New Museum for Chinese Communist Party; Crypto crackdown; Political correctness with Chinese characteristics ; Defector rumors

On Friday Xi Jinping led the leadership on a visit to the new Museum of the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing. The huge structure is located just north of the the 2008 Olympics “Bird’s Nest” stadium and Water Cube. How many people expected that the CCP would last 100 years, or that in 2021 the world would see a massive new museum to Communism?

Security is tightening for the July 1 celebrations of the CCP’s 100th anniversary. Expect lots of restrictions in Beijing, and possibly limiting of travel into Beijing until after the big party, both for security and to prevent any chance of a new COVID outbreak in the capital.

Will Xi make one more inspection tour before July 1? If he does, what are the odds it will be to Hunan or Yan’an?

Today’s Essential Eight items:

1. Xi takes leadership to new Museum of the Chinese Communist Party

2. Hong Kong, PRC

3. Crypto crackdown deepens

4. Not easy telling China’s story globally

5. Vaccines

6. US-China origins clash

7. Political correctness with Chinese characteristics

8. Rumors…