Xi Defines Deng's Legacy - Li Qiang's Belarus Visit - China-Bhutan Boundary Talks - Guideline on Improving Market Access System - The Curious Case of Hu Taking Mo & a Tech Firm to Court

Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People's Daily’s edition on Friday, August 23, 2024.

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Page 1: Today’s front page is largely dedicated to a report on Xi Jinping’s remarks at the event marking Deng Xiaoping’s 120th birth anniversary. 

Xi said that Deng was “an outstanding leader with high prestige, who was recognized by the entire Party, the military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the nation. Deng was a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist, and diplomat. He was a time-tested communist fighter, the core of the Party’s second generation central leadership, the chief architect of China’s socialist reform and opening up and modernization construction, the pioneer of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the primary founder of Deng Xiaoping Theory, and a great internationalist who made significant contributions to world peace and development. His outstanding contributions to the Party, the people, the country, the nation, and the world have left an indelible mark in history, inspiring future generations.” 他强调，邓小平同志是全党全军全国各族人民公认的享有崇高威望的卓越领导人，伟大的马克思主义者，伟大的无产阶级革命家、政治家、军事家、外交家，久经考验的共产主义战士，党的第二代中央领导集体的核心，中国社会主义改革开放和现代化建设的总设计师，中国特色社会主义道路的开创者，邓小平理论的主要创立者，为世界和平和发展作出重大贡献的伟大国际主义者。他对党、对人民、对国家、对民族、对世界作出了突出贡献，功勋彪炳史册、永励后人.

The report adds that in his speech, Xi lauded the “outstanding contributions to the cause of national independence and people’s liberation led by the Party and the establishment of New China, and carried out fruitful work for the establishment of the socialist system and socialist development. After the end of the ‘Cultural Revolution’, as the core of the Party’s second-generation central leadership, he led the Party and the people in achieving a great historical turning point, promoted a new leap in the sinicization of Marxism, opened up a new phase of socialist modernization, established the correct path for achieving the complete reunification of the motherland, firmly defended the glorious banner of socialism, and successfully pioneered socialism with Chinese characteristics.” 习近平在讲话中指出，邓小平同志的一生，是光辉的一生、战斗的一生、伟大的一生。他为党领导的民族独立和人民解放事业、建立新中国作出卓越贡献，为社会主义制度建立和社会主义建设开展了卓有成效的工作。“文化大革命”结束后，他作为党的第二代中央领导集体的核心，带领党和人民实现了伟大历史转折，推动实现了马克思主义中国化新的飞跃，开辟了社会主义现代化建设新局面，确立了实现祖国完全统一的正确路径，坚定捍卫了光辉的社会主义旗帜，成功开创中国特色社会主义.

‘Xi Jinping emphasised that Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s historical achievements are comprehensive and pioneering, and their impact on China and the world is profound and long-term. His lifelong struggle fully demonstrated a lofty character of unshakable faith in the ideals of communism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, his great love for the people, his theoretical quality of always adhering to seeking truth from facts, his political courage to constantly pioneering and innovating, his far-sighted strategic thinking, and his broad-minded and selfless character. We will always remember his great historical achievements, and we will forever admire his noble revolutionary spirit.” 习近平强调，邓小平同志的历史功勋是全方位的、开创性的，对中国和世界的影响是深刻的、长远的。他一生的奋斗历程，充分展现了对共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义信念无比坚定的崇高品格、对人民无比热爱的伟大情怀、始终坚持实事求是的理论品质、不断开拓创新的政治勇气、高瞻远瞩的战略思维、坦荡无私的博大胸襟。他的伟大历史功勋，我们永远铭记；他的崇高革命风范，我们永远敬仰.

“Xi Jinping pointed out that the most important ideological legacy left to us by Comrade Deng Xiaoping is the Deng Xiaoping Theory, of which he was the primary founder. Deng Xiaoping Theory is a significant milestone in the sinicization and modernization of Marxism. In the new era and on the new journey, we must continue to deeply study and apply Deng Xiaoping Theory, fully and accurately understand its scientific essence and core principles. We must adhere to the major conclusions, basic viewpoints, and correct propositions that Deng Xiaoping made based on the understanding of the laws of socialism, while also skillfully adapting to changing circumstances, accurately grasping the essence and substance of the theory according to the ever-changing situation, so as to solve practical problems and adhere to the truth without wavering and guide practice without deviation. It is necessary to adhere to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of ‘Three Represents’ and the Scientific Outlook on Development, comprehensively implement the Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, always adhere to Marxism as the soul/spiritual bloodline and the excellent traditional Chinese culture as the root/foundation, be good at learning from and absorbing all the excellent achievements of human civilization, constantly explore the truth, deeply study the practical problems of promoting Chinese-style modernization, profoundly answer the questions of China, the world, the people and the times, and continue to promote the modernization of Marxism in China, so that contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st century Marxism shines with a brighter light of truth.” 习近平指出，邓小平同志留给我们最重要的思想财富，就是以他为主创立的邓小平理论。邓小平理论是马克思主义中国化时代化的重要里程碑。新时代新征程，我们必须继续深入学习运用邓小平理论，完整、准确理解它的科学内涵、核心要义，既坚持邓小平同志基于社会主义规律性认识提出的重大结论、基本观点、正确主张，又善于根据不断变化的情况，正确把握理论的精髓和实质，用以解决现实问题，做到坚持真理不动摇、指导实践不偏离。要始终坚持马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观，全面贯彻新时代中国特色社会主义思想，始终坚守马克思主义这个魂脉、中华优秀传统文化这个根脉，善于借鉴吸收人类社会一切优秀文明成果，不断探索真理，深入研究推进中国式现代化的实际问题，深刻回答中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问，继续推进马克思主义中国化时代化，让当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义闪耀出更加璀璨的真理光芒.

“Xi Jinping stressed that the best way to commemorate Comrade Deng Xiaoping is to continue to push forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics that he pioneered.We must firmly focus on the central task of advancing the construction of a strong country and the great rejuvenation of the nation through Chinese-style modernization, building on past achievements and striving forward. We need to adhere to maintaining integrity while pursuing innovation, further deepening comprehensive reform, and continuously providing strong momentum and institutional guarantees for Chinese-style modernization. We must prioritise high-quality development as our primary task, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and coordinate the promotion of the ‘Five-Sphere Integrated Plan’ and the ‘Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy’. This involves accelerating the construction of a modern economic system, advancing high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, vigorously developing advanced socialist culture, and fostering a harmonious relationship between material and spiritual civilization and between humanity and nature. We must uphold the principle of putting people first, develop whole-process people's democracy, build a higher level of rule of law in China, adhere to the protection and improvement of people’s livelihood in development, and promote the common prosperity of all people to continuously make more obvious and substantial progress. We must promote high-level opening up to the outside world, steadily expand institutional opening up, promote high-quality development of the joint construction of BRI, coordinate opening up and security, and safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. We must unswervingly promote comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, improve the system of comprehensive and strict Party governance, resolutely win the tough and protracted battle against corruption, ensure that the Party will never degenerate, change colour or flavour, and always be the strong leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. 习近平强调，对邓小平同志最好的纪念，就是把他开创的中国特色社会主义事业继续推向前进。我们要紧紧围绕以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业这个中心任务，继往开来，奋发进取。要坚持守正创新，进一步全面深化改革，不断为中国式现代化提供强劲动力和制度保障。要紧紧抓住高质量发展这个首要任务，完整准确全面贯彻新发展理念，统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，加快建设现代化经济体系，推进高水平科技自立自强，大力发展社会主义先进文化，形成物质文明和精神文明相协调、人与自然和谐共生的良好局面。要坚持人民至上，发展全过程人民民主，建设更高水平的法治中国，坚持在发展中保障和改善民生，推动全体人民共同富裕不断取得更为明显的实质性进展。要推进高水平对外开放，稳步扩大制度型开放，推动共建“一带一路”高质量发展，统筹开放和安全，维护国家主权、安全、发展利益。要坚定不移推进全面从严治党，健全全面从严治党体系，坚决打赢反腐败斗争攻坚战持久战，确保党永远不变质不变色不变味，始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心.

“Xi Jinping pointed out that achieving complete reunification of the motherland is the long-cherished desire of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and other older generation revolutionaries, the common aspiration of the Chinese people at home and abroad, and an unstoppable historical trend. We must continue to fully, accurately, and unwaveringly implement the principles of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, ‘Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong’, and ‘Macao people governing Macao’, with a high degree of autonomy, support and promote Hong Kong and Macao to further integrate into the overall national development and achieve better development. We must resolutely implement the Party’s overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue in the new era, uphold the One China principle and the ‘1992 Consensus’, promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, and firmly oppose ‘Taiwan independence’, defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.” 习近平指出，实现祖国完全统一，是毛泽东、邓小平等老一辈革命家的夙愿，是海内外中华儿女的共同心愿，也是不可阻挡的历史潮流。我们要继续全面准确、坚定不移贯彻“一国两制”、“港人治港”、“澳人治澳”、高度自治的方针，支持和推动香港、澳门进一步融入国家发展大局、实现更好发展。我们要坚定不移贯彻新时代党解决台湾问题的总体方略，坚持一个中国原则和“九二共识”，推动两岸关系和平发展，坚定不移反对“台独”、捍卫国家主权和领土完整。

“Xi Jinping emphasised that China is a strong force for maintaining world peace. We must always uphold the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. We should champion the common values of all humanity, implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, actively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system, and continuously offer new opportunities to the world through the new progress of Chinese-style modernization.” 习近平强调，中国是维护世界和平的坚定力量。我们要始终高举和平、发展、合作、共赢旗帜，推动构建人类命运共同体，弘扬全人类共同价值，落实全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议，积极参与全球治理体系改革和建设，不断以中国式现代化新进展为世界提供新机遇.

Cai Qi then spoke, praising Xi’s speech about Deng. He termed it “insightful and profound, with strong political, ideological and guiding significance”, while calling on everyone to study it.

Among the others who spoke at the event were:

• Qu Qingshan, head of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee.

• Miao Hua, member of the CMC and Director of the Political Work Department of the CMC

• Wang Xiaohui, Party Secretary of Sichuan Province

The full text of Xi’s speech is available on Page 2. There is a lot of history that Xi covers in the speech. I am sharing below some key excerpts along with my takeaway:"

My Brief View: This speech is an excellent example of a leader interpreting the past, and the legacy of a predecessor, to suit the present. And in doing so, Xi makes the point that his interpretation is holistic, when it is rather selective. Xi’s remark about the danger of “principled and directional errors” is interesting in that it hints at discontent within the Party. Anyway, when it comes to selectiveness, there is absolutely no reference to Deng’s emphasis on collective leadership. In fact, Xi leverages Deng’s legacy to make the case for centralisation of authority and the importance of a strong core. Moreover, Xi stresses Deng’s theoretical contributions, with the narrative around this is also being very carefully calibrated to highlight policy continuity and place the current policy direction as directly flowing from Deng’s approach. For instance, Xi credits Deng with calling on the country to take the path of Chinese-style modernization. But it is Xi who has defined today what Chinese-style modernization entails. Likewise, see the paragraph below on Tiananmen, the choice of content is tailored also to legitimise the current approach of political tightening under Xi. There were other aspects of the post-1989 policies, such as easing of economic control through the 1990s and early 2000s, which are ignored in Xi’s remarks. 

“In the spring and summer of 1989, amid the backdrop of the Soviet Union’s dissolution and dramatic changes in Eastern Europe, China experienced a severe political turmoil. At this critical moment, Comrade Deng Xiaoping led the Party and the people in firmly opposing the chaos, resolutely defending the socialist state power, and ensuring that the Party and the country withstood a severe test of turbulent storms. Subsequently, he deeply reflected on the lessons learned during the process of reform and opening up, emphasising the need to focus on strengthening Party building, enhancing ideological and political work and education on fine traditions, improve the Party’s leadership level and governing ability, and ensure the stability of the red country.” 邓小平同志坚定捍卫了光辉的社会主义旗帜。在改革开放进程中，他始终旗帜鲜明反对搞资产阶级自由化。在苏联解体、东欧剧变大背景下，1989年春夏之交我国发生严重政治风波。危急时刻，邓小平同志领导党和人民旗帜鲜明反对动乱，坚决捍卫社会主义国家政权，使党和国家经受住了险风恶浪的严峻考验。之后，他深刻总结改革开放进程中的经验教训，强调要聚精会神抓党的建设，加强思想政治工作和优良传统教育，使党的领导水平和执政能力得到提高，确保了红色江山稳固.

Also check out this paragraph from Xi’s speech:

In the new era and on the new journey, we must continue to deeply study and apply Deng Xiaoping Theory, fully and accurately understanding its scientific essence and core essence. 

• For example, Comrade Deng Xiaoping emphasized that the Party's basic line should guide us for a hundred years, and that it is necessary to unify around adhering to the economic construction as the center, adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles, and adhere to reform and opening up throughout the entire process of socialist modernization.

• Emancipating the mind means seeking truth from facts, aligning thoughts with reality, and ensuring that the subjective conforms to the objective.

• Deepening the reform of the Party and state leadership system is not about changing the socialist system or weakening the Party’s leadership, but rather about better showcasing the advantages of the socialist system and strengthening and improving the Party’s leadership.

• Democratic centralism is the most convenient and most reasonable system. We should vigorously promote intra-party democracy and people’s democracy, while at the same time maintaining correct centralization. The whole Party must have a core; the Party Central Committee must have authority.

• Both planning and markets are economic tools. As long as they contribute to the development of productive forces, they can be utilized.

• We must uphold independence and self-reliance; at the same time cannot close the door and be isolated or be blindly xenophobic/anti-foreign influence. Instead, we must implement opening up to the outside world.

• It is necessary to encourage some regions and individuals to become rich and prosperous first; let those who become rich first help others to become rich later, ultimately realizing common prosperity for all, without permitting polarization.

• We must adhere to the dual focus on material and spiritual civilization, ensuring both are strengthened.

• We should take bold and steady steps in pursuing reform, carefully managing the relationship between reform, development, and stability, with stability being the top priority.

• The key to successfully managing China's affairs lies in the Party, which must simultaneously promote reform and opening up while fighting corruption.

These important thoughts and assessments are filled with materialist dialectics, reflecting a broad perspective and strategic vision. They grasp the main contradictions and key aspects of issues, highlighting the distinctive style and unique appeal of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Only by understanding these important ideas and conclusions within the historical background, focusing on an overall and dialectical understanding, knowing both the meaning and the reasoning behind it, understanding not only what is true but also why it is true, can one correctly apply them to guide practice. If we focus on one aspect at the expense of another or place too much emphasis on one while neglecting others, it can lead to deviations in practice, or even to principled and directional errors (原则性、方向性错误). Our Party has experienced such lessons in history, and we must learn from them deeply.” 新时代新征程，我们必须继续深入学习运用邓小平理论，完整、准确理解它的科学内涵、核心要义。比如，邓小平同志强调，党的基本路线要管一百年，要把坚持以经济建设为中心、坚持四项基本原则、坚持改革开放统一于社会主义现代化建设全过程；解放思想就是实事求是，使思想和实际相符合，使主观和客观相符合；深化党和国家领导制度改革，不是要改变社会主义制度、削弱党的领导，而是要更好彰显社会主义制度优势、加强和改善党的领导；民主集中制是最便利、最合理的制度，要大力发扬党内民主和人民民主，同时要有正确的集中，全党要有核心、党中央要有权威；计划和市场都是经济手段，只要对发展生产力有好处，就可以利用；要坚持独立自主、自力更生，同时不能闭关自守、盲目排外，要实行对外开放；要鼓励一部分地区、一部分人先富裕起来，以先富带后富，最终实现全体人民共同富裕，不能搞两极分化；要坚持物质文明和精神文明两手抓、两手都要硬；搞改革胆子要大、步子要稳，要处理好改革、发展、稳定的关系，稳定压倒一切；办好中国的事情关键在党，要一手抓改革开放，一手抓惩治腐败。这些重要思想和论断充满唯物辩证法，体现了全局视野和战略眼光，抓住了事物的主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，彰显了邓小平理论的鲜明风格和独特魅力。对这些重要思想和论断，只有结合历史背景，注重整体把握、辩证把握，知其义又明其理，知其然又知其所以然，才能正确用以指导实践。如果顾此失彼、畸轻畸重，就容易导致实践偏差，甚至犯原则性、方向性错误。历史上我们党有过这样的教训，我们一定要深刻汲取。

Finally, I’d like to highlight the paragraph on common prosperity.

We must uphold the principle of putting people first and steadfastly advance common prosperity. It is necessary to develop whole-process people’s democracy, build a higher level of rule of law in China, and continuously improve the social equity guarantee system with fair rights, fair opportunities and fair rules as the main content, so as to fully stimulate the historical initiative and creative spirit of all people. It is necessary to ensure and improve people’s livelihoods through development, enhance the basic public service system, and work to narrow the urban-rural gap, regional gap, and income gap, striving for more significant and substantive progress in achieving common prosperity for all. 要坚持人民至上，扎实推进共同富裕。我们要发展全过程人民民主，建设更高水平的法治中国，不断健全以权利公平、机会公平、规则公平为主要内容的社会公平保障体系，充分激发全体人民的历史主动和历史创造精神。要坚持在发展中保障和改善民生，健全基本公共服务体系，努力缩小城乡差距、地区差距、收入差距，推动全体人民共同富裕不断取得更为明显的实质性进展.

Back to the front page, there’s a report on Li Qiang’s meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Xinhua says:

“Li said that China-Belarus relations, regardless of how the international situation changes, have always shown vigor and vitality since the establishment of diplomatic ties 32 years ago. The two sides adhere to mutual benefit and common development, and their practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results and brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, Li noted, pointing out that the two heads of state met in Astana this July and made strategic arrangements on deepening bilateral relations. China is willing to work with Belarus to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, continuously consolidate political mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and push for the high-level development of the China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership to better benefit the two peoples, Li said. Noting that China will continue to firmly support Belarus in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, Li said that China stands ready to further synergize development strategies with Belarus, solidly advance cooperation in various fields, steadily expand trade scale, effectively implement projects such as the China-Belarus Industrial Park, and continuously deepen people-to-people exchanges. Li also said that China is willing to further strengthen multilateral cooperation with Belarus, jointly promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, promote the development of the global governance system towards a more just and reasonable direction, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.”

Page 2: There’s a report discussing the key elements of the new Guideline on Improving the Market Access System. The officials inform that the guideline proposes to ‘improve the negative list management model for market access’. 　　The negative list system for market access has been fully implemented in China since 2018. So far, the negative list for market access has been revised three times, and the number of items on the negative list for market access has been reduced from 151 in 2018 to 117 currently, with the number of prohibited licensing items reduced by about 23%.

The guideline also calls to “comprehensively carry out market access efficiency evaluation” and “investigate local violations of the market access system, and rectify each violation found.”

The document proposes a focus on 10 new business forms and domains, including deep sea, aerospace, aviation, life and health, new energy, artificial intelligence, autonomous and trusted computing, information security, smart rail transit, and modern seed industry. I’ll cover the full point on this from the guideline document.

“According to the principles and paths of standard-driven leadership, open scenarios, market promotion, industrial clustering, and system upgrading, formulate and implement optimization plans for market environments in various fields to drive innovative allocation of production factors and improve entry efficiency. Make good use of innovative platforms such as the advanced technology application promotion center and various scientific and technological achievements transformation, smoothen the industrial system, innovation resources, capital, application scenarios, institutional policies, etc., and accelerate the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions. Implement the market access environment construction action for the application and transformation of innovative achievements in cutting-edge technology fields, take the lead in promoting the application and standard construction of intelligent unmanned systems across the maritime, land, and air domains, accelerate the construction of access policy systems in fields such as green energy, and actively expand market access for digital products. Select fields such as electronic information, computer science, deep sea, aerospace, new energy, new materials, biomedicine, quantum technology, and modern seed industry, and encourage key enterprises, research institutions and other innovation units and relevant localities to establish a global cutting-edge scientific research collaborative model in related fields, actively participate in the formulation of international market access rules and standards, and promote the convenient and efficient application of innovative achievements in key areas.” 优化新业态新领域市场准入环境。聚焦深海、航天、航空、生命健康、新型能源、人工智能、自主可信计算、信息安全、智慧轨道交通、现代种业等新业态新领域，按照标准引领、场景开放、市场推动、产业聚集、体系升级的原则和路径，分领域制定优化市场环境实施方案，推动生产要素创新性配置，提高准入效率。用好先进技术应用推进中心和各类科技成果转化等创新平台，畅通产业体系、创新资源、资本要素、应用场景、制度政策等，因地制宜加快发展新质生产力。实施前沿技术领域创新成果应用转化市场准入环境建设行动，率先推动海陆空全空间智能无人体系应用和标准建设，加快构建绿色能源等领域准入政策体系，积极扩大数字产品市场准入。选取电子信息、计算科学、深海、航空航天、新能源、新材料、生物医药、量子科技、现代种业等领域，推动重点企业、研究机构等创新单元和有关地方建立相关领域全球前沿科学研究协同模式，积极参与国际市场准入规则和标准制定，推动重点领域创新成果便捷高效应用,

Finally, the document also calls to ease restrictions on market access in the service industry. It says:

In the service industry, fields that are not related to national security or social stability, and where market competition can sufficiently improve supply quality, remove access restrictions progressively. For fields such as education, health, and sports that involve important livelihood areas, steadily relax restrictions on access, and optimize access standards for elderly care, childcare, and assistance for the disabled. Remove unreasonable access restrictions for service industry operators, eliminate administrative barriers for cross-regional operations, and relax requirements related to qualifications, equity ratios, registered capital, personnel, business premises, and scope of operations for service industry operators, and do not set up access barriers in areas such as environmental protection, health, security, quality inspection, and fire safety. Promote the online public handling of intermediary services related to market access. 有序放宽服务业准入限制。对不涉及国家安全、社会稳定，可以依靠市场充分竞争提升供给质量的服务业行业领域逐步取消准入限制。对涉及重要民生领域的教育、卫生、体育等行业，稳妥放宽准入限制，优化养老、托育、助残等行业准入标准。清理不合理的服务业经营主体准入限制，破除跨地区经营行政壁垒，放宽服务业经营主体从事经营活动的资质、股权比例、注册资金、从业人员、营业场所、经营范围等要求，不得在环保、卫生、安保、质检、消防等领域违规设置准入障碍。推动市场准入相关中介服务事项网上公开办理.

Page 3: There’s a report on Li Qiang’s meeting with Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko. Xinhua says:

“The two countries have continuously consolidated political mutual trust and deepened mutually beneficial cooperation, Li said, adding that China is ready to work with Belarus to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, firmly support each other in safeguarding their core interests, unswervingly be each other’s true friend and good partner, maintain the sound and steady development of bilateral relations at a high level, deepen cooperation in various fields and better promote each other's modernization drive. Li pointed out that China is willing to give full play to the role of the intergovernmental cooperation committee between the two countries, strengthen the docking of development strategies, jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality, further tap the cooperation potential in trade and investment, digital economy and green development, and expand people-to-people exchanges in education, culture and tourism. China is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with Belarus in the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other multilateral mechanisms, actively implement the three global initiatives, promote the practice of the genuine multilateralism, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.”

The report adds: “Li and Golovchenko jointly announced the official launch of the China-Belarus years of science and technology innovation from 2024 to 2025 and the establishment of the China-Belarus basic science research center and the Chinese book center of the National Library of Belarus. Following the talks, the two leaders signed a joint communique between the two governments, witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents on Belt and Road cooperation, service trade and investment, green development, science and technology, culture and local affairs.”

The joint communique between China and Belarus is also published on the page. Both sides expressed alignment on core interests; Belarus committed to the one-China principle.

Key excerpts of the important domains of cooperation by 2030.

• Both sides welcomed the Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Belarus. They committed to take practical measures to create a more open, transparent and convenient business environment for bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

• They agreed to promote mutual recognition of standards and conformity assessment of foreign trade products and avoid repeated inspections and tests

• They promised to make good use of important exhibition platforms to boost trade.

• Both sides will jointly promote the high-quality development of the China-Belarus Industrial Park, improve operating conditions, and ensure the high-quality development of priority industries in the industrial park.

• Both sides will expand inter-bank credit and financial cooperation and expand bilateral financial cooperation channels. They hope to increase the proportion of local currency used in bilateral trade, investment, credit and other economic transactions, establish an effective local currency settlement system; smoothen the settlement channels between the two countries’ economic entities; strengthen banking and insurance supervision cooperation, encourage mutual investment, and issue bonds in the financial markets of the two countries in accordance with market principles. Both sides will promote qualified financial institutions of the two countries to set up institutions and conduct business in each other’s countries, carry out long-term financial cooperation, and support regular dialogue on important issues of common concern to both sides.

• Both sides will jointly hold the China-Belarus Science and Technology Innovation Year 2024-2025, continue to expand scientific and technological cooperation, support pragmatic cooperation between scientific research institutions, universities and enterprises, and encourage the establishment of joint laboratories, joint application research centers, joint ventures, high-tech parks and other scientific research institutions.

• Both sides are willing to deepen cooperation between their enterprises in the fields of machinery, biology, and cloud computing; carry out technical exchanges and joint production, realize the modernization and upgrading of Belarus’ traditional industries, and enhance the competitiveness of Chinese and Belarusian products. They will carry out mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of ICT, including AI, communications, software, the Internet of Things, open source code, network and data security, video games, radio frequency coordination, professional education and industry scientific research. In order to develop the digital economy of the two countries, they will promote the cross-border flow of low-sensitivity data under the premise of ensuring security.

• Both sides are willing to expand the opportunities for agricultural products and food to enter the Chinese market and actively promote the registration of Belarusian agricultural products and food companies in China.

• They will jointly promote the building of a global clean energy partnership.

• The document also mentions cooperation in digital economy and trade, IPR, infrastructure, connectivity, smart customs, joint production of new pharmaceutical and medical products and equipment in Belarus, biotechnology, culture, education, sports, news and media, and at sub-national levels. It also mentions GDI, GSI and GCI. 

Next, there’s an important report. From August 20 to 22, the 14th meeting of the China-Bhutan Boundary Expert Group was held in Thimphu. The report is the joint statement issued after the meeting (English version). It says:

The meeting was co-chaired by Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and leader of the Chinese expert group, and Mr. Letho Tobdhen Tangbi, Secretary of the International Boundaries of Bhutan and leader of the Bhutanese expert group.

“The two sides reviewed the positive progress made in the Bhutan-China Boundary negotiations in recent years and had friendly, candid and constructive discussions to take forward the implementation of the Three–Step Roadmap and other issues of mutual interest. The second meeting of the Joint Technical Team on Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary was held on the sidelines of the 14th Expert Group Meeting to discuss the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement. The discussions were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere in keeping with the ties of friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and China.”

The previous expert group meeting was held in August last year. Here’s the joint readout from that, if you are interested. If you are wondering what the Cooperation Agreement is, it is the “Cooperation Agreement between Bhutan and China on the Responsibilities and Functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary”. This was signed in October 2023 at the 25th Round of Bhutan-China Boundary Talk.

Next, there’s a report on these engagements at MoFA’s briefing yesterday.

China News Service: It’s reported that Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi recently published an article on Japanese media. One of the main points is to make good use of the economic opportunities offered by China. He wrote that China leads the world in electric and smart vehicles, digital economy and green development, and that the economic growth in Japan and the wider world would not be possible without China’s economic growth. He stressed the need for Japan to make the best use of the economic opportunities offered by China. What’s China’s comment? 

Mao Ning: I noted the reports. Ambassador Kenji Kanasugi’s view is objective and constructive. China’s economic growth gives a strong boost to the world’s economic growth and China’s prosperity offers significant opportunities to global prosperity. We will continue to work for high-quality development and promote high-standard opening up. China will, as always, welcome companies from all countries, including Japanese companies, to seize China’s development opportunities and share in China’s development dividends, so as to realize greater development.

Page 10: There’s an interesting story today about a court decision on the liability of a food delivery technology company in case their rider ends up in an accident. This report is from a case in Guangzhou. Delivery driver Mo, who was riding on his electric bike, had an accident with a person named Hu, who was also driving an electric bike. The accident left Hu severely injured, with an open comminuted fracture of the right patella.

Following a disagreement on compensation, Hu sued Mo and the delivery company. 

Hu Ziyuan, a judge of the Huangpu District People’s Court of Guangzhou, assessed that the focus of the dispute is whether Mo was performing his duties when he was driving the electric vehicle at the time of the accident. If it is determined that the damage was caused in the course of Mo performing his duties, his employer shall bear the liability for compensation.

The delivery company argued that Mo’s last order was delivered at 12:06 pm. After this order was completed, he had no new order or delivery records on that day. Therefore, technically, this accident occurred during Mo’s personal time, outside the scope of his duties, and therefore, it is unrelated to the company.

The investigation revealed that Mo’s last delivery was at 12:06:58 pm, which is very close to 12:10 pm, i.e., the time when the accident occurred. Moreover, he was still online on the order-taking platform at the time, logically expected to be in the process of returning to the business area to receive new orders after completing the previous delivery.

Due to the flexibility and particularity of food delivery work, and the fact that there was no clear agreement on the number of delivery orders and service time in the labour relationship between Mo and the technology company, the court determined that the period from completing the delivery to receiving new orders should be considered a continuation of his labour duties, and, therefore, the accident should be deemed to have occurred during the performance of his duties. The employer, i.e., the technology company, should therefore bear the tort liability and compensate Hu to the extent of 186,800 yuan.

The judge added that for flexible labour models in new industries, determining whether a worker is within work hours cannot be based solely on the clicks to accept or deliver orders; a comprehensive analysis of their work time, location, reasons, and other factors is required. If a rider is intentionally or grossly negligent, then the employer can seek compensation from the rider after bearing responsibility.