Demokratie ein waschechter Polizeistaat gemacht werden soll und keinen Redneck, keine Bluestate-Intellektuelle oder gar oppositionelle Politiker scheint es groß zu interessieren und wenn sie mal den Anschein erwecken, bleiben sie ratlos im Angesicht der Faschisten, als ob es keine Erfahrungen gäbe, wie mit solcherlei Vandalismus umzugehen sei.Das ist furchtbar für alle, die nicht weiß genug sind und von frisch angeheuerten Schergen der Ausländerbehörde ICE auf offener Straße entführt werden, furchtbar für die Angehörigen der Engagierten, die beim Versuch, das zu verhindern, erschossen oder schwer verletzt werden.Wie bekomme ich jetzt bloß die Kurve zur Kunst?Fangen wir noch mal an: War es das mit der liberalen Demokratie in den USA? Kommt jetzt der Polizeistaat von New Hampshire über Minnesota bis San Francisco? Und: war der nicht schon immer? Fing es nicht mit dem Sheriff an, damals, vor zweihundert Jahren, der den Bandenführer eigenhändig aufknüpfte, statt auf den Friedensrichter zu warten, der den Schänder am Ende freispricht? Und ließ zur selben Zeit nicht sein Kollege in den Südstaaten die Rollos runter, weil vor seinem Fenster der Plantagenbesitzer einen Sklaven teeren und federn ließ, weil sich seine Tochter in ihn verknallt hatte und die beiden abhaun wollten? “Was ist neu an Polizeiwillkür?”, kann man fragen.Neu ist die Haltung, vertreten von der amtierenden Regierung, dass das alles genau so in Ordnung war und gerne wieder so sein soll. Selbst im grimmigsten Western der die Geschehnisse verarbeitet, kommt am Ende der Friedensrichter und tadelt den Sheriff, damit der Zuschauer weiß, wo law her- und order hinkommt. Und 1861 wurde vom Norden ein ganzer Bürgerkrieg losgetreten, damit die Lynchjustiz im Süden ein Ende habe. Heute korrumpiert die Regierung die Justiz und erklärt zur Legende, dass es im Amerikanischen Bürgerkrieg um die Abschaffung der Sklaverei ging, erklärt stattdessen in Republikanischen Bundesstaaten eine Mindeheitenmeinung zum Curriculum, die versucht den Bürgerkrieg zum Kampf um die Rechte von Bundesstaaten zu machen.“Ok,” so die Frage, “wir sehen den Umbruch, aber was hat das mit der amerikanischen Kultur zu tun?”Die Antwort: “Rambo I - First Blood.”Der Vietnamrückkehrer Sylvester Stallone wird dort von einer Horde selbstgerechter Dorfbullen mit viel Munition und wenig Skill in Grund und Boden geschossen und es ist von Anfang an klar, auf wessen Seite man steht, wer der Gute ist, wer die Bösen sind. Und das wäre heute anders! Denn da bezeichnen Trump & Co. den auf offener Straße hingerichteten Krankenpfleger im Veteranenkrankenhaus, Alex Pretti, als Aufständigen, als Unruhestifter, als “would-be assassin“ gar. Nichts davon ist wahr. Die dummen Bullen aus Rambo I sind an der Macht. Das versaut den Filmgenuss, zu krass ist das Umkippen der Realität und kein Happy End in Sicht.Nun ist der Spin des ersten Rambo-Films - Hero: gut, Bullen: böse - ja eher ungewöhnlich. Normalerweise sind die FBI-Beamten clever, der Sheriff gutmütig mit Schmerbauch und großem Herz, und der Anwalt gewieft, wie er das Justizopfer raushaut. Aber, leider, auch so herum funktioniert die Kulturverlusttheorie: der ganze s**t ist vor dem Hintergrund von ICE-Konzentrationslagern und dem sinnlosen Erschießen von Bürgern einfach nicht mehr konsumierbar. Zumindest geht mir das so. Denn selbst wenn sich Kunstschaffende nicht dem Diktat der gesellschaftlichen Stimmung beugen (wie sie es im Allgemeinen wenigstens versuchen) und weiterhin die Heldenepen von Law und Order singen, die nötige kognitive Dissonanz, um das vergnügt zu konsumieren, kann ich nicht aufbringen.Ein paar Beispiele:Der letzte Reacher war nicht nur schlecht geschrieben, auch inhaltlich ist er nicht mehr haltbar. Wie kann man dem Buch die Story abnehmen, dass die Korruption im militärisch-industriellen Komplex durch den heldenhaften Einsatz moralisch aufrecht gehender Muskelpakete gestoppt werden kann, im Angesicht von Oracle, einem Privatunternehmen, das über die Jahre fast eine halbe Milliarde Dollar an die aktuelle Regierung spendete und im Gegenzug der US Air Force ihre Cloud verkauft? (Wer denkt, das sei ein Verlustgeschäft, hat das mit dem Technofeudalismus noch nicht verstanden.)Und selbst der letzte Michael Connelly, ein Lincoln Lawyer Thriller, der sich um die Verantwortlichkeit von AI Firmen für ihre Produkte und deren Konsequenzen kümmert und bei dem natürlich der gute Anwalt gewinnt, wirkt unglaubhaft, wenn sich die vorbildgebenden Firmen mit Millionenspenden an ihren Tanzbär passende Gesetze kaufen, die genau das im richtigen Leben verhindern. (Immerhin ist das Buch gut geschrieben und für ein solches Thema exzellent recherchiert).Gefühlt rutschen hier zwei Drittel der amerikanischen Popkultur in die Spalte “unlesbar”. Was bleibt da noch zu konsumieren? Vielleicht sowas:Oberflächlich nicht ganz so Fun wie ein brainless thriller von Lee Child wäre da zum Beispiel dieser Klassiker von Joseph Wambaugh: “Hollywood Station“. Erschienen in 2006, erzählt er als Episodenroman aus dem Alltag im titelgebenden Revier stationierter Streifenpolizisten. Das Ganze spielt Anfang der 2000er und die LAPD steht immer noch unter Beobachtung, nach den Misshandlungen Rodney Kings und den anschließenden Unruhen im Jahr 1992. Wir sagen zunächst “richtig so” und lernen sofort, dass nichts im Leben so eindeutig ist, wie man es auf dem Plenum, respektive am Tresen, postuliert, selbst hier in Germany. Die Lebensrealität so manchen Fußballfans jeglicher Vereinsaffilität ist das zustimmende Hochhalten der A.C.A.B.-Tapete samt obligatorischem Unvergessensgesang, um auf dem Weg vom Auswärtsspiel zum Bahnhof dann doch ganz froh zu sein, dass zwischen ihr und den Hansa-Idioten eine Hundertschaft steht. In dieser Hundertschaft steht dann so mancher gewaltbereite Neonazi, ein einzelnes schwarzes Schaf, keine Frage, absolut, das sagt ja auch die Polizeigewerkschaft, und neben dem faulen Apfel so mancher Idealist, der einfach der Fußballoma den unversehrten Nachhauseweg garantieren will. Dieses Spektrum, in letaler, erlebt die Los Angeleser Streifenpolizistin mit ihrem Partner in den seedy Hinterhöfen des Hollywood Boulevard und wir aufgeklärten Linksversifften müssen ein bisschen hart im Nehmen sein, wenn wir die Meinung der “boots on the ground” so ganz ungefilter zu lesen bekommen: Meinungen, nein: Urteile, man könnte fast sagen: Vorurteile, zu Minderheiten, zu Politikern, zu politischen Aktivistinnen, die wir glattweg als “rassistisch” abtun können, aber wenn die Meinungshabende dann vom schwarzen Pimp ein Auge ausgeschlagen bekommt und wir das alle haben kommen sehen, hinterfragen wir uns dann doch ein bisschen ergebnisoffener und exakt das ist es doch, was Literatur leisten soll. Ich als erklärter Todfeind der Kurzgeschichte bin natürlich gehandicapt ob der Struktur des Buches, aber da sich die Ministories am Ende zusammenfinden, ist das annehmbar. Es war die Zeit von “Smoke” und “Coffee and Cigarettes”, da konnte Joseph Wambaugh gar nicht anders.Deutlich neuer ist das (fast) Erstlingswerk des in den USA lebenden Tschechoslowaken Alexander Boldizar: “The man who saw seconds...”. Es ist noch nicht ins Deutsche übersetzt (er schreibt auf Englisch), aber das wird kommen, das Ding hat Preise gewonnen, es ist prädestiniert dafür, in einen erstklassigen Hollywoodthriller portiert zu werden und es ist frappierend aktuell, beginnt es doch mit einer klassischen Episode von Polizeiwillkür und endet in… man darf nicht spoilern, man darf nie spoilern, aber hier bei diesem Buch ist es noch verbotener als sonst. Nie wurde ein Buch geschrieben, welches von einem unrechtmäßigen Polizeistop in der New Yorker U-Bahn so exponentiell eskaliert. Man fragt sich alle Absätze, wie weit der S**t noch gehen soll, was denkt sich Boldizar als nächste Eskalationsstufe aus und man liegt immer daneben. Es ist ein “blast” in allen Wortsinnen und es ist, wie gesagt, hochaktuell.Hoffen wir, dass diese beiden Beispiele nicht die letzten einer untergegangenen Kultur sein werden. Ja, die, nennen wir sie: “Polizeikultur” in beiden Wortsinnen, als gelebte Handlung und als geschriebene Verarbeitung derselben, war nie frei von Dingen, die man kritisieren konnte, musste und vielleicht haben wir, und, wichtiger, die Amerikaner das nicht getan, was zweifellos zum heutigen Klima in den USA führt. Aber, sie war fun, sie war spannend, sie war interessant und man hatte als Europäer immer den bequemen Platz im Ohrensessel, von dem man aus sagen konnte “Ne... diese Amis, das könnte hier nie passieren!” und vielleicht nehmen wir die Ereignisse im beschriebenen und realen “Dort” zum Anlass, dass das “hier” auch so bleibt. Wenn der Preis dafür ist, dass man mal wieder ein anderes Genre lesen muss, bezahle ich den traurig grummelnd. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lobundverriss.substack.com

Julius Malema says the EFF plenum reflected that South Africa is in a permanent state of elections, which undermines the focus of public representatives to deliver services as they are in constant campaigning mode. EFF leader Julius Malema was addressing the media on the outcomes of the party's Plenum which took place over the weekend

EFF leader Julius Malema addressing the media on the outcomes of the party's Plenum which took place over the weekend says the party enters the upcoming local government elections with intention not merely to participate but to win and govern.

1961 stoppte die Mauer die Flucht aus der DDR. Kurz glaubten Künstler an mehr Offenheit, doch 1965 machte die SED klar: Kritik ist verboten. Auf dem 11. Plenum wurden Werke zensiert und jede Abweichung von der Ideologie unterbunden. Klug, Thomas www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Zeitfragen. Feature

1961 stoppte die Mauer die Flucht aus der DDR. Kurz glaubten Künstler an mehr Offenheit, doch 1965 machte die SED klar: Kritik ist verboten. Auf dem 11. Plenum wurden Werke zensiert und jede Abweichung von der Ideologie unterbunden. Klug, Thomas www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Zeitfragen. Feature

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Elizabeth Economy examines the key outcomes of China's Fourth Plenum and what they reveal about Beijing's evolving economic priorities and push for technological self-reliance ahead of the release of the 15th Five-Year Plan. She discusses China's strategy in the U.S.-China trade war, including its expanding retaliatory toolkit, rare-earth export controls, and the global pushback triggered by China's industrial overcapacity. She concludes by assessing how domestic pressures and external frictions will shape China's policy direction and its economic engagement with the United States over the next few years. Dr. Elizabeth Economy is the Hargrove Senior Fellow and co-chair of the Program on the US, China, and the World at the Hoover Institution. From 2021 to 2023, she served as the senior advisor for China in the Department of Commerce. Dr. Economy was previously at the Council on Foreign Relations, where she served as the C.V. Starr Senior Fellow and director for Asia Studies for over a decade.

The recent conclusion of China's Fourth Plenum has shed light on the strategic direction of the 15th Five-Year Plan, highlighting key priorities such as boosting domestic consumption, advancing technological self-reliance, and expanding into new export markets. Following the Plenum, Chinese President Xi also met with US President Trump in South Korea, reaching a mutual agreement to pause key trade escalations for a year. What do these developments mean for the future of US-China relations, and can Chinese markets continue its bull run in 2026? This episode is presented by Richard Tang, Head of Research Hong Kong at Julius Baer and Hong Hao, Managing Partner and CIO of Lotus Asset Management Ltd.

This week on Sinica, I chat with Lizzi Lee, a fellow on the Chinese economy at the Asia Society Policy Institute and one of the sharpest China analysts working today. We dig into the 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Party Congress and what it reveals about China's evolving growth model — particularly the much-discussed but often misunderstood push against "involution" in key sectors like EVs and solar. Lizzi walks us through the structural incentives driving overcompetition, from local government finance and VAT collection to the challenges of rebalancing supply and demand. We also discuss her recent Foreign Affairs piece on China's manufacturing model, why "overcapacity" is a misleading frame, the unexpected upsides of China's industrial strategy for the global green transition, and what happened at the Trump-Xi meeting in Busan. This is a conversation about getting beyond the binaries and understanding the actual mechanisms — and contradictions — shaping China's economic trajectory.4:43 – What Western reporting missed in the 4th Plenum communique 6:34 – The "anti-involution" push and what it really means 9:57 – Is China's domestic demand abnormally low? Context and comparisons 12:41 – Why cash transfers and consumption subsidies are running out of steam 15:00 – The supply-side approach: creating better products to drive demand 18:33 – GDP vs. GNI: why China is focusing on global corporate footprints 20:13 – Service exports and China's ascent along the global supply chain 24:02 – The People's Daily editorial on price wars and profit margins 27:31 – Why addressing involution is harder now than in 2015 29:56 – How China's VAT system incentivizes local governments to build entire supply chains 33:20 – The difficulty of reforming fiscal structures and local government finance 35:12 – What got lost in the Foreign Affairs editing process 38:14 – Why "overcapacity" is a misleading and morally loaded term 40:02 – The underappreciated upside: China's model and the global green transition 43:14 – How politically potent deindustrialization fears are in Washington and Brussels 46:29 – Industry self-discipline vs. structural reform: can moral suasion work? 50:15 – BYD's negotiating power and the squeeze on suppliers 53:54 – The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan: genuine thaw or tactical pause? 57:23 – Pete Hegseth's "God bless both China and the USA" tweet 1:00:01 – How China's leadership views Trump: transactional or unpredictable? 1:03:32 – The pragmatic off-ramp and what Paul Triolo predicted 1:05:26 – China's AI strategy: labor-augmenting vs. labor-replacing technology 1:08:13 – What systemic changes could realistically fix involution? 1:10:26 – Capital market reform and the challenge of decelerating slowly 1:12:36 – The "health first" strategy and investing in peoplePaying it forward: Paul TrioloRecommendations: Lizzi: Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare by Edward Fishman Kaiser: Morning Coffee guitar practice book by Alex RockwellSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At the recent CPC Central Committee plenum, China set the blueprint for its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), reinforcing a focus on high-quality development and technological advancement. We explore the implications for global partners, with a special look at what it means for Africa.

Das 4. Plenum des 20. Zentralkomitees der Kommunistischen Partei Chinas wurde mit Spannung erwartet. Trotz großer Säuberungsaktionen unter seinen Anhängern bleibt Xi Jinping weiterhin an der Macht.

It's Tuesday, October 28th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson South African government regulating churches Earlier this month, the South African government agency, known as the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights Commission, launched a committee to regulate churches in the country. The new committee will most likely make determinations as to “what qualifies as a religion,” who may be recognized as a religious leader, and where churches may worship. The concern is also that this governmental power would force churches to come under State-approved umbrella bodies. The nation's churches have scheduled a march to the Parliament building in Cape Town, the capital of South Africa, on November 13th. South Africa rejects self-defense as reason to own a gun The South African Parliament is also considering additional restrictions on firearms to remove “self-defense” as a valid reason to own a gun. This would remove meaningful protection for families, farms, and churches from violent criminals, in one of the most violent nations on Earth. The Communists and the left-leaning African National Congress have 51% control of the South African parliament. Turmoil in Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist government is still in turmoil. At this moment, 38 of the 205 members of the central committee failed to appear for the big Plenum session last week. Of the 33 generals on the Committee, 22 were missing. Trump to meet with Chinese president Xi Jinping on Asian tour President Donald Trump met with Japan's newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday. This week, he will move on to high level meetings in South Korea and China, with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday.  The White House announced that President Trump has signed historic peace deals with Cambodia and Thailand, trade deals with Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, and minerals deals with Malaysia and Thailand. Javier Milei's mid-term election triumph in Argentina The results for Argentina's mid-term elections are in.  And Javier Milei's Libertarian Party crushed it, reports Reuters. Now, Milei's party has 41% control of the legislature which is up from 26% in 2023. The left wing party dropped off from 44% to 32% which is an 11% decline. Milei's agenda will have stronger legislative backing for more reforms in tax reduction and deregulation of business for the country. Bolivia rejects socialism And, by God's sovereign order of things, Bolivia has a new president as of last week, reports CBS News. Rodrigo Paz is more centrist — a change after 20 years of socialism in this mountainous country of South America. Not surprisingly, socialist countries like Venezuela and Bolivia are the poorest countries in all of South America. King Charles III glorified sodomy King Charles III of England glorified homosexuality yesterday by placing flowers at a newly constructed memorial to homosexuals serving in the nation's military, reports The Times. Prince Charles's mentor and uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, served as Britain's Chief of Defense in the 1960s, and was reported in 2019 as “a homosexual with a perversion for young boys.” King Charles III joined Pope Leo XIV for worship King Charles III made other news headlines last week, when he participated in a public worship service with the Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIV.   This was the first time a reigning British monarch joined the Pope for such events since the Reformation. King Charles and his wife, Camilla, sat on golden thrones under Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" fresco in the Sistine Chapel for the ecumenical service.  Joel 3 reminds us of God's judgement.   “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow — for their wickedness is great.” Putin celebrates successful test of missile Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated a successful test for the Burevestnik missile over the weekend, reports CBS News. Putin announced that the armament was ready for deployment, after it completed a 10,000-mile flight. Plus, according to the Russian military, the missile “successfully performed all designated vertical and horizontal maneuvers, demonstrating its strong ability to evade anti-missile and air defense systems.” Hurricane Melissa: Biggest one to hit Caribbean Category 5 Hurricane Melissa is barreling down on Jamaica. It's the strongest hurricane to hit the Caribbean nation in recorded history.  America's most lethal aircraft carrier off Venezuelan coast Meanwhile, the U.S. Military is sending its most lethal aircraft carrier from European waters into the Caribbean for the ongoing drug war, now heating up somewhere off the shores of Venezuela, reports TheHill.com. The main target for the flurry of activity appears to be Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the Trump administration has called an “illegitimate leader.” Appearing on CBS's Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was asked about possible land strikes in Venezuela. BRENNAN: “Are land strikes planned?” GRAHAM: “Yeah, I think that's a real possibility. I think President Trump's made a decision that [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro, the leader of Venezuela, is an indicted drug trafficker, that it's time for him to go. Venezuela and Colombia have been safe havens for ‘narco terrorists' for too long.” Oil likely will cost less in 2026 America's oil wells are pumping it out.   Chevron CEO Mike Wirth told Fox Business host Maria Bartiroma, that gas prices in 2026 may very well be lower than they were this year. BARTIROMA: “Can you give us a sense of what you would expect for 2026?” WIRTH: “Yeah, I think we see supply growing, particularly from the OPEC-supplying countries, and demand growing steadily. But as this supply comes back, it's weighing on commodity markets. So, we're prepared for prices in ‘26 to be lower than they were in ‘25.” Christian pastors arrested for child p*rn And finally, assorted national news stories report that Christian pastors and leaders have been recently arrested for possession of extreme evil forms of pornography involving children.   Singer and worship leader Jon Paul Sheptock, of First Montgomery Baptist Church, is under arrest, reports the Baptist Press.  The Idaho Statesman reports that the senior pastor at Sovereign Grace Fellowship in Nampa, Idaho was arrested for handling images of a “horrific” nature. Another Baptist youth pastor from Greenville, South Carolina was just sentenced to twenty years for a similar offense. A pastor of the House of Prayer Christian Church in Georgia has been indicted by a federal court for similar offenses. And another former youth pastor at the Southcoast church in Goleta, California has been arrested on related charges. Jeremiah speaks of religious scandals in the churches. The prophet wrote, “My heart within me is broken because of the prophets. . . For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, and their might is not right. “For both prophet and priest are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord. I will bring disaster on them, the year of their punishment.” (Jeremiah 23:9-12) Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, October 28th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this week's episode of China Insider, Miles Yu reviews the Chinese Communist Party's fourth plenum, including the newly announced five-year development plan and appointment of Zhang Shengmin as the new Vice Chair of the Central Military Commission. Next, Miles covers the latest developments from the ASEAN summit in Malaysia including the US-China trade deal framework, and previews the upcoming APEC summit as President Trump plans to meet with Xi Jinping in South Korea. Finally, Miles circles back on Japan's elections for Prime Minister, and outlines the potential impact PM-elect Sanae Takaichi will have on China-Japan relations and the current Indo-Pacific landscape. China Insider is a weekly podcast project from Hudson Institute's China Center, hosted by China Center Director and Senior Fellow, Dr. Miles Yu, who provides weekly news that mainstream American outlets often miss, as well as in-depth commentary and analysis on the China challenge and the free world's future.

From October 20-23, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party held its Fourth Plenum in Beijing, marking an important moment as the Party sets the direction for China's development for the next five years. The session adopted recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan, endorsing Xi Jinping's goals of high-quality development, scientific and technological self-reliance, and strengthening national security in response to rising global instabilities. The Central Committee also announced the replacement of 11 members, the highest personnel turnover since 2017 amid an ongoing anti-corruption purge in the military. To discuss the plenum's outcomes, we are joined by Jonathan Czin. Jonathan is a leading expert on Chinese politics and foreign policy. He holds the Michael H. Armacost Chair in Foreign Policy Studies and is a fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution. He previously led the intelligence community's analysis of Chinese politics and policy making at the CIA and also spent two years as director for China at the National Security Council during the Biden administration.  Timestamps:  [00:00] Start  [01:36] Why the Fourth Plenum Matters  [03:37] Key Takeaways: Policy Continuity and Political Purges  [05:07] Zhang Shengmin and Xi Jinping's Military Ambitions  [09:23] Signals and Adjustments in Economic Planning  [11:56] Previewing the 15th Five-Year Plan  [13:33] Xi Jinping's Growing Confidence  [17:42] Political Messaging and Choreography  [20:21] Language in the Communique: “Strategic Resolve”  [22:28] What to Expect from the Xi-Trump Summit  [26:38] Is Beijing Worried the Summit Could Backfire? 

China Stuck in a Flux | Xi Jinping In or Out? | 4th Plenum | Gen PR Shankar, Sanjay Dixit

US President Donald Trump is aiming for a quick win in a pivotal Thursday meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, even if the outcome falls short of the sweeping deal he's teased on issues at the heart of the rivalry between the world's two largest economies. Ahead of the sit-down, the US president said he wants to extend a pause on higher tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Xi resuming American soybean purchases, cracking down on fentanyl and backing off restrictions on rare-earth exports — all while maintaining some trade barriers he sees as essential. China vowed to enhance technological self-reliance and grow the domestic market in the next five years, as it looks to both insulate the economy from foreign pressures and build a sustainable engine for growth. The country will aim to "greatly increase" the capacity for self-reliance and strength in science and technology, according to a communique released Thursday after a four-day conclave of the Communist Party's Central Committee. It will also seek to maintain manufacturing's share in the economy at a "reasonable" level as part of efforts to build a modern industrial system. For more, we heard from Peiqian Liu, Economist at Fidelity International Asia. She spoke to Bloomberg's Annabelle Droulers and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade. Plus - Asian stocks opened higher Friday as a planned meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping eased nerves around trade tensions. The dollar was little changed ahead of US inflation data, with investors expecting the Federal Reserve to announce a rate cut next week despite inflation being above the Fed's goal. For more on the market action, we heard from Mark Cranfield, Bloomberg's MLIV Strategist. He spoke to Bloomberg's Annabelle Droulers and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has pledged to achieve significant progress in high-quality development and substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance over the next five years.

US-China frictions weigh on the risk tone; Bessent said they are contemplating the next move if talks don't work outDXY posts modest gains, EUR pressured, while Sterling remains lower but is off the worst levels on WednesdayFixed benchmarks struggled for direction, US 20yr was decentCrude supported by reports around Ukraine's use of Western long-range missiles, metals softerLooking ahead, highlights include US National Activity Index (Sep), Existing Home Sales (Sep), EZ Consumer Confidence Flash (Oct), Canadian Retail Sales (Aug), Australian Flash PMIs (Oct), (Suspended Releases: US Weekly Claims), CBRT Policy Announcement, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), European Council (23rd-24th), Speakers including ECB's Lane, Fed's Bowman & Barr (Fed on Blackout), Supply from UK & US.Earnings from Dassault, Orange, STMicroelectronics, Beiersdorf, Nokia, BE Semiconductor, Intel, American Airlines, Freeport McMoRan, Honeywell, Dow, Southwest Airlines, Blackstone, PG&E, T-Mobile US & Valero Energy.Click for the Newsquawk Week Ahead.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

China published fourth plenum communique: approved five-year plan, and aiming for a 'big increase' in the level of tech self-reliance.European equities are mostly higher, whilst US equity futures are mixed; TSLA -3%, IBM -7.2%, Quantum stocks +10%.DXY is flat, Antipodeans lead whilst havens lag in quiet trade.Bonds are pressured as the risk tone sees pockets of improvement; decent UK auction sparked little move in Gilts at the time.New Russian sanctions push crude benchmarks higher, XAU continues to consolidate.Looking ahead, Existing Home Sales (Sep), EZ Consumer Confidence Flash (Oct), Canadian Retail Sales (Aug), Australian Flash PMIs (Oct), (Suspended Releases: US Weekly Claims), CBRT Policy Announcement, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), European Council (23rd-24th). Speakers including ECB's Lane, Fed's Bowman & Barr (Fed on Blackout). Earnings from Intel, American Airlines, Freeport McMoRan, Blackstone, T-Mobile US & Valero Energy.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with questions surrounding the Fourth Plenum as it continues in Beijing this week. Topics include: The Party's messaging on past successes, a timeline for policy announcements in the days and weeks to come, steps the Party may take to address consumption with its next Five-Year Plan, and the full spectrum of possibilities surrounding Xi and his succession plans. From there: Reactions to the news of PLA purges that became official last week, including why some explanatory theories make more sense than others and why the upheaval is not necessarily a positive signal for Taiwan. At the end: More notes on the trade war with the U.S., the plot thickens with Nexperia and the Netherlands, a new website for Andrew's writing, and an update on Yang Hansen in Portland.

European bourses are broadly lower, but FTSE 100 outperforms after UK inflation; US equity futures are modestly weaker.USD is flat & GBP hit after region's softer-than-expected inflation report, which has boosted bets for a cut in December.USTs are flat/slightly firmer ahead of supply, Gilts gap higher after CPI, Bunds marginally pressured after yet another poor auction.Initial morning bounce back in gold has faded with XAU now lower on the session; crude complex is on a firmer footing.Looking ahead, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), Speakers including ECB's de Guindos, Lagarde & Fed's Barr, Supply from the US, Earnings from SAP, Tesla, IBM, Kinder Morgan, Alcoa, Lam Research, GE Vernova, Hilton, AT&T & Thermo Fisher.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

US President Trump said he will discuss a lot of things with Chinese President Xi in two weeks; however, he added that the meeting might not happenUS futures are marginally firmer, while European futures point to a slightly lower cash openDXY softened overnight, EUR and GBP lifted modestly off Tuesday's trough, USD/JPY contained and back below 152.00Fixed benchmarks rangebound into supplyCrude underpinned by a Russian strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, XAU continued to falter to the USD 4k/oz mark but has since bouncedLooking ahead, highlights include UK CPI (Sep), CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), BoJ SLOOS, Speakers including ECB's de Guindos, Lagarde & Fed's Barr, Supply from Germany & US, Earnings from SAP, Barclays, Akzo Nobel, Tesla, IBM, Kinder Morgan, Alcoa, Lam Research, GE Vernova, Hilton, AT&T & Thermo Fisher.Click for the Newsquawk Week Ahead.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

APAC stocks took their cues from the rally on Wall Street as the focus remained on US-China trade with some optimism following US President Trump's comments in which he stated that China has been respectful of them.US President Trump continued to tout a November 1st deadline for additional tariffs, he also reaffirmed that he will be meeting with Chinese President Xi and thinks they will reach a 'fantastic deal'.Japanese LDP leader Takaichi won the lower house vote (237 votes out of 465-seats) to become Japan's first female PM, as expected.European equity futures indicate a modestly positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.1% after the cash market closed with gains of 1.3% on Monday.Looking ahead, highlights include UK PSNB (Sep), Canadian CPI (Sep), NBH Policy Announcement, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), Speakers including ECB's Nagel, Lane & Lagarde, Fed's Waller, BoE's Bailey & Breeden, Supply from UK & Germany,Earnings from Netflix, Intuitive, Texas Instruments, Capital One Financial, Coca-Cola, GE Aerospace, Elevance Health, Lockheed Martin, Philip Morris, RTX, General Motors, 3M, Nasdaq & Danaher.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

European bourses are mixed and have traded choppy throughout the morning; US equity futures are modestly lower, ahead of a slew of earnings.DXY is underpinned by the downbeat risk tone and easing credit concerns; JPY underperforms as Takaichi becomes Japanese PM.Global fixed paper are bid amid the softer risk tone and reports around AA rating criteria.Metals sell off as “debasement trade” loses momentum; Crude is essentially flat in choppy trade.Looking ahead, Canadian CPI (Sep), NBH Policy Announcement, CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), Speakers including ECB's Nagel & Lagarde, Fed's Waller, BoE's Bailey & BreedenEarnings from Netflix, Intuitive, Texas Instruments, Capital One Financial, Coca-Cola, GE Aerospace, Elevance Health, Lockheed Martin, Philip Morris, RTX, General Motors, 3M, Nasdaq & Danaher.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Ce mardi 21 octobre, Alexis Karklins-Marchay, directeur général délégué d'Eight-Advisory, était l'invité d'Annalisa Cappellini dans Le monde qui bouge - L'Interview, de l'émission Good Morning Business, présentée par Laure Closier. A l'occasion du plénum sur le 15e plan quinquennal chinois, ils sont revenus sur les formidables avancées économiques de la Chine, devenue une puissance technologique capable de rivaliser sans rougir avec les États-Unis, sur le ralentissement de la croissance chinoise, et les grands défis stratégiques qui attendent l'Empire du milieu pour construire un meilleur futur. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au vendredi et réécoutez la en podcast.

Ce lundi 20 octobre, les signes croissants de tension dans les banques régionales américaines, ainsi que l'ouverture de la session plénière du Comité central du parti socialiste chinois, ont été abordés par Béatrice Mathieu, rédactrice en chef à L'Express, Erwann Tison, chargé d'enseignement à l'Université de Strasbourg, et Patrick Artus, Économiste et conseiller économique de la société de gestion Ossiam, dans l'émission Les Experts, présentée par Raphaël Legendre sur BFM Business. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au vendredi et réécoutez la en podcast.

APAC stocks were higher amid tailwinds from recent trade-related rhetoric, including US President Trump's comments on Friday that 100% tariffs are not sustainable and that he will be meeting with Chinese President Xi.Nikkei 225 surged to a fresh all-time high above the 49,000 level amid a reignition of the Takaichi trade with the LDP leader on track to become Japan's first female PM following an agreement to form a coalition with Japan's Innovation Party.In China, PBoC maintained LPRs as expected, whilst Chinese GDP, Industrial Production and Retail Sales either matched or topped forecasts, and the CPC Central Committee is also holding a four-day closed-door meeting through to Thursday.US President Trump said on Friday that they are getting along with China, and it looks like the meeting with China will go forward, while he could move the November 1st deadline up if he wanted. Trump added that they will make a deal that will be good for both countries and thinks they will be in a strong position in trade talks with China.Israel's Channel 12 reported that Israel was attacking Gaza, while the Israeli military said Hamas carried out multiple attacks against Israeli forces beyond the ‘yellow line', violating the ceasefire; both sides later said they will adhere to the ceasefire once again.S&P lowered France to 'A+' from 'AA-'; Outlook Stable, while it cited heightened risks to budgetary consolidation; European equity futures indicate a positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.8% after the cash market finished with losses of 0.8% on Friday.Looking ahead, highlights include German Producer Prices (Sep), Canadian Producer Prices (Sep), US Leading Index (Sep), New Zealand Trade (Sep), CCP 4th Plenum (20th-23rd), Speakers including ECB's Schnabel & RBA's Jones, Supply from EU & Italy, Earnings from Sandvik, Zions Bancorp & Cleveland Cliffs.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Alors que s'est ouvert à Pékin le quatrième plénum du Parti communiste chinois, le pays fait face à une croissance en berne et à des défis économiques majeurs. Durant quatre jours, les dirigeants du parti doivent poser les bases du prochain plan quinquennal, feuille de route stratégique pour la période 2026-2030. Depuis ce lundi, les quelque 370 membres du Comité central du Parti communiste chinois sont réunis à huis clos à Pékin pour une session décisive. Ce plénum, quatrième depuis le Congrès de 2022, doit définir les grandes orientations économiques du pays. Mais l'ambiance n'est pas à l'euphorie. Les chiffres publiés dans la nuit sont mauvais - une croissance de seulement 4,8% au troisième trimestre, le rythme le plus faible depuis un an. La Chine n'est plus dans la phase d'expansion triomphante qu'elle a connue dans les années 2000. La croissance, autrefois à deux chiffres, devrait plafonner entre 5 et 6% en 2026, selon les projections officielles. Les investissements directs étrangers se sont effondrés de près de 30% en 2024, la crise immobilière continue d'asphyxier les finances locales, et le chômage des jeunes reste élevé. À cela s'ajoute la guerre commerciale relancée par Donald Trump, qui pèse lourdement sur les exportations. Dans ce contexte, Xi Jinping doit prouver que le Parti garde la main et, surtout, qu'il a un plan pour relancer la deuxième économie mondiale. Ce plénum doit poser les fondations du 15ᵉ plan quinquennal chinois, qui couvrira la période 2026-2030. À lire aussiLa guerre commerciale de Donald Trump redessine les exportations chinoises Trois axes pour relancer la machine chinoise Le premier objectif, c'est la relance de la consommation intérieure. Les Chinois épargnent beaucoup et consomment peu. Pour Pékin, il faut désormais stimuler la demande des ménages afin de soutenir une croissance plus équilibrée. Aujourd'hui, les exportations restent le principal moteur de richesse, un modèle risqué dans un contexte international incertain. Deuxième axe : la modernisation industrielle et technologique. Le Parti mise sur les secteurs stratégiques - semi-conducteurs, robotique, biotechnologie et surtout intelligence artificielle. L'idée est claire : devenir autosuffisant et sécuriser les chaînes d'approvisionnement pour faire face aux États-Unis, qui multiplient les restrictions sur les technologies sensibles. Enfin, troisième priorité : la transition écologique. Paradoxalement, Pékin est à la fois premier émetteur mondial de CO₂ et leader mondial du solaire et des batteries électriques. L'économie verte est perçue comme le nouveau moteur industriel chinois, à la fois pour des raisons environnementales et géopolitiques. Des précédents historiques et un modèle à réinventer Les plénums ont toujours joué un rôle crucial dans l'histoire économique de la Chine. Le plus célèbre reste celui de décembre 1978, où Deng Xiaoping lança la politique de la « porte ouverte » : introduction de la propriété privée, ouverture aux investissements étrangers et création des zones économiques spéciales. Ce tournant marqua l'entrée de la Chine dans l'économie mondiale, jusqu'à devenir, en quelques décennies, la deuxième puissance mondiale. Autre moment clé : le plénum du début des années 1990, qui posa les bases de la restructuration des entreprises d'État et prépara l'adhésion à l'Organisation mondiale du commerce, intervenue en 2001. Mais aujourd'hui, le modèle chinois montre ses limites. La planification, qui a fait le succès du pays, se heurte à une conjoncture plus complexe : endettement élevé, consommation en berne, démographie déclinante et rivalité stratégique avec les États-Unis. Le défi de Xi Jinping est immense : relancer la croissance sans creuser la dette, restaurer la confiance des ménages sans relâcher le contrôle du Parti, et maintenir la compétitivité industrielle sans déclencher de nouvelles guerres commerciales. Ces quatre jours de plénum seront donc scrutés de près. Car si, dans le passé, ces réunions étaient souvent synonymes de rupture et de réinvention, celle-ci pourrait bien être celle d'une Chine en mutation, cherchant un nouvel équilibre entre puissance, stabilité et modernité. À lire aussi«Plenum» du Parti communiste en Chine: Pékin se cherche un nouveau cap économique

As the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee is held from Monday to Thursday, the spotlight will be on how China will use the key Party meeting to set the tone for its development priorities for the next five years amid persistent economic headwinds.中共二十届四中全会于周一至周四召开，在经济持续面临压力的背景下，外界聚焦中国将如何通过此次重要党内会议，为未来五年的发展重点定调。The fourth plenary session is expected to see the leadership reviewing the proposal of the CPC Central Committee for the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, which will lay the groundwork for the country's development from 2026 to 2030.此次四中全会预计将审议《中共中央关于制定国民经济和社会发展第十五个五年规划的建议》，该建议将为中国2026至2030年的发展奠定基础。Observers said that what makes this meeting significant is not the prospect of dramatic shifts, but rather the reaffirmation of a steady and pragmatic vision that has enabled China to weather global uncertainty and maintain momentum as the world's second-largest economy.观察人士表示，此次会议的重要性不在于可能出现重大转向，而在于重申稳健务实的发展理念——正是这一理念帮助中国抵御了全球不确定性，作为世界第二大经济体保持了发展势头。Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has chartered the course for the 15th Five-Year Plan. He has chaired a number of high-level meetings attended by senior officials to discuss key priorities for the new plan, while State media outlets have launched a national campaign to gather public input and feedback.中共中央总书记习近平为“十五五”规划指明了方向。他主持召开多次高级别会议，与高层官员共同研讨新规划的重点任务；同时，中央媒体启动全国性活动，征集公众意见与反馈。During an inspection tour to Shanghai in April, Xi presided over a symposium on China's economic and social development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period.今年4月习近平在上海考察期间，主持召开了“十五五”时期中国经济社会发展座谈会。"We must unswervingly manage our own affairs well, and stay committed to expanding high-standard opening-up," Xi told the symposium, while stressing the need to adapt to the changing global landscape and grasp strategic priorities for China's development.习近平在座谈会上表示：“我们要坚定不移办好自己的事，坚定扩大高水平对外开放。”他同时强调，要主动适应全球格局变化，把握中国发展的战略重点。"Greater emphasis should be placed on ensuring both development and security, with a comprehensive assessment of domestic and external risks and challenges," he said.他指出：“要更加注重统筹发展和安全，全面研判国内国际风险挑战。”The 15th Five-Year Plan is considered a crucial step, as China is using a three-plan period—the 14th, 15th and 16th Five-Year Plans—to "basically realize socialist modernization" by 2035.“十五五”规划被视为关键一步，因为中国正计划通过“十四五”“十五五”“十六五”三个五年规划时期，在2035年“基本实现社会主义现代化”。Experts said that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China's development priorities are likely to be centered around enhancing its economic resilience, which will include diversifying trading partners, boosting domestic consumption and improving technology and innovation capabilities.专家表示，“十五五”时期中国的发展重点可能围绕提升经济韧性展开，具体措施包括拓展贸易伙伴多样性、扩大国内消费、提升科技创新能力。Cheng Xusen, a research fellow at Renmin University of China's National Academy of Development and Strategy, said that the development of new quality productive forces, a key driver for high-quality growth, is expected to be a priority in the 15th Five-Year Plan.中国人民大学国家发展与战略研究院研究员程秀森表示，作为高质量发展的关键驱动力，发展新质生产力有望成为“十五五”规划的重点任务。Key priorities include expanding domestic demand, boosting consumption's role in economic growth, creating high-quality jobs and increasing household incomes, Cheng said.程秀森指出，重点任务还包括扩大内需、强化消费对经济增长的拉动作用、创造高质量就业岗位、提高居民收入。In addition, China intends to deepen high-level opening-up by promoting trade facilitation and liberalization, strengthening international economic cooperation, and enhancing its position in global industrial and supply chains, he added.他补充道，此外中国还将通过推动贸易便利化与自由化、加强国际经济合作、提升在全球产业链供应链中的地位，深化高水平对外开放。Cao Heping, a professor at Peking University's School of Economics, said that technology innovation, as the main driving force of high-quality growth, is evolving from an engine that propels progress into a key force reshaping the nation's economic landscape.北京大学经济学院教授曹和平表示，科技创新作为高质量发展的主要驱动力，正从推动发展的引擎，转变为重塑中国经济格局的关键力量。During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the innovation-driven development strategy is expected to further unleash its effectiveness on a broader scale, Cao said, and the deeper integration of new energy, new materials and intelligent manufacturing is expected to forge new technological strengths and drive the next phase of industrial transformation.曹和平称，“十五五”时期，创新驱动发展战略有望在更广泛领域进一步释放效能；新能源、新材料与智能制造的深度融合，预计将打造新的技术优势，推动下一阶段产业转型。At the April symposium, Xi highlighted the strategic importance of developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, adding that China's development will be driven by technological innovation, with the real economy being the foundation.在4月的座谈会上，习近平强调了“十五五”时期因地制宜发展新质生产力的战略意义，并指出中国发展要以科技创新为动力，以实体经济为根基。He also highlighted the importance of improving the national innovation system through stimulating the vitality of various innovation entities and zeroing in on global scientific and technological frontiers.他还强调，要通过激发各类创新主体活力、聚焦全球科技前沿，完善国家创新体系。Matteo Giovannini, a finance professional at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and a nonresident associate fellow at the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization, said that over the past few years, China has consistently contributed around 30 percent of global economic growth, a figure unmatched by any other major economy.中国工商银行金融专业人士、北京智库全球化智库非resident副研究员马泰奥·乔瓦尼尼表示，过去几年中国对全球经济增长的贡献率始终保持在30%左右，这一比例远超其他主要经济体。"In 2024, the country's GDP grew by 5 percent year-on-year, reaffirming its role as a key stabilizer of the world economy. These achievements are not the outcome of short-term stimulus, but of structural progress guided by long-term vision," Giovannini said in an article published by the China Global Television Network.乔瓦尼尼在为中国国际电视台撰写的文章中表示：“2024年中国GDP同比增长5%，再次印证了其世界经济关键稳定器的作用。这些成就并非短期刺激政策的结果，而是长期规划引领下结构型发展的成果。”He said that as China prepares to embark on the next stage of modernization, the fourth plenary session offers an opportunity to consolidate these gains and chart the path forward.他指出，在中国准备迈入现代化建设新阶段之际，四中全会为巩固现有成果、规划未来道路提供了契机。"Ultimately, the fourth plenum embodies China's quiet confidence in its governance model. It demonstrates that reform, innovation and openness can coexist under a framework of stability and national purpose," Giovannini said. "The global environment may be fraught with sanctions, trade friction and political suspicion, but China's long-term orientation enables it to look beyond short-term turbulence."乔瓦尼尼表示：“归根结底，四中全会体现了中国对自身治理模式的从容自信。这表明在稳定与国家目标的框架下，改革、创新与开放可以并行不悖。尽管全球环境充满制裁、贸易摩擦与政治猜忌，但中国的长期导向使其能够超越短期动荡。”20th CPC Central Committee membersn.中共二十届中央委员会委员 /ˈtwentiəθ ˌsiː piː ˈsiː ˈsentrəl kəˈmɪti ˈmembəz/15th Five-Year Plan researchers/expertsn.“十五五”规划研究者/专家/ˌfɪfˈtiːnθ ˈfaɪv jɪə plæn rɪˈsɜːtʃəz/ /ˈekspɜːts/

Quel sera le programme économique de la Chine au cours des cinq prochaines années ? Les principaux responsables du Parti communiste chinois planchent sur la question depuis ce lundi et jusqu'à jeudi. Quatre jours de huis clos pour préparer le plan quinquennal 2026-2030. Que faut-il attendre de ce plenum ? En quoi ce conclave au Palais du Peuple de Pékin peut tous nous concerner ? Avec :  - Jean-François Di Meglio, économiste et président du Conseil d'orientation de l'Institut de recherche Asia Centre.

Ahead of the Fourth Plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), this episode of the MERICS China Podcast looks at three issues that are high on the priority list for Chinese decisionmakers, namely urban development, social welfare and global trade tensions. Alexander Davey, Analyst in the Politics and Society Program at MERICS, joins Johannes Heller-John to talk about some of the CCP's priorities for the next months, the upcoming Fourth Plenum from October 20 to 23 and the 15th Five-Year Plan.You can also watch our media briefing on the Fourth Plenum and 15th Five-Year Plan or read our latest MERICS China Essentials for more coverage.

Herzlich willkommen zu Ihrem morgendlichen Newsletter! Xi Jinping steht unter Druck. Kommt die große „Säuberung“ nach dem Plenum? Zudem steht die Frage, ob Deutschlands Heizungsgesetz abgeschafft wird, weiter im Raum. Und: Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen hat in Brüssel ihr Konzept für ein „verteidigungsfähiges Europa“ vorgelegt.

Xi Jinping unter Druck - kommt die große „Säuberung“ nach dem Plenum?

The Communist Party of China will convene a key leadership meeting from Oct 20 to 23 in Beijing to map out priorities of the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), a blueprint that will shape the nation's economic and social agenda and lay the groundwork for its long-term modernization goals.中国共产党将于10月20日至23日在北京召开重要领导会议，制定“十五五”规划（2026-2030年）的重点任务。该规划作为一份蓝图，将确定国家经济社会发展议程，并为国家长期现代化目标奠定基础。The date for the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee was set at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Monday. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.五年规划是指导中国中长期发展的重要战略文件，明确了每个五年期间各领域的国家目标、主要任务和政策方向。中共二十届四中全会的召开日期是在周一召开的中共中央政治局会议上确定的，中共中央总书记习近平主持了此次会议。Five-year plans are crucial strategic documents guiding China's medium- and long-term development, which outline national goals, major tasks and policy directions in various sectors for each five-year period.五年规划是指导中国中长期发展的重要战略文件，明确了每个五年期间各领域的国家目标、主要任务和政策方向。During Monday's meeting, the Political Bureau was briefed about the opinions solicited from within and outside the CPC about a document on the CPC Central Committee's proposals for formulating the next five-year plan. It was decided at the meeting that the document will be revised based on the discussion at the meeting and submitted to the fourth plenary session for deliberation.在周一的会议上，政治局听取了关于《中共中央关于制定下一步五年规划的建议》文件的党内外意见征求情况汇报。会议决定，将根据会议讨论情况对该文件进行修改，并提交四中全会审议。The plenary session will take place as China nears the completion of its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which has yielded significant achievements. The country is now gearing up to establish priorities for the upcoming 2026-30 period.此次全会召开之际，中国正接近完成“十四五”规划（2021-2025年），该规划已取得显著成就，目前国家正着手确定2026-2030年的重点任务。The meeting highlighted the importance of upholding the Party's overall leadership during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. With a focus on putting people first, efforts should be made to ensure that more benefits of modernization are shared more fairly among all the people, the meeting said.会议强调，“十五五”时期必须坚持党的全面领导，坚持以人民为中心，努力让现代化建设成果更多更公平惠及全体人民。It stressed the need to stay committed to high-quality development, foster new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, and comprehensively deepen reform while further expanding high-level opening-up.同时，要坚持高质量发展，因地制宜培育新质生产力，全面深化改革，进一步扩大高水平对外开放。China will promote better interplay between an efficient market and a well-functioning government, giving full play to the decisive role of the market in the allocation of resources and ensuring that the government plays its role better, said a statement released after the meeting.会后发布的声明指出，中国将推动有效市场和有为政府更好结合，充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用。In accordance with the strategic plan for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, as outlined at the 20th CPC National Congress in 2022, China will basically achieve socialist modernization by 2035 through the implementation of the 14th, 15th and 16th five-year plans.根据2022年党的二十大提出的全面建设社会主义现代化强国战略部署，中国将通过实施“十四五”“十五五”“十六五”规划，到2035年基本实现社会主义现代化。Since the start of this year, Xi has made a series of instructions to chart the course for the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan.今年以来，习近平总书记就“十五五”规划编制作出一系列重要指示。During an inspection tour to Shanghai in April, Xi said at a symposium on China's economic and social development in the 2026-30 period that "the planning must focus on the goal of basically realizing socialist modernization, with a view to building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation".4月在上海考察时，于2026-2030年中国经济社会发展座谈会上指出，“规划要聚焦基本实现社会主义现代化这一目标，着眼于建设强国、推进民族复兴”。In an instruction in May, he stressed sound, democratic and law-based decision-making to ensure high-quality formulation of the five-year plan.He also emphasized the importance of integrating top-level design with seeking advice from the public, enhancing research and discussions, and building broad consensus.5月在相关指示中强调，要坚持科学决策、民主决策、依法决策，确保五年规划高质量编制，同时重视顶层设计与问计于民相结合，加强研究论证，凝聚广泛共识。The General Office of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, noted in a report released earlier this month that guiding economic and social development with medium-and long-term plans is an important approach adopted by the Party in governing the country.Practice has proved that medium-and long-term development plans can not only give full play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation, but also better leverage the role of the government, the report said.中国最高立法机关——全国人大常委会办公厅在本月初发布的一份报告中指出，以中长期规划指导经济社会发展，是党治国理政的重要方式。实践证明，中长期发展规划既能充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，又能更好发挥政府作用。In a report released on Sunday, China Galaxy Securities said it believes that the key focuses during the 15th Five-Year Plan period will include promoting technological innovation, boosting domestic demand, addressing "involution-style" competition, advancing market-based reforms for the allocation of production factors, building a green and low-carbon economy, and enhancing people's well-being.中国银河证券在周日发布的报告中表示，预计“十五五”时期的重点方向包括推动科技创新、扩大内需、应对“内卷式”竞争、推进生产要素市场化配置改革、发展绿色低碳经济以及增进民生福祉。convenev.召开/kənˈviːn/deliberationn.审议；深思熟虑；讨论/dɪˌlɪbəˈreɪʃn/leveragev.充分利用；发挥/ˈliːvərɪdʒ/

Gregory Copley reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping's power has diminished, noting he is expected to step down as General Secretary at the upcoming fourth plenum, retaining only the powerless PRC presidency. Copley suggests the new leadership may reduce global aggression because the country lacks money, resources, and solidarity for a global campaign, and faces massive domestic food and water crises. He also addresses Tony Blair's "surreal politic" role in the Gaza plan and the fragility of the clerical leadership in Iran. 1917 PRINCETON IN PEKING

Gregory Copley reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping's power has diminished, noting he is expected to step down as General Secretary at the upcoming fourth plenum, retaining only the powerless PRC presidency. Copley suggests the new leadership may reduce global aggression because the country lacks money, resources, and solidarity for a global campaign, and faces massive domestic food and water crises. He also addresses Tony Blair's "surreal politic" role in the Gaza plan and the fragility of the clerical leadership in Iran. 1922 SUN YAT SEN

Gregory Copley reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping's power has diminished, noting he is expected to step down as General Secretary at the upcoming fourth plenum, retaining only the powerless PRC presidency. Copley suggests the new leadership may reduce global aggression because the country lacks money, resources, and solidarity for a global campaign, and faces massive domestic food and water crises. He also addresses Tony Blair's "surreal politic" role in the Gaza plan and the fragility of the clerical leadership in Iran. 1944 GOLD BEACH, NORMANDY

Gregory Copley reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping's power has diminished, noting he is expected to step down as General Secretary at the upcoming fourth plenum, retaining only the powerless PRC presidency. Copley suggests the new leadership may reduce global aggression because the country lacks money, resources, and solidarity for a global campaign, and faces massive domestic food and water crises. He also addresses Tony Blair's "surreal politic" role in the Gaza plan and the fragility of the clerical leadership in Iran. 1870 BUCKINGHAM

Send us a textWe dive into the world of network cabling, answering 20 questions about Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A cables in a fast-paced, information-packed session to help you make better cable choices.• Cat5e vs Cat6: Cat6 offers more bandwidth (250MHz vs 100MHz) and headroom for future applications• Cat6 can handle 10Gbps up to 37-55 meters, while Cat6A supports 10Gbps to the full 100 meters• The "A" in Cat6A stands for augmented, doubling frequency from 250MHz to 500MHz• Shielded cabling is usually only needed in high-EMI environments and requires proper grounding • Use the "John Deere rule" – it's better to install higher category cable now than replace it later• Plenum-rated cable is required by code for air handling spaces but costs more• Never buy "copper-clad aluminum" (CCA) cable – it's unsafe and may void insurance• Cat8 is designed for data centers, not homes – Cat6A is sufficient for future-proofing residences• Professional installations should include certification testing as documentation Make sure you follow proper cable selection and installation practices to create reliable, future-ready networks that will serve your needs for years to come.Support the showKnowledge is power! Make sure to stop by the webpage to buy me a cup of coffee or support the show at https://linktr.ee/letstalkcabling . Also if you would like to be a guest on the show or have a topic for discussion send me an email at chuck@letstalkcabling.com Chuck Bowser RCDD TECH#CBRCDD #RCDD

North Korea launched into the new year with its first test of a ballistic missile in months, firing an upgraded version of its solid-fuel hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile on Monday.  NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins the podcast to discuss what new about the missile and the timing of the launch. He also reviews the DPRK's year-end party plenum and leader Kim Jong Un's appearance at a New Year's concert.  Finally, he talks about accusations by South Korea's opposition party that the Yoon administration engaged in psychological warfare operations to induce a conflict with North Korea. About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

Last time we spoke about the first encirclement campaign against the CCP. The Jiangxi Soviet expanded despite opposition, but urban uprisings struggled, with labor union support declining. Li Lisan pushed for urban revolts, while Mao Zedong favored rural expansion. In 1930, failed attacks on Nanchang and Changsha deepened the divide between their strategies. Mao's forces later captured Ji'an, but tensions led to purges, including the Futian Incident. Meanwhile, the Nationalist Army launched an encirclement campaign. Mao's strategy of “luring the enemy in deep” ultimately positioned the CCP for survival and future success. The NRA exploited internal conflict among the Reds, launching attacks on Donggu. Miscommunication led to friendly fire between NRA divisions. Despite capturing towns, overextension weakened the NRA, allowing the Red Army to counterattack. Through guerrilla tactics and local support, the Reds encircled and decimated multiple NRA divisions, capturing thousands of prisoners and weapons. Mao Zedong's strategies proved effective, bolstering Red Army morale and influence. By the end of the third campaign, the Jiangxi Soviet had expanded significantly.   #127 The fourth encirclement campaign  Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. The CCP had just survived 3 brutal encirclement campaigns in 1931, collectively known as the First Encirclement Campaign. The Reds were quite lucky in 1931, for China had major problems requiring Chiang Kai-Sheks attention. Understandably one of those major problems was a full blown Japanese invasion of Manchuria, that rest assured we will tackle in depth in future episodes, but for coherency sake I thought it best to try and get through all the other events before we start talking about the beginning of the 15 year war. The Japanese invasion immediately began influencing the KMT-CCP conflict. The Japanese invasion directly threatened Soviet interests and Moscow looked at the CCP as a potential bulwark against the Japanese. From 1930-1931, the CCP's Red Army was successful in defending their territory against the NRA extermination campaigns, however they still suffered from a lack of discipline, supplies and professionalism. New leadership came from the new Central Committee, now led by the 28 Bolsheviks and a new comintern representative, Otto Braun. The Red Army began adopting a series of initiatives in 1932 to improve. All Red Army units were standardized to establish better command and control. Political indoctrination and military training also became standardized with waves upon waves of manuals distributed to the forces. The Red Army expanded the Red Academy by establishing the Red Army War College for mid-grade and senior officers. Branch schools and speciality schools to increase competency and training. Political mobilization remained cornerstone to the Red Army. Recruitment of new troops also began to see a renewed emphasis on urban proletariats. A large change to the operations for the Red Army was the adoption of Soviet offensive tactics to seek out decisive battles. CCP leaders were under the misbelief that revolutionary fervor would simply have the Red Army victory. What they lacked initially was professionalism, alongside good weaponry and equipment. Couple this with the NRA's adoption of more and more effective counterinsurgency tactics, the Red Army really began to suffer terrible casualties. Now as the Red Army defeated the NRA in the third extermination campaign of 1931 not to be mistaken for the large third extermination campaign later, another intraparty power struggle was brewing in the CCP. After the fall of Li Lisan, a group of students returning from studies in the USSR began a systematic operation to gain control over the CCP. This group became known as the 28 Bolsheviks. 20 or some of them returned to China with the new Comintern adviser, Pavel Mif in 1931. Two key members of the group, Qin Bangxian known colloquially as Bo Gu, and Chen Shaoyu as Wang Ming would seize key positions at the top brass of the CCP. Many of these students attended Moscow's Sun Yat-Sen University, where they became acquainted with Mif, the head rector of said university. This university was a breeding ground for ultra-orthodox Stalinist communist doctrine. It goes without saying the students were indoctrinated with a very Moscow perspective. Mif regarded them as a very well disciplined force and used them to purge out divergent groups within the university. During the third Plenum in September of 1930, Mif attempted to use the forum to denounce Li Lisans plan, but had failed to convince the majority of the Central Committee. After Li Lisan was condemned and recalled to Moscow, Mif saw a major opportunity. At the fourth Plenum in January of 1931, Li Lisan and 11 of his supported were ousted from the Central Committee, with their best positions seized by Moscow aligned CCP members. The next year, the 28 Bolsheviks unleashed a brutal intraparty war with other factions. By late September the Bolsheviks effectively destroyed most of the opposition and incorporated the surviving members into a the Central Committee loyal to Moscow. Bo Gu was appointed head of the Central Committee from Wang Ming who returned to Moscow. Once the 28 Bolsheviks were in control of the CCP at Shanghai, they then set their eyes upon Mao Zedong and the Red Army Soviet areas. During the first All-China Soviet Congress of November 1931, they launched their first attack. Mao Zedong received prior word of their intentions from loyal followers in Shanghai and prepared to face them. Before the Central Committee arrived at Ruijin, Mao had just emerged victorious from the encirclement campaigns, had suppressed dissension amongst his ranks and established a delegation of loyalists within the Soviet Congress. The Bolsheviks failed to gain a majority within the Congress, taking only 2 seats in the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet. Meanwhile Zhu De was appointed Commissar of War and other Mao loyalists took high ranking positions. To try to break Mao Zedongs monopolistic control over the Red Army, the Bolsehviks employed Zhou Enlai.  In early 1932, the CCP urged the Red Army to expand Soviet territory as its forces grew. Successful defenses against encirclement Campaigns brought many NRA soldiers into the Red Army, some willingly, others by force. A key boost came on December 14, 1931, when the NRA's Twenty-sixth Route Army rebelled and joined, forming the Fifth Red Army Corps. With this and other recruits, the First Front Red Army grew to about 70,000, requiring more territory to sustain itself and the revolution. On January 9th of 1932, the CCP Central Committee issued a resolution outlining a new strategy for the party and the Red Army. The resolution assessed the current situation in China, that of a major depression, the effects of the Mukden Incident and the string of CCP successes against the encirclement campaigns. The resolution reasserted the renewed commitment to recruit urban proletariats for the revolution and “expand the territory, link up the separated Soviet areas to form an integrated Soviet area, and take advantage of the present favorable political and military conditions to seize one or two important central cities so as to win an initial victory of the revolution in one or more provinces.” The Red Army would conduct a series of offensive to expand their Soviets and connect them starting in early 1932. They would target southern Jiangxi, such places as Ganzhou, Jiujiang, Nanchang and also Fujian's Fuzhou, Xiamen and Zhangzhou. The resolution also pushed for a “positive and offensive line, rather than the luring of the enemy into the deep strategy, as it was no longer viable”. Furthermore the resolution directly attacked Mao Zedong's strategy as “being right opportunism that underestimated the situation and maintained a pessimistic attitude, and all party and army members should actively guard against its incorrect mindset”. This cemented the divide between the Bolshevik groups adoption of offensive strategy vs Mao Zedong's defensive lure the enemy in deep strategy. The next operation would be against Ganzhou in Jiangxi. The city linked the Hunan-Jiangxi border areas with the Fujian-Jiangxi border areas and provided a nice launching point against Ji'an in the north. During another meeting in 1932 at Ruijin, Mao Zedong expressed his reservations about the operation, stating the Red Army did not have the necessary weapons or supplies to seize a major city. Zhu De backed him up, but the Central Military Committee vetoed them and continued planning the Ganzhou operation. On January 10th orders were handed out for the 1st, 3rd and 5th Red Army corps, along with the Jiangxi Soviet military regional forces to conduct the operation by February. On the other side, the KMT were well prepared to meet an attack against Ganzhou, they were also most likely tipped off.  On February 3rd of 1932 the Red Army arrived at Ganzhou quickly encircling the city. The next day the 5th Red Army Corps, roughly 20,000 men were the first to attack the city. They struck the East Gate, breaching the defenses slightly before being repelled. On the 17th and 23rd the Red Army forces conducted two major assaults, expanding the attacks to the West and South gates, but failed to gain a foothold. During the siege, two NRA brigades reinforced the Ganzhou garrison. Then on March 4th, the Red Army conducted a fourth major attack and was likewise repelled. Three days later the Red army retired to Jiangkou to reorganize after they had suffered 3000 casualties. Despite this the CCP leadership remained undeterred, believing the offensive strategy was still optimal. When Japan began rooting itself permanently in Manchuria, the CCP saw this as the perfect condition for a real revolution to take place. At a meeting on March 18th, Mao Zedong again argued his strategy fit the current conditions much more and that the offensive strategy was too ambiguous. Yet his arguments fell on deaf ears and the CCP leadership had the Red Army reorganized into two route armies. The west route army consisted of the 3rd army corps and was made responsible for expanding the Soviet areas west of the Gan River in Hunan-Jiangxi with a focus built around Zhuchuan, Taihe and Wan'an. The Central Route army consisted of the 1st and 5th Red army corps and would take Mao Zedong's recommendations to perform expansion operations in south Fujian with Xiamen being the final target. On March 26th, the Central route red army occupied Changtin under Mao Zedongs guidance. There they conducted political mobilization of the local populace. Yet seeing little military action taking place, Zhou Enlai pushed Mao Zedong to stop the political mobilization and instead engage the enemy in the direction of Zhangzhou. Thus the Reds headed south and attacked the 49th NRA division. On April 10th the Reds managed to seize Longyan where they annihilated a single brigade of the 49th NRA division. The 5th NRA corps attempted to reinforce the 49th NRA division, but lost two brigades in the process. The Reds then continued marching south and on April 20th seized Zhangzhou where they defeated the 49th NRA division. At Zhangzhou they seized 1675 prisoners, 2000 rifles, some artillery pieces, 13,00 rounds of ammunition, two aircraft and over a million yuan. Alongside that came a lot of provisions, salt, oil and other goods needed to keep their men moving. After the success Mao Zedong telegrammed Zhou Enlai, requesting the Red army move back to Jiangxi with their booty to improve operations in the soviet area. It was Mao Zedong's belief the Reds had made great gains at Zhangzhou but could not hold onto the area. Instead he wanted to expand operations in Fujian using smaller local militia and guerilla groups. The CCP yet again overruled Mao Zedong and on June 5th ordered him to keep up the offensive, now turning towards Guangdong military forces currently occupying southern Jiangxi.  Once that was completed they were to advance north up the Gan River Valley and attack Ganzhou, Zhangshu, Ji'an and Nanchang so as to foster a revolution in Jiangxi. The Red army then reorganized its forces placing the 1st, 3rd and 5th red army corps under the First Front Red Army who advanced into Guangdong. From late june into early July the Reds seized Shuikou, Nanxiong and defeated 15 Guangdong based NRA brigades and expanded the Soviet into the province. Yet even with the string of offensive victories, Mao Zedong still remained vocally in opposition towards the strategy, constantly submitting his recommendation to adjust their footing. On July 25th, Mao Zedong and Zhu De sent a joint communique to the CCP leadership requesting a change of strategy. They argued instead of immediately attacking Ji'an and Zhangshu they could perform clearing operation on the eastern part of the valley, focusing on Yihaung and Le'an. The CCP central committee was initially against the proposals, however Zhou Enlai intervened and gave his support to them. In August the 1st front red army held a conference and confirmed they would attack Yihaung and Le'an. They took Le'an shortly after, defeating the 27th NRA division. With that victory they gained 5000 prisoners, 4000 rifles, 20 machine guns, 20 artillery pieces and 3 wireless communication sets. Afterwards the Reds contemplated attacking Ji'an, however after consideration Mao Zedong argued on September 25th, the NRA presence at Ji'an was too strong. He instead recommended they conduct political mobilization operations around the Le'an Yihuang area. By this point the CCP Central Committee was really pissed off with what they considered insubordination from Mao Zedong. By this time the 28th Bolsheviks had gained enough power and began striping Mao Zedong of key positions with the Red Army. First he was removed from the Military Committee of the Central Bureau of the Soviet Areas. Have I mentioned how much communists love making endless committees? Later in October of 1933 an emergency conference was held at Ningdu to plan future operations on the eve of an impending KMT campaign. Participants included Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Chen yi, Liu Bocheng and Peng Dehuai who all agreed they should take up offensive actions outside the Soviet. Alongside this the party condemned Mao Zedongs strategy called it inadequate and outdated. Zhou Enlai then argued for “expanding Soviet territory swiftly, engaging the enemy on KMT territory, bringing Jiangxi and its neighboring Soviet areas together by force, taking key cities in the Gan valley, including Nanchang, Ji'an, Ganzhou, and Pingxiang, so as to achieve preliminary successes in one or more provinces.” After the Ningdu conference, the Red Army continued with the offensive operation, now attacking Jianning, Lichuan and Taining in October. By November the 1st front army took the Jiangxi county seats of Zixi and Jinxi. This helped the CCP expand the Soviet in the eastern Gan valley, but it also placed them on a vulnerable footing, just in time for the KMT's 4th major encirclement campaign. During the CCP's expansion activities, the KMT had been performing a communist suppression campaign in Shanghai, driving out the Bolsheviks and other CCP members towards the Jiangxi Soviet by late 1932. Their arrival to the Jiangxi Soviet added further tension to the Red Army who were facing a new encirclement campaign. The presence of high ranking Central Committee members also changed their politics. The Mao Zedong adapted Marxist-Leninist theory was replaced by more orthodox and Moscow leaning theory. Many of 28 Bolsheviks moved to many Soviets sparking a new phase.  Before the start of the 4th major encirclement campaign, the Red Army from the Jiangxi Soviet conducted expansion operations into Fujian and Guangdong. Other Red army units performed similar operations in Hunan, Hubei and Sichuan. All of this red activity was enough to push Chiang Kai-Shek to refocus his military operations against them. On April 9th, 1932, Chiang Kai-Shek created the Bandit Suppression Headquarters in Wuhan with He Yingqin as its commander. Beginning in June 1932 He Yingqin had a force of 500,000 soldiers who unleashed a brutal encirclement and suppression campaign against the Hubei-Henan-Anhui and western Hubei-Hunan Soviet areas. By November of 1932, both soviets collapsed. After this Chiang Kai-Shek ordered He Yingqin to direct his efforts against the Jiangxi Soviet. In December Chiang Kai-Shek shifted over 400,000 troops and 30 divisions to the Central Soviet Operation. He even personally moved down to Nanchang to supervise the operation. The main forces consisted of 3 columns, roughly 150,000 troops in 12 divisions led by Chen Cheng. The KMT plan was to build a series of blockhouses as a means of economically blockading the Soviet. Around 240,000 troops were allocated for the blockade, in addition to the main force which brought the entire figure to 400,000 men. Each flank of the blockade had 70,000 troops, roughly 6 divisions who would conduct blocking operations in the Jiangxi-Guangdong border area and the Fujian-Jiangxi border area. Around 100,000 would be used to conduct anti-guerilla operations in the northwest and northeast of Jiangxi as well as in southeast Hunan and southwest Jiangxi. Was the blockade was set, the NRA would deploy 3 columns along separate routes converging upon the Red Army's rear for a concentrated attack. Over on the other side, the Red Army based near Lichuan had roughly 70,000 men from the 1st, 3rd and 5th Red army corps and the 11th,12th, 21st and 22nd Red Armies. The 4th encirclement campaign coincided with the Red Army's urban offensives. By December of 1932 the Reds had targeted Nancheng. The Central Committee issued the attack orders but due to the large NRA reinforcement efforts had to order the Red Army to withdraw from the outskirts of Nancheng. The next potential target was Nanfeng. The Central Committee again pushed for urban offensive as Nanfeng was attacked beginning in February of 1933. On February 7th the Red Army besieged the city. The NRA quickly dispatched the Central Route Army to reinforce the city and conduct a counterattack. Seeing the large concentration of NRA in the area, on February 13th Zhou Enlai ordered the forces to pull out and head over to Luokou.  The Red Army set up a diversion to cover their withdrawal. Using similar tactics employed during the third encirclement campaign, the 11th Red Army pretended to be the main force and suddenly attacked Lichuan. The NRA took the bait immediately sending 3 columns to Lichuan. While marching the 1st NRA column's 52nd and 59th NRA division became separated. On February 25th the two divisions moved west towards Huangpi along two routes separated by a mountain ridge. As they did so, their distance from the NRA 2nd and 3rd columns increased making mutual support efforts impossible. On the 27th the 1st and 3rd Red Army corps and 21st Red army unleashed a surprise attack against the 52nd NRA division. The next day the 5th Red army corps and 22nd red army attack the 59th NRA division around Huangpi. The division was annihilated with its commander captured. After the victory the Red Army pulled back to Luokou.  After the loss the NRA reorganized its force into 2 columns and changed strategy. Now instead of heading in 3 wide columns they would concentrate as 2 down the center of the Soviet. On March 16th, the two NRA columns began their advance as the Reds deployed their 11th army to perform more deception operations. The 11th Red army made a feint towards Guangchang, attracting the NRA front column. This action separated the two columns by 50 kms and isolated the 11th NRA division near Caotaigang. On March the 20th the 1st front red army attacked the 11th NRA division near Xuzhuang decimating them and severely defeating the 9th NRA division. For the remainder of the 4th encirclement campaign there were no other major battles. During March of 1933 the Reds conducted political operations near Le'an until NRA forces moved there to secure the city.  In April the NRA began to withdraw from the Jiangxi Soviet area, effectively ending their encirclement campaign. The NRA had suffered considerable losses for their efforts. They had lost the equivalent of 3 divisions; over 10,000 prisoners were taken. The Reds and seized 10,000 rifles, 300 German made machine guns and 40 artillery pieces. Another consequence of the failed encirclement campaign was the validation of the Bolshevik led offensive strategy. The CCP then adopted a series of reform measures hoping the Red Army could seize large cities. First the CCP attempted to expand the Red Army's overall strength by launching a large recruitment drive. In addition they incorporated all the local militias in the main Red Army. To fund the expansion the CCP adopted a large land distribution policy to generate revenue. Under the guise of performing a land investigation the CCP distributed 80% of the land within the soviet area. During the distribution the CCP attempted to raise nearly one million yuan. During the summer of 1933 the CCP also focused on suppressing counterrevolutionaries. One of the 28 Bolsheviks greatest critics was Luo Ming, the secretary of the Fujian-Guangdong-Jiangxi soviet committee. A large amount of recruitment and taxation had hurt the morale of the local people in the Soviet. When the Central Committee wanted troops there to deploy for action Luo Ming argued they needed to stay for local defense and that they should scale back offensive operations. However from the perspective of the 28 Bolsheviks it looked very similar to Mao Zedongs lure the enemy in deep strategy. At this point there were still many loyal to Mao Zedong and his strategy, so the Bolsheviks saw an opportunity to hurt him through punishing Luo Ming. They created a new pejorative term “Luo Min Line” to describe any non-offensive strategy and began a purge of the Fujian-Guangdong-Jiangxi Soviets leadership. The “Luo Ming line” became a new slogan to describe any in the CCP opposing the offensive strategy. During the summer of 1933, the Central Committee, emboldened by surviving the fourth encirclement campaign, continued to press on with their offensive strategy. With the Bolshviks and Otto Braun, the Jiangxi Soviet increased the central oversight over the Red Army and gradually seized direct control over military matters. On May 8th, the CCP passed a resolution separating the Central Military council and the Red Army leadership. Zhu De and Zhou Enlai remained in charge of the Red Army, but Bo Gu gained greater control over the military council and now controlled the Red Army's strategy and the employment of its military. Also Otto Braun would play a much larger role in military strategy, leveraging his experience at the Frunze Academy to push for offensive action.  The Red Army also reorganized its units to facilitate the execution of the new offensive strategies. In June the CCP divided the 1st front red army into the eastern front red army and central red army. Bo Gu and Braun believed that the Red Army had grown strong enough, both in firepower and manpower, to no longer require coordinated, mutually supportive operations. Instead, they felt the Red Army units could carry out independent operations in different regions. The Eastern Front Red Army, composed of the Third Red Army Corps, was stationed in western Fujian, while the Central Red Army, formed from the First Red Army Corps, remained in the Central Soviet area. Under the guidance of the new Central Military Committee, the Eastern Front Red Army launched expansion efforts into Fujian after the NRA vacated the region. Peng Dehuai's forces embarked on a three-month campaign in Fujian, expanding Soviet-controlled territory, securing supplies—especially salt—and raising funds, addressing key shortages for both the Red Army and the CCP. Before the Fifth Extermination Campaign, the Central Soviet controlled an impressive 60,000 square kilometers, spanning parts of three provinces. However, as they focused on territorial expansion, the Red Army neglected to monitor the KMT, which was preparing for another encirclement campaign. Now we have primarily focused on one of the major Soviets implicated in the fourth encirclement campaign. In reality the fourth encirclement campaign had been a large scale operation against three major soviets: the Hunan-Western Hubei Soviet also referred to as the Honghu Soviet; the Hubei-Henan-Anhui or Eyuwan Soviet and the Jiangxi Soviet. You would be led to believe and rightfully so because many lets just say, CCP aligned sources like to highlight the Jiangxi Soviet story, that the communists had kind of duped the NRA and stolen their victory from them. It was much more of a mixed bag overall. The campaign against the Hunan–Western Hubei Soviet saw the NRA successfully defeat the local Red Army forces, overrunning their main base in southern Hubei and Hunan. The majority of the fighting occurred around Jingzhou and overall was seen as a loss for the CCP. For the campaign against the Eyuwan Soviet, drought, famine and epidemics severely hurt the CCP forces in 1932. Between July and September, Chiang Kai-Shek had allocated more than 300,000 troops for the operation. The CCP suffered tremendously because of the numerical superiority of the NRA. The NRA General Xia Douyin unleashed a scorched earth campaign, killing countless, burning many villages and destroying to seizing crops. Historians like Chen Yaohuang argue the fourth Red Army who participated in this area were defeated largely because they had adopted conventional warfare tactics. The peasantry were very hostile to the NRA, forcing their forces to depend on unreliable local elites for provisions, creating a very vulnerable supply line. However the CCP failed to exploit this weakness by not committing guerilla warfare. Despite the NRA victory, it was a rather incomplete one and they ended their campaign prematurely celebrating. The fourth red army had successfully retreated into the border region between Shaanxi and Sichuan leaving behind a small force to conduct guerilla warfare. The remaining Communist forces in the Eyuwan Soviet, led by Gao Jingting and Xu Haidong, capitalized on the early Nationalist withdrawal to rebuild a guerrilla movement. They hid in the mountains, survived by foraging, and organized poor peasants to seize grain from landlords and public granaries. The 25th Red Army, under their leadership, managed to maintain a Communist presence in the region for several more years. After all was said and done, as was the case with the previous encirclement campaigns, reports from field commanders were far too optimistic. Many reported to Chiang Kai-Shek exaggerated numbers of casualties inflicted, prisoners taken and areas secured. In reality what the communists were doing was simply moving around to give off the impression of major defeats. Sure the Reds were taken enormous losses, but they were constantly recruiting and spreading. They could probably sustain these yearly encirclement campaigns if the NRA did not do something much more bold…like actually encircle the Reds. As great as the Reds were becoming at outwitting their opponent, their luck would eventually run out. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Reds had survived 4 large encirclement campaigns. The 28 Bolsheviks and their moscow allies were greatly emboldened thinking it was their time to go on the offensive and usher in a true revolution. However those like Mao Zedong knew the dire reality of the situation and were bracing themselves for the coming storm.