Loving Xi Jinping

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Global Recap
May 09, 2024 • Read in: 5 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

Okay, after learning about World Donkey Day while writing yesterday’s newsletter, I went down a rabbit hole of reading about other bizarre days.

And I found this: National Lost Sock Memorial Day.

Celebrated on May 9th, it encourages people to go to their drawers and commemorate their lost socks and say goodbye to any lone socks. 👋 🧦

🇺🇸 United States
Biden’s controversial stance

🔘 Conflict: Facing intense pressure from voters in the upcoming election, President Biden:

  • acknowledged that American-supplied bombs have been used to kill civilians in Gaza

  • expressed readiness to halt certain weapon shipments to Israel if a major invasion of Rafah occurs.

🔘 Diplomacy: Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have publicly denounced Biden’s stance.

🔘 Election Concerns: With US midterm elections approaching, Biden’s position may have repercussions for his political support.

  • Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan expressed concern that Biden’s remarks could influence Jewish American voters, who have traditionally supported the Democratic Party.

🔘 Remember: Five American hostages are currently being held in Gaza by Hamas. Despite this, the US president has not condemned the terrorist organization for rejecting an Israeli ceasefire agreement that could potentially lead to the release of these hostages. Meanwhile, it appears that he is indirectly supporting these terrorists, who are using both civilians and hostages as human shields.

🇷🇸 Serbia
Xi adored by Serbian President

On Wednesday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had an effusive welcome for Xi Jinping, as Xi arrived in Serbia on his European tour.

“I told him that as the leader of a great power he will be met with respect all over the world, but the reverence and love he encounters in our Serbia will not be found anywhere else.”

President Aleksandar Vučić

🔘 Investments: Serbia’s early adoption of Chinese investments, such as the Pupin Bridge and the Smederevo Ironworks, reflects a growing economic partnership, albeit with a significant debt burden of around €3.7 billion.

Hungary

Then on Thursday, Xi Jinping received a grand military welcome in Hungary, symbolizing the deepening ties between China and Hungary. Hungary is also a key partner for Chinese investments, of course.

🇳🇱 Netherlands
Yet another pro-Palestine protest

Amsterdam’s University of Amsterdam became the epicenter of heated pro-Palestinian protests, leading to police intervention and arrests.

🔘 Unrest: Students gathered to protest the ongoing war in Gaza, resulting in “sometimes violent confrontations” with the police. The demonstration, initially contained within university grounds, spilled over to a nearby square as protesters were undeterred by the blockade.

🔘 Demands: The core of the protest saw students demanding an end to the war and urging the university to “sever academic relations with Israel.” This reflects a broader sentiment among European and US universities, where student activism is intensifying.

  • This raises the question: Are these protests spreading naturally?

  • Or is there a coordinated instigation of the protests by a large external force?

🇭🇹 Haiti
Haiti’s unorthodox solution

In response to escalating gang violence and ongoing political instability, Haiti’s transitional council has implemented an innovative governance strategy. This approach involves alternating leadership among four experienced politicians, with each serving a term of five months.

🔘 Reason: This decision aims to stabilize governance and prepare for presidential elections by February 2026.

🔘 Turmoil: Internal conflicts within the council surfaced when a premature announcement of a prime minister caused a stir. The council’s structure has since been modified, with a majority now consisting of five members, signaling a strategic pivot to quell dissent.