The China Media Group New Year’s Gala, which was broadcast throughout China and abroad on the eve of the Lunar New Year, featured an appearance by combat and armored troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Was this somewhat jarring segment intended more as a warning to the domestic audience or the international community?
Either way, the inclusion of such a militaristic item in the midst of festive celebrations is quite in keeping with China’s global image.
Last year marked a turning point in the course of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) growing power. Speaking of his government’s achievements over the past year, Xi claimed that employment and prices were generally stable, and that a glance around world showed that “the landscape here is beyond compare.”
