Discover more from Tracking People's Daily
Xi on China's Space Ambitions - Xi's Message to Dissanayake - What are the Three Concentrations for SoEs & State Capital? - Wang Yi Meets Muizzu - MoFA on Quad Summit
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.
Page 1: The main report on the page is about Xi Jinping’s speech when meeting with representatives of space scientists and engineers who participated in the research and development of the Chang'e-6 lunar mission. Xinhua English covers the story well too.
Xi told the people gathered that “the achievements of the lunar exploration project embody the wisdom and hard work of several generations of Chinese aerospace workers, and demonstrate the remarkable accomplishment the country has made in scientific and technological self-reliance in recent years.”
“He urged efforts to promote the spirit of lunar exploration, characterized by ‘chasing dreams, daring to explore, collaborating to overcome challenges, and achieving win-win cooperation,’ to further enhance the national confidence and pride of all Chinese people, and build up a great force for comprehensively promoting the building of a strong country and realizing national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.”
Xi added: “Over the past 20 years, the lunar exploration project has focused on key core technologies and achieved fruitful results in scientific discovery, technological innovation, engineering practice, achievement application, and international cooperation. It has blazed a path of high-quality and cost-effective lunar exploration, making a major contribution to the development of China’s space industry and human space exploration.”
He praised the “space industry” saying that it has “grown from weak to strong, and achieved historic, high-quality and leap-forward development.”
The report adds:
“Xi noted that outer space is a domain shared by humanity, and that space exploration is humanity's common cause. The lunar exploration project has always followed the principles of equality, mutual benefits, peaceful utilization and win-win cooperation. The Chang’e lunar missions, which belong to both China and all people in the world, have provided a broad stage for international scientific and technological cooperation, and contributed Chinese wisdom and strength to the world's deep space exploration, he said. He urged those in attendance to keep an open mind, deepen various forms of international exchange and cooperation in the field of space, share development achievements with other countries, improve outer space governance, and make space science and technology achievements more beneficial to all people.”
Next, there’s a report on Xi Jinping congratulating the new Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Xinhua reports:
“Xi hailed China and Sri Lanka as traditional friendly neighbors, saying that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 67 years ago, China and Sri Lanka have always understood and supported each other, setting a good example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes. Xi said that he prizes the development of China-Sri Lanka relations, and stands ready to work with President Dissanayake to carry forward the traditional friendship, and enhance political mutual trust. He also pledged to work with the Sri Lankan leader to facilitate more fruitful high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and make steady and long-term progress of China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship so as to better benefit the people of the two countries.”
Third, there’s a report on Zhao Leji meeting with Cambodia's National Assembly President Khuon Sudary. Xinhua reports:
“Zhao said China is willing to maintain high-level strategic communication and work with Cambodia to support each other firmly on issues concerning the two countries' core interests. China is ready to accelerate development strategy synergy with Cambodia and comprehensively advance cooperation on politics, production capacities, agriculture, energy, security and people-to-people exchange, Zhao said. China is also willing to practice genuine multilateralism and work with Cambodia to safeguard the hard-won peace and stability of the region, he added. He said that China’s NPC stands ready to make joint efforts with the Cambodian legislature to give full play to the role of the counterpart exchange mechanism, coordinate various forms of cooperation, strengthen the exchange of experience in legislation and supervision, and provide a legal guarantee for pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. Zhao also called on both sides to maintain close coordination and cooperation within multilateral parliamentary organizations to safeguard the interests of developing countries, and noted that the legislatures of China and Cambodia can strengthen exchange and mutual learning in developing democracy and improving the rule of law.
Fourth, there’s a report on Wang Huning’s speech at the CPPCC meeting. He talked about studying and understanding Xi’s speech last week, marking the CPPCC’s 75 years.
Wang Huning said that it is necessary to thoroughly study and understand the great significance and rich connotation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech, fully, accurately and comprehensively implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on strengthening and improving the work of the CPPCC, firmly grasp the correct direction of performance, continuously strengthen the political responsibility of performing duties, and promote the high-quality development of the CPPCC in the new era and on the new journey. It is necessary to deeply study and comprehend General Secretary Xi Jinping's new requirements and new deployments for the comprehensive development of consultative democracy and fully implement them into the various performance activities of the CPPCC, such as political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation in and discussion of state affairs, to better play the role of the CPPCC as a specialised consultative body. It is essential to recognize that the CPPCC is the great achievement of the CPC in combining the Marxist-Leninist theories of the united front, political parties, and democratic politics with China’s specific realities and traditional culture. It is a great creation of the CPC in leading the democratic parties, non-party individuals, mass organizations, and people from all walks of life in the political system. It has strengthened confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture, and continuously consolidates and develops a lively, stable, and united political atmosphere. 王沪宁表示,要深入学习领会习近平总书记重要讲话的重大意义和丰富内涵,完整、准确、全面贯彻落实习近平总书记关于加强和改进人民政协工作的重要思想,牢牢把握履职正确方向,不断强化履职政治责任,推动新时代新征程人民政协事业高质量发展。要深入学习领会习近平总书记关于全面发展协商民主的新部署新要求,全面落实到人民政协政治协商、民主监督、参政议政等各项履职工作中,更好发挥人民政协作为专门协商机构作用。要深刻认识人民政协是中国共产党把马克思列宁主义统一战线理论、政党理论、民主政治理论同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的伟大成果,是中国共产党领导各民主党派、无党派人士、人民团体和各族各界人士在政治制度上进行的伟大创造,更加坚定道路自信、理论自信、制度自信、文化自信,不断巩固和发展生动活泼、安定团结的政治局面.
He called on everyone to implement the tasks outlined in Xi’s speech with a spirit of nailing nails. He added:
We must unswervingly uphold the overall leadership of the Communist Party of China and the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the general program for the work of the CPPCC, and constantly consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for unity and struggle.
It is necessary to focus on promoting Chinese-style modernization and make suggestions on political consultation, enhance the effectiveness of democratic supervision, and promote high-quality development through high-level suggestions.
It is necessary to improve the policy measures to give full play to the political role of the United Front in rallying people’s hearts and gathering strength, and strive to draw the greatest concentric circle for building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
It is necessary to actively improve the working system and mechanism of the CPPCC, and promote the institutionalization, standardization and proceduralization of the CPPCC's work
It is necessary to strengthen the ranks of CPPCC members and staff, fostering a positive political environment that is upright, clean, and conducive to entrepreneurship.
王沪宁表示,要以钉钉子精神贯彻落实习近平总书记重要讲话作出的重要部署、提出的重要任务。要毫不动摇坚持中国共产党的全面领导和中共中央集中统一领导,把习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想作为统揽政协工作的总纲,不断巩固团结奋斗的共同思想政治基础。要紧紧围绕推进中国式现代化议政建言,增强民主监督实效,以高水平建言助力高质量发展。要完善发挥统一战线凝聚人心、汇聚力量政治作用的政策举措,着力画好强国建设、民族复兴的最大同心圆。要积极健全人民政协工作制度机制,推进政协工作制度化、规范化、程序化。要切实加强政协委员和机关干部队伍建设,营造风清气正、干事创业的良好政治生态.
Page 2: There’s an interview with Zhang Yuzhuo, Party Committee Secretary and Director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Zhang said that the Third Plenum resolution made “systematic arrangements” and clarified the “position, pace, and key focus areas” for state capital and assets for reform on the new journey. 《决定》把深化国资国企改革纳入全面深化改革的战略全局,进行了系统部署,明确了我们在新征程上深化改革的方位、前行的节奏和工作的重点.
He the made five points:
First, we will continue to promote the strengthening, optimization and expansion of state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises. This is the guiding goal of further deepening the reform of state-owned assets and enterprises. We will adhere to the ‘two unwaverings’, rely on reform to break the institutional and mechanism obstacles that restrict the high-quality development of enterprises, and unswervingly expand and strengthen and optimize them with determination, thereby continuously consolidating the important material and political foundation of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Second, we will enhance core functions and improve core competitiveness. This is the fundamental requirement for deepening the reform of state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises. We will keep in mind the ‘matters of national interest’ 国之大者 and improve strategic support capabilities, people’s livelihood security capabilities, and value creation capabilities through reform. While shouldering economic responsibilities, we will better shoulder political and social responsibilities.
Third, we will accelerate the formation of production relations that are compatible with new quality productive forces. This is the clear direction of deepening SOE reform on the new journey. We will firmly grasp the general trend of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, adapt to the new expectations of the people and new changes in market demand, accelerate the transformation of organizational forms, operating mechanisms, and management systems of enterprises, promote the aggregation of various advanced production factors for the development of new quality productive forces, continuously improve total factor productivity, and create new momentum and new advantages.
Fourth, we will fully and accurately implement the reform measures of state-owned assets and enterprises laid out by the plenary session. This includes improving the management and supervision system and mechanism, promoting the optimization of the layout and structural adjustment of the state-owned economy, improving the institutional arrangements for promoting original innovation in state-owned enterprises, and improving the modern enterprise system with Chinese characteristics. We will not only ensure comprehensive implementation but also focus on key breakthroughs to continuously enhance the comprehensive effectiveness of the reforms.
Fifth, we will adhere to and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership over the reform of state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises. We will continue to deepen the implementation of the spirit of the National Conference on Party Building in State-owned Enterprises, integrate the Party’s leadership throughout all aspects of the reform process, promote the deep integration of Party building and enterprise production and operation, give full play to the role of Party committees (Party groups) in guiding the direction, managing the overall situation, and ensuring implementation, give play to the role of grassroots Party organizations as vanguards and the role of Party members as pioneers and models, and ensure that the reform of state-owned assets and state-owned enterprises always moves forward in the right direction and achieves the expected results.
一是持续推动国有资本和国有企业做强做优做大。这是进一步深化国资国企改革的引领性目标。我们将坚持“两个毫不动摇”,依靠改革破除制约企业高质量发展的体制机制障碍,既坚定不移做大、更意志坚定做强做优,不断夯实中国特色社会主义的重要物质基础和政治基础。二是增强核心功能和提升核心竞争力。这是深化国资国企改革的根本要求。我们将牢记“国之大者”,通过改革提高战略支撑能力、民生保障能力、价值创造能力,在承担好经济责任的同时,更好承担政治责任、社会责任。三是加快形成同新质生产力相适应的生产关系。这是新征程深化国资国企改革的鲜明导向。我们将牢牢把握新一轮科技革命和产业变革大势,适应人民群众新期待和市场需求新变化,加快企业组织形态、经营机制、管理体系的变革,促进各类先进生产要素向发展新质生产力集聚,不断提升全要素生产率,塑造新动能新优势。四是不折不扣把全会部署的国资国企改革举措落实好。包括完善管理监督体制机制,推进国有经济布局优化和结构调整,健全国有企业推进原始创新制度安排,完善中国特色现代企业制度等,既抓好全面落实,也抓好重点突破,不断提升改革的综合效能。五是坚持和加强党对国资国企改革的全面领导。持续深化落实全国国企党建工作会议精神,把党的领导贯穿改革各方面全过程,促进党的建设与企业生产经营深度融合,充分发挥党委(党组)把方向、管大局、保落实的作用,发挥基层党组织战斗堡垒作用和党员先锋模范作用,确保国资国企改革始终沿着正确方向前进、取得预期成效。
In the next response, Zhang explains what will be done when one talks about the “optimization of the layout and structural adjustment of the state-owned economy”. He said that the SASAC “will, in general, focus on developing and strengthening the real economy, promoting the strategic restructuring, professional integration, and forward-looking deployment of the state-owned economy through market-oriented approaches. This will strongly promote the ‘three concentrations’, i.e., concentration on important industries and key areas related to national security and the lifelines of the national economy; concentration on public services, emergency response capabilities, and public welfare areas related to national economy and people’s livelihood; and concentration on forward-looking strategic emerging industries.” 总的来说,国务院国资委将着眼于发展壮大实体经济,以市场化方式推动国有经济的战略性重组、专业化整合和前瞻性布局,有力推动“三个集中”,即向关系国家安全、国民经济命脉的重要行业和关键领域集中,向关系国计民生的公共服务、应急能力、公益性领域等集中,向前瞻性战略性新兴产业集中.
He added:
“Specifically, SASAC will adhere to a two-pronged approach with dual drivers. On one hand, we will focus on strengthening the foundation and transformation of traditional industries, coordinating equipment updates, process upgrades, digital empowerment, and management innovation. Traditional industries will be transformed and upgraded using digital intelligent and green technologies, promoting high-end, intelligent, and green development. On the other hand, we will focus on the strategic layout of emerging industries, implementing in-depth industrial renewal actions for central enterprises and future industry launch actions. It will improve the cultivation mechanism for emerging industries and increase investment in fields such as new-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, aerospace, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, biomedicine, and quantum technology, thereby continuously fostering new industries, new models, and new growth drivers.” 具体来说,将坚持两端发力、双轮驱动:一方面是抓好传统产业的强基转型,统筹推进设备更新、工艺升级、数字赋能、管理创新,用数智技术、绿色技术改造提升传统产业,推动高端化、智能化、绿色化发展。另一方面是抓好新兴产业的战略布局,深入实施央企产业焕新行动和未来产业启航行动,健全新兴产业培育机制,加大在新一代信息技术、人工智能、航空航天、新能源、新材料、高端装备、生物医药、量子科技等领域的投入力度,不断催生新产业、新模式、新动能.
He then explained the tasks for “improving the institutional arrangements for original innovation of state-owned enterprises”. Zhang made five points:
First, strengthen the supply of high-quality science and technology. The SASAC will guide central enterprises to actively integrate into the national innovation system, take the initiative to lead or participate in national scientific and technological research tasks, establish an enterprise R&D reserve system, strengthen goal-oriented basic research and applied basic research, and make every effort to tackle key problems in areas with high strategic value, broad application prospects, and own advantages, and strive to master more key core technologies and source underlying technologies.
Second, build high-level R&D platforms. Deeply participate in the construction of national laboratories, build a number of national key laboratories, national technology innovation centers and other national R&D platforms, jointly build regional innovation centers, create high-level innovation consortia, deepen scientific and technological cooperation with various upstream, midstream and downstream enterprises, actively carry out international scientific and technological exchanges, and ensure more scientific and technological achievements.
Third, promote high-efficiency industrial integration. Strengthen the deep integration of industry, academia and research led by enterprises, actively open up markets and application scenarios, accelerate the construction of platforms for concept validation and pilot testing, promote the application of the first piece or set of equipment, the first batch of outputs, and the first edition/version of products, so that more scientific and technological achievements can be transformed from samples into products and extended from products to industries.
Fourth, continue to create an innovation ecosystem. Improve the investor policy to support original innovation, improve the mechanism for adding back R&D investment, promote the reform of empowering official scientific and technological achievements, take innovation and creation as the orientation, flexibly carry out various forms of medium- and long-term incentives, and further improve the compliance exemption mechanism based on the high uncertainty of scientific research work, so that scientific and technological personnel can let go and do their work and focus on scientific research.
一是强化高质量科技供给。国务院国资委将引导中央企业积极融入国家创新体系,主动牵头或参与国家科技攻关任务,建立企业研发准备金制度,强化目标导向的基础研究和应用基础研究,在战略价值高、应用前景广、自身有优势的领域全力攻坚,努力掌握更多关键核心技术和源头底层技术。二是建设高能级研发平台。深度参与国家实验室建设,新建一批全国重点实验室、国家技术创新中心等国家级研发平台,共建区域创新中心,打造高水平创新联合体,深化同上中下游各类企业科技合作,积极开展国际科技交流,取得更多科技成果。三是推进高效率产业融合。加强企业主导的产学研深度融合,主动开放市场和应用场景,加快布局建设一批概念验证、中试验证平台,推进首台(套)、首批次、首版次应用,使更多科技成果从样品演变成产品、从产品延伸为产业。四是持续营造创新生态。健全支持原始创新的出资人政策,完善研发投入加回机制,推进职务科技成果赋权改革,以创新创造为导向,灵活开展多种形式的中长期激励,根据科研工作不确定性高的特点,进一步完善合规免责机制,让科技人员放开手脚干事业、心无旁骛搞科研.
The final bit is about the requirement of improving the management and supervision. Zhang talks about balancing control with allowing for vitality. He talks about improving assessment indicators too.
Page 3: There’s a report on Wang Yi’s meeting with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu in New York. Xinhua says:
Wang said that “China and the Maldives have always understood, trusted and supported each other despite the many uncertainties in the region and around the world, and the development of bilateral ties have remained steady and healthy…China, Wang told Muizzu, is willing to work with the Maldivian side to thoroughly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and continuously promote the China-Maldives relations to new levels. China’s development will enhance the force for peace in the world and augment the strength of developing countries, and will hence bring new opportunities for developing countries like the Maldives, Wang said. China-Maldives relations have become an example of countries large and small treating each other equally, helping and supporting each other, and striving for mutual benefits and win-win results, Wang said, adding that it is the wish of China to carry forward its traditional friendship with the Maldives and march alongside the Maldives at the forefront of the endeavor to build a community with a shared future for mankind. China will always support the Maldives' effort to protect its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, and support the Maldives' search for a development path that suits the country's reality, Wang said. Wang mentioned in particular the development of small island countries, saying that China is willing to lend a helping hand through the Chinese proposal known as the Global Development Initiative, meanwhile coping with challenges such as climate change together with small island countries.”
Next, there’s a report on Li Hongzhong, NPC vice chairman, meeting with a delegation led by Oláh Lajos, deputy speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly and vice chairman of the Hungary-China Friendship Group of Parliamentarians, in Beijing. Xinhua adds:
“China is willing to work with Hungary to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, deepen their traditional friendship and political mutual trust, and expand exchange and cooperation in various fields, he said. China’s NPC is willing to strengthen exchange and cooperation with the Hungarian Parliament, and continuously enrich the connotations of bilateral ties,” he added.
Third, there’s an announcement that Chen Wenqing will travel to Uzbekistan to attend the first meeting of the China-Uzbekistan law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism and visit Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Fourth, there’s a report on Chinese companies building schools in Iraq. It says that the Iraqi government has a plan to build 8000 schools by 2030.
The report says that Chinese companies, including PowerChina, have undertaken the construction of the first batch of 1,000 schools. Among these schools, over 600 have been completed and handed over to the Iraqi side.
Page 6: I am not summarising this, but if you are interested, there is a long article discussing the global significance of Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought.
Other Stories:
First, the Quad meeting in Delaware came up in the daily MoFA press briefing yesterday. Here are the responses to the relevant questions.
“Bloomberg: At the Quad summit in the US over the weekend, US President Biden made some remarks on China. He said that China continues to act aggressively and is testing the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region. What’s the Foreign Ministry’s comment?
Lin Jian: Quad is identified as the premier regional grouping that plays a leading role in the US’s Indo-Pacific strategy. It is a tool the US uses to contain China and perpetuate US hegemony. The Indo-Pacific strategy attempts to patch up forces to exclude and contain China by peddling the ‘China threat’ narrative, and Quad tries to muster military and security cooperation under the pretext of maritime issues—same intention, same tactics. Though the US claims that it does not target China, the first topic of the summit is about China and China was made an issue throughout the event. The US is lying through its teeth and even the US media does not believe it.
China believes that cooperation between countries should not target any third party or even harm their interests. Any regional initiative should follow the overwhelming trend of the region and promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Ganging up to form exclusive groupings undermines the mutual trust and cooperation between regional countries, runs counter to the overwhelming trend of pursuing peace, development, cooperation, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and is bound to fail.
The US needs to get rid of its obsession with perpetuating its supremacy and containing China, stop using regional countries as its tool, stop glossing over the strategic intention behind all kinds of exclusive groupings, and act on its word that the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China, instead of seeking selfish gains at the expense of other countries’ strategic security interests and the wellbeing of the people in the Asia-Pacific.
AFP: Quad leaders said in the joint statement that they are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, which apparently refers to China. Has China protested to relevant countries?
Lin Jian: The situation in the East and South China Seas is generally stable. Some country outside the region keeps cobbling together small groupings and tries every means to meddle in maritime issues at China’s doorstep in order to incite bloc confrontation, escalate the situation, and undermine regional peace and stability. Let me stress that no interference from any force will weaken China’s determination in defending its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with law and keeping the region peaceful and stable. We will lodge serious protests over any act that undermines China’s sovereignty and security interests.
PTI: Further to what you spoke about the Quad summit in the US. The summit also for the first time approved a joint coast guard cooperation at sea. And also they have rather agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and recognized India’s leadership in finalizing the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and expressed support for that. Do you have any comment on this?
Lin Jian: Cooperation between countries should be conducive to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, rather than focusing on forming exclusive groupings that undermine trust and cooperation among regional countries. China is open to normal cooperation between relevant countries at sea, but the cooperation should not target other countries or undermine regional peace and stability under any pretext.
PTI: You said that China will protest to anyone in violation to security interests. So can we presume that you have lodged a protest to all the Quad countries regarding the comments on the South China Sea and the East China Sea?
Lin Jian: As I said just now, China will protest over any move that harms China’s sovereignty and security interests.
Second, the Chinese and Nepali armies are carrying out joint training in Chongqing. Xinhua reports:
“Under the theme of ‘joint counter-terrorism operations in urban blocks’, the joint training will include small arms shooting in special operations, counter-terrorism squad tactics, drone operations, emergency rescue, and comprehensive counter-terrorism exercises. The training will last until Oct. 1. In addition to joint exercise sessions, the two militaries will engage in research and exchange on disaster reduction and relief in earthquakes, avalanches and landslides.”