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By JOE McDONALD

BEIJING — An avalanche of changes launched by China’s ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: President Xi Jinping’s vision of making a more powerful, prosperous country by reviving revolutionary ideals, with more economic equality and tighter party control over society and entrepreneurs.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has called for the party to return to its “original mission” as China’s economic, social and cultural leader and carry out the “ rejuvenation of the great Chinese nation.”

The party has spent the decade since then silencing dissent and tightening political control. Now, after 40 years of growth that transformed China into the world’s factory but left a gulf between a wealthy elite and the poor majority, the party is promising to spread prosperity more evenly and is pressing private companies to pay for social welfare and back Beijing’s ambition to become a global technology competitor.

To support its plans, Xi’s government is trying to create what it deems a more wholesome society by reducing children’s access to online games and banning “sissy men” who are deemed insufficiently masculine from TV.

Chinese leaders want to “direct the constructive energies of all people in one laser-focused direction selected by the party,” Andrew Nathan, a Chinese politics specialist at Columbia University, said in an email.

Beijing has launched anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns to tighten its control over internet giants, including e-commerce platform Alibaba Group and games and social media operator Tencent Holdings Ltd., that looked too big and potentially independent.

In response, their billionaire founders have scrambled to show loyalty by promising to share their wealth under Xi’s vaguely defined “common prosperity” initiative to narrow the income gap in a country with more billionaires than the United States.

Xi has yet to give details, but in a society where every political term is scrutinized for significance, the name revives a 1950s propaganda slogan under Mao Zedong, the founder of the communist government.

Xi is reviving the “utopian ideal” of early communist leaders, said Willy Lam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “But of course, huge question marks have arisen, because this will hurt the most creative and lucrative parts of the economy.”

Alibaba, Tencent and others have pledged tens of billions of dollars for job creation and social welfare initiatives. They say they will invest in developing processor chips and other technologies cited by Beijing as priorities.

The party’s anti-monopoly enforcement and crackdown on how companies handle information about customers are similar to Western regulation. But the abrupt, heavy-handed way changes have been imposed is prompting warnings that Beijing is threatening innovation and economic growth, which already is declining. Jittery foreign investors have knocked more than $300 billion off Tencent’s stock market value and billions more off other companies.

“I expect that over the next year or two we are likely to see a very rocky relationship develop between the political elite and the business elite,” Michael Pettis, a finance professor at Peking University’s Guanghua School of Business, said in a report.

Chinese officials say the public, consumers and entrepreneurs will benefit from higher incomes and more regulatory oversight of corporate giants. Parents welcome curbs announced last month that limit children under 18 to three hours of online games a week and only on weekends and Friday night.

“I feel this is a good rule,” said Li Zhanguo, the father of an 8-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl in the central city of Zhengzhou. “Games still have some addictive mechanisms. We can’t count on children’s self-control.”

The crackdowns reflect party efforts to control a rapidly evolving society of 1.4 billion people.

Some 1 million members of mostly Muslim ethnic groups have been forced into detention camps in the northwest. Officials deny accusations of abuses including forced abortions and say the camps are for job training and to combat extremism.

A surveillance initiative dubbed Social Credit aims to track every person and company in China and punish violations ranging from dealing with business partners that violate environmental rules to littering.

“Our responsibility is to unite and lead the entire party and people of all ethnic groups, take the baton of history and to work hard to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” Xi said when he and the six other members of the new party Standing Committee appeared in public for the first time in November 2012.

The party Central Committee shifted its economic emphasis “from efficiency to fairness” in late 2020, a researcher at a Beijing think tank wrote in August in Caixin, China’s most prominent business magazine.

The party moved from “early prosperity for some to ‘common prosperity’” and “from capital to labor,” wrote Luo Zhiheng of Yuekai Securities Research Institute. He said leaders are emphasizing science, technology and manufacturing over finance and real estate.

Prominent economists have tried to reassure entrepreneurs.

“It is impossible to achieve common prosperity through ‘robbing the rich and helping the poor,’” the dean of the school of economics at Shanghai’s Fudan University, Zhang Jun, told the news outlet The Paper on Aug. 4.

The 1979 launch of market-style economic reform under then-leader Deng Xiaoping prompted predictions abroad that China would evolve into a more open, possibly even democratic society.

The Communist Party allowed freer movement and encourages internet use for business and education. But leaders reject changes to a one-party dictatorship that copied its political structure from the Soviet Union and watch entrepreneurs closely. Beijing controls all media and tries to limit what China’s public sees online.

As the previous decade’s economic boom fades, “Xi sees himself as the only person capable of recreating the momentum,” said June Teufel Dreyer, a Chinese politics specialist at the University of Miami.

Party members who worry reforms might weaken political control appear to have decided China’s rise is permanent and liberalization is no longer needed, said Edward Friedman, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin.

That means “anti-totalitarian elements of the reform agenda could be rolled back,” Friedman said in an email. “That is what Xi is doing, as manifest in his attack on purportedly gay and girlie culture as a supposed threat to a so-called virile militarism.”

An Aug. 29 commentary by an obscure writer, Li Guangman, described “common prosperity” as a “profound revolution.” Writing on the WeChat message service, Li said financial markets would “no longer be a paradise for capitalists to get rich overnight” and said the party’s next targets might include high housing and health care costs.

The commentary was reposted on prominent state media websites including the ruling party newspaper People’s Daily. That prompted questions about whether Beijing might veer into an ideological campaign with echoes of the violent 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, when some 5 million people were killed.

Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times, a newspaper published by People’s Daily that is known for its nationalist tone, responded by criticizing Li’s commentary. Hu warned in a blog post against a return to radicalism.

“The Cultural Revolution was a period of chaos, purposely unleashed by Mao because he felt comfortable in chaos,” Nathan said.

“This is almost the exact opposite,” he said. “It is an effort to create tightly structured orderliness.”

 

 

 

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By GRANT PECK

BANGKOK — The main underground group coordinating resistance to Myanmar’s military government called for a nationwide uprising on Tuesday.

The National Unity Government views itself as a shadow government composed of elected legislators who were barred from taking their seats when the military seized power in February.

The group’s acting president Duwa Lashi La called for revolt “in every village, town and city in the entire country at the same time” and declared what he called a ”state of emergency.” A video of his speech was posted on Facebook.

The country has been wracked by unrest since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, with a low-level insurrection in many urban areas. There has been more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in serious clashes with the government’s troops.

The shadow government’s prime minister, Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, said in a separate statement posted online that the move was taken due to “changing circumstances” that required the complete abolition of the ruling military government. He did not elaborate.

There were no immediate signs of heightened resistance activity, although some student groups and ethnic armed organizations expressed solidarity.

The National Unity Government is popular inside Myanmar, but its actual power and influence is hard to measure. It has frequently issued sweeping proclamations and policy statements declaring the military government and its actions invalid and illegal, but they’ve had little real-world effect. It controls no territory, does not directly control any armed force and has won no diplomatic recognition from foreign countries. Members of its shadow Cabinet are in hiding inside Myanmar and in exile.

Duwa Lashi La called on the ethnic militias, some of whom have declared themselves in alliance with the resistance, to “immediately attack” government forces and “fully control your lands.” The ethnic armed forces, which have been fighting for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmar’s central government, operate independently of the National Unity Government.

Duwa Lashi La called for a “people’s revolution” and asked for all soldiers and police to join the “people’s defense forces.” He also warned civil servants against going to their offices.

He advised people to heed their personal safety and not travel unnecessarily, as well as to stock up on food and medicine, guidance it has offered on at least one past occasion when it warned of trouble ahead. He said people should help the defense forces where they can, including with information about government military forces.

The resistance movement against the military takeover had established “people’s defense forces” in many areas, but they mostly operate locally and when active, carry out small-scale hit-and-run guerrilla operations.

 

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KABUL - A bomb attack at Kabul airport in Afghanistan yesterday made an already difficult evacuation operation even harder as it entered into its final hours.

Evacuation flights have been taking place since the Taliban took hold of the country two weeks ago, but Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said it is likely that people eligible to be resettled in the UK will be left behind as the effort is in its "final hours".

The final British flights out of Afghanistan were set to leave on Friday.

Wallace told Sky News: "We at 4.30 this morning, UK-time, closed the Baron Hotel, shut the processing centre and the gates were closed at Abbey Gate.

"We will process the people that we've brought with us, the 1,000 people approximately in the airfield now and we will seek a way to continue to find a few people in the crowds where we can, but overall the main processing is now closed and we have a matter of hours.

"The sad fact is not every single one will get out.

"The threat is obviously going to grow the closer we get to leaving."

Many countries have been involved in the evacuation process, desperately trying to repatriate their citizens and offer refuge for Afghans who have worked with them during the 20-year occupation.

The United States, Great Britain and Germany have enabled the most amount of people to flee the country. But it has been a global effort.

Here are the details of the evacuation effort by country:


US

Around 105,000 people have been evacuated by the US since 14 August the White House said on Friday.

 

United Kingdom


So far, Britain has evacuated more than 13,700 British nationals and Afghans, representing the second biggest airlift by the country's air force after the Berlin Airlift in 1949, the ministry said.

 

Germany

The German military evacuated 5,347 people, including more than 4,100 Afghans.

 

France

The French Defence Ministry said that more than 100 French nationals and more than 2,500 Afghans had reached French soil after being evacuated from Kabul.

Italy

Italy said that 4,832 Afghans had been brought out of Afghanistan by their military.

 

Sweden

Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Friday a total of 1,100 people had been evacuated, including all locally employed embassy staff and their families.

Belgium

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said just over 1,400 people were evacuated by Belgian forces.

Ireland

Ireland's foreign ministry evacuated 36 Irish citizens but is aware of approximately 60 Irish citizens and family members plus a further 15 Afghan citizens with Irish residency who are still in the country and have requested assistance.

Canada

Canadian forces in Kabul ended evacuation efforts for their citizens and Afghans on Thursday.

Acting chief of the defence staff General Wayne Eyre said they had evacuated or facilitated the evacuation of around 3,700 Canadian and Afghan citizens.


Turkey

Turkey has evacuated at least 1,400 people from Afghanistan, including around 1,000 Turkish citizens.

Spain

Over the course of its rescue mission Spain evacuated 1,898 Afghans who had worked with Western countries, the United Nations or the European Union.

Poland

Poland has evacuated roughly 900 people from Afghanistan, including around 300 women and 300 children.

Hungary

Hungary airlifted 540 people, including Hungarian citizens and Afghans and their families who worked for Hungarian forces previously.

Denmark

Denmark has airlifted around 1,000 people from Afghanistan including diplomatic staff, their families, former interpreters, Danish citizens and people from allied countries, its defence ministry said.

Netherlands

The Dutch government said it had evacuated 2,500 people from Afghanistan.


Austria

Austria relied on Germany and other countries to help with its evacuation. So far 89 people with Austrian citizenship or residency have been airlifted out, while another two to three dozen people are still in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told national broadcaster ORF on Wednesday.

Switzerland

Switzerland, also relying on Germany and the United States to help with its evacuation efforts, has got 292 people out of Afghanistan, but 15 Swiss citizens remain in Afghanistan with no more Swiss evacuation flights planned.

Qatar

Qatar said on Thursday it had so far helped evacuate more than 40,000 people to Doha and "evacuation efforts will continue in the coming days in consultation with international partners."

 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The UAE said it had helped evacuate 36,500 people to date, including 8,500 coming to the UAE via its national carriers or airports.

 

India

India has airlifted 565 people, most of them embassy personnel and citizens living there but also dozens of Afghans including Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, a government official said on condition of anonymity.

Australia

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that Australia had evacuated 4,100 people, including over 3,200 citizens and Afghans with Australian visas. Morrison acknowledged some Australian visa holders remain in Afghanistan, though he said Canberra did not know exact numbers.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s Defence Force (NZDF) ran three flights out of Kabul and according to preliminary numbers, at least 276 New Zealand nationals and permanent residents, their families and other visa holders were evacuated, it said.

 

 

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KABUL - Multiple people have been killed in at least two explosions in a suspected terror attack near Kabul airport following warnings a strike would be launched in the final phase of the evacuation effort.

According to Rassia Today quoting the Afghan Ministry of Health, 40 people are reported dead and 140 injured.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed two blasts occurred in a “complex attack” outside Hamid Karzai International Airport on Thursday, and there were “a number of US and civilian casualties”.

The Ministry of Defence said there had been no UK military or Government casualties reported at an early stage.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said at least 13 people were killed and 15 wounded in twin suicide attacks outside the airport, which has been the centre of the effort to help people flee Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Defence did not confirm or deny whether Isis-K was believed to be behind the explosions, after earlier warnings about the affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Afghanistan.

But an anonymous US official said the blasts were “definitely believed to be” carried out by IS.

Mr Kirby said at least one explosion took place at or near the Baron Hotel, where the UK has been processing Britons and Afghans eligible for evacuation after the Taliban seized control of the nation.

A short distance away, he said another blast occurred near the Abbey Gate of Kabul’s airport.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was preparing to chair an emergency Cobra meeting later on Thursday after being updated on the situation.

Armed forces minister James Heappey had warned that there was “very credible reporting” of an “imminent” and “severe” terror threat.

He had urged people queuing outside the airport trying to flee the Taliban to move to safety amid concerns surrounding the IS terror cell.

Alicia Kearns, a member of the foreign affairs and national security strategy committees, said there had been “many hurt” in an attack at the Baron Hotel.

The Conservative MP tweeted: “A bomb or attack with gun fire at northern gate of Baron’s Hotel. Worried this will devastate evacuation – so many hurt. My heart is with all those injured and killed.”

Her colleague Nus Ghani said she was on the phone to somebody outside Kabul airport when the blast took place.

“Explosion at Kabul airport. I was on the phone to an Afghan outside the airport when he heard the explosion,” the MP tweeted.

She later said he was “OK” and was heading to a “safe house”.

The Ministry of Defence said it is “working urgently” to establish what happened in Kabul and “its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort”.

“Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan,” a statement added.

For the US military, Mr Kirby tweeted: “We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties.

“We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate.”

Former Royal Marine Paul Farthing, the founder of an animal shelter in Kabul who has has been campaigning to get his staff and animals evacuated, said his vehicle outside the airport was caught in the “chaos”.

Known as Pen, he told the PA news agency: “All of a sudden we heard gunshots and our vehicle was targeted, had our driver not turned around he would have been shot in the head by a man with an AK-47.

“We’ve been in the airport, and back out of the airport; the whole thing’s a mess.”

A local witness told PA he heard the explosion by Kabul airport as he was walking to evening prayer.

Ahmad, whose name has been changed for security reasons, said he is safe as he was some distance from the blast.

“First was explosion, and then firing started, I mean… heavy gunfire,” he said.

“But even far away people were running… there’s alarm.”

Ahmad has been hoping to flee Afghanistan but said there has been “no way” to access the airport in recent days and “tens of thousands of people” outside it.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the reports from Kabul are “devastating”, adding: “Our thoughts are with all those killed and wounded, serving personnel supporting the evacuations and all those desperately trying to leave.

“The bravery of the troops at the airport will always outweigh the cowardice of those who wish to harm us.”

The evacuation effort was already under extra strain after a warning on Wednesday night from the Foreign Office for UK nationals near the airport to leave and head for safety due to the “ongoing and high threat of terrorist attack”.

The Prime Minister said the following morning that time is running out for the evacuation effort, as the US’s deadline of next Tuesday for the withdrawal of its remaining troops is fast approaching.

Mr Johnson said the “overwhelming majority” of eligible people have now been evacuated from Afghanistan, but he conceded the time left is now “quite short”.

He vowed “we’ll do everything we can to get everybody else” before the deadline for British troops to depart in advance of the exit of US forces, after President Joe Biden refused his request to extend the time frame.

But the PM conceded that although the “lion’s share” of eligible Afghans have been removed from the country, “there will be people who still need help”.

Mr Heappey said Britain had 11 flights scheduled out of Kabul on Thursday but declined to say whether that will be the end of the operation, citing the security of troops on the ground.

The US is providing security at Kabul airport, meaning other allied forces are expected to have to wind down their evacuation efforts and depart ahead of the Americans.

Mr Heappey had said eight RAF flights managed to lift 1,988 people from Kabul within the past 24 hours, taking the total since the Taliban began its march to power to 12,279.

With the main route to flee under threat, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace reportedly told MPs that crossing the Afghanistan border in order to leave would be a “better option”.

On Wednesday, it was believed nearly 2,000 people assessed as eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) remained on the ground.

But Mr Heappey said the number outstanding is now “potentially half” of the previous estimate.

 

 

 

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