Praising Xi's Leadership - Taiwan Drills to Continue - One-China Principle - Overseas Friendship Associations on Pelosi's Visit - Party History Compilation - Wang Yi in Mongolia
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy in the Tuesday, August 9, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: At the top of the page is a report about Xi Jinping sending a condolence message to his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel over explosions at a fuel storage facility.
Next, is a report (English report) about the publication of 12 volumes of documents covering Party history from 1921 and 1927. The report says that the documents:
“comprehensively and systematically reflect the great influence of Marxism on Chinese society after its introduction into China; they reflect the ideological thread of the Chinese people choosing the advanced scientific theory and establishing Marxist belief; they reflect the early Communists' creative exploration of the basic issues of the Chinese revolution under the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, and their heroic struggle for national rejuvenation. The documents record the endeavour to found the Communist Party, the confrontation between the adaptation of Marxism to the Chinese context and various erroneous thoughts, the Chinese communists’ journey of establishing original aspirations and shouldering responsibilities, and the CPC’s steering of social transformation by engaging in great self-transformation.” 首批出版的这些重要文献，全面系统反映了马克思主义传入中国后对中国社会产生的巨大影响；反映了先进的中国人选择科学理论、确立马克思主义信仰的思想脉络；反映了早期共产党人在马克思列宁主义指导下，对中国革命基本问题的创造性探索，以及为实现民族复兴所进行的英勇斗争。这些重要文献，清晰地记录了中国共产党筹建和创立的艰辛路程，记录了马克思主义中国化历程中与各种错误思潮进行的尖锐交锋，记录了中国共产党人确立初心、担当使命的光辉历程，记录了中国共产党不断以伟大自我革命引领伟大社会革命的壮阔历史，同时也呈现了中国共产党逐步形成并坚定践行的伟大建党精神.
The final paragraph tells us about the purpose behind the publication of the books. The publications
will help deepen and expand the party history study and learning,
help Party members, cadres, and the masses draw strength and firm confidence from the Party’s history
will help them unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core
will enable adherence to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and enable them to strive to write a new chapter in building a comprehensively modern socialist country.
《中国共产党重要文献汇编》的编辑出版，将有助于深化拓展党史学习教育，有助于广大党员、干部、群众从党的历史中汲取力量、坚定信心，更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，奋力谱写全面建设社会主义现代化国家崭新篇章.
Third, there’s a long, long article talking up Xi Jinping’s leadership in terms of containing the pandemic and promoting social and economic development. We’ve read something similar before too. On June 17, there was a similar article that praised Xi’s leadership.
This one today says that the Chinese economy has made gains despite the challenges presented by the Omicron variant. The piece says that “General Secretary Xi Jinping personally commanded and deployed, united and led hundreds of millions of people to fight the battle of coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development.” 习近平总书记亲自指挥、亲自部署，团结带领亿万人民打好统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展之战。
I’ll do a brief point-wise summary. The piece recounts key meetings and comments from Xi.
March 5, Xi participated in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region delegation’s deliberation during the NPC session. There he spoke about the importance of maintaining epidemic control at port-of-entry areas, ensuring that no large-scale resurgences arise.
Four days later, Xi issued another set of instructions, calling for strict prevention and control work.
March 17, at a PSC meeting, Xi said “We must always adhere to the supremacy of the people and life, adhere to scientific precision and dynamic clearing, and curb the spread of the epidemic as soon as possible.” “要始终坚持人民至上、生命至上，坚持科学精准、动态清零，尽快遏制疫情扩散蔓延势头.” In addition, “General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that all localities and departments should have a deep understanding of the complexity, arduousness and repetitiveness of epidemic prevention and control at home and abroad, further mobilise, unify thinking, strengthen confidence, persevere, and focus on all aspects of epidemic prevention work.” 习近平总书记强调，各地区各部门各方面要深刻认识当前国内外疫情防控的复杂性、艰巨性、反复性，进一步动员起来，统一思想，坚定信心，坚持不懈，抓细抓实各项防疫工作.
The piece then says that based on this all localities and departments “unswervingly adhered to the general policy of ‘dynamic clearing’.”
Then the piece talks about Xi’s comments during his visit to Hainan, where he said that “persistence is victory. It is necessary to adhere to the people first and life first.” He called for adhering to a “scientific, precise and dynamic zero-Covid” approach, adding that it is necessary to overcome paralysing thoughts, war weariness, fluke mentality, and slackness” and “strictly implement normalised prevention and control measures in order to minimise the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development.”
The piece then talks about the recognition of triple pressure of demand contraction, supply shock, and weakening expectations on the economy.
Next, the piece talks about the Politburo meeting on April 29, which said that “Covid must be contained and the economy must be stabilised. This is a clear requirement of the Party Central Committee.” The meeting added that it is necessary to intensify the adjustment of macroeconomic policies and stabilise the economy, and made important arrangements for expanding domestic demand, stabilising market players, and effectively guaranteeing and improving people’s livelihood. 4月29日，习近平总书记主持召开的中共中央政治局会议分析研究经济形势和经济工作，强调“疫情要防住、经济要稳住、发展要安全，这是党中央的明确要求”，提出“要加大宏观政策调节力度，扎实稳住经济”，并就全力扩大国内需求、稳住市场主体、切实保障和改善民生等各方面作出重要部署.
The piece says that the April 29 Politburo meeting called for the stabilisation of market players and the implementation of a package of relief and assistance for industries, small, medium and micro enterprises and individual industrial and commercial households severely hit by the epidemic. It then attributes the 33 measures on economic stabilisation to Xi’s leadership.
The piece also talks about Xi’s visit to Sichun and Wuhan, where he discussed economic issues and the COVID policy.
In Wuhan, Xi had also spoken about technological self-reliance. The piece talks about tax easing policies to support R&D, and projects such as the C919 and achievements in the space programme.
The piece then references the April 26 meeting of the Central Committee Financial and Economic Affairs. The meeting “deemed the country’s infrastructure still incompatible with the demand for national development and security. Strengthening infrastructure construction in an all-round way is of great significance to ensuring national security, smoothing domestic circulation, facilitating the ‘dual circulation’ of domestic and overseas markets, expanding domestic demand and promoting high-quality development.”
The article then references the July 28 Politburo meeting. The article quotes this bit from the meeting readout: “Efforts should be made to enhance the stability and international competitiveness of industrial and supply chains, facilitate logistics and ensure smooth transportation, optimize the layout of domestic supply chains, and support central and western regions in improving their infrastructure and business environment.”
The piece also references the April 29 Politburo meeting to restate the “need to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, unswervingly deepen the supply-side structural reform, use reform approaches to solve problems in development, and accelerate the realisation of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance in order to build a strong and resilient domestic economic cycle.”
In terms of economic policy priorities, the piece talks about reform and opening up, fair competition, building a unified domestic market, food security, and energy security. The piece also emphasises the importance of adhering to people-centred philosophy and focussing on maintaining strategic focus and doing one’s own thing well.
Finally, a report on water conservancy projects.
In the first half of the year, the national investment in water conservancy construction was 444.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 59.5%, and 11 provinces invested more than 20 billion yuan.
From January to June, among the implemented investments in water conservancy projects, local government special bonds accounted for 160 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 293% and loans and private capital accounted for 139.2 billion yuan, up 29.4% year on year.
In the first half of the year, a total of 1.3 million people were employed in water conservancy projects work.
Page 2: A report on the press conference discussing Shanghai’s development over the past decade. Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng said that in accordance with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s vision, Shanghai will speed up the construction of a modern socialist international metropolis with global influence. He added Shanghai has focused on high-quality economic development, strengthened the ‘four major functions’ of global resource allocation, scientific and technological innovation, high-end industry leadership, and opening up as a hub and gateway. 十年来，上海大力推动经济高质量发展，强化全球资源配置、科技创新策源、高端产业引领、开放枢纽门户“四大功能”，加快建设具有世界影响力的社会主义现代化国际大都市.
Over the past decade, Shanghai's GDP has doubled from 2.13 trillion yuan ($315 billion) in 2012 to 4.32 trillion yuan in 2021, ranking fourth among cities worldwide and total trading volume in its financial markets jumped from 528 trillion yuan to 2,511 trillion yuan during the same period.
Shanghai's per capita GDP has jumped to $26,900, meeting the standards of upper- and middle-level developed countries.
In 10 years, total financial market transaction volume has increased from 528 trillion yuan to 2,511 trillion yuan
Life expectancy has increased to 84.11 years, while per capita disposable income has increased to 78,000 yuan.
At present, more than 60,000 foreign-funded enterprises have invested in Shanghai; the city is home to 857 regional headquarters of multinational companies and 516 foreign-funded R&D centers.
Anyway, this English story has a nice graphic with all the key data points mentioned during the press briefing.
Another useful point, given that it probably gives us some sense of the potential direction of the zero-COVID policy is Gong saying that 85 percent of the exhibition space for the CIIE, which will be held in November, has been booked. Those confirmed as attending include some 270 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders.
Page 3: First, there’s this exchange on the one-China principle from yesterday’s briefing by the foreign ministry that has been reproduced.
“The one-China principle is an established international consensus and widely accepted basic norm in international relations. It constitutes part of the post-WWII world order and is affirmed in UNGA Resolution 2758. It is the political foundation for the establishment and development of diplomatic relations between China and countries in the world. The UN Secretariat stressed in legal opinions that “the United Nations considers ‘Taiwan’ as a province of China with no separate status”. Certain countries have unilaterally added preconditions and provisos to the one-China policy in an attempt to distort, fudge and hollow out their one-China commitment. This is illegal, null and void. China is firmly against this. The definition of the one-China principle is crystal clear, i.e., there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is part of China, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The applicability of this principle is universal, unconditional and indisputable. All countries having diplomatic relations with China and all Member States of the UN should unconditionally adhere to the one-China principle and follow the guidance of UNGA Resolution 2758.
What some individual countries have done is essentially an attempt to misrepresent and distort the one-China principle. This is in effect challenging the basic principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations. This is also a challenge to the post-WWII world order. A person without credibility has no place in society; and a country that loses its credibility would falter. We urge certain countries to make sure that they read about the history, abide by the commitments they seriously made in black and white and recognize how dangerous and detrimental it is to act in bad faith and to justify the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces. Attempts to challenge the one-China principle, international rule of law and the international order are bound to be rejected by the international community and get nowhere.”
Second, a report (English report) on comments from China’s defence ministry on the cancellation of three China-U.S. military communication activities. The spokesperson said:
“The current tensions across the Taiwan Strait has been a result of provocative acts single-handedly created by the US side…the US side has said one thing and done another, conniving and supporting Pelosi’s rogue visit, deliberately creating tensions across the Taiwan Strait. In response to the vicious and provocative actions by the US side, China has announced eight countermeasures, including the cancellation of the arrangement of phone calls between the Chinese and US military leaders at the theater command level, cancellation of working meetings between the defense departments of the two countries, and cancellation of the China-US Maritime Military Safety Consultation Mechanism meetings. The relevant countermeasures taken by the Chinese side are a necessary warning to the provocations made by the US and Taiwan secessionist forces, and a legitimate defence of national sovereignty and security, completely reasonable and appropriate. The bottom line can never be broken, and sincerity is a prerequisite for communication. While creating a crisis, the US also claims to manage the crisis, trying to find excuses to cover up its wrong words and deeds and provocative actions, and even hyping it up to confuse the public opinion and shift the blame to others. China firmly opposes this. China urges the US side to earnestly respect China’s core interests and major concerns, abandon any illusion of ‘containing China with Taiwan’, and not go even further down the wrong path.”
Third, there’s a report with comments from individuals associated with different friendship associations abroad criticising Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Useful data here on united front work in foreign countries. I am listing all the associations mentioned in the article. Some of these have issued statements criticising the visit, while some have published articles backing the one-China principle, the piece says.
Italy-China Friendship Association
Colombia China Friendship Association
El Salvador-China Friendship Association
Sri Lanka China Society
Ghana-China Friendship Association
India-China Friendship Association
Pacific China Friendship Association
Turkish-Chinese Business Development and Friendship Association
Kazakhstan China Research Center
Russia-China Friendship Association
Chinese-Arab Friendship Association
Thailand-China Friendship Association
Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association
Tunisia-China Friendship Association
Belarus-China Friendship Association
Nicaragua-China Friendship Association
Association for Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation
Sri Lanka-China Friendship Association
Cape Verde-China Friendship Association
Iraq-China Friendship Association
Egypt-China Friendship Association
Morocco-China Friendship Exchange Association
Fourth, there’s a report with the Palestinian prime minister supporting China’s position on Taiwan
Fifth, another report with comments from foreign political parties criticising Pelosi’s visit. Fifth, a report on the Eastern Theatre Command on Monday conducting joint anti-submarine operations and assaults on sea targets in the Taiwan Strait.
The report says that “a number of naval destroyers, fighter jets and shore-guided fire units organised joint anti-submarine drills in accordance with the requirements of ‘consistent warfare and training, systematic use of troops’.” It adds that a joint anti-submarine warfare formation consisting of anti-submarine patrol aircraft, surface ships and ship-borne anti-submarine helicopters established a chain/network in the target area, and jointly launched drills including submarine search, simulated attack and comprehensive defence. 战区海军多艘驱护舰和多型多架战机、多个岸导火力单元，在战区统一指挥下，按照“战训一致、体系用兵”的要求，重点组织了联合反潜演练。由反潜巡逻机、水面舰艇、舰载反潜直升机组成的联合反潜作战编组在目标区域组网建链，协同展开对潜搜索、模拟攻击、综合防抗等演练。
Meanwhile, SCMP reported earlier today that “Beijing’s military announced on Tuesday its navy and air force would continue joint drills in the waters and airspace around Taiwan, following four days of unprecedented live-fire exercises. Without specifying an end date, the People’s Liberation Army Eastern Theatre Command said the upcoming drills were to prepare for operations of “joint defence” and “joint encirclement” of the self-ruled island.”
Next, Wang Yi’s engagement with the leadership in Mongolia. Wang met with Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg. Xinhua reports:
“Battsetseg said that Mongolia highly appreciates China's neighborhood policy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, welcomes and stands ready to actively participate in the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and speaks highly of China's contribution to maintaining international law and the international order. China upholds the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, demonstrates its responsibility as a major country, and provides strong support to Mongolia and other developing countries in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Battsetseg noted, adding that the Mongolian side sincerely thanks China for this and will always keep it in mind. Consolidating and developing relations with China as a friendly neighbor is a priority of the Mongolian foreign policy, Battsetseg said.”
Wang said:
“The Chinese side appreciates Mongolia's understanding and support of China's legitimate position, and supports Mongolia in achieving political stability and social harmony, taking a development path suited to its own national conditions, and making strides towards the vision of New Revival Policy, he said. The two sides will continue the firm support for each other in safeguarding their respective core interests, he said. Wang said that China is willing to strengthen the synergy of development strategies with Mongolia, especially between the Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's Prairie Road development strategy, the Global Development Initiative and Mongolia's New Revival Policy, and China's "two-stage" strategic plan and Mongolia's long-term development policy, noting that the two sides should work together to deepen all-round cooperation and help each other to accelerate development and revitalization.”
“China is ready to continue to provide support to Mongolia in fighting the pandemic until a final victory over the virus, Wang said. The two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges between their foreign ministries, and hold diplomatic strategic consultations and policy and consular dialogues between the two sides within the year. The two sides agreed to hold meetings of such mechanisms as the Joint Committee on Economy, Trade, Science and Technology and the Joint Committee on Mine and Connectivity Cooperation, and study and revise the medium- and long-term plans for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, formulate an outline for the development of investment cooperation, steadily promote key projects, and provide a good business environment for companies from the other side. The two sides also expressed satisfaction with the fact that land ports have been reopened as many as possible, pledging to ensure the safe and stable operation of the ports, and improve the throughput of goods and efficiency of customs clearance.”
Some other key outcomes:
The two sides signed a memorandum on cross-border railway transportation at the Gants Mod port.
The two sides agreed to promote cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, investment, mining and energy, science and technology, agriculture and animal husbandry, build major demonstration projects in areas including infrastructure and energy, and strive to achieve coordinated development and common prosperity.
China and Mongolia pledged to push ahead with the construction of the Erdeneburen hydropower plant in a coordinated manner and work faster to address the electricity supply for people in western Mongolia.
The two countries voiced their support for the early implementation of livelihood projects including renovating shanty-town areas, and building sewage treatment and meat processing plants.
The two sides will enhance cooperation in afforestation and desertification control.
Wang also met with Mongolian Prime Minister and Chairman of the Mongolian People's Party (MPP) Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene.
In PD, the report is about Wang meeting with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. As per Xinhua, Khurelsukh said that:
“Mongolia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and believes that the issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang are China's internal affairs, he said, noting that this is a consistent policy of the Mongolian side, and it will not change. He said that Mongolia sincerely admires the great development achievements made by its friendly neighbor under the outstanding leadership of President Xi, and is glad to see that thanks to efforts on both sides, the important consensus reached by the two heads of state has been effectively implemented, and the goal of 10-billion-U.S. dollar bilateral trade volume has been successfully achieved.”
Khurelsukh also apparently praised China’s COVID policy, and:
“The Mongolian side speaks highly of China's positive contribution to defending the UN Charter and attaches great importance to the significance of the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative in promoting world peace, security and development, in which Mongolia will actively support, participate, deepen synergy with and put into practice, Khurelsukh said.”
Here’s what Wang said on Covid,
“Firmly adhering to the principle of "people first, life first," China is committed to protecting the life and health of the Chinese people, and has contributed to the global fight against COVID-19, which reflects the responsibility of a major country with a large population, Wang said. China will continue to adhere to the existing policy, coordinate the epidemic prevention and control with socio-economic development, and continue to provide anti-epidemic support according to Mongolia's needs, so as to jointly defeat the epidemic, he said.”
And then Wang Yi got a bit colourful:
“China appreciates Mongolia's reaffirmation of its firm support for the one-China principle and its opposition to interference in China's internal affairs, Wang said, adding that China also supports Mongolia in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and taking a development path that suits its own national conditions. Citing a Chinese proverb which goes like ‘For our friends, we have fine wine. For jackals or wolves, we welcome with shotguns,’ Wang said the Chinese side is willing to join hands with Mongolia and other developing countries to move forward together, continue to support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, jointly maintain peace and tranquility, build a beautiful homeland, and benefit future generations.”
Page 4: There’s a 仲音 commentary today - the first in a new series on building a community with a shared future for mankind. The commentary says that since the 18th Party Congress, and since the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind was originally articulated, an ideological system around this concept has been developed. This includes building a community of life between man and nature, a community of human health, a community of life on earth, a community of global development, and a community of human security. Consequently, this concept has become a clear banner for China to lead the progress of human civilisation in the new era. 再到构建人与自然生命共同体、人类卫生健康共同体、地球生命共同体、全球发展共同体、人类安全共同体等重要倡议，构建人类命运共同体的思想体系不断完善、理论内涵不断充实，成为新时代中国引领人类文明进步方向的鲜明旗帜。
The piece talks about the importance of keeping in kind and adhering to global diversity in terms of social systems, ideologies, histories, cultures and development stages. It adds: “From working together to fight the pandemic to promoting stable recovery of the world economy, from upholding multilateralism and the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral system to abandoning the Cold War mentality and resolving differences through consultation and dialogue, all countries are moving towards building a community with a shared future for mankind…”从携手合作抗击疫情到促进世界经济稳定复苏，从坚持多边主义、维护多边体制权威性和有效性到摒弃冷战思维、通过协商对话解决分歧，各国朝着构建人类命运共同体方向不断迈进，人类社会必能和衷共济、和合共生.
The piece says that the international community is a “complex, sophisticated and organic machine. If one component is removed, the operation of the whole machine will be faced with serious difficulties.” 国际社会发展到今天已经成为一部复杂精巧、有机一体的机器，拆掉一个零部件就会使整个机器运转面临严重困难。The concept of the community of shared future, the piece argues, keeps pace with this trend of the times.
The piece adds that the world is struggling with a governance deficit, trust deficit, development deficit and peace deficit. In this situation, the concept of the community of shared future for mankind focuses on the common interests, reflects the deep pursuit of people of all countries, points to the basic direction of historical evolution, and gathers a strong synergy of civilisations. 构建人类命运共同体理念着眼人类共同利益，反映了各国人民的深沉追求，昭示了历史演进的基本方向，汇聚起强大的文明合力。An important goal identified in this regard is building “a fair and reasonable governance model.”
A report announcing the appointment of Sonny Au Chi-kwong as secretary-general of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, replacing Chan Kwok-ki. The decision was made on Aug. 4 in accordance with stipulations of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR, and upon the nomination and suggestion by HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee.
Page 7: A report on the Shanghai market supervision bureau and justice bureau jointly releasing a list of exemptions from some administrative punishments. These measures can range from sealing offices and work sites to asset/equipment seizures.
The authorities now say that in cases pertaining to illegal acts that have no obvious social harm, or if the concerned have corrected their illegalities and cooperated with the investigation, then they can be exempt.
Likewise, parties can be exempt from coercive administrative measures in cases where they have evidence that raw materials, auxiliary materials, agricultural inputs, additives, packaging materials and food-related products involved meet the mandatory standards and can be used for other legitimate production and business activities, or in case these parties have corrected their illegalities and cooperated with the investigation; also, the authorities are authorised to photocopy contracts, bills, account books, vouchers and other materials involved in the case, which count as evidence.
Page 11: On the theory page, we have four reviews on books about Xi’s early years, i.e., his time in Zhengding, Fujian, Zhejiang and Shanghai. Of course, there’s no criticism involved, and the idea is that these books tell us about Xi’s unique governance experiences and personality traits, which are all instructive for cadres.
Page 17: On the international page, the lead article is about child poverty in the US. It says that the child poverty rate in the United States has risen to 16.6%. Reading through the coverage of the US in the People’s Daily. The piece cites data from many American studies and researchers. But it begins with the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University, which said that child poverty in the US grew from 12.1% in December 2021 to 16.6% in May 2022, with an increase of 3.3 million poor children. This was due to the expiration of the child tax credits, which were part of the COVID relief effort.
What’s important to note is that this report is part of a long running pattern of reporting that seeks to make the case to the Chinese public about America’s (terminal?) decline. On the international page, what we constantly get are reports about poor US economic outcomes, mis-governance, social strife, political gridlock, and a system that favours capital over the people; along with this, there is a constant portrayal of the US as a warmongering superpower that is duplicitous and that fears competition and therefore desires to contain China.