Ren Lixuan Commentary: Xi as Helmsman & People's Leader - Document No. 1 - Expect More Tax and Fee cuts - New National Pension System
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy from the Wednesday, February 23, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: The big story on the page is the issuance of the No. 1 central document for 2022, which outlines key tasks to comprehensively push forward rural vitalization. The emphasis on the work is “agriculture, rural areas and farmers,” i.e., the three rural. The entire document is published in PD, and there is a front-page editorial. In the interest of time, I am not doing a detailed breakdown of the full document. Rather I am going to use the English report and will also highlight some key points from the document.
“The document called for efforts to stabilise and increase agricultural production, steadily raise farmers’ incomes, and ensure stability in China’s rural areas to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and other changes unseen in a century and promote sound economic and social development. ‘We must firmly hold the bottom lines of guaranteeing China's grain security and ensuring no large-scale return to poverty,’ the document noted. China will enhance grain production and the supply of vital agricultural products, it said. Measures will be taken to ensure that the sown areas for grains remain stable and the full-year grain output stays above 650 billion kg. Efforts will also enhance the production capacity of soybean and oil plants and ensure the supply of key products such as pork and vegetables, said the document.”
Also: “In 2022, China aims to develop 6.67 million hectares of high-standard farmland, promote national projects on black soil protection, and launch the third nationwide soil condition census, noted the document. It also specified measures to vigorously promote the research on vital agricultural core technologies such as germplasm, enhance applications of agriculture machinery and equipment, accelerate development of facility agriculture, and effectively prevent and respond to major agriculture-related disasters. The document urged efforts to improve mechanisms for monitoring and assisting people at risk of falling back into poverty, and to ensure assistance and support policies are implemented in a timely manner. More efforts should be made to help boost the incomes of populations that have recently been lifted out of poverty, according to the document.”
And then: “The document also urged the continued implementation of the five-year action plan on improving the rural living environment, stressing solid work on enhancing rural infrastructure in key areas such as highways, water facilities, power grids and clean-energy facilities, as well as improving the quality of rural housing. It called for greater efforts on developing digital villages by pushing for smart agriculture and empowering rural public services with digital technologies. The document noted that measures should be taken to increase investment for rural vitalization, such as providing support from the public budget and the central government budget, and supporting the issuance of local-government bonds for qualified projects.”
The document says: “In 2022, appropriately increase the minimum purchase prices for rice and wheat, keep subsidies for corn and soybean producers and subsidies for rice stable, and ensure that all major grain-producing counties in major provinces and municipalities enjoy full cost insurance for the three major grain crops and crop income insurance.” 2022年适当提高稻谷、小麦最低收购价，稳定玉米、大豆生产者补贴和稻谷补贴政策，实现三大粮食作物完全成本保险和种植收入保险主产省产粮大县全覆盖. Later the document also talks about “strictly controlling the ethanol fuel processing with corn as raw material.” 严格控制以玉米为原料的燃料乙醇加工.
Some other key points:
Strictly maintain the red line of 1.8 billion mu of arable land
In 2022, 100 million mu of high-standard farmland will be built, and an area of 400 million mu of highly efficient water-saving irrigation will be built.
Strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights in the seed industry, and severely crack down on illegal and criminal acts such as infringement of licensed products.
On ensuring that people don’t fall back into poverty, the document talks about maintaining employment stability and deepening cooperation between the east and west in terms of labour migration. It adds that “if conditions permit, the proportion of labour remuneration can be increased” and calls for improving “microfinance work for people who have been lifted out of poverty.”
The document calls for promoting the “integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries in rural areas.” This covers everything from e-commerce to rural tourism, development of homestays, industrial parks, agricultural product processing, etc.
I thought this was interesting: “Carry out rural construction based on the existing foundation of villages, do not blindly demolish old villages and build new ones, and do not engage in large-scale financing, development and construction beyond the development stage, so as to avoid waste caused by ineffective investment and prevent village-level debt risks.” 立足村庄现有基础开展乡村建设，不盲目拆旧村、建新村，不超越发展阶段搞大融资、大开发、大建设，避免无效投入造成浪费，防范村级债务风险.
In terms of development, the document talks about enhancing investment (roads, water supply, clean energy, including solar and biomass, and housing are the focus), improving the rural living environment (sanitation and waste are key in this), building digital villages (Internet + government services is the focus), and improve public services (education, healthcare, insurance and disability care are discussed in this.)
In the section on rural governance, the document talks about strengthening county-level party committees and “give full play to the role of the first secretary in the village and the work team in promoting Party-building and promoting rural revitalization.” I also thought this was interesting: “Create a number of ‘Fengqiao-style police stations’ and ‘Fengqiao-style people's courts’. Regularly carry out the fight against gangs and evils and continue to crack down on ‘village tyrants’. Prevent the evil forces and clan forces from eroding and influencing the rural grass-roots political power. Severely crack down on illegal and criminal activities in rural gambling and infringing on the personal rights of rural women and children according to law. Strengthen the publicity and education of the rule of law in rural areas.” 创建一批“枫桥式公安派出所”、“枫桥式人民法庭”。常态化开展扫黑除恶斗争，持续打击“村霸”。防范黑恶势力、家族宗族势力等对农村基层政权的侵蚀和影响。依法严厉打击农村黄赌毒和侵害农村妇女儿童人身权利的违法犯罪行为.
In the next section, which talks about policy support, among the many, many things mentioned, this is there too: “encourage local governments to introduce incentive policies for urban talents to go to the countryside to serve rural revitalization.”
The editorial on the front page basically reiterates the major points from the document. Next, there’s a long report around China hosting the Winter Olympics. It basically talks about how well China hosted the Games. The headline says it all: “We fulfilled our commitment to the world.” 我们向世界兑现了承诺. I thought this ending bit is useful to read:
“Starting from the resounding ‘Three Olympics Questions’ in 1908, it took more than a hundred years for Chinese people to turn ‘question marks’ into ‘exclamation marks’. From the pursuers of the Olympic movement to standing in the center-stage with our heads held high, illuminating the path of hope with ‘One World, One Family’. General Secretary XI Jinping said: ‘We dare to think about things that we didn't even dare to think about in the past, and we can do them if we think about them, and we can do them if we do them’...if we say that the first engagement between Beijing and the Olympic Games was about a China had had stood up and become prosperous actively integrating itself with the world and showing its ‘self’ with a long history, then the meeting today is about about a stronger China and a two-way flow with the world, presenting a ‘we’ with a shared future.” – 以1908年振聋发聩的“奥运三问”为起点，华夏儿女用百余年时光，把“问号”拉成“叹号”。从奥林匹克运动的追赶者，到昂首站在舞台中央，照亮“世界大同，天下一家”的希望之路。习近平总书记感慨系之：“过去想都不敢想的事情，现在我们敢去想，而且想了就能去做，做了就能做成。”奋斗与超越，构成“双奥之城”的主线。如果说，北京与奥运的第一次握手，是站起来、富起来的中国积极融入世界，展示悠长历史的“自我”，如今再度相逢，则是强起来的中国与世界双向奔赴，呈现命运与共的“我们”.
Next, there’s a report (English report) about Li Zhanshu meeting with Ibrahim Boughali, speaker of the People's National Assembly of Algeria. Xinhua reports:
“Regarding the future development of these relations, Li called on the two countries to enhance mutual political support. He also said they should deepen practical cooperation, strengthen cooperation in COVID-19 response, and enhance global and regional affairs communication. China appreciates Algeria's support concerning China's core interests and major concerns, said Li, extending gratitude to the northern African country for its firm support of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. He called on the two countries to jointly implement the Global Development Initiative and promote cooperation in major practical projects.”
Finally, a report informing us that China has started nationwide pooling of basic pension funds since January 1 this year. The PD report is very limited. Here’s what other reports inform us:
China Daily reports: “The new national pension system, which came into effect on Jan 1, is projected to help relieve possible financial gaps in the payment of pensions and narrow economic imbalances between some provinces and regions. According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the central government first implemented a State-level adjustable pension payment system in July 2018, to relieve the burden on provinces with weaker economies. It allocated over 600 billion yuan ($95 billion) across provinces from 2018 to last year. "The system will solve the structural imbalance in pension payments among different provinces and regions to ensure people get their pensions in a timely manner," Qi Tao, deputy director of the ministry's department of pension insurance, said at a teleconference on Tuesday…By the end of last year, China's pension system had covered over 1.03 billion people. About 230 million people had unemployment insurance and 280 million had work injury insurance.”
Xinhua reports: Vice Minister of Finance Yu Weiping said on Tuesday that the new pooling system will allow pension funds to be transfered from regions with surplus to regions with deficit. According to Qi, all Chinese regions realized the pooling of pension funds at the regional level at the end of 2020, but it was not enough. Gaps of economic development and differences in the age structures of populations have led to pension fund surplus in some regions as well as difficulties of payment in others. After the establishment of the nationwide pooling system, the unified management of pension policy, pension services and information systems will be enhanced, he said.
Finally, there’s this short report about Xi’s message of sympathy to the British Queen on her testing positive for COVID.
Page 2: Much of the page is dedicated to the 10th in the 10 Clears series. The 10th Clear is:
“Full and rigorous self-governance is a policy of strategic importance for the Party, and the general requirements for Party building in the new era include making all-around efforts to strengthen the Party in political, ideological, and organizational terms and in terms of conduct and discipline, with institution building incorporated into every aspect of this process, continuing the fight against corruption, and ensuring that the political responsibility for governance over the Party is fulfilled. By engaging in great self-transformation, the Party can steer great social transformation.”
The piece talks about the shift from strict party governance to strict and comprehensive governance of the party, along with the focus on self-revolution. Some excerpts below:
“For some time, some Party members and cadres experienced a serious crisis in terms of their political beliefs because of the problems of ineffective and lax Party governance. In some places and departments, there were unhealthy practices related to personnel selection and appointment, the ‘four winds’ (formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and waste) were prevalent, and the idea and phenomenon of privilege were common. In particular, the problem of ‘seven haves’ (seven types of misconduct) had seriously affected the image and prestige of the Party…With a deep sense of concern and a strong sense of urgency, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has placed the strict and comprehensive governance of the Party at the height of vital importance linked to the survival of the Party and the country, and placed it in a vital position in the overall situation of governing the country. The unprecedented efforts to uphold discipline, combat corruption and punish evil have eliminated serious hidden dangers within the Party and the country, leading the century-old Party to become stronger in its revolutionary forging, and radiate new and powerful vitality.” 一段时间以来，由于一度出现管党不力、治党不严问题，有些党员、干部政治信仰出现严重危机；一些地方和部门选人用人风气不正，“四风”盛行，特权思想和特权现象较为普遍存在；特别是“七个有之”问题严重影响党的形象和威信……以习近平同志为核心的党中央以深沉的忧患感和强烈的紧迫感，将全面从严治党摆在事关党和国家生死存亡的高度，摆在治国理政全局至关重要的位置，以世所罕见的力度正风肃纪、反腐惩恶，消除了党和国家内部存在的严重隐患，带领百年大党在革命性锻造中更加坚强，焕发出新的强大生机活力.
After this the piece turns to the 6th Plenum and Xi’s speech on November 11, 2022. It tells us that Xi brought up the dynastic cycle question in his comments. It states that while Mao had given one part of the answer to that by talking about democracy; Xi has “led the Party to explore a successful way to solve its own problems and break out” of the dynastic cycle problem through self-revolution leading the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.
Later the piece talks about the importance of speaking clearly on matters of politics, perseverance, dealing with corruption, the importance of being upright in conduct and maintaining discipline and effective supervision. And then, we get this:
“To persist in self-revolution, we must take the Party's political construction as the guide and earnestly implement the ‘two safeguards’. Political problems and economic problems are intertwined; the case of Sun Lijun as shown in the Zero Tolerance TV series is a typical example of extreme corruption and serious violation of political discipline and political rules. Corruption is essentially political deterioration. Behind it, there are often political problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping has profoundly pointed out that we must adhere to the party's political construction as the guide and adhere to the fundamental political direction of self-revolution. ‘It is of decisive significance to the development of the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and to the historical process of promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation’ – this is what the Party's third historical resolution says on the significance of the ‘Two Establishments,’ which are not only a profound summary of the Party’s historical experience, but also a fundamental basis for creating the future. To strengthen the Party’s political construction, the fundamental requirement is to resolutely defend the ‘two establishments’ and always achieve the ‘two safeguards’. ——坚持自我革命，必须以党的政治建设为统领，切实做到“两个维护”。政治问题和经济问题交织、极度腐化堕落的典型，严重违反政治纪律和政治规矩……近期热播的电视专题片《零容忍》中，孙力军案件暴露出的政治问题触目惊心。腐败问题本质上是政治变质，腐败问题的背后，往往有政治问题。习近平总书记深刻指出，必须坚持以党的政治建设为统领，坚守自我革命根本政治方向。“对新时代党和国家事业发展、对推进中华民族伟大复兴历史进程具有决定性意义”——党的第三个历史决议对“两个确立”重大意义的深刻阐述，既是历史经验的深刻总结，又是开创未来的根本依靠。加强党的政治建设，根本要求是坚决捍卫“两个确立”、始终做到“两个维护”。
Also on the page, there’s a story about Minister of Finance Liu Kun’s press engagement yesterday. Xinhua reports:
“China will see a larger scale of tax and fee cuts this year,” Minister of Finance Liu Kun told a press conference, citing that the country cut about 1.1 trillion yuan (about 173.9 billion U.S. dollars) of taxes and fees last year…Official data shows that China now boasts over 150 million market entities, while a total of 13.26 million firms were newly established and have engaged in tax-related activities in 2021, up 15.9 percent year on year. The implementation of tax and fee cuts policies has reduced the burden on market players and strengthened their resilience, Xu Hongcai, vice minister of finance, said. To further vitalize market entities, this year the country will intensify tax-deduction efforts and launch targeted support measures while focusing on the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry, smaller businesses and scientific innovation. Preferential tax measures should move in tandem with other proactive fiscal, monetary and industrial policies to help market players tide over difficulties, according to Xu. Amid the tax and fee cuts, the growth of local-government revenue will slow down, Xu noted, adding that the central government will significantly increase transfer payments to local governments. These funds will mainly flow to less developed regions, those in difficulty, and those where fiscal revenue faces mounting pressure from tax and fee cuts, he added. The country will maintain appropriate levels of fiscal expenditure while giving priority to key sectors, including sci-tech breakthroughs, environmental protection and major regional strategies, Liu said…The country issued 484.4 billion yuan in January to fund projects in the transport, industrial park infrastructure and other key areas. The figure accounted for one-third of the 1.46 trillion-yuan funds that were allocated late last year from the country's 2022 quota for local government special bonds.”
Page 3: The only noteworthy stories on the page are about the Wang-Blinken chat. I covered these yesterday. Just thought it’s worth highlighting that both readouts on Ukraine and China-US ties were published in the paper. Otherwise, there’s no mention of anything related to Ukraine in the paper.
But it’s useful to note that Xinhua’s coverage of events reports Putin’s recognition of Lugansk and Donetsk as follows: “Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed two decrees, recognizing ‘the Lugansk People's Republic’ and ‘the Donetsk People's Republic’ as ‘independent and sovereign’ states, and later ordered troops to enter the regions to conduct peacekeeping operations.”
Page 4: One interesting bit to note. The only COVID-related coverage on the page is about the mainland helping HK build isolation centres/makeshift hospitals.
Page 6: It’s interesting that there’s this report about Hangzhou’s animation and gaming industry’s output value in 2021 was 32.85 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 26.9%. I don’t follow the gaming sector, but I guess this is signalling that the market’s still lucrative despite the upheavals last year.
Page 9: We have a big Ren Lixuan commentary on the page today. My colleague Swayamsiddha Samal has helped with the translation for this. This is a massive campaign pitch for Xi Jinping remaining at the Party’s helm after the 20th Party Congress, offering profuse praise for him personally and demanding loyalty across the Party.
Reading this piece reminded me of my friend Eric in the mood he was in below:
The piece basically talks about the two establishments and the two safeguards. It starts by saying that “We must deeply grasp the decisive significance of the ‘two establishments’, and continuously strengthen ideological, political and action consciousness in order to achieve the ‘two safeguards’.” 我们要深刻把握“两个确立”的决定性意义，不断增强坚决做到“两个维护”的思想自觉、政治自觉、行动自觉.
The first section then talks about the two establishments being “an important historical conclusion drawn from a profound review of the historical experience of the Party’s century-long struggle and its great practice since the 18th Party Congress.” It says:
“The years since the 18th Party Congress have been extremely unusual and extraordinary in the development of the cause of the Party and the country. Under the personal planning, leadership and command of General Secretary Xi Jinping the party and the people have overcome obstacles, established a series of original ideas, promoted a series of revolutionary practices, achieved a series of breakthroughs and made a series of landmark achievements. It is the choice of history, the times and the people to establish Comrade Xi Jinping as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole party, and to establish the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era. This reflects the common aspiration of the whole party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups in China.” 党的十八大以来这些年在党和国家事业发展进程中极不寻常、极不平凡，在习近平总书记亲自谋划、亲自领导、亲自指挥下，党和人民攻坚克难，形成一系列原创性思想、推进一系列变革性实践、实现一系列突破性进展、取得一系列标志性成果。党确立习近平同志党中央的核心、全党的核心地位，确立习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的指导地位，是历史的选择、时代的选择、人民的选择，反映了全党全军全国各族人民共同心愿.
The next paragraph reiterates the phrase: “The ship weighs a thousand pounds, steering it at the helm is one person,” and then the author discusses Mao’s emergence as the core and the establishment of Mao Zedong Thought.
“Over the past 100 years, at every critical moment and severe test, the Party’s leadership core has led the whole Party to turn the tide and push the cause of the Party and the people forward through the waves. How did the Chinese nation, which had experienced unprecedented disaster in modern history, identify the correct path, emerge from the bottom, and reverse its historical fate? This was because ‘the Chinese have discovered something new, which is Marxism-Leninism.’ The Communist Party of China, which was nourished by advanced Marxist thought and has been charged with the historical goal of national rejuvenation, cannot function without the guidance of scientific theory. It is precisely because of the establishment of Mao Zedong Thought as the guide that our Party could overcome mistakes such as right opportunism and ‘left’ dogmatism and push forward the revolutionary cause successfully. It is because of the institution of the theoretical system of socialism with Chinese characteristics that our Party could lead the people to amazing accomplishments through reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, as well create the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We need a strong leadership core and a scientific guiding ideology for such a large Party and such a large country to transcend many difficulties and realise the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th Party Congress, the Party has faced complex and grave situations, and it has undertaken onerous and arduous tasks, which are unprecedented in the world and in history. It is precisely because of General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership that the whole Party has a strong pillar and the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people have a backbone. It is precisely because of the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era that the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups have a ‘fixed star’ in thought and a ‘compass’ in action. The two establishments is the inevitable conclusion drawn from a profound summary of the Communist Party of China's century-long struggle from small to large, from weak to strong, and it is a historical choice.” 百年来，每到紧要关头、每临严峻考验，党的领导核心都能带领全党力挽狂澜，推动党和人民事业破浪前行。一个民族要走在时代前列，就一刻不能没有理论思维，一刻不能没有正确思想指引。在近代遭受前所未有劫难的中华民族何以找到正确道路，从沉沦的谷底奋起，扭转自己的历史命运？是因为“中国人学得了一样新的东西，这就是马克思列宁主义”。由马克思主义先进思想孕育催生、肩负民族复兴历史使命的中国共产党，须臾离不开科学理论指导。正是因为确立了毛泽东思想的指导地位，我们党才能克服右倾机会主义、“左”倾教条主义等错误，推动革命事业胜利前进。正是因为确立了中国特色社会主义理论体系的指导地位，我们党才能领导人民创造改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的伟大成就，开创中国特色社会主义伟大事业。我们这么大一个党、这么大一个国家，要克服重重艰难险阻，实现中华民族伟大复兴，必须有坚强的领导核心，必须有科学的指导思想。党的十八大以来，党面临形势环境的复杂性和严峻性、肩负任务的繁重性和艰巨性世所罕见、史所罕见。正是因为有习近平总书记掌舵领航，全党才有了顶梁柱，14亿多中国人民才有了主心骨；正是因为有习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想科学指引，全党全国各族人民才有了思想上的“定盘星”、行动上的“指南针”。“两个确立”，是深刻总结中国共产党由小到大、由弱到强的百年奋斗历程得出的必然结论，是历史的选择.
The next paragraph makes the case that given the complexity and unprecedented nature of current challenges, Xi’s core position is even more important to maintain. In fact, it is the choice of history.
“The Party's leadership core is essential in navigating current issues and resolving the problems of the times; the Party's scientific theories are useful to provide scientific guidance in order to respond to the questions of the times. Since the 18th Party Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, paving the way for my country's development in a new historical direction. The new historical orientation contains new issues of the times and poses new challenges to our party. The world today is experiencing profound changes that have not been seen in a century. Instability and uncertainty have skyrocketed. Some countries pursue unilateralism, protectionism, hegemony, and power politics, and are engaged in a variety of activities aimed at disrupting China's development. As a result, the external environment for my country’s progress has become more complex. The Chinese nation’s great rejuvenation is at a critical juncture, and domestic reform, development, and stability tasks are arduous. To deal with various risks at home and abroad, we must be willing to grapple with tough bones and venture into danger, and we must always be prepared to meet big challenges, resist dangers and overcome major obstacles. In the new era, there is an urgent necessity of the Party’s leadership core to take the helm and lead the entire Party, the army, and people of all ethnic groups in a long struggle with many new historical characteristics…Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has guided great struggles, great projects, great undertakings and great dreams with great historical initiative, great political courage and a strong sense of responsibility, and promoted historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country.”
The author then talks about the 13 achievements/tasks listed in the history resolution and the 10 clears, which are the “core content of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.” The author then adds: “In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, General Secretary Xi Jinping has fully exemplified political wisdom, strategic determination, mission responsibility, and mission leadership. The thought of Xi Jinping on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era fully showed the power of truth and the power of practice. The ‘two establishments’ emerged from the great struggle with many new historical characteristics in the new era, and it is the choice of the times. 时代的选择。时代是出卷人，一个政党、一个国家、一个民族的发展就是不断破解重大时代课题的过程。党的领导核心，正是在解决时代课题中彰显掌舵领航的重大作用；党的科学理论，正是在回答时代之问中彰显科学指引的重大作用。党的十八大以来，中国特色社会主义进入了新时代，这是我国发展新的历史方位。新的历史方位蕴含着新的时代课题，对我们党提出新的挑战。当今世界正经历百年未有之大变局，不稳定性不确定性显著上升，个别国家奉行单边主义、保护主义、霸权主义、强权政治，对我国进行各种围堵、打压、捣乱、颠覆活动，我国发展的外部环境更趋复杂严峻。中华民族伟大复兴正处于关键时期，国内改革发展稳定任务繁重艰巨。应对国内外各种风险和考验，要求我们敢于啃硬骨头、涉险滩，时刻准备应对重大挑战、抵御重大风险、克服重大阻力、解决重大矛盾。答好新时代的考卷，迫切需要党的领导核心掌舵领航，团结带领全党全军全国各族人民进行具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争；迫切需要科学理论指引方向，牢牢把握历史大势和时代潮流，掌握党和国家事业发展的历史主动。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央以伟大的历史主动精神、巨大的政治勇气、强烈的责任担当，统揽伟大斗争、伟大工程、伟大事业、伟大梦想，推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。《决议》从13个方面总结了新时代中国特色社会主义的伟大成就。取得这样的伟大成就殊为不易，其难度之大、历程之艰、效果之著、影响之广，在党的历史上、新中国发展史上、中华民族发展史上乃至世界历史上都是少见的。《决议》用“十个明确”对习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的核心内容作了进一步概括。在新时代中国特色社会主义事业砥砺奋进中，习近平总书记充分展现了大党大国领袖的政治智慧、战略定力、使命担当、为民情怀、领导艺术；习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想充分彰显了真理力量和实践伟力。“两个确立”，正是在新时代进行具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争中形成的，是时代的选择。
The next paragraph makes the point that the two establishments are the people’s choice. The author argues that since the 18th Party Congress, “faced with various risks and challenges, as well as stormy waves, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has issued a series of major initiatives, initiated a series of major measures, promoted a series of major tasks, overcome a series of massive challenges, and solved many tough problems that were long on the agenda but never resolved and accomplished many things that were wanted but never got done. It has handed over excellent answers that have satisfied the people, captured global attention, and will be recorded in the annals of history…The whole Party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups deeply realise that the reason why we could press the ‘fast-forward button’ and ‘accelerate’ the great cause of national rejuvenation in the new era is because General Secretary Xi Jinping, with the magnificence, foresight and grandeur of a Marxist politician, thinker and strategist, has remained rock-solid in stormy seas, strategising in risks and challenges, calmly controlling various complicated situations and effectively coping with various risks and challenges at home and abroad. Having a leader like General Secretary Xi Jinping is a blessing to the Party and the country, the people and the Chinese nation. With General Secretary Xi Jinping at the helm, the ship of China will sail to a glorious future without fear of wind and storms. As the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has won the heartfelt love of the whole Party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups in China. The whole party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups deeply realize that Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era is a scientific guide to push forward the cause of the Party and the country in the new era, and it is contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st century Marxism that leads China and influences the world. As the guiding ideology of the Party, Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era has won high recognition from the whole Party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups. The ‘two establishments’ conform to the will of the people, reflect the public opinion, reflect the common aspiration of the whole Party, the whole army and the people of all ethnic groups in China, and are the people’s choice.” 人民的选择。民心是最大的政治，“两个确立”是民心所向。党的十八大以来，我们走过了极不平凡的历程，全国各族人民都是党和国家事业发展的参与者、见证者。面对种种风险挑战乃至惊涛骇浪，以习近平同志为核心的党中央出台一系列重大方针政策，推出一系列重大举措，推进一系列重大工作，战胜一系列重大风险挑战，解决了许多长期想解决而没有解决的难题，办成了许多过去想办而没有办成的大事，交出了一份人民满意、世界瞩目、可以载入史册的优异答卷。全面建成小康社会目标如期实现，党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，彰显了中国特色社会主义的强大生机活力，党心军心民心空前凝聚振奋，为实现中华民族伟大复兴提供了更为完善的制度保证、更为坚实的物质基础、更为主动的精神力量。全党全军全国各族人民深刻认识到，新时代民族复兴伟业之所以能按下“快进键”、跑出“加速度”，就是因为习近平总书记以马克思主义政治家、思想家、战略家的恢弘气魄、远见卓识、雄韬伟略，惊涛骇浪中坚如磐石，风险挑战中运筹帷幄，从容驾驭各种复杂局面，有效应对国内外各种风险挑战。有习近平总书记这样的领路人，是党和国家之幸、人民之幸、中华民族之幸；有习近平总书记掌舵领航，中华“复兴”号巨轮必将无惧风雨、劈波斩浪，驶向光辉的未来。习近平总书记作为党中央的核心、全党的核心，赢得了全党全军全国各族人民的衷心爱戴。全党全军全国各族人民深刻体悟到，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是推动新时代党和国家事业不断向前发展的科学指南，是引领中国、影响世界的当代中国马克思主义、二十一世纪马克思主义。习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想作为党的指导思想，赢得了全党全军全国各族人民的高度认同。“两个确立”顺应民心、体现民意，反映了全党全军全国各族人民共同心愿，是人民的选择。
The next section says that the ‘two establishments’ is “the fundamental guarantee for advancing the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” It calls the two establishments as the “most significant political achievement” of the Party since the 18th Party Congress. It says that the since the 18th Party Congress, “our Party soberly recognized that lax and weak Party governance had resulted in the spread of negative corruption within the Party, serious problems in the political ecology, damage to the Party’s relationship with the masses, and the Party’s creativity, cohesion, and leadership. The Party’s combat effectiveness had been weakened, and its leadership of the country faced a major test. It is precisely because the Party established Xi Jinping’s position as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the core of the whole Party that the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee have been effectively guaranteed. The leadership system of the Party has been constantly improved, the leadership style of the Party is more scientific, and the lax and weak governance situation has been fundamentally reversed. The anti-corruption struggle has won an overwhelming victory and been consolidated all over, eliminating the serious hidden dangers that existed in the party, the state, and the army, and the party has grown stronger in the revolutionary forging.” 党的十八大后，我们党清醒认识到，管党治党一度宽松软带来党内消极腐败现象蔓延、政治生态出现严重问题，党群干群关系受到损害，党的创造力、凝聚力、战斗力受到削弱，党治国理政面临重大考验。正是因为党确立习近平同志党中央的核心、全党的核心地位，党中央权威和集中统一领导才得到有力保证，党的领导制度体系不断完善，党的领导方式更加科学，管党治党宽松软状况得到根本扭转，反腐败斗争取得压倒性胜利并全面巩固，消除了党、国家、军队内部存在的严重隐患，党在革命性锻造中更加坚强。
The next paragraph says that the ‘two establishments’ offer stronger political guarantees and ideological guidance for the Chinese nation's great rejuvenation. It says:
“Since the 18th Party Congress, we have overcome a series of major risks and challenges and moved the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new historical stage. This fully demonstrates General Secretary Xi Jinping’s profound insight, scientific decision-making, and superb command as the Party core, people’s leader, and commander in chief of the armed forces. It has fully demonstrated that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has extremely strong leadership and is the most reliable backbone of the Chinese people when storms strike. This fully proves that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a guide to action for realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. With Comrade Xi Jinping as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the entire Party, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will be guaranteed politically.” 党的十八大以来，我们战胜一系列重大风险挑战，推动中国特色社会主义事业进入新的历史阶段，充分展现了习近平总书记作为党的核心、人民领袖、军队统帅的深刻洞察能力、科学决策能力、高超驾驭能力；充分证明了以习近平同志为核心的党中央具有无比坚强的领导力，是风雨来袭时中国人民最可靠的主心骨；充分证明了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是实现中华民族伟大复兴的行动指南。党确立习近平同志党中央的核心、全党的核心地位，中华民族伟大复兴就有了坚强政治保证.
The next paragraph says that “the ‘two establishments’ have created a mighty force for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” Basically, this argues that Xi at the core has connected the Party to the masses and led to a sense of confidence among the people. The final section of the piece calls to: “Maintain a high level of consistency with the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and transform the ‘two establishments” into conscious actions in order to firmly achieve the ‘two safeguards’.”
“Ideologically, identify with the core. Thought is the catalyst for action. Only with a high level of ideological recognition can we achieve absolute loyalty in politics and steadfastness in action. We must proceed to advance our understanding of the ‘two establishments’ … There should be the ideological consciousness of resolutely achieving the ‘two safeguards’. We must deeply understand General Secretary Xi Jinping's extraordinary theoretical courage, outstanding political wisdom, and strong mission as a Marxist statesman, thinker, and strategist since the 18th Party. Understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s sincere feelings when he says: ‘I will have no self; I will live up to the people,’ and deeply understand that General Secretary Xi Jinping is the well-deserved core of the Party and has withstood the test of history, practice and struggle, the people’s leader who has won the heartfelt support and love of the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups and is the driving force behind China’s great rejuvenation. We must continue to learn to understand and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, comply with comprehensive systematic study, and deeply understand the core essence, spiritual essence, and rich connotation of this thought…” 思想上高度认同核心。思想是行动的先导。有思想上的高度认同，才有政治上的绝对忠诚、行动上的坚决维护。我们要不断加深对“两个确立”决定性意义的认识，切实把“两个确立”转化为坚决做到“两个维护”的思想自觉。我们要紧密联系党的十八大以来党和国家事业砥砺奋进的理论和实践，深入体悟习近平总书记作为马克思主义政治家、思想家、战略家的非凡理论勇气、卓越政治智慧、强烈使命担当，深入体悟习近平总书记“我将无我，不负人民”的赤子情怀，深刻认识习近平总书记是经过历史检验、实践考验、斗争历练的当之无愧的党的核心，是赢得全党全国各族人民衷心拥护爱戴的人民领袖，是实现中华民族伟大复兴的领路人。我们要进一步学懂弄通做实习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，坚持全面系统学、及时跟进学、深入思考学、联系实际学，深刻领会这一思想的核心要义、精神实质、丰富内涵、实践要求，深刻理解这一思想贯穿的马克思主义立场观点方法，深刻把握这一思想对共产党执政规律、社会主义建设规律、人类社会发展规律认识的深化，切实把思想和行动统一到习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想上来，更加自觉地用这一思想武装头脑、指导实践、推动工作。
The next paragraph calls for political loyalty. “The core of loyalty is not abstract but concrete, not conditional but unconditional. It must be single-minded, consistent, and it must be the same as the inside and outside, and there must be unity of knowledge and action.” 忠诚核心不是抽象的而是具体的，不是有条件的而是无条件的，必须一心一意、一以贯之，必须表里如一、知行合一. As long as we are politically determined to be loyal to the core and closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, we can unite our party into a ‘hard piece of steel’, and we can move forward with unity.”只要我们在政治上坚决忠诚核心，紧密团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，就能把我们党团结凝聚成“一块坚硬的钢铁”，心往一处想、劲往一处使，团结一致向前进。
The last paragraph is about action alignment. “We must follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and follow the command of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in all our actions. We must consciously and resolutely respond to what the CPC Central Committee advocates; implement what the CPC Central Committee decides; and reject what the CPC Central Committee prohibits – no discounting, no compromising and no flexibility.” 我们要坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，一切行动听从以习近平同志为核心的党中央指挥，自觉做到党中央提倡的坚决响应，党中央决定的坚决执行，党中央禁止的坚决不做，不讲条件、不打折扣、不搞变通.