Previewing CCDI Plenary - How Xi Has Led Reform - China's Flexible Retirement System - Commemorating Shen Junru's Life to Support for Xi - Wang Shida on Geopolitics of Indian Ocean
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
Page 1: There’s a long, long Xinhua article on how Xi Jinping led China in 2024 to take new and solid steps towards modernisation. It says that in 2024, Xi visited “more than 10 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and the Macao Special Administrative Region, made four visits abroad, presided over a series of important meetings, attended a series of major events, delivered a series of important speeches, and put forth a series of important instructions, which promoted new achievements in the theory and practice of governing the country.”
I am not going to detail the full article. Rather, let me just point to some key extracts:
The piece says that “this is an era of great changes, and even more so an era of great possibilities.” 这是一个大变局的时代，更是一个大有可为的时代。
Xi Jinping “personally served as the head of the drafting group for the documents of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Party Congress, throughout the process laying out plans, organizing research, carefully guiding, and taking the pulse/setting the direction.” 从2023年隆冬之时，到2024年的盛夏时节，历时7个多月。习近平总书记亲自担任党的二十届三中全会文件起草组组长，全程擘画、组织调研、精心指导、把脉定向.
The article specifically references this speech that Xi delivered towards the end of October on the subject of reform. In it, Xi outlined the approach to properly handle four key relationships. In it, Xi had also called on leading cadres to “strengthen our sense of political responsibility and historical mission, and with the political courage to overcome difficulties and rise to the challenge; we must face up to contradictions and problems without evasion, eradicate stubborn problems without ambiguity, and respond to risks and challenges without retreat, and strive to open up a new world of reform and development.”
The article reiterates that “high-quality development” remains the Party’s “primary task.”
The article touches upon policy shifts since the September 26, 2024, Politburo meeting, praising Xi for demonstrating “great foresight” and “extraordinary wisdom and ability in steering China’s economy.” 正视困难、准确研判，沉着应变、综合施策，以习近平同志为核心的党中央高瞻远瞩、审时度势，彰显驾驭中国经济的非凡智慧和能力.
What are new quality productive forces? General Secretary Xi Jinping provided a profound explanation: ‘Its characteristic is innovation, its key lies in high quality, and its essence is advanced productivity. How to develop new quality productive forces? General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward clear requirements: ‘Cannot rush in hastily, surge up in a rush all together and disperse in a rush together, must adapt measures to local conditions, each having their own strengths’.” 什么是新质生产力？习近平总书记作出深刻阐释：“特点是创新，关键在质优，本质是先进生产力。”怎样发展新质生产力？习近平总书记提出明确要求：“不能大呼隆、一哄而起、一哄而散，一定要因地制宜，各有千秋.”
The piece then discusses China’s achievements in technology and innovation, progress in regional coordinated development, and coordinating development and security. The last of these includes “preventing and resolving financial risks, especially systemic risks”, “development of new energy and national energy security” and “food security.”
The third section of the article deals with employment, rural revitalisation, urban-rural integrated development, and the work done to “narrow the urban-rural gap, regional gap, and income gap, and promote the common prosperity of all people”.
Two bits to note in the foreign policy section. “China’s poverty alleviation process shows that with the tenacity, perseverance and a fighting spirit of ‘dripping water wears away a stone and following a blueprint to the end’, the poverty problem in developing countries can be solved, and weak birds can fly first and fly high. If China can succeed, other developing countries can also succeed. This is the global significance of China’s successful victory in the battle against poverty.” “中国脱贫历程表明，本着滴水穿石、一张蓝图绘到底的韧性、恒心和奋斗精神，发展中国家的贫困问题是可以解决的，弱鸟是可以先飞、高飞的。中国可以成功，其他发展中国家同样可以成功。这是中国成功打赢脱贫攻坚战的世界意义.” Also: “‘We admire the great achievements made by the Chinese people under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and are willing to learn from the experience of the Communist Party of China.’ ‘We will continue to deepen cooperation with China and actively participate in the process of Chinese-style modernization.’ ‘President Xi Jinping seeks the well-being of the people, maintains social fairness and justice, advocates peace rather than war, cooperation rather than confrontation, and creation rather than destruction, and has set an example for the world’ ... This is the echo of the times of Chinese-style modernization, and this is the global significance of the new form of human civilization created by China today.” “对习近平主席领导中国人民取得的伟大成就非常钦佩，愿学习借鉴中国共产党的经验”“将继续致力于深化同中国的合作，积极参与中国式现代化进程”“习近平主席为人民谋福祉，维护社会公平正义，倡导和平而非战争、合作而非对抗、创造而非破坏，为世界做出了榜样”……这是中国式现代化的时代回响，这是今日之中国创造的人类文明新形态的世界意义.
Next, there’s a piece that previews the upcoming CCDI plenary session. It says that:
In 2024, the CCDI and the National Supervisory Commission along with discipline inspection and supervision agencies at all levels adhered to making the implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and directives, and the major decisions of the Party Central Committee, the top priority of political supervision, focusing on key tasks such as the implementation of a package of incremental policy deployments, keeping watch on important deployments such as high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening, strengthening supervision and inspection, ensuring proper implementation, and resolutely preventing disobedience of orders and violations of prohibitions. 2024年以来，中央纪委国家监委和各级纪检监察机关坚持把落实习近平总书记重要指示批示精神和党中央重大决策部署作为政治监督的重中之重，聚焦一揽子增量政策部署实施等重点任务，盯住高水平科技自立自强等重要部署，加强监督检查，保障落实到位，坚决防止有令不行、有禁不止.
Then we get some data:
In terms of inadequate supervision and abuse of power in the field of ecological and environmental protection, “from January to November 2024, more than 24,000 related issues were investigated and dealt with, and more than 34,000 people were criticized, educated and dealt with, of which more than 19,000 were handed disciplinary and administrative sanctions.” 深入贯彻习近平生态文明思想，中央纪委国家监委部署严查生态环保领域监管不力、以权谋私等问题。2024年1至11月，共查处相关问题2.4万余个，批评教育和处理3.4万余人，其中给予党纪政务处分1.9万余人.
The CCDI and NSC made “special arrangements to strictly investigate corruption in the field of grain purchase and sales.” “From January to November 2024, discipline inspection and supervision agencies at all levels across the country investigated and dealt with more than 14,000 related issues, criticized and educated more than 21,000 people, of which more than 13,000 people were handed disciplinary and administrative sanctions.” 2024年1至11月，全国各级纪检监察机关共查处相关问题1.4万余个，批评教育和处理2.1万余人，其中给予党纪政务处分1.3万余人.
The piece talks about how supervision is following the agenda outlined at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, with “discipline inspection and supervision organs actively performing political supervision duties to clear obstacles and further the development of new quality productive forces.” “构建支持全面创新体制机制”是党的二十届三中全会作出的一项重要改革部署。纪检监察机关积极履行政治监督职责，为新质生产力发展清障护航. How does it do this? Here’s an example:
“Shanghai’s Shibei Hi-Tech Service Industry Park has gathered a batch of technological innovation enterprises. Shanghai Jing’an District’s Discipline Inspection Commission and Supervisory Commission, through visits, learned that small and micro enterprises face problems of having few tangible assets and difficulty in financing. They actively promoted functional departments and financial enterprises to fulfill their duties and responsibilities, provided enterprises with personalized financing loan solutions, while also supervising the park to accelerate the systematic construction of intellectual property operation and maintenance services. As of now, nearly 20 enterprises have received intellectual property pledge financing services, and their funding problems have been effectively solved.” 上海市市北高新技术服务业园区聚集了一批科技创新企业。上海市静安区纪委监委走访了解到中小微企业存在有形资产少、融资难的问题，积极推动职能部门、金融企业履职尽责，为企业提供个性化融资贷款方案，同时督促园区加快推进知识产权运维服务体系化建设。截至目前，已有近20家企业获得知识产权质押融资服务，资金难题得到有效解决. (Note: I don’t think that this is the norm for the CCDI and NSC to facilitate financing solutions for enterprises. It also is an example of significant political and Party interference in financing decisions. But then the piece also talks about the CCDI engaged in supervision with regard to cultural relics protection.)
Towards the end, the article says:
Inspection tours are a strategic institutional arrangement for strict and comprehensive Party governance. In 2024, according to the Party Central Committee’s deployment, the Central Inspection Work Leading Group organized two rounds of inspections, inspecting 68 units in total. As of now, the completion rate of the 20th Central Committee’s full-coverage inspection task is nearly 50%. The Central Inspection Groups put the implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and important instructions and directives in the primary position, closely monitored power and responsibility to strengthen political supervision, deeply understood the inspected Party organizations’ situations regarding fulfilling functional responsibilities, implementation of major reform deployments, preventing and resolving major risks, deepening strict and comprehensive Party governance, strengthening leadership teams and cadre talent team building, and carefully finding political deviations. 巡视是全面从严治党的战略性制度安排。2024年，根据党中央部署，中央巡视工作领导小组组织开展两轮巡视，共巡视68家单位。截至目前，二十届中央巡视全覆盖任务完成率近50%。中央巡视组把贯彻落实习近平总书记重要讲话和重要指示批示精神摆在首要位置，紧盯权力和责任加强政治监督，深入了解被巡视党组织履行职能责任、落实重大改革部署、防范化解重大风险、纵深推进全面从严治党、加强领导班子和干部人才队伍建设等情况，认真查找政治偏差.
Finally, there’s a report (GT’s English report) informing that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Central Organization Department, the Ministry of Finance and other three departments issued the ‘Interim Measures for the Implementation of a Flexible Retirement System’ on January 1, 2025. It says that:
“Starting from January 1, 2025, the statutory retirement age for men will be gradually raised from 60 to 63 in the course of 15 years, while that for women cadres will be raised from 55 to 58, and that for women blue-collar workers will be raised from 50 to 55.”
The document adds that:
“Starting from January 1, 2025, employees who have reached the minimum years of contribution required by the state to receive a basic pension on a monthly basis may voluntarily choose flexible early retirement. The maximum early retirement period is up to three years before the statutory retirement age, and the retirement age cannot be lower than the original statutory retirement ages of 50 years for women blue-collar workers, 55 years for women cadres, and 60 years for men. When employees reach the statutory retirement age, the employer can flexibly delay retirement by reaching an agreement with the employee, with the delay time no longer than 3 years from the statutory retirement age.” 《实施弹性退休制度暂行办法》提出，自2025年1月1日起，职工达到国家规定的按月领取基本养老金最低缴费年限，可以自愿选择弹性提前退休，提前时间距法定退休年龄最长不超过3年，且退休年龄不得低于女职工50周岁、55周岁及男职工60周岁的原法定退休年龄。职工达到法定退休年龄时，所在单位与职工协商一致的，可以弹性延迟退休，延迟时间距法定退休年龄最长不超过3年.
Page 3: There’s a brief report informing that the China-Maldives FTA has taken effect from January 1, 2025.
Also on the page, there’s a report based on comments by MoFA’s Mao Ning on China’s focus on the Global South. I guess this is signalling for the year ahead. Mao said:
“As Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out, the collective rise of the Global South in the current chapter of history is a distinctive feature of the great transformation across the world. In the past year, greater BRICS cooperation made a good start, the new model of ‘SCO plus’ came into shape, and the African Union took part in the G20 Summit for the first time. Global South countries have joined hands to take part in multilateral cooperation more actively and extensively, bringing new impetus for the transformation of economic globalization, and adding new dynamism to global governance. China will always be an important member of the Global South and always be committed to unity and invigoration of the Global South. President Xi Jinping called for more open and inclusive Global South cooperation, and announced eight measures in support of Global South cooperation. He articulated the vision for countries in the Global South to work together as the staunch force for peace, the core driving force for open development, the construction team of global governance, and the advocates for exchange among civilizations. China will continue to practice true multilateralism, firmly safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and bring the Global South together in solidarity for greater strength, so as to leave the mark of the Global South on the progress of humanity.”
Page 6: There’s a long piece marking the 150th birth anniversary of Shen Junru, who among other things was the chairman of the China Democratic League. One key excerpt from the article, given that history is never about history, but rather about the present.
“We commemorate Mr. Shen Junru in order to learn from his spirit of loving the motherland, loving the people, being selfless and fearless, and having the courage to struggle; to learn from his admirable qualities of advocating democracy, pursuing the rule of law, seeking truth, and striving for progress; more importantly, it is to learn from his steadfast political conviction of close cooperation and solidarity with the Communist Party of China and sharing weal and woe. Throughout the long revolutionary struggle, he forged deep friendships with CPC leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, becoming a trustworthy and candid friend of the Party. In his later years, Mr. Shen Junru held even deeper affection for the CPC. During the 1962 National Day celebration, Mao Zedong inquired about his health on the Tiananmen Rostrum and personally supported him as they descended the elevator after the event. Upon returning home, he emotionally declared, ‘We must always listen to Chairman Mao and always follow the Communist Party of China.’ This was not only Mr. Shen's earnest exhortation to the younger generations but also a vivid embodiment of the Democratic League’s close alignment and resolute support for the CPC.
Today, in the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, members of democratic parties should take Mr. Shen Junru and other predecessors as role models, inherit and carry forward the fine tradition of multi-party cooperation, unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, deeply understand the decisive significance of the ‘Two Establishments’, strengthen the ‘Four Consciousnesses’ and ‘Four Confidences’, and achieve the ‘Two Safeguards’, remain unwavering in thinking together, standing together, and working together with the CPC, upholding, developing, and perfecting China’s new political party system, and unite and strive for the great cause of comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.”
我们纪念沈钧儒先生，就是要学习他热爱祖国、热爱人民、无私无畏、勇于斗争的精神风范，学习他崇尚民主、追求法治、探索真理、追求进步的优秀品格，更要学习他与中国共产党亲密合作、风雨同舟的坚定政治信念。在长期的革命斗争中，他同毛泽东、周恩来等中共领导人结下了深厚友谊，成为共产党值得信赖的挚友和诤友。晚年的沈钧儒先生对中国共产党的感情更笃。1962年参加国庆庆典时，毛泽东在天安门城楼上问候他的健康状况，散会后亲自扶他同下电梯，他回家后激动地说到：“我们要永远听毛主席的话，永远跟中国共产党走。”这既是沈钧儒先生对后辈的谆谆嘱托，也是民盟对中国共产党紧密追随、坚决拥护的生动体现。在中国特色社会主义新时代的今天，民主党派成员应以沈钧儒先生等前辈先贤为楷模，继承和发扬多党合作优良传统，更加紧密团结在以习近平同志为核心的中共中央周围，深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，贯彻落实中共二十大和二十届二中、三中全会精神，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，坚定不移与中国共产党想在一起、站在一起、干在一起，坚持好、发展好、完善好中国新型政党制度，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业而团结奋斗.
Other Stories:
On December 26, 2024, there was a piece by Wang Shida from China Institute of Contemporary International Relations in Global Times in Chinese, arguing that while the world marks the 20th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami, even today countries are realising that they need to “work together to overcome difficulties, as the region faces many new challenges requiring urgent attention.”
Wang writes:
“On one hand, the risk of bloc confrontation in the Indian Ocean region is intensifying. The Indian Ocean region is vast and densely populated, encompassing about 20% of the world’s water bodies, a quarter of its landmass, and three-quarters of its oil, iron, and tin reserves. More importantly, the region is crucial for ensuring the safety and stability of global shipping lanes and trade routes, carrying over one-third of the world’s bulk cargo and two-thirds of its oil shipments. International chokepoints such as the Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Bab el-Mandeb are located in the region, underscoring its significance in both economic and geopolitical terms. It is precisely because of the political and economic importance of the region that some countries have increased their involvement or interference in the Indian Ocean in recent years. The United States has been particularly active, pushing its ‘Indo-Pacific Strategy’ to unite and integrate so-called ‘Indo-Pacific’ allies and partners in an attempt to strengthen the containment of China. Currently, 3 of the US Unified Combat Commands are related to the Indian Ocean region, US military frequently conducts various joint exercises with regional countries, and has become the largest weapons supplier to the Indian Ocean region. Additionally, the US is leveraging mechanisms such as the Quad and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework to bolster its influence and presence. Obviously, such actions amount to forming cliques in the Indian Ocean region, binding regional countries to America's war chariot, with growing risks of regional countries being ‘forced into camp confrontation’.” 一方面，今日之印度洋地区阵营对抗风险不断加剧。印度洋地区幅员辽阔、人口众多，拥有世界约20%的水域、1/4的陆地以及全球3/4的石油、铁和锡储量。更为重要的是，该地区对维持全球航道和贸易路线的安全与稳定至关重要，承载着世界散货运输量的1/3以上、世界石油运输量的2/3，马六甲海峡、霍尔木兹海峡和曼德海峡等国际咽喉要道分布于此，无论经贸还是地缘政治层面的意义都不言而喻。正是因为该地区政治和经济上的重要性，一些国家近年来加大了对印度洋的介入或干涉。美国在这方面动作尤为明显，不断推动“印太战略”落地，试图诱拉和整合所谓“印太地区”盟友与伙伴强化对华围堵。当前，美国联合作战司令部中有3个与印度洋地区有关，美军频繁与地区国家举行各类联合军演，并成为印度洋地区最大的武器供应国。美国还通过美日印澳“四边机制”、“印太经济框架”等强化自身影响和存在。显然，类似做法是在印度洋地区拉帮结派，把地区国家绑在美国的战车之上，地区国家“被阵营对抗化”的风险日益加剧.
On the other hand, the Indian Ocean region today is in urgent need of achieving sustainable development. At present, countries in the region are having to shoulder the heavy responsibility of developing the national economies and improving people’s well-being, while at the same time facing several new and old challenges, such as environmental and climate change. Over the past few decades, climate change has caused countries in the region to experience increasingly frequent extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts and heat waves. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations reported in 2021 that since the 1950s, the Indian Ocean has warmed faster than any other waters, which will lead to decreased fishing yields across the entire ocean, harming countries that are highly dependent on fisheries and lack the ability to adapt to climate shocks. In addition, by 2030, the population density of the Indian Ocean coastal areas is expected to reach the highest level in the world, with 340 million people living in potentially dangerous coastal areas. Obviously, avoiding risks of camp confrontation, opposing external power interference, or achieving regional stability and sustainable growth, including resolving lingering sovereignty disputes left behind from the decolonisation period, cannot be accomplished by any single country alone. It requires joint efforts from all Indian Ocean countries and regions as well as external (正能量国家) ‘positive energy countries’.” 另一方面，今日之印度洋地区亟待实现可持续发展。当前，地区国家普遍肩负着发展国民经济、提升民众福祉的重任，但同时又面临各种新旧挑战，比如环境和气候变化等。过去几十年来，气候变化导致地区国家遭遇越来越频繁的洪水、干旱和热浪等极端天气。联合国政府间气候变化专门委员会2021年就报告说，自20世纪50年代以来，印度洋的变暖速度比任何其他水域都快，这将导致整个海域的捕鱼量下降，损害那些高度依赖渔业且缺乏适应气候冲击能力的国家。另外，到2030年，印度洋沿岸地区的人口密度预计将会达到世界最高水平，3.4亿人将处于潜在的沿海危险区域。显然，无论是避免阵营对抗风险、反对外部强权干涉，还是实现地区稳定和可持续增长，包括解决地区内部去殖民化时期留下的主权争端等矛盾，都非某个单一国家所能做到，而是需要印度洋所有国家和地区以及区外“正能量国家”携手努力.
“Although the US and other countries have been exaggerating the ‘China threat’ and intensifying the containment and suppression of China under the framework of the so-called ‘Indo-Pacific Strategy’, China has always developed relations with the countries in the Indian Ocean region with an attitude of equal cooperation and mutual benefit and win-win. In recent years, China's trade cooperation with the region has developed well, with increasing trade scale and growing mutual trade dependence. Currently, China is the largest import partner for over 20 countries in the Indian Ocean region, and the largest export partner for 13 countries in the region, with many regional countries joining high-quality Belt and Road Initiative cooperation. At the same time, China actively participates in multilateral cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and has hosted three China-Indian Ocean Regional Development Cooperation Forums. When the Indian Ocean tsunami occurred 20 years ago, China was a firm supporter of ‘working together to rebuild a beautiful home’. Looking to the future, China and the Indian Ocean region have broad cooperation space and huge development potential, with prospects to further advance bilateral and multilateral cooperation with regional countries, working together to achieve lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the region.” 虽然美国等国在所谓“印太战略”框架下不断渲染“中国威胁”、加大对华围堵遏压，但中国始终以平等合作、互利共赢姿态与印度洋地区国家发展关系。近些年来，中国与该地区的贸易合作发展较好，贸易规模不断上升，相互间的贸易依赖度也在增加。当前，中国已是印度洋地区20多个国家的最大进口伙伴，也是该地区13个国家的最大出口伙伴，地区诸多国家加入高质量共建“一带一路”相关合作。与此同时，中国积极参与印度洋地区的多边合作，已主办三届中国—印度洋地区发展合作论坛。20年前印度洋海啸发生时，中国就是“同舟共济，重建美好家园”的坚定支持者。放眼未来，中国与印度洋地区合作空间广阔，发展潜力巨大，有望与地区国家进一步推进双边及多边层面合作，同舟共济实现地区的持久和平、稳定与繁荣.