BRI, GDI & GSI in Focus as Xi Visits KSA - Politburo Emphasises Stability in Economic Policy - Li Meets Russia's Mishustin - Zero-COVID Endgame - Wang Yi Warns Japan on Taiwan - New Provincial Chiefs
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy in the Thursday, December 08, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: At the top of the page is a report (English report) on Xi Jinping’s arrival in Saudi Arabia. Xi is on a state visit to KSA. He will also be attending the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. Travelling with Xi are Ding Xuexiang, Wang Yi and He Lifeng. Xinhua says:
“Xi's plane was escorted by four fighter jets from the Royal Saudi Air Force after it entered Saudi Arabia's airspace, and by six Saudi Hawk jets from the royal aerobatic team after it entered Riyadh's airspace. He received a grand and warm welcome when the plane arrived at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. A 21-gun salute heralded the arrival. The Saudi Hawks painted the sky in red and yellow, colors of China's national flag. Honor guards flanked the purple carpet. Chinese and Saudi national flags fluttered in the wind. The Chinese president was warmly greeted by Governor of Riyadh Province Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister Yasir Al-Rumayyan who works on China affairs and other key members of the royal family and senior officials of the government.” — This doesn’t sound like it’s standard protocol for visiting heads of state to Saudi Arabia.
Xi issued a written statement upon landing. This did not say anything of note. There was also an article published in local media (English version). The article talks about China and the Arab world’s “millennia-old friendship.”
Some excerpts:
“The exchanges between China and Arab states date back more than 2,000 years. The constant streams of caravans along the land Silk Road and the billowing sails along the maritime Spice Road have borne witness to how the Chinese and Arab civilizations interacted with and inspired each other across the Asian continent. It was through these exchanges that Chinese porcelain and paper-making and printing techniques were introduced to the West while Arab astronomy, calendar and medicine went all the way to the East. We have traded goods, sparked innovation, shared ideas, and spread the fruits of cultural exchanges to the rest of the world, leaving a splendid chapter in East-West engagement and mutual learning. The contacts between China and Arab states of the Gulf are well documented. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Gan Ying, a Chinese emissary, reached the ‘western seas,’ namely the Gulf, on his mission to the Roman Empire. This is the first official record of Chinese envoys reaching Arab states of the Gulf. More than 1,200 years ago, an Arab navigator, Abu Obeida, sailed from Sohar Port to the Chinese city of Guangzhou on a legendary journey that was later adapted to the exciting and well-known adventures of Sindbad. In the 1980s, a replica ship named the Sohar retraced the route opened by ancient Arab navigators, connecting the past and present friendly interactions between the two sides. China and Saudi Arabia have admired each other and conducted friendly exchanges since ancient times. The prophet Muhammad said, ‘Seek knowledge even if you have to go as far as China’.” — I had no idea that this was the origin of the Sindbad tale. Also, I cannot find any specific reference for this in my very cursory online search.
“The Arab world is an important member of the developing world and a key force for upholding international fairness and justice. The Arab people value independence, oppose external interference, stand up to power politics and high-handedness, and always seek to make progress. Arab states are endowed with diverse resources, and have built industries with distinctive features, scored remarkable achievements in development, and demonstrated enormous potentials. The Arab civilization advocates the middle way and moderation, encourages inclusiveness and mutual learning, opposes clash of civilizations, and is deeply rooted in its rich culture and history. Be it on the world political, economic or cultural map, Arab states always claim an important place…
In the past decade, China-Arab relations entered a new era and registered a series of landmark and groundbreaking achievements in various areas. Collectively, China has established a future-oriented strategic partnership of comprehensive cooperation and common development with all Arab states. Individually, China has established comprehensive strategic partnership or strategic partnership with 12 Arab states, and signed documents on Belt and Road cooperation with 20 Arab states. Among Arab countries, 17 have expressed support for the Global Development Initiative (GDI), 15 have become members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and 14 have participated in the China-League of Arab States Cooperation Initiative on Data Security. Arab states firmly support the one-China principle and support China in safeguarding its core interests. Likewise, China supports Arab states in upholding sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. On issues such as the Palestinian question, China's firm support for Arab states has been consistent and unwavering….
China and Arab states will continue to hold high the banner of non-interference in internal affairs, firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. We will continue to enhance together Belt and Road cooperation, keep expanding practical cooperation in such areas as food, energy, investment, financing and medical services, and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation with higher quality and in greater depth. We will continue to jointly act on the GDI and the Global Security Initiative so as to stabilize volatile regions and contribute more positive energy to peace and development. We will continue to jointly advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom -- the common values of humanity, strive to replace estrangement and clash of civilizations with exchanges and mutual learning, promote understanding and affinity between our peoples, and build ‘a garden of civilizations’ featuring mutual appreciation and inspiration.
In the past 10 years in particular, China-GCC relations have grown from strength to strength and yielded fruitful results. China has remained the GCC's largest trading partner and largest export market of petrochemical products. In 2021, two-way trade exceeded 230 billion U.S. dollars, and China's import of crude oil from GCC countries topped 200 million tons. The two sides enjoy extensive, in-depth cooperation in traditional areas such as production capacity, infrastructure development, investment and finance. Cooperation in high-tech sectors including 5G communications, new energy, space and digital economy is also gaining momentum…”
There are more stories previewing Xi’s Middle East visit on the second page; also on Page 5, there’s more focus on the visit. One of the articles on the page says that Xi’s participation in the “China-Arab States Summit is China’s biggest and highest-level diplomatic action towards the Arab world since the founding of the PRC, and will become an epoch-making milestone in the history of China-Arab relations.” 习近平主席出席首届中国—阿拉伯国家峰会，是新中国成立以来中国面向阿拉伯世界规模最大、规格最高的外交行动，将成为中阿关系发展史上具有划时代意义的里程碑.
It adds that convening this summit is a “strategic choice for China and Arab countries to strengthen solidarity and coordination given the new international situation.”
It adds:
“For a long time, security and development have been two major problems that have plagued Middle Eastern countries. In Middle East affairs, China has always adhered to the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states and has been an important and constructive force in promoting peace and supporting development in the region.
In 2018, at the opening ceremony of the eighth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Arab Cooperation, President Xi proposed building a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture, providing important ideas for addressing the security dilemma in the Middle East. China's Global Security Initiative is of great practical significance for promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, and has been widely recognised and supported by Arab countries. China’s Global Development Initiative has been supported by 17 Arab countries; 12 Arab countries joined the Group of Friends of GDI. China will join hands with Arab countries to implement the GDI, help Arab countries improve people’s livelihood, enhance their independent development capabilities, and help Arab countries achieve the goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China and Arab countries are actively exploring a path of Middle East governance that promotes peace through development, which will help achieve lasting peace and prosperity. 2018年，习近平主席在中阿合作论坛第八届部长级会议开幕式上提出打造共同、综合、合作、可持续的安全架构，为破解中东安全困境提供重要思路。中国提出的全球安全倡议对促进中东和平稳定具有重要现实意义，得到阿拉伯国家的广泛认同和支持。中国提出全球发展倡议，得到17个阿拉伯国家支持，12个阿拉伯国家加入“全球发展倡议之友小组”。中国将同阿拉伯国家携手落实全球发展倡议，帮助阿拉伯国家改善民生，提高自主发展能力，助力阿拉伯国家实现联合国2030年可持续发展议程目标。中阿积极探索以发展促和平的中东治理路径，有助于中东地区实现持久和平与繁荣.
Next, there is a report (English report) on the Politburo meeting yesterday “to analyse and study the economic work in 2023, and make arrangements for improving Party conduct and moral integrity, and combating corruption.”
“The meeting held that this year has been an extremely important year in the history of the Party and the country. Faced with the turbulent international environment and the arduous tasks of domestic reform, development and stability, the Party Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at the core united and led the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups to overcome difficulties, strengthened macro-control, steadily improved the quality of development, made fruitful achievements in scientific and technological innovation, comprehensively deepened reform and opening up, kept employment and prices basically stable, effectively ensured food security, energy security and people's livelihood, and maintained overall economic and social stability. Successfully hosted the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games. We successfully hosted the Winter Olympics in Beijing and successfully held the Party's 20th National Congress and took solid steps on our new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects.” 会议认为，今年是党和国家历史上极为重要的一年。面对风高浪急的国际环境和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，以习近平同志为核心的党中央团结带领全党全国各族人民迎难而上，加大宏观调控力度，发展质量稳步提升，科技创新成果丰硕，改革开放全面深化，就业物价基本平稳，粮食安全、能源安全和人民生活得到有效保障，保持了经济社会大局稳定。成功举办北京冬奥会、冬残奥会。胜利召开党的二十大，全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程迈出坚实步伐.
To do a good job in economic work next year, we must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, solidly promote Chinese-style modernisation, adhere to the general tone of the work of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and implement it completely, fully, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development concept, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, focus on promoting high-quality development, better coordinate epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, better coordinate development and security, comprehensively deepen reform and opening up, vigorously boost market confidence, and implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand, and vigorously boost market confidence. We should organically combine the implementation of the strategy of expanding domestic demand with deepening supply side structural reform, give prominence to the work of stabilising growth, employment and prices, effectively prevent and resolve major risks, promote the overall improvement of economic operation, achieve effective improvement in quality and reasonable growth in quantity, and make a good start for building a socialist modernised country in an all-round way.” 会议强调，明年是全面贯彻落实党的二十大精神的开局之年。做好明年经济工作，要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，全面贯彻落实党的二十大精神，扎实推进中国式现代化，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，完整、准确、全面贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，着力推动高质量发展，更好统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，更好统筹发展和安全，全面深化改革开放，大力提振市场信心，把实施扩大内需战略同深化供给侧结构性改革有机结合起来，突出做好稳增长、稳就业、稳物价工作，有效防范化解重大风险，推动经济运行整体好转，实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家开好局起好步.
The meeting pointed out that next year we must ensure adherence to stability, make progress while ensuring stability, continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, strengthen the coordination of various policies, optimise epidemic prevention and control measures, and form a joint force to jointly promote high-quality development. Strengthen the proactive fiscal policy in order to improve efficiency; ensure that prudent monetary policy is precise and forceful; industrial policies should ensure development and security simultaneously; science and technology policy should focus on self-reliance and self-improvement; and the social policy should firmly hold the bottom line of people’s livelihood. Efforts should be made to expand domestic demand and give full play to the basic role of consumption and the key role of investment. It is necessary to accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system and improve the level of resilience and security of the industrial and supply chains. We should earnestly implement the two unwaverings and enhance the driving force and vitality of China’s socialist modernisation drive. We should promote a high level of opening to the outside world and make greater efforts to attract and utilise foreign capital. It is necessary to effectively prevent and resolve major economic and financial risks and maintain the bottom line so that systemic risks do not occur.
会议指出，明年要坚持稳字当头、稳中求进，继续实施积极的财政政策和稳健的货币政策，加强各类政策协调配合，优化疫情防控措施，形成共促高质量发展的合力。积极的财政政策要加力提效，稳健的货币政策要精准有力，产业政策要发展和安全并举，科技政策要聚焦自立自强，社会政策要兜牢民生底线。要着力扩大国内需求，充分发挥消费的基础作用和投资的关键作用。要加快建设现代化产业体系，提升产业链供应链韧性和安全水平。要切实落实“两个毫不动摇”，增强我国社会主义现代化建设动力和活力。要推进高水平对外开放，更大力度吸引和利用外资。要有效防范化解重大经济金融风险，守住不发生系统性风险的底线.
The meeting stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the Party’s overall leadership over economic work, comprehensively study, grasp and implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress, and improve the implementation mechanism of major decision-making arrangements of the CPC Central Committee. It is necessary to persist in working hard and stimulate the entrepreneurial vitality of all segments of society — enable cadres to dare to take action, local authorities dare to break through, enterprises dare to do, and the masses dare to emerge as pioneers in creating new things. It is necessary to make overall plans to ensure the stability of supply and prices of important commodities and the transportation of coal, electricity, oil and gas, care for the production and livelihood of the masses in difficulty, protect the payment of wages to migrant workers, pay close attention to production safety and disaster prevention and mitigation, and maintain social harmony and stability.” 会议强调，要加强党对经济工作的全面领导，全面学习、把握、落实党的二十大精神，完善党中央重大决策部署落实机制。要坚持真抓实干，激发全社会干事创业活力，让干部敢为、地方敢闯、企业敢干、群众敢首创。要统筹做好重要民生商品保供稳价和煤电油气运保障供应，关心困难群众生产生活，保障农民工工资发放，抓紧抓实安全生产和防灾减灾工作，维护社会和谐稳定.
The next paragraph talks about the anti-corruption campaign. It says that “the anti-corruption struggle has won an overwhelming victory and has been consolidated in all respects, but the work is still far from complete.” 会议指出，全面从严治党十年磨一剑，反腐败斗争取得压倒性胜利并全面巩固，但还远未到大功告成的时候. Be sober and firm in persisting with strict Party governance and “carry out the Party's great self-revolution in the new era to the end.” It also calls for “forging the discipline inspection and supervision iron army and further promoting the high-quality development of discipline inspection and supervision.”
Xinhua English has a good summary of the next bit:
“With full implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress as a central task, efforts should be made to enforce strict political oversight to uphold the authority and centralised, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the meeting said. Urging strict adherence to the central Party leadership's eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct, the meeting pledged stringent actions against practices of hedonism and extravagance and severe punishment for those who continue to violate Party discipline and rules despite repeated warnings and prohibitions. Noting that Party discipline must be effectively enforced, the meeting called for integrating strict requirements throughout the entire process from the making of Party rules to the education on Party discipline and oversight of discipline enforcement. The meeting underscored a tough and protracted battle against corruption. The focus should be on corruption that involves both political and economic elements, corruption in sectors with high concentration of power, funds and resources, and corrupt low-ranking officials, whose misconduct directly affects people's lives, it noted. It stressed that the oversight system of the Party and the country should be further improved, and political inspection should be made into a sharp weapon against corruption and misconduct.” - In the Chinese language report, the one key addition is:
It is necessary to fight a tough and protracted war against corruption in the spirit of thorough self-revolution; give top priority to those who have not converged, restrained themselves or have acted boldly and with recklessness since the 18th Party Congress, investigate them deeply and punish them severely; and focus on corruption cases where political and economic issues are intertwined… It is necessary to improve the supervision system of the party and the state, give full play to the role of political inspections as the sharp sword, and enhance the effectiveness of the oversight of the ‘top leaders’ and leading bodies. 要以彻底自我革命精神打好反腐败斗争攻坚战持久战，把党的十八大以来不收敛不收手、胆大妄为者作为重中之重，深挖细查、严惩不贷，重点查处政治问题和经济问题交织的腐败案件，深化整治权力集中、资金密集、资源富集领域的腐败，坚决惩治群众身边的“蝇贪”，进一步铲除腐败滋生土壤。要完善党和国家监督体系，更好发挥政治巡视利剑作用，增强对“一把手”和领导班子监督实效.
Next, there’s a report (English report) about a symposium held on December 2, with non-CPC personages to solicit opinions and suggestions on this year's economic situation and economic work for the next year. Xi Jinping spoke at the meeting. The broad policy message in this is the same as the messaging from the Politburo meeting’s readout, i.e., maintaining stability, better coordinate epidemic response and economic and social development, and better coordinate development and security, etc.
Xi said that:
“Since the beginning of this year, facing a turbulent international environment and the arduous tasks of domestic reform, development and stability, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has united and led the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups to overcome difficulties, fully implemented the requirements of epidemic prevention, economic stability and ensuring the security of development. It has coordinated both domestic and international situations, coordinated epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, and coordinated development with security. We intensified macro-control and maintained overall economic and social stability.
The past five years have been extremely unusual and extraordinary, with China withstanding multiple tests, including accelerating global changes, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the domestic economic downturn. in particular, effectively responded to some countries’ ‘decoupling’ attempts on economic and technological fronts, and maintained basic stability of industrial and supply chains, and stabilised the broader economy. We have put people first and life first, and have effectively protected people's lives and health. China's economy has grown at an average annual rate of over 5%, better than the global average.
The first decade of the new era has seen China's economic and social make historic achievements, undergo historic changes, and shift to the path of high-quality development. In the past 10 years, China's total economic output has reached a new level, and its contribution to world economic growth ranks first in the world. Strategic emerging industries have grown stronger, the balance, coordination and inclusiveness of development have been continuously improved, and the ecological environment has shown an obvious trend of improvement. The joint construction of BRI strengthened, and significant progress has been made in building an innovative country. In particular, we have solved the historic problem of absolute poverty, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule, achieved the first centennial goal, and embarked on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects.” 习近平指出，今年以来，面对风高浪急的国际环境和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，中共中央团结带领全党全国各族人民迎难而上，全面落实疫情要防住、经济要稳住、发展要安全的要求，统筹国内国际两个大局，统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，统筹发展和安全，加大宏观调控力度，保持了经济社会大局稳定。习近平指出，过去五年极不寻常、极不平凡，经受了世界变局加剧、新冠疫情冲击和国内经济下行等多重考验，特别是有力应对一些国家推动经济科技“脱钩”等挑战，保持产业链供应链基本稳定，稳住经济大盘。我们坚持人民至上、生命至上，有效守护了人民生命安全和身体健康。我国经济年均增长5%以上，好于全球平均水平。习近平指出，新时代十年是我国经济社会发展取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革、转向高质量发展的十年。十年来，我国经济总量迈上新台阶，对世界经济增长的贡献在全球居于首位，战略性新兴产业发展壮大，发展的平衡性协调性包容性持续提高，生态环境呈现明显改善和趋势性好转，共建“一带一路”走深走实，创新型国家建设取得重大进展。特别是历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题，如期全面建成小康社会，实现第一个百年奋斗目标，迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程。
Then Xi expressed three hopes for the non-CPC entities:
He hopes the non-CPC personages will thoroughly study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, stay in tune with the CPC Central Committee, remain faithful to the original aspirations for cooperation, and pass down fine traditions.
He also called on the non-CPC personages to align their thoughts and actions with the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee on the economic work for the next year, carry out in-depth investigations and research, and put forward weighty opinions and suggestions on major issues such as preventing and controlling the epidemic in a scientific and precise manner, effectively boosting domestic demand, and achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
He hopes they will achieve smooth leadership transitions and further consolidate the foundation for multi-party cooperation to ensure the cause is passed on from generation to generation.
Finally, there’s a report on Xi’s letter replying to folks learning the Chinese language in Saudi Arabia. Some useful data from this report:
“So far, Saudi Arabia has included the Chinese language in its educational system, set up majors related to the Chinese language in nine universities, trained more than 300 local Chinese-language teachers, organized over 1,100 college students to participate in the ‘Chinese Bridge’ online winter camps, and supported more than 1,000 college students in joining the online programs of the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship.”
Page 3: There’s a report on Li Keqiang meeting with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin. Xinhua reports:
“Li noted that as each other's most prominent neighbors and emerging markets, China and Russia enjoy traditional friendships and have continuously developed bilateral relations based on the principles of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and non-targeting of third parties. China is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with Russia, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, deepen the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, uphold the basic norms governing international relations, safeguard regional and world peace, stability, development and prosperity, and bring more benefits to the two peoples, Li said. After listening to the relevant work reports delivered by the two sides, Li and Mishustin highly appreciated the effective and pragmatic work done over the past year. Noting that the economies of China and Russia are highly complementary, Li expressed the hope that the two sides will make good use of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, steadily advance cooperation projects in key areas, and constantly upgrade the level of economic and trade cooperation. Li also called on the two sides to optimize the customs clearance process, jointly maintain a stable and smooth industrial and supply chain, deepen cultural, people-to-people and local exchanges, and consolidate the public opinion base for friendly relations between the two countries. Mishustin said that under the current complicated international situation, the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has maintained a sound development momentum, and bilateral cooperation in various fields has continued to move forward. Russia is willing to work with China to give full play to the role of the regular meeting mechanism between Russian prime minister and Chinese premier, strengthen cooperation in key areas such as economy and trade, deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, upgrade bilateral cooperation and consolidate the good-neighborly friendship between the two countries, Mishustin said. Russia is also ready to work with China to tackle global challenges and promote the development of a multi-polar world, Mishustin added.”
Next, a report (English report) telling us that Li Keqiang will hold the seventh 1+6 Roundtable in Huangshan. He will meet with President David Malpass of the World Bank Group, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva of the International Monetary Fund, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of the World Trade Organization, Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo of the International Labor Organization, Secretary-General Mathias Cormann of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and Chairman Klaas Knot of the Financial Stability Board.
Third, there’s a report on Wang Yi’s speech at the Beijing-Tokyo Forum. Xinhua reports Wang said that:
“China and Japan should honor each other with trust and stick to their political commitments. Major and sensitive issues such as the history and Taiwan, which bear on the political foundation of bilateral ties, should be handled properly in particular and relevant commitments must be honored, he added. China and Japan also need to support each other and pursue win-win cooperation, Wang said. China will promote high-quality development, expand opening-up at a higher level and foster a new development pattern, Wang said, adding that Japan is welcome to share the opportunities brought about by China's endeavors so as to promote common development and prosperity of the two countries. The two sides should treat each other with sincerity and strive for peaceful coexistence, Wang said. ‘Differences between the two sides should be properly handled in accordance with the existing consensus and more new consensus should be constantly sought.’ Wang also called for deepening the friendship between the two countries. Since the beginning of this year, the two sides have carried out a slew of commemorative activities for the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties, he noted. ‘We should build on this momentum to promote friendly exchanges and improve national sentiment,’ Wang said, urging the media of the two countries to play a positive role in this regard. ‘China and Japan should adhere to principles and uphold fairness and justice,’ Wang said. He noted that, as important countries in Asia and the world at large, the two countries should shoulder their due responsibilities, step up communication and coordination, practice real multilateralism, promote regional peace, stability and integrated development, and jointly address global challenges.”
Finally, there’s a report on CMC Vice-chairman He Weidong saying that “studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th Party Congress is the primary political task for the armed forces at present and in the future.”
He adds that “it is necessary to deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, comprehensively and thoroughly implement the Chairman Responsibility System of the CMC, and be more firm in safeguarding the core and obeying commands. It is necessary to understand the new realm of Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, grasp its essence, transform it into a powerful ideological force, spiritual force and fighting capacity, and go deeper in arming the mind and guiding practice. It is necessary to strive to achieve the centennial goal for the armed forces as scheduled, seize the day and take initiative, build a system of enhancing actual combat capabilities, and strive to strengthen the armed forces and be determined to win. It is necessary to comprehensively strengthen Party building in the armed forces, strengthen the capabilities of Party committees to lead the preparations for combat, forge a contingent of excellent talents, and be more conscious in strengthening party building and being comprehensive and strict…” 何卫东指出，要深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，全面深入贯彻军委主席负责制，在维护核心、听从指挥上更加坚定。要体悟习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想新境界，掌握精髓要义，转化为强大的思想力、精神力、战斗力，在武装头脑、指导实践上更加深入。要锚定如期实现建军一百年奋斗目标，只争朝夕、主动作为，体系形成实战能力，在奋斗强军、矢志打赢上更加有为。要全面加强军队党的建设，强化党委领导备战打仗能力，锻造过硬人才队伍，在强固党建、全面从严上更加自觉。要立起奋进新征程好样子，发扬斗争精神，勇于开拓创新，在团结奋斗、真抓实干上更加主动.
Page 4: A report on the appointment of new Party chiefs.
Zhejiang: Yi Lianhong moves from Jiangxi to Zhenjiang as Party Secretary
Jiangxi: Yin Hong now takes charge in Jiangxi, moving away from Gansu
Gansu: Hu Changsheng takes charge as Party Secretary
Chongqing: Yuan Jiajun is replacing Chen Min'er
Page 6: The page today commemorates the 10 anniversary of the adoption of the 8-point central regulations. There’s also a commentary, the first in a new series, on the issue.
Page 8: There’s a report on the 10 new COVID policy optimisation measures. Zichen Wang from Pekingnology has a full translation of these measures, if you are interested.
Also, this thread captures all the measures:
These are significant easing measures, with more narrow lockdowns, calling for an end to arbitrary lockdowns, stepping back on testing and checking of health codes to ease travel, emphasising home quarantine for asymptomatic and mild infections, and encouraging the boosting of vaccines, opening up of even high-risk areas if there are no cases for five days, etc. In that sense, indeed this appears to be zero-COVID’s endgame. I wonder what will be done with all those facilities built for centralised quarantine. While all of this sounds great, the challenge will be as and when cases rise. How will the healthcare system respond?
Also on the page, there’s a commentary/article on the optimisation measures and China’s COVID policy in general over the years. It is titled: “Win the strategic initiative through persistence” - 在坚持中赢得战略主动. The article says:
“In the past three years, the virus has weakened but we have grown in strength. With the race against time accelerating, while improving our capabilities to cope with the big test of pandemic, we have waited for the pathogenicity of the COVID-19 virus to decline. We have adhered to research while engaging in prevention and control work, and closely tracked the virus’ mutation. With the availability of vaccines and drugs, our treatment capabilities have improved; with a combination of peacetime and wartime efforts our epidemic prevention capabilities have been strengthened, and our health awareness and literacy have also been improved. This has laid a foundation and created conditions for further optimising and perfecting prevention and control measures.” 近三年来，病毒弱了，我们强了。以争分夺秒的加速度，提升应对疫情大考的能力，我们等来新冠病毒的致病力下降。坚持边防控边研究，密切跟踪病毒变异，我们的疫苗、药物有了，救治能力提升了，平战结合的防疫本领强了，健康意识和素养提高了，这为进一步优化完善防控措施奠定了基础，创造了条件.
The piece goes back to the November 10 Politburo Standing Committee meeting, which then led to the 20 optimisation measures on November 11. It says:
“We have survived the most difficult period/the worst period! Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at the core, making good use of China’s magic weapon to fight the pandemic, optimising and improving prevention and control measures according to the time and situation, we will be able to effectively deal with the uncertainty of the epidemic situation with the stability of prevention and control strategies and the flexibility of prevention and control measures.” 最艰难的时刻，我们挺过来了！在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，运用好我国抗击疫情的制胜法宝，因时因势优化完善防控措施，我们一定能够以防控战略的稳定性、防控措施的灵活性，有效应对疫情形势的不确定性.
The piece reiterates that putting life and health first “is the primary consideration for China’s epidemic prevention and control policies, and it is also an important criterion for measuring the effectiveness of epidemic prevention and control.” 把人民生命安全和身体健康放在第一位——是我国制定疫情防控政策的首要考量，也是衡量疫情防控成效的重要标准. But this is said more in the context of praising China’s low incidence rate and death rate in comparison to the developed world. Of course, this praise is basically for Xi’s leadership of the Party Central Committee.
Also, the Chinese system gets credit in the article. Taking advantage of the system, China has turned the ‘impossible’ into a ‘certainty’ time and time again.发挥制度优势，中国一次次将“不可能”变成“一定能”—— In this regard, the piece praises the CCP-led system’s mobilisational capacity.
That’s essentially the tone of the article, praising China’s achievements in economic development, science and technology, reform, etc, over the past three years. It reiterates that the key to dealing with the pandemic has been “science and precision.” Of course, as I had said yesterday, science can turn on a dime in China today because politics is in command. It adds that:
“Every optimization and adjustment of prevention and control plan and treatment plan for COVID-19 has undergone repeated assessments and scientific verification, and has withstood the test of practice.” 稳中求进、走小步不停步。新冠肺炎防控方案、诊疗方案的每一次优化调整，都经过了反复研判、科学论证，经受住了实践的检验.
Also this piece says that “epidemic prevention and development are the two ends of the scale, each equally critical and arduous.” 防疫和发展，天平两端，重若千钧.
