It is not, dear readers, quite the situation it was with the BBC in 1930 when the radio announcer informed listeners: “Good evening. Today is Good Friday. There is no news.”
But news-wise China is in a post-Olympics mid-summer semi-doldrums. A calm before a storm? We are not apocalyptic, at least not this week. Items that caught our attention during the week included Li Ka-Shing selling Hong Kong real estate to mainland interests – definitely a sign of the times – and China’s domestic oil output production having apparently peaked and now in decline.
We have been puzzling over how to go beyond the anecdotal in terms of understanding how China’s economy is really working, especially in terms of retail sales and the middle class effect. We’ve been wondering what they are talking about at the seaside, up in Beidaihe. And we’re looking forward to the next chapter in the great drama that is China. But for now: “Good afternoon. Today is a Good Friday. There is no particular news.”