FDI Data - Wang Yang on Sinicization of Catholicism - Li-Mark Rutte Chat - Employment-First Policy - Cautioning S. Korea - Zero-Covid Policy Shifting? - Common Prosperity & Chinese-style Modernisation
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy in the Wednesday, August 24, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: At the top of the page is a report with FDI data, which was released last week. It says that from January to July, China recorded a total FDI inflow of 798.33 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.3%. In US dollar terms, the inflow went up 21.5 percent year on year to $123.92 billion.
FDI in the service industry was 598.92 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10%. FDI in the high-tech industry increased by 32.1% year-on-year, of which the FDI high-tech manufacturing industry increased by 33% and that in the high-tech service industry increased by 31.8%.
FDI from South Korea, the United States, Japan and Germany increased by 44.5%, 36.3%, 26.9% and 23.5%, respectively, year-on-year.
FDI in the eastern, central and western regions of China increased by 15.2%, 30% and 41.2%, respectively, year-on-year.
CGTN’s report on this also says that China’s non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) reached 424.28 billion yuan in the first seven months of the year, up 4.4 percent year on year. In US dollar terms, ODI rose 3.6 percent from a year ago to $65.06 billion.
Next, there’s a report discussing and commending Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui for working together to promote the integrated and high-quality development of the Yangtze River Delta region. If you are looking to study the development of a national unified market, then the integration being carried out through these regional strategies is important to track.
The report mentions the establishment of the Yangtze River Delta National Technology Innovation Center, the Yangtze River Delta Integrated Ecological and Green Development Demonstration Zone, and the G60 Science and Innovation Corridor.
The piece says that in 2021, the Yangtze River Delta won 137 national science and technology awards, accounting for more than 50% of the country's total. It obtained 182,000 invention patents, accounting for about 26% of the country’s total. There are 104 national key laboratories in the region, accounting for about 20% of the country total. 2021年，长三角地区获评国家科学技术奖137项，在全国占比超过50%；获得发明专利18.2万件，在全国占比约26%；国家重点实验室数量达104家，在全国占比约20%.
At present, the scale of the integrated circuit industry in the Yangtze River Delta region accounts for 58.3% of the country’s total, and the scale of the biomedicine and artificial intelligence industries both account for about one-third of the country’s total. 目前，长三角地区集成电路产业规模占全国58.3%，生物医药和人工智能产业规模均占全国约1/3.
Last year, four industrial chain alliances covering integrated circuits, biomedicine, new energy vehicles and artificial intelligence in the Yangtze River Delta region were unveiled. Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui have improved the cross-regional industrial and supply chain coordination mechanism and jointly carried out industrial chain research covering areas like robotics, new power equipment and new energy vehicles. 去年，长三角地区集成电路、生物医药、新能源汽车、人工智能四大产业链联盟揭牌。沪苏浙皖完善产业链供应链跨区域协调机制，加快推进产业链补链固链强链行动，联合开展机器人、新型电力装备、节能与新能源汽车等产业链研究.
The report adds that in May last year, the Yangtze River Delta Pilot Free Trade Zone Alliance was established. As of 2021, the total import and export of goods in the Shanghai-Suzhou-Zhejiang-Anhui Pilot Free Trade Zone was at 3.1 trillion yuan and FDI inflow was at 104.26 billion yuan. 2021年，沪苏浙皖自由贸易试验区货物进出口总额达3.1万亿元，占全国自由贸易试验区的46.2%；实际使用外资共计1042.6亿元，占全国自由贸易试验区的48.9%.
In 2021, the GDP of the Yangtze River Delta accounted for 24.1% of the national total, the R&D expenditure accounted for 29.8% of the country’s total, and the total import and export volume accounted for 36.1% of the country’s total. The year-on-year growth rate of fixed asset investment was 3.2 percentage points higher than the national average growth rate.统计数据显示，2021年，长三角地区生产总值占全国比重达24.1%，研发经费投入占比29.8%，进出口总额占比36.1%，固定资产投资同比增速高于全国平均增速3.2个百分点.
Third, there’s a report, with a picture, of Li Keqiang meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Xinhua reports:
“China is ready to work with the Netherlands to make their open and pragmatic partnership for comprehensive cooperation more productive, to deliver greater benefits to people of the two countries. China is willing to work with the Netherlands to strengthen political mutual trust, harness complementary strengths, unlock cooperation potential and step up dialogue and communication, Li said. On the basis of mutual respect and equality, China will work with the Netherlands to push forward practical and open cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, transportation, innovation and climate change response, and properly handle differences, he said. The premier said that China welcomes more quality agricultural products from the Netherlands into the Chinese market. While ensuring effective COVID-19 response, China is ready to increase two-way direct flights to boost the personnel interflow, exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. Li emphasized that the Netherlands is an important country in Europe, and sound relations and cooperation between China and the Netherlands are conducive to both countries and to the healthy and stable growth of China-Europe relations.”
The report adds that “the two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest.”
Fourth, there’s a report on the meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. They discussed the implementation of the country's employment-first policy.
Standing Committee Member Ouyang Zehua proposed to implement various measures to stabilise the overall economic market, strengthen the employment-first policy, promote the sustained and stable recovery of the economy, and promote the continuous improvement of the employment situation;
Standing Committee Member Liu Muren proposed that the number of flexible employees attracted by the platform economy far exceeds that of traditional enterprises; Li called for accelerating the exploration of a social security system suitable for those employed in the gig economy;
Standing Committee Member Xie Ru spoke about stablising employment and increasing incomes. Xie also spoke about supporting those who have emerged from poverty to through employment in order to effectively prevent the risk of returning to poverty;
Standing Committee Member Liu Wei talked about focussing on the employment of college graduates and improving the efficiency of job search and matching;
Standing Committee Member Wan Jianmin spoke about the three teams of rural teachers, doctors and agricultural technicians, calling for them to be “guided, educated and retained” and improving their working and living conditions and enhancing their sense of professional prestige and social recognition, and stimulate the enthusiasm and willingness of rural personnel to stay in their hometowns;
Yu Gesheng suggested revising the ‘Regulations on the Employment of Disabled Persons’, and the need to establish a market demand-oriented vocational skills training system for disabled persons;
Li Heping talked about improving the national birth support policy system, forming a long-term mechanism for the government, enterprises and individuals to share the costs, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of female employees during pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing;
Chen Rongshu suggested improving the employment demand survey and unemployment monitoring and early warning mechanism; studying and formulating the ‘employment revitalisation plan’ for the extremely weak sectors, strengthen the employment security services for key groups, earnestly safeguard the rights and interests of workers, and promote the high-quality employment of employees;
Zhao Zhenxian called for doing a good job in the employment security of over-aged workers in the construction industry and improve the social security participation, receipt and transfer mechanism;
Liu Xiaozhuang talked about creating a favourable atmosphere for migrant workers returning to their hometowns to find jobs and start businesses;
Lin Jianyue suggested to further promote mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the Greater Bay Area, create more favourable conditions for Hong Kong youth to integrate into the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and allow Hong Kong youth to display their talents and strengths to contribute to the prosperity of the country.
欧阳泽华常委代表民革中央发言提出，落实好稳定经济大盘各项措施，多措并举强化就业优先政策，推动经济持续稳定恢复，促进就业形势不断改善；刘慕仁常委提出，平台经济吸附的灵活就业人员数量远超传统企业，提供了包括快递、网约车、外卖配送、网络直播、电子商务等种类丰富的就业岗位，要持续深化“放管服”改革，加快探索适合灵活就业人员特点的社会保障制度体系；谢茹常委代表无党派人士界发言建议，统筹稳岗与增收、外出与返乡、保障与服务、政府与市场，帮助有劳动能力的脱贫人口端稳就业“饭碗”，切实防范返贫风险；刘伟常委就做好2022届高校毕业生就业建议，在扩大劳动力需求规模上重点发力，在完善劳动力供给上下功夫，在提升职业搜寻匹配效率上积极作为；万建民常委代表九三学社中央发言建议，做实乡村教师、医生、农技人员三支队伍“引育用留”工作，改善工作、生活和待遇条件，提升职业荣誉感和社会认同度，激发乡村人才干事热情和留乡意愿；于革胜常委建议，修订《残疾人就业条例》，推动残疾人就业等政策法规落实落地，建立以市场需求为导向的残疾人职业技能培训制度，帮助残疾人树立就业创业信心；李和平常委代表民进中央发言建议，完善国家生育支持政策体系，形成政府、企业、个人多方共担生育成本的长效机制，保障女性职工在怀孕、生育和抚育阶段的就业合法权益；陈荣书常委建议，健全就业需求调查和失业监测预警机制，研究制定特困行业“就业振兴计划”，强化重点群体就业保障服务，切实维护劳动者权益，促进职工高质量就业；赵振铣常委就做好建筑业超龄工人就业保障建议，完善社保参与、领取和转移机制，拓宽返乡再就业之路，多渠道帮助建筑业高龄工人就业转型；刘晓庄常委建议，通过完善扶持政策，促进精准对接，加大技能培训，开发新型业态，强化政府引导，营造有利于返乡留乡农民工就业创业的良好氛围；林建岳常委建议，进一步推动大湾区内专业资格互认，为香港青年融入粤港澳大湾区发展创造更多有利条件，让香港青年施展才华、发挥所长为国家繁荣贡献力量.
In an earlier report on this meeting yesterday, Hu Chunhua delivered a report.
“Hu Chunhua pointed out that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, my country's employment work has overcome the influence of many unfavourable factors and has continuously achieved new results. To further improve employment, we must uphold and strengthen the leadership of the Party over employment, adhere to the clear orientation of giving priority to employment, insist on the market playing a decisive role in the allocation of human resources, insist on giving full play to the role of the government, and insist on making good use of China's institutional advantages. It is necessary to conscientiously implement the spirit of the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, follow the deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, refine and implement various employment stabilisation policies and measures, focus on strengthening the efforts to expand and stabilise jobs, ensure employment for key groups, improve employment services, and protect the labour rights and interests of employees to prevent and defuse risks and potential dangers in this regard.” 中共中央政治局委员、国务院副总理胡春华应邀出席会议并作报告，现场听取政协常委们的意见建议。胡春华指出，在以习近平同志为核心的中共中央坚强领导下，我国就业工作克服诸多不利因素影响，不断取得新成效。进一步做好就业工作，必须坚持和加强党对就业工作的领导，坚持就业优先的鲜明导向，坚持市场在人力资源配置中起决定性作用，坚持更好发挥政府的作用，坚持用好我国的制度优势。要认真贯彻落实习近平总书记重要指示精神，按照党中央、国务院部署，细化实化各项稳就业政策举措，着力强化拓岗稳岗力度，突出做好重点群体就业工作，进一步加强和改进就业服务，加大劳动权益保障力度，有效防范化解就业领域风险隐患，推动就业进一步回稳向好.
Finally, a report informing that the number of mobile Internet of Things terminal users in China had reached 1.64 billion, a net increase of 240 million over the end of last year. By the end of June, the total number of mobile communication base stations in China had reached 10.35 million, a net increase of 387,000 over the end of last year. Among them, the total number of 5G base stations reached 1.854 million, accounting for 17.9% of the total number of mobile base stations.
Page 2: A report on Wang Yang meeting with the new leaderships of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops’ Conference of Catholic Church in China. United Front chief You Quan was at the meeting. The report says that Wang stressed that the Catholic community should seriously study the spirit of the Central United Front Work Conference and the National Conference on Religious Work, thoroughly understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on the Party’s United Front work in the new era and important expositions on religious work, fully implement the Party’s basic policy on religious work, unite Catholics and believers around the Party and the government, and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” 他强调，天主教界要认真学习中央统战工作会议、全国宗教工作会议精神，深入领会习近平总书记关于做好新时代党的统一战线工作的重要思想和关于宗教工作的重要论述，全面贯彻党的宗教工作基本方针，把天主教界人士和信教群众团结在党和政府周围，为实现中华民族伟大复兴贡献力量.
Xinhua English summarises the next bit well:
“Wang, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, extended warm congratulations on the success of the latest national congress of the Catholic Church in China. He told the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the Bishops' Conference of Catholic Church in China to firmly uphold the leadership of the CPC and to help the religion better adapt itself to socialist society.”
Wang added that “it is necessary to stand firm when it comes to the political position, adhere to the principle of independence and self-management, resist the infiltration of foreign forces consciously, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. It is necessary to persist in taking the core values of socialism as the guide, use Chinese culture, Chinese language and Chinese expressions to explain and study the classic teachings, and further promote the sinicization of Catholicism in China.” 要站稳政治立场，坚持独立自主自办原则不动摇，自觉抵御境外势力渗透，坚决维护国家主权、安全和发展利益。要坚持以社会主义核心价值观为引领，运用中国文化、中国语言、中国表达方式阐释和研究教义经典，深入推进我国天主教中国化.
It is necessary to strengthen the construction of personnel, run the Seminary of Catholic Church in China well, and strive to cultivate a contingent of teaching staff who are politically reliable, have religious attainments, can serve the public with morality and play a key role in developing and strengthening patriotic forces, and ensure that Catholic leadership is firmly in the hands of those who love their country and religion. 要加强人才队伍建设，办好天主教神哲学院，努力培养一支政治上靠得住、宗教上有造诣、品德上能服众、关键时起作用的教职人员队伍，发展壮大爱国力量，确保天主教领导权牢牢掌握在爱国爱教人士手中.
Second, there’s a report on the State Council dispatching 19 inspection teams across the country to ensure that tasks set in the government work report are undertaken and policies aimed at stabilising the economy are being effectively implemented. Xinhua English has the report:
“The priorities include work on maintaining growth, operations of market entities, employment stability, ensuring people's livelihoods, and stability of industrial and supply chains, as well as deepening reforms to streamline administration and delegate power, and improve government services to optimize the business environment. Inspectors will also focus on rectification of problems found in auditing, supervision work related to ensuring food and energy security, comprehensively promoting rural revitalization and implementing the latest COVID-19 prevention and control protocol.”
The teams are visiting Shanxi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Heilongjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Yunnan, Tibet Autonomous Region, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
Third, a report (English report) on the upcoming 2022 China Internet Civilization Conference, which will be held at the National Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin. The CAC said that the conference will include a main forum, a network integrity summit, 10 sub-forums and an exhibition of China's achievements in ‘building a better cyberspace in the new era’. Government departments, companies, organizations and celebrities involved in the internet sector will attend.
The 10 sub-forums will cover themes like:
network content construction
network ecology construction
network rule of law construction
network civilised society co-construction
algorithm governance
governance to combat online rumours,
international exchange and mutual learning related to network civilisation construction
digital philanthropy
network literacy education
personal information protection
10场分论坛紧紧围绕网络内容建设、网络生态建设、网络法治建设、网络文明社会共建、算法治理、网络谣言治理、网络文明国际交流互鉴、数字公益慈善、网络素养教育、个人信息保护等10方面深入交流探讨，届时还将发布一系列网络文明建设成果.
During the conference, a report titled “China’s Online Integrity Development Report 2022” (中国网络诚信发展报告2022) will be released.
Page 3: There’s a piece on China-Africa vaccine cooperation. The piece says that “China has provided 189 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 27 African countries, and the annual local production capacity in Africa has reached about 400 million doses. The piece informs that the Sinopharm is actively conducting vaccine cooperation with African countries, and has obtained access permits from 47 African countries. The piece adds that Sinopharm’s vaccines are suitable for people over 3 years old. 国药集团中国生物积极与非洲各国开展疫苗合作，目前已获得47个非洲国家的准入许可，生产疫苗适用年龄覆盖3岁以上人群.
Next, there’s an article by Xing Haiming, the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea. He writes that “over the past 30 years, China and South Korea have proved by their actions that countries with different ideas and systems can understand each other and achieve each other, and become good partners to move forward side by side.” 30年来，中韩双方用行动证明，理念和制度不同的国家，可以相互理解、相互成就，成为并肩前行的好伙伴.
He adds that “in the past 30 years, the bilateral trade volume between China and South Korea has increased by 72 times. China has maintained the position of South Korea’s largest trading partner for 18 consecutive years. Last year, the trade volume between the two countries exceeded $360 billion. These tangible cooperation achievements have laid a good foundation for the development of China-ROK relations, brought great benefits to the two peoples, and made positive contributions to regional and global prosperity.” 以经贸合作为例，30年来，中韩双边贸易额增长72倍，中国连续18年保持韩国第一大贸易伙伴国地位，去年两国贸易额突破3600亿美元大关。这些实实在在的合作成果，为中韩关系发展奠定良好基础，为两国人民带来巨大福祉，为地区和全球繁荣作出积极贡献.
“Faced with the new situation and new challenges amid the unprecedented, once-in-a-century changes taking place in the world, the original intention and political foundation of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries have not changed, nor can they be changed. China and South Korea are inseparable neighbours and inseparable partners. Facing the future, both sides should adhere to mutual respect and trust, treat each other with sincerity, and earnestly respect each other’s core interests and major concerns; we must adhere to mutual benefit and win-win results, be independent, hold high the banner of multilateralism and free trade, work together to maintain the stability of supply chains between the two countries and the world at large, resist the obstruction of unilateralism and economic bullying, and resolutely safeguard common interests; we should adhere to mutual tolerance and mutual learning, treat each other with a rational and inclusive view, deepen mutual understanding, and constantly improve and consolidate the public opinion base in the two countries. After 30 years of experience, our relationship should become more mature, more independent and more stable. We should have a more rational understanding of each other, a more mature and pragmatic approach to our relations and we should be able to deal with various challenges with tenacity and calmness.” 中韩关系发展到今天，成果来之不易，值得倍加珍惜。面对世界百年未有之大变局下的新形势、新挑战，两国建交的初心和政治基础没有改变，也不能改变。中韩是离不开的近邻，分不开的伙伴。面向未来，双方要坚持互尊互信，以诚相待，切实尊重彼此核心利益和重大关切；要坚持互利共赢，独立自主，高举多边主义、自由贸易旗帜，合力保持两国和全球产业链供应链稳定，抵制单边主义、经济霸凌的阻挠，坚决维护共同利益；要坚持互容互鉴，用理性包容的眼光看待彼此，深化相互理解，不断改善夯实两国民意基础。历经30年岁月洗礼，两国关系理应更加成熟、更为自主、更趋稳定，我们的相互认知应更加理性清晰，相处之道应更加成熟务实，也更能够坚韧从容地应对各种挑战。
Finally, a report with comments from the Taiwan Affairs Office criticising Japanese lawmakers’ visit to Taiwan. Ma Xiaoguang said that the visit was being undertaken for “their selfish political gains.” Xinhua reports:
“Ma urged these people of the Japanese side to draw lessons from the history, and fully recognise the sensitivity of the Taiwan question and the fact that there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan is part of China. They should abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of the four China-Japan political documents with concrete actions, and be cautious about their words and deeds over issues related to Taiwan, Ma added. He warned the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan that collusion with external forces to seek "Taiwan independence" is doomed to failure.”
Page 5: A commentary bylined Zou Xiang 邹翔 talking about the zero-COVID policy.
“The July economic data released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that the national economy has continued to recover as various policies for efficient coordination of epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development has continued to take effect. This demonstrates the resilience and vitality of China's economy, and strongly confirms the scientificity and effectiveness of China's epidemic prevention and control policies.”
Epidemic prevention and control is the ‘国之大者’, and economic development is the central task…Work for epidemic prevention and control, normal production and life, and economic and social development are not either/or or ‘single-choice questions’, but have a complementary relationship and are dialectically linked. Only by efficiently coordinating the epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, grasping with both hands and through hard work, can we minimise the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development and promote stable and healthy economic development.” 疫情防控是“国之大者”，经济建设是中心任务。习近平总书记强调：“全面落实疫情要防住、经济要稳住、发展要安全的要求是一个整体，要一体认识、一体落实、一体评估，巩固经济回升向好趋势，力争实现最好结果。”疫情防控和正常生产生活、经济社会发展不是非此即彼的“单选题”，而是相辅相成、辩证统一的关系。只有高效做好统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展工作，坚持两手都要抓、都要硬，才能最大限度减少疫情对经济社会发展的影响，推动经济平稳健康发展.
The next paragraph adds that “effective epidemic prevention and control is the foundation of economic and social development. Only when the epidemic is effectively controlled can economic development and normal life have favourable conditions; the sooner the epidemic is controlled, the less the impact on economic development will be. Since the beginning of this year, in the face of the complex and severe international environment and the arduous tasks of domestic reform, development and stability, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, we have effectively coordinated epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, and achieved positive results in epidemic prevention and control and new achievements in economic and social development. More than two years of experience in epidemic prevention and control has fully proved that the effect of China’s epidemic prevention and control has been effective and efficient and the cost-benefit ratio is high. If the prevention and control policies such as herd immunity and lying flat are adopted, the epidemic will inevitably have a serious impact on the economic and social development, and will inevitably cause greater losses.” 面对百年不遇的新冠肺炎疫情，有效的疫情防控是经济社会发展的基础。只有疫情被有效控制住，经济发展和正常生活才能具备有利条件；疫情越早得到控制，经济发展受到的影响就越小。今年以来，面对复杂严峻的国际环境和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，我们高效做好统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展工作，疫情防控取得积极成效，经济社会发展取得新成绩。两年多的疫情防控实践充分证明，我国疫情防控效果是好的、效率是高的，有良好的成本效益比。如果搞“集体免疫”“躺平”之类的防控政策，疫情势必会对经济社会发展产生严重冲击，势必会造成更大的损失. — Quick thought: It’s extremely significant that the warning has changed in this piece from previous such articles. There’s no talk here about tremendous damage in terms of human lives. I wonder if this is a sign of the goalposts being readjusted.
Fighting the epidemic is a systematic project, and three aspects need to be considered at the same time: one is to control the epidemic, the other is to ensure the normal life of ordinary people, and the third is to ensure the necessary economic and social operations…insisting on dynamic clearing has never meant giving up economic development. On the contrary, it is to create favourable conditions for economic development. 抗击疫情是个系统工程，需要同时考虑三个方面：一是控制疫情，二是保障老百姓正常生活，三是确保经济社会必要运行。可以说，坚持动态清零从来就不意味着放弃经济发展，恰恰相反，是要为经济发展创造良好条件。
“It should be noted that although the economy has continued to resume its development trend in July, there are multiple factors that are leading to fluctuations. There are still many risks and challenges in promoting sustained economic recovery and keeping economic operation in a reasonable range. Internationally, the pandemic is still spreading, industrial and supply chains are not yet running smoothly, there are continued spillover effects of geopolitical conflicts, and the downside risks for the world economy are increasing. Domestically, the economy is in the process of recovery, and the foundation of economic recovery needs to be consolidated. It is necessary to ensure that the rise continues. At present, we are currently at the most arduous point of economic stabilisation, and we must efficiently coordinate the epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development with a sense of urgency, so as to consolidate the foundation of economic recovery and development.” 应该看到，7月份经济虽然延续恢复发展态势，但受多重因素影响，仍有小幅波动。推动经济持续恢复，保持经济运行在合理区间，仍然面临着不少风险和挑战。从国际看，全球疫情蔓延，产业链供应链不畅，地缘政治冲突外溢影响持续，世界经济下行风险加大；从国内看，经济目前处在恢复进程中，经济回升的基础还有待巩固。势要起而不可落。当前正处于经济回稳最吃劲的节点，我们必须以时不我待的紧迫感，高效统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，巩固经济恢复发展基础。
Towards the end the author talks about focussing on speed and precision in terms of epidemic control policies. But he adds that “it should be noted that optimising prevention and control measures does not imply relaxation of prevention and control, nor does it imply slackening or becoming war weary. 但应看到，优化防控措施绝不是放松防控，决不能松懈厌战.
Quick thought: I was getting to a point of thinking yes this piece does signal a significant change, but then towards the end, there’s again a reference to adhering to the supremacy of people and life when it comes to pandemic control. So in that sense, I read this as not proposing a radical shift in policy that is being proposed. But, one does get the sense that there is a hint of the need to ease up and focus on minimising economic costs. The fact that the piece does not mention the potential for easing of control to cause massive damage in terms of human lives is worth noting. That said, I don’t expect any immediate changes or moving away from targeted shutdowns. Perhaps, this is signalling of gradual changes after the 20th Party Congress. The National Day holiday season in early October could be a good test case for how the policy will evolve.
Page 6: There’s a report on the pandemic situation easing in Hainan. The report claims that the situation has improved because the overwhelming majority of Party members have followed the orders, taken initiative and actively engaged in epidemic prevention and control.
Page 7: There’s a report on the new 14th Five-Year Development Plan for the Integration of Guangzhou and Foshan, with the goal of hitting a regional GDP target of around 5 trillion yuan.
Page 9: There is a long piece by Chen Jinlong from the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in Guangdong Province. Chen writes about breakthroughs in Chinese-style modernisation. He essentially constructs a historical narrative that the CCP’s fundamental pursuit has been about the people’s development. He positions this goal from Marxist and nationalistic perspectives, and in doing so constructs a linear story of the Party’s focus on development and modernisation from Mao to Deng and to Xi.
“In his opening speech at the first session of the First National People’s Congress, Comrade Mao Zedong emphasised: ‘We are going to build our present economically and culturally backward country into a great industrialised country with a high modern education level within a few five-year plans.’ After the reform and opening up, Comrade Deng Xiaoping made strategic arrangements for China’s socialist modernisation and put forward the ‘three-step’ strategic goal. With the advancement of socialist modernisation, considering that the the two goals of solving the problem of food and clothing for the people and achieving the development of a moderately prosperous society in general have been achieved ahead of schedule, our Party has condensed the goals of its struggle into the two centenary goals, according to the actual development of the country. This is a concentrated and distinct embodiment of Chinese modernisation goals. Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and our Party’s understanding of Chinese modernisation is deepening. In the report to the CCP’s 19th Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward a strategic plan for building a strong comprehensively modern socialist country. The general strategic arrangement is divided into two steps: basically realising socialist modernisation from 2020 to 2035; from 2035 to the middle of this century, build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful. This series of major strategic deployments enriched the connotation of socialist modernisation, clarified the path of socialist modernisation, and further deepened our Party’s understanding of the laws governing a Communist Party parties.” 毛泽东同志在第一届全国人民代表大会第一次会议上致开幕词时强调：“准备在几个五年计划之内，将我们现在这样一个经济上文化上落后的国家，建设成为一个工业化的具有高度现代文化程度的伟大的国家。”改革开放后，邓小平同志对我国社会主义现代化建设作出战略安排，提出“三步走”战略目标。随着社会主义现代化的推进，在解决人民温饱问题、人民生活总体上达到小康水平这两个目标已提前实现的基础上，我们党根据我国发展实际将党的奋斗目标凝练为“两个一百年”奋斗目标，这是中国式现代化目标集中而鲜明的体现。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，我们党对中国式现代化的认识不断深化。习近平总书记在党的十九大报告中对全面建成社会主义现代化强国作出战略部署，总的战略安排是分两步走：从2020年到2035年基本实现社会主义现代化；从2035年到本世纪中叶把我国建成富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国。这一系列重大战略部署，丰富了社会主义现代化的内涵，明确了社会主义现代化的路径，也进一步深化了我们党对共产党执政规律的认识.
So what is this law that has been understood? Chen says: “Continuously improving the Party’s ability to govern and its leadership level are the inherent requirements of the laws governing a Communist Party.” And then he draws from the communiques of previous plenaries to highlight that this is what Xi has done.
The second section of the article talks about Xi’s focus on the new development concept, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development; coordinated development of material, political, spiritual, social, and ecological civilisation; common prosperity, which is an “essential requirement of socialism”---
“Under the socialist system, it is necessary to continuously liberate and develop social productive forces, create and accumulate social wealth, and prevent polarisation. Chinese-style modernisation is a socialist modernisation – one in which all people are prosperous together. Adhering to the people-centred development philosophy, it consciously and actively seeks to address the gaps/imbalances in regional development, urban and rural development and income distribution; it promotes social fairness and justice; gradually realises the common prosperity of all people, and resolutely prevents polarisation. All of this clearly embodies the essential attributes of socialism. In the new era, the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at the core has further defined the goal of promoting common prosperity in the process of promoting and expanding Chinese-style modernisation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: ‘It is necessary to thoroughly study the objectives of different stages and promote common prosperity in stages: by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan, everyone will have made solid progress in achieving common prosperity, and the gap between residents' incomes and actual consumption level would have gradually narrowed. By 2035, everyone will have achieved more obvious substantive progress in common prosperity and equal access to basic public services will be achieved. By the middle of this century, the common prosperity of everyone will have been basically realised, and the gap between residents’ incomes and actual consumption level will have narrowed to a reasonable range.’ In the process of modernisation, we will continue to promote common prosperity, profoundly embody the requirements of the socialist nature of Chinese-style modernisation, and deepen and expand our Party’s understanding of the laws of socialist construction in theory and practice.” 共同富裕是社会主义的本质要求，在社会主义制度下，既要不断解放和发展社会生产力，不断创造和积累社会财富，又要防止两极分化。中国式现代化是社会主义现代化，是全体人民共同富裕的现代化，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，自觉主动地解决地区差距、城乡差距、收入分配差距，促进社会公平正义，逐步实现全体人民共同富裕，坚决防止两极分化，鲜明体现了社会主义本质属性。进入新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央在推进和拓展中国式现代化进程中，进一步明确了推进共同富裕的目标。习近平总书记指出：“要深入研究不同阶段的目标，分阶段促进共同富裕：到‘十四五’末，全体人民共同富裕迈出坚实步伐，居民收入和实际消费水平差距逐步缩小。到2035年，全体人民共同富裕取得更为明显的实质性进展，基本公共服务实现均等化。到本世纪中叶，全体人民共同富裕基本实现，居民收入和实际消费水平差距缩小到合理区间。”在现代化进程中不断促进共同富裕，深刻体现中国式现代化的社会主义本质规定性，在理论和实践上深化和拓展了我们党对于社会主义建设规律的认识。
In the final section, Chen argues that there is neither a one-size-fits-all modernisation model that exists nor is there a universal modernisation standard. He argues that “Chinese-style modernisation conforms to the laws of human social development, adheres to an independent choice when it comes to the path of modernisation, solves many problems in human social development, and breaks the myth that ‘modernisation is westernisation’.” 中国式现代化顺应人类社会发展规律，坚持独立自主选择现代化道路，破解了人类社会发展的诸多难题，打破了“现代化就是西方化”的迷思.
He argues that no nation can modernise by simply copying foreign models and says that diversity in modernisation paths is a basic feature of the development of human civilisation.
Page 15: The lead story on the page says that the Japanese government’s drive to push through a long-term plan to release wastewater into the Pacific Ocean starting in the spring of 2023, despite domestic and international opposition, is extremely selfish. It adds that “all parties strongly urge Japan to seriously respond to the concerns of the international community, return to the track of full consultation with stakeholders and relevant international institutions, and stop pushing the nuclear polluted water discharge program into the sea.”