What’s Behind China’s Sudden Crackdown on Food Waste
Xi's "empty plates" campaign only makes sense if China’s leadership thinks there will be an even greater shock to the global trading system in the months ahead.
People in a hot pot restaurant in Chengdu Credit: Kristoffer Trolle, Creative Commons
Just as consumers began returning to restaurants for their first meals in months, Chinese leader Xi Jinping began a campaign of austerity, ordering all of China to reduce its “wasteful eating and drinking.” It was a surprising command given that most of the rest of the world’s governments are relying on vast stimulus packages to help them scramble from the deep economic hole left by Covid-19.
From an economic perspective, the move makes almost no sense. It’s counter-productive t
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If Xi Jinping is becoming more preoccupied with internal politics, it could lead to a period of relative calm in China’s relations with the United States.
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