The Second Plenum concludes Tuesday. I do not know how much detail we will get this week of the plan for the “reform of Party and state institutions”. We may have to wait for the National People’s Congress to see how significant it is, but my working assumption is that the plan will be quite significant, with heavy emphasis on stability, hardening the system, especially the financial system, and science and technology indigenous innovation and self-reliance. And more centralization of power for Xi.

Summary of the Essential Eight:

1. PRC-Ukraine - China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis 关于政治解决乌克兰危机的中国立场” came out Friday, and it was underwhelming. But Ukraine President Zelensky in his press conference was diplomatic about hoping for China’s help in ending the war, and said he hopes to meet with Xi. So far the PRC has not responded, and Xi has not spoken with Zelensky since January 2022. Belarus President and Putin ally Lukashenko will meet Xi this week in Beijing…