Xi Jinping meets Central Asian leaders in Xi’an

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

China’s Central Asia schmoozefest takes place today and tomorrow in Xi’an, where Xí Jìnpíng 习近平 is meeting the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The strongman club is not just about mutual political support, it is also about business: China’s trade with the five Central Asian countries — mostly via Xinjiang and dominated by fossil fuel imports— topped $50 billion in April, almost as much as China’s trade with the U.S.

State media: Today’s Party and government press is all about the Central Asia meeting in Xi’an, and how it is showcasing “Chinese-style modernization.”

Hong Kong public libraries have removed most books related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown as the territory continues to degrade media and educational freedoms.

The jobless rate for people aged 16-24 hit a record high of 20.4% in April, and the unemployment rate of urban residents stood at 5.2% in April.

Shein will re-enter India “as soon as this month” by partnering with the retail unit of Mumbai-headquartered conglomerate Reliance Industries, according to the Wall Street Journal. The fast fashion company was banned in India in 2020, along with more than 170 other Chinese apps.