- David Gitter, Julia Bowie, Calvin Blackburn
Weekly Report 3|43 8.22.2020-8.28.2020
Highlights
In a special ceremony, Xi Jinping conferred a flag upon the Chinese People’s Police Force and asked its members to pledge an oath of loyalty to the Party (see Senior Leaders section).
Senior Leaders
Xi Jinping Presides Over Conference of Experts in Economic and Social Fields, Emphasizing Concentrating on the Long-Term, Grasping the General Trend, Opening the Door to Question Methods, and Pooling Wisdom to Study New Circumstances and Make New Plans; Wang Huning and Han Zheng Attended
8.24 Xi Jinping listened to speeches by experts in economic and social fields, after which he gave a speech that focused on opportunities and challenges during China’s new development stage. In his speech, he mentioned the global pandemic’s impact and said that “the international economy, science and technology, culture, security, politics, and other structures are all undergoing profound adjustments.”
Xi said that China has “entered the high quality development stage” and that it is necessary to continue pursuing opportunities and striving for a more efficient, fair, and sustainable form of development. He emphasized the need to promote the formation of a new pattern of development with a domestic focus to make production, distribution, circulation, and consumption more dependent on the domestic market. Xi also pointed out the importance of using “scientific and technological innovation to expedite the momentum of new development.”
He discussed increasing productivity and the need to cultivate and attract talented scientists and research teams, reform research institutions, and “strengthen international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation.” He also emphasized the importance of “upholding and improving socialism with Chinese characteristics” during the development reform process, stressing that China will “boldly explore its own future development path.”
Xi pointed out the importance of development that improves China’s international cooperation and competitiveness, which means maintaining an open economy and “promoting the improvement of a fairer, more reasonable international economic governance system.” He also briefly mentioned social development topics such as strengthening public health and disease control systems, maintaining social stability, fairness, and justice, as well as promoting the “comprehensive development of people and social progress.” He concluded his speech by referencing the reform and opening period that provides a good model in the current period.
Xi Jinping Confers Flag Upon the Chinese People's Police Force
8.26 During a ceremony held in the Great Hall of the People, Xi Jinping conferred a flag upon the People’s Police Force and put forth four demands for its members:
Loyalty to the Party: The People's Police must remain committed to the Party’s absolute authority. It must obey the orders and commands of the Party Central Committee to ensure absolute purity and reliability.
Serving the people: The police must firmly implement the Party’s mass line to accomplish everything for the people.
Justice in law enforcement: The police will uphold social justice, strengthen education and training, and maintain strict supervision and management.
Strict discipline: The police must fully demonstrate that a socialist country’s People’s Police, under the leadership of the Party, are restraining themselves to serve the public (克己奉公).
The members of the People's Police who participated in the flag-giving ceremony took a collective oath assuring their commitment to these principles.
Propaganda Work
Commentator Series on Xi Jinping’s Visit to Anhui
8.22 People’s Daily published a series of commentator articles that highlighted the themes of Xi Jinping’s visit to Anhui Province last week.
The first commentator article discussed a Xi’s tour of Yangtze River conservation and restoration efforts around Anhui Province’s Ma’anshan City during which he praised the steps taken toward “building an ecological civilization” (生态文明建设) as part of a “thousand-year plan” (千年大计) launched after the 18th Party Congress to “advance ecological and environmental protection” alongside “high-quality economic development.” The commentary noted that during his visit, Xi said environmental protection and economic development “do not [share] a contradictory relationship.” The commentary also said “a good ecology and environment are the most equitable public goods” and “[to] protect the ecology and environment is to protect productivity, [to] improve the ecology and environment is to develop productivity.” The commentary ended with a paragraph reflecting on a quote from Xi Jinping that said “as our country enters the phase of high-quality development, the supportive role of the ecology and the environment [will become] more and more apparent.”
Another article in the series discussed the various ways in which China needs to address new opportunities and challenges in developing the real economy, an important theme Xi emphasized during his trip. The article called the real economy “the cornerstone of the national economy,” and says it must be strengthened by transforming and upgrading traditional industries, such as the manufacturing industry. Reforms in this area should focus on supply-side structural reforms, accelerating network innovation, improving laws and regulations, and improving the level of digitization. Reiterating Xi Jinping's emphasis on emerging industries, the article also said “emerging industries are the most dynamic and have the greatest growth potential in the economic system” and that “innovation is the key to leapfrog development” and will create new areas of growth for future development.
United Front Work
Striving Forward on The New Era’s Open and Wide Road: Record of The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping its Core’s Work Concerning Tibet
8.28 People’s Daily published a first page article which summarized Tibet work conducted by Xi Jinping and the CCP Central Committee since the 18th Party Congress. While the article noted work concerning Tibet has been a major focus of party leadership since its “liberation” nearly 70 years ago, the article noted that “since the 18th Party Congress, the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has focused on achieving a moderately prosperous society and modernizing Tibet together with the whole country and thrown a great amount of [their] heart’s blood into developing snow-covered plateaus for a new era.” The article primarily focused on contributions from the Central Committee such as “Xi’s Important Discourse on Governing the Frontier, Stabilizing Tibet;” however, it also noted that Xi Jinping has made contributions to Tibet work since as early as June 1998. The article concluded that “the people who live on this ancient and magical land believe firmly: tomorrow certainly will be even finer!”
13th Meeting of the CPPCC Standing Committee Comes to an End; Wang Yang Hosts and Gives Remarks
8.28 People’s Daily covered the 27 August closing ceremony of the 13th Meeting of the CPPCC Standing Committee. The focus of this meeting was “formulating programs from the ‘14th Five Year Plan’ [for] the national economy and social development.”
During the ceremony, Politburo Standing Committee member and CPPCC Chairman Wang Yang gave remarks. In his comments, Wang noted the formulation and implementation of five year plans as an “important method” of the CCP’s governance, and praised Xi Jinping for his role in the 13th and 14th Five Year Plans, noting the “great success” of the 13th Five Year Plan under his leadership, attributing it to a “great victory in the comprehensive establishment of a moderately prosperous society.” Wang also discussed the need to investigate the opinions of the people, build consensus, and seek recommendations as part of the planning and implementation process for the 14th Five Year Plan.
Party Discipline
Precise Supervision and Strict Discipline to Resolutely Check the Unhealthy Trend of Luxury and Waste
8.26 The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and National Supervision Commission (NSC) published an article on the importance of curbing wasteful behavior following Xi Jinping’s recent emphasis on the urgency of combating waste and the need to strengthen legislation, supervision, and adopt effective measures to prevent waste, especially food waste. The article called on disciplinary inspection and supervision agencies at all levels to implement Xi’s instructions. The article also said that all levels of the governments are responsible for investigating and dealing with this issue and should lead by example.
International Liaison Work
8.24 International Department Deputy Head and Silk Road Think Tank Association (SRTA) Chair Guo Yezhou (郭业洲) held a videoconference with former French Prime Minister and SRTA international advisors committee member Dominique de Villepin.
8.25 International Department Head Song Tao (宋涛) and Fujian Provincial Party Secretary Ding Weiguo held a video conference with Secretary General of Panama’s Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) Pedro Michael González and Panama City Mayor José Luis Fábrega. International Department Deputy Head Shen Beili (沈蓓莉), Chinese Ambassador to Panama Wei Qiang (魏强), Fujian Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee Secretary General Zheng Xincong (郑新聪), and Fujian Province Vice Governor Guo Ningning (郭宁宁), also participated in the meeting. In all, 60 other individuals including members of the PRD were in attendance. The theme of the meeting was “uniting to plan and promote the normalization in the prevention and control of COVID-19 and in socioeconomic development via China-Panama ruling party cooperation.” During the meeting, Fujian Province and Panama City signed a letter of intent to establish a sister city relationship.
8.25 Guo Yezhou held a videoconference with Socialist International President, former Greek Prime Minister, and SRTA international advisors committee member George Papandreou.
8.25 Guo Yezhou met with outgoing Irish Ambassador to China Eoin O'Leary.
8.25 International Department Assistant Head Zhu Rui (朱锐) met with Emarati Ambassador to China Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri.
8.26 Song Tao and Guo Yezhou held a videoconference Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Founder and National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa, party Chairman Gamini Lakshman Peiris, and Party Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam.
8.26 International Department Deputy Head Qian Hongshan (钱洪山) met with Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov.
8.26 International Department Assistant Minister Zhu Rui (朱锐) Chinese Ambassador to Mauritania Zhang Jianguo (张建国) attended and spoke at an internet seminar with officials from Mauritania’s ruling party Union for the Republic, including the party’s Vice President Mohamed Yahya Ould Horma.
Organization Work
8.25 Li Xiaoxin (李小新) was appointed deputy head of the Central Organization Department.
8.25 Wang Lujin (王陆进) was appointed deputy auditor general of the National Audit Office.
8.25 Ke Yousheng (柯友生) was appointed Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.