- David Gitter, Julia Bowie, Nathanael Callan
Weekly Report 1|33 6.02.2018-6.08-2018
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Xi Jinping conferred the first Friendship Medal of The People’s Republic of China upon Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Xi Jinping met with President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, discussing China’s bilateral relations with those countries.
Premier Li Keqiang convened a State Council executive meeting to plan the work of reforming and innovating market supervision management.
CCP propaganda discussed ways to improve the Party’s image abroad, including emphasizing common values between the CCP and the international community, taking a proactive position in leading international public opinion, and fostering a positive image with the help of opinion leaders.
SENIOR LEADERS
Li Zhanshu: Strictly Enforce the Law to Guarantee More Blue Skies
6.2-5 During an inspection tour of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Politburo Standing Committee member Li Zhanshu (栗战书) called for advancing the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Air Pollution Prevention & Control Law and unremittingly pursuing the construction of a ecological security barrier in China’s northern territory to guarantee more blue skies. Li led a National People’s Congress Standing Committee inspection team on visits to electric, steel, coal, chemical, and new energy vehicle companies in Hohhot, Baotou and Ordos to check on efforts to prevent air pollution and reduce energy consumption. Li pointed out that environmental problems are fundamentally economic development problems and advocated green development as a solution. He expressed special concern over the problem of winter heating, stressing the need to use methods in line with local circumstances (因地制宜) to generate heat and reduce pollution from coal.
Han Zheng: Reform the Construction Project Approval System
6.3-4 While carrying out an inspection tour in Xiamen, Fujian Province, Politburo Standing Committee member Han Zheng (韩正) delivered a speech at a conference on a pilot program for the reform of the construction project approval system. He stated that the reform of the construction project approval system is an important part of government function transformation and business environment optimization. Han emphasized that the pilot program must stress the “Four Unities” (四个统一), namely unified approval procedures, information- and data-sharing platforms, the approval system, and supervision. He insisted all relevant departments must support, conform with, and push forward the reform to ensure it is completed on time.
Li Keqiang: Make “Internet Plus” More Beneficial to the Public
6.4 During an inspection tour in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Li Keqiang emphasized the need to make “Internet Plus” (互联网+) more beneficial to the public. At a hospital, he praised “Internet Plus” for making it easier for people in impoverished areas to receive good public services. Similarly, while visiting a middle school, he praised “Internet Plus” for helping students from impoverished areas to listen to lectures from good teachers and broaden their horizons. Li also visited a startup center and resettled community in Yinchuan. While at the former, he stated that, “We must build a better environment for entrepreneurship and innovation to make more promising young people give full play to their intelligence and wisdom.”
Xi Jinping Meets With Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov
6.6 Xi Jinping met with Kyrgyz president Sooronbay Jeenbekov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. According to the article, both sides unanimously agreed to establish a Sino-Kyrgyz comprehensive strategic partnership and open up a new chapter of bilateral, friendly cooperation. After the completion of talks, both sides jointly signed a statement titled “Joint Declaration on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the People’s Republic of China and Kyrgyz Republic” (中华人民共和国和吉尔吉斯共和国关于建立全面战略伙伴关系联合声明). The article noted that this is the first time China has started to use a newly reformed state visit welcome ceremony, reflecting China’s move towards major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for a new era (新时代中国特色大国外交).
Li Keqiang Convenes a State Council Executive Meeting
6.6 Premier Li Keqiang convened a State Council executive meeting to plan the work of reforming and innovating market supervision management. The meeting pointed out that market supervision should be conducted by randomly selecting the inspectors and inspectees and making the inspection results public. The meeting also stressed that the implementation of the social credit system should adhere to practical application and setting up legislation first. A black list system should be established to expose those involved in infringement, fraud, and false advertising, and business secrets and personal privacy should be protected.
Xi Jinping Meets with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev
6.7 Xi Jinping met with the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. The leaders decided to consolidate China and Kazakhstan’s traditional friendship and work together in their journeys toward national rejuvenation. Xi described China-Kazakhstan relations as a model of friendly relations between neighbouring countries and indicated China is ready to advance along the road to a community of shared future for mankind with Kazakhstan. He recalled how he first announced the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative while in the company of the Kazakh president at Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev University five years ago and noted the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been positively received by the international community since then. Nazarbayev stated China is a friendly neighbour and important cooperative partner of Kazakhstan.
Following their meeting, Xi and Nazarbayev signed a joint statement and witnessed the signing of documents on bilateral cooperation. Xi Jinping Confers First PRC Friendship Medal upon Putin in Beijing Xinhua
6.8 Xi Jinping conferred the first Friendship Medal of The People’s Republic of China upon Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. At the ceremony, Xi Jinping noted that the Friendship Medal is the highest honor the PRC can bestow upon a foreigner. He stressed that this medal reflected the great respect the people of China have for Vladimir Putin. Politburo Standing Committee members Wang Huning (王沪宁) and Han Zheng (韩正), Central Committee General Office Director Ding Xuexiang (丁薛祥), National People’s Congress Standing Committee vice chairperson Wang Chen (王晨), Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Yang Jiechi (杨洁篪), and other senior officials also attended the meeting.
PROPAGANDA WORK
Chinese Side of US-China Trade Negotiations Publishes Statement
6.3 The leader of the Chinese side in the US-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue Liu He (刘鹤) met with the American delegation head Wilbur Ross at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Concrete headway was made on discussions pertaining to agriculture and energy. However, the details still require final confirmations from both sides. The article states that should the United States implement tariffs in trade punishment measures, the accomplishments of the bilateral talks will not take effect.
Increasingly Promote the Governance Image of the CCP in the International Arena
6.4 An article in the Red Flag Manuscript discussed the global image of the CCP’s governance. It described four aspects of the CCP’s international image building efforts, which include setting the primary images for the Party, searching for effective methods for international dissemination, releasing China’s media power, and attaching importance to the international dissemination of CCP culture. It summarized the core image of CCP governance in the international community as its people-centered, responsible, honest, and upright governance. The article mentioned that Xi Jinping pointed out that China’s international power of discourse (话语权) does not match up to China’s international status. This is not just because the West dominates the world’s public opinion, but also because China has not developed an effective way to tell the CCP’s stories. To make a breakthrough, the authors suggested the CCP improve its way of telling stories, emphasize the common values between the CCP and international community, and realize mutual understanding based on the foundation of effective communication. In addition, the authors recommended building authoritative media with international perspectives, taking a proactive position in leading international public opinion, and fostering a positive image with the help of opinion leaders.
Zhong Sheng: Unremittingly Strive to Build a Bridge between People
6.5 The People’s Daily published the fourth and final article of its series on the upcoming 9-10 June meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member state leaders in Qingdao. The series was published under the commentary pen name “Zhong Sheng” (钟声), which stands for “Voice of China” and authoritatively transmits the official positions of the People's Daily on matters of international affairs. The fourth article focused on the first SCO media summit, which was held on 1 June. It said that the summit embodied the unremitting efforts China has put into building a bridge between the people of SCO participant countries. More than 110 media outlets from 16 countries attended the summit to exchange ideas on reinforcing media exchange and cooperation under the SCO framework. The commentary said that “respecting diverse civilizations” is an important aspect of the “Shanghai spirit” (上海精神). Over the past 17 years, the SCO has held various cultural exchange activities to promote mutual understanding and friendship between different civilizations.
PD Commentator Article: Unflinchingly Strengthen Intellectual Property Rights Protection
6.6 The People’s Daily published a commentator article to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Outline of the National Intellectual Property Strategy. It noted China has been the country with the most patent and trademark applications for many years already and described high-speed rail, nuclear power, and new generation mobile communication as forming the country’s core intellectual property rights. The commentary portrayed intellectual property rights protection as an international obligation befitting a responsible great power such as China and argued such protection is necessary for encouraging innovation, improving international competitiveness, and promoting openness. It also maintained such protection will help China to realize its goal of becoming a strong country in science and technology.
UNITED FRONT WORK
Huang Kunming Meets with Overseas Chinese Language Media Representatives Xinhua
6.2 Propaganda Department Head Huang Kunming (黄坤明) met with overseas Chinese language media representatives in Beijing. At the meeting, Huang pointed out that overseas Chinese language media and the new media are envoys for disseminating Chinese culture overseas and serve as a window for the world to understand China. Huang noted that Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is an era for the sons and daughters of China to strive to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese Dream era. Huang wants overseas Chinese language media outlets to actively follow the changes in China’s development, vividly discuss China’s practices, become passionate disseminators of Chinese culture, and actively push for exchanges between China and the outside world.
Wang Yang: Use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to Consolidate and Expand the United Front in a New Era
6.4 Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Yang (汪洋) delivered a speech on united front work at a seminar on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the Spirit of the 19th Party Congress. He emphasized that, as Socialism with Chinese Characteristics has entered a new era, “the mission shouldered by the united front is even heavier and its place and role are even more important.” He called for consistently adhering to the CCP’s leadership over united front work, deepening familiarity with the major advantages and bright prospects of China’s new type of party system (新型政党制度), and conscientiously preventing and rectifying formalism, bureaucratism, and vulgar conduct in united front work.
United Front Work Department head You Quan (尤权) presided over the seminar’s opening ceremony. Leaders from the democratic parties and All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, non-Party representatives, and cadres from central state organs, judicial organs, and local governments all participated in the event.
Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee Launches Research Series on Conference’s Party Construction Xinhua
6.3 Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Vice Chairmen Zhang Qingli (张庆黎), Liu Qibao (刘奇葆), and Xia Baolong (夏宝龙) separately led three research teams to Liaoning, Qinghai, Guizhou, Guangxi, Ningxia, and Hubei to investigate the local construction of CPPCC party mechanisms and hold discussions. The Vice Chairmen listened to the proposals and ideas of local CPPCC committee members and cadres. The visits were to prepare for this year’s National CPPCC Party construction conference.
The Academic Value and Multiple Lessons of Sinicization of Religions: A Theoretical Study
6.5 An article in China Ethnic News discussed a recent book by Peking University Religion and Culture Institute head Zhang Zhigang (张志刚), Sinicization of Religions: A Theoretical Study (“宗教中国化”义理研究). According to the article, the book pointed out that the reason why major religions are able to spread is their ability to localize, nationalize, and contextualize. In other words, religion has long been adapting to societies and cultures and should continue to do so for its continued existence and development. The author argued that the cores of the sinicization of religions are “cultural identity,” “national identity,” and “social identity.” Among the three, cultural identity is most fundamental since national and social identities are both built on the foundation of cultural identity.
Five Departments Jointly Release Regulations for Citizen’s Behavior towards Ecological Environment
6.5 The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, General Office of the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, Ministry of Education, Communist Youth League Central Committee, and All-China Women’s Federation jointly released a collection of trial regulations for citizen’s behavior towards the ecological environment (公民生态环境行为规范(试行)) on 5 June, World Environment Day. The regulations call for people to harmoniously and naturally develop and modernize to construct a new system, strengthen citizen’s environmental consciousness, and guide citizens towards becoming ecological civilization practitioners and constructors of a beautiful China. The document also calls for citizens to make positive lifestyle changes to lessen their impact on the environment. All-China Federation of Trade Unions 16th Congress 16th Presidential Meeting Held in Beijing Office of the National Committee of the Trade Union of Financial and Commercial Workers, Light Industry and Textile Workers, Tobacco Industry Workers
6.6 All-China Federation of Trade Union (ACFTU) Chairman Wang Dongming (王东明) presided over the ACFTU 16th Congress 16th Presidential Meeting in Beijing. The meeting was convened to deeply study and implement the newest thoughts of the Central Committee, particularly the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important directives.
Wang noted that the 17th Meeting will be a major event in the political lives of a broad swath of workers and labor union cadres.
Wang Yang Delivers Speech at 10th Straits Forum
6.6-7 Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Yang (汪洋) delivered a speech at the opening ceremony for the 10th Straits Forum in Xiamen on 6 June. He argued that adhering to the embodiment of the One-China principle, the 1992 Consensus, is the key to ensuring peace and development in cross-Strait relations. Wang declared that Taiwan independence splittist forces and their activities harm China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and incite enmity and antagonism between cross-Strait compatriots, making such forces the biggest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and necessitating resolute opposition to their activities. He called for expanding and deepening economic cooperation as well as Taiwan’s increased participation in cultural exchange.
Kuomintang Vice Chairman Hau Lung-pin (郝龙斌) also delivered a speech at the forum. This speech was highly reminiscent of Wang’s as it also called for adhering to the 1992 Consensus, opposing Taiwan independence, and advancing economic cooperation and cultural exchange.
Wang inspected Taiwanese companies and communities, visited Xiamen University’s Taiwan Research Institute, and held talks with representatives of Taiwanese compatriots working in Fujian on 7 June.
PARTY DISCIPLINE
Ministry of Ecology and Environment Holds Talks with Officials from Shizhu, Yulin, and Yichun on Environmental Problems
6.4 The Ministry of Ecology and Environment held talks with Party and governmental leaders from Shizhu County (石柱县), Yulin (玉林), and Yichun (宜春) to discuss recently discovered environmental problems in the three locales. The Ministry demanded all three must “treat central environmental protection supervision and reform tasks seriously, strictly prohibit superficial reform, perfunctory responses, and muddling through, rigorously manage nature reserves, and in no way permit seeking growth at any time or place that comes with the cost of destroying the ecology and environment.” During the talks, officials from Shizhu were criticized for ineffective reforms and perfunctory responses, Yulin for passive attitudes and ineffective measures, and Yichun for treating environmental supervision work as a mere formality and allowing related industries to seriously violate environmental laws.
Yang Xiaodu Meets with Thailand’s Chief Ombudsman
6.6 Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) deputy secretary and National Supervision Commission (NSC) director Yang Xiaodu (杨晓渡) met with the Chief Ombudsman of Thailand Viddhavat Rajatanun in Beijing. Yang expressed hope that China and Thailand can deepen their anti-corruption cooperation and boost their comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation. Viddhavat stated that Thailand is willing to strengthen mutual learning opportunities and jointly combat corruption with China. CCDI deputy secretary and NSC deputy director Li Shulei (李书磊) also met with Viddhavat on the same day. Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the NSC and Thailand’s Office of the Ombudsman.
Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group Releases List of 50 Fugitive Graft Suspects Living Abroad
6.6 The Fugitive Repatriation and Asset Recovery Office of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group released a list of 50 fugitive graft suspects who have fled overseas and launched a website for reporting information on the suspects. The announcement noted China has captured 4,141 fugitives from more than 90 countries and other regions and recovered nearly 10 billion RMB through Operation Skynet (天网行动), the country’s international manhunt for fugitive graft suspects living abroad, as of the end of April 2018.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection produced several graphics elaborating on the list. One on the country or region the fugitive graft suspects are believed to currently reside in showed nearly half (23) are in the United States. Canada and New Zealand came in a distant second (11) and third (6) respectively. Another graphic on the types of crime involved revealed embezzlement, accepting bribes, and misappropriating public money were the most common. A final graphic on the duration of the suspects’ time abroad showed five years or less and 15-20 years tied for first place with 16 suspects each.
CENTRAL MILITARY COMMISSION (CMC)
Chinese Experts Proactively Elaborate the “China Plan” for Long-term Peace and Stability of Asia-Pacific
6.2 The 17th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit (also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue) was held in Singapore from 1 to 3 June. The head of the Chinese delegation, PLA Academy of Military Science Vice President He Lei (何雷), pointed out during the Summit that China advocates for a shared, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security viewpoint, a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as its core, and partnerships over alliances. CMC International Military Cooperation Office Security Cooperation Center Director Zhou Bo (周波) added that the core of China’s current vision of the Asia-Pacific security framework is cooperation and not opposition and that only with relatively stable US-China relations can the Asia-Pacific region be stable.
Do Not Unilaterally Interpret Civil-Military Integration
6.5 An article in PLA Daily pointed out that the will of some military units to take initiatives has weakened. For instance, some units unilaterally interpreted civil-military integration as relying on local governments, or using civil-military integration as an excuse to delegate some of their construction tasks to local governments. The authors emphasized that the meaning of civil-military integration is to “transform military use into civil use” (军转民) to make national defense technologies beneficial to society and to “allow civil participation in the military” (民参军) to supplement the development of the army. It is about common development and not complete outsourcing because the core ability of a military to win a war cannot be outsourced.
Navy and Strategic Support Force Signed Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreements with SOEs
6.6 The PLA Daily reported that the Chinese navy signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on developing civil-military integration with the China National Nuclear Corporation on 1 June. The two sides agreed on reinforcing cooperation in construction planning and holding joint training drills. Recently, China’s Strategic Support Force also signed strategic cooperation framework agreements with China Railway Engineering Group Corporation, China Railway Construction Corporation, China Communications Construction, and China Power Construction Corporation through a high-level platform established between the CMC Logistic Support Department and State Council State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission to select a series of professional SOEs with outstanding reputation and confidentiality to conduct civil-military integration.
INTERNATIONAL LIAISON WORK
5.31-6.6 Head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection’s discipline inspection group in the Organization Department Yu Hongqiu (喻红秋) led a CCP delegation to Serbia from 31 May to 2 June at the invitation of the Serbian Progressive Party. While there, she separately met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Nebojša Stefanović and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić.
The delegation subsequently visited Russia on 2-6 June. While there, Yu held talks with heads of the Presidential Civil Service and Personnel Directorate, met with leaders of the United Russia party, and inspected research and training organizations of the Russian government.
6.5 International Department Vice Minister Li Jun (李军) met with a delegation from South Sudan led by the president’s advisor on economic affairs Aggrey Tisa Sabuni.
6.5 International Department Vice Minister Guo Yezhou (郭业州) met with a Party-List Coalition delegation from the Philippines led by the Party-List Coalition President Rodel M. Batocabe and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sharon S. Garin.
6.5 International Department Minister Song Tao (宋涛) met with an African National Congress (ANC) delegation from South Africa led by ANC Secretary-General Elias S. Magashule. International Department Vice Minister Xu Luping (徐绿平) also participated in the meeting. Politburo member and Organization Department head Chen Xi (陈希) also separately met with Magashule on the same day.
6.5 International Department Vice Minister Wang Yajun (王亚军) met with a National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) cadre study group led by FUNCINPEC Vice President, National Assembly member, and Commission on Health Care, Social & Veterans' Affairs, Youth Rehabilitation, Labor, Vocational Training, and Women's Affairs chair Chap Nhalivoud.
6.5 International Department Vice Minister Qian Hongshan (钱洪山) met with the French Ambassador to China Jean-Maurice Ripert.
6.6 Guo Yezhou met with the Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale.
6.8 International Department Assistant Minister Shen Beili (沈蓓莉) met with the Moldovan Ambassador to China Denis Jelimalai.
ORGANIZATION WORK
6.2 Liao Min (廖岷) was appointed vice minister for the Ministry of Finance.
6.4 The Chinese Academy of Engineering elected a new leadership group. Most significantly, Li Xiaohong (李晓红) was elected president.
6.6 Wu Guangming (吴广明) and Fang Ping (方平) were appointed deputy secretaries of Tongji University’s Party committee.
6.6 Guo Zhuxue (郭竹学) was appointed deputy general manager of China Railway and a member of its Party leadership group.
6.6 Lin Qing (林青) was appointed head of the discipline inspection group of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation’s Party leadership group and a member of the Party leadership group.