A young Tibetan appointed by China’s atheist Communist Party as the second-highest leader of Tibetan Buddhism has pledged to make the religion more Chinese.

China sought to depict a call between Xi Jinping and President Trump as an appeal from one strongman leader to another to run a tight ship and stay on course.

Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Belarus as a true friend of China as he met Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of the sanctions-hit European nation, on Wednesday and urged the Russian ally to join Beijing in opposing "hegemony and bullying".

President Donald Trump, who’s been hit with “TACO” (Trump Always Chickens Out) taunts on his tariff threats, appeared to gripe about his bargaining difficulties with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Truth Social early Wednesday.

Xi Zhongxun was purged by the Communist Party he served and went on to help reform Chinese politics. His son is the most authoritarian leader since Mao.

Rumors are swirling that Xi Jinping is losing control over the Chinese military after a series of high level purges.