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Dec 9 21 tweets 11 min read
CCTV FOLLIES 12.09 Xi Jinping in Arabia

-Motorcade with Saudi characteristics
-Audience within an audience
-Xi hemmed in by Saudi protocol
-Like a fish out of water
-Xi regains his mojo in meetings with Egypt, Palestine
The December 9 news opens with a Xi motorcade, but this one is a little different. Motorcycles accompany his car from the airport to Riyadh, after which the Saudi cavalry takes over.
The arrival of the foreign VIP is trumpeted.
Prime Minister MBS greets Xi
They pause as respective national anthems are played
Xi may be building an anti-Western coalition, but he's the most Western-dressed man in the room.
A touching moment of cultural parity. FM Wang Yi and PM MBS exchange traditional greetings, to each his own.
Xi is more of a handshake man. Here he is seen greeting the elderly king.
Xi looks jet-lagged and a bit out of his element as, for the first time in a long time, he has to sit back and listen and let others do most of the talking.
Two unveiled women from China bring a touch of cosmopolitan sensibility to the all-male Saudi conclave.
Xi smiles bemusedly as his host dominates the discussion.
Xi claps in the background as FM Wang Yi exchanges document books with his Saudi counterpart.
Group portrait in front of portrait
(Not on CCTV)
An awkward scene not included in CCTV's coverage was the moment where Xi was forced to step forward to receive Saudi documents.
Xi can be uncomfortable with unscripted discussion as exemplified by his testy meeting with Justin Trudeau in Bali. Here he looks anxious to get out of the room.
Xi finally gets to reassert himself as master of his domain in a hotel ballroom controlled by the Chinese side where he reasserts Chinese-style protocol.
As was seen in Bangkok, where he comandeered the ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, he likes to "host" foreign leaders even when he is in a foreign country. CCTV can control the footage, Xi controls the conversation.
Here he does most of the talking as the President of Egypt listens attentively. Xi is flanked by Wang Yi and his note-taking cronies. He's even got his Chinese tea cup with him.
Xi pauses for a moment to let his "guest" speak.
President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi heartily congratulates Xi Jinping on the success of the 20th Party Congress in October...
A meeting with Chinese protocol characteristics follows with Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine.
Xi's back in his game.

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More from @jinpeili

Dec 11
Xiaoliang, the artist who did this warm digital rendering of Peng Lifa based on a photograph, is reportedly himself in trouble. This now famous picture, posted on Oct 15, was his last post.

He is said to be in detention for "picking quarrels and making trouble"
Xiao Liang, an artist from Nanchang, was arrested. Image
Xiao Liang's Twitter account contains some beautiful digital renderings of famous people and interesting faces.

Xiao Liang's support for Ukraine, which conflicts with Beijing's policy, and his opposition to Russian invasion, which Beijing has yet to acknowledge, is plain to see. Image
Read 19 tweets
Dec 10
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.... Image
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. ImageImageImageImage
MBS greets him at the door like a valued guest...

(But Xi doesn't get to stand in the middle, MBS does.) ImageImageImage
Read 32 tweets
Dec 9
CCTV FOLLIES 12.09 (continued)

In Riyadh, China talks, Africa listens.
Here Xi is meeting with head of Sudan's Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan ImageImage
Kuwait knows the routine:
"China is a great country. Let me congratulate Chairman Xi on winning a new term... ImageImageImageImage
Meanwhile, back in China, Li Keqiang is coming into his own as a spirited leader. Image
Read 15 tweets
Dec 8
Despite the "royal" welcome, Xi appears to have been wrong-footed by his hosts in Saudi Arabia. Image
He falls for the oldest trick in the book.
It's test of wills to see who forces who to step forward.
Xi loses.
MBS watches with a grin. Image
A hesitant double clap.
Not exactly the kind of enthusiastic applause that usually greets Xi Image
Read 4 tweets
Dec 8
CCTV FOLLIES 12.08 King for a day
-Xi descends from the sky to alight in Saudi Arabia
-Full ceremonials and pomp fit for a king
-In Xi's absence, Li Keqiang is number one big boss
-Cai Qi also gets a whiff of glory
-Russia tells it like it is in Ukraine Image
In an opening reminiscent of "Triumph of the Will" the man of destiny gazes down upon the earth as his craft slowly descends towards its destination. Image
His jet is soon accompanied by other jets flying in tribute to his munificence, power and grace, letting loose streamers of smoke as the big jet lands in Riyadh. ImageImageImage
Read 26 tweets
Dec 7
CCTV FOLLIES 12.07 A day of meetings
-Spirit of 20th congress spreads like a prairie fire
-All parties, ethnic groups, youth, seniors heed the call
-Next year is year of the "20th spirit"
-Russia still blowing things up in Ukraine
-US humiliated by power blackout in N. Carolina Image
The first eight minutes of the news is unbearably boring, just a long readout, but it's got Xi's thumbprint in every inch of it, so there's that.
In short, implementation of "spirit of 20th." ImageImageImageImage
Meeting in Zhongnanhai shows where these exceedingly bureaucratic ideas originate. Image
Read 28 tweets

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