CCTV FOLLIES 5.15 GETTING READY FOR VLAD, THE PALER

CCTV news put on hold while nation holds its bated breath to hail arrival of a merciless dictator -JINPING & VLAD: a bromance for the ages! -Denizens of the Yangtze express deep appreciation for Xi!

There’s glowing news from Russia, but that comes later in the program.

It’s a light news day on the domestic front, a day of nothingness so unbearably light and fluffy it opens up with a readout about a remarkable reply letter from the remarkable Xi calling for more efforts to get more people to know about the Great Wall.

What?

The lull and banality signifies the seriousness with which Putin’s imminent visit is being accorded. Xi has to be well-rested for that, so the daily personality cult segments have been reduced to re-runs and non-stories.

The Jinping-Vlad bromance is up and running,still going strong, and still in full blossom for the two bosom buddies for whom there is no top or bottom to the relationship.

Xi describes Putin as "an old friend" of Xi and the Chinese people, saying that China welcomes the Russian president to pay a state visit to China after assuming office.

Putin, in a speech prepared to herald his latest visit says:

"Xi and I first met back in March 2010, and we h…