CCTV FOLLIES 12.10 Xi gives speech at Arab summit.
Chinese state TV would have you believe this is the moment the world has been waiting for....
The top of the news today is the amazing speech given by Xi Jinping to the assembled Arab states.
The much-heralded speaker is here shown arriving.
MBS greets him at the door like a valued guest...
(But Xi doesn't get to stand in the middle, MBS does.)
The Arab leaders gather in a cozy room to celebrate Third World solidarity, awaiting the epoch-defining speech from China's august Chairman.
Xi starts talking...
(his own interpreter is photo-bombing this historic shot)
The audience isn't as awestruck, still and obedient as it would be in China, but the delegates pay attention for the most part.
It's a big hall and easy to get distracted.
As CCTV has it, the reaction to Xi's talk was immediate and unanimous. One head of state after another responds to his speech with glowing praise echoing his words...
"Belt and Road...new era...energy...cooperation..."
"Harmony...energy...greenification...Belt and Road again...
"As Xi said...food...security"
"Peace...cooperation...harmony...mankind..."
"Belt and Road, aviation, security, etc, etc."
Wow.
But wait, there's more! Xi is going to give another speech, this time to the Gulf States group.
But first, some colorful photo ops.
Xi is now in the familiar company of FM Wang Yi and what looks like firebrand spokeswoman Hua Chunying
Watching the CCTV footage it's impossible to know if the speech lasted one minute or one hour, because it resorts to the time-tested editing room trick of recycling reaction shots to last just as long as they need them to last. Meanwhile, Xi's speech is voiced-over in the studio.
Among other great reactions shots, the precious moment where MBS picks up a pen to jot something down would be used more than once
And finally, the host offers a few words...
Xi sits back relaxedly as MBS talks.
His foreign ministry staff looks pretty relaxed, too.
And that's the latest from beautiful downtown Riyadh.
And more meetings, and more pictures of Xi talking and more warm congratulations from one Arab head of state after another for Xi winning a new term at the victorious 20th party congress.
This goes on for twenty long, long minutes.
Xi coverage takes the oxygen out of the news, leaving little time for the rest of China and the rest of the world.
But there is other news. Wang Qishan gives a talk about trade, the 20th, and opening up at the Bund in Shanghai.
Democracy with Chinese characteristics:
China's "opposition" parties pledge fealty to CCP and vote in one voice in support of United Front.
Nary a mention of the pandemic today.
On can't help but note that the numbers of new cases are rather low for a country of over a billion.
Russia strikes Ukraine.
Ukraine fights back.
Spokesman for Russian gas says Europe's going to have a long, cold winter if they don't turn it on.
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