CPPCC Session Ends with Call to Unite Behind Xi
Here’s what was relevant in the People’s Daily on March 11, 2021. There honestly wasn’t that much to note. But here’s a breakdown.
Page 1: The lead story is about the conclusion of the CPPCC session yesterday, with PSC member Wang Yang delivering a speech. Xinhua’s English story carries the key points, devoid of the colour, of course. It talks about specific reports being approved, and then says:
“The political advisors unanimously agreed to support the National People's Congress - the national legislature - in making a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.”
“The CPPCC must take upholding and strengthening Party leadership as the fundamental political principle and major political responsibility.”
PD’s story has more details. On at least a couple of occasions it repeats the call to “unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.” It also quotes Wang as saying that the CPPCC’s task was to “realize the party’s leadership, and transform the party’s propositions into consensus and actions from all sectors of society.” In addition, it must guide “representatives from all ethnic groups with the Party's innovative theories, must strengthen ideological and political leadership, insist on using the Party's innovative theories to promote political unity and cooperation, ideological progress and unity of action...”
Finally, there’s also a People’s Daily editorial on the page, which emphasises the key role of the CPPCC. Also on the third page is the work report of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC.
Next, there’s a report offering reactions following Xi Jinping’s speech to the PLA and PAP meeting. Basically, this has representatives, who serve as armed forces members, political commissars or are members of the defense universities and research centers emphasising the key points that Xi raised. Two key points that they make are the need for combat readiness or preparing for war, and the importance of technological advancement.
Finally, there’s a report about Xi sending condolences to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and his wife after learning that they had caught COVID-19.
Page 5: There are two reports on changes to Hong Kong’s legal system. The first carries comments from representatives of different legal groupings justifying the changes and the legal process to carry out the changes. The next is based on a chat with Zhou Bozhan, former dean of the Hong Kong School of Ophthalmology and the president of the think tank Xiangjiang Zhihui. Basically, Zhou backs the electoral changes. He says that “one of the direct reasons why the anti-China chaos in Hong Kong is able to make waves and take hold is that the SAR's electoral system is imperfect, and the opposition has the opportunity to occupy seats and cause social unrest.”
External Stories to Note:
China must watch for signs of rising nationalism spurred by tensions with the West, warns former top official - He Yiting, former executive vice-president of the Central Party School, said that “(China should) continue to expand opening-up, actively and prudently handle relations with major countries, and prevent the rise of domestic populism.”
U.S., China delegations to hold top-level meeting next week after first diplomatic trip - Here’s the State Department’s statement: “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet on March 18 in Anchorage, Alaska with People’s Republic of China (PRC) Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi and State Councilor Wang Yi. The meeting will take place following Secretary Blinken’s meetings with two of our closest regional allies in Tokyo and Seoul. Secretary Blinken and NSA Sullivan will discuss a range of issues with the PRC.”
China will work with Russia on policy towards US, says ambassador to Moscow