Your columnist finally got around to watching the Chinese film “No More Bets,” a summer blockbuster in the mainland which one can find online, after some struggle, with English subtitles. It’s clearly a work of self-pity with a clear government PR message – try not to get conned by scammers – and it has managed to excite several Southeast Asian governments into banning its screening because of the apparent message that once you step foot outside China, or one foot inside Southeast Asia, it’s nothing but crime and anarchy.
In full: https://thediplomat.com/2024/01/chinas-self-pitying-empire/
