New Guidelines on Price Governance Reform - Strait Thunder-2025A Ends - Impact of Trade-in Policy - Li Ganjie & Shi Taifeng Switch Roles - Ding Xuexiang Stresses Employment Priority

Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People's Daily’s edition on Thursday, April 03, 2025.

Page 1: The full guideline to deepen price reform and improve the price governance mechanism issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council is published in the paper today. The guideline aims to

• improve the market price formation mechanism to promote efficient resource allocation

• improve the price guidance mechanism for key areas’ development and security

• improve the price regulation mechanism to maintain reasonable price levels, and

• improve the transparent and predictable market price supervision mechanism

As part of the general requirements section, the document calls to “focus on fully leveraging the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and better leverage the role of the government”.

It adds:

“In practice, we should adhere to the direction of socialist market economy reform, entrust the market with all prices that can be formed by the market, promote the efficient and smooth flow of advanced and high-quality production factors, and effectively serve the construction of a unified national market. We should adhere to the system concept and comprehensive measures, coordinate the two markets and two resources at home and abroad, take into account all upstream and downstream links, strengthen the coordinated linkage of reforms in various fields, and realise reasonable price formation, coordinated and shared interests, effective protection of people's livelihood, and efficient and transparent supervision. Adhere to a problem-oriented approach and reform innovation, focusing on key areas and critical links, effectively solve the difficulties and bottlenecks in price management, make prices fully reflect the relationship between market supply and demand, and enhance the flexibility of price response. Adhere to the rule of law in price management, improve price laws and regulations, improve the scientific level of price management, and standardise the price behaviour of business entities.” 工作中要做到：坚持社会主义市场经济改革方向，能由市场形成价格的都交给市场，促进先进优质生产要素高效顺畅流动，有效服务全国统一大市场建设。坚持系统观念、综合施策，统筹国内国际两个市场两种资源，兼顾上下游各环节，强化各领域改革协同联动，实现价格合理形成、利益协调共享、民生有效保障、监管高效透明。坚持问题导向、改革创新，聚焦重点领域和关键环节，有效破解价格治理难点堵点问题，使价格充分反映市场供求关系，增强价格反应灵活性。坚持依法治价，完善价格法律法规，提升价格治理科学化水平，规范经营主体价格行为.

On improving the market price formation mechanism to promote efficient resource allocation, the document makes three points:

• Deepen market-oriented price reform: Under this, it calls for market-oriented reforms for on-grid electricity prices and for cross-provincial and cross-regional power transmission. It calls for improving the refined oil pricing mechanism and deepening the market-oriented reform of natural gas prices, along with improving the coal market price formation mechanism. Encourage both supply and demand parties to negotiate and determine the water supply price of water conservancy projects in accordance with market principles. Liberalise passenger transport prices for domestic air routes with competitive conditions. 深化价格市场化改革。分品种、有节奏推进各类电源上网电价市场化改革，稳妥有序推动电能量价格、容量价格和辅助服务价格由市场形成，探索建立促进改革平稳推进的配套制度。健全跨省跨区送电市场化价格形成机制。加快完善电网代理购电制度，推动更多工商业用户直接参与市场交易。进一步完善成品油定价机制，深化天然气价格市场化改革。加快完善煤炭市场价格形成机制。鼓励供需双方按照市场化原则协商确定水利工程供水价格，积极推进新建水利工程提前明确量价条件。放开具备竞争条件的民航国内航线旅客运输价格.

• Accelerate the construction of markets in key areas. Promote the construction of spot and futures markets for important commodities, optimise the listing, trading, and supervision rules of futures varieties, and consolidate the basis for market price formation. Develop oil, gas, coal and other trading markets in an orderly fashion. Improve the multi-level electricity market system, improve trading rules and technical standards, promote the construction of medium- and long-term electricity, spot, and auxiliary service markets, and cultivate diversified competitive entities. Improve the management system of the electricity sales market. 加快重点领域市场建设。推进重要商品现货、期货市场建设，优化期货品种上市、交易、监管等规则，夯实市场形成价格的基础。有序发展油气、煤炭等交易市场。完善多层次电力市场体系，健全交易规则和技术标准，推进电力中长期、现货、辅助服务市场建设，培育多元化竞争主体。完善售电市场管理制度.

• Create a competitive and orderly market environment. Abolish price policies that hinder the construction of a unified national market and fair competition, and prevent the government from improperly intervening in price formation. Create a market environment conducive to the effective formation of prices, promote fair access to the power grid, promote fair opening of oil and gas pipeline facilities, and interconnection of railway lines, and accelerate the establishment of a multimodal transport service system that coordinates various modes of transportation such as railways, roads, water transport, and civil aviation; effectively regulate the business scope of natural monopoly enterprises, and prevent the use of monopoly advantages to extend to upstream and downstream competitive links. Strengthen price supervision of network-based natural monopoly links such as power transmission and distribution, and natural gas pipeline transportation. Regulate the formation of drug prices, promote corporate integrity management, and promote open, transparent, fair and reasonable prices. 营造竞争有序市场环境。废止妨碍全国统一大市场建设和公平竞争的价格政策，防止政府对价格形成的不当干预。营造有利于价格有效形成的市场环境，促进电网公平接入，推动油气管网设施公平开放、铁路线路互联互通，加快健全铁路、公路、水运、民航等各种运输方式协同衔接的多式联运服务体系；有效规范自然垄断企业经营范围，防止利用垄断优势向上下游竞争性环节延伸。加强输配电、天然气管道运输等网络型自然垄断环节价格监管。规范药品价格形成，推动企业诚信经营，促进价格公开透明、公平合理.

On improving the price guidance mechanism for key areas’ development and security, the document says:

• Improve the agricultural price policy to promote the stable and safe supply of grain and important agricultural products. Under this, it calls to improve policies related to prices, subsidies and insurance to boost farmers’ incomes, and improve the policies such as the minimum purchase price of rice and wheat and the subsidies for corn and soybean producers. It also calls to optimize the cotton target price policy, improve the price formation mechanism for the transfer of contracted land management rights, and reform agricultural water prices. 完善促进粮食和重要农产品稳定安全供给的农业价格政策。健全价格、补贴、保险等政策协同的种粮农民收益保障机制，完善稻谷、小麦最低收购价和玉米、大豆生产者补贴等政策。优化棉花目标价格政策。稳定政策性生猪保险供给，鼓励地方因地制宜探索开展蔬菜等品种保险。深入推进农业水价综合改革，持续完善化肥等农资保供稳价应对机制。完善承包地经营权流转价格形成机制。

• Improve energy price policies that promote green and low-carbon transformation. Under this, among other things, it calls to improve the price policy of local transactions of new energy and optimise the price mechanism of incremental distribution networks. Comprehensively consider factors such as energy consumption and environmental protection level, and improve the tiered electricity price system in key industrial fields. Take the national carbon emission rights trading market as the main body and improve the carbon pricing mechanism. Explore price support policies that are conducive to promoting carbon emission reduction. Improve the national unified green electricity certificate trading system. Build international standards and certification mechanisms for green energy. 健全促进绿色低碳转型的能源价格政策。建立健全天然气发电、储能等调节性资源价格机制，更好发挥对构建新型电力系统的支撑作用。完善新能源就近交易价格政策，优化增量配电网价格机制。综合考虑能耗、环保水平等因素，完善工业重点领域阶梯电价制度。以全国碳排放权交易市场为主体，完善碳定价机制。探索有利于促进碳减排的价格支持政策。完善全国统一的绿色电力证书交易体系。建设绿色能源国际标准和认证机制.

• Improve public utilities price mechanism. This covers heating, water, sanitation, parking, freight, etc.

• Improve public service pricing policies to promote balance and accessibility. This covers elderly care, childcare, etc. It says that these “shall be managed under government-guided pricing. Basic service charges in private inclusive elderly care and childcare institutions shall be guided through government-guided pricing or the establishment of reference price ranges.” 公办养老、托育、医疗机构基本服务收费，实行政府指导价管理。民办普惠性养老、托育机构基本服务收费，实行政府指导价管理或者设置参考区间等方式加强引导. It also calls to strengthen the management of fees in inclusive kindergartens, enhance the supervision of school service charges and agency fees, and establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism for high school and higher education tuition fees that aligns with fiscal appropriations and subsidy levels. Strengthen the management of funeral service charges. 加强普惠性幼儿园收费管理，强化学校服务性收费和代收费监管，建立与财政拨款、资助水平等相适应的高中、高等教育收费标准动态调整机制。加强殡葬服务收费管理.

• Innovate public data pricing policies to promote the development of the digital economy. Establish and improve data market rules that meet the needs of the development of the digital economy. Accelerate the formulation of pricing policies that meet the characteristics of public data and promote the safe and efficient development and utilisation of public data. In the authorised operation of public data, public data products and services used for public governance and public welfare undertakings shall be used free of charge under certain conditions; public data products and services used for industrial development and sectoral development shall be used with compensation under certain conditions, with fee standards determined and dynamically adjusted according to the principles of cost compensation and reasonable profit. 创新促进数字经济发展的公共数据价格政策。建立健全符合数字经济发展需要的数据市场规则。加快制定符合公共数据要素特性的价格政策，促进公共数据安全高效开发利用。在公共数据授权运营中，用于公共治理、公益事业的公共数据产品和服务有条件无偿使用；用于产业发展、行业发展的公共数据产品和服务有条件有偿使用，按照补偿成本、合理盈利的原则确定收费标准并动态调整.

When it comes to improving the price regulation mechanism to maintain reasonable price levels, the document says:

• Strengthen overall price control. Comprehensively consider factors such as total supply and demand, economic growth, market expectations, and external influences, reasonably determine the expected target for price levels and enhance the guiding role of macroeconomic regulation. Coordinate the expansion of domestic demand and the deepening of supply-side structural reform, strengthen the coordination of price policies with macroeconomic policies such as finance, currency, industry, and employment, and improve the efficiency of overall price control. 加强价格总水平调控。综合考虑总供给和总需求以及经济增长、市场预期、输入性影响等因素，合理确定价格水平预期目标，强化宏观调控导向作用。统筹扩大内需和深化供给侧结构性改革，加强价格政策与财政、货币、产业、就业等宏观政策协同发力，提升价格总水平调控效能.

• Consolidate the foundation for stable prices for essential commodities. Based on the entire chain of production, supply, storage, and sales, improve long-term mechanisms that promote market price stability. Strengthen production capacity regulation, adjust and optimise production structures, refine support policies, and maintain basic market supply-demand balance and stable price operation. Accelerate the improvement of the national reserve system. Establish and improve a regulatory system for guided price ranges of essential commodities that are crucial to the national economy and people’s livelihoods. 夯实重要商品价格稳定基础。着眼产供储销全链条，健全促进市场价格稳定的长效机制。加强产能调控，调整优化生产结构，完善配套支持政策，保持市场供需基本平衡和价格平稳运行。加快完善国家储备体系。建立健全关系国计民生重要商品的引导性价格区间调控制度.

• Strengthen emergency control of abnormal price fluctuations of important commodities. Coordinate and enhance mutual supply guarantees between major production and sales regions as well as neighbouring areas for essential commodities. Optimise the emergency logistics guarantee system to ensure the smooth flow of key transportation channels and the stable operation of transportation hubs. Carry out emergency control of abnormal price fluctuations in a timely and effective manner, increase the intensity of reserve adjustment, strengthen expectation management and market supervision, and guide stable price operations. Implement the linkage mechanism between social assistance and security standards and price increases to ensure the basic living of people in difficulties. 强化重要商品价格异常波动应急调控。统筹加强主要产销区之间、相邻区域之间重要商品联保联供。优化应急物流保障体系，保障重点运输通道畅通、运输枢纽稳定运行。及时有效开展价格异常波动应急调控，加大储备调节力度，加强预期管理、市场监管，引导价格平稳运行。落实社会救助和保障标准与物价上涨挂钩联动机制，保障困难群众基本生活.

On improving the transparent and predictable market price supervision mechanism, the document says:

• Regulate market price behaviour. Strengthen pre-emptive guidance and prevention and in-process and post-process supervision to maintain market price order. Comprehensively use announcements, guidelines, reminders, administrative guidance, cost surveys and other methods to encourage business entities to operate in accordance with the law. Prevent operators from engaging in vicious competition at prices below cost. Explore the formulation of price behavior rules and supervision methods for a few important commodities and services that implement market-regulated prices but are closely related to people’s lives. 规范市场价格行为。强化事前引导预防和事中事后监管，维护市场价格秩序。综合运用公告、指南、提醒告诫、行政指导、成本调查等方式，推动经营主体依法经营。防止经营者以低于成本的价格开展恶性竞争。对实行市场调节价但与群众生活关系密切的少数重要商品和服务，探索制定价格行为规则、监管办法.

• Strengthen price supervision and inspection. Focusing on important commodities and services that have high public attention, increase price supervision and inspection efforts, and investigate and deal with price violations in accordance with the law. Strengthen anti-monopoly supervision and law enforcement to prevent and stop operators from implementing monopoly behaviours. Strengthen price and charging behaviour supervision in key areas such as transportation, tourism, education, and online transactions, and do a good job in inspections during key periods. 推进高效协同共治。加强行业企业自律、社会监督与政府监管的协同配合，完善多元治理模式。建立健全跨部门联合监管机制，加强线上线下、现货期货联动监管，形成监管合力。建立健全涉企收费长效监管机制。完善价格社会监督体系，探索在重要商品现货交易场所、行业协会建立价格监督员制度。推进价格信用制度建设，完善价格信用监管，依法依规实施失信联合惩戒.

• Promote efficient collaborative governance. Strengthen the coordinated cooperation between industry and enterprise self-discipline, social supervision, and government regulation, and improve the pluralistic governance model. Establish and improve cross-departmental joint supervision mechanisms, strengthen online and offline, spot and futures linkage supervision, forming joint regulatory force. Establish and improve long-term supervision mechanisms for enterprise-related charges. Improve the price social supervision system, and explore establishing a price supervisor system in important commodity spot trading venues and industry associations. Promote the construction of a price credit system, improve price credit supervision, and implement joint punishment for dishonesty in accordance with laws and regulations. 推进高效协同共治。加强行业企业自律、社会监督与政府监管的协同配合，完善多元治理模式。建立健全跨部门联合监管机制，加强线上线下、现货期货联动监管，形成监管合力。建立健全涉企收费长效监管机制。完善价格社会监督体系，探索在重要商品现货交易场所、行业协会建立价格监督员制度。推进价格信用制度建设，完善价格信用监管，依法依规实施失信联合惩戒.

Finally, on strengthening basic capacity building of price governance, the document calls to:

• Improve the price monitoring and early warning system

• Strengthen cost supervision and inspection

• Improve price laws and regulations. Under this, it calls to speed up the revision of laws and regulations such as the Price Law and the Administrative Penalties for Price Violations, formulate and improve rules and regulations on government pricing, price regulation, price supervision and inspection, and dynamically revise the central and local pricing catalogues. 完善价格法律法规。适应价格治理需要，加快修订价格法、价格违法行为行政处罚规定等法律法规，制定完善政府定价、价格调控、价格监督检查等规章制度，动态修订中央和地方定价目录.

Next, there are two data-based reports. First, a report informs that in the first two months of the year, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 4% year-on-year. This report essentially says that the “two new” or the goods trade-in policy is having a positive impact.

The article informs that the funding scale of ultra-long-term special government bonds supporting the trade-in of consumer goods has increased to 300 billion yuan, with the first batch of 81 billion yuan allocated on January 6. The scope of support has been expanded to include the purchase of new digital products such as mobile phones, tablets, smartwatches, and smart wristbands.

• From January to February, over 1.07 million vehicles were traded in under the automobile replacement program, driving new car sales revenue to 116.5 billion yuan. Domestic passenger car retail sales increased by 1.2% year-on-year, with February alone seeing a substantial 26% year-on-year growth.

• More than 20 million applications were submitted for the home appliance trade-in program, and the retail sales of home appliances in enterprises above the designated size reached 153.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.9%.

• Sales revenue from purchasing first-level energy efficiency appliances accounted for 80% of all home appliance sales.

• The retail sales of communication equipment in enterprises above the designated size saw a significant 26.2% year-on-year increase.

• Sales volume and revenue of mobile phones priced under 6,000 yuan reached 44.22 million units and 112.6 billion yuan, respectively, with an average daily sales volume of approximately 750,000 units and daily sales revenue of 1.9 billion yuan, reflecting year-on-year growth of 8.8% and 19.3%.

• The electric bicycle trade-in program replaced 1.17 million units, driving new bicycle sales revenue of 3.5 billion yuan.

超长期特别国债支持消费品以旧换新资金规模增加至3000亿元，首批810亿元资金于1月6日第一时间下达，延续2024年工作基础，扩围支持手机、平板、智能手表手环等数码产品购新。1至2月，汽车以旧换新超过107万辆，带动新车销售额达1165亿元；国内乘用车零售量同比增长1.2%，其中2月同比大幅增长26%。家电以旧换新申请量超过2000万台，限额以上单位家电类商品零售额达1537亿元，同比增长10.9%，消费者购买1级能效家电销售额占全部家电销售额的80%。限额以上单位通讯器材类商品零售额同比大幅增长26.2%，6000元以下手机销售量和销售额分别达4422万部、1126亿元，折合日均销售量和销售额约75万部、19亿元，同比分别增长8.8%、19.3%。电动自行车以旧换新达117万辆，带动新车销售额达35亿元.

This year, the coverage of the 200 billion yuan ultra-long-term special government bond funds supporting equipment upgrades has been further expanded to include electronic information, workplace safety, facility agriculture, grain, and oil processing industries.

• Investment in equipment and tools nationwide increased by 18% year-on-year from January to February, accelerating by 2.3 percentage points compared to the full-year growth rate of 2024 and exceeding total investment growth by 13.9 percentage points. Its contribution to overall investment growth reached 62.3%, boosting total investment growth by 2.6 percentage points.

• Among them, investment in technological upgrades within the manufacturing sector, closely related to the two new policies, grew by 10%, accelerating by 2 percentage points compared to 2024. Investment in consumer goods manufacturing increased by 12.8%, surpassing total manufacturing investment growth by 3.8 percentage points.

今年，2000亿元超长期特别国债资金支持设备更新覆盖范围进一步扩展至电子信息、安全生产、设施农业、粮油加工等领域。在“两新”政策带动下，1至2月，全国设备工器具购置投资同比增长18%，增速比2024年全年加快2.3个百分点，比全部投资高13.9个百分点，对全部投资增长的贡献率为62.3%，拉动全部投资增长2.6个百分点。其中，与“两新”密切相关的制造业技改投资增长10%，增速比2024年加快2个百分点；消费品制造业投资增长12.8%，比全部制造业投资高3.8个百分点.

From January to February, the added value of automobile manufacturing above designated size increased by 12.0% year-on-year, and the output of automobiles, new energy vehicles, and charging piles increased by 13.9%, 47.7%, and 32.2% year-on-year, respectively; the added value of household appliance manufacturing above designated size increased by 10.1% year-on-year, and the output of refrigerators, and washing machines showed double-digit growth. 在带动重要产品生产方面，1至2月，规模以上汽车制造业增加值同比增长12.0%，汽车、新能源汽车、充电桩产量同比分别增长13.9%、47.7%、32.2%；规模以上家电制造业增加值同比增长10.1%，电冰箱、洗衣机等产量呈两位数增长.

Second, there’s a report on China’s services trade. From January to February, China’s service trade grew rapidly, with a total import and export of services expanded by 9.9%. Among this, exports were 549.58 billion yuan, an increase of 13%; imports were 759.98 billion yuan, an increase of 7.8%.

Moving on, there’s a report on Ding Xuexiang’s comments during a conference to increase employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for college graduates and young people.

“Ding Xuexiang emphasised the need to increase employment opportunities by all means possible and fully promote high-quality employment for college graduates. More attention should be given to expanding positions in key fields and industries, and developing new employment growth points while promoting industrial development. We should do a good job in stabilising and increasing jobs at the grassroots level in urban and rural areas, strengthen supporting policy guarantees, and enable college graduates to ‘go down, stay put, and work well.’ Actively support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, expand job supply, and stimulate the enthusiasm and initiative of enterprises to absorb college graduates. Better utilise the comprehensive effects of policies, with all employment promotion policies being implemented as soon as possible, and policy-based positions maintaining stable scale and recruiting early and more. We should increase support and implementation of preferential policies for entrepreneurship, promote innovation and entrepreneurship among college students, and drive employment.” 丁薛祥强调，要千方百计增加就业岗位，全力促进高校毕业生高质量充分就业。更加注重面向重点领域、重点行业拓展岗位，在推动产业发展中开发新的就业增长点。抓好城乡基层稳岗增岗，强化配套政策保障，让高校毕业生“下得去、留得住、干得好”。积极支持中小微企业发展，扩大岗位供给，激发企业吸纳高校毕业生的积极性和主动性。更好发挥政策综合效应，各项促就业政策应出尽出、能早就早，政策性岗位要稳定规模、早招多招。加大创业优惠政策支持和落实力度，促进大学生创新创业并带动就业。

Ding called for employment guidance services for graduates to better choose careers and find employment faster. “Strengthen ideological and political education, guide graduates to choose careers and positions rationally and practically based on national development needs and personal circumstances.” 加强思想政治教育，引导毕业生从国家发展需要和个人实际出发，理性务实选择职业和岗位.

Next, there is a report (English report) on Wang Huning calling for solid efforts to strengthen democratic oversight over the eco-environmental conservation of the Yangtze River. Li Ganjie attended this meeting and is listed as the head of the UFWD. Li had so far been leading the Organisation Department. He has unusually now swapped positions with Shi Taifeng, who used to head the UFWD.

This is an interested and unprecedented change. The Organisation Department is clearly far more significant politically than the UFWD. So Li being switched, although a horizontal move, is a step down for him. One can assume that this also reflects dissatisfaction with the personnel management system of the Party.

SCMP’s report says:

“There is no previous case of Politburo members swapping positions. The usual term length for any position at the duo’s level is five years. Both were promoted to the Politburo at the 20th party congress in October 2022. Li was given his current job in April 2023 and Shi in October 2022. In his new role, Shi, 68, will oversee the appointment and promotion of senior officials. Meanwhile, Li, 60, will take over a department responsible for stepping up party propaganda among Chinese who are not party members, as well as overseeing religious organisations and political groups inside and outside China. It is also responsible for wooing Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwanese and overseas Chinese. Li, a nuclear safety expert, is the youngest member of the Politburo and considered one of six technocrats. He had a remarkable career rise. After graduating from Tsinghua University in 1989 with a master’s degree in nuclear reactor engineering and safety, Li spent 27 years at the National Nuclear Safety Administration. He followed that with a brief stint as deputy governor of the northern province of Hebei and became the country’s environmental protection minister in 2017. The following year, in a State Council reshuffle, Li became China’s first minister of ecology and environment. In 2020, Li was appointed governor of the eastern province of Shandong, and a year later was promoted to provincial party secretary, his first major regional role and the youngest provincial party chief at the time. Just a year later, he moved up another level to the Politburo. Deng Yuwen, former deputy editor of Study Times, the Central Party School’s official newspaper, said: ‘This personnel reshuffle appears to be an unusual one, as such exchanges have not occurred in the past.’ Deng said the change could have been made for preparations for the 21st party congress scheduled for 2027. He added that Xi would want to place a trusted ally to oversee the process. ‘From Xi’s perspective, placing a trusted ally in charge of this process could be a strategic move to ensure stability and control,’ he added.

Finally, there’s a report on Han Zheng meeting with HSBC Group Chairman Mark Tucker. Xinhua says:

“In a world full of uncertainties, China is committed to high-standard opening up and firmly supports multilateralism, Han said. He noted that the sound and steady development of China-Britain relations not only benefits both sides, but also provides certainty for the world. The vice president expressed the hope that the HSBC Group will continue to tap into the Chinese market and contribute to the development of China-Britain and China-Europe relations.”

Page 2: There’s a report on the annual tree-planting activity in Beijing, with CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Beijing Party Secretary Yin Li participating. Also present were CMC members Liu Zhenli and Zhang Shengmin. Interestingly, no He Weidong in this event, which fuels further speculation about He being caught in an anti-corruption probe.

Bloomberg’s report on this is useful.

“The tradition for China’s military leadership to plant trees in Beijing’s suburb each spring began some four decades ago. That event has been attended by the CMC’s two vice military chairs along with other top officers for at least the past decade, making the absence of He — who was promoted to his current rank in 2022 — more notable. Chinese Defense Ministry said last week it was “unaware” of reports He had been detained at a regular briefing in Beijing. Newsweek and the Washington Times have reported that He was believed to be facing a corruption investigation. He was last seen in public on March 11 at the closing ceremony of the annual National People’s Congress in Beijing. There is no public evidence He has committed any offense. If confirmed to be under probe, He would be the most senior sitting defense official to be investigated in more than three decades, after Zhao Ziyang was ousted in 1989 for supporting students during the pro-democracy movement. Zhao was first ranking vice military chair at the time of his removal.”

If you are keen, do check out my colleague Anushka Saxena’s take on the He Weidong affair in Eye on China.

Page 3: There’s a report informing that the Xinjiang government held an exchange meeting for ambassadors from relevant countries in Beijing on March 31. 70 diplomats from 43 countries and international organizations attended the meeting. The guests exchanged their experiences of visiting Xinjiang, China, and talked about the achievements of economic and social development and human rights protection in Xinjiang, China.

Page 4: There’s a report informing that the PLA’s ETC has “completed all designated tasks in the joint exercises held from April 1 to 2 and tested the troops’ capability of conducting integrated joint operations.” Army Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the PLA ETC, said that “troops assigned to the theater command will remain on high alert at all times, continue to strengthen combat readiness training, and resolutely thwart any separatist activities seeking ‘Taiwan independence’.”

The drills were called Strait Thunder-2025A. The troops carried out “tasks such as verification and identification, warning and repulsion, interception and seizure, testing the troops’ capabilities in regional control, joint blockade, and precision strikes.”

There’s a report on comments by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said:

“The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affairs that brook no external interference. ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities and external forces that abet and aid them are the ones that undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. If certain countries and organizations truly want peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, they should follow the prevailing trend of international commitment to the one-China principle, abide by their political commitments made to China, earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ in any form. Moves to clamor for ‘Taiwan independence’ mean separating China, support for ‘Taiwan independence’ means interference in China’s internal affairs, and attempts to abet ‘Taiwan independence’ mean destabilizing the Taiwan Strait.”

“China’s joint exercises is a severe punishment against the Lai Ching-te authorities’ aggressive provocation to seek ‘Taiwan independence’, a stern warning to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces who deliberately undermine peace across the Taiwan Strait, and a responsible move to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. No external force is in any position to point fingers at this. As long as provocations for ‘Taiwan independence’ last, our punishment against ‘Taiwan independence’ will continue. We will never ever allow anyone or any force to separate Taiwan from China in any form. We will take all measures necessary to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

There’s also a report (English report) on remarks by Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. Zhu said the ‘Strait Thunder-2025A’ exercises conducted by the People’s Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command are a “just move to punish attempts to split the country and a firm safeguard for the peace, stability of the Taiwan Strait, and the safety and well-being of Taiwan compatriots.”

“She condemned the DPP authorities for ‘promoting the fallacy of ‘Taiwan independence’ and attempting to change the current status of both sides belonging to one China, severely disrupting peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and seriously harming the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots’. ‘Allowing this to develop will only push Taiwan compatriots into a dangerous situation of war and crisis, and it must be resolutely contained and punished,’ she said. Zhu said the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and does not tolerate any foreign interference. She called on the US to adhere to the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques, and support China’s reunification.”

Also on the page is a Zhong Yiping commentary. This one basically pushes back against the criticism of Chinese drills. It argues that: “If even defending national sovereignty and maintaining national unity is not legitimate, what else is legitimate? These politicians’ bizarre views, disregarding facts, can only be ridiculed.” 如果连捍卫国家主权、维护国家统一都不算正当，还有什么算正当？这些政客的奇谈怪论，罔顾事实，只会被人耻笑.

“China’s military deterrence and punishment of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists is in full compliance with international law and international practice, and is completely legitimate and necessary. We urge certain Western politicians to stop standing up for ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and to abide by their solemn commitment to support the ‘One China’ principle on the Taiwan issue with practical actions.” 中国以军事慑压行动对“台独”分裂分子实施惩戒，完全符合国际法和国际惯例，完全正当必要。我们敦促某些西方政客，停止为“台独”分裂分子站台、张目，用实际行动恪守在台湾问题上作出的支持“一个中国”原则的严肃承诺.

The article accuses Lai Ching-te of changing the status quo and making provocations. It also charges Western politicians of playing the ‘Taiwan card’ and attempting to ‘use Taiwan to contain China’.

It adds that “supporting ‘Taiwan independence’ secession is interfering in China’s internal affairs, and condoning ‘Taiwan independence’ secession is undermining the stability of the Taiwan Strait. No external forces have the right to interfere in China’s internal affairs.” 支持“台独”分裂就是干涉中国内政，纵容“台独”分裂就是破坏台海稳定，任何外部势力无权干涉中国内部事务.

It ends by arguing that “reunification is the general trend of history and the right path.”

Also on the page is a report informing that the State Council appointed former deputy police commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming as Hong Kong’s new police commissioner on Wednesday, succeeding Raymond Siu Chak-yee.

Page 6: There’s a report (English report) on Song Tao, who heads both the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, meeting with Andrew Hsia, vice-chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.

Song told him that “compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of one family, rather than enemies … all separatist provocations are doomed to fail and the egregious acts of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists will be met with punitive measures, Song added. ‘We will adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus and work together with the KMT and other political parties, organizations and people from various sectors in Taiwan to firmly oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ and external interference, and deepen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation.”