News stories by Antoaneta Bezlova, page 5

Despite an impressive show of its increased economic and political stature at the just-finished G20 summit in London, China remains plagued by doubts about the sustainability of its economic miracle.

Amid signs of mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang’s nuclear standoff, China has remained calm and seemingly reluctant to use strong words of criticism for its neighbour and long-time communist ally.

Differences between the United States and Europe over how to restore global economic growth have given rise to speculations here on whether a failure to agree on a grand strategy at the upcoming G20 summit might create room for China to assert its national agenda.

While much hope is focused on China as the one bright spot in the current financial gloom, Chinese leaders are drawing a line on global expectations, reminding the world that their country’s priorities come first.

China has sealed off Tibet with troops and demanded that the international community recognises the legitimacy of Beijing's historical claims over the Himalayan plateau, escalating a row over its policies there.

If the global economic downturn is a crisis with a silver lining for cash-rich Chinese companies intent on bargain deals, it is equally so the image-conscious government whose human right critics have been silenced by the need to cooperate with Beijing on overcoming the recession.

The major coup scored by Chinese diplomats in sealing a string of bulk volume energy deals in the past few weeks signals a new phase in Beijing’s energy diplomacy, deployed to secure long-term resources for the country’s power-hungry economy, according to analysts here.

As nationalistic passions burn over the fate of looted Chinese artworks auctioned in Paris this week, Beijing is attempting to keep the focus on past humiliations by Western powers and away from delicate issues like human rights and China’s handling of Tibet.

The skeletons are tumbling out of China’s cupboard of buried memories. The 30th anniversary of China’s brief but bloody war with Vietnam may have gone unmarked but for the fact that Feb.17 also saw the start of the trial of the chief torturer of Cambodia’s grisly Khmer Rouge.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s upcoming maiden trip to China this week has raised both expectations and apprehensions in Beijing.