Xi on Campaign to Study Xi's Thought - Wang Yi Meets Arroyo - MoFA on Tsai's Visit to US
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
Page 1: The top story today is on Xi Jinping’s speech at the work conference related to the campaign for the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Xi said that “we should take this thematic education campaign as an opportunity to strengthen the arming of the Party with its innovative theory, constantly raise the level of Marxism across the whole Party, constantly improve the Party's governing ability and leadership level, concentrate on forging ahead in a new journey, work hard and move forward courageously, and work together to build a comprehensively modern socialist country and promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” 我们要以这次主题教育为契机，加强党的创新理论武装，不断提高全党马克思主义水平，不断提高党的执政能力和领导水平，为奋进新征程凝心聚力，踔厉奋发、勇毅前行，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴而团结奋斗.
The report informs that PBSC member Cai Qi will be heading the Leading Group for Studying and Implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. 中共中央政治局常委、中央学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想主题教育领导小组组长蔡奇作总结讲话.
After this, there are five important and long paragraphs. I’ll do a breakdown of each.
First, Xi says that the campaign is an important measure to implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress. “It is of great significance to unify the thinking of the whole Party, resolve prominent problems existing within the Party, always maintain flesh and blood ties between the Party and the people, and promote the development of the cause of the Party and country.” 以县处级以上领导干部为重点在全党深入开展学习贯彻新时代中国特色社会主义思想主题教育，是贯彻落实党的二十大精神的重大举措，对于统一全党思想、解决党内存在的突出问题、始终保持党同人民群众血肉联系、推动党和国家事业发展，具有重要意义.
He adds that the campaign should:
make great efforts to promote the study and implementation of Xi’s thought
educate and guide Party members and officials to thoroughly rectify/cleanse/renew their ideological roots and consolidate and cultivate their foundations
improve political judgement, political understanding, and political execution
strengthen the four consciousness and four self-confidence and achieve the two safeguards
always maintain a high degree of alignment with the CPC Central Committee in thought, politics and actions.
这次主题教育，要在推动学习贯彻新时代中国特色社会主义思想走深走实上下功夫，教育引导党员、干部从思想上正本清源、固本培元，不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，始终在思想上政治上行动上同党中央保持高度一致，做到心往一处想、劲往一处使，共同把党锻造成一块攻无不克、战无不胜的坚硬钢铁。
It is necessary to educate and guide Party cadres to establish a correct view of power, achievements and career, enhance their sense of responsibility and mission, constantly improve their ability to promote high-quality development, serve the masses, prevent and resolve risks, strengthen the cultivation of fighting spirit and fighting skills, and encourage them to forge ahead and take on responsibilities. 要教育引导广大党员、干部学思想、见行动，树立正确的权力观、政绩观、事业观，增强责任感和使命感，不断提高推动高质量发展本领、服务群众本领、防范化解风险本领，加强斗争精神和斗争本领养成，提振锐意进取、担当有为的精气神.
It is necessary to educate and guide Party organisations at all levels and the Party cadres to highlight the problem orientation, identify the shortcomings and gaps, be clear about the direction, accept the political examination, clean up the political dust, correct deviations in behaviour, solve the prominent problems related to thought and organisational impurity, and constantly enhance the Party's ability of self-purification, self-perfection, self-innovation and self-improvement, so that our Party will always be full of vitality and become the strong leadership core of the cause of Socialism with Chinese characteristics. 要教育引导各级党组织和广大党员、干部突出问题导向，查不足、找差距、明方向，接受政治体检，打扫政治灰尘，纠正行为偏差，解决思想不纯、组织不纯方面存在的突出问题，不断增强党的自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高能力，使我们党始终充满蓬勃生机和旺盛活力，始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心.
In the second paragraph, Xi stresses the importance of comprehensively studying and understanding Xi’s thought and the need to “fully and systematically grasp its basic viewpoints and scientific system, grasp its world outlook and methodology, adhere to and make good use of the stances, viewpoints and methods that run through it, and constantly enhance our political, ideological, theoretical and emotional identification with the Party's innovative theories, truly learn the essential skills of Marxism and consciously use the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to guide all our work.” 要全面学习领会新时代中国特色社会主义思想，全面系统掌握这一思想的基本观点、科学体系，把握好这一思想的世界观、方法论，坚持好、运用好贯穿其中的立场观点方法，不断增进对党的创新理论的政治认同、思想认同、理论认同、情感认同，真正把马克思主义看家本领学到手，自觉用新时代中国特色社会主义思想指导各项工作。
He further adds:
Use the thought to transform your subjective world, i.e., use it to strengthen ideals and beliefs, enhance ideological horizons and strengthen Party spirit training, and always maintain the political nature of the Chinese communists. 要自觉用新时代中国特色社会主义思想改造主观世界，深刻领会这一思想关于坚定理想信念、提升思想境界、加强党性锻炼等一系列要求，始终保持共产党人的政治本色。
Use the thought to transform the objective world, i.e., advance our cause, actively recognise and respond to changes, resolve problems in economic and social development and Party building, guard against and defuse major risks, and make new progress and breakthroughs in Chinese-style modernisation. 要自觉践行新时代中国特色社会主义思想，用以改造客观世界、推动事业发展，用以观察时代、把握时代、引领时代，积极识变应变求变，解决经济社会发展和党的建设中存在的各种矛盾问题，防范化解重大风险，推动中国式现代化取得新进展新突破.
Master the thought, leadership and work methods contained in the thought in order to improve the ability and level of performing one’s duties
In the third paragraph, Xi says that the “fundamental task” of this campaign is to “adhere to the integration of learning, thinking, application and ensure unity of knowledge, faith, and action, and to transform the Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era into a powerful force that strengthens ideals, tempers Party spirit, guides practice, and promotes work, so that the whole Party maintains unified thinking, firm will, coordinated actions, and strong combat effectiveness…” 开展这次主题教育，根本任务是坚持学思用贯通、知信行统一，把新时代中国特色社会主义思想转化为坚定理想、锤炼党性和指导实践、推动工作的强大力量，使全党始终保持统一的思想、坚定的意志、协调的行动、强大的战斗力，努力在以学铸魂、以学增智、以学正风、以学促干方面取得实实在在的成效.
“It is necessary to concentrate on forging the soul to build a solid foundation, educate and guide the majority of Party members and cadres to undergo ideological refinement and spiritual baptism, to strengthen their belief in Marxism, in socialism with Chinese characteristics, and in realising the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. carry forward the great spirit of Party building, make sure not to forget the original intention and mission, be modest and prudent, work hard, dare to fight, be good at fighting, build a solid foundation of faith, replenish the calcium of the spirit, and stabilise the rudder of thought.” 要凝心铸魂筑牢根本，教育引导广大党员、干部经受思想淬炼、精神洗礼，坚定对马克思主义的信仰、对中国特色社会主义的信念、对实现中华民族伟大复兴中国梦的信心，弘扬伟大建党精神，务必不忘初心、牢记使命，务必谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗，务必敢于斗争、善于斗争，筑牢信仰之基、补足精神之钙、把稳思想之舵.
It is necessary to temper character and strengthen loyalty, educate and guide Party cadres to temper their political character, take the Party's banner as the banner, the Party's will as the will, and the Party's mission as the mission, always be loyal to the Party, the people and Marxism, sincerely love the Party, always be concerned about the Party, firmly protect the Party, and make every effort to revitalise the Party. 要锤炼品格强化忠诚，教育引导广大党员、干部锤炼政治品格，以党的旗帜为旗帜、以党的意志为意志、以党的使命为使命，始终忠诚于党、忠诚于人民、忠诚于马克思主义，真心爱党、时刻忧党、坚定护党、全力兴党.
He talks about the importance of cadres carrying out their tasks and striving for practical results; the importance of adhering to the people-centred development philosophy, doing everything for the people and relying on the people, addressing people’s needs and concerns, and enhancing people's sense of gain, happiness and security; and the importance of maintaining honesty and integrity.
In the fourth paragraph, he calls for reading and studying of original texts and for leading cadres to go deep into the rural areas, communities, enterprises, hospitals, schools, check the pulse, conduct sample assessments, sort out and investigate difficult problems, and use the Party's innovative theory to study new situations and solve new problems. 按照党中央关于在全党大兴调查研究的工作方案，组织广大党员、干部特别是各级领导干部扑下身子、沉到一线，深入农村、社区、企业、医院、学校、“两新”组织等基层单位，把脉问诊、解剖麻雀，进行问题梳理、难题排查，运用党的创新理论研究新情况、解决新问题.
Focusing closely on high-quality development, the primary task of building a comprehensively modern socialist country, strengthen theoretical study to guide development practice, deepen investigation and research to promote the solution of development problems, implement study and research to complete the tasks outlined by the 20th Party Congress, and test the achievements of theme education with new achievements in promoting high-quality development. Adhere to learning, comparing, inspecting, and rectifying while learning, and make problem rectification throughout the theme education, so that the people can truly feel the actual effect of solving problems. 紧紧围绕高质量发展这个全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务，以强化理论学习指导发展实践，以深化调查研究推动解决发展难题，把学习和调研落实到完成党的二十大部署的各项任务中去，以推动高质量发展的新成效检验主题教育成果。坚持边学习、边对照、边检视、边整改，把问题整改贯穿主题教育始终，让人民群众切实感受到解决问题的实际成效.
In the fifth paragraph, Xi calls this campaign a “major event” and demands that Party committees at all levels take due responsibilities. He adds that the central leadership will dispatch a steering group to supervise and guide the development of the campaign.
After this, Cai Qi spoke at the meeting, saying that Xi’s speech had “expounded the significance and goals” of the campaign. He called it “a Marxist programmatic document” and a “fundamental guideline” for the education campaign, and demanded that everyone study, understand and implement it. He also underscored the importance of the two establishments, strengthening the four consciousnesses and four-self-confidence and achieving the two safeguards.
The other two articles on the page are a report on Xi’s letter to representatives of well-known Arab artists who participated in the ‘Silk Road Artists' Rendezvous’ visit to China, encouraging them to create more artworks that reflect China-Arab friendship and make new contributions to enhancing friendship between their people. Xinhua reports:
“The China-Arab relations are now at a new historical starting point, Xi noted, voicing his hope that more Arab artists will visit China and create with exquisite skills more artworks that can promote China-Arab cultural exchanges. Xi also hoped that they can share their experiences and insights in China so that more Arab friends can feel and get to know China, and work with the Chinese people to write a new chapter of exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Arab civilizations in the new era.”
Also on the page is a report about a new book series of selected works of Xi Jinping being published by the People's Publishing House. Xinhua reports:
“The first two volumes consist of 146 items from important works by Xi from November 2012 to October 2022, including speeches, instructions and directives, some of which are being made public for the first time. The books are an authoritative resource for the whole Party and the entire nation to thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, says the statement.”
Page 3: There are two brief reports confirming that French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be visiting China from April 5 to 7. Also on the page is a report on Wang Yi meeting with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former President of the Philippines and Senior Deputy Speaker of the House.
“Noting China attaches great importance to China-Philippine relations, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said the two sides should stay committed to properly handling differences through communication and dialogue. China and the Philippines should not allow maritime issues to impede the overall development of bilateral relations or allow a third party to undermine China-Philippine friendly relations, still less should the two sides allow the Cold War mentality to return and harm regional peace and stability, Wang added. Chinese-style modernization makes us full of expectations, and building a community with a shared future for mankind is the right path for the world, said Arroyo, adding she would continue to make efforts to promote the sound development of Philippine-China relations.”
Next, there is a report on Qin Gang meeting with Antonio Vitorino, Director General of the International Organization for Migration in Beijing. Xinhua reports:
“The international community should protect the legitimate rights and interests of migrants, uphold the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, view migrants in a more open, inclusive and just manner, and oppose incitement to racial discrimination and hatred. Qin said the international community should uphold multilateral cooperation, strengthen dialogue and consultation, support migration organizations in playing a leading role in global migration governance, implement the Global Compact for Migration, and promote safe, orderly and normal flows of migrants. He said China appreciates IOM's support for the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, welcomes its active participation in the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and will make greater contributions to the development of the global migration cause. Vitorino said he appreciates China's positive role in global migration governance, saying that the IOM opposes racial discrimination, adheres to multilateralism and supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.”
Next on the page is a commentary drawing from Li Qiang’s speech at the China Development Forum.
The article says that “according to a survey by Boston Consulting Group, among the respondents, about 75% of global business leaders believe that uncertainty is the biggest challenge facing companies in various countries in 2023. In such a difficult situation, China's economy is recovering and improving, providing the world with extremely valuable certainty.”波士顿咨询公司的一项调查显示，在受访者中，约有75%的全球企业领袖认为，不确定性是2023年各国企业面临的最大挑战。在此困难形势下，中国经济呈现恢复向好态势，为世界提供了极为宝贵的确定性.
According to the results of the ‘Global and Asia-Pacific Economic Confidence Survey’ released by the Boao Forum for Asia, 83.33% of enterprises plan to list China as a key area for business expansion this year. The certainty of China’s development is a major positive for the world economy, and it is also an important opportunity that companies from all over the world look forward to grasping.” 博鳌亚洲论坛发布的“全球及亚太经济信心调查”结果显示，83.33%的企业计划今年将中国列为重点业务拓展地区。中国发展的确定性是世界经济的重大利好，也是各国企业期待把握的重要机遇.
It talks about how everyone at the forum was appreciative of China’s opening up, as opposed to the “unilateralism and protectionism” and breaking of chains that seems to be on the rise. The piece also informs that in the first two months of this year, FDI into China was 268.44 billion yuan.
Page 17: There’s an article by Sun Benxiong from the Beijing Institute of Technology’s law department. The piece basically talks about police violence in the US, lack of gun control and racial discrimination.
Sun concludes: “The human rights situation in the United States is shocking. Faced with the voices of ordinary people and vulnerable groups in the United States, American politicians should reflect and take practical measures to improve the human rights situation in the United States, instead of using human rights as a weapon to attack other countries and acting as spoilers and placing obstacles in the development of global human rights.” 美国人权问题触目惊心。面对美国普通民众和弱势群体的呼声，美国政客应当反躬自省，采取切实措施改善美国人权状况，而不是热衷于以人权为武器到处攻击他国，做全球人权发展的搅局者和阻碍者.
Other Stories:
Interestingly, there has been nothing in the paper about Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US and the expected meeting with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in what is said to be a bipartisan meeting. The Chinese foreign ministry yesterday had this to say:
AFP: Last week, China said it would retaliate if House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meets with the Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen during a planned stop in the US. Can you tell us what kind of retaliation China would take? Will military drills be an option?
Mao Ning: There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. As the Chinese side has repeatedly stressed, we strongly oppose any form of official interaction and contact between the US side and Taiwan authorities. Relevant US congressman needs to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, refrain from sending wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ forces, and avoid undermining the China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. China will take resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Mao Ning also expressed annoyance at the new Hong Kong Policy Act report issued by the U.S. State Department. “Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs, which brook no foreign interference. The report issued by the US disregards facts, makes irresponsible remarks about Hong Kong affairs, and levels groundless accusations at the Chinese Central Government and the Hong Kong SAR government. China strongly deplores this and firmly rejects this. The US should immediately stop issuing this sort of report and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and other internal affairs of China.”
On Japan’s reported semiconductor export controls, Mao said:
“China has made serious démarches to the Japanese side at various levels to express our strong discontent and grave concerns. Japan expressed many times in its communication with China that the two countries enjoy close economic and trade ties and that Japan is committed to advancing cooperation with China and will not seek to ‘cut China out’. We hope Japan can act on such statements, take an objective and fair position and follow market principles, proceed from its long-term interests, keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth, defend the free and open international trade order and safeguard the shared interests of the two countries and the companies of both sides. China is the world’s biggest market of semiconductors. China’s import of integrated circuits is close to $600 billion every year. China is the largest export market of Japan’s semiconductor sector, with an annual volume of more than $10 billion. China accounts for a quarter of Japan’s export of semiconductor equipment. The two sides have been conducting win-win cooperation in this sector. The potential export control targeting China will not only affect the industrial and supply chains of semiconductors in the region and the wider world, and will also hurt Japanese companies. We hope Japan can be prudent when making decisions and avoid creating new complex factors to mutual trust and bilateral relations. China will assess the impact of Japan’s export control policy. If Japan imposes restrictions on normal cooperation in the semiconductor sector between the two countries and seriously undermines China’s interests, China will act firmly in response rather than sit idly by.”
A couple of other stories to note.
First, a report in FT highlights that ports in the rest of Asia will need significant investment to match the capacity of Chinese harbours. The chart below makes this amply clear.
Reuters reports that “China's new home sales rose sharply in March, as a slew of support policies boosted a pickup in demand across the board in 14 surveyed cities, a private survey showed on Monday. The sales of new homes rose 55.7% month-on-month, up from growth of 31.9% in February, according to data from the China Index Academy — one of the country's largest independent real estate researchers. Tier-one cities — including the nation’s capital Beijing and the commercial hub of Shanghai — rose the fastest, jumping 73% last month. Sales in tier-two cities and tier-three cities grew 54.7% and 28.6%, respectively.”