Public security; Pandas and a PRC official coming to DC; US warnings over PRC support for Russia; Taiwan; Rural governance
Summary of today’s Essential Eight:
National Public Security Work Conference - Xi and four other members of the Standing Committee - Li Qiang, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi - met attendees to the National Public Security Work Conference. The last time this conference was held was in May 2019. Xi attended and gave a speech at the 2019 meeting, and two other Standing Committee members - Wang Huning and Han Zheng, attended. The readout so far of this year's conference is much shorter than the 2019 readout even though the challenges facing the public security system are more complex now, and it does not go into detail about what Xi said in his remarks.
Middle East leaders in Beijing - Xi met Wednesday with Egyptian President Sisi and will meet over the next several days with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Tunisian President Kais Saied and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who are in China for state visits and to attend the opening ceremony of 10t…