Xi to Europe; MSS head on the "five antis"; Musk's big Beijing trip; Housing restrictions; RMB; Kinmen patrols

There has been no announcement of the April Politburo meeting, so we should hear about it on Tuesday the 30th on the eve of the May 1 holiday. The assumption is that it will focus on the economy as the April meeting has done in the past, and there are hopes that it will signal more loosening of real estate policies. We shall find out soon enough.

Summary of today’s Essential Eight:

1. Xi’s trip to Europe - Xi will travel to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5-10. In France he will meet with President Macron, and have a joint meeting with Macron and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. He will leave France for Serbia on May 7, the 25th anniversary of the Nato bombing of the PRC embassy in Belgrade, so if he visits the memorial or attends a ceremony on the anniversary his signaling will be interesting.

2. Chen Yixin in Study Times - Minister of State Security has another long essay on national security this time in “Study Times”. He talks about the need to “intensively carry out the "five ant…