Xi-Marcos Meeting - State Council on Food, Energy and Price Stability ahead of CNY - Cai Qi Calls for Xi Thought Propaganda - Sun Shaocheng's Warning on Inner Mongolia Corruption Crackdown
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy from the Thursday, January 5, 2023, edition of the People’s Daily.
Page 1: The top story today (English report) is about Xi Jinping’s meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. Xi talked about Marcos being the first foreign leader to visit China this year and China being his first foreign visit outside of ASEAN countries, saying “This speaks volumes about the close ties between China and the Philippines and the important place that the two countries take in each other's foreign policies.”
He then talked about Marcos’ father’s and family’s engagement with China. He added:
“China views the Philippines as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and approaches its relations with the Philippines from a strategic and overall perspective. Xi expressed readiness to stay in regular strategic communication with President Marcos Jr. and make comprehensive plans for the growth of bilateral ties so that the two countries will stay good neighbors helping each other, good relatives sharing affinity, and good partners pursuing win-win cooperation, delivering more benefits to the two peoples and contributing more positive energy to peace and stability in the region.”
Xi further said:
“the two sides need to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between government agencies, between legislatures, and between political parties to form greater synergy between their development strategies, seek more complementarity in each other's modernization drive, and better serve development and prosperity in both countries.”
“The two sides have identified agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and people-to-people exchanges as four priority areas of cooperation. They are the main pillars for the China-Philippines relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation, and more efforts must be made to nurture new growth areas and highlights in these fields.”
He talked about cooperation in agricultural technology and importing more agricultural and fishery products from the Philippines; infrastructure, including hard and soft infrastructure such as “telecommunication, big data and e-commerce”; and cooperation with regard to both fossil fuels and clean energy. “China will work with the Philippines to continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultation, resume negotiations on oil and gas exploration, promote cooperation on oil and gas exploration in non-disputed areas, and conduct green energy cooperation on photovoltaics, wind power, and new energy vehicles.”
Regarding the COVID situation: “China is taking proactive steps to adapt its COVID response and better coordinate it with economic and social development in a science-based manner. The people in China and the Philippines can soon resume close exchanges like before the pandemic.”
As per Xinhua, “Marcos said China is the strongest partner of the Philippines, and nothing can hold back the continuation and development of the Philippines-China friendship. The Philippines adheres to the one-China policy. It is willing to continue to properly handle maritime issues through friendly consultation, and resume negotiations on oil and gas exploration.”
The final bit is around geopolitics of the region:
“Xi stressed that China and the Philippines, two developing countries in Asia, have their development rooted in a friendly neighborhood and in the big family of Asia featuring win-win cooperation. He said China will work with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries to focus on cooperation and development, uphold ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation, and advance the five proposals on building a shared home together, to ensure the region stays away from the shadow of the Cold War and from bloc confrontation and remains a fine example of development and prosperity. China appreciates the Philippines' support for the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. China will work with the Philippines to render each other greater support, uphold the common interests of the two countries and other developing countries, advocate humanity's common values, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and contribute to better regional and global governance, Xi said.
Marcos apparently said that he was ready to “open a new chapter in the Philippines-China relationship of comprehensive strategic cooperation.”
The two sides also signed 14 bilateral agreements during the visit, across domains like agriculture, infrastructure, development cooperation, maritime security, and tourism. The details of the deals are available here.
Also on the page is a consolidated report on Li Keqiang and Li Zhanshu meeting with Marcos. Xinhua’s report on Li Keqiang’s meeting says:
“Li said China is willing to work with the Philippines to better synergize development strategies to promote infrastructure cooperation, continuously deepen economic and trade cooperation, expand imports of readily marketable quality agricultural products from the Philippines, and beef up cooperation on new energy, including wind and solar energy, and strengthen cooperation on people-to-people exchanges and the recovery of tourism, among other areas. The premier said maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea serves the interests of countries within the region, including China and the Philippines. It is hoped that all sides will work together to facilitate consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to build the sea into one featuring peace, friendship and cooperation, he added.”
Xinhua’s report on Li Zhanshu’s meeting says:
“China stands ready to work with the Philippines to follow the consensus reached by the two heads of state to carry forward friendship, deepen cooperation, continue to support each other on issues concerning their respective major concerns, draw on each other's strengths, handle differences through friendly consultation, and push for greater development of their relations in the new era, he said…The NPC of China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the parliament of the Philippines, Li added.”
Li Zhanshu’s reported remarks to Marcos also include his praise for Xi’s leadership — something that Li Keqiang’s reported remarks do not mention. These comments are:
“Over the past 10 years, General Secretary Xi Jinping led the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups, promoted historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country, and provided a more solid material foundation and a more perfect institutional guarantee for upholding and developing Socialism with Chinese characteristics.” 过去10年来，总书记带领全党全国各族人民，推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革，为坚持和发展中国特色社会主义提供了更为坚实的物质基础、更为完善的制度保证.
Finally, there’s the full China-Philippines joint statement (English version). Some excerpts:
Both sides committed to conduct cooperation in the four key priority areas of agriculture, infrastructure, energy and people-to-people exchanges, and pursue additional avenues of cooperation in the areas of defense and security, science and technology, trade and investments.
The Philippines expressed appreciation for China's offer of grants, among other forms of financial support, to fund economic and technical projects in support of the Philippines' socio-economic agenda.
Both sides agreed to further increase trade between the two countries, to return and even surpass the pre-pandemic bilateral trade volume. The two leaders highlighted the importance of promoting more balanced trade between the two countries by facilitating greater market access for Philippine exports into China. Both sides welcomed the updating of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Philippine Stock Exchange, further expanding the areas of capital market cooperation between the two countries. Both sides welcomed the signing of numerous agreements between the business sectors, contributing to economic growth and development for both countries. Both sides will continue to promote sustainable and inclusive trade bilaterally and regionally, and enhance cooperation in the areas of digital economy and green development.
Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in agriculture development. The two leaders witnessed the signing of several agreements on agriculture: the Action Plan on Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation (2023-2025), the handover certificate of Sino-Philippine Center for Agricultural Technology-Technical Cooperation Program Phase III, and the Protocol Agreeing on the Phytosanitary Requirements for Philippine Fresh Durian Exports to China. The Philippines extended appreciation to the Chinese Government for providing urgently needed agricultural inputs.
Both sides attached great importance to infrastructure development and agreed to carry forward high-quality projects under the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative and the ‘Build, Better, More’ infrastructure program to spur economic growth. Both sides signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Framework Agreement on Priority Bridges Crossing Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project, and two (2) handover certificates on Chinese-funded Philippine infrastructure projects that have been successfully completed. They also discussed loan agreements that would support Philippine infrastructure development. Both sides will further strengthen infrastructure cooperation with big projects such as Davao-Samal Island Bridge. Both sides will explore means to further strengthen cooperation, at the locations to be mutually agreed, with the purpose for promoting innovative economic development and maintaining stability in production and supply chains.
On oil and gas cooperation, both sides agreed to bear in mind the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines signed in 2018, and agreed to resume discussions on oil and gas development at an early date, building upon the outcomes of the previous talks, with a view to benefiting the two countries and their peoples. The two sides also agreed to explore cooperation in such areas as solar-power, wind energy, electric vehicles, and nuclear energy for electricity generation.
The two leaders had an in-depth and candid exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea, emphasized that maritime issues do not comprise the sum-total of relations between the two countries and agreed to appropriately manage differences through peaceful means. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the region and the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, and reached consensus on the peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The two leaders concurred that confidence-building measures would contribute to improving mutual trust and affirmed the importance of the Foreign Ministry Consultations and the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea. The two sides decided to establish a direct communication mechanism between the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines.
Both sides acknowledged the usefulness of practical cooperation between their coast guards, noted the importance of convening the 4th Meeting of the Joint Coast Guard Committee and agreed to convene it at an early date. Both sides agreed to convene the Annual Defense Security Talks at a mutually convenient time.
Both sides agreed to further strengthen maritime cooperation in such areas as environmental protection and maritime economy. Both sides agreed to collaborate closely on the mitigation of marine debris emanating from various sources, and micro plastics, towards the establishment of a cooperative partnership between coastal model cities of the two countries.
China welcomed the Philippines joining the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and stood ready to strengthen cooperation to implement the GDI at the bilateral and regional levels in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both sides agreed on the need and importance of robust consultations and communication as well as to explore possible cooperation for mutual benefit regarding the Global Security Initiative (GSI).
Next, today’s column on the economic tasks for 2023 discusses accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system. Some interesting bits in this one.
The first section begins by talking about COSCO’s new 174,000 cbm vessel Wudang, which is now heading for Europe via the Suez Canal. Chen Jun, shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding’s general manager, says that a large supply chain involving 30 suppliers was involved in the process of building the vessel. Chen adds that “it is estimated that by the end of 2025, the supporting supply chain of domestic LNG carriers can basically be independently controlled.” “众人拾柴火焰高。”中国船舶沪东中华公司总经理陈军介绍，填补性能测试空白、构筑工程验证体系，支撑国产化研制……依靠产业链30多家企业持续协同创新，才实现了关键技术的新突破，“依托创新联合体，预计到2025年底，基本能实现国内液化天然气运输船配套供应链自主可控.”
“The security and stability of the supply chain is the foundation of building a new development pattern. The Central Economic Work Conference called for focusing on key industrial chains in the manufacturing sector, identifying the key core technologies and weak links of components, concentrating high-quality resources to tackle key problems together, ensuring that the industrial system is independently controllable, secure and reliable, and ensuring the smooth circulation of the national economy…Jiangxi has since chosen 14 key industrial chains such as electronic information, with the government sending special personnel to be responsible for stabilising, supplementing and strengthening the chains…Qinghai has built five industrial chains, such as lithium battery power and energy storage, photovoltaic manufacturing, based on the existing industrial advantages...the government and enterprises are jointly promoting and working together in upstream and downstream work to build a strong and complimentary supply chain.” 产业链供应链安全稳定是构建新发展格局的基础。中央经济工作会议提出，围绕制造业重点产业链，找准关键核心技术和零部件薄弱环节，集中优质资源合力攻关，保证产业体系自主可控和安全可靠，确保国民经济循环畅通。聚焦堵点卡点，以服务“护链”，江西筛选电子信息等14条重点产业链，政府派专人负责稳链补链强链工作；以优势“固链”，青海立足既有产业优势，打造锂电池动力及储能、光伏制造等5条产业链……政企共促、上下游携手，推进强链补链.
The piece also talks about enhancing the competitiveness of traditional industries and focussing on emerging industries. In regard to the latter, the piece says:
In the first 11 months of 2022, the added value of high-tech manufacturing above designated size increased by 8.0% year-on-year, 4.2 percentage points faster than that of all industries above designated size. 2022年前11月，规模以上高技术制造业增加值同比增长8.0%，快于全部规模以上工业4.2个百分点.
“At present, the number of national-level advanced manufacturing clusters in China has increased to 45, with nearly 9,000 specialised and new ‘little giant’ enterprises, covering multiple strategic industries, such as new generation information technology, high-end equipment, new materials, and biomedicine.” 目前，我国重点培育的国家级先进制造业集群增至45个，拥有近9000家专精特新“小巨人”企业，覆盖新一代信息技术、高端装备、新材料、生物医药等多个战略性新兴产业，共同构成引领制造业高质量发展、加快构建现代化产业体系的重要力量.
Next, there’s a report on the weekly State Council meeting, which focused on the need to guarantee the supply of staple goods and energy and keep their prices stable in order to bolster production and people's lives. Xinhua English’s report has a good summary of the key points:
“To stabilize the prices of staple goods including food, the country will closely monitor and replenish market supply and step up grain production, said the meeting. Efforts should be made to support the operation of energy companies and manufacturers of medical products and anti-epidemic goods, as well as to maintain smooth logistics nationwide, especially during the Spring Festival, it said. The country will provide people in need with provisional price subsidies in a timely manner, ramp up oversight of market prices and crack down on price gouging and hoarding, according to the meeting.”
One interesting bit from the Chinese language report is this: “continue to release advanced coal production capacity, implement bailout policies to help coal and power enterprises, support safe and normal production of energy enterprises during holidays, strengthen energy scheduling, make plans to ensure peak supply of electricity and natural gas, ensure use of energy for people's livelihood, and strengthen energy guarantee for key regions, industries and enterprises.” 三要进一步抓好能源保供。持续释放煤炭先进产能，落实帮扶煤电企业纾困政策，支持能源企业节日安全正常生产，强化能源调度，做好电力、天然气顶峰保供预案，确保民生用能，加强重点地区、行业和企业用能保障。
The other key point of discussion during the meeting was around wage payments for migrant workers. Basically, the State Council called for a crack down on malicious wage arrears in accordance with the law and use of local government reserve funds like the wage security deposits and emergency working funds to provide emergency support if needed. It added: “It is necessary to enhance the confidence of migrant workers by safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests, and strive for a steady increase in their employment and return to work after the Spring Festival.” It also called for supporting people by “promptly and fully disbursing funds for subsistence allowances, hardship allowances, unemployment subsidies, and temporary assistance to people in need due to the pandemic, so as to secure the bottom line of basic people's livelihood.” Finally, it added that “production safety should be strengthened to prevent serious accidents, while transportation, energy, communication and other infrastructure should function safely even in extreme weather conditions.” 会议指出，春节临近，要用心用情、扎实细致做好重点民生工作。一是抓实抓细保障农民工工资支付。以工程建设领域为重点，政府工程和国企项目欠薪的要立即整改，力争在春节前全部清偿。清欠收回的企业账款要优先用于农民工工资发放。对一时难以解决的欠薪，地方政府要运用工资保证金、应急周转金等储备资金提供应急支持。统筹协调解决商贸、加工制造等行业的困难企业欠薪问题。畅通维权渠道，依法打击恶意欠薪行为。要通过保障农民工合法权益增强他们信心，力争春节后农民工就业、返岗稳中有升。二是做好困难群众基本生活保障。及时足额发放低保、困难救助、失业补助和救助等资金，对因疫因灾困难群众予以临时救助，兜牢基本民生底线。三是一丝不苟抓好安全生产。进一步压实安全生产责任，强化重点领域安全隐患排查整治，加强人员密集场所安全值守，坚决防范重特大安全事故。健全极端天气等应急预案，确保交通、能源、通信等基础设施安全稳定运行.
Next, there’s a report (English report) on PSC member Cai Qi attending the National Propaganda Officials’ Meeting in Beijing. Li Shulei presided over the meeting.
In PD, Cai Qi says that “we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, strengthen the four consciousnesses and four self-confidence, and the two safeguards. We should closely follow the main line of studying, propagating and implementing the spirit of the 20th Party Congress, do a solid job in propaganda and ideological work, and provide a strong ideological guarantee and strong spiritual strength for building a modern socialist country in all respects. 他强调，要坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，紧扣学习宣传贯彻党的二十大精神这条主线，扎实做好宣传思想工作，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家开好局起好步提供坚强思想保证和强大精神力量.
Cai Qi pointed out that the historical achievements of propaganda and ideological work in the new era in the past 10 years are fundamentally due to the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thoughts on propaganda and ideological work have scientifically answered a series of directional, fundamental, and strategic issues related to propaganda and ideological work, and has provided fundamental guidelines for doing a good job in propaganda and ideological work in the new era. We must thoroughly study, understand and implement it. 蔡奇指出，新时代10年宣传思想工作取得历史性成就，根本在于有习近平总书记掌舵领航，有习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想科学指引。习近平总书记关于宣传思想工作的重要思想，科学回答了宣传思想工作一系列方向性、根本性、战略性问题，为做好新时代宣传思想工作提供了根本遵循，我们一定要深入学习领会、抓好贯彻落实.
The report adds that “Cai Qi emphasised that to do a good job in propaganda and ideological work this year, we must accurately grasp the new situation and new tasks that we are facing, and implement the decision-making arrangements of the 20th Party Congress on propaganda and ideological work with a high sense of political responsibility. It is necessary to thoroughly study, propagate and implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress, unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to enhance cohesion and cast the Party’s soul, deepen the study and training of officials and party members, organise grass-roots propaganda sessions, strengthen media propaganda and promote implementation…”蔡奇强调，做好今年宣传思想工作，要准确把握面临的新形势新任务，以高度政治责任感落实好党的二十大关于宣传思想工作的决策部署。要深入学习宣传贯彻党的二十大精神，坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，在抓好党员干部学习培训、组织面向基层宣讲、加强媒体宣传、推动贯彻落实上不断深化，推动学习宣传贯彻往深里走、往实里走、往心里走，推动党的创新理论更加深入人心。
The next bit is even more useful to note: It is important to vigorously promote the social theme of boosting confidence, emphasise the bright future of the Chinese economy, and strengthen public opinion guidance with regard to the new stage of epidemic prevention and control. 要大力唱响强信心的社会主旋律，唱响中国经济光明论，加强新阶段疫情防控宣传舆论引导。
Xinhua adds “Stressing drawing on the core socialist values to forge inner strength and inspire the people, Cai called for more work to meet the people's various and high-quality intellectual and cultural needs, while urging stronger leadership of the Party and further Party building on the front of public communication.”
Finally, there’s a report on the revised regulations regarding the management of civilian personnel of China's People's Liberation Army. Xinhua says: “The revised regulations will further improve policies related to recruitment, career development, incentives, retirement, and other aspects of civilian personnel management. It is expected that the regulations will make civilian personnel management more professional, refined, and scientific, and facilitate the high-quality development of the civilian personnel workforce.”
The full regulation is available on Page 10. It would be really useful for someone to do a translation.
Page 2: There’s an interview with Wang Guanghua, Minister at the Ministry of Natural Resources. Xinhua English has the details too. Some key points:
Wang emphasized the need to facilitate the legislation of farmland protection this year, as the country has set the goal of keeping its farmland acreage at about 124 million hectares from 2021 to 2035. He said that achieving the goal entails strict oversight of government officials' performance in farmland protection. Measures like one-vote veto and lifelong accountability will be adopted for major problems in this regard.
The country will implement projects to strengthen strategic reserves in mineral areas and enhance the ability to ensure the long-term security of strategic mineral resources, while incentives will be further optimized to encourage private capital to participate in exploration and prospecting.
Wang said developing a new type of energy system is a strategic choice of the country to promote the transformation toward green and low-carbon development and to achieve carbon peaking and neutrality goals. ‘We will formulate policies to facilitate the use of unused land such as the Gobi desert and wastelands for large-scale photovoltaic power generation, and promote the healthy and orderly development of the offshore photovoltaic industry,’ Wang said. On boosting green development, the minister stressed the need to comprehensively improve the efficiency of resource utilization and improve the mechanism for paid use of natural resources.
To shore up the digital economy, the country will activate the use of geographic information data as a new type of production factor. Wang said the ministry's key task in this regard is to enrich relevant data supply to catalyze the development of modern logistics, sharing economy, smart travel, and other new types of business. Meanwhile, data property right protection will be strengthened through measures such as putting surveying and mapping geographic information data to classified management and ensuring their lawful circulation. In terms of application security, Wang said the ministry will speed up the reliable distribution, controlled use, and process traceability of confidential surveying and mapping results, and geographic information data.
Page 3: The only noteworthy bit is the reproduction of Mao Ning’s comments from the press briefing yesterday criticising others for “politicizing the COVID issue.”
Page 11: There’s a piece today by Sun Shaocheng, Party Secretary of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Sun’s big point is that:
In the new era and on the new journey, “we must persevere in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era cast souls and build cohesion, fully grasp and accurately understand the world outlook and methodology of this scientific thought, and adhere to and make good use of the standpoint, viewpoint and methods running through it, and better guide practice. 新征程上，我们要坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，完整把握、准确理解这一科学思想的世界观和方法论，坚持好、运用好贯穿其中的立场观点方法，更好用以指导实践.
And Sun actually does that through the article, identifying aspects of Xi’s thought and then interpreting them from the perspective of the work of Inner Mongolia.
The first bit that Sun then focuses on is that Xi’s thought puts people in the first place or as priority, i.e., “uphold the supremacy of the people, closely rely on the people, continue to benefit the people, and firmly root oneself in the people.” “必须坚持人民至上、紧紧依靠人民、不断造福人民、牢牢植根人民”. This is evident in the focus on development and common prosperity, he argues. He calls for taking “the people’s yearning for a better life as the goal of the Party’s struggle, the satisfaction of the masses as the standard, thinking more from the perspective of the masses, and listening to the voices of the masses…” 新征程上，我们要始终站稳人民立场，把人民对美好生活的向往作为奋斗目标，以群众满意为标准，多从群众角度着想，多听群众意见呼声，细之又细、实之又实地增进民生福祉，让老百姓的日子一天更比一天好.
Sun then says that Xi’s thought also emphasises “persisting in self-confidence and self-reliance.” Ergo, “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era fully embodies the spirit of independent exploration and practice, and always emphasises the firm confidence and determination to stick to our own path.” 习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想充分体现着独立自主的探索和实践精神，始终贯穿着坚持走自己的路的坚定信心和决心.
And he adds: “In the new era and on the new journey, in order to strengthen confidence in the path of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, theoretical self-confidence, institutional self-confidence and cultural self-confidence, we must profoundly understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments and resolutely achieve the Two Safeguards through practical actions. 新时代新征程，坚定中国特色社会主义道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信，必须深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，以实际行动践行“两个维护”.
The next aspect of Xi’s thought that Sun highlights is “persisting in integrity and innovation. Only by maintaining integrity will we ensure that we do not lose our way and make subversive mistakes, and only through innovation can we grasp and lead the times.” 深刻理解把握“坚持守正创新”的宝贵理论品格。守正才能不迷失方向、不犯颠覆性错误，创新才能把握时代、引领时代。
Sun interprets this within the context of Inner Mongolia’s challenges related to development and environmental protection. This is something that Xi has also discussed. Sun writes:
Keep in mind ‘国之大者’; unswervingly place ecological environment protection at the forefront; resist temptation with determination; do not do things that damage the ecological environment for near-term interests, while smashing the ‘rice bowls’ of future generations; and resolutely protect the green, blue and pure land of Inner Mongolia. 我们牢记“国之大者”，坚定不移把生态环境保护挺在前头，以定力抵御诱惑，不为眼前利益干破坏生态环境的事情、砸子孙后代的饭碗，坚决守护好内蒙古这片碧绿、这方蔚蓝、这份纯净；
The next element of Xi’s thought that Sun talks about is “adhering to problem orientation.” In this, he says that
“In view of the serious damage caused to the region’s political ecology, carry out special rectification of violations of laws and regulations in the field of coal resources, and investigate corruption in coal-related fields going back 20 years; carry out centralised management of the vulgarisation and transactionalization of political life within the party, promote the use of cases to promote reform, rectify ‘circle culture’/factionalism, ‘political opportunism’, and ‘political clinging’/network formation for promotions and other phenomena, and promote the continuous improvement of the political ecology within the Party.” 针对地区政治生态严重受损问题，开展煤炭资源领域违规违法问题专项整治，对涉煤领域腐败“倒查20年”；开展党内政治生活庸俗化交易化问题集中治理，推进以案促改，整治“圈子文化”“政治投机”“政治攀附”等现象，推动党内政治生态持续好转.
The final two elements of Xi’s thought that he talks about are adhering to a systems concept and having a global perspective.
Page 17: Three noteworthy pieces on the international page. First, a report on the meeting of the Iranian Vice President Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in Brazil at the sidelines of the inauguration of Lula da Silva as Brazilian president.
Second, a report with comments from Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who on Tuesday said that he will urge the US government, during the North American Leaders' Summit next week, to end the interventionist Monroe Doctrine it has followed for the past 200 years.
Finally, a report on child labour in the US, after the PSSI scandal. The report basically discusses child labour as a significant human rights problem in the US.