- David Gitter, Julia Bowie, Brock Erdahl
Weekly Report 1|10 12.02.2017-12.08.2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The CCP’s International Department succeeded in securing the signatures of 300 foreign political leaders for its “Beijing Initiative,” which endorses the CCP’s vision of the future, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s status as “core leader,” the CCP’s role in promoting human progress, and China’s role as a responsible power.
The CCP Central Internet Security and Informatization Leading Group Office (Cyberspace Administration of China) and Zhejiang Provincial Government hosted the Fourth World Internet Conference, where the CCP leadership made clear its intention to build a “community of common future in cyberspace” that prioritizes respect for cyberspace sovereignty.
The CCP Central Office of Foreign Propaganda (State Council Information Office) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs sponsored the first “South-South Human Rights Forum” in Beijing, which emphasized development rights and the need for human rights promotion to match the particular conditions of each country.
The highly authoritative People’s Daily commentary vehicle “Ren Zhongping” lauded the results of the World Political Parties Dialogue, which was said to prove that the CCP is shouldering its responsibility of working with other political parties toward building a community with a shared future for mankind.
SENIOR LEADERS
Xi Jinping Emphasizes Cyber Sovereignty in His Letter to the World Internet Conference
12.3-5 The fourth World Internet Conference was held from 3 to 5 December in Wuzhen, China. Xi Jinping said in his congratulatory letter to the Conference that the development of the Internet has brought new challenges to the sovereignty, security, and development of nations. He wrote that building a Community of Common Future in Cyberspace (网络空间命运共同体) is gradually becoming the consensus of international society, and emphasizing that China urges international society to respect cyberspace sovereignty. Xi vowed that China would not close its doors to the global Internet and would only open them wider and wider. Politburo Standing Committee Member Wang Huning (王沪宁) attended the opening ceremony of the Conference and said that China is willing to work with each country to use the digital economy as a driver to push for cyberspace openness, cooperation, exchanges, and sharing. He also said that foreign internet firms are welcome to invest in China, while China is ready to take a bigger role in global Internet governance.
Minister of Environmental Protection: Reinforcing Eco-environmental Protection to Build a Beautiful China
12.4 Minister of Environmental Protection Li Ganjie (李干杰) published an article in the Economic Daily to emphasize the importance of focusing on eco-environmental protection and achieving the goal of building a “Beautiful China.” He said Xi’s strategic thoughts on eco-civilization construction must be deeply studied. These thoughts include respecting and protecting nature, reducing pollution to increase people’s “sense of gain”, and institutionalizing environmental reforms and laws. The article advocates for living a simple lifestyle in order to deeply implement the reforms on eco-environmental protection.
Xi Jinping Pens Congratulatory Letter to “South-South Human Rights Forum”
12.08 Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to China’s “South-South Human Rights Forum” in which he outlined the role China can play in promoting human rights in developing countries. His letter declares that people in developing countries have made significant contributions to improving human rights through their struggles for national independence and liberation, freedom and equality, dignity and happiness, and peace and development. He emphasized that the cause of human rights must be promoted only according to the actual conditions of each country and the needs of its people. Developing countries must therefore uphold the principle of combining the universality and the particularity of human rights and continuously raise the standard of human rights protection. China is willing to work with other developing countries to advance these goals. The forum drew around 300 participants from 50 developing countries.
PROPAGANDA WORK
Ren Zhongping: The Power of Ideology Opens Up the New Era; the Path of Rejuvenation Opens Up the New Journey (Reflections on Studying the 19th Party Congress)
Part 1: People’s Daily Part 2: People’s Daily
12.4-5 A People’s Daily commentary under the highly authoritative pen name Ren Zhongping, standing for “important People’s Daily commentary” (人民日报的重要评论), discusses the achievements and the influence of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The commentary begins with a discussion of the World Political Parties Dialogue, which was completed in Beijing on 3 December. It says that the successful dialogue shows that the CCP, the world’s largest political party and the ruling party of the world’s largest developing country, is shouldering the responsibility of working with other political parties toward building a community of shared future for mankind and leading the people to build a better world. The commentary declares that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the driving ideology behind China’s historic achievements over the past five years. It will continue to lead the Party, and the Western world will realize that “the CCP has made the best choice.”
According to the commentary, Xi Jinping Thought is comprised of using the China Dream to establish a timeline, using the “four comprehensives” to reconstruct strategy, implementing comprehensively deepening reform to improve governance, emphasizing socialist core values, building a beautiful China, strictly ruling the Party, and building a community of common future for mankind. This guiding ideology has gotten China closer to achieving the dream of national rejuvenation and has contributed China’s wisdom and model to the world to solve humanity’s problems. The Party’s absolute leadership in pushing forward reforms and the anti-corruption campaign is the core of the China Path. Only with it can the country allocate resources and achieve successes in developing and cultivating technology, infrastructure, new energy, and entrepreneurship. The commentary concludes that the China path has won the recognition of the world, and a New Era has started.
Zhong Sheng: Let Global Internet Governance Benefit the People
12.4 A People’s Daily commentary under the pen name Zhong Zheng (钟声), which stands for “Voice of China” and/or “Sounding the Alarm Bell” and authoritatively transmits the official positions of People’s Daily on matters of international affairs, discusses China’s position on global Internet governance and the digital economy in the aftermath of the World Internet Conference held in Wuzhen this week. The article declares that China will continue to work hand in hand with countries of the world in letting the development of the Internet benefit each country’s people. It declares that China’s efforts to build a “community of common future in cyberspace” is increasingly becoming the global consensus.
UNITED FRONT WORK
Wang Zhimin: Strengthen Propaganda and Education on the Constitution, National Consciousness, and Patriotism
12.03 Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong Wang Zhimin (王志民) published an article urging the strengthening of propaganda and education about the constitution, national consciousness, and patriotism on Hong Kong’s inaugural “National Constitution Day.” He wrote that strengthening education on the constitution will strengthen national consciousness and patriotism in Hong Kong and ensure that the practice of “one country, two systems” will never be distorted. It will also strengthen the rule of law in Hong Kong to ensure nothing undermines the country’s constitutional order. It will further Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country and the rejuvenation of the motherland. On the same day, the South China Morning Post reported that the legal head of the Liaison office Wang Zhenmin made unprecedented remarks urging citizens of Hong Kong to accept that they are “red China” and led by the CCP.
6.96 Billion RMB Allocated to Xinjiang Poverty Relief Efforts in 2018 Central Budget
12.5 The United Front Work Department reported that 6.96 billion RMB had been allocated to support poverty relief programs in Xinjiang in the 2018 Central Budget. This amount reportedly surpasses the actual funds spent on Xinjiang poverty relief by 21%, and exceeds the designated 2017 poverty relief budget by 103%.
Non-Party Intellectuals and New Social Classes Attend Seminar on Studying and Implementing the 19th Party Congress
12.08 The United Front Work Department held a seminar for non-Party intellectuals and new social classes to study and implement the spirit of the 19th Party Congress. Attendees reportedly agreed that they must unify their thinking and actions with those of the Party center with Xi Jinping at the core.
PARTY DISCIPLINE
Half of China’s Red List Fugitives Now Caught
12.5 The Zhejiang Provincial Public Security Department, in coordination with the Fugitive Repatriation and Asset Recovery Office of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group, arrested Zhou Jiyang (周骥阳) on 1 December. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced this arrest means that half of the wanted fugitives on China’s Red List (百名红通) have been arrested within two years. A supervisor at the Fugitive Repatriation and Asset Recovery Office said this demonstrates the Party’s resolution to bring fugitives to justice.
Data Analysis: As the Implementation of the Eight Point Guideline of the Center Grows Stricter, the Frequency of Violations is Declining
12.6 The CCDI presented data demonstrating that, while punishments for discipline violations have steadily risen in the past five years, the rate of violations of the Eight Point Guideline (八项规定) has begun to decline, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Guideline in checking the targeted behaviors. The Eight-Point Guideline regulates the work ethic of Party members, demanding they simplify travel arrangements, make their documents and presentations concise, report only necessary news, refrain from publishing work in their own names, and pursue frugal lifestyles.
CCDI Holds Reception Commemorating International Anti-Corruption Day
12.6 The CCDI held a reception to commemorate the 14th International Anti-Corruption Day in Beijing. 156 representatives from 122 different countries and international organizations based in China were in attendance. The CCDI used the occasion to call for advancing international anti-corruption cooperation and promoting the establishment of a new international anti-corruption order to make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Attendees reportedly stated that the Chinese experience in combating corruption is useful for international anti-corruption cooperation and the One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative has provided new opportunities for such cooperation.
CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION (CMC)
Central Military Commission Releases Notice to Require PLA and People’s Armed Police to Study the Second Volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China
12.4 The Central Military Commission General Office recently released a “Notice on Diligently Organizing and Studying the Second Volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” (关于认真组织学习〈习近平谈治国理政〉第二卷的通知) requiring the PLA and People’s Armed Police to deeply study Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The Notice emphasizes that the background, scientific system, spiritual essence, and practical requirements of the Thought should be deeply studied to consolidate the political belief of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi’s thought on building a strong army should also be established as the instruction for the construction of national defense and the military.
INTERNATIONAL LIAISON WORK
CCP and World Political Parties Dialogue: Beijing Initiative
12.3 At the conclusion of the CCP and World Political Parties Dialogue in Beijing, the participants issued a document titled the “Beijing Initiative,” which calls on political parties around the world to contribute to global peace and development. The document contains the signatures of more than 300 political leaders from 120 countries who attended the conference. The document extols the achievements of the CCP, and endorses Xi’s leadership, Xi Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the One Belt One Road Initiative, and “building a community of shared future for mankind.” Other notable points of the document are that participants: advocate respect for each country’s development path and values; call for the abandonment of a “Cold War mentality”; note that China’s OBOR-related concepts have “entered into people’s hearts day by day”; note that the CCP stands for humanity’s progress; and recognize that the CCP Central Committee with Xi at its core has displayed China’s role as a responsible power.
Song Tao: Exhibit the Function of Political Parties, Join Hands in Building a More Beautiful World
12.4 International Department Minister Song Tao (宋涛) attended an interview with People’s Daily at the closing of the CCP’s World Political Parties Dialogue, in which he explained to reporters the CCP’s vision for international political party cooperation. Song said that the goals of the conference were threefold: first, it explains to the political parties of the world the global significance of Xi Jinping Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; second, it creates a platform for communication and dialogue among political parties in which the CCP plays a leading role; third, it creates an opportunity for the CCP to contribute to the efforts of global political parties to build a better world.
Recapping the achievements of the conference, Song emphasized the importance of the formation of the “Beijing Initiative,” which he says reflects the common wisdom of political parties. All attendees agreed that Xi Jinping’s address at the conference reflects the CCP’s global outlook and development and governance concepts, helping to promote a community of shared future for mankind. They also affirmed Xi Jinping’s historic achievements at the 19th Party Congress and that China’s achievements are due to the strong leadership of the CCP with Xi Jinping as the core. Lastly, they expressed the expectation that China would play a greater role in leading world politics.
Song also discussed the idea of a “new type of inter-party relations” (新型党际关系), in which political parties work together to build a community of shared future for mankind and construct a “new type of international relations” (新型国际关系).
The Tenth U.S.-China High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue Held in Beijing
12.4 The tenth U.S.-China High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue was held in Beijing. The topic of the year was “China and the United States: A New Starting Point, New Opportunity, and New Cooperation.” The Dialogue was held under the framework of the CCP and World Political Parties Dialogue held by the CCP International Department. Around 50 delegates from China and from the U.S. Republican and Democratic parties and important think tanks attended.
A Mutually Beneficial Community of Shared Future for China and Africa
12.5 Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hassen discussed the role of political party cooperation in China-Africa relations in an interview with Guangming Daily. He said that, in the process of building a community of shared future for China and Africa, the role of the political party should not be underestimated, as the mission of political parties is to seek a better life for people, bring prosperity to the country, and formulate new policies. He stated that China under the leadership of the CCP has experienced tremendous societal and economic changes through strong leadership, strategy, a commitment to its development agenda, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Hassen therefore paid close attention to the development goals set at the 19th Party Congress, looking to the CCP for inspiration. He said African political parties have a similar responsibility to contribute to global development, and should work hand-in-hand with the CCP to achieve a community of shared future for mankind.
International Department
12.3 International Department Minister Song Tao (宋涛) met Ulises Guilarte, Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Politburo Member, General Secretary of Workers’ Central Union of Cuba for the CCP in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting and emphasized that the CCP is ready to make efforts for a community of shared future for mankind jointly with Cuba.
12.3 International Department leaders also met with a representative from the A Just Russia Party, Secretary-General of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), General Secretary of the Mongolian People's Party, and leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.
12.4 International Department leaders met with the leaders of various governments and political parties in Beijing. Meetings were held with an Iranian study group from the Expediency Discernment Council of the System, a member of the National Secretariat of Italy’s Democratic Party, Mongolia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Secretary of Panama’s Panameñista Party, Secretary-General of Costa Rica’s Citizens' Action Party, Vice President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, and representatives from the ruling parties of the English-speaking Caribbean states.
12.5 International Department Assistant Minister Wang Yajun (王亚军) met with Nguyen Van Huynh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Peace Committee, in Beijing. Both sides expressed an interest in further developing bilateral relations.
12.5-7 Li Shulei (李书磊), a deputy secretary of the CCDI, led the Spirit of the 19th Party Congress Foreign Propaganda Group on a trip to Switzerland. Over 100 representatives of the Swiss government, Federal Assembly, business world, think tanks, civic organizations, and media attended a meeting on the Spirit of the 19th Party Congress in Bern on December 6.
12.7 The International Forum on Belt and Road Port Cities was held in Tianjin. Song Tao addressed the opening ceremony, which was attended by national political leaders, port city politicians, entrepreneurs, and think tank scholars from over 40 countries. In the afternoon, International Department Vice Minister Guo Yezhou (郭业州) convened the first meeting of the International Advisory Board Silk Road Think Tank Association. Socialist International President and former Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou, former President of Slovenia Danilo Türk, former Prime Minister of France Dominique de Villepin, former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, and former Prime Minister of Tanzania Mizengo Pinda were among the attendees. Guo as well as representatives from Slovenia, Serbia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka made speeches at the forum’s closing ceremony.
ORGANIZATION WORK
Zhong Zuxuan: Establishing Organization Work in the New Era through Learning and Implementing the Spirit of the 19th Party Congress
12.6 The Central Organization Department published an article under the pen name Zhong Zuxuan (仲组轩), indicating the commentary is an authoritative announcement by the department (中央组织部宣布). The article says that the organizational departments at the basic level have studied and implemented the spirit of the 19th Party Congress and insisted on using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide to increase the quality of organization work. Key measures adopted include holding training sessions for party members and non-state-owned businesses and using Wechat and other mobile apps to promote the learning of the 19th Party Congress spirit. City and county-level organization departments have also reinforced the division system of work to ensure the organizational strength of the departments. Organization units are also being more active in recruiting talents and focusing on providing political guidance to them.
12.2 Chen Zhu (陈竺) was elected chairman of the Central Committee Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party.
12.6 Wan Gang (万钢) was elected chairman of the central committee of the China Zhi Gong Party.
12.7 Gan Lin (甘霖), Zhang Endi (张恩迪), and Lv Caixia (吕彩霞) were elected vice chairpersons of the central committee of the China Zhigong Party.
12.7 Cai Dafeng (蔡达峰) was elected chairman of the central committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy.
12.8 Wu Weihua (武维华) was elected chairman of the central committee of the Jiusan Society.
12.8 Zhou Liang (周亮) was appointed vice chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission in November.
12.8 Wu Yan (吴焰) was appointed Vice Chairman of the National Council for Social Security Fund