- David Gitter, Nathanael Callan, Brock Erdahl
Weekly Report 2|28 5.4.2019-5.10.2019
Highlights
The CCP Central Committee General Office published an opinion on strengthening and improving urban grassroots-level Party building (see Senior Leaders section).
CCP propaganda criticized the announcement of increased of US tariffs on Chinese goods and two bills passed by the US House of Representatives reaffirming the country’s commitment to Taiwan (see Propaganda Section).
Zimbabwe Minister of Defense Oppah Muchinguri visited China and met with Wei Fenghe (see Central Military Commission section) as well as Song Tao and Guo Yezhou from International Department (see International Liaison Work section).
Senior Leaders
Li Keqiang Signs State Council Order on Government Investment Regulations
5.5 State Council Premier Li Keqiang recently signed and publicly released the State Council’s order “Government Investment Regulations,” set for implementation on 1 July 2019. Formulating the regulations was said to be a key task in deepening investment and finance system reform, which has the dedicated attention of the CCP Central Committee and the State Council. The regulations stipulate:
Clearly defining the scope of government investment and ensuring the focused effect of government investment. Government investment should be allocated to public programs that the market cannot effectively allocate resources to and not primarily business-oriented projects;
Clearly defining the main principles and basic requirements of government investment. Government investment should adhere to scientific decision-making, standards management, results emphasis, public transparency, and adaptation to the current levels of economic and societal development and financial revenue and expenditures; the government and relevant departments must not illegally and against regulations rely on debt to raise funds for government investments;
Standardizing and optimizing government investment strategic decision procedures and ensuring government investments are scientific strategic decisions, which involves regulating the evaluation and approval processes;
Clearly defining annual planning requirements for government investment. The State Council’s main investment departments and other relevant departments and the relevant departments of local people’s governments at the county level and above [should] in accordance with provisions establish a government investment annual plan; and
Conducting strict project implementation and mid- and post-project supervision.
NPC Standing Committee Chairman Holds Study Seminar on Xi’s Diplomatic Thought
5.5 National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Chairman Li Zhanshu (栗战书) presided over a study seminar focusing on Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thought and Xi’s important speech at the second Belt and Road Forum (BRF).
The participants of the seminar agreed that “the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core” and “the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thought” are the two fundamental reasons why major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics (中国特色社会主义大国外交) has been able to obtain historic achievements since the 18th Party Congress.
The seminar praised the second BRF as another success in the implementation of Xi’s diplomatic thought. It also unanimously agreed that NPC foreign affairs work should be strengthened and improved and must contribute more to serving national strategies and defending national interests.
Xi Jinping Gives Speech at National Public Security Conference in Beijing
5.7-5.8 Xi Jinping, Politburo Standing Committee member and Central Secretariat member Wang Huning (王沪宁), and Politburo Standing Committee member and State Council Vice Premier Han Zheng (韩正) attended the National Public Security Conference in Beijing.
Xi gave a speech at the conference stressing that public security organs should “persevere with building the police force based on politics, strengthen the police force through reforms, improve the police force with technology, and strictly govern the police force” as well as strive to increase people's sense of security.
Xi emphasized the importance of the work of preventing and resolving social contradictions, managing the relationship between maintaining stability and safeguarding authority, combating crimes, and improving law enforcement mechanisms and their supervision and management systems. He also pointed out that big data should be used to innovate in public security work.
People’s Daily further publicized the speech with commentator articles published on 9 May and 10 May.
CCP Central Committee General Office Publishes Opinion on Strengthening and Improving Urban Grassroots-Level Party Building
5.8 The General Office of the CCP Central Committee published an opinion on strengthening and improving urban grassroots-level Party building. The document was divided into five sections.
The first section called for “strengthening the importance and urgency of urban grassroots-level Party building work” as such work is an “important front in all levels of Party committee work.”
The second section advocated “making the building of street and community Party organizations stronger and more powerful” via: 1. “Upgrading the overall coordination capabilities of street Party (work) committees,” 2. “Ensuring community Party organizations have the resources and capabilities to serve the people,” and 3. “Increasing the political functions and fighting strength of street and community Party organizations.”
The third section called for “increasing the overall effect of urban grassroots-level Party building” through: 1. “Strengthening links between city, region, street, and community Party organizations,” 2. “Promoting interconnection and interaction between street and community Party building, work unit Party building, and industry Party building,” 3. “Expanding the effective coverage of Party building to emerging fields,” and 4. “Extensively using modern network and information technologies.”
The fourth section advocated “improving the grassroots-level governance work of the leadership of Party organizations” via: 1. “Strengthening the autonomous mechanisms of community residents under the leadership of Party organizations,” 2. “Guiding mass and social organization participation in grassroots-level governance,” 3. “Establishing grid Party building and promoting meticulous governance,” and 4. “Setting up Party and mass service centers with wide coverage and high efficiency.”
The fifth section called for “strengthening organizational leadership over urban grassroots-level Party building work” through: 1. “Compressing leadership responsibilities,” 2. “Strengthening classification guidance,” and 3. “Building up basic guarantees.”
People’s Daily further publicized and explained the opinion with a commentator article.
Propaganda Work
PD Editorial: Let the Spirit of the May Fourth Movement Shine in a New Era -- Commemorating the Centenary of the May Fourth Movement
5.4 People’s Daily published an editorial on the centenary of the May Fourth Movement praising Xi Jinping’s speech at the gathering commerating the movement a few days ago.
The editorial re-emphasized the importance of the May Fourth Movement, stating that it “promoted the dissemination of Marxism in China and the establishment of the CCP” and that “a country will rise when [its] youth rise; a country will be strong when [its] youth are strong.” It urged Chinese youth to continue to “integrate their personal dreams with the great dream of national rejuvenation and the thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics” and “strive to become builders and successors of socialism.”
PLA Daily also published an editorial commemorating the movement.
Huang Kunming: Fully Play the Driving and Leading Role in Informationization to Add New Forces to Realizing High-Quality Development
5.6 Politburo member and Propaganda Department Head Huang Kunming (黄坤明) attended the opening ceremony of the second Digital China Summit (数字中国建设峰会) and gave its keynote speech. Huang emphasized during his speech that Xi Jinping’s important thought on building an “internet power” (网络强国) must be deeply implemented to “add new driving forces to realizing high-quality development.” He stressed the importance of making breakthroughs in core technologies, promoting innovations, and strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights.
Zhong Sheng: China Shows Its Composure at a Critical Time
5.8 People’s Daily used its Zhong Sheng (钟声) column, which authoritatively transmits the publication’s opinion on matters of international affairs, to comment on the US’ recent announcement that it would increase tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods from 10% to 25%.
Zhong Sheng stated that similar situation has happened before but was eventually resolved; therefore, China’s negotiation delegation was continuing to arrange its trip to the US. It stressed that “the reason why China has always been able to remain calm is because China has the confidence to face every kind of possible difficulty and challenge during the China-US trade negotiation process.”
The article stated that “there are indeed some structural differences between China and the US that are hard to resolve in a short period of time and require dialogues and exchanges to come up with solutions” and urged the US to push the bilateral economic and trade relationship back on the right track.
On the same day, China released a statement saying that “China expresses its deep regret” over the US announcement and that “if the US carry out its tariff measures, China will have no choice but to take necessary countermeasures.”
PD Commentator: China’s Resolution to Defend Its Core Interests Is Unswerving
5.9 People’s Daily published a PD commentator article on the two bills, the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2019 and Reaffirming the United States Commitment to Taiwan and to the Implementation of the Taiwan Relations Act, that the US House of Representatives passed on 7 May.
The article strongly criticized the US’ action and stated that it has “seriously violated the fundamental principles of international law and international obligation.” It reiterated that “the Taiwan problem is China’s internal affair, and it is a matter of China’s core interests and Chinese people’s national feelings.” It stressed that the Taiwan problem “does not allow for any foreign interference” and that “[China] firmly opposes any country selling weapons and weaponry equipment or technologies in any form or with any excuse to Taiwan.”
It pointed out that some US forces are attempting to use the Taiwan problem to impede China and that if the US continues down this path, cooperation between China and the US will be harmed.
United Front Work
Wang Yang Meets with the 11th Panchen Lama
5.5 Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Yang (汪洋) and United Front Work Department Head You Quan (尤权) met with the 11th Panchen Lama in Beijing.
After the Panchen Lama reported on his studies and life in recent years, Wang “fully affirmed” the religious leader’s “progress in all aspects of Buddhist doctrinal attainment, cultural accomplishment, and religious influence.”
Wang stated that “the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core cares a great deal about the growth and progress of patriotic religious representatives and figures.” He added that the Panchen Lama “shoulders great responsibility in guiding Tibetan Buddhism toward the correct path and safeguarding the unification of the motherland and ethnic solidarity.”
Wang also declared that “[we] must persevere with our country’s sinicization of religion, take the initiative in carrying out the interpretation of religious doctrine and construction of religious ethics, and make Tibetan Buddhism continuously keep abreast of the times and be better adapted to our socialist society.”
Liu Jieyi Meets Wang Jin-pyng Delegation
5.8 CCP Taiwan Work Office and State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Head Liu Jieyi (刘结一) met with former Taiwanese Legislative Yuan Head Wang Jin-pyng (王金平). Wang visited Xiamen in his capacity as the Honorary Chairman of the Taiwan Wang Clan Association. At the meeting, both Wang and Liu expressed their opposition to Taiwanese independence and reaffirmed their support of the “1992 Consensus”.
You Quan: Firmly Grasp the Missions of Maintaining Stability and Defending the Border
5.6-5.9 United Front Work Department Head You Quan (尤权) inspected Xinjiang for four days, visiting areas including Ürümqi, Kashgar, and Aksu. He emphasized during the inspection that the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (新疆生产建设兵团) must implement the Central Committee’s decisions and plans for Xinjiang and the Corps, increase its mobilization capabilities, and improve its emergency response system for maintaining stability.
Wang Yang Meets Participants of the Fourth Cross-Strait Media People’s Summit in Beijing
5.10 Politburo Standing Committee Member and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Chairman Wang Yang (汪洋) attended the fourth Cross-Strait Media People’s Summit in Beijing and met with its participants.
Wang praised Xi Jinping’s important speech at the meeting commemorating the 40th anniversary of the ‘Message to Compatriots in Taiwan’ as having provided a clear direction for cross-Strait relations in a new era. He stated that “mainland [China] has both the ‘time’ (时) and the ‘power’ (势) on its side” and that “engaging in ‘Taiwan independence’ while counting on foreign forces cannot be relied upon.”
Wang urged media organizations from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to “shoulder the social responsibilities of safeguarding and promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations” and “advance the peaceful reunification of the motherland.”
Central Military Commission
Wei Fenghe Meets Zimbabwe’s Defense Minister Oppah Muchinguri
5.8 State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe (魏凤和) met with Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) National Chairperson and Minister of Defense Oppah Muchinguri in Beijing. During the meeting, Wei expressed China’s willingness to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and parties well and to deepen practical cooperation with Zimbabwe.
5th National Defense Intellectual Property Rights Forum Held in Beijing
5.8 A forum focusing on “advancing the high-quality development of equipment construction and promoting putting national defense intellectual property (IP) rights into practice” was held in Beijing. The article stated that “the Party Central Committee and the State Council have attached high-level importance to IP rights work in recent years” and that the declassification of over 7,000 defense-related patents over the past two years has “vigorously advanced the service of national defense technologies to national economic construction.”
According to the leadership of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Equipment Development Department’s National Defense Intellectual Property Office, the next steps will be to focus on creating a system to put the patents into practice and building information services.
International Liaison Work
5.8 International Department Head Song Tao (宋涛) met with Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed and People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) Head of Political Affairs Yemane Ghebreab.
5.8 Song Tao met with Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) National Chairperson and Minister of Defense Oppah Muchinguri.
International Department Deputy Head Guo Yezhou (郭业洲) met with the delegation on the same day.
5.9 Guo Yezhou met with President of the Great Britain-China Centre and former First Secretary of State of the United Kingdom Lord Mandelson.
Organization Work
5.5 Wang Jiaqiong (王稼琼) was appointed president of Beijing Jiaotong University and deputy secretary of its Party committee.
5.6 Cai Zhenhong (蔡振红) was appointed a member of the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives’ Party committee.
5.7 Zhang Ji (张骥) was appointed head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and National Supervision Commission’s branch in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.