Aligning Party's Working Organs with Xi's Agenda - Wang Wentao on Direction of China's Opening-up - China-Japan Tensions Escalate

Here are the key reports and articles from the People’s Daily’s edition on Monday, December 08, 2025.

Page 1: Let’s begin with the revised regulations on the Party’s working organs. These were revised and promulgated by the CPC Central Committee on November 28, 2025. The earlier version of this was issued in 2017, which is before Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with. Chinese Characteristics for a New Era came to be. So comparing the two is useful to grasp the substantive revisions that have been made. There are some procedural adjustments, but the significant changes that I can notice are those around increased centralisation, imposing the authority of Xi Jinping and adherence to his thought.

Article 2: Party’s working organs must uphold taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as their guide, deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, enhance the four consciousnesses, strengthen the four self-confidences and achieve the two safeguards, thoroughly implement the Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic strategy, uphold their positioning as political organs, give play to their role as implementing organs, serve as advisors and assistants to the Party committees, and earnestly fulfill their responsibilities in implementing the Party’s leadership, strengthening Party building, and advancing the Party’s cause. 第二条 党的工作机关必须坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，深入贯彻党的基本理论、基本路线、基本方略，坚持政治机关定位，发挥执行机关作用，当好党委参谋助手，切实履行实施党的领导、加强党的建设、推进党的事业各项职责.

Article 3: Party’s working organs must firmly uphold the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and shall conduct work in accordance with the following principles:

1. Uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership, and adhere to the principle of the Party managing itself and exercising full and rigorous governance over itself;

2. Adhere to focusing on the central tasks and serving the overall situation;

3. Adhere democratic centralism;

4. Adhere to the principle of each performing its own duties and cooperating with each other to ensure that all Party work is coordinated and promoted in a synergistic manner;

5. Adhere to fulfilling their duties in accordance with the Party Constitution and Party regulations, and operate within the scope of the Constitution and laws.

第三条 党的工作机关必须坚定维护以习近平同志为核心的党中央权威和集中统一领导，遵循下列原则开展工作： （一）坚持和加强党的全面领导，坚持党要管党、全面从严治党； （二）坚持围绕中心、服务大局； （三）坚持民主集中制； （四）坚持各司其职、相互配合，确保党的各项工作协调一致、协同推进； （五）坚持依照党章党规履行职责，在宪法和法律范围内活动.

Another noteworthy change is with regard to the duties of Party’s working organs.

Article 11:

• Resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, improve the mechanism for implementing major decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, and ensure that the Central Committee’s orders are executed and prohibitions are observed;

• Implement the deployments and arrangements of the Party committees at higher levels and at the same level, as well as the Party’s working organs at higher levels, and study and deploy work within their scope of responsibilities;

• Serve as advisors and assistants to the Party committee, promptly report relevant situations, reflect problems, and offer opinions and suggestions to provide services for the Party committee’s decision-making;

• Issue Party regulations and normative documents in accordance with regulations and limits of authority, and ensure their organization, implementation, and supervision;

• Strengthen Party building work within the organ and work related to mass organizations;

• Undertake relevant matters assigned by the Party committee and the Party’s working organs at higher levels.

第十一条 党的工作机关应当履行下列职责： （一）坚决贯彻落实党中央决策部署，完善党中央重大决策部署落实机制，确保党中央令行禁止； （二）贯彻落实上级和本级党委以及上级党的工作机关部署安排，研究部署职责范围内的工作； （三）当好党委参谋助手，及时报告有关情况、反映问题、提出意见建议，为党委决策提供服务； （四）按照规定和权限制发党内法规和规范性文件，抓好组织实施和督促落实； （五）加强机关党的建设工作和群团工作； （六）承办党委和上级党的工作机关交办的有关事项.

The next chapter, dealing with decision-making, has significant changes too.

Article 18: Party’s working organs shall discuss and decide on the following major matters through meetings of departmental (office, bureau) affairs committees, committees, etc.:

1. Studying and implementing the major decision-making deployments of the Party Central Committee and the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping;

2. Implementing the relevant decisions, instructions, and work deployments of the higher-level and the same-level Party committees, and of higher-level Party working organs;

3. Studying and discussing specific measures for implementing and executing relevant guidelines and policies, intra-Party regulations, laws and regulations within this organ’s scope of duties;

4. Discussing and deciding on the organ’s major decisions, important personnel appointments and removals, major project arrangements, large-amount funds usage and other matters;

5. Deliberating on important matters for requesting instructions and reporting to the Party committee and superior Party working organs;

6. Studying and deploying important matters concerning Party building within the organ;

7. Studying and discussing other important matters.

第十八条 党的工作机关应当通过召开部（厅、委、室）务会会议等形式讨论决定下列重大事项： （一）学习贯彻党中央重大决策部署和习近平总书记重要指示精神； （二）贯彻落实上级和本级党委以及上级党的工作机关的有关决定、指示和工作部署； （三）研究讨论贯彻执行本机关职责范围内相关方针政策和党内法规、法律法规的具体措施； （四）讨论决定本机关重大决策、重要人事任免、重大项目安排、大额资金使用等事项； （五）审议向党委和上级党的工作机关请示报告的重要事项； （六）研究部署本机关党的建设方面的重要事项； （七）研究讨论其他重要事项.

In the previous version of this regulation, Article 22 said:

“The leading bodies and their members of Party working organs shall strengthen ideological and political construction, earnestly study Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, adhere to arming their minds with the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important speeches and his new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies for governing the country, and continuously enhance their confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. They shall strictly abide by the Party’s political discipline and political rules, and earnestly conduct intra-Party political life. They shall strictly implement the Central Committee’s various regulations on improving work style and maintaining close ties with the masses, and resolutely oppose formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. The leading bodies of Party working organs shall earnestly fulfill their primary responsibility for strict and comprehensive Party governance, implement the responsibility system for building a clean and honest Party, exemplarily implement various provisions on integrity and self-discipline, resolutely safeguard Party discipline, and promote the formation of a clean and upright environment conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation.” Article 22: 党的工作机关领导班子及其成员应当加强思想政治建设，认真学习马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想，坚持用中国特色社会主义理论体系武装头脑，深入学习贯彻习近平总书记系列重要讲话精神和治国理政新理念新思想新战略，不断增强中国特色社会主义的道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信。 严守党的政治纪律和政治规矩，严肃党内政治生活。 严格落实中央关于改进工作作风、密切联系群众的各项规定，坚决反对形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风。 党的工作机关领导班子应当认真履行全面从严治党主体责任，落实党风廉政建设责任制，模范执行廉洁自律各项规定，坚决维护党的纪律，推动形成风清气正、干事创业的良好环境.

The revised regulations do not have space for Mao, Marx or Lenin; instead, we have an oblique reference to Xi Jinping Thought and a specific reference to the 8-point central regulation. The content from the earlier version’s Article 22 is reflected in Article 24 of the current regulation.

“Article 24: The leading bodies and their members of Party working organs shall take the lead in upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralised and unified leadership, strengthen the arming of themselves with the Party’s innovative theories, continuously improve their political judgment, political understanding, and political execution, strictly abide by political discipline and political rules, and earnestly conduct intra-Party political life. They shall establish and practice a correct view of performance, seek truth from facts, work diligently and practically, and ensure that the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee are implemented effectively. They shall thoroughly implement the spirit of the Central Committee’s 8-point regulation, implement all requirements for reducing the burden on grassroots levels, and resolutely oppose formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. The leading bodies of Party working organs shall earnestly fulfill their primary responsibility for strict and comprehensive Party governance, resolutely safeguard Party discipline, and promote the formation of a clean and upright environment conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation.” 第二十四条 党的工作机关领导班子及其成员应当带头维护党中央权威和集中统一领导，加强党的创新理论武装，不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，严守政治纪律和政治规矩，严肃党内政治生活。树立和践行正确政绩观，求真务实，真抓实干，推动党中央决策部署落到实处。深入贯彻中央八项规定精神，落实为基层减负各项要求，坚决反对形式主义、官僚主义、享乐主义和奢靡之风。 党的工作机关领导班子应当认真履行全面从严治党主体责任，坚决维护党的纪律，推动形成风清气正、干事创业的良好环境.

Also on the front page is a commentary drawing on these regulations. It says that:

“The Regulations, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, consolidate the achievements of the reform of Party and state institutions, further strengthen the political requirements for Party working organs, standardise the establishment and operation of Party working organs, and clarify the basic norms to be followed for comprehensively strengthening and standardising the work of Party working organs.” 《条例》以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，巩固党和国家机构改革成果，进一步强化对党的工作机关的政治要求，规范党的工作机关的设立和运行，为全面加强和规范党的工作机关工作明确了基本遵循.

“It is essential to firmly establish the political nature of Party organs. As Party organs working directly under the leadership of the Party Central Committee and local Party committees at all levels, they must unequivocally uphold political principles, enhance the four consciousnesses, strengthen the four self-confidences and achieve the two safeguards, fully demonstrating their political character. In accordance with the requirements of the Regulations, it is essential to firmly uphold the authority and centralised, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core must be taken as the fundamental political principle for fulfilling duties and carrying out work, resolutely obey the Party Central Committee’s commands, consciously align ourselves with the Party Central Committee, benchmark and cross-check against the requirements of the Party Central Committee, firmly hold to the political direction, strictly observe political discipline and political rules, and always maintain a high degree of alignment with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in terms of thought, politics, and actions.” 要把牢政治机关定位。党的工作机关作为党的机关，直接在党中央以及地方各级党委领导下工作，必须旗帜鲜明讲政治，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，充分彰显政治机关本色。要按照《条例》要求，把坚定维护以习近平同志为核心的党中央权威和集中统一领导作为履行职责、开展工作的根本政治原则，坚决听从党中央指挥，自觉向党中央看齐，同党中央要求对标对表，把牢政治方向，严守政治纪律和政治规矩，始终在思想上政治上行动上同以习近平同志为核心的党中央保持高度一致.

“It is essential to continuously use the Party’s innovative theory to unify thought, will, and action, and be good at grasping the overall situation, analysing problems, and advancing work from a political standpoint. It is essential to take the Party’s political construction as the overarching guide, continuously deepen education on the awareness of being a political organ, and guide Party members and cadres to continuously improve their political judgment, political understanding, and political execution capabilities, effectively transforming their profound understanding of the decisive significance of the ‘Two Establishments’ into a high degree of consciousness and practical action in resolutely achieving the two safeguards.” 要持续用党的创新理论统一思想、统一意志、统一行动，善于从政治上把握大局、分析问题、推进工作。要坚持以党的政治建设为统领，持续深化政治机关意识教育，引导党员干部不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，切实把对“两个确立”决定性意义的深刻领悟转化为坚决做到“两个维护”的高度自觉和实际行动.

“Party working organs must fulfil their responsibilities as political organs. They are the executive bodies for implementing the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and local Party committees at all levels. The effectiveness of their functions directly impacts the implementation of the Party’s theory and line, principles, and policies, and bears on the development of the undertakings of the Party and the state. The Regulations clearly stipulate that the primary responsibility of Party working organs is to resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. It is necessary to improve the mechanism for implementing the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the important instructions and directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, ensuring that the Party Central Committee’s orders are followed and its prohibitions are adhered to. It is essential to deeply understand the spirit of the Regulations, raise political awareness, deepen ideological understanding, strengthen institutional and mechanism guarantees in close connection with one’s own responsibilities, enhance political consciousness and political responsibility in implementation, and promote the thorough implementation of the major decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee. It is essential to persist in and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership, persist in and improve the system of the Party’s leadership, persist in democratic centralism, comprehensively, systematically, and holistically implement the Party’s leadership, strengthen the institutional mechanisms for the Party’s leadership over all aspects of work, improve the mechanisms of unified and classified leadership and coordinated management, and promote the realisation of the Party’s overall leadership across all fields, all aspects, and all stages of the undertakings of the Party and the state. It is essential to adhere to the spirit of reform and strict standards in governing the Party, earnestly implement the important requirement of ‘five aspects that must be brought further into place’ in advancing the Party’s self-revolution, resolutely shoulder the responsibilities of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, and, with a strict tone, strict atmosphere, and strict measures, persistently advance comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, building the Party to be even stronger and more powerful.” 要履行政治机关职责。党的工作机关是落实党中央以及地方各级党委决策部署的执行机关，职能作用发挥得好不好，事关党的理论和路线方针政策贯彻执行，事关党和国家事业发展。《条例》明确规定，党的工作机关首要职责是坚决贯彻落实党中央决策部署。要完善党中央重大决策部署和习近平总书记重要指示批示精神落实机制，确保党中央令行禁止。要深刻领会《条例》精神，提高政治站位，深化思想认识，紧扣自身职责强化制度机制保障，增强抓落实的政治自觉和政治担当，推动党中央重大决策部署不折不扣贯彻落实。要坚持和加强党的全面领导，坚持和完善党的领导制度体系，坚持民主集中制，全面、系统、整体落实党的领导，强化党对各方面工作领导的体制机制，健全统一归口领导和协调管理工作机制，推动把党的全面领导落实到党和国家事业各领域各方面各环节。要坚持用改革精神和严的标准管党治党，认真落实推进党的自我革命“五个进一步到位”的重要要求，坚决扛起全面从严治党职责，以严的基调、严的氛围、严的措施，持之以恒推进全面从严治党，把党建设得更加坚强有力.

“It is essential to strengthen the political responsibility of Party organs. The Regulations clearly stipulate that Party working organs must serve as advisors and assistants to the Party committees. The central task of comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong nation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernisation is extremely arduous, placing higher demands on Party working organs to further play their role as advisors and assistants to the Party committees. It is essential to adhere to serving the central task and the overall situation, planning and advancing work tightly around the decision-making arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the work arrangements of the Party committee, fulfilling duties and responsibilities solidly, and effectively serving the central task. It is essential to focus on serving high-quality economic and social development, taking into account the new situations and changes in implementing the new development philosophy, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development, grasping the key links that affect the whole situation, and better serving the Party committee’s decision-making. It is essential to firmly establish the correct view of performance, implement work with the spirit of nailing nails and a pragmatic style, and resolutely guard against formalism and bureaucratism. It is essential to strengthen investigation and research, focusing on the key and difficult issues that the Party Central Committee cares about and that the masses are anxious and troubled about, understanding the real situation and listening to the voices of the people, so that the proposed ideas, measures, and suggestions are targeted and operable, ensuring practicality and effectiveness. It is essential to adhere to a bottom-line thinking, enhance political sensitivity and political discernment, promptly discover and identify various risks and hidden dangers, do a good job in risk prediction, early warning, and early handling, and effectively safeguard political security and overall social stability.” 要强化政治机关担当。《条例》明确规定，党的工作机关要当好党委参谋助手。以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业的中心任务十分繁重，对党的工作机关进一步发挥好党委参谋助手作用提出了更高要求。要坚持围绕中心、服务大局，紧紧围绕党中央决策部署以及党委工作部署安排谋划推进工作、扎实履职尽责，有力服务中心工作。要聚焦服务经济社会高质量发展，着眼贯彻新发展理念、构建新发展格局、推动高质量发展中的新情况新变化，抓住牵一发动全身的关键环节，更好服务党委决策。要树牢正确政绩观，以钉钉子精神和求真务实作风狠抓工作落实，力戒形式主义和官僚主义。要加强调查研究，围绕党中央关心关切、群众急难愁盼的重点难点问题，察实情、听民声，使提出的思路举措、对策建议具有针对性和可操作性，确保务实管用。要坚持底线思维，增强政治敏锐性和政治鉴别力，及时发现和识别各类风险隐患，做好风险预判预警预处，有力维护政治安全和社会大局稳定.

Page 3: A couple of days ago, it was reported that He Lifeng had a call with USTR Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Chinese reporting following that call said:

“The two sides held in-depth and constructive exchanges on implementing the important consensus reached between the two heads of state during their meeting in Busan and their phone talk on Nov. 24, and on advancing pragmatic cooperation and properly addressing respective concerns in the economic and trade sector. Both sides spoke positively regarding the implementation of the consensus of the China-U.S. economic and trade talks in Kuala Lumpur. They said that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, they will make full use of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism, continuously lengthen the list of cooperation and shorten the list of problems, and promote the sustained and stable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations.”

Bloomberg’s reporting on this is useful.

“Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China has been complying with the terms of the bilateral trade agreements and that the US is constantly monitoring commitments made by China in a bid to maintain a stable trade relationship. ‘With China, it’s always we verify and we monitor and we watch the commitments. The commitments are quite specific,’ Greer said Sunday on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing. ‘So all of these things that we’ve agreed to with the Chinese recently are very concrete, we can monitor them with some ease, and so far, we’re seeing that they’re in compliance.’ Greer said China has gotten approximately ‘a third’ of the way through its soybean purchase commitment for this growing season.”

“Asked whether chipmakers like Nvidia should give China advanced chips or if doing so would pose a security risk to the US, Greer expressed a need for the US to be cautious. ‘My own view is we need to be very cautious about this,’ Greer said on Fox News. ‘We want companies’ bottom lines to do well, but as policymakers, we need to make sure that the national security is placed first and foremost, and that’s why you’ve heard President Trump talk about the types of chips that maybe would be restricted and there’s always an open discussion on where that threshold lies, and it changes over time’.”

Today, there’s a report on the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) leading a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs to visit Washington, San Francisco, Oakland and other American cities from December 2 to 6. The report informs that the CCPIT co-hosted several China-US business matchmaking events with the Oakland City Government, the US Chamber of Commerce, the US-China Business Council, the Semiconductor Industry Association, Asia Group, Meridian International Center, and the US Soybean Export Council, and held discussions with more than 170 American companies and organizations.

Page 6: There’s a piece (English report) informing that the Beijing Equity Trading Center, a specialized board for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Chinese capital that develop advanced technologies to produce innovative and unique products, saw its number of listed companies hit 1,000 by the end of November.

“Among these companies, 221 are recognized as innovative SMEs, 541 as specialized and sophisticated SMEs, and 187 as ‘little giant’ enterprises -- a designation reserved for top-tier SMEs with high growth potential, cutting-edge technology and a robust competitive edge in the market. Launched in August 2023 with an initial cohort of 50 firms, the board is a tailored segment of Beijing’s equity market, specifically designed to support technology-driven and innovative SMEs. Nearly 90 percent of its listed firms operate in cutting-edge fields, including next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and new energy. To date, companies on the board have raised over 40 billion yuan (about 5.66 billion U.S. dollars) in equity financing, ranking among the top nationally in funding scale, according to the Beijing Equity Trading Center.”

Page 9: We have a long article today by Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, discussing high-level opening up. Wang begins by telling us that persisting in high-level opening up is of “great significance” during the 15th FYP period. He makes four points in this regard:

“Expanding high-level opening-up to the outside is a powerful driving force for comprehensively promoting high-quality development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that ‘China’s economic development over the past 40 years was achieved under conditions of opening-up, and in the future, China’s realization of high-quality development must also proceed under conditions of even greater openness.’ During the 15th FYP period, China’s development environment faces profound and complex changes, strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, uncertain and unpredictable factors will increase. This requires us to actively recognize changes, respond to changes, and seek changes, make good use of development opportunities, potential, and advantages; fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy; accelerate the building of a new development pattern; develop new-quality productive forces in light of local conditions; and focus on promoting high-quality development. Expanding high-level opening-up to the outside, bringing into play the important magic weapon role of using opening to promote reform and promote development, can enhance the linkage effects between the domestic and international markets and resources, and promote the achievement of effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy.” （一）扩大高水平对外开放，是全面推动高质量发展的强大动力。习近平总书记指出：“过去四十年中国经济发展是在开放条件下取得的，未来中国经济实现高质量发展也必须在更加开放条件下进行”。“十五五”时期，我国发展环境面临深刻复杂变化，战略机遇和风险挑战并存、不确定难预料因素增多，要求我们积极识变应变求变，用好发展机遇、潜力和优势，完整准确全面贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，因地制宜发展新质生产力，着力推动高质量发展。扩大高水平对外开放，发挥以开放促改革促发展的重要法宝作用，可以增强国内国际两个市场、两种资源联动效应，推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长.

“Expanding high-level opening-up is an inherent requirement for meeting the people’s needs for a better life. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that ‘we must not forget our original aspiration, take benefiting the people as our fundamental value orientation, adhere to guaranteeing and improving people’s livelihoods in development, and steadily promote common prosperity’. Opening-up to the outside is closely related to the production and life of the people. In 2024, nearly 700,000 foreign trade enterprises had import–export performance; there were nearly 500,000 existing foreign-invested enterprises; foreign trade and foreign investment directly and indirectly drove employment for more than 200 million people; and a large amount of high-quality imports promoted industrial upgrading and consumption upgrading. During the 15th FYP period, opening-up will continue to play an important role in stabilizing growth, employment, and people’s livelihoods. Expanding high-level opening-up and making the ‘pie’ of openness bigger and more widely distributed will help continuously improve the quality of life for the people and allow the fruits of development to better benefit the masses.”（二）扩大高水平对外开放，是满足人民美好生活需要的内在要求。习近平总书记强调：“要不忘初心，把造福人民作为根本价值取向，坚持在发展中保障和改善民生，稳步推动共同富裕”。对外开放同人民群众生产生活息息相关，2024年有进出口实绩的外贸企业近70万家，存量外资企业近50万家，外贸外资直接和间接带动就业人口超过2亿，大量优质进口促进了产业升级和消费升级。“十五五”时期，对外开放在稳增长、稳就业、惠民生中仍将发挥重要作用。扩大高水平对外开放，把开放的蛋糕做大分好，有助于不断提高人民生活品质，让发展成果更好惠及人民群众.

“Expanding high-level opening-up is a proactive undertaking to promote economic globalisation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that ‘economic globalisation is an irreversible historical trend.’ ‘In the past, our opening-up was “following”; now, our opening-up must “lead”.’ Recently, some countries have erected tariff barriers and engaged in “decoupling and supply chain disruptions,” with unilateralism and protectionism on the rise, and the world’s openness index continuing to decline. But overall, the forward direction of economic globalization has not changed and will not change. Expanding high-level opening-up, firmly standing on the right side of history, safeguarding multilateralism and free trade, and deepening international cooperation in industrial and supply chains, is conducive to enabling us to gain strategic initiative amid intense international competition, and, through our own opening-up, drive the world toward common opening-up and promote inclusive and mutually beneficial economic globalization.”（三）扩大高水平对外开放，是推动经济全球化的主动作为。习近平总书记指出：“经济全球化是不可逆转的历史大势”，“过去我们的开放是‘跟跑’，现在我们的开放是要‘领跑’”。近来，个别国家搞关税壁垒、“脱钩断链”，单边主义、保护主义抬头，世界开放指数不断下滑。但总的看，经济全球化的前进方向没有改变也不会改变。扩大高水平对外开放，坚定站在历史正确一边，维护多边主义和自由贸易，深化产业链供应链国际合作，既有利于我们在激烈国际竞争中赢得战略主动，也能以自身开放推动世界共同开放，促进普惠包容的经济全球化.

“Expanding high-level opening-up is an important measure for building a community with a shared future for mankind. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasised that amid the profound changes unseen in a century, the world is closely interconnected, and humankind shares a common destiny’, and ‘building a community with a shared future for mankind is where the future of the peoples of all countries lies’. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, countries will remain closely connected and mutually influential, while also facing many common challenges. Expanding high-level opening-up, accelerating the advancement of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promoting the implementation of the GDI, GSI, GCI and GGI, will help all countries work together to meet challenges, carry out global cooperation, build an open world economy, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind in a deeper and more substantive way.” （四）扩大高水平对外开放，是构建人类命运共同体的重要举措。习近平总书记强调：“百年变局之下，全球休戚相关，人类命运与共”，“构建人类命运共同体是世界各国人民前途所在”。“十五五”时期，各国相互联系、相互影响依然紧密，同时也将面临许多共同挑战。扩大高水平对外开放，加快推进高质量共建“一带一路”，推动落实全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议、全球治理倡议，有利于各国齐心协力应对挑战，开展全球性协作，建设开放型世界经济，推动构建人类命运共同体走深走实.

In the second section of the article, he outlines the principles and requirements for expanding high-level opening up.

“Uphold the principle of combining the expansion of opening-up with the deepening of reform, and advance opening-up of higher standards. The deeper the reform, the higher the requirements for the level of opening-up; the higher the level of opening-up, the greater its role in promoting reform. Since the 18th Party Congress, China’s level of openness has continuously increased, but the room for further opening is still considerable. We must expand opening-up within the process of reform, reducing ‘at-the-border’ and ‘behind-the-border’ barriers that restrict the flow of production factors, grasp the opportunities of digitalization and greening, and both continuously deepen factor-flow-type opening and steadily expand institutional-type opening. We must deepen reform within the process of opening-up, proactively aligning with and actively absorbing high-standard international economic and trade rules, deepen the reform of management systems for foreign trade, foreign investment, and outbound investment, and improve the institutional system for high-level opening-up. （一）坚持扩大开放与深化改革相结合，推进标准更高的开放。改革越深入，对开放的水平要求就越高；开放水平越高，对改革的促进作用就越大。党的十八大以来，我国开放水平持续提升，但开放空间仍然不小。要在改革中扩大开放，减少制约要素流动的“边境上”和“边境后”壁垒，把握数字化、绿色化发展机遇，既持续深化要素流动型开放，又稳步扩大制度型开放。要在开放中深化改革，主动对接、积极吸纳国际高标准经贸规则，深化外贸、外商投资和对外投资管理体制改革，完善高水平对外开放体制机制.

Uphold the principle of coordinating unilateral opening and agreement-based opening, and promote opening that is more leading. The higher the level of independent opening-up, the stronger the capacity for agreement-based opening-up; the two complement each other. Since the 18th Party Congress, China has coordinated its efforts in independent opening-up and agreement-based opening-up, establishing 22 FTZs, accelerating the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port, granting zero-tariff treatment to 100% of tariff lines of products from all least-developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations, increasing trade with 31 free trade partners to 44% of the country’s total foreign trade, and promoting the conclusion of multilateral agreements such as the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement. We must promote independent opening-up, continuously improve the level of openness, give full play to the pioneering role of various open platforms, and introduce more unilateral opening-up measures. We must promote agreement-based opening-up, negotiate and sign high-standard trade and economic agreements with more economies, actively participate in the formulation of international rules, and promote China’s opening-up from ‘following’ to ‘leading’. （二）坚持自主开放与协定开放相协同，推进引领更强的开放。自主开放水平越高，协定开放能力就越强，两者相辅相成。党的十八大以来，我国自主开放与协定开放协同发力，先后设立22个自贸试验区，加快建设海南自由贸易港，给予所有已建交的最不发达国家100%税目产品零关税待遇，与31个自贸伙伴贸易额占我国外贸总额比重增至44%，推动达成《促进发展的投资便利化协定》等多边协定。要推进自主开放，不断提升开放水平，发挥好各类开放平台先行先试作用，出台更多单边开放举措。要推进协定开放，同更多经济体商签高标准经贸协定，积极参与国际规则制定，推动我国开放从“跟跑”逐步转向“领跑”.

Uphold the principle of domestic circulation and international circulation mutually promoting each other, advance opening with better connectivity. The new development pattern is by no means a closed domestic circulation, but rather a more open dual circulation of domestic and international markets. In recent years, we have worked to strengthen the endogenous driving force and reliability of the domestic circulation, and to improve the quality and level of the international circulation, ensuring that the initiative in development is firmly in our own hands. We must use the large domestic circulation to pull international circulation, further stimulate the development momentum of commodity consumption, unleash the potential of service consumption, amplify the driving effect of emerging consumption, accelerate the construction of a strong domestic market, and enhance attractiveness to global factor resources. We must use the international circulation to promote the big domestic circulation, the more we face external containment and suppression, the more we must persist in using opening-up to break the encirclement, expand the international ‘circle of friends’, and realize the domestic and international dual circulations mutually reinforcing and positively interacting at a higher level.（三）坚持国内循环和国际循环相促进，推进联通更好的开放。新发展格局决不是封闭的国内循环，而是更加开放的国内国际双循环。近年来，我们着力增强国内大循环内生动力和可靠性，提升国际循环质量和水平，把发展主动权牢牢掌握在自己手中。要以国内大循环牵引国际循环，进一步激发商品消费发展动能，释放服务消费潜力，放大新兴消费带动效应，加快建设强大国内市场，增强对全球要素资源的吸引力。要以国际循环促进国内大循环，越是面临外部围堵打压，越要坚持以开放破围堵，扩大国际“朋友圈”，实现国内国际双循环在更高水平上相互促进、良性互动.

Uphold the principle of balancing China’s needs with the world’s expectations, and advance deeper cooperative opening-up. China’s development cannot do without the world, and the world’s prosperity also needs China. Since the 18th Party Congress, China has adhered to open cooperation for mutual benefit, developing itself while also benefiting the world. From 2013 to 2024, China’s cumulative imports of goods and services reached $31.4 trillion, and cumulative outbound direct investment reached $1.9 trillion, promoting common development. The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is becoming increasingly successful, with the intended transaction volume of the first eight sessions exceeding $580 billion, making China’s huge market a major opportunity for the world. We must persist in basing ourselves on China’s needs, deeply participate in the global industrial division of labour and cooperation, maintain a diversified and stable international economic structure and trade relations, and expand the development space for Chinese-style modernization. We must reasonably respond to the world’s expectations, expand points of interest convergence with all countries, continuously provide the world with new opportunities through China’s new development, and demonstrate the responsibility of a major country. （四）坚持中国之需与世界之盼相兼顾，推进合作更深的开放。中国的发展离不开世界，世界的繁荣也需要中国。党的十八大以来，我国坚持开放共赢，既发展了自身，又造福了世界。2013—2024年，我国货物和服务贸易进口累计达31.4万亿美元，对外直接投资累计达1.9万亿美元，促进了共同发展。进博会越办越好，前八届意向成交额累计超过5800亿美元，让中国大市场成为世界大机遇。要坚持立足中国之需，深度参与全球产业分工和合作，维护多元稳定的国际经济格局和经贸关系，拓展中国式现代化的发展空间。要合理回应世界之盼，扩大同各国利益交汇点，不断以中国新发展为世界提供新机遇，展现负责任大国担当.

Uphold the principle of coordinating development and security, and promote more robust openness. Development and security must be dynamically coordinated and mutually reinforcing. Since the 18th Party Congress, we have firmly implemented the overall national security concept, continuously improved the system for safeguarding economic security, and significantly enhanced our ability to prevent risks and respond to shocks. We must use opening-up to increase strength and reinforce security, keep in mind that development is the hard truth and security is also the hard truth, and focus our energy on managing our own affairs well, using high-level opening-up to promote high-quality development and improve both soft and hard power, and dynamically maintain national economic security at a higher level of openness. At the same time, the more open we are, the more we must emphasise security, strengthening our own competitive ability, regulatory ability in opening-up, and risk prevention and control ability, forging an indestructible, unbreakable body (vajra) that cannot be broken (金刚不坏之身).

The final section of the article outlines four tasks:

Actively expand unilateral/independent opening-up. Align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and proactively expand opening-up in light of our own development needs. Focus on expanding market access and fields of opening-up in the service sector, study and advance further pilot openings in the telecommunications and medical sectors, and orderly expand independent opening-up in the service industry, deepening and optimizing the national comprehensive pilot and demonstration zones for expanding opening-up in the service sector. Expand independent opening-up areas and regions, and effectively implement zero-tariff treatment for all least developed countries with whom we have diplomatic relations. Accelerate the process of regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements, expand the network of high-standard free trade zones, actively advance accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), and implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with high quality, further tighten the investment agreement network, and implement the zero-tariff measures for African countries with whom we have diplomatic relations through negotiating and signing joint development economic partnership agreements, flexibly and pragmatically negotiate and sign more bilateral and small-multilateral trade and investment agreements. Optimise the regional opening-up layout and create diverse forms of open highlands. Implement a strategy to upgrade free trade zones, optimise and adjust their regional layout, conduct more robust institutional opening-up experiments, enhance innovation-driven development capabilities, build the Hainan Free Trade Port to high standards, improve the policy support system for national-level economic and technological development zones, and coordinate the construction of major open cooperation platforms for technological innovation, service trade, and industrial development. Promote the orderly internationalization of the RMB, enhance the level of capital account openness, and build an independent and controllable RMB cross-border payment system. Advance global economic and financial governance reform, fully and deeply participate in WTO reform, actively participate in cooperation mechanisms such as the United Nations, the G20, APEC, and BRICS, and promote the construction and maintenance of a fair, just, open, inclusive, and win-win international economic order. 积极扩大自主开放。对接国际高标准经贸规则，结合自身发展需要主动扩大开放。以服务业为重点扩大市场准入和开放领域，研究推动进一步扩大电信、医疗领域开放试点，有序扩大服务业领域自主开放，深化优化国家服务业扩大开放综合试点示范。扩大单边开放领域和区域，落实好给予所有已建交的最不发达国家零关税待遇。加快推进区域和双边贸易投资协定进程，扩大高标准自贸区网络，积极推进加入《全面与进步跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》和《数字经济伙伴关系协定》，高质量实施《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》，进一步织密投资协定网络，通过商签共同发展经济伙伴关系协定落实对非洲建交国零关税举措，灵活务实商签更多双边、小多边贸易投资协定。优化区域开放布局，打造形态多样的开放高地。实施自贸试验区提升战略，优化调整区域布局范围，开展更大力度制度型开放试验，提升创新引领发展能级，高标准建设海南自由贸易港，完善国家级经开区政策支撑体系，统筹布局建设科技创新、服务贸易、产业发展等重大开放合作平台。有序推进人民币国际化，提升资本项目开放水平，建设自主可控的人民币跨境支付体系。推进全球经济金融治理变革，全面深入参与世贸组织改革，积极参与联合国、二十国集团、亚太经合组织、金砖国家等机制合作，推动构建和维护公平公正、开放包容、合作共赢的国际经济秩序.

Promoting innovative development of trade. Advance the improvement of quality and efficiency in foreign trade, and accelerate the building of a strong trading nation. Optimise and upgrade goods trade, expand intermediate goods trade and green trade, advance trade digitalisation, cultivate new drivers of foreign trade, and promote market diversification and the integration of domestic and foreign trade. Actively expand imports, enhance the level of import trade facilitation, cultivate national import trade promotion and innovation demonstration zones, and promote balanced development of imports and exports. Vigorously develop service trade, encourage the export of knowledge-intensive services and traditional advantageous services, vigorously develop inbound consumption, and expand imports of high-quality services. Improve the negative list management system for cross-border service trade and raise the level of standardization in service trade. Innovate and develop digital trade, expand orderly opening up of the digital field, actively develop digital product trade, continuously optimize digital service trade, vigorously develop digital technology trade, and steadily explore data trade. Enhance the functions of trade-promotion platforms, and successfully host expos such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE), the Canton Fair, the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), the Global Digital Trade Expo, the Consumer Products Expo, and the Investment & Trade Fair. Support the development of new business forms and new models such as cross-border e-commerce, and promote the high-quality development of overseas warehouses, market-procurement trade methods, and bonded repair and remanufacturing. Improve the export control and security review mechanisms, comprehensively enhance capabilities in scientifically listing items for export control, precise licensing, strong enforcement, and proper response, and improve the trade remedy system. （二）推动贸易创新发展。促进外贸提质增效，加快建设贸易强国。优化升级货物贸易，拓展中间品贸易、绿色贸易，推进贸易数字化，培育外贸新动能，推动市场多元化和内外贸一体化。积极扩大进口，提升进口贸易便利化水平，培育国家进口贸易促进创新示范区，推动进出口平衡发展。大力发展服务贸易，鼓励知识密集型服务、传统优势服务出口，大力发展入境消费，扩大优质服务进口。完善跨境服务贸易负面清单管理制度，提升服务贸易标准化水平。创新发展数字贸易，有序扩大数字领域开放，积极发展数字产品贸易，持续优化数字服务贸易，大力发展数字技术贸易，稳步探索数据贸易。提升贸易促进平台功能，办好进博会、广交会、服贸会、数贸会、消博会、投洽会等展会。支持跨境电商等新业态新模式发展，推动海外仓、市场采购贸易方式、保税维修和再制造等高质量发展。完善出口管制和安全审查机制，全面提升出口管制科学列管、精准许可、有力执法和妥善应对能力，完善贸易救济制度.

Expand the space for two-way investment cooperation. Continue to build the ‘Invest in China’ brand and promote international cooperation on industrial chains and supply chains. Create new advantages for attracting foreign investment, implement the ‘entry and operation’ principle, reduce the negative list for foreign investment access, implement the new version of the Catalogue of Industries Encouraging Foreign Investment, and promote reinvestment of foreign capital within China. Improve the service and support system for foreign investment, hold roundtable meetings for foreign enterprises, and carry out special ‘service and support outreach to foreign enterprises’ visits. Fully implement national treatment, promote the efficient, convenient, and secure cross-border flow of data, and foster a transparent, stable, and predictable institutional environment. Effectively manage outbound investment, improve the comprehensive service system for overseas operations, and promote the formation of an integrated ‘going out’ service ecosystem featuring central–local linkage, regional coordination, resource aggregation, and domestic–international connectivity. Guide industrial chain and supply chain layouts across borders in a reasonable and orderly way, improve the network of industrial and supply chain partnership relations, promote the integration of trade and investment, and expand the platform functions of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones in trade and investment. 拓展双向投资合作空间。持续打造“投资中国”品牌，推动产业链供应链国际合作。塑造吸引外资新优势，落实好“准入又准营”，缩减外资准入负面清单，实施好新版鼓励外商投资产业目录，促进外资境内再投资。健全外商投资服务保障体系，办好外资企业圆桌会议，开展“服务保障进外企”专项走访活动，全面落实国民待遇，推进数据高效便利安全跨境流动，营造透明、稳定、可预期的制度环境。有效实施对外投资管理，健全海外综合服务体系，推动形成央地联动、区域协同、资源集聚、内外贯通的出海综合服务生态。引导产业链供应链合理有序跨境布局，完善产业链供应链合作伙伴关系网络，促进贸易投资一体化，拓展境外经贸合作区贸易投资平台功能.

High-Quality BRI cooperation. Strengthen mutual trust and shared interests with participating countries, and continuously expand new spaces for win-win development. Enhance strategic alignment with participating countries, strengthen overall planning and management of cooperation, improve the layout of a multi-dimensional connectivity network, and coordinate the construction of major landmark projects and ‘small but beautiful’ livelihood projects. Deepen pragmatic cooperation in trade, investment, industry, and culture, encourage integrated development of investment, construction, and operation, expand trilateral and multilateral market cooperation, and promote industrial connectivity. Expand new spaces for cooperation in green development, artificial intelligence, digital economy, health, tourism, agriculture, and other fields, and build a high-standard ‘Silk Road e-commerce’ cooperation pilot zone. Improve a diversified, sustainable, and risk-controllable investment and financing system, support enterprises in diversifying their production locations, and promote innovation in cooperation areas, models, and business formats. Strengthen the protection of overseas interests, improve the foreign-related legal service system, provide higher-level legal protection for enterprises’ overseas investment rights, and safeguard development and security interests. 　　（四）高质量共建“一带一路”。强化同共建国家友好互信和利益融合，不断拓展共赢发展新空间。加强与共建国家战略对接，强化合作规划统筹管理，完善立体互联互通网络布局，统筹推进重大标志性工程和“小而美”民生项目建设。深化贸易、投资、产业、人文务实合作，鼓励投资、建设、运营综合发展，扩大三方和多方市场合作，推进产业互通。拓展绿色发展、人工智能、数字经济、卫生健康、旅游、农业等领域合作新空间，高标准建设“丝路电商”合作先行区。完善多元化、可持续、风险可控的投融资体系，支持企业开展产地多元化布局，推动合作领域、模式、业态创新。加强海外利益保护，健全涉外法律服务体系，为企业海外投资权益提供更高水平法治保障，维护好发展和安全利益.

Page 14: The China-Japan spat escalated over the weekend. AP reports:

“Japan said Monday that Chinese military aircraft locked radar on its fighter jets even though there was a safe distance between them, denying Beijing’s accusation of interference and renewing its protest over the incident. ‘The Self Defense Force (fighter jets) were maintaining safe distance during their mission,’ Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters. ‘China’s claim that SDF aircraft severely obstructed their safe flight is untrue.’ Japan and Australia urged calm on Sunday after Chinese military aircraft locked radar on the Japanese fighter jets. The incident occurred a month after the Japanese leader’s remarks on Taiwan stirred tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Japan formally protested the incident, calling it ‘an extremely regrettable’ act and ‘a dangerous’ one that ‘exceeded the scope necessary for safe aircraft operations’.”

The Chinese argument is that Japan carried out “dangerous moves of harassing China’s normal military exercise and training” and must “stop all irresponsible disinformation and political manipulation.”

“The facts are very clear. It is the frequent close-in reconnaissance and disruptions conducted by Japan’s fighter jets on China’s normal military activities that have caused the biggest maritime and air security risk. China does not accept the so-called protest from the Japanese side and has rejected it on the spot and lodged counter-protests in Beijing and in Tokyo. Under the current circumstance, the Japanese side, by hyping up the so-called issue of ‘radar illumination’, is deliberately making a false accusation against China to build up tension and mislead the international community. It is purely ill-intentioned, which China firmly opposes.”