The Chinese spy balloon saga, Wang Yi's European tour, and the cancellation of the Xinjiang governor's trip to Brussels and London after outcry

+ the latest Chinese football corruption scandal and updates on the latest in Chinese music

Welcome to this week's edition of What’s Happening in China. We have a lot to cover, including the latest developments in the spy balloon saga. We'll also be looking at Wang Yi's diplomatic charm offensive in Europe and the cancellation of the Xinjiang governor's trip to Brussels and London due to pushback over human rights abuses. Additionally, we have news about the latest Chinese football corruption scandal and updates on the latest in Chinese music by

Concrete Avalanche

. Keep reading to stay informed on these topics and more.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Skyscrapers in Lujiazui, Shanghai

Xinjiang chief postpones European tour amid pushback over human rights – SCMP

Tuniyaz, the Communist Party deputy secretary in Xinjiang and chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, has been accused of facilitating a widespread campaign of oppression against Uygurs and other ethnic Muslims in Xinjiang.

Parliament says China is committing a genocide. Why were officials planning to meet one of the perpetrators? – The Guardian

The cancellation of Tuniyaz’s visit is testament to the bravery and commitment of those who fought against it. But it also attests to the inconsistency of Britain’s approach. There should have been no meeting to cancel in the first place – Tuniyaz, as a defender and an overseer of the abusive policies in Xinjiang, should not be allowed to walk the streets of London.

China faces EU criticism over treatment of Uygurs, other minorities as human rights talks resume – SCMP

The European Union denounced China’s treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang, Tibetans, and other religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities during resumed human rights talks in Brussels on Friday.

Chinese defend Hong Kong, Xinjiang record at UN hearing – AP

On Thursday, advocates for China’s Uyghur people erected an exhibit near the U.N. offices with the faces of people whom they said have been detained or disappeared, some as young as 10.

Xinjiang state security police detain outspoken ethnic Kazakh musician – RFA

Authorities in Xinjiang's regional capital Urumqi have detained an outspoken ethnic Kazakh musician, weeks after a Kazakhstan-based rights group warned that she was at risk of being hauled off to a psychiatric facility.

CORONAVIRUS

China declares ‘decisive victory’ over COVID – The Guardian

The Chinese government has declared a “decisive victory” in the battle against Covid-19, claiming it had created “a miracle in the history of human civilisation” in successfully steering China through the global pandemic.

EU countries agree to scrap COVID tests for travelers from China – Politico

Countries agreed to lift the requirement for a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test for people traveling to the EU from China by the end of February and put an end to randomly testing travelers arriving from China by mid-March.

WHO denies it 'abandoned' COVID origins investigation because of Chinese stonewalling – Yahoo News

The controversy began with a report published on Tuesday by the prestigious scientific journal Nature: “WHO abandons plans for crucial second phase of COVID-origins investigation.” There would apparently be no follow-up to the WHO’s spring 2021 report on how the pandemic began, the article said, because of an inability to “conduct crucial studies in China.”