Discover more from Tracking People's Daily
Xi on China-Australia Ties - The Internet Mass Line - Shanghai's AI Industry Scale at RMB 380 bln - He Lifeng on Attracting Foreign Investment
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People's Daily’s edition on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Page 1: At the top of the page is a brief report on Xi Jinping’s congratulatory letter to Samantha Mostyn on assuming office as Australian governor-general. Xinhua says:
“Xi said that China and Australia are important cooperative partners, as well as major members in the Asia-Pacific region and significant forces in the global multi-polarization process. The sound, steady development of the China-Australia relationship not only suits the fundamental and long-term interest of the two countries and the two peoples, but also contributes to regional and world peace, stability, development and prosperity…Xi said he prizes the growth of China-Australia ties and stands ready to work with the Australian side to facilitate a more mature, steady and fruitful China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefits as well as seeking common ground while shelving differences…”
Below this is the response (English report) from MoFA to a question on Xi’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Basically, Mao Ning said nothing of significance.
Another lead report is a feature article, which refers to Xi Jinping as the People’s Leader (人民领袖). The article basically talks about implementing the mass line online. It says:
“The mass line is the lifeline and fundamental working line of the Party. In the Internet era, cyberspace has become a new space for the masses' production and life, as well as a new platform for conducting mass work and building ideological consensus. General Secretary Xi Jinping has consistently emphasised ‘walking the online mass line’. To do so well, it is important to first strengthen our concept of and feelings for the masses, keeping them in our hearts and treating them as family…The people's hearts are the biggest politics. Each thin internet line connects and converges the voices of hundreds of millions of netizens. On April 19, 2016, at a symposium on cybersecurity and informatization work, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: ‘Netizens come from the common people. When the common people go online, public opinion also goes online.’ ‘Party and government organs at all levels and leading cadres should learn to walk the mass line through the internet, often go online to take a look, dive in, chat, and voice their views, voice opinions, understand what the masses are thinking and wishing for, collect good ideas and suggestions, and actively respond to netizens' concerns and clarify doubts’. To walk the mass line on the Internet well, we must be good at using the Internet, listen to the people’s sentiments and opinions, and gather the people’s strength and wisdom…” 群众路线是党的生命线和根本工作路线。互联网时代,网络空间成为群众生产生活的新空间,也成为做好群众工作、凝聚思想共识的新平台...“走好网络群众路线”,习近平总书记念兹在兹. 走好网络群众路线,首先要增强群众观念和群众感情,心里装着群众,把群众当亲人...人心是最大的政治。一根根细细的网线,牵连汇聚着亿万网民的心声。2016年4月19日,网络安全和信息化工作座谈会上,习近平总书记指出:“网民来自老百姓,老百姓上了网,民意也就上了网。”“各级党政机关和领导干部要学会通过网络走群众路线,经常上网看看,潜潜水、聊聊天、发发声,了解群众所思所愿,收集好想法好建议,积极回应网民关切、解疑释惑。” 走好网络群众路线,一定要善于使用网络,倾听民情民意,汇聚民力民智...
Next, there’s a report on new regulations regarding implementing the registered capital management system of Company Law. Xinhua reports:
“Effective Monday, the regulations clarify relevant arrangements during the transitional period of adjusting the time limit for shareholders to pay in their subscribed capital at existing companies. For companies registered before June 30, 2024, the remaining period for their shareholders to pay registered capital contributions shall be adjusted to shorter than five years if the existing time limit exceeds five years from July 1, 2027, according to the regulations. The regulations also stipulate that if there are abnormal activities in a company's capital contributions and registered capital, company registration authorities shall require the timely adjustment of the company according to law after conducting thorough investigations on the enterprise and its shareholders. The authorities will also refine supervision and inspection measures on companies' capital subscriptions while optimizing procedures for companies to adjust the time limit of capital subscriptions according to the regulations.”
If you are interested, the full text of the regulations is available on Page 15.
Finally, there’s a report on AI industry development in Shanghai. A key data point from the report is that “the number of AI enterprises above the designated size in Shanghai increased from 183 in 2018 to 348 in 2023. The industry scale jumped from 134 billion yuan to over 380 billion yuan.”
Page 2: There are some feature articles looking ahead at Xi’s visit to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. None of these are interesting.
There’s a report (English report) on Hu Chunhua meeting with Vanuatu President Nikenike Vurobaravu and Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.
The report informs that both reiterated the country’s commitment to the one-China principle. Hu, meanwhile, told them that “China is willing to deepen strategic coordination with Vanuatu and strengthen all-round dialogue, exchanges and cooperation, so as to push bilateral relations to a new level. He also briefed the Vanuatu leaders on Chinese modernization and the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind.”
Also, there’s a report on an equipment donation ceremony related to the Kyrgyzstan Luban Workshop and the unveiling ceremony of the smart classroom at the Kyrgyz State Technical University.
Page 3: There is a report on He Lifeng chairing a symposium on foreign investment. He pointed out that:
“We should adhere to the goal-oriented and problem-oriented approach, accelerate the implementation of various policies that have been issued, further relax market access, remove unreasonable restrictions, and transform the advantages of the super-large-scale market into real advantages in attracting investment. We must continuously build a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized; support both domestic and foreign-invested enterprises equally in participating in large-scale equipment upgrades, government procurement, bidding, and other activities; establish smooth channels for foreign-invested enterprises to express their demands and resolve issues; and promptly explain policies, listen to concerns, and respond to their needs. Provinces with significant foreign investment must shoulder their responsibilities and play a greater role. They should intensify efforts in targeted investment promotion and attraction, strengthen service guarantees, and accelerate the implementation and construction of foreign investment projects. These provinces should effectively utilize various open platforms such as free trade zones, national-level economic and technological development zones, comprehensive bonded areas, and national comprehensive pilot zones for the expansion of opening up in the service sector. They should successfully organize key investment exhibitions and actively explore new ideas and models for attracting investment that adapt to the new situation.” 何立峰指出,要坚持目标导向和问题导向,抓紧落实已出台的各项政策,进一步放宽市场准入,破除不合理限制,把超大规模市场优势转化成实实在在的引资优势。要持续建设市场化、法治化、国际化一流营商环境,一视同仁支持内外资企业参与大规模设备更新、政府采购、招投标等,畅通外资企业诉求反映和解决渠道,及时宣讲政策、听取诉求、回应关切。外资大省要扛起责任、发挥更大作用,加大精准招商引资力度,强化服务保障,推动外资项目加快落地建设,发挥好自由贸易试验区、国家级经济技术开发区、综合保税区、国家服务业扩大开放综合试点等各类开放平台的作用,办好重点投资展会,积极探索适应新形势的引资新思路新模式.
Page 4: There’s an article on flood prevention in Jiangxi. Of course, there is no reporting from the people’s perspective. Instead, what we have is a report on the Party and the state’s response. The report tells us about some of the money that has been allocated, the mobilisation of people, and the fact that “Party members and cadres have rushed to the forefront.”