New Era Civilization Centers - Xi Leads Chinese-style Modernisation - Zhong Sheng Commentary on Shanghai Communique Anniversary
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy from the Monday, February 28, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: There’s a long piece that talks about the importance of pursuing the path of Chinese-style modernisation. It’s is titled: “Unswervingly follow this bright path” - 坚定不移沿着这条光明大道走下去. This is the first in a series of articles under the theme: “Endeavour to build a strong country: General Secretary leads Chinese-style modernization in this way” — 奋进强国路·总书记这样引领中国式现代化. The articles comprise Xi Jinping’s important expositions on Chinese-style modernization, interviews with NPC representatives, experts, scholars, and grassroots cadres and the masses. It says that:
“Reviewing the history and extraordinary course of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s leadership of Chinese-style modernization fully demonstrates General Secretary Xi Jinping’s great political courage, strong historical responsibility, and profound feelings for the people, as a Marxist statesman, thinker, and strategist. It inspires the whole Party and the people of the whole country to forge ahead on a new journey and make contributions to a new era with a higher spirit, promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese modernization, and make new and greater contributions to mankind!” 新时代，新征程，新奋斗。从今天起，本报推出“奋进强国路·总书记这样引领中国式现代化”系列报道，系统梳理习近平总书记关于中国式现代化的重要论述，深入采访全国两会代表委员以及专家学者、基层干部群众，回顾习近平总书记引领中国式现代化的历史场景和非凡历程，充分展现习近平总书记作为马克思主义政治家、思想家、战略家的巨大政治勇气、强烈历史担当、深厚人民情怀，激励全党全国人民以更加昂扬的姿态奋进新征程、建功新时代，以中国式现代化推进中华民族伟大复兴，为人类作出新的更大贡献！
“Dispelling the myth that ‘modernization is Westernisation’, China’s modernization has not followed the old Western path, but created a Chinese-style modernization path. History has repeatedly proved copying the Western model while disregarding one’s own national conditions will either lead to it being unable to take root in the soil or the country becoming a vassal of others.” 破除“现代化就是西方化”的迷思，中国的现代化，没有走西方老路，而是创造了中国式现代化道路。历史反复证明，不顾本国国情、照搬西方模式，不是水土不服，就是成为他国附庸.
The piece talks about whole-process democracy, people-centred development, the people’s congress system, regional ethnic autonomy, etc, and how this Chinese governance system “truly reflects the will of the people, guarantees the rights and interests of the people and has stimulated their creativity.”
Next, there’s a report on the work of New Era Civilization/Culture Practice Centers (代文明实践中心). Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has attached great importance to the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, made unremitting efforts to cultivate new talents of the times and improve the level of social civilization as an important task, and made a series of strategic arrangements such as promoting the construction of the civilization practice centers for the new era.
The article goes back to July 8, 2018, which is when the central committee for deepening overall reform approved the guideline on creating pilot new era culture practice centers. According to the article, at the meeting, it was decided that these centers were to be important tools to publicize Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. “It is necessary to focus on rallying the masses, guiding the masses, cultivating people and habits, mobilizing all forces, integrating various resources, innovating ways and means, firmly occupying rural ideological and cultural positions with socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and socialist ideology and morality, and mobilizing and inspiring the vast rural masses to actively participate in socialist modernization.” 2018年7月6日，习近平总书记主持召开中央全面深化改革委员会第三次会议，审议通过《关于建设新时代文明实践中心试点工作的指导意见》。会议强调，建设新时代文明实践中心，是深入宣传习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的一个重要载体，要着眼于凝聚群众、引导群众，以文化人、成风化俗，调动各方力量，整合各种资源，创新方式方法，用中国特色社会主义文化、社会主义思想道德牢牢占领农村思想文化阵地，动员和激励广大农村群众积极投身社会主义现代化建设.
Since then, the Propaganda Department and the Central Civilization Office have been guiding the work of development of these centers, which today are “like blooming flowers, sending the fragrance of civilization to thousands of households.” 一个个新时代文明实践中心正如一朵朵盛开的鲜花，把文明的馨香送往千家万户，把神州大地装点得分外美好…
The first example is from Inner Mongolia. It says that:
“Since its establishment, the New Era Civilization Practice Center has made it its primary political task to promote Xi Jinping Thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era to be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and let the Party’s innovative theory ‘fly into the homes of ordinary people’. Leading cadres talk about policies, achievements and situations, experts and scholars talk about theories, reason and philosophy, ordinary people talk about changes around the people around them, young people talk to young people…propaganda teams, rooted and active at the community level, are spreading spread the Party’s theories and policies to the people, making them deeply aware that the CPC is a party that seeks happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. They unswervingly listen to the Party’s words, feel the Party’s kindness, and follow the Party.” 从成立之日起，新时代文明实践中心就把推动习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想深入人心、落地生根作为首要政治任务，让党的创新理论“飞入寻常百姓家”。领导干部讲政策讲成就讲形势，专家学者讲学理讲道理讲哲理，老百姓讲身边人身边事身边的变化，青年人讲给青年听、“百姓名嘴”讲给群众听、身边榜样讲给身边人听……深刻的观点、生动的案例、鲜活的语言融为一体；一支支扎根在基层、活跃在基层的宣讲队伍第一时间把党的理论政策传到群众身边，送进百姓心坎，让人民群众深刻认识中国共产党是为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的党，坚定不移听党话、感党恩，矢志不渝跟党走.
Then we get told about the different innovative means used for propaganda. These go from dramatic performances, kuài bǎn, singing, to telling stories through sand art…It also talks about an activity called 百姓名嘴. I don’t quite understand what this means, but my guess is that it’s about encouraging ordinary folks to speak in public on select themes.
One section in the piece talks about the centers leveraging volunteers for different tasks. This is followed by a bit on strengthening and improving grassroots governance. This includes improving on the Fengqiao experience and strengthening grid management and services.
“In recent years, many places have explored county-level coordination, town-level guidance and village-level implementation, integrated grid resources such as comprehensive management and party building, and divided civilised practice grids according to population size and living conditions. Grassroots cadres, veteran cadres and township leaders serve as grid leaders, and select suitable candidates from veterans, graduates, outstanding young volunteers and other groups as ‘administrators’ to enrich the grid of various civilizations. Taking the grid as the unit of activity, the vast number of volunteers contacted households, grasped the needs and ideological trends of the masses in a timely manner, and provided targeted services such as door-to-door inquiry, conflict mediation and caring services, which has greatly improved the modernization level of grassroots social governance.” 近年来，多地探索县域统筹、镇级指导、村级实施，按照人口规模和居住状况，整合综治、党建等网格资源，划分文明实践网格。基层干部、老干部、乡贤担任网格长，从退伍军人、毕业大学生、优秀青年志愿者等群体中选拔合适人选作为“专管员”充实到各文明实践网格。以网格为活动单元，广大志愿者联系到户，及时掌握群众需求和思想动态，开展上门询单、矛盾调处、关爱服务等有针对性的服务，大大提升了基层社会治理的现代化水平.
One example of this system that is given in the piece is successful conflict mediation owing to the implementation of an integrity points system and Miaogang Village, Wuyanquan Town, Yidu City, Hubei Province. The piece adds that a villagers' congress is held at the end of the year. This determines the untrustworthy households and honest households according to the scores. An official then explains that “the honest households can redeem corresponding prizes at the Family Supermarket according to their scores; The untrustworthy households lose their relevant welfare benefits.” 不久前，湖北省宜都市五眼泉镇庙岗村一组徐某某与邻里闹矛盾，经两次调解仍未达成协议。在第三次调解中，徐某某很快同意了村里的调解协议。为啥？“我们实行诚信积分制度，村民如果失信将扣除相应积分。年终召开村民代表大会，根据分值确定失信户和诚信户。”宜都市文明办相关负责人介绍，“诚信户可根据分值在爱心超市兑换相应奖品；失信户将取消相关福利待遇.”
Towards the end the piece talks about promoting the civilization of rural customs. One aspect of this talks about standardising the customs of weddings and funerals, improve the village regulations, civil conventions, etc.,...popularise new ideas and concepts and advocate a positive lifestyle; conduct moral evaluation, and regularly evaluate villagers’ moral behaviour…
Third, there’s a story about the NPC Standing Committee meeting to prepare for the upcoming fifth annual session of the 13th NPC. Xinhua reports:
“Lawmakers also reviewed the draft agenda for the NPC annual session, the draft name list of the annual session’s presidium and secretary-general, and the draft name list of members invited to sit in on the annual session as non-voting participants. They deliberated a draft decision on the ranks for active-duty soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army, a draft decision to establish a Chengdu-Chongqing financial court, and a report on the implementation of a decision by the NPC Standing Committee regarding the litigation procedure of intellectual property cases. Lawmakers also reviewed a report on certain deputies' qualifications, as well as personnel-related bills.”
Page 3: We have a report about the conversation between Wang Yi and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Xinhua reports:
“Wang said that China pays close attention to the development of the situation in Ukraine, and supports all efforts that are conducive to de-escalating the situation and achieving a political settlement. On the issue of European security, the legitimate concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, he noted, adding that following five consecutive rounds of NATO’s eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate security appeal should be solved in a proper way. Noting the Cold War has already ended, the senior Chinese official said it is necessary for NATO to reconsider its position and responsibilities, adding that the Chinese side believes the Cold War mentality based on bloc confrontation should be completely abandoned. China supports NATO, the European Union and Russia to resume dialogue and seek to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism so as to achieve lasting peace and stability on the European continent, he said.”
It adds:
“Wang also noted that China does not approve of solving problems by sanctions, and even more strongly opposes unilateral sanctions not based on international law. Practice has already proved that rather than solving problems, sanctions can create new ones, he said, adding that sanctions will not only lead to a ‘lose-lose’ situation or ‘multiple losses’ in economy, but also disturb the process of a political settlement. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China has always faithfully fulfilled its obligation of safeguarding world peace and stability, Wang noted, adding China believes that if the Security Council is to take action, it should facilitate a political settlement of the current crisis rather than instigate new rivalries and confrontations. In view of this, Wang said, China has prevented the Security Council from citing expressions that involve the authorization of the use of force and sanctions, when discussing draft resolutions on the Ukrainian issue. China will continue to play a constructive role in seeking and realizing peace.”
Also, there’s a Zhong Sheng commentary around the Shanghai Communique, which was signed on February 28, 1972. The piece says that:
“Today, revisiting the spirit of the Shanghai Communique and keeping in mind the important consensus that China and the United States are willing to uphold the principles of mutual respect, equal treatment and seeking common ground while reserving differences, which is embodied in this historic document, is of great practical significance for promoting all circles in the United States to correctly view Sino-US relations and return Sino-US relations to a pragmatic and rational development track.” - 今天，重温“上海公报”精神，牢记这一历史性文件所体现的中美双方愿意秉持相互尊重、平等相待、求同存异原则处理两国关系的重要共识，对于推动美国各界正确看待中美关系、让中美关系回归务实理性的发展轨道，具有重要的现实意义.
“Over the past 50 years, China-US relations have grown steadily despite ups and downs, and both countries have reaped huge benefits from the cooperation. In recent years, some in the US have attempted to reconstruct the historical narrative and hype up the so-called ‘failure of engagement with China’ in order to suppress and contain China. Such rhetoric is full of Cold War mentality. It negates the history of China-US relations, the achievements of China-US exchanges over the past 50 years, and the efforts of people from all walks of life in both countries to advance China-US relations.” – 50年来，中美关系历经风雨不断发展，两国都从彼此合作中获得了巨大收益。近年来，美国一些人出于打压遏制中国的目的，企图重构历史叙事，炒作所谓“对华接触失败论”。这种论调充斥冷战思维，是对中美关系历史的否定，是对过去50年中美交往成就的否定，是对两国各界人士为推动中美关系发展付出的努力和心血的否定.
In the past 50 years, one of the most important developments in international relations has been the recovery and growth of Sino-US relations, which has benefited both countries and the world. In the next 50 years, the most important thing in international relations is that China and the United States must find the right way to get along. Today, people are commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Shanghai Communique, in order to draw experience and wisdom from history and bring China-US relations back to the right track as soon as possible. As pointed out by Richard Haas, the best way to commemorate the momentous development of the reopening of contacts between the United States and China 50 years ago is to ‘reinvigorate the relationship in an equally imaginative way’.” 端起历史的望远镜，才能看清中美关系的发展脉络和前行方向。过去50年，国际关系中一个最重要的事件就是中美关系恢复和发展，造福了两国和世界。未来50年，国际关系中最重要的事情是中美必须找到正确的相处之道。今天，人们纪念“上海公报”发表50周年，是为了从历史中汲取经验和智慧，推动中美关系尽快走出困境、重回正轨。正如美国外交学会会长理查德·哈斯所指出的，对50年前美中重新打开交往大门这一重大事件的最好纪念方式，是“用同样富有想象力的方式重振两国关系”.
The next few paragraphs say:
“The fundamental reason why China-US relations are in trouble today is that some people in the US are unable to adapt to the reality of China’s rapid development and have a serious misunderstanding of China. They regard China as a major strategic competitor or even an imaginary enemy. Such views not only misjudge the logic of China's development, but also show ignorance and disregard for the historical trend. To put China-US relations back on track, the US side needs to show political wisdom and courage, view China and its development in a correct way, and get rid of the Cold War zero-sum mentality of suppressing and containing China.” 今天，中美关系遭遇困境，根本原因在于美方一些人不适应中国快速发展的现实，对华认知出现严重偏差，将中国作为主要战略竞争对手甚至假想敌。这种看法既是对中国发展逻辑的误判，也是对历史大势的无知和漠视。中美关系重回正轨，需要美方拿出政治智慧和勇气，正确看待中国和中国发展，摆脱打压遏制中国的冷战零和思维.
“The spirit of seeking common ground while reserving differences embodied in the Shanghai Communique is more relevant under the current circumstances. For some time now, some people in the US have deliberately highlighted ideological differences between China and the US with the intention of provoking confrontation. This ignores the basic reality that the common interests of China and the United States far outweigh their differences. It runs counter to the aspirations of the two peoples and does not serve the common interests of the world. The differences between China and the United States are not to be feared. What matters is that they should be managed effectively through candid communication to prevent strategic miscalculation and avoid conflict and confrontation.” “上海公报”体现的求同存异精神，在当前形势下更具现实意义。一段时间以来，美国一些人刻意突出中美意识形态差异，意图挑起对抗。这种做法无视中美两国共同利益远大于分歧这一基本现实，与两国人民的愿望背道而驰，也不符合全球共同利益。中美之间存在差异和分歧并不可怕，关键是要通过坦诚沟通加以有效管控，防止战略误判，避免冲突对抗.
“At present, the US is trying to distort and hollow out the One-China principle for the purpose of ‘suppressing China through Taiwan’. This creates serious risks for stability across the Taiwan Strait and for China-US relations. China’s complete reunification is an irresistible historical trend that will not be changed by anyone, any force or any country. The US side should be fully aware of the high sensitivity of the Taiwan issue, earnestly abide by the One-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, stop all moves that challenge the One-China principle and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, unequivocally and firmly oppose any act of ‘Taiwan independence’, and refrain from sending wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence” forces.” 当前，美方出于“以台制华”目的，试图歪曲和掏空一个中国原则。这种做法给台海稳定和中美关系都制造了严重风险。中国实现完全统一是不可阻挡的历史潮流，不会因任何人、任何势力、任何国家而改变。美方应充分认识台湾问题的高度敏感性，切实恪守一个中国原则和中美三个联合公报规定，停止一切挑战一个中国原则、破坏台海和平稳定的举动，明确、坚定地反对任何“台独”行径，不再向“台独”势力发出错误信号.
Also on Monday, Wang Yi spoke about the Shanghai Communique. CGTN reports:
The two countries issued the Joint Communique of the People's Republic of China and the United States of America in Shanghai on February 28, 1972, the last day of then U.S. President Richard Nixon's historic week-long visit to China. In the Shanghai Communique, Washington has acknowledged that “there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.” Wang said the U.S. should abide by the political commitments it has made to China and assume its international obligations. It should stop condoning or supporting "Taiwan independence" and stop attempts of "using Taiwan to contain China," so as to maintain peace and stability of the Taiwan Straits and safeguard the overall China-U.S. relations, he said. Wang stressed that cooperation should be the mainstream of China-U.S. relations, and to define them as competitive is just a part of the whole. There should be boundaries when it comes to competition, which should be based on fair and recognized international rules, he said.
Wang urged the United States to return to a rational and pragmatic policy toward China and work with China to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state so as to bring the bilateral relations back on the right track. “Since the door of China-U.S. relations has been opened, it shall not be closed again,” he said. “Since the world has come out of the Cold War, the iron curtain shall not be lowered again.”
Other Stories:
On the international page, there’s no coverage of Ukraine. But we do have a story about US nuclear testing on the Shoshone territory. This reports comments from Ian Zabarte, head of the Western Shoshone native American tribe, saying that there were 928 tests conducted on the land of the Shoshone tribe from 1951 to 1992, and how this testing was “an act of genocide and a crime against humanity committed by the U.S. government.”