EACH year in early August, one of the most secretive political top meetings takes place in Beidaihe. It's a popular beach resort in the Chinese Hebei province, where the ultimate top of the Chinese political leadership meets. Nothing is official, not even that the political elite must have their gathering by the seaside. The timing for the very closed political event always remains unknown but when a political quietness surrounds the top, then they most likely are in Beidaihe.

An almost official hint that something is going on can, however, be observed in certain years. Like this year, where President Xi Jinping's chief of staff Cai Qi was mentioned in the news for visiting senior science officials in Beidaihe — a clear sign that something is going on.