As China prepares to host the Group of 20 economic summit meeting this weekend in Hangzhou, it is determined to show the world that it is an equal partner in one of the most exclusive clubs of wealthy nations. The conference, in this striking lakeside city south of Shanghai, will be the most significant gathering of world leaders in China’s history, and PresidentXi Jinping has ordered stringent security to ensure it goes off without a hitch. The government is using all the levers of its authoritarian system, forcing residents to move out of buildings near the meeting site to diminish the risk of protests or attacks and telling workers to take vacations to help clear the city and present a sanitized version of one of China’s most vibrant economic hubs. Read more
