President Xi Jinping’s rare face-to-face meeting this week with a German lawyer took on even greater significance in the wake of the Communist Party’s biggest scandal in years.
International Olympic Committee Chief Thomas Bach’s sit-down with the leader of the world’s No. 2 economy underscored Xi’s determination to ensure the Winter Games starting Feb. 4 don’t become overshadowed by political displays over a range of human rights issues, from tennis star Peng Shuai to Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Hong Kong democracy activists.
