Authorities in the city of Chengdu, southwestern China, granted a rare exemption from censorship to the famous Chinese singer Na Ying, on Tuesday, after she added an unauthorized song to her song list, in honor of the late singer Liu Huan, during a concert she performed over the weekend. Which brought back the spotlight on China's tightening control over the entertainment sector.
Content used in live shows, including songs and scripts for stand-up comedy, must be approved in advance by local authorities, a long-standing procedure that reflects China's strict censorship of the entertainment industry.
Artists who violate these rules could face fines or be banned from participating in future performances, or even appearing in public.
The Chengdu Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism said in a statement that singer Na Ying's performance was "a short and fragmented performance during a segment to interact with the audience, and not a full performance of the song," and therefore did not require additional approval, according to what was reported by the Associated Press.
Na, one of the most influential singers in China, performed the song “Bent Moon” during her concert in Chengdu, last Saturday, in honor of her friend and late singer Liu Huan, one of the most prominent musicians in China, who passed away last Friday.
“I want to sing a song that he sang before on this stage, in his honor,” Na, dressed in black, told the audience, according to videos posted on social media. Her voice trembled while singing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for strengthening efforts aimed at “reunification” with Taiwan, the autonomous island that Beijing considers part of its territory, in a speech on Wednesday, the eve of China’s National Day.
Xi rejected "external interference" in Taiwan's affairs during his speech preceding the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, days after he stressed to US President Donald Trump the need for Washington to oppose the island's independence.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, and has not ruled out the use of force to control it, according to what Agence France-Presse reported.
"We should deepen exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, resolutely confront separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence' and oppose interference by external forces, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and advance the great cause of national reunification," Xi said.
Xi delivered his speech before hundreds of guests in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The People's Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949, after the Communist army defeated the nationalist Kuomintang forces at the end of a two-decade civil war. The defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan.
Under US law, the United States is obligated to provide Taiwan with the weapons necessary to defend itself.
Xi made an official visit to Washington last week, during which he asked Trump to be “wise” on the Taiwan issue, calling on the United States to oppose the island’s independence.
In May, Washington suspended a $14 billion arms deal with Taiwan, which Trump described as a “very strong negotiating chip” in dealing with China, raising fears that Taiwan’s security could be traded.
Xi also warned in his speech that China faces “complex international and domestic situations” that require “accelerating the construction of a new development pattern.”
He said: “We must adhere to an independent foreign policy based on peace... to instill more certainty and positive energy in a world intertwined with changes and turmoil,” according to “Xinhua.”
China and Laos have opened a joint military facility at an airport north of the capital, Vientiane, according to what the governments of the two countries announced, in a step that expands the scope of the Chinese military presence in the region, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse.
Beijing has long sought to consolidate its influence in the Asia-Pacific region, in competition with Washington and its allies over key shipping routes and seabed resources.
China has also expanded its military presence, particularly in the disputed South China Sea, most of which it claims, by creating artificial islands and reefs and equipping them with runways, ports and radar systems.
The official media outlet of the Lao Army reported that the opening of the “Joint Air Training and Support Center” at Pan Keun Air Base, north of Vientiane, took place yesterday, in the presence of the Lao Minister of Defense and a delegation from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
She added that the facility aims to support “the training of Laotian Air Force pilots and the development of their skills.”
The Chinese Ministry of Defense said that the training center and joint aviation school were officially opened yesterday, and will be “operated and maintained as usual by both sides.”
The ministry added in a statement that the two facilities “do not target any third party, and contribute to deepening practical cooperation between the two armies and maintaining regional peace and stability.”
Neither government revealed details about the number of military personnel or the type of equipment that will be deployed at the facility.
China opened its first military base abroad in 2017 in Djibouti, which benefited from its strategic location in the Horn of Africa to become an international military and maritime center.
Djibouti, located near the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, also hosts bases or forces from France, Italy, Japan and the United States.
In recent years, China has also funded development work at Cambodia's Ream Naval Base on the southern coast of the Gulf of Thailand.
Washington says this base, which was originally built partly with American funding, could give Beijing a strategic foothold near the South China Sea. But Cambodian officials have repeatedly denied that the base is intended for the use of a single foreign force.
