- Admin
Weekly Report 4|32 6.19.2021-6.25.2021
Note to Readers: there will be no Weekly Report next Monday due to the July 4 holiday. We will resume publication on July 12.
Highlights
Xi Jinping accompanied CCP leadership on a visit to the “Stay True to the Founding Mission” (不忘初心、牢记使命) Exhibition on party history at the new Museum of the Chinese Communist Party (see Senior Leaders section).
Xi Jinping visited the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center and placed a call to the three astronauts on board the Shenzhou-12 (see Senior Leaders section).
PLA Daily published a follow-up to the 18 June Xie Xinping (解辛平) commentary commemorating the CCP’s centennial anniversary, focusing on the importance of CCP control over the military (see Central Military Commission section).
Senior Leaders
Xi Jinping: Remember the Course of Struggle and Shoulder the Historic Mission, Draw Strength to Forge Ahead From the History of the Party’s Struggle
6.18 On 18 June, Xi Jinping accompanied CCP leaders and other “leading comrades” on a visit to the “ ‘Stay True to the Founding Mission’ (不忘初心、牢记使命) Chinese Communist Party History Exhibition” at the new Museum of the Chinese Communist Party. During the visit, Xi said that “party history is the most vivid and most compelling textbook.” Reflecting on the centenary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi stated that the one hundred years of the CCP had been one hundred years of pledging to fulfill the founding mission, one hundred years of hardship to lay the foundation to establish the new enterprise, and one hundred years of creating a glorious and open future. He emphasized learning from the Party’s history of struggle, stressing the role of education and guidance in party members and cadres to studying party history, so that they would stay true to the Party’s founding mission. Moreover, party members and cadres should “strengthen the ‘four consciousnesses’ (四个意识), consolidate the ‘four confidences’ (四个自信), and achieve the ‘two defends’ (两个维护),” fully align their political thinking with the Party, maintain their ideological beliefs, study and make good use of the Party’s innovative theories, continue the “red bloodline” (红色血脉), make full use of the glorious tradition, play the role of model pioneer, unite and lead people of all ethnic groups, better establish the new development stage, implement the new development concept, build a new development pattern, do a good job of reform, development, and stabilization work, comprehensively build a modern socialist country, and achieve the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The tour concluded in the “Red Hall” of the party history exhibition, where Xi led the group in facing the party flag and reciting the party membership oath. Premier Li Keqiang (李克强), Politburo Standing Committee Members Li Zhanshu (栗战书), Wang Yang (汪洋), Wang Huning (王沪宁), Zhao Leji (赵乐际), and Han Zheng (韩正), and PRC Vice President Wang Qishan (王岐山) also attended.
A Symposium to Commemorate the 100th Birthday of Comrade Chen Muhua was held in Beijing, Li Zhanshu was in Attendance
6.21 A symposium commemorating the 100th birthday of Chen Muhua (陈慕华) was held in Beijing. Politburo Standing Committee Member and National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chair Li Zhanshu was in attendance. Chen had been an alternate member of the 11th and 12th Central Committee Politburo, vice chair of the 7th and 8th National People’s Congress Standing Committee, vice premier of the State Council, as well as state councilor, and chair and honorary chair of the All-China Women’s Federation. At the symposium, Politburo Standing Committee Member and State Council Vice Premier Hu Chunhua (胡春华) gave a speech recognizing her loyalty to the Party, and stressing the need to learn from her original aspirations, her care for the people, and her commitment to reform, innovation, seeking truth from facts, and pragmatism in service of realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Li Keqiang: Strengthen the Foundation of Whole-of-Society Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Minimize Risks and Losses from Natural Disasters to the Greatest Extent
6.22 Speaking at the first video conference on comprehensive risk survey work on natural disasters, Politburo Standing Committee Member and State Council Premier Li Keqiang (李克强) gave important instructions on natural disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief; earthquake prevention and mitigation; and comprehensive risk survey work on natural disasters. Li said that, because such disasters are common in China, “improving disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief is essential,” and launching the comprehensive risk survey is an “important foundational undertaking.” He emphasized that all relevant departments in all areas should “take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide, conscientiously carry out implementing the strategic decisions and deployments of the Central Committee and the State Council,” keep the people and [their] lives as the top priority, “further strengthen responsible implementation; improve disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief contingency systems and all kinds of preparations; improve emergency assistance capacity; upgrade public disaster prevention awareness; and to the greatest extent reduce risk and loss from natural disasters.” Li underscored the importance of the first comprehensive risk survey, saying that it would assess the baseline for risk from disasters and provide important data for bolstering prevention.
State Councillor and Chair of the National Disaster Reduction Committee Wang Yong (王勇) also attended the event and gave a speech. Wang further emphasized the importance of relevant departments in all regions completing the pilot risk survey, saying that the survey should be completed before the end of 2022.
Chen Xi Presided Over an Oath-Taking Ceremony Held in the Capital for Representatives of New Party Members and Gave a Speech
6.22 The Central Organization Department held a “grand oath-taking ceremony” for representatives of new party members, with Politburo Member and Central Organization Department Chair Chen Xi (陈希) presiding over the swearing-in ceremony and delivering a speech. According to Xinhua, the ceremony was held in the CCP History Exhibition Hall and more than 1,000 people attended, including a representative group of incoming Beijing-based party members from all walks of life, representatives from central and state organs, Beijing-based state-owned enterprises, central banks and educational institutions, and the PLA and People’s Armed Police (PAP). Chen congratulated the new party members on joining the Party on the occasion of its centenary. He said that “more new blood was entering the Party ranks, putting the Party’s formidable vitality and vigor on display,” revealing its prosperity and its flourishing atmosphere. Chen encouraged the new members to “thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” and to “not only join the Party organizationally, but join the Party ideologically.” In addition, they should maintain their loyalty to the Party, “strengthening the ‘four consciousnesses’ (四个意识), consolidating the ‘four confidences’ (四个自信), [and] achieving the ‘two defends’ (两个维护).” On the same day, oath-taking ceremonies were held in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Shaanxi, and other provinces and municipalities, as well as the Daqing Oil Field and other work units at sites with significant symbolic meaning for the centenary or other important representative sites.
National People’s Congress Standing Committee Party Leadership Group Members Join with Fellow Cadres of the National People’s Congress to Take a Class on Party History
6.22 National People’s Congress (NPC) party members and cadres and NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC) party leadership group members recently met together to hear a lecture from Central Propaganda Department Member and Deputy President of the Central Party School Xie Chuntao (谢春涛). Titled, “Why the Chinese Communist Party is Capable,” his remarks centered around the spirit of Xi Jinping’s speech at a party history education rally, which was summarized as “looking back on the course of the party’s struggle to explain why China’s Communist Party and Marxism are capable and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is good.” According to this article, learning these points well will help the NPC bring about real achievements. Attendees at the conference were asked to join together in visiting the exhibit at the recently opened Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, which has the theme of, “Stay True to the Founding Mission[of the Party].” By attending the exhibit, party members were told they will learn the history of the party’s indefatigability, its lack of fear to sacrifice, and the benefit it has accrued for mankind and for individual development; learning these will prepare them to pass on the “red gene” to their children, cement their resolve to hold themselves to a high moral character, and help them to stay true to the founding mission of the Party. The article concluded by promising that by doing so, the NPC will be able to move a step further in refining and developing itself in preparation for the centenary of the Party.
Politburo Standing Committee Member and NPCSC Chair Li Zhanshu (栗战书) and Politburo Member and NPC Vice Chair Wang Chen (王晨) attended the meeting.
Xi Jinping Held a Friendly Call with Shenzhou-12 Astronauts, Expressing Warm Greetings to Astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo on Behalf of the Central Committee, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission
6.23 On 23 June, Xi Jinping visited the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center and placed a call to the three astronauts on board the Shenzhou-12. Politburo Standing Committee Member and State Council Vice Premier Han Zheng (韩正) also participated. According to People’s Daily, since the launch on 17 June Xi had been “very concerned” about the three astronauts’ health and the execution of their mission. At the Control Center, Xi watched the astronauts perform their duties and then engaged in conversation with them. Xi conveyed that during their mission they remained in the “hearts of all the nation’s people.” He asked after their experience and their health, and told them that constructing a space station was “an important milestone for China’s space program” that will make “a groundbreaking contribution to humanity’s peaceful use of space.” Secretary of the Central Secretariat Ding Xuexiang (丁薛祥), Politburo Member and Vice Premier Liu He (刘鹤), Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairs Xu Qiliang (许其亮) and Zhang Youxia (张又侠), State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe (魏凤和), and CMC members Li Zuocheng (李作成), Miao Hua (苗华), and Zhang Shengmin (张升民) also participated in the call.
Hu Chun Hua Emphasized the Need to Accelerate the Establishment of a Large Workforce with Intellectual and Technological Innovation
6.23 At a symposium on high-skilled talent in Beijing, Politburo Member and State Council Vice Premier Hu Chunhua (胡春华) spoke on earnestly implementing President Xi’s direction and the policies of the Party Central Committee in order to establish a workforce of intellectual and technological innovators, who can therefore be a support to the development of China into a modern socialist country. Hu reminded his audience that high skilled talent work has attained great achievements in recent years, but that there remains a need to have “a greater amount of these workers, more structure, more cultivation of talent, and broader application of the work” than there currently is. He called for the “linking of high-skilled workers to efforts towards promoting high-quality economic development” and to improve the macro circumstances affecting them while removing the obstacles in their path. He ended by stating that these workers support Chinese manufacturing, are the foundation of Chinese innovation, and that they should “tie their personal fate to the fate of the country and its people” and encourage young people to follow in their footsteps on the path of serving their country.
While Enforcing Environmental Protection Law by Inspecting Solid Waste Pollution In Inner Mongolia, Wang Chen Emphasized the Need to Preserve Both Ecology and Civilization by Strategically Building Determination to Use the Law to Safeguard “Clear Water and Green Mountains”
6.24 Politburo Standing Committee Member and National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) member Wang Chen (王晨) visited Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, from 22 June to 24 June . He inspected the enforcement of environment protection laws concerning solid waste pollution. Visiting several locations in Hohhot, he and his team observed how waste is disposed of in both urban and rural contexts, requested a summary of the local work, and promoted efforts to increase the engagement of local people and decrease the amount of waste produced and resources used. They visited several national parks and also met with different companies to review how they are doing in appropriate disposal of unsafe substances. Wang encouraged them to “take social responsibility for green low-carbon cycle development (绿色低碳碳循发展)” and notified them that they will need to discuss their work with government officials and begin to have random inspection checks.
Wang then pointed out that Inner Mongolia will achieve great progress by implementing the environmental protection laws. He noted that China’s extensive economic growth had led to a surge in the discharge of solid waste and that the difficulty of its prevention and treatment was huge. He also pointed out that the weak spots in the supervisory system need to be strengthened. He stated, “the modernization of China is the symbiotic modernization of a more harmonious relationship between mankind and nature...seeking both material and ecological development.” This embodied what he defined as “a more responsible attitude towards humanity and towards the descendants of our sons and daughters.” He rhetorically posed the question, “How can we relax without investing greater effort?” In addition to this call for a transition to a greener economy, development, and innovation in environmental technology, Wang Chen and his team also visited Jining’s Military Campaign Memorial Hall in the city of Wulanchabu.
Propaganda Work
He Yin: Dreaming of Nine Heavens to Show the Demeanor of a Great Country People’s Daily
6.21 The Shenzhou-12 spacecraft recently launched and attached to the Tianhe space station. The achievement marked a milestone for China’s space program and indicated China’s intention to “continue promoting international cooperation and an inclusive attitude for the spirit of working for the wellbeing of all mankind.” The Shenzhou 12 spacecraft demonstrated “China’s growing confidence and capabilities in space.” China’s other space explorations—from Dongfanghong 1, Shenzhou, Chang’e, and Yu Tu to Tiangong and Tianwen—spoke to the Chinese people’s dream to “explore the universe for thousands of years” and China’s accelerated march toward becoming a space power. The article reiterated China’s support for open cooperation and mutual benefit in the context of space exploration, pointing out its history of bilateral exchanges with the space agencies in Russia, Germany, France, Belgium among others. China had always carried out international cooperation in the spirit of “peaceful rise, equality, mutual benefit, and common development,” demonstrating the responsibility and demeanor of a great country. The article anticipated China’s approach to space exploration and research to be no different.
Central Propaganda Department and National Health Commission: Deploy the 2021 “Best Doctor” Education and Propaganda Events
6.22 In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this notice emphasized the need to publicly celebrate the excellent work provided by healthcare workers in order to live out the principles of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Claiming that the radiant course of China’s healthcare system was due to “party leadership and its original mission of blessing and protecting the people with all of its heart and soul,” this notification then called for the launch of educational events that “cater to the needs of the healthcare workers fighting bravely on every front.” It identified these educational events as those relating to: organization recommendation, counsel on selection and inspection, advice for public releases, the need to centralize propaganda efforts, and the importance of in-depth learning. The article spoke highly of the role of these events in promoting socialism, and invited the population to encourage health care workers as they “forge ahead, strive, and make new contributions for the improvement of the health of the masses,” preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the CCP. In conclusion, the article reminded the reader to look forward to 19 August, China’s Medical Worker’s Day, when China will release exemplary deeds of doctors from 2021 to the public.
Zhong Sheng: Justice is in the Hearts of the People, Lies Will Ultimately Fail
6.23 Following the commencement of the 47th UN Human Rights Council at Geneva, Switzerland, a Zhong Sheng column expressed gratitude for international support while criticizing the “double-standard” positions of Canada, America, and the UK on the issue of human rights. The commentary firmly stated that China “opposes the politicization and double standard of human rights, spreading groundless accusations about China out of political motives, and the use of human rights as an excuse to interfere with its internal affairs,” which the column specified as issues concerning Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet. After recognizing that 65 countries together declared support for China at the council, Zhong Sheng brought attention to the remains of more than 200 aboriginal children recently found at a school in Canada. They also accused the UK of having “increasingly worse systematic racism,” “[of] infringing on the rights of refugees and immigrants,” and of not prosecuting Englishmen who murdered civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan in military operations there. The commentary lastly countered that although America is known as a “beacon of human rights,” shining its light on international problems, it never shines the light on itself. The article claimed that America’s post-2001 anti-terrorism operations have led to the death of 335,000 civilians and to tens of millions of people becoming refugees.
Zhong Sheng then drew a sharp contrast between these examples and the CCP, claiming that the whole “earth has been shaken” in the 100 years since its founding, which has made “historic achievements and used the fruits of development to benefit the Chinese people as a whole.” The article explained that according to Xi Jinping, a happy life is the biggest human right, and that “regardless of the time or who is in power, China’s only position on human rights is that it is the collective pursuit of mankind, and certainly not a tool to interfere with or subvert another country’s political power.” After calling for equality and mutual respect, the commentary reaffirmed that China’s people are at the core of its human rights ideology, and stated that China’s work in human rights will reach an ever-higher level and make an even bigger contribution to the healthy development in the work of human rights, as it “adheres to principles of peace, development, impartiality, justice, democracy and freedom—the collective values of mankind.”
He Yin: Build Closer Partnerships with Countries in the Belt and Road Initiative
6.23 President Xi Jinping issued a written statement at this week’s Asia and Pacific High-level Conference on Belt and Road Cooperation. In his statement he emphasized that China is in the midst of development, and that for its partner countries in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China is, “providing more favorable circumstances in the economic market, providing better investment and growth opportunities...and seeks to continue to walk the road of unity, cooperation, interconnection and mutual development in constructing a shared future for mankind.” The commentary sought to communicate these benefits for what it lists as the 140 countries and 32 international organizations comprising the “Belt and Road Initiative family”. After outlining this purpose, He Yin reviewed the history of the Belt and Road Initiative and referenced a statistic from the World Bank that estimated China’s Belt and Road initiative will lead to an upper estimate of a 6.2% increase in world trade volume and a 2.9% increase in global income.
Shifting to specific aims, the He Yin team addressed China’s desire to work along with its partner countries in the BRI to fight COVID and also strengthen the “Health Silk Road, Green Silk Road, and Digitized Silk Road.” The commentary pointed out that 2020 BRI trade reached 1.35 trillion US dollars, an all-time high, a hopeful sign for continued prosperity and growth. It also referenced this year’s Boao Forum for Asia annual meeting, at which President Xi gave a keynote speech promoting the aforementioned directives, in which he also encouraged the “forerunner, contributor, and exemplar” countries of the BRI to continue high-quality development of the BRI even in the wake of COVID. He Yin ended the article by claiming that these methods to strengthen and improve international governance will further China’s journey under the leadership of the Party to become a modern socialist country where its people continue to have their material needs met.
Ren Lixuan: Stand Firm on the Basic Position of “Power is the People, the People are Power”
6.23 Ren Lixuan (任理轩), a pen name for the People’s Daily’s propaganda and theory department, published an commentary on the importance of creating benefits for and relying on people for the CCP’s continued success. It quoted Xi Jinping as saying “history provides ample proof that power is the people, and the people are power: whether popular opinion supports or opposes [the CCP] is related to its life or death.” It went on to define what “the power is the people, and the people are power” means, and how to “stand firm…in this basic position.” First, the commentary defined “power is the people” as “the people are the country’s masters,” whereas “the people are power” refers to the people being the CCP’s “greatest confidence to hold power.” It then stated that history shows that reliance on the people is the key reason why socialism with Chinese characteristics can “advance and expand.” Next, the article laid out what is demanded and required to “stand firm in the basic position” of equating people with power, and vice versa. First, it “demands persisting in respecting the rules of social development and the people’s historical main position; struggling for majestic ideals and seeking benefits for the largest majority of people; and finishing all of the [CCP’s] work and realizing benefits for the people.” Second, “to stand firm” demands elevating the people to the highest level and realizing their desires for a better life, which involves allowing the people to have the final say on the CCP’s work, placing people and their needs “above all else,” and promoting equitable development outcomes for all people. Finally, “to stand firm” requires “vowing to practice the original intent and mission” and “maintaining the basic essence of being a double vanguard force (两个先锋队) [for the both the Chinese people and working class].”
Ren Lixuan: The Basic Starting Point and Standpoint of the Party’s Founding, Flourishing, and Strengthening People’s Daily
6.24 Ren Lixuan published a second article titled “The Basic Starting Point and Standpoint for the Party’s Foundation, Flourishing, and Strengthening,” which emphasized how the CCP’s founding and continued progress have always been closely linked to the people. The article began by asserting that the CCP was founded for the people, noting that unlike other groups that tried to save China in the past, the CCP was distinct in the fact that “everything [it] did was to realize, protect, and develop basic benefits for the largest number of people.” It then went on to note that the CCP’s previous hundred years were marked by “upholding the original intent and mission.” Next, the article further stated that the CCP had “flourished” since its founding due to the people, noting that “socialism with Chinese characteristics’ grand accomplishments” since China’s founding to the present day came from the efforts of the people under the leadership of the CCP. After recounting such successes, the article then announced that the CCP and the people “have inseparable ties of flesh and blood” (与人民形成了不可分割的血肉联系), stating that the CCP’s and people’s concerns were one and the same. The article then explained how the CCP had stood by the people in times of trouble, citing the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and COVID-19 pandemic as examples. Moving on, the article expressed how “struggling for the people’s interests is a bright sign (标识) of [the CCP’s] governance in the new era,” and cited, among other things, Xi Jinping’s efforts to “comprehensively build a moderately prosperous society” (全面建成小康社会) and rule of law as examples. The article concluded by reiterating the people’s status as the CCP’s highest priority and greatest source of confidence to govern, stressing that “facing the future, the CCP must unite and lead the people to continue to write wonderful chapters in the new journey of socialist modernization and creating a better life that is happier.”
The Great Miracle of Respecting and Protecting Human Rights Has Been Performed
6.25 On the same day the State Council Information Office (SCIO) released a White Paper on “The Important Practices of the Chinese Communist Party in Respecting and Protecting Human Rights,” People’s Daily published a Commentator Article titled, “The Great Miracle of Respecting and Protecting Human Rights Has Been Performed.” The Commentator Article opened by extolling the Party’s attainments in human rights over its 100 years of existence and “writing a new chapter in human rights civilization.” It said that the White Paper systematically reviewed the history of the Party’s relationship with the Chinese people, who had been “in the same boat in wind and rain (风雨同舟), together in life and death, and from suffering to glory,” and comprehensively introduced the Party’s “theory and practice of fighting for human rights, respecting human rights, protecting human rights, and promoting human rights,” which “fully revealed the Party’s high level of human rights protection and [its] promotion of comprehensive human development.” Quoting Xi Jinping, the Commentator Article stated that this approach would adhere to a “people-centered development ideology” and keep “the people’s aspirations for a good life as the goal of [the Party’s] struggle.” The Article further noted that this had been the Party’s approach throughout its history, wherein the CCP had always emphasized the right to exist and the right to development as paramount, combining universal human rights principles with China’s reality. It stated that “especially since the 18th Party Congress, under the leadership of the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core,” there had been significant achievements in comprehensive building a moderately prosperous society (全面建成小康社会) and victory in the battle of poverty alleviation.
The Commentator Article asserted that the CCP had made “great contributions to the enterprise of global human rights development” over its 100 years, “adhering to the road of peaceful development and promoting common development.” It claimed that China had “contributed Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom to global human rights governance, and worked together with other countries to promote a community of shared future for mankind.” Finally, the Commentator Article emphasized that the Party was the ultimate guarantor of human rights and that uniting more fully around the Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core will secure a higher level of human rights for the Chinese people.
United Front Work
The 17th Meeting of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee Opened
6.21 The 17th Meeting of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Standing Committee centered on “implementing the 14th Five-Year Plan and exerting energy to establish a new development pattern.” It was attended by Politburo Standing Committee Member and CPPCC Chair Wang Yang (汪洋). Six members of the CPPCC Standing Committee addressed the meeting—Li Wei (李伟), Huang Zhen (黄震), Wan Jianmin (万建民), Jiang Zuojun (蒋作君), Lou Jiwei (楼继伟), and Zhang Haidi (张海迪)—alongside State Councilor Wang Yong (王勇), who praised the 14th Five-Year Plan as able to make current development more smooth and orderly. He also credited Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era with the ability to carry out these new ideas for development. Giving broad guidance on planning and development, including its holistic organic integration, supply and demand, the importance of being open-minded and taking initiative, focusing on both the whole picture and its individual parts, the relationship between government and the market, and safety within development, Wang Yong called on the CPPCC Standing Committee to “perfect the mechanisms for implementation and monitoring and assessment, and to cooperate to promote the overall implementation of the 14th Five Year Plan…[which] is a new journey in the overall construction of building a modern socialist country.” The article further recounted that additional topics of discussion at the conference included “strengthening the reform of supply chains (供给侧结构性改革), strategically expanding domestic demands, accelerating scientific and technological self-reliance, speeding up the modernization of rural areas, increasing quality of life for the people, and implementing high-level policies of opening up to the world (对外开放).
Central Military Commission
Xie Xinping: The Military’s Flag Will Always Follow the Party’s Flag—Celebrating the Centenary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist party
6.25 On 25 June, PLA Daily published a follow-on commentary to the 18 June Xie Xinping (解辛平) byline to commemorate the CCP’s centennial anniversary, focusing on the importance of CCP control over the military. The commentary began by recounting the events surrounding the CCP’s establishment in 1927, noting how only the CCP could lead the PLA to save China, and that without its leadership, the PLA could only suffer defeat. After recounting the formal establishment of the CCP’s “absolute leadership” over the PLA at the Gutian Conference in 1929, it stated how currently, the “three especiallys” (三个特别）and “three absolutes” (三个绝对）form the basis for PLA obedience to the CCP in the new era. Furthermore, it stated that the CCP’s leadership of the PLA represented not only a “‘Chinese method’ for military system civilization” (军事制度文明), but also “the basic strategy for adhering to and developing Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the new era.” Next, the commentary stressed how the PLA shared the CCP’s goal of “serving the people” and noted how the PLA demonstrated this spirit in its role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to sharing the same goal of “serving the people,” it noted that the PLA shared the CCP’s “heroic spirit,” which enabled the PLA to resist defeat in the face of any difficulty. Shifting to primarily focus on the present, it stressed that the “unprecedented security challenges facing China made having a strong military more vital than at any other time in Chinese history,” reiterating Xi Jinping’s 2027 centenary goal for military establishment (二〇二七年实现建军百年奋斗目标) and “three-step” development strategy to modernize national defense and the armed forces (国防和军队现代化新“三步走). The commentary concluded that CCP leadership made the PLA’s future “glorious,” remarking that “going ahead, the PLA must firmly adhere to the guidance of [the CCP’s] absolute leadership, making this its eternally unchanging spirit and permanent lifeblood.”
International Liaison Work
6.21 The CCP International Department (CCP/ID) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Embassy in China held a symposium to commemorate the historic reciprocal visits between the highest leaders of the two parties and two countries. CCP/ID Head Song Tao (宋涛) and DPRK Ambassador to China Ri Ryong-nam attended and addressed the symposium. Other participants included CCP/ID Deputy Head Guo Yezhou (郭业洲) and relevant personnel from the DPRK Embassy in China.
6.23 At the invitation of the CCP/ID, diplomatic envoys from the four socialist countries of the DPRK, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba visited the Museum of the Chinese Communist Party and toured its “‘Remain True to the Original Aspiration, Keep the Mission Firmly in Mind’ CCP History Exhibition.’ They were the first group of foreign guests to do so. CCP/ID Deputy Head Guo Yezhou accompanied the group, which included DPRK Ambassador to China Ri Ryong-nam, Vietnamese Ambassador to China Phạm Sao Mai and Counselor Phạm Trung Nghĩa, Lao Ambassador to China Khamphao Ernthavanh, and Cuban Ambassador to China Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández.
6.23 CCP/ID Assistant Head Li Mingxiang (李明祥) attended and addressed the opening ceremony of an online training seminar for Eritrean People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) cadres. Other participants included Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea Cai Ge (蔡革) and PFDJ Political Affairs Head Yemane Gebreab.