Xi & Grassroots Healthcare - State Council Studies Xi's CCDI Speech - Self-Revolution - Domestic & Foreign Trade Integration - Xiao Yaqing on 2022 Agenda
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy from the Thursday, January 20, 2022, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: Let’s begin with another piece in the series about Xi’s engagements (shaking hands) with grassroots cadres. After reading through today’s piece, I also think that these articles serve dual functions. They establish Xi as a wise, in-touch-with-the-people, caring leader. But they also perhaps nudge grassroots cadres through model, case studies.
Anyway, this piece takes us back to Xi’s 2014 visit to Shiye Town in Dantu District of Zhenjiang in Jiangsu. The focus of the conversation is around Xi’s views on healthcare. Xi had then reportedly said that it was not possible to build a comprehensively well-off society if public health wasn’t taken care of. 总书记指出，没有全民健康，就没有全面小康.
In fact, the slogan, 没有全民健康，就没有全面小康 - “Méiyǒu quánmín jiànkāng, jiù méiyǒu quánmiàn xiǎokāng” has been put up on a board in the local health center for the past seven years, the report says. It adds that the health workers in the town have over the past seven years, kept in mind the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping.
Yuan Runzhi, who works at the radiology department, recalls that Xi “walked over briskly and shook my hand cordially. The general secretary’s hand was very warm and generous. As a grassroots medical worker, I feel very warm in my heart.” 袁润智说：“习近平总书记健步走来，亲切地握住我的手，总书记的手很温厚。作为基层医务人员，我心里感觉很温暖.” Yuan also recalls how he spoke to Xi about the radiology center’s remote link-up with a hospital in Zhenjiang for consultation.
The next chunk provides information to make the point that healthcare access and services have improved for people in the town. Then there’s another grassroots health worker called Wang Shengqin whom Xi met. Wang was just 26 then, and Xi asked him about his income and hours of work. This leads into a discussion about shortage of medical personnel, particularly in remote towns and villages.
It then says that “‘The town allocates 300,000 yuan every year for the construction and upgrading of health centers and personnel support.’ A relevant Shiye town official said that this is an unshakable, hard expenditure; the purpose is to care for medical workers, to create a good working environment for them.” “镇里每年都拿出30万元，用于卫生院建设升级和人员保障。”世业镇政府有关负责人说，这是一项雷打不动的硬支出，目的就是要关爱医务工作者，为他们创造良好工作环境.
There’s also interesting data in there about how over the past 7 years, the proportion of medical staff with a bachelor’s degree in the town has risen from 35% in 2014 to 76%, and the average annual income of the staff has increased from 61,800 yuan to 120,000 yuan. “我们卫生院的学习气氛越来越浓厚，活力前所未有。”院长胡小忠说，医务人员本科学历占比从2014年的35%升至76%，在编人员平均年收入从6.18万元提高到12万元，队伍越来越稳定.
Next, Xi’s message (English report) to Tonga’s King Tupou VI after that massive volcano eruption. Xi said that “China and Tonga are comprehensive strategic partners that support and help each other.” He added that “China is willing to provide support within its capacity to Tonga to help its people defeat the disaster and rebuild their homeland.” Li Keqiang also sent a message of condolence to Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni on Wednesday.
Third, there’s a commentary based on Xi Jinping’s speech at the CCDI plenary. The piece praises Xi’s speech as “far-sighted, broad in vision, profound in thought and rich in connotation. It was highly political, theoretical, instructive and targeted. It provided the basic guideline for the new great project of party building in the new era and is an action guide for the high-quality development of discipline inspection and supervision.” 习近平总书记的重要讲话立意高远、视野宏大、思想深邃、内涵丰富，具有很强的政治性、理论性、指导性、针对性，是推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程的基本遵循，是纪检监察工作高质量发展的行动指南.
The piece then emphasises the concept of self-revolution. It makes the point that while Mao had proposed democracy as the answer to the challenge of dynastic rise and fall, since the 18th Party Congress, a second answer has been provided: self-revolution. “Practice has fully proved that as long as we constantly remove all the factors that damage the Party’s advanced nature and purity and all the viruses that erode the healthy body of the Party, we will certainly be able to ensure that the Party will not deteriorate, change colour or flavour, and that the Party will always remain a strong leadership core in the historical process of adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.” 实践充分证明，只要我们不断清除一切损害党的先进性和纯洁性的因素，不断清除一切侵蚀党的健康肌体的病毒，就一定能够确保党不变质、不变色、不变味，确保党在新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的历史进程中始终成为坚强领导核心。
“The courage to carry out self-revolution is what distinguishes our Party from other political parties. The comprehensive and strict governance of the Party over the past 100 years has opened up a new realm of self-revolution for major parties. What has happened since the 18th Party Congress tells us that to comprehensively govern the Party with strict discipline and promote self-revolution, we must take Party political construction as the overarching principle and stick to the fundamental political direction of self-revolution. We must continue to regard ideological construction as the basic construction of the Party and refine the sharp ideological weapon of self-revolution. We must resolutely implement the CPC Central Committee's eight-point regulation and enrich self-revolution through strict discipline. We must continue to fight corruption, punish evil, and carry out the tough and protracted battle for self-revolution. We must continue to strengthen the political function of Party organizations and the cohesion of their organizational forces, and forge a contingent of officials who have the courage to struggle and undertake self-revolution. We must continue to build a system of rules and regulations for self-purification, self-perfection, self-innovation, and self-improvement to provide an institutional guarantee for advancing the great self-revolution. These six musts offer a profound summary for the Party’s successful practice of self-revolution in the new era…” 勇于自我革命是我们党区别于其他政党的显著标志，全面从严治党开辟了百年大党自我革命的新境界。党的十八大以来的实践告诉我们，全面从严治党、推进自我革命，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；必须坚持把思想建设作为党的基础性建设，淬炼自我革命锐利思想武器；必须坚决落实中央八项规定精神、以严明纪律整饬作风，丰富自我革命有效途径；必须坚持以雷霆之势反腐惩恶，打好自我革命攻坚战、持久战；必须坚持增强党组织政治功能和组织力凝聚力，锻造敢于善于斗争、勇于自我革命的干部队伍；必须坚持构建自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高的制度规范体系，为推进伟大自我革命提供制度保障. 这“六个必须”，是对新时代党的自我革命成功实践的深刻总结，是开辟百年大党自我革命新境界的奥秘所在，为我们在新的伟大征程上始终坚持自我革命、坚持不懈把全面从严治党向纵深推进指明了前进方向、明确了基本要求，要长期坚持、全面贯彻.
The piece ends with emphasising the need to unite around Xi as the core and strengthen the 4-4-2.
While we are on the subject, I thought this was also an interesting piece drawing from Xi’s CCDI speech.
Also on the page is a story about cadres’ “enthusiastic” responses to Xi’s speech. I like how this literally states the above commentary’s view on Xi’s speech. So apparently all the cadres also felt that Xi’s speech was “far-sighted, broad in vision, profound in thought and rich in connotation; highly political, theoretical, instructive and targeted; and it offers a basic guideline for the new great project of party building in the new era. 与会同志表示，总书记的重要讲话立意高远、思想深邃、内涵丰富，具有很强的政治性、指导性、针对性，是推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程的基本遵循，是纪检监察工作高质量发展的行动指南...
Moving on, there’s another commentary on the page. This one draws from Xi’s WEF speech. Xi says that Xi’s speech put forward a 四点倡议 - four-point initiative of peaceful coexistence, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation to deal with current global challenges and shape the post-pandemic world. These are basically straight from Xi’s speech. You can see my breakdown of the speech here.
Next a report about Li Keqiang leading a meeting of the State Council’s Party Committee to study the spirit of Xi’s speech at the CCDI plenary session. The key points that the report makes:
First, we must uphold the centralised, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and always maintain a high degree of alignment in terms of ideology, politics and action with the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. We will fulfil our primary responsibility to comprehensively govern the Party with strict discipline, consolidate and expand achievements in Party history study and education, and carry forward the Party’s glorious traditions and fine conduct. Party members and leading officials at all levels of the government must adhere to the principle of ‘one position, two responsibilities’, guide and urge the strengthening of Party building in the areas in their charge, be strict with themselves, strictly observe Party rules and discipline, and play a leading role.
Second, we should actively perform our duties and take the initiative. Grasp the new development stage, implement the new development concept, build a new development pattern, promote high-quality development, actively plan key tasks and effective measures to promote economic and social development, give full play to the entrepreneurial enthusiasm of cadres and officials at all levels of government system, and keep the economic operation in a reasonable range.
Third, we need to continue to advance reform in key areas and remove the root causes of rent-seeking and corruption. It adds that efforts should be made to transform government functions, improve administrative efficiency, reduce government-imposed transaction costs, develop a market-oriented, law-based and internationalised business environment, strengthen anti-monopoly work and prevent disorderly expansion of capital, solve problems concerning the people's wellbeing, and show zero tolerance toward violations and corruption to protect the people’s interests.
Fourth, pay special attention to implementing the eight-central regulations and combating the “four winds.” This paragraph also talks about tackling ostentatiousness, pretentiousness, formalism and bureaucracy; it talks about “advocating frugality and avoiding extravagance” and strict enforcement of financial discipline.
一要坚持党中央集中统一领导，始终在思想上政治上行动上同以习近平同志为核心的党中央保持高度一致。落实全面从严治党主体责任，巩固拓展党史学习教育成果，继承弘扬党的光荣传统和优良作风。政府系统各级党员领导干部要坚持“一岗双责”，指导督促分管领域加强党的建设，严格要求自己，严格遵守党规党纪，发挥带头表率作用。二要积极履职尽责、主动担当作为。把握新发展阶段、贯彻新发展理念、构建新发展格局、推动高质量发展，积极谋划推动经济社会发展的重点工作和有力有效举措，更好发挥政府系统各级干部干事创业积极性，保持经济运行在合理区间。保持平稳健康的经济环境、国泰民安的社会环境、风清气正的政治环境，迎接党的二十大胜利召开。三要持续推进重点领域改革，从源头上不断清除寻租和滋生腐败的土壤。进一步转变政府职能、提高行政效能，降低制度性交易成本，加快打造市场化法治化国际化营商环境。严格落实监管责任，强化反垄断和防止资本无序扩张，对直接关系人民群众生命财产安全、公共安全以及潜在风险大、社会风险高的领域实行重点监管，集中纠治教育医疗、养老社保、生态环保、安全生产、食品药品安全等领域群众反映强烈的突出问题，以零容忍的态度坚决惩治损害群众切身利益的违法违规行为和腐败问题。四要持之以恒抓好中央八项规定落实，锲而不舍纠“四风”树新风，尊重客观实际和群众需求，多做为民造福的实事好事，力戒形式主义、官僚主义，杜绝装样子、搞花架子，防止政策执行简单化、一刀切。坚持政府过紧日子，艰苦奋斗、倡俭戒奢。严肃财经纪律，不得违规建设楼堂馆所、政绩工程等，严禁盲目铺摊子，依法打击偷税漏税骗税等行为。
Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan, Hu Chunhua, Liu He, Wei Fenghe, Wang Yong, Xiao Jie and Zhao Kezhi attended, the report says.
Next, Han Zheng spoke at a meeting (English report) of the group on the promotion of the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. Han heads this group.
Page 2: A couple of reports to note. First, the weekly State Council meeting focussed on ensuring the supply of power and goods on the market during the 2022 Spring Festival holiday. The English report says that:
The meeting “urged efforts to make better use of the inter-department coordination mechanism concerning the supply of coal, electricity, oil, gas and transportation services, prioritise coal transportation, and boost new energy power generation through multiple channels. Business enterprises, e-commerce platforms and retailers will be encouraged to operate during the Spring Festival, and contingency plans should be made to ensure the smooth flow of major transportation networks and the supply of daily necessities.”
Also, the meeting decided that to assist “enterprises tide over difficulties and promote entrepreneurship and innovation, the meeting decided to extend another 11 preferential tax and fee policies to the end of 2023, covering sectors including science and technology, medical care and education. According to the meeting, value-added tax for incubation services in qualified incubators, university science and technology parks as well as marketplaces will be exempted, and certification requirements for science and technology start-ups will be further relaxed.”
The PD report also talks about exemptions for enterprises that employ veterans and self-employed veterans. It adds that agricultural products wholesale markets and farmers markets will be exempted from property tax and urban land use tax. Urban bus stations also are exempted from the land use tax. It also talks about tax exemptions for medical personnel and those involved in pandemic prevention work, housing-related tax exemptions for students and reduced pollution-related tax burden for enterprises.
Second, a report about Li Keqiang sending condolences to Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida over the passing of former PM Toshiki Kaifu.
Third, a report on the State Council’s new guidelines for the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade. The document calls for promoting “high-level convergence of domestic and foreign trade laws and regulations, supervision system, business qualifications, quality standards, inspection and quarantine, certification and accreditation; reducing the institutional costs to enterprises, improve their ability to make overall use of foreign and domestic markets and resources, promote the coordinated development of domestic trade and foreign trade, import and export, build a new development pattern for services, and realize a higher level of openness and higher quality development.” 促进内外贸法律法规、监管体制、经营资质、质量标准、检验检疫、认证认可等高水平衔接，降低企业市场转换的制度成本，提高统筹利用两个市场、两种资源的能力，促进内贸和外贸、进口和出口协调发展，服务构建新发展格局，实现更高水平开放和更高质量发展。
The guidelines put forward 15 work measures for improving the domestic and foreign trade integration system. GT has a good summary.
These include moving forward with relevant laws and regulations, developing a supervision system, and cultivating of professional trade talents while improving logistics networks and financial support. Other timely issues, like further improving the internal and external logistics network, are also noted, which include strengthening the construction of international air cargo capacity, enhancing the competitiveness of international shipping and promoting the high-quality development of China-Europe freight trains.
The GT report adds that the document “highlights the strengthening of anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition law enforcement and promoting fair competition, while cleaning up and correct unfair practices and hidden barriers such as local protectionism and industry monopolies.”
A couple of other reports that I am pointing out but not detailing. First, Wang Yong’s remarks during his inspection on preparation for the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games on Wednesday. Second, Zhao Kezhi’s comments at a meeting summarising the learnings and outcomes of the rectification campaign involving the public security officials.
Zhao specifically talked about deepening efforts to eliminate the influence of Sun Lijun’s political clique, and resolutely eliminate the political hidden dangers. 要进一步深入肃清孙力军政治团伙流毒影响，坚决清除政治隐患. He also talked about the need to intensify efforts to improve conduct, strengthen discipline, and fight corruption, and continue to tackle deep-rooted problems, and safeguard stability and security ahead of the 20th Party Congress.
Page 5: First, there’s a piece by Jia Yu, the procurator-general of the People’s Procuratorate of Zhejiang Province. He writes about the procuratorate’s role in ensuring the development of the common prosperity demonstration zone.
He argues that Zhejiang’s procuratorial organs have played an active role in promoting the normalization of the fight against criminal gangs, protecting the functioning of market entities. He specifically talks about dealing with telecom and cyber crimes, protecting intellectual property rights in accordance with the law, and carrying forward the ‘Fengqiao experience’ to resolve conflicts among the masses. He adds that Zhejiang is home to a large number of private enterprises and there has been an effort to protect their “legitimate rights and interests” in accordance with the law in order to “create a world-class, law-based business environment.” He explains that procuratorial organs are “striving to create more legal products and supervision products compatible with high-quality development and construction of common prosperity demonstration zone…”
He also talks about the use of big data and blockchain technology to ensure better supervision and collaborative effort between security and judicial organs in order to “further improve the judicial quality and efficiency and better safeguard the fundamental interests of the people.”
Next, there’s the third and the final piece in the series of commentaries around historical confidence. In a nutshell, the piece talks about drawing from history to enhance unity and the spirit of struggle, given that the challenges ahead on the road to the next century goal will be difficult, and the tasks ahead will be onerous and arduous. It adds that in saying this, it is important to also keep in mind that “time and momentum are on our side.”
It adds:
We must grasp the historical characteristics of the new great struggle, sum up and make good use of the great experience of struggle accumulated by the Party, adhere to the bottom line thinking, enhance the sense of urgency, carry forward the spirit of struggle spirit, master the strategy of struggle, practice the skills of struggle, maintain a spirit of fearlessness amid difficulties and dangers, and push forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. 我们必须把握新的伟大斗争的历史特点，总结运用好党积累的伟大斗争经验，坚持底线思维，增强忧患意识，发扬斗争精神，掌握斗争策略，练就斗争本领，保持越是艰险越向前的大无畏气概，做到难不住、压不垮，推动中国特色社会主义事业航船劈波斩浪、一往无前.
Page 9: On the theory page, the lead piece is by Xiao Yaqing, Minister of Industry and Information Technology. My colleague Swayamsiddha Samal worked out the translation for this. I’m drawing on her work to do a break down.
In the first section, Xiao talks about the achievements of 2021:
“The added value of enterprises above designated size grew by 9.6% year-on-year and by an average of 6.1% over a period of two years. From January to November, profits of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 38.0 percent year-on-year, with a two-year average growth of 18.9 percent. The manufacturing industry's added value accounted for 27.4 percent of the gross domestic product for the entire year, up 1.1 percentage points from the previous year. The industrial chain’s resilience has been increased; new technical breakthroughs in fundamental and critical sectors have been achieved; container output has doubled; and the global competitiveness of photovoltaics, wind power, ship-building and other industrial chains has been boosted. Crude steel output has been lowered by more than 20 million tonnes per year. The importance of high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacture as a driving force has been bolstered. The industrial industry's digital and green transition has accelerated…” 全年规模以上工业增加值同比增长9.6%，两年平均增长6.1%；1—11月，规模以上工业企业实现利润同比增长38.0%，两年平均增长18.9%。全年制造业增加值占国内生产总值（GDP）比重达到27.4%，同比提高1.1个百分点。产业链韧性得到提升，基础和关键领域技术攻关取得新进展，集装箱产量成倍增长，光伏、风电、船舶等产业链国际竞争力进一步增强。产业结构持续优化，全年压减粗钢产量超过2000万吨，高技术制造业和装备制造业带动作用增强，制造业数字化绿色化转型加快，信息通信服务能力明显提升，中小企业纾困解难力度加大，专精特新发展步伐加快.
He then says that the external environment is becoming “more complex, grim and uncertain” and with the triple pressure of “demand contraction, supply shock and weakening expectations,” the difficulties and challenges facing the development of industry have intensified significantly. Amid all this, there’s the pandemic that continues to rage, “international competition in the manufacturing industry is becoming intense, raw material prices continue to rise, the security and stability of the industrial and supply chains face increasing challenges, and supply and demand are constrained.” Despite all this, he argues that the fundamentals of China’s industrial economy remain strong. He adds that “the industry’s sustained expansion, transformation, and upgrading are supported by a solid foundation and a number of favourable conditions.”
However, in saying this, he cautions that “we must fully grasp the significance and urgency of stabilising the industrial economy, as well as the risks and challenges posed by the complex and severe situation, and effectively unite our thoughts and actions in the analysis, judgement, decision-making, and deployment of the situation by the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, and maintain strategic determination, firm confidence, and determination…” 我们要深刻认识稳定工业经济的重要性紧迫性，深刻认识复杂严峻形势带来的风险挑战，切实把思想和行动统一到以习近平同志为核心的党中央对形势的分析判断和决策部署上来，保持战略定力，坚定信心决心，一项一项抓好落实，全力推进工业经济平稳增长，充分发挥工业在稳定宏观经济大盘中的“压舱石”作用.
In the next section, Xiao talks about the smooth operation and upgrading of the industrial economy. In this regard, he reiterates the call from the CEWC to maintain stability while making progress. He emphasises supply side reform along with the strengthening of the industrial chain, making technological breakthroughs, digital transformation, and pursuing green and low-carbon development, as well as to encourage the smooth operation and quality upgrade of the industrial economy, maintain the manufacturing industry’s proportion in the economy, and improve the manufacturing industry’s core competitiveness. 在稳的前提下在重点领域和关键环节积极进取，紧紧扭住供给侧结构性改革这条主线，统筹推进强链补链、技术攻关、数字化转型和绿色低碳发展，促进工业经济平稳运行和提质升级，保持制造业比重基本稳定，提升制造业核心竞争力，为保持经济运行在合理区间提供有力支撑.
He further adds:
Remove key product supply bottlenecks as quickly as possible, strengthen the link between bulk raw material supply and demand, prioritise making sure the stable production of enterprises such as basic industrial products, important household goods, agricultural materials, and fertilisers, concentrate on resolving chip shortages in the automotive and other fields, and unblock supply channels for key parts and components.
Vigorously boost investment in the manufacturing sector, encourage and support enterprises to strengthen technological upgrading, guide financial institutions to increase medium - and long-term loans in the manufacturing sector, and ensure the implementation of major projects during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.
Actively expand consumer demand; implement the strategy of increasing variety of products, improving quality, and creating brands; promote consumption of new-energy vehicles, and speed up the application and promotion of virtual reality and ultra-high-definition video.
Increase assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises
尽快打通重点产品供给堵点卡点，加强大宗原材料供需对接，优先保障基础工业产品、重要生活物资、农资化肥等企业稳定生产，集中力量解决汽车等领域芯片短缺问题，畅通关键零部件供应渠道。大力提振制造业投资，鼓励支持企业加强技术改造，引导金融机构增加制造业中长期贷款，抓好“十四五”重大工程和项目实施。积极扩大消费需求，深入实施增品种、提品质、创品牌“三品”战略，促进新能源汽车消费，加快虚拟现实、超高清视频等应用推广。加大对中小企业的纾困帮扶，推动支持政策落地见效，大力度治理恶意拖欠账款问题。
Xiao then talks about enhancing supply chain resilience by supporting upstream and downstream enterprises; he talks about supporting development of “medical equipment, agricultural machinery equipment, and novel materials…focus on increasing the supply of key common technologies and improving the innovation model of collaboration between enterprises, universities, research institutes and users. Implement a specific action for advanced manufacturing cluster development…Establish the first batch of national pilot zones for high-quality development of the manufacturing industry…
The next paragraph talks about digital transformation of manufacturing and focussing on expanding intelligent manufacturing and promoting the development and application of intelligent manufacturing standards. This is followed by focussing on green transformation.
“Implement green and low-carbon transformation actions in the manufacturing sector, as well as the carbon-peaking plans for non-ferrous metals, building materials, petrochemicals, and steel industries, as well as release a guideline for green and low-carbon technological transformation in key industries and launch a batch of green and low-carbon technologies…Continue to consolidate overcapacity reduction outcomes, tightly ban new production capacity in steel, electrolytic aluminium, cement, flat glass, and other industries, and firmly prevent the construction of ‘two high’ projects.” 实施制造业绿色低碳转型行动，落实工业领域碳达峰实施方案和有色金属、建材、石化化工、钢铁行业碳达峰方案，发布重点行业绿色低碳技术改造导向目录，启动一批绿色低碳技术改造项目，组织开展绿色低碳技术和产品示范应用。持续巩固去产能成果，严禁钢铁、电解铝、水泥、平板玻璃等行业新增产能，坚决遏制“两高”项目盲目发展。
In the final section, he begins by saying that “enterprises are the ‘power source,’ and industry is the ‘ballast stone’ of the economy. And then, Xiao makes three big points:
Government will support the manufacturing industry through tax and financial policies, along with improving services, ensuring and coordinating supplies of energy, logistics, labour, and other factors.
Policies will “promote the reform of market-based factor allocation, encourage the independent and orderly flow of factors, enhance factor allocation efficiency, direct technology, capital, talents, and other resource factors to the real economy, particularly the manufacturing industry…”
Policies will “promote all-round opening-up in the manufacturing sector, implement the 2021 negative list for foreign investment, and remove restrictions on foreign ownership and ownership in passenger car manufacturing. We will ensure the implementation of major foreign investment projects and provide services to key foreign enterprises, and support foreign enterprises in increasing investment in mid- and high-end manufacturing and R&D centers. Accelerate the establishment of mechanisms for the transfer and commercialization of advanced technological achievements and promote the commercialization of international innovation resources.” In addition, he calls to leverage the International Forum on Resilience and Stability of Industrial Chains and Supply Chains and the BRICS Forum on Industrial Internet and Digital Manufacturing Development to deepen international cooperation on industrial and supply chains and the digital economy.
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On the international page, this exchange from yesterday’s MoFA briefing has been published:
MASTV: According to reports, China has granted visas to 46 US government officials to work in China during the Beijing Winter Olympics. Most of them are from the Department of State. Can you confirm that? Do you think the US visa applications for these officials are contradictory to its earlier claim that it would not send official or diplomatic representation to the Games?
Zhao Lijian: I can confirm that the Chinese side has granted visas to some members of the US team composed of government officials. The US delegation for the Beijing Winter Olympics comprises a large number of government officials, including those from the Department of State, and many of them hold diplomatic or service passports. We hope the US side will earnestly follow the Olympic spirit and work together with the Chinese side to create sound atmosphere for all athletes’ participation in Beijing 2022. On your question whether the US visa applications for its diplomats and officials contradict its previous claim of not sending official or diplomatic representation to the Beijing Winter Olympics, I suggest you ask the US side.
Also, although not in PD, I thought this bit about Slovenia and Taiwan was interesting.
AFP: Slovenia’s Prime Minister has announced that the country is preparing for an exchange of representatives with Taiwan. How does Beijing view this?
Zhao Lijian: The Chinese side is shocked by and strongly opposes the dangerous remarks by the Slovenian leader who flagrantly challenged the one-China principle and voiced support for “Taiwan independence”. There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The PRC government is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The one-China principle is a universally-recognized norm governing international relations and common consensus of the international community. It is also the political foundation of China-Slovenia and China-EU relations. China must be and will be reunified. Nobody should underestimate the Chinese people’s strong resolution, will and capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.