Interpreting Xi's Speech on Chinese Style-Modernisation - Central SoEs Investment Priorities - MoFA on Biden's SOTU & US Sanctions on Syria
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy from the Thursday, February 9, 2023, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: At the top of the page is the first of what will likely be a series of commentaries drawing on, interpreting and/or reiterating elements of Xi Jinping’s speech on Chinese-style modernisation.
The article tells us that Xi’s speech offered a “strategic perspective, was broad in its vision, profound in thought and rich in its connotations.” It also “greatly enriched and further developed the theory of Chinese-style modernisation.” In addition, it was “highly political, theoretical, targeted and instructive.” And, of course, it “is of great significance for the whole Party to correctly understand Chinese-style modernisation, comprehensively study and grasp and fully implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress, and strive to create a new situation in the development of the cause of the Party and the country on a new journey.” 习近平总书记的重要讲话高屋建瓴、视野宏大、思想深邃、内涵丰富，是对中国式现代化理论的极大丰富和发展，具有很强的政治性、理论性、针对性、指导性，对于全党正确理解中国式现代化，全面学习、全面把握、全面落实党的二十大精神，努力在新征程上开创党和国家事业发展新局面，具有十分重要的意义.
The next two paragraphs reiterate the historical narrative that Xi had outlined in his speech, leading up to the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, which the article says “provided the fundamental guideline for Chinese-style modernisation.” It adds that this has enabled “further deepening of the understanding of the connotation and essence of Chinese-style modernisation, permitted summarising the specific Chinese characteristics, essential requirements and major principles of Chinese-style modernisation, and initial development of the theoretical system of Chinese-style modernisation, which has made Chinese-style modernisation clearer, more scientific and more practicable.” 在认识上不断深化，创立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化新的飞跃，为中国式现代化提供了根本遵循；进一步深化对中国式现代化的内涵和本质的认识，概括形成中国式现代化的中国特色、本质要求和重大原则，初步构建中国式现代化的理论体系，使中国式现代化更加清晰、更加科学、更加可感可行.
The next paragraph says:
“In the new era, the complexity of the situation, the severity of the struggle and the arduous tasks of reform, development and stability before the Party and the country are rare in the world and history. It is precisely because of the establishment of comrade Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole party and the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era that the Party has effectively solved the outstanding contradictions and problems that have affected the its long-term governance, the country's long-term stability and the people's happiness and well-being, and fundamentally ensured that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process, and Chinese-style modernisation has been successfully promoted. Practice has fully shown that the Two Establishments is the greatest certainty, confidence and guarantee to overcome all difficulties and obstacles and deal with all uncertainties. It is of decisive significance to the development of the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and to promote the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. On the new journey, if we deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, unswervingly maintain a high degree of consistency with the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at the core in thought, politics and actions, persist with the same course with unrelenting/unchanging ambition, persist in pursuing the development of the country and the nation on the basis of our own strength, firmly grasp the fate of China's development and progress in our own hands, and stride forward along the broad road of Chinese-style modernisation, we will certainly be able to build China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilised, harmonious and beautiful socialist modern power.” 进入新时代，党和国家面临的形势之复杂、斗争之严峻、改革发展稳定任务之艰巨世所罕见、史所罕见，正是因为确立了习近平同志党中央的核心、全党的核心地位，确立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的指导地位，党才有力解决了影响党长期执政、国家长治久安、人民幸福安康的突出矛盾和问题，从根本上确保实现中华民族伟大复兴进入了不可逆转的历史进程，中国式现代化得到成功推进和拓展。实践充分表明，“两个确立”是战胜一切艰难险阻、应对一切不确定性的最大确定性、最大底气、最大保证，对新时代党和国家事业发展、对推进中华民族伟大复兴历史进程具有决定性意义。新征程上，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，坚定不移在思想上政治上行动上同以同志为核心的党中央保持高度一致，坚持道不变、志不改，坚持把国家和民族发展放在自己力量的基点上、把中国发展进步的命运牢牢掌握在自己手中，沿着中国式现代化的康庄大道阔步前行，就一定能够把我国建设成为富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国.
The next paragraph says that the principles and goals of Chinese-style modernisation have been outlined and the clarion call to pursue it has been sounded. It reiterates Xi’s comments that this offers developing countries a “new choice” to move towards modernisation independently and that Chinese-style modernisation is a systematic project. Therefore, everyone must unify thoughts and actions with the spirit of Xi’s speech and the decisions of the Party Central Committee.
The other leading article on the page is an attempt to innovate reporting style while still highlighting the key messages from Xi’s speech. I guess this is part of the effort to make what is rather dry messaging more appealing. Also, if you have followed how official media tends to review and report its work at the end of the year, the repeated coverage of the top leader’s speeches and innovations in doing so are often highlighted. So view this in that context too. Anyway, there’s little new substantively. But I did think that the excerpt below was noteworthy:
“In a classroom full of strategic foresight and philosophical wisdom, the general secretary repeatedly mentioned two groups of words when explaining these six major relationships: exploration and innovation. ‘Promoting Chinese-style modernisation is an exploratory undertaking, and there are still many unknown areas. We need to explore boldly in practice and promote the development of our cause through reform and innovation…All localities and departments should explore and innovate according to their specific conditions, especially when it comes to cutting-edge work and unchartered domains, encourage bold exploration and pioneering efforts and methods to effectively solve new contradictions and new problems, and strive to create fresh experiences that can be replicated and promoted." 在充满战略远见和哲思智慧的课堂上，总书记在阐释这6组重大关系时，多次提到两组词：一组词，探索、创新。“推进中国式现代化是一个探索性事业，还有许多未知领域，需要我们在实践中去大胆探索，通过改革创新来推动事业发展，决不能刻舟求剑、守株待兔。”“各地区各部门要结合各自具体实际开拓创新，特别是在前沿实践、未知领域，鼓励大胆探索、敢为人先，寻求有效解决新矛盾新问题的思路和办法，努力创造可复制、可推广的新鲜经验.”
If you are wondering what the six major relationships mentioned above are, these were the relationships between: “top-level design and practical exploration, strategy and tactics, integrity and innovation, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, self-reliance and self-improvement and opening up.”
Anyway, the reason that I found this above bit noteworthy is because it seems to signal a greater willingness to support policy innovation at all levels. But then, in his speech, Xi had also said that “to enhance strategic stability, once the strategy is formed, we must persist in it for a long time, grasp it to the end, make good efforts and not change as one wishes.” The challenge in all of this for officials is figuring out what makes experimentation bold and pioneering without it violating the boundaries of the strategy that has been established. It seems like an impractical task and one is likely to err on the side of caution rather than be bold. Perhaps, the way in which identifies these boundaries is based on what disciplinary action is taken against others in the system. That likely sets the parameters for one’s ambitiousness. It’ll be worth watching if we do see any significant policy experimentation over the next few months. That should answer the question at hand. Interesting times, nonetheless.
Third, there’s an article with data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, informing that China built 887,000 new 5G base stations last year. The total number of 5G base stations in the country has reached 2.312 million, accounting for more than 60% of the world. 5G mobile network users in China 561 million, accounting for one-third of all Chinese mobile phone users, which is 1.683 billion.
The report adds: “In 2022, there were new 5G integrated applications in the fields of smart manufacturing, smart medical care, smart education, and digital government affairs. Over 4,000 5G+Industrial Internet projects have been invested and constructed across the country, and several 5G fully connected factories have been built. Telecom companies have used 5G slicing technology to provide more than 14,000 5G virtual private networks to help various industries accelerate digital transformation.” 5G融合应用不断拓展，数字化发展支撑作用不断增强。2022年，智能制造、智慧医疗、智慧教育、数字政务等领域的5G融合应用成果不断涌现。全国投资建设的“5G+工业互联网”项目数超4000个，打造了一批5G全连接工厂。电信企业利用5G切片技术提供了超1.4万个5G虚拟专网，助力各行业加快数字化转型.
Page 2: Two reports to note. First, a report on a new SASAC notice on investment management of central SoEs. It says that as per the notice:
On the one hand, “enterprises are required to boost confidence in development, place more importance on stable investment work, arrange investment scale scientifically and rationally, and promote the continuation of projects in accordance with the principle of ‘pay greater attention to promoting the implementation of existing batch of projects, systematically plan the addition of new batches, and research and reserve fresh batches in advance’, accelerate the construction of projects, strive to achieve the set tasks and objectives, and effectively drive investment of the whole society.” 要求企业提振发展信心，把稳投资工作放在更加重要的位置，科学合理安排投资规模，并按照“抓紧推动实施一批、系统谋划新增一批、提前研究储备一批”的项目推进接续机制，加快项目开工建设，力争实现既定任务目标，有效带动全社会投资.
On the other hand, they must “focus on key areas, such as major national projects, infrastructure construction, and strengthening the industrial chain, and promote enterprises to increase investment in cultivating and expanding strategic emerging industries, promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, strengthening energy resource security, and forming a virtuous circle of ‘technology-industry-finance’, and lay out and implement a number of major projects that address areas of weakness, strengthen functions, benefit the long-term and benefit the people’s livelihood.” 聚焦国家重大项目、基础设施建设、产业链强链补链等重点领域，推动企业在培育壮大战略性新兴产业、推进传统产业改造升级、强化能源资源安全保障、形成“科技—产业—金融”良性循环等方面加大投资力度，布局实施一批补短板、强功能、利长远、惠民生的重大项目.
While doing all this, they must also “properly handle the relationship between ‘promotion’ and ‘stability’, strengthen risk management and control in key areas, improve the risk prevention mechanism throughout the whole process, prevent the single-minded pursuit of short-term effects of expanding investment, and adhere to the bottom line that no major risks should occur.” 同时要求企业稳妥处理好“促”和“稳”的关系，加强重点领域风险管控，完善全过程风险防范机制，防范在扩大投资中片面追求短期效果，守牢不发生重大风险的底线.
Next, there’s a report on a white paper by the Development Research Centre of the China National Intellectual Property Administration and the People’s Insurance Company of China Limited. The white paper shows that as of 2022, China’s intellectual property insurance has provided more than 110 billion yuan of risk protection for more than 46,000 patents, trademarks, geographical indications and integrated circuit layout designs of more than 28,000 companies.
Page 3: A couple of reports that are worth noting. First, there are three reports related to the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria. Deng Boqing from the China International Development Cooperation Agency met with (English report) the ambassadors of the two countries.
“Deng said that China will offer 40 million-yuan emergency aid to Türkiye, including heavy urban search and rescue teams, medical teams, and urgently needed disaster relief supplies, and it will provide 30 million-yuan emergency aid to Syria, including $2 million cash and urgently needed disaster relief supplies. China is also expediting the ongoing food aid program, with 220 tonnes of wheat on its way to Syria and the remaining 3,000 tonnes of rice and wheat to be delivered to the country in two batches, he added.”
Also, a Chinese rescue team has landed in Türkiye; you can read a related English report on this, if you are interested.
Finally, MoFA yesterday (full briefing) called on the US to:
“put aside geopolitical obsessions and immediately lift the unilateral sanctions on Syria, to unlock the doors for humanitarian aid to Syria.” Mao Ning also said: “The US has long been engaged in the Syrian crisis. Its frequent military strikes and harsh economic sanctions have caused huge civilian casualties and taken away the means to subsistence of the Syrians. As we speak, the US troops continue to occupy Syria’s principal oil-producing regions. They have plundered more than 80% of Syria’s oil production and smuggled and burned Syria’s grain stock. All this has made Syria’s humanitarian crisis even worse.”
Also on the page is a report on the first freight train to run from China to Thailand by crossing Laos. The train departed Kunming and will arrive in Bangkok in 55 hours.
Let me return to the MoFA press briefing from yesterday. There were some useful comments on ties with the US.
First, Mao Ning’s response to Joe Biden’s comments on China during the SOTU address.
“China has always believed that China-US relations should not be a zero-sum game where one side out-competes or thrives at the expense of the other. The successes of China and the US are opportunities, not challenges, for each other. The world is big enough for the two countries to develop themselves and prosper together. China does not shy away or flinch from competition. However, we are opposed to defining the entire China-US relations by competition. It is beneath a responsible country to use competition as a pretext to smear other countries and restrain their legitimate right to development, even at the expense of global industrial and supply chains. A healthy and stable China-US relationship is in the fundamental interest of both peoples, and meets the shared expectation of the international community. On China’s part, we will handle China-US relations in accordance with the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping. At the same time, we will firmly defend our sovereignty, security and development interests. The US needs to view China in an objective and rational light, follow a positive and practical China policy, and work with China to bring China-US relations back to the track of sound and steady development.”
This is a much more measured tone than what one would have expected after the balloon fracas. What further reinforces the idea that the balloon scandal will soon blow away is the response below, with no threats of retaliation.
“Kyodo News: Could you state China’s position again on whether you are in contact with the US side over the unmanned airship?
Mao Ning: The Chinese side has repeatedly shared information on the unintended entry of the unmanned Chinese civilian airship into US airspace. I would like to stress that the US’s downing of the unmanned Chinese civilian airship by force is unacceptable and irresponsible. The Chinese side has lodged a stern protest. I would also like to stress that exaggerating or hyping up the ‘China threat’ narrative is not conducive to building trust or improving ties between our two countries, nor can it make the US safer.”
Also this: “Reuters: The US has briefed 40 nations about the Chinese balloon and has also presented findings about it. These briefings were done in Washington as well as in Beijing. Does the ministry have any comment on this? Mao Ning: It is hoped that the US will communicate with other countries based on facts.”
Also noteworthy is the gradual thaw between China and Australia.
“CCTV: It’s been reported that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on February 7 that he was pleased by the “productive” video meeting between the Australian trade minister and his Chinese counterpart. ‘The trade to China is more than the next three highest trading partners combined. It’s in Australia’s national interest to have good economic relations and to trade with China’, he said. Does China have any comment on that?
Mao Ning: China and Australia are both important countries in the Asia-Pacific with highly complementary economies. The sound and steady growth of ties between our two countries serves the fundamental interests of both peoples and helps advance peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond. The Chinese side stands ready to work together with the Australian side to further deliver on the important common understandings reached between our two leaders in their meeting in Bali and the outcomes of the China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue. Based on the principle of mutual respect, mutual benefit and seeking common ground while shelving differences, we are ready to launch or resume dialogue and communication with Australia in various sectors, expand cooperation, manage differences, and strive to rebuild trust and bring bilateral relations back to the right track.”
Page 9: On the theory page is an article by Xie Chuntao, the Vice President of the Central Party School and someone who is known to be close to Xi.
Xie writes about the new missions and tasks ahead for the CCP in the new era. All of this is basically building on Xi’s speech on Chinese-style modernisation. He writes that:
“From a theoretical perspective, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions around Chinese-style modernisation, further deepened the understanding of the connotation and essence of Chinese-style modernisation, summarised the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements and major principles of Chinese-style modernisation, and initially developed the theoretical system of Chinese-style modernisation, making it clearer, more scientific and more practicable.” He adds that Xi has clarified that modernisation does not imply Westernisation, and that it must be pursued “on the basis of our own strength.” He then says that at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping clarified the Chinese characteristics of Chinese-style modernisation. The 20th Party Congress report systematically summarised the valuable experience of the Party in promoting modernisation in the new era, and clearly put forward the Chinese characteristics, essential requirements, and major principles of Chinese-style modernisation.” 从理论上看，习近平总书记围绕中国式现代化作出一系列重要论述，进一步深化对中国式现代化的内涵和本质的认识，概括形成中国式现代化的中国特色、本质要求和重大原则，初步构建中国式现代化的理论体系，使中国式现代化更加清晰、更加科学、更加可感可行。习近平总书记阐明“世界上既不存在定于一尊的现代化模式，也不存在放之四海而皆准的现代化标准”，打破了“现代化＝西方化”的迷思。习近平总书记强调，我们推进的现代化，要“坚持把国家和民族发展放在自己力量的基点上、把中国发展进步的命运牢牢掌握在自己手中”，阐明了中国式现代化的自主性。在党的十九届五中全会上，习近平总书记梳理中国式现代化的中国特色。党的二十大报告系统总结新时代我们党推进现代化的宝贵经验，鲜明提出中国式现代化的中国特色、本质要求、重大原则。习近平总书记在新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员和省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想和党的二十大精神研讨班开班式上的重要讲话，深刻阐述了中国式现代化的一系列重大理论和实践问题，是对中国式现代化理论的极大丰富和发展.
In the next paragraph, he praises the party and country’s development over the past decade. In the second section, he talks about the setting of strategic goals, i.e., the goals of modernisation for 2035 and 2049. He then says that “to deeply understand and grasp the strategic plans regarding developmental goals following the 20th Party Congress, it is important to grasp the concept of ‘comprehensiveness’. He writes:
“By 2035, the overall goals for China’s development include the basic realisation of new industrialisation, informationisation, urbanisation, agricultural modernisation, modernisation of national governance system and governance capacity, modernisation of national defense and military, etc. Achieving these requires building an educational power, a scientific and technological power, a talent power, a cultural power, a sports power and a healthy China, and basically realising the goal of Beautiful China. These goals play an important leading role in promoting Chinese-style modernisation as a whole. This ‘comprehensiveness’ is also reflected in the gradual nature of the process of achieving the goal…” 这种“全面性”体现为现代化标识的系统性，到2035年我国发展的总体目标包括基本实现新型工业化、信息化、城镇化、农业现代化以及国家治理体系和治理能力现代化、国防和军队现代化等具有标识性的现代化目标，要求建成教育强国、科技强国、人才强国、文化强国、体育强国、健康中国，美丽中国目标基本实现等，这些目标对整体推进中国式现代化发挥着重要引领作用；这种“全面性”还体现为实现目标过程的渐进性，明确了在基本实现现代化基础上到本世纪中叶把我国建设成为综合国力和国际影响力领先的社会主义现代化强国的宏伟蓝图.
In the final section, he writes that “keeping in mind the overall strategy for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the profound changes unseen in the world, the 20th Party Congress arrived at a scientific assessment on the situation, dialectically grasped the challenges and opportunities, and clearly put forward five major principles that must be firmly grasped on the road ahead:
upholding and strengthening the overall leadership of the Party
adhering to the path of Socialism with Chinese characteristics
adhering to the people-centred development philosophy
persisting in deepening reform and opening up
persisting in carrying forward the spirit of struggle
These are major principles put forward by our Party by summarising the historical experience of a century of struggle, grasping the characteristics of China’s development era and strategic arrangements. These are also the fundamental principles for the Party to unite and lead the people to effectively deal with various risks and challenges and create new historical great achievements on the new journey.” 立足中华民族伟大复兴战略全局和世界百年未有之大变局，党的二十大科学判断时与势，辩证把握危与机，鲜明提出前进道路上必须牢牢把握的五条重大原则，即坚持和加强党的全面领导、坚持中国特色社会主义道路、坚持以人民为中心的发展思想、坚持深化改革开放、坚持发扬斗争精神。这是我们党总结百年奋斗历史经验、把握我国发展时代特征和战略安排提出的重大原则，是党团结带领人民在新征程上有效应对各种风险挑战、创造新的历史伟业的根本遵循.
The rest of the paragraphs are about demonstrating how these are inherently connected to other such slogans of the five necessary paths, 10 Clears/Clarifications, 14 Persistences from the 19th Party Congress, the 13 achievements outlined in the third history resolution of 2021, etc.
Page 17: On the international page, the lead article is by Ronnie Lins, director of the China-Brazil Center. His basic argument is that China is doing the right things when it comes to economic policy.
He writes:
“Three aspects are crucial to measure the performance of economic development: adaptation to the new international environment, integration of innovation into all links of the industrial chain, and achievement of sustainable development. Success in these areas will help ensure the safe and stable development of a country's economy and create favourable conditions for reducing social inequality. In this regard, China has given a development strategy in line with its own national conditions.” 衡量经济发展表现，有三个方面是至关重要的：适应新的国际环境、将创新纳入产业链各个环节、实现可持续发展。在这些方面的成功，有助于保障一国经济的安全稳定发展，并为减少社会不平等创造有利条件。对此，中国给出了符合自身国情的发展策略.
For Ronnie, China is currently doing all of this.
Also on the page is a report on Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi signing the order confirming Iran’s membership to the SCO.
Outside the paper today, I’d like to recommend this post by The Arniko Project, which informs that 58 new general airports will be built in Tibet by 2035.