- Admin
Weekly Report 4|67 4.9.22-4.15.22
Highlights
Xi Jinping conducted an inspection of Hainan from 10 to 13 April, in which he gave remarks on food security, maritime issues, the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the pandemic. (See Senior Leaders section)
People’s Daily published four Commentator Articles on Xi Jinping’s 8 April speech at a meeting in honor of participants in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. (See Propaganda Work section)
People’s Daily published a Commentator Article titled “Perseverance is Victory” about China’s “dynamic zero” strategy for COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures. (See Propaganda Work section)
Senior Leaders
Xi Jinping: Liberate Ideology, Blaze New Trails, [and] Unite to Struggle and Overcome Difficulties; Accelerate the Construction of a Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics That Has World Influence
4.10-13 Xi Jinping conducted an inspection of Hainan from 10 to 13 April. During his visit, Xi emphasized the importance of “resolutely implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee; adhering to the overall key tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability work; implementing the new development concept completely, accurately, and comprehensively; comprehensively deepening reform and opening; adhering to innovation-driven development; coordinating pandemic prevention and control with economic and social development; coordinating development and security; liberating ideology, pioneering, and innovating; uniting to struggle and overcome difficulties; and accelerating the construction of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics that has world influence to make Hainan a demonstration of China’s reform and opening up in the new era, and ushering in the victorious convening of the 20th Party Congress with practical actions.”
Xi also emphasized ensuring China’s food security, stating that “if the Chinese people want to hold their rice bowls firmly in their own hands, they must hold the seeds firmly in their own hands.” He highlighted the need to focus on ensuring the supply of important agricultural products, achieving self-reliance and self-improvement in seed industry technology, independent and controllable seed sources, and using Chinese seeds to ensure China’s food security. Xi further declared it necessary to continue the work of past agricultural researchers to serve the people and country, in addition to highlighting other points on the development of agriculture.
Thereafter, Xi emphasized the importance of becoming a “maritime strong country” as a major strategic task of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. He called for “promoting a high-level of self-reliance (自立自强) in marine science and technology,” strengthening original and leading scientific and technological research, “firmly grasping equipment manufacturing in our own hands,” striving to use China’s own equipment to develop oil and gas resources, increasing energy self-sufficiency, and ensuring national energy security. Xi also declared it necessary to continue implementing the overall plan for the Hainan Free Trade Port’s construction and the Hainan Free Trade Port Law to ensure the port opens as scheduled and emphasized the need to “unswervingly uphold the leadership of the Party,” and “insist on 'establishing [the new] first and then breaking [the old]' (先立后破), not 'breaking without establishing' (不立不破),” in addition to other general points on policy implementation.
Lastly, Xi stated that the pandemic is still very serious, and prevention and control work cannot be relaxed since “perseverance is victory.” He declared it necessary to adhere to putting the people and life first, adhere to “protecting against imported cases and domestic resurgences” (外防输入、内防反弹), and adhere to scientific precision and “dynamic zero” (动态清零) while paying close attention to various measures for pandemic prevention and control. Xi further emphasized overcoming apathy, war-weariness, wishful thinking, and a “slackening” mentality, improving scientific and precise prevention and control skills, improving various emergency plans, strictly implementing normalized prevention and control measures, and minimizing the impact of the pandemic on economic and social development.
Central Committee and State Council Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Unified Domestic Market (March 25, 2022)
4.11 People’s Daily published the full text of the Central Committee’s and State Council’s 25 March Opinions on establishing a unified domestic market. Stating that “establishing a unified domestic market is the basic support and innate requirement for constructing a new development pattern,” the Opinions consist of the following eight sections:
Overall Requirements: Guiding principles include “adhering to the overall key tone” of seeking progress while maintaining stability work, “comprehensively adhering to reform and opening up,” and increasing market efficiency. Primary goals include making China’s market more “stable, fair, transparent, and predictable”; using the market to support innovation in science and technology and the development of new industries; and “increasing China’s discourse power (话语权) in international economic governance.”
Strengthening the Unification of the Market’s Basic System Rules: Such efforts will focus on improving unified systems for property rights protection, market entry, fair competition, and social credit. Actions discussed include “promoting the innovation of the intellectual property lawsuit system,” creating a “national list” for market entry and preventing jurisdictions from issuing independent market entry “negative lists,” “improving the fair competition investigation system,” and establishing a “credit information network” that covers all areas of the country.
Promoting High Connection Standards for Market Facilities: Measures will be taken to improve transportation and telecommunication systems, mechanisms and systems for sharing information between companies and to the public, and platforms for trading public resources and commodities.
Creating a Unified Component and Resource Market: Measures will be taken to establish and develop unified markets for urban and rural land and labor, capital, technology and data, energy, and the ecosystem. Specific measures discussed include “perfecting a second-tier market for land use transfer, rent, and collateral”; “strengthening supervision over capital markets"; “perfecting the intellectual property rights evaluation and transaction mechanism”; “accelerating the establishment of a unified natural gas capability measurement and evaluation system”; and “creating a unified national exchange for carbon emissions and water usage.”
Promoting a High Level of Unification of the Goods and Services Markets : Measures will be taken to establish systems for “product quality and standards and measurements.” To further these goals, the Opinions recommend actions such as establishing “national product quality examination and testing centers” and improving standards for technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G. In addition, the Opinions discuss the need to improve the protection of consumer rights.
Promote the Unification of Market Supervision and Fairness: Actions will be taken to improve unified rules and enforcement for market supervision. To achieve these goals, the Opinions recommend measures such as implementing strict supervision and standards for food and other sectors that can impact peoples’ health and establishing work mechanisms for “integrated” and industry-specific oversight agencies. In addition, the Opinions call for using technology and big data to drive the “intelligentization” of market supervision as one of several ways to “comprehensively upgrade market oversight capabilities.”
Further Standardize Improper Market Competition and Market Intervention Conduct: Actions will be taken to deal with monopolistic behavior, unfair competition, actions that create unfair advantages for certain regions, barriers to fair market entry and exit, and actions in bidding and procurement that impede the establishment of a unified market.
Guarantees for Organization and Implementation: The Party’s leadership over the establishment of a national unified market will be strengthened and mechanisms for regional cooperation between economic regions such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta will be established, among other topics related to economic administration.
Li Keqiang: Make Economic Stability Our Top Priority and Seek Progress While Maintaining Stability, Support the Economy Operating at a Reasonable Interval Through Stable Employment and Prices
4.11 Politburo Standing Committee Member and State Council Premier Li Keqiang (李克强) convened and presided over a symposium in Jiangxi on the current economic situation with government leaders from several provinces and Jiangxi’s party secretary. Li emphasized that “under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core,” all regions and departments had implemented the “deployments” of the Central Committee and State Council and conducted “six stabilities” and “six guarantees” work. He then called on attendees to ensure that China’s economy operated within a “reasonable interval”; maintain vigilance against international and domestic changes that “exceeded expectations”; and simultaneously plan pandemic prevention and control and socio-economic development; in addition to issuing other instructions. Moving on, Li gave exhortations which included “firmly grasp[ing] and implementing the spirit of the Central Conference on Economic Work and the actions of the Government Work Report” and maintaining stability in agriculture, power supply, and logistics. He also encouraged localities to implement assistance measures tailored to local conditions to help small- and medium-sized businesses and self-employed households. Li concluded by emphasizing the need to continue the reform of “delegating power, streamlining administration, and optimizing services” (放管服); improve market conditions and avoid implementing policies that are “not beneficial to market expectations”; provide services and aid to the unemployed; and ensure that those impacted by COVID-19 can receive necessary supplies and medical care.
State Council Secretary-General Xiao Jie (肖捷) also participated in the symposium.
Propaganda Work
4.9-4.12 People’s Daily published four Commentator Articles on Xi Jinping’s 8 April speech at a meeting in honor of participants in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The first Commentator Article, “Energetically Enrich the Olympic Spirit,” praised Xi’s speech for summarizing the lengthy preparations for the Games, the “precious experience” of their convening, the “Beijing Winter Olympic spirit,” and how to use the legacy of the Games for high-quality development. It stressed the “political, ideological, and guiding” importance of the speech, saying it would encourage advancement on the struggles of the “new voyage” towards the second centenary goal, the establishment of a new era, the “comprehensive establishment of a modern socialist country,” and the realization of national rejuvenation. The Commentator Article noted Xi’s personal involvement and guidance in planning and hosting the Games as promised despite challenges from the pandemic. It discussed Xi’s description of the Beijing Winter Olympic spirit, further explaining its main points: “caring about the big picture, [letting] self-confidence bloom, facing difficulties above all, seeking to surpass, and creating a shared future.” The Commentator Article noted the transition between the first and second centenary goals, and the importance of the Beijing Winter Olympic spirit in the pursuit of the latter. In conclusion, it called for the continued enrichment of this spirit; unification around the “Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core”; and persistence in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, “recognizing the ‘two establishes’ (两个确立), 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).”
The second Commentator Article, “A Streamlined, Safe, and Splendid Olympic Extravaganza Offered to the World,” again emphasized Xi’s personal leadership and guidance in the hosting of the Games amid the challenges of the pandemic. It praised the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, particularly their themes of global unity and their representation of China; highlighted the patriotic atmosphere created by global and domestic attention to the Games; and claimed that pandemic prevention and control efforts at the Games were of global significance. Next, the Commentator Article praised coaches and athletes for their performances, which “won glory for the Party and the people”; other Olympic workers for their “glorious achievement” for the motherland, the people, and the era; and the international leaders, organizations, and Olympic and Paralympic Committees for attending, showing the expansion of China’s “circle of friends” and “community of partners.”
The third Commentator Article, “Reap Highly Valuable Experience Amid Struggle,” discussed lessons from the successful hosting of the Games amid the pandemic and “changes unseen in a century” (世界百年未有之大变局). It stated that these lessons are the importance of persisting in the Party’s collective and unified leadership for defeating obstacles; the importance of China’s socialist system for mobilization, planning, and various aspects of national strength; the importance of risk-conscious thinking to maintain initiative; and the importance of serving the people to improve their lives, including through the Games. The Commentator Article noted the challenges facing domestic reform, development, and stability amid the pandemic, economic challenges, and global turmoil including “great-power games,” stressing the importance of the Party’s wisdom from experience, the Party’s comprehensive leadership, the unique capabilities of the socialist system, overall planning and risk-consciousness, and people-centered development for facing these challenges.
The fourth Commentator Article, “Manage and Use the Legacy of the Beijing Winter Olympics Well,” discussed accomplishments of the Games to be enjoyed by the people, including the development of winter sports, the development of social projects including greater protection for the rights of the disabled, and improvements to the areas that hosted the Games, claiming that such achievements had far-reaching benefits for socioeconomic development. The Commentator Article stressed that the Games were not a one-off event that simply concluded with their closing. Rather, the legacy of the Games should be entwined with serving the people through the implementation of the new development concept, construction of a new development pattern, and advancement of high-quality development. The Games should also continue to drive the development of the winter sports industry and serve as a “cultural resource” to confidently “tell the China story well.” The Commentator Article also discussed the “spiritual wealth” gained from the Games, calling for continuation of the “humanitarian spirit” of the Games and advances in the rights of, services for, and endeavors of people with disabilities; the progress of volunteering; and the offer of China’s wisdom and strength to the world. Finally, it discussed continued improvements to national sports, health, and physical education in China.
Zhong Sheng Series: Seeing US-Style Hegemony from the Ukraine Crisis
4.10-11 People’s Daily published the final two Zhong Sheng (钟声) commentaries on the United States’ supposed role in starting the “Ukraine crisis.”
The ninth commentary, titled “Pursuing Absolute Security Will Only Intensify Security Predicaments,” made the point that “NATO’s response to the Ukraine crisis clearly exposes its nature of serving as a tool for US hegemony.” It stated that NATO’s five rounds of eastward expansion since the end of the Cold War had posed a “grave hidden danger” to European security and created “collective insecurity,” proving that NATO did not contribute to a more peaceful world. The commentary then emphasized that peace was China’s “only goal, that [it] sincerely hop[ed] for,” in Ukraine and said that NATO lacked the “qualifications” to criticize China’s stance on Ukraine or “coerce and pressure China” because NATO had been the “fuse” for and prolonged the “Ukraine crisis” and killed innocent civilians when it bombed Yugoslavia 23 years ago. Next, it stated that NATO’s actions had “increased the risk of escalating conflict” and were “far from” Europe’s and the global community’s hopes for “rebuilding peace.” Moving on, the commentary said that the “Ukraine crisis” stemmed from “the long-term accumulation of regional security contradictions in Europe” and that solving this issue involved “looking after the reasonable security concerns of all involved parties.” After calling on Europe to consider the consequences of “being strategically bound by the United States,” it concluded: “In Europe and other regions in the world, every country should uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept. Only by upholding this correct security concept can [countries] truly break the security predicament that exists in international relations.”
The tenth and final commentary, titled “Engaging in Bloc Confrontation Is Trampling the International Order,” asserted that “the mentality of bloc confrontation (集团对抗思维) with Cold War character” stood behind the United States’ “method of simply dividing the world and creating division and confrontation in the international community” since the beginning of the “Ukraine crisis.” It further stated that US actions regarding Ukraine, such as pressuring other countries to unite against Russia and issuing sanctions, “more vividly and thoroughly (淋漓尽致) revealed the United States’ appearance as a bully of the international order.” After detailing the negative reaction of developing countries to “US hegemonic conduct,” it asserted that only one system, order, and rules existed globally, and that the United States ultimately “did not represent the international community and even more lacked the qualifications to point fingers everywhere in the name of the international community.” It concluded: “As a member of the global village, the United States should not try to replace ‘village rules’ (村规) with ‘family rules’ (家法), and even more should not allow ‘America First’ to undermine the global order or US-style hegemony to trample on international rules. Under changes unseen in a century, the global pandemic, and all kinds of interwoven crises, the world needs major countries to inject stability and certainty and absolutely not [inject] destructive forces.”
PLA Daily Commentator Article: Uphold the Space Flight Spirit, Pledge to [Create] a Strong Country and Strong Military
4.15 PLA Daily published a Commentator Article on Xi Jinping’s speech during his 12 April inspection of the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan. It began by stating that Xi’s aforementioned speech “offered basic [guidance for] compliance [with] further promoting the space flight spirit and clearly indicating a direction forward for initiating a new phase of the strong country and strong military undertaking for a new era.” After detailing how China’s space flight endeavors had reached new heights since the 18th Party Congress, it stated that China’s “great achievements” in the development of its space program “amply display confidence in the path (道路自信), theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The Commentator Article stated further that “space flight spirit” constituted, among other things, “an important component of the spiritual pedigree of Chinese Communist Party members” and a spiritual encouragement to the nation. After stressing the need to engage in actions such as “striv[ing] to promote a high level of scientific and technological self-reliance” (自立自强) in the course of military modernization and increasing China’s standing in terms of science and technology, it concluded: “The entire military must conscientiously study and implement the spirit of Xi Jinping’s important speech, remain true to our original aspiration, keep the mission firmly in mind (不忘初心、牢记使命)... and write a more magnificent epic of a strong country and military.”
People’s Daily Commentator Article: Perseverance is Victory
4.16 People’s Daily published a Commentator Article titled “Perseverance is Victory” about China’s COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures. The article quoted Xi Jinping’s remarks during his inspection of Hainan that emphasized the importance of minimizing the pandemic’s impact on economic and social development. It noted that under Xi’s strong leadership, the country has “adhered to the concept of “putting people above all else and life above all else and adhered to the ‘protecting against imported cases and domestic resurgences’ (外防输入、内防反弹) general strategy and ‘dynamic zero’ (动态清零) general policy,” which has had “rapid and effective” results. The article touted the measures as having “achieved the greatest results at the lowest cost” and asserted that these successes proved that the “dynamic zero” policy is best for the people. It noted the challenges of pandemic prevention and control measures given the greater transmissibility of the Omicron variant and the possibility that if infections are merely treated rather than prevented, a “large-scale reemergence” could occur, with particular risks to the elderly population, which would “greatly reduce or even waste the hard-won pandemic prevention and control achievements.” The article also stated that in pandemic prevention and control “no people are spectators and everyone is responsible,” and that this is “arduous and burdensome work that requires enduring adherence.” It acknowledged that lockdowns and other control measures sometimes “bring inconvenience to people’s work, study, and life, but are a last-resort response that the virus forced us to make” that is effective and have been proven in practice. The article then discussed the recent rapid expansion of the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the “dynamic zero” general policy, improving scientific and accurate prevention and control capabilities, and addressing basic needs for the people. After stressing the need for unity with the “deployments” of the Central Committee, the article concluded by mentioning the success of the “dynamic zero” policy in Jilin and expressing confidence in pandemic prevention and control efforts moving forward.
Party Discipline
Zhao Leji: Conscientiously Implement the Deployments of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection’s Sixth Plenum, Usher in the Victorious Convening of the 20th Party Congress with Practical Actions
4.10-12 Politburo Standing Committee Member and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) Head Zhao Leji (赵乐际) conducted an inspection of Hunan from 10 to 12 April. Zhao emphasized that discipline inspection and supervision organs must “deeply understand the decisive significance of the ‘two establishes’ (两个确立), strengthen the ‘four consciousnesses’ (四个意识), consolidate the ‘four confidences’ (四个自信), achieve the ‘two defends’ (两个维护), carry forward the spirit of thorough self-revolution (自我革命), and conscientiously implement the spirit of Xi Jinping’s speech at the CCDI’s Sixth Plenum in order to usher in the victorious convening of the Party’s 20th National Congress with concrete actions of strengthening discipline and improving conduct (正风肃纪) [as well as] anti-corruption.” In Shazhou Yao Village, Zhao visited the “Warmth of Half a Quilt” (半条被子的温暖) exhibition hall (based on a famous historical story demonstrating the Party’s care for the masses) and visited farmers’ homes to meet with Party members and the masses. Zhao pointed out that “the core of the work style issue is the relationship between the Party and the people” and stressed the need for the Party to continue demonstrating its care for the people. In addition, he stressed that discipline inspection and supervision organs must establish a people-centered fundamental position, resolutely rectify corruption and unhealthy practices around the masses, and “promote solutions to grave problems that the masses are desperately looking forward to [resolving].” Zhao also visited local companies to learn about the construction of the companies’ “party work style and honest governance” (党风廉政) and emphasized that the discipline inspection and supervision commissions should conscientiously perform its supervision duties, oversee the implementation of financial relief policies, and “unremittingly rectify the ‘four forms’ (四风: formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance) while cultivating new forms,” in addition to performing other actions.
Zhao also visited the Hunan Provincial and Hengyang Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision Commissions, and presided over a symposium with secretaries of provincial discipline inspection and supervision commissions. He emphasized that these commissions should thoroughly study Xi Jinping’s strategic thinking on the Party’s self-revolution, always maintain the main tone of strictness, promote “not daring to be corrupt, being unable to engage in corruption, and not wanting to be corrupt,” persistently implement the spirit of the Central Eight Regulations (中央八项规定), and unswervingly promote the construction of clean and corruption-free governance (党风廉政) and the fight against corruption. Lastly, Zhao emphasized the need to “more consciously and concretely implement progress while maintaining stability and seeking truth from facts (实事求是)” in order to “better promote the unification of political, disciplinary, and social effects.” In addition, he called for strengthening political and daily supervision, in addition to other aspects of discipline inspection and supervision work.
International Liaison Work
4.12 CCP International Department (CCP/ID) Head Song Tao (宋涛) held a video call with Chairman of the Supreme Council of the United Russia Party Boris Gryzlov.
4.12 CCP/ID Assistant Head Zhu Rui (朱锐) spoke at the opening of an online course for cadres of Iraq’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
4.14 The Third Session of the China-Central Asia Political Parties’ Forum was held through video conference, with the theme “Firmly Walk the Developmental Road Suited to National Conditions: The Responsibility and Task of Political Parties.” Speakers at the event included Song Tao; Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region party secretary Ma Xingrui (马兴瑞); secretary of Kazakhstan’s Amanat Party, Rinat Kartayev; chair of the Ata-Jurt Kyrgyzstan Party, Aybek Matkerimov; first deputy chair of the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, Azizi Abdujabbor Abdukahhor; chair of Turkmenistan’s Democratic Party, Ata Serdarov; and first deputy speaker of Uzbekistan’s Legislative Chamber, Akmal Saidov.