Danny Russell

ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, was getting beastly treatment by the Chinese who just shut him out mercilessly. I think in some circles there was certainly a view that said, you know what, let's give them a taste of their own medicine.

Right. Try a little quid pro quo. Here's some reciprocity for you, buddy.

Right. Try a little quid pro quo. Here's some reciprocity for you, buddy.

Right. Try a little quid pro quo. Here's some reciprocity for you, buddy.

That appointment was truly mind-boggling to me. I was kind of stunned, and I think many of my friends and counterparts in the Chinese foreign ministry were similarly surprised. This was a case where Xi Jinping

That appointment was truly mind-boggling to me. I was kind of stunned, and I think many of my friends and counterparts in the Chinese foreign ministry were similarly surprised. This was a case where Xi Jinping

That appointment was truly mind-boggling to me. I was kind of stunned, and I think many of my friends and counterparts in the Chinese foreign ministry were similarly surprised. This was a case where Xi Jinping

just reached into the system and plucked a loyal aide, some might say a toady, not out of obscurity, but certainly disrupted the sort of natural order, the protocol order in terms of age and service, seniority.

just reached into the system and plucked a loyal aide, some might say a toady, not out of obscurity, but certainly disrupted the sort of natural order, the protocol order in terms of age and service, seniority.

just reached into the system and plucked a loyal aide, some might say a toady, not out of obscurity, but certainly disrupted the sort of natural order, the protocol order in terms of age and service, seniority.

And that was really extraordinary.

And that was really extraordinary.

And that was really extraordinary.

What it told me is that China has now entered an imperial era. in which the leader, call him general secretary, call him president, call him emperor, it doesn't really matter, the singular leader now makes all of these personnel decisions, makes all decisions. So I think I took it much less as a story about Qin Gang and much more as a revelation about Xi Jinping.

What it told me is that China has now entered an imperial era. in which the leader, call him general secretary, call him president, call him emperor, it doesn't really matter, the singular leader now makes all of these personnel decisions, makes all decisions. So I think I took it much less as a story about Qin Gang and much more as a revelation about Xi Jinping.

What it told me is that China has now entered an imperial era. in which the leader, call him general secretary, call him president, call him emperor, it doesn't really matter, the singular leader now makes all of these personnel decisions, makes all decisions. So I think I took it much less as a story about Qin Gang and much more as a revelation about Xi Jinping.