Li Qiang to G-20; MSS on US-China relations; Huawei's 5G phone; Italy and the BRI
Summary of today’s Essential Eight:
Xi sending Li Qiang to the G-20 - Premier Li is going in Xi’s place. We do not know why Xi is not going to the G- 20.
MSS calls on US to show more sincerity - The Ministry of State Security continues its frequent WeChat posting. A Sunday note criticizes the US and hints that Xi may not go to APEC in San Francisco unless the US shows “sufficient sincerity”, and a Monday post goes back in history to discuss a CIA spy who was killed fleeing China in 1950. It seems noteworthy that the MSS is commenting on US-China relations like this. Perhaps they see opportunity to squeeze the US for concessions to get Xi to go to APEC in San Francisco and meet with Biden? Or perhaps they are frustrated with the lack of progress in getting the US to return to the "correct path" in US-China relations and so are starting to threaten the one thing they think Biden really wants? Any other ideas? It does not seem to be a sign that Raimondo’s recent visit was seen as successf…