PRC: U.S. should be grateful, as EU says Beijing is 'laughing' at trade wars

Plus, Dalai Lama says his successor will be born in 'free world'

Welcome back to What’s Happening in China, your weekly China brief.

I hope you’ve had a great week.

The “two sessions” concluded on Tuesday, March 11, with no big surprises. At the top of the agenda, the government signaled its intent to boost domestic consumption and increase investment in science, technology, and innovation—seen as key drivers of national development. As expected, there was no announcement of a stimulus “bazooka,” with Beijing opting for caution and keeping some leeway in case trade tensions with the U.S. escalate further. Asia Society provided a succinct summary of the meetings’ key takeaways.

As trade disputes continue, a senior Chinese foreign ministry official expressed frustration on Wednesday, Reuters reported. At a briefing in Beijing, the official remarked, “The U.S. should’ve said a big thank you to us,” referring to the PRC’s cooperation in curbing the flow of fentanyl precursors. The comment seemed to echo Trump and JD Vance’s recent rebuke of Zelenskyy in t…