(Vincent Yu/AP)On Tuesday, Politico announced a content-sharing partnership with the Hong Kong-based newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP). The paper is owned by the Chinese Internet giant the Alibaba Group, which runs the country’s most popular e-commerce platform, as well as many other businesses. Operating with the permission of China’s ruling Communist Party, Alibaba does not have that same luxury with Party Secretary Xi Jinping — China’s president — and other top Party bosses. For its part, Politico said in emailed statement from Editor in Chief John Harris: “We approached this partnership very purposefully … We will continue to write fearlessly and aggressively about the China-U.S. relationship in Politico style.”At least Politico got the “English-language part” right in its announcement. More likely, Ma and top Alibaba execs bought the paper as part of Beijing’s strategy to increase positive coverage and decrease negative coverage of China and the Party.

Source: Washington Post May 23, 2018 18:56 UTC