PLA NTC Commander Promoted to General - State Council on Employment, Investment & Reductions - Li Zhanshu at 7th EEF - COVID Controls Tightened - Wang-Amir-Abdollahian Chat - China-Arab States Forum
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy in the Friday, September 9, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: At the top of the page is a report on Xi Jinping’s letter to students of Beijing Normal University attending the Outstanding Teachers Program. The entire English text of the letter is available here. The key point is around Xi writing that:
“I also hope that you will serve in places where the country and people need you the most, and work hard to become a qualified teacher with firm ideals and beliefs, moral sentiments, solid knowledge and benevolence so as to commit yourselves to nurturing a new generation of capable young people with moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills for the socialist cause.”
Next, there’s a brief report on Xi attending a ceremony to promote Wang Qiang, commander of the Northern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army, to the rank of general. Zhang Youxia, Wei Fenghe, Li Zuocheng, Miao Hua, Zhang Shengmin and members of the Central Military Commission were present at the ceremony, the report says.
Third, a report on Xi’s letter (English text) to the 2022 national conference on the development of specialised and sophisticated small and medium-sized enterprises, which opened in Nanjing. Liu He read out the letter. The theme of the conference is “strengthen the foundation and consolidate the chain.” The key part from Xi’s letter is:
“Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important to each household and have been a vital force to advance innovation, facilitate employment and improve people’s livelihood. I hope that the specialized and sophisticated SMEs that produce novel and unique products could focus on and refine their main business so as to play an even more important role in stabilizing the industrial and supply chains and promoting economic and social development. Party committees and governments at all levels should resolutely implement the decisions and arrangements of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and create a favorable environment for the development of SMEs. More efforts should be made to support their growth and boost their confidence. Solid steps should be taken to advance enterprises' innovation, strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights and nurture more specialized and sophisticated SMEs that could produce novel and unique products.”
Fourth, there’s a report (English report) on the State Council’s weekly executive meeting, which focussed on employment and entrepreneurship. The report says that:
The meeting underscored the fundamental importance of employment to people's well-being. Starting businesses can increase market entities and boost employment. Stable growth is mainly about stable job creation. Local governments must earnestly fulfil their due responsibilities and step up support for employment and business start-ups.
First, companies will be entitled to job creation subsidies for hiring college graduates unable to find jobs two years after graduation and the young registered as unemployed. Unemployment insurance benefits will be issued to the jobless in a timely manner. Skills training for migrant workers will be enhanced to help them stay employed.
Second, the platform economy will be supported in keeping employment stable. Social insurance subsidies will be provided to people engaged in platform-based flexible employment should they face difficulty and college graduates yet to find jobs two years after graduation. Financial institutions will be guided to extend special loan support to key platform companies.
Third, The repayment of guaranteed start-up loans could be extended for one year if the borrower is in COVID-19-induced distress. Banks will be guided toward offering more credit loans and loan renewals for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
Fourth, Insurance funds, among others, will be encouraged to invest in venture capital funds in accordance with law. The lock-up period for shareholders of venture capital firms will be fine-tuned, to facilitate investors' fund recovery for reinvestment.
Fifth, government-financed business incubation bases will provide venues for start-ups free of charge to the best of their ability.
In the English report, there’s this quote from Li Keqiang: “We have sufficient reserves of pension and unemployment insurance funds, and have yet to tap into our strategic reserves. There is no problem with meeting people’s basic needs.”
The next paragraph of the report says that “insufficient demand is the prominent contradiction at present” while calling for efforts to drive demand through consumption and investment, promote social investment, and drive consumption through investment.” It calls for “supporting the upgrading of equipment in areas that are weak in economic and social development” as a means to boost momentum and increase demand for manufacturing and service sectors. It also calls for encouraging new loans for universities, vocational colleges and training bases, hospitals, underground integrated corridors, new infrastructure, digital transformation of industry and SMEs, individual industrial and commercial households and other equipment acquisition and renewal of new loans, with a discount of 2.5 percentage points from the central government for two years. The application for discount interest is restricted to December 31, 2022. The report also calls for increasing monetary policy support for financing of commercial banks. At the same time, banks will be guided to increase credit support for education, cultural tourism, health and fitness, elderly care, community and domestic services, accommodation and catering, and other industries, so as to expand consumption and investment in social services. 会议指出，需求不足是当前突出矛盾，要着力以消费和投资拉需求、促进社会投资、以投资带消费。支持经济社会发展薄弱领域设备更新改造，有利于增后劲提水平、增加制造业和服务业现实需求、提振市场信心。对高校、职业院校和实训基地、医院、地下综合管廊、新型基础设施、产业数字化转型和中小微企业、个体工商户等设备购置和更新改造新增贷款，实施阶段性鼓励政策，中央财政贴息2.5个百分点，期限2年。申请贴息截至今年12月31日。相应增加货币政策对商业银行配套融资的支持。同时，引导银行加大对教育、文化旅游、卫生和健身、养老托育、社区和家政服务、住宿餐饮等行业信贷支持，以扩大社会服务领域消费和投资.
Also, a phased tax reduction policy will be implemented to support enterprise innovation until December 31.
High-tech enterprises are allowed to deduct all of their expenditures for equipment purchases in the fourth quarter of this year. A one-time, lump sum deduction and a 100% additional deduction for the current year are allowed. Local and central government finance will provide further support.
In the fourth quarter of this year, for industries currently enjoying R&D expenses tax reduction at a rate of 75%, the deduction rate will be increased to 100%, and the transformation and upgrading of equipment will be encouraged.
Basic research expenditures such as scientific research institutions funded by enterprises can enjoy full tax deductions.
会议指出，企业是创新主体，要实施支持企业创新的阶段性减税政策，期限截至今年12月31日。这普惠公平、高效直达。一是对高新技术企业在今年四季度购置设备的支出，允许当年一次性税前全额扣除并100%加计扣除，且地方和中央财政进一步予以支持。二是在今年第四季度，对现行按75%比例税前加计扣除研发费用的行业，统一提高扣除比例到100%，鼓励改造和更新设备。三是对企业出资科研机构等基础研究支出，允许税前全额扣除并加计扣除.
The final paragraph says: “The meeting pointed out that infrastructure is related to development and people’s livelihood, and there is a large investment space, so we should continue to make good use of special debt to make up for shortcomings. The meeting decided to revitalise the limit of more than 500 billion yuan of special debts accumulated by local governments since 2019 in accordance with the law, with 70 percent of the total earmarked by local governments and 30 percent allocated by the central government to regions with more mature projects. All localities should complete the distribution before the end of October and give priority to supporting projects under construction.” 会议指出，基础设施等事关发展和民生，投资空间大，要继续用好专项债补短板。会议决定，依法盘活地方2019年以来结存的5000多亿元专项债限额，70%各地留用，30%中央财政统筹分配并向成熟项目多的地区倾斜。各地要在10月底前发行完毕，优先支持在建项目，年内形成更多实物工作量。
Next, a report (English report) on the appointment of new ambassadors:
Li Jinjin has been appointed ambassador to Gabon, replacing Hu Changchun
Liu Jin has been appointed ambassador to Gambia, replacing Ma Jianchun
Long Zhou has been appointed ambassador to Malawi, replacing Liu Hongyang
Hua Ning has been appointed ambassador to Luxembourg, replacing Yang Xiaorong
Li Minggang has been appointed ambassador to Vanuatu, replacing Zhou Haicheng
Song Yang has been appointed ambassador to Peru, replacing Liang Yu.
Next, there’s a report on Li Zhanshu’s remarks at the 7th Eastern Economic Forum. Xinhua reports:
“The theme of this year's EEF ‘On the Path to a Multipolar World’ is right in time, Li noted, adding that a multipolar world is the trend of history and the common expectation of the international community. He said that since last year, President Xi has put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which have received responses and support from international organizations including the United Nations and many countries including Russia, injecting stability and positive energy into the world and contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to solving problems of the times. China will continue to work with the international community and take sustained and strong measures to ensure that the two initiatives take root and bear fruit, so as to bring tangible benefits to people around the world, Li said.”
“In February this year, President Xi and President Putin reached many important consensuses on expanding all-round practical cooperation between China and Russia, as well as practicing the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, Li noted. With China being an important partner of Russia in developing the Far East, bilateral cooperation in the Far East is an important part of cooperation promoted and planned by the two heads of state personally, he said. China will further strengthen all-round cooperation with Russia in trade, energy, agriculture, infrastructure construction, science and technology, education, medical treatment and culture, Li said, adding that China will continue to support and participate in the development of Russia's Far East, advance the deep docking between the full revitalization of Northeast China and Russia's Far East development national strategy, and promote fruitful cooperation between the two countries in the Far East. With Northeast Asia being one of the most dynamic regions in the world, intensifying Far Eastern development and cooperation will open up important opportunities for promoting regional security and development, he stressed.”
Li then put forward a three-point proposal:
First, the GSI should be implemented to maintain regional peace and stability.
Second, the GDI needs to be carried out to promote regional openness and integration. In this, he called for efforts to “maintain secure and unimpeded industrial and supply chains, and foster a more stable, secure and free trade and investment environment.”
Third, development strategies should be synergized to enhance China-Russia cooperation in the Far East.
Finally, there’s a report on Zhao Leji’s remarks at the commendation conference for China’s disciplinary inspection commissions and supervision agencies.
“He stressed that the discipline inspection and supervision organs should thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carry forward the great spirit of party building and self-revolution, give play to the leading role of advanced models, better perform the responsibilities entrusted by the party constitution and the constitution, unswervingly promote the comprehensive strict governance of the Party, Party style and clean government construction and anti-corruption struggle, and greet the 20th Party Congress with practical actions.” 他强调，纪检监察机关要深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，弘扬伟大建党精神和自我革命精神，发挥先进典型示范引领作用，更好地履行党章和宪法赋予的职责，坚定不移推进全面从严治党、党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争，以实际行动迎接党的二十大胜利召开.
Xinhua English summarises the next paragraph well: “Hailing the new progress in improving conduct, strengthening discipline, and combating corruption, Zhao called for efforts to encourage discipline inspection and supervision officials to learn from their model counterparts, thus promoting the high-quality development of discipline inspection and supervision in the new era.”
Finally, he added: “It is necessary to deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, consciously strengthen the four consciousnesses and four self-confidences, achieve the two safeguards, strengthen the Party’s political construction, improve political judgement, understanding and execution, maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in ideology, politics and action, and set an example of political excellence.” 要深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，自觉增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，加强党的政治建设，提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，在思想上政治上行动上同党中央保持高度一致，做政治过硬的表率.
Page 2: Just one report to note. There was a briefing by the State Council’s joint prevention and control mechanism, discussing the COVID situation in the country. NHC’s Mi Feng said that “since September, 29 provinces have reported new local infections, and community transmission and epidemic spillover in some areas have not been completely blocked, so the situation of prevention and control is severe and complex.” 国家卫健委新闻发言人、宣传司副司长米锋说，9月以来，29个省份报告了新增本土感染者，部分地区社区传播和疫情外溢仍未完全阻断，防控形势严峻复杂.
Wu Liangyou, Deputy Director of the National Health Commission’s Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control, said that with the end of the summer vacation, a large number of tourists returned from other places, especially college students returning to school, increasing the risk of the spread of infections and cross-regional spread. At present, China is still facing the pressure of imported cases and local outbreaks. There is still the risk of cluster outbreaks in various places, and the task of epidemic prevention and control is still arduous. All localities should further strengthen the epidemic response capabilities, covering early detection, rapid disposal and prevention of spread, earnestly do a good job in the prevention and control in regard to imported cases by managing ports of entry, and adhere to scientific and precise epidemic prevention and control. 国家卫健委疾控局副局长吴良有表示，随着暑期结束，大量旅游人员由外地返回，尤其是高校学生集中返校，增加了国内疫情传播和跨地区扩散的风险。当前，我国仍持续面临境外疫情输入和本土疫情传播扩散的压力，各地仍存在发生聚集性疫情的风险，疫情防控任务依然艰巨。各地要进一步强化早发现、快处置和防扩散的疫情应对能力，切实抓好口岸地区外防输入工作，坚持科学精准开展疫情防控.
With the holidays coming soon, Wu explained that new measures are being put into place for travel between the period of September 10 to October 31.
“During the period, passengers need to have nucleic acid tests within 48 hours to travel across different provincial regions in planes, high speed railways, regular railways, buses and ferries, he stated. People who travel between different provincial regions should take a nucleic acid test right after they arrive at their destination, Wu said. When they enter densely populated areas including hotels and tourist spots, they need to have a green health code and nucleic acid test results within 72 hours, he said. The number of large gathering events should be reduced. Large gathering events such as training, exhibitions and shows should not be held unless necessary. People attending such events should have nucleic acid tests within 48 hours, he said. People are advised to hold small gatherings for wedding and funerals, and counties in border areas should avoid large events, he added.”
Another interesting comment is by Li Dachuan from the NHC, who said that regular PCR testing will remain necessary to the regions without infections at present. Finally, this is worth noting:
“Zhou Min, deputy head of the emergency response office of the Ministry of Transport, said that about 24 million passenger trips are expected to be made daily during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, down 32 percent from last year's holiday and 53 percent from 2019. Despite the recent complicated epidemic situation, he said, China's transport network has been functioning smoothly. Between mid-April and the end of August, the traffic volume of trucks on highways rose by 10.1 percent. During the same period, the air cargo volume at major international airports increased by 77.3 percent and the business volume of the parcel delivery sector rose by 31.9 percent.”
Also note:
Page 3: First, we have the third commentary in the series on the joint construction of BRI. This one says that BRI is, in the final analysis, aimed at “enabling people of all countries to live a better life.” There’s a lot of fluff in there about BRI not being a zero-sum game and so on. Later the piece quotes a World Bank report saying that:
BRI will increase trade among partner states by 2.8% to 9.7%, global trade by 1.7% to 6.2%, and global income by 0.7% to 2.9%. If all the transportation infrastructure projects under BRI are implemented, by 2030, these are expected to generate $1.6 trillion in annual benefits for the whole world, accounting for 1.3% of the global economy, of which 90% will be shared by partner countries, with low-income and low-middle-income countries benefiting the most. 共建“一带一路”增添全球发展动力。世界银行的研究报告显示，共建“一带一路”将使共建国家贸易增长2.8%至9.7%、全球贸易增长1.7%至6.2%、全球收入增加0.7%至2.9%；若共建“一带一路”框架下的交通基础设施项目全部得以实施，到2030年，每年将有望为全球产生1.6万亿美元的收益，占全球经济总量的1.3%，其中90%的收益都由伙伴国分享，低收入国家和中低收入国家受益最多。事实表明，共建“一带一路”是一条通向共同繁荣的机遇之路.
Next, a report (English report) about the three Shenzhou-14 Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts, who are in China’s space station for a six-month mission, having a dialogue with students from eight African countries on Tuesday.
Third, a report on Wang Yi’s conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Xinhua reports:
“Amir-Abdollahian wished the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a success, and expressed condolences to China regarding the earthquake that struck Luding County in China's Sichuan Province. Amir-Abdollahian said that Iranian side hopes to maintain high-level exchanges with China, deepen practical cooperation in fields such as agriculture, strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, and promote the continuous development of Iranian-China relations. The Iranian side supports the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, said the Iranian foreign minister. He also introduced the latest progress of the negotiations on resuming the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying that Iran is always committed to reaching the agreement, but will not accept the U.S. attempt to achieve its own goals through bullying. Iran thanks China for its support, he added. Wang said that China will continue to support Iran in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, expressing belief that Iran has the wisdom to properly cope with the changes, firmly safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests, and continue to occupy the international moral high ground.”
Fourth, a report on ILD chief Liu Jianchao meeting with his counterpart from the Communist Party of Cuba.
Finally, a report on the 3rd China-Arab Countries Reform and Development Forum, which was held in Beijing. More than 20 experts and scholars from China, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and other Arab countries discussed the GDI and China-Arab development cooperation.
Zhai Jun, China’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, called for consolidating development consensus and strengthening alignment of development strategies docking; adhering to to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and deepening pragmatic cooperation; adhering to innovation and cultivating new engines to drive development; promoting green development, exploring the path of sustainable development, implementing GDI with practical actions, and working together to build a community of destiny between China and Arab countries in the new era. 中国政府中东问题特使翟隽在开幕式致辞中表示，中阿双方要进一步凝聚发展共识，加强战略对接；坚持互利共赢，深化务实合作；坚持创新驱动，培育新发展引擎；共促绿色发展，探索可持续发展路径，以实际行动落实全球发展倡议，携手打造面向新时代的中阿命运共同体.
The report also talks about them discussing to build consensus and push joint efforts to promote the development of China and Arab countries, strengthen complementarities, promote pragmatic cooperation in the fields of scientific and technological innovation, food security, desertification control, seawater desalination, climate change response, vaccine research and development, digital economy, poverty reduction, etc... 双方要不断凝聚促进中阿发展共识和合力，加强优势互补，推动在科技创新、粮食安全、荒漠化防治、海水淡化、应对气候变化、疫苗研发、数字经济、减贫等领域的务实合作，为推动全球发展倡议在阿拉伯方向落地提供智力支持，为打造面向新时代的中阿命运共同体贡献力量。
Page 6: There’s a report discussing the publication of a report on the work related to the promotion of civilised behaviour in Beijing. As per the report, in 2021, the public behaviour and civilization index of residents of Beijing was at 90.06, crossing the 90 mark for the first time.
In June 2020, Beijing adopted the Regulations on the Promotion of Civilised Behaviour, “marking a new stage of spiritual civilisation construction in the capital under the common rule of morality and law.”
“It is understood that after the promulgation of the Regulations, Beijing has fully integrated the promotion of civilised behaviour into urban governance through publicity and mobilisation, civilisation advocacy, civilisation practice, civilisation creation and special governance.” There was an activity launched called the “Beijing Role Model,” with 440,000 role models being highlighted. “The existing 17 New Era Civilisation Practice Centres, 362 New Era Civilisation Practice Institutes and 6,934 New Era Civilisation Practice Stations in Beijing have become important fronts for disseminating new ideas, serving and guaranteeing major national events, and solving practical difficulties of the masses.” 据了解，《条例》颁布后，北京市通过宣传动员、文明倡导、文明实践、文明创建、专项治理等方式，把文明行为促进工作全面融入城市治理。“北京榜样”主题活动推出市民身边榜样44万人，4人荣获第八届“全国道德模范”称号，全国道德模范达到21人。北京全市现有的17个新时代文明实践中心、362个新时代文明实践所、6934个新时代文明实践站，已经成为传播新思想、服务保障国家重大活动、解决群众实际困难的重要阵地.
Page 15: One report caught my attention on the international page, i.e., this one with data from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which said that around 1 in 6 American homes have fallen behind on their energy bills. This is basically a rip-off from a Bloomberg report from late August.
Sir, have you profiled all the PLA Cdrs? If yes, may I request you to share the same. Regards