Wins for Chinese diplomacy?

Here’s what you need to know about China today:

Top story: Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 was unanimously sworn into his third term as China’s president. Some are hoping that Lǐ Qiáng 李强, Xi’s second-in-command and the man in charge of leading the economy, might counterbalance some of Xi’s more extreme political tendencies. Scroll down for a summary or click through for the whole thing.

China helped broker a landmark deal between rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran to reestablish diplomatic ties after seven years, a win for Chinese diplomacy as Beijing becomes increasingly important in the Middle East.

Xi plans to speak with Zelenskyy and meet with Putin on separate occasions within the next week or so, as China plays a more active role to mediate peace talks in the Ukraine war. A virtual meeting with Zelenskyy, if all goes according to plan, would mark the first time Xi directly speaks with the Ukrainian president since the start of the war. Meanwhile, Xi’s visit to Russia builds on an earlier trip by top Chinese diplomat Wáng Yì 王毅 last month, and after Beijing announced a 12-point peace proposal on the one-year anniversary of Putin’s invasion.

Canada launched probes into two alleged Chinese overseas police stations in Quebec, according to local police, after Spain-based human rights group Safeguard Defenders reported last September that China was operating scores of such stations across the world. Ottawa has come under growing pressure in recent months to shield its domestic affairs from foreign interference — particularly from China.

Three Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been jailed for four and a half months, after they were convicted last week under the city’s National Security Law. Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤 Zōu Xìngtóng), Tang Ngok-kwan (邓岳君 Dèng Yuèjūn), and Tsui Hon-kwong (徐汉光 Xú Hànguāng), former leaders of a now-defunct group that organized annual vigils to mark the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in China, were found guilty of failing to provide authorities with information on the group’s activities.

China’s liquor companies sold less hooch but made more money in 2022; no one is really reassured by the new Chinese premier’s rhetorical support for the private sector; and beleaguered appliance chain and failed ecommerce company Gome had a terrible 2022: Click through for today’s Business Briefs from the Chinese Media.