Rumors were swirling about plans for this trip before, but today South Korea's Yonhap news agency confirmed that Kim Jong Eun, likely successor to Kim Jong Il as head of North Korea, has indeed arrived in China. According to Yonhap, Kim crossed the border into China this Friday morning over the bridge on the River Tumen, but his exact route from there on is unknown. The trip is supposedly meant to set the stage for Kim Jong Il’s youngest sons first foreign visit as a state leader, on which he will allegedly meet with high Chinese officials. The trip might also be meant to boost the legitimacy of the only 20-something year old and untested heir. more ›

Following a string of at least eight suicides among government officials this year, the state is taking action - by packing potential hires off to the shrink before taking them in. Wu Hanfei, chief of the examination and assessment center of the Communist Party of China announced at a leadership pow-wow on Sunday that those applying for official posts in government will soon have to undergo a psychological analysis during selection to assess their "psychological qualities" as well as "moral integrity". more ›

In an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria last weekend (video here), Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao spoke extensively of his devotion to political reform, democracy, and freedom of speech. The interview has subsequently been subjected to an official news blackout in China. How are Chinese netizens reacting to such blatant party-on-party censorship? WSJ reports: more ›

"I believe I and all the Chinese people have such conviction that China will make continuous progress and the people's wishes and need for democracy and freedom are irresistible. I hope you will be able to gradually see the continuous progress of China." more ›