Xi on Strengthening Party's Strict Governance - Wang Xiaoping: Graduate Employment 'Top Priority' - Qin Gang Speaks to Russian, Pak & ROK FMs - US-EU Tug-of-War over Inflation Reduction Act
Here are the stories and pieces that I found noteworthy from the Tuesday, January 10, 2023, edition of the People’s Daily
Page 1: The top story on the page today is about Xi Jinping’s speech (Xinhua English report) at the second plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Xi talked about comprehensive and strict Party governance being a “long-term strategy and eternal task.” He said that what was important was to view this from the perspectives of “the Party's long-term governance, the country's long-term prosperity and stability, and the people's happiness and well-being.”
The next few paragraphs offer a review of the work done in the past 10 years.
First, Xi said: “In the decade of the new era, the Party Central Committee has incorporated comprehensive and strict Party governance into the ‘four comprehensive’ strategic layout, turning the blade inward, scraping the poison off the bones, drastic medicine has been taken to dispel illnesses, and there has been an emphasis on rules and regulations to control chaos, ensuring that the Party has become stronger in the revolutionary forging.” He adds that the unique questions that are always before the Party are: “How to ensure that we always stay true to our original aspiration and keep the mission firmly in mind? How should we always unify thoughts, will and actions? How to ensure that we always maintain a strong governing ability and leadership level? How to always maintain the entrepreneurial spirit? How can we always identify and solve problems in a timely manner? How can we always maintain a clean and upright political ecology?”新时代十年，党中央把全面从严治党纳入“四个全面”战略布局，刀刃向内、刮骨疗毒，猛药祛疴、重典治乱，使党在革命性锻造中变得更加坚强有力。全面从严治党永远在路上，要时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定。如何始终不忘初心、牢记使命，如何始终统一思想、统一意志、统一行动，如何始终具备强大的执政能力和领导水平，如何始终保持干事创业精神状态，如何始终能够及时发现和解决自身存在的问题，如何始终保持风清气正的政治生态，都是我们这个大党必须解决的独有难题。解决这些难题，是实现新时代新征程党的使命任务必须迈过的一道坎，是全面从严治党适应新形势新要求必须啃下的硬骨头.
He then says that building a system of comprehensive and strict Party governance is an “an overall and pioneering” affair. He adds that in the new era, “the Party has continuously deepened its understanding of the law of self-revolution, continuously promoted theoretical innovation, practical innovation and institutional innovation in party building, and initially built a system of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party.” 构建全面从严治党体系是一项具有全局性、开创性的工作。新时代十年，我们党不断深化对自我革命规律的认识，不断推进党的建设理论创新、实践创新、制度创新，初步构建起全面从严治党体系.
He added: “To improve this system, it is necessary to adhere to the system of governing the Party according to regulations, give more prominence to the organic connection, linkage, integration and coordination of all aspects of the Party's construction, give more prominence to improving the system and mechanism and make laws and regulations scientific and effective, and give more prominence to the use of governance concepts, systematic concepts and dialectical thinking to govern the Party and build the Party.” 健全这个体系，需要坚持制度治党、依规治党，更加突出党的各方面建设有机衔接、联动集成、协同协调，更加突出体制机制的健全完善和法规制度的科学有效，更加突出运用治理的理念、系统的观念、辩证的思维管党治党建设党.
He then emphasised the importance of political supervision, calling it a “powerful measure to ensure that the whole Party adheres to the centralised and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee.” He also called for “greater efforts” to make political supervision more “specific, precise, and regular.”
“It is necessary to promote the close integration of the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the decision-making arrangements of the CPC Central Committee with the reality of the work of departments, industries and sectors, and assess whether or not the strategic arrangements of the 20th Party Congress, such as comprehensively implementing the new development concept, making efforts to promote high-quality development and actively building a new development pattern, have been implemented. Assess how the key tasks, key measures, important policies and important requirements put forward by the Party Central Committee are being implemented; Assess if the responsibilities of the local departments and units are being fulfilled.” 要推动党的二十大精神、党中央决策部署同部门、行业、领域实际紧密结合，看党的二十大关于全面贯彻新发展理念、着力推动高质量发展、主动构建新发展格局等战略部署落实了没有、落实得好不好；看党中央提出的重点任务、重点举措、重要政策、重要要求贯彻得怎么样；看属于本地区本部门本单位的职责有没有担当起来.
Xinhua English explains the next bit well:
“Prominent problems should be found in a timely manner, Xi said, listing examples such as a failure to implement the decisions and prohibitions set by the central leadership, selective or compromised enforcement, protectionism in disregard of the overall interests, and blindly copying others’ solutions. He ordered measures to effectively remove bottlenecks, obstacles and difficulties in implementation and enforcement, and to refine the mechanisms through which the Party Central Committee's major decisions and plans are implemented.”
In the following paragraph, Xi talks about the Party’s eight-point regulations. He calls for “unremitting efforts” on improving conduct “until it becomes a regular practice among Party members.” He added that “we should continue to rectify hedonism and extravagance…and deepen efforts to address common and recurring problems,” and “it is necessary to put the rectification of formalism and bureaucracy in a more prominent position, as the key task of work style construction…” 习近平强调，制定实施中央八项规定，是我们党在新时代的徙木立信之举，必须常抓不懈、久久为功，直至真正化风成俗，以优良党风引领社风民风。要继续纠治享乐主义、奢靡之风，把握作风建设地区性、行业性、阶段性特点，抓住普遍发生、反复出现的问题深化整治，推进作风建设常态化长效化。要把纠治形式主义、官僚主义摆在更加突出位置，作为作风建设的重点任务，研究针对性举措，科学精准靶向整治，动真碰硬、务求实效.
Xinhua English covers the next paragraph well: “High importance should be placed on strengthening Party discipline, and the requirement for strictness should be integrated throughout all processes ranging from the formulation of Party rules and the dissemination of Party discipline to discipline enforcement oversight, he said. This is to ensure that a high degree of self-consciousness can be developed among all Party members in terms of observing Party rules and discipline.”
The PD story adds: “Every CPC member, especially leading cadres, should firmly establish the awareness of the Party Constitution, more consciously study the Party Constitution, abide by the Party Constitution, implement the Party Constitution, maintain the Party Constitution, use the Party Constitution, Party rules and discipline to restrain their words and actions, enhance the awareness of discipline, rules, and further develop the habit of working and living in a supervised and constrained environment.” 每一个共产党员特别是领导干部都要牢固树立党章意识，更加自觉地学习党章、遵守党章、贯彻党章、维护党章，用党章党规党纪约束自己的一言一行，增强纪律意识、规矩意识，进一步养成在受监督和约束的环境中工作生活的习惯。
After this, Xi spoke about the anti-corruption campaign. He said that the “fight against corruption remains grave and complex” and that the Party still faces “uphill tasks in preventing new cases and rooting out existing ones.” He talked about the need to maintain the “zero tolerance” approach, maintain “high pressure” on officials so that they do not become corrupt, and hand out “harsh punishments.” He added: “Resolutely punish those who do not restrain themselves or cease their efforts, resolutely crackdown on corruption where political and economic problems are intertwined, resolutely prevent leading officials from acting as spokespersons or agents for interest groups and powerful organisations, and prevent political and business collusion and capital infiltration into the political sphere from damaging the political ecology and the environment for economic development.” 要在不敢腐上持续加压，始终保持零容忍震慑不变、高压惩治力量常在，坚决惩治不收敛不收手、胆大妄为者，坚决查处政治问题和经济问题交织的腐败，坚决防止领导干部成为利益集团和权势团体的代言人、代理人，坚决防止政商勾连、资本向政治领域渗透等破坏政治生态和经济发展环境。
Here’s more: “It is necessary to carry out special rectification to deal with the prominent sectoral, institutional and regional corruption problems.” Xinhua English reports: “Efforts to ensure officials do not have the opportunity to become corrupt should be intensified, Xi said, calling for advancements in oversight mechanism reform and institutional development in key areas, and for improving institutions and mechanisms to curb corruption. More measures are needed to ensure that officials do not have the desire to become corrupt, Xi said, stressing the importance of promoting a culture of integrity in the new era. Simultaneous, coordinated and comprehensive steps should be taken to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity or desire to become corrupt, he noted. Improving the laws and regulations targeting bribery is important, as is meting out joint punishment for those offering bribes, Xi said, vowing to crack down harshly on political liars with so-called connections.”
The English report also covers the next bit well: “Improving the total-coverage, authoritative and highly effective oversight system under the Party’s unified leadership is essential to modernizing China's system and capacity for governance, Xi said. On refining this oversight system, Xi emphasized the leading role of Party committees, the continued efforts to reform the country's discipline inspection and supervision system, and the strengthened inspections that serve as a powerful tool. Xi noted that discipline inspection and supervision organs must remain loyal to the Party, take on tough and arduous tasks, and be adept at tackling their struggles.”
For the supervision organs, Xi called for strengthening political education and party spirit education” ensuring that they “strictly observe the law and discipline,” resolutely eliminating the black sheep, and building a loyal and clean iron army with iron discipline.” 要结合即将在全党开展的主题教育，把纯洁思想、纯洁组织作为突出问题来抓，切实加强政治教育、党性教育，严明法纪，坚决清除害群之马，以铁的纪律打造忠诚干净担当的铁军.
Li Xi, who presided over the meeting, then called for studying Xi’s speech and the need to deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, strengthen the four consciousnesses and four confidences, and achieve the two safeguards. He also delivered a work report.
The other big story on the page is about the video meeting between Xi and Czech President Milos Zeman. Xinhua reports:
“Xi said that China attaches importance to the development of bilateral relations, regards the Czech Republic as an important strategic partner, and is willing to work with the Czech side to promote stable and far-reaching bilateral relations and bring more benefits to the two peoples. He stressed that China is promoting the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, and will continue to promote high-level opening up, which will surely provide new opportunities for all countries, including the Czech Republic. Xi called on the two sides to be firm in their respect for each other's core interests and major concerns, and strengthen multi-level and high-quality communication, tap the potential of complementarity, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges. ‘China will introduce more practical measures to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC),’ Xi said. He noted that China's European policy remains stable, and expressed his hope that the Czech side will continue to actively promote China-CEEC cooperation and the sustained and healthy development of China-Europe relations.”
Page 2: Today there is an interview with Minister for Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping. Wang basically talks about employment.
She says that “the main indicators of employment are running smoothly. In 2022, 12.06 million new urban jobs were created across the country, exceeding the annual target of 11 million. The employment of key groups has been basically stable, with the employment level of college graduates being stable overall and the number of employment of people who have been lifted out of poverty being higher than that of the previous year.”
Wang also offers a nod to the boss, saying that this ability to maintain stability in employment despite the challenging conditions “This achievement is most fundamentally due to the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and to the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.”
She then talked about the impact of policies to support growth, ease burdens of businesses, promote entrepreneurship, assist key groups like migrant workers, and strengthen training and services for job seekers.
“As of November 2022, a total of 116.2 billion yuan of social insurance premiums related to pensions, work-related injuries and unemployment had been deferred in stages, 74.3 billion yuan of unemployment insurance subsidies for returning to jobs and staying in employment training had been paid, and 90.3 billion yuan of employment subsidies had been spent.” 截至2022年11月底，共阶段性缓缴养老、工伤、失业3项社会保险费1162亿元，发放失业保险稳岗返还和留工培训补助资金743亿元，支出就业补助资金903亿元.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, the balance of entrepreneurship guarantee loans was 269.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.8%. 创业环境不断优化，创业扶持政策持续完善，2022年三季度末创业担保贷款余额2694亿元，同比增长14.8%。
Last year, a pilot program of occupational injury protection for employees in new employment forms was launched.
More than 100 million person-times of employment services were provided for various market players and workers, and more than 16 million person-times of subsidised vocational skills training were carried out. 重点群体专项培训深入推进，累计为各类市场主体和劳动者提供就业服务1亿多人次，开展补贴性职业技能培训超1600万人次.
For 2023, she says that “with the optimisation of epidemic prevention and control policies and the further implementation of various measures to stabilise the economy, China's economy will continue to recover and the employment situation will remain generally stable. However, we should also note that the pressure of total employment still exists, the structural employment contradiction is more prominent, and there are still many challenges regarding stabilising employment.” 从2023年走势看，随着疫情防控政策优化和稳经济各项举措进一步落实，我国经济继续恢复，就业局势将继续保持总体稳定。但也要看到，就业总量压力依然存在，结构性就业矛盾更加凸显，稳就业仍面临不少挑战.
So what can one expect this year? Wang says that “stabilising employment” will be treated “as a major political responsibility.” She then talks about the following broad policy focus:
The government will optimise the policy of reducing burdens and stabilising and expanding employment, which is about to expire. More support will be given to the service sector, micro and small enterprises, and self-employed individuals.
Efforts on the fiscal and monetary fronts will be made to shore up employment.
Efforts will be made to support entrepreneurship via a number of national entrepreneurship incubation demonstration bases and various entrepreneurship promotion activities.
She talked about supporting the healthy development of flexible employment and implementing the policy of protecting workers' rights and interests in new employment forms.
Employment for college graduates, rural and migrant workers will be key focus areas.
She committed to “strengthen the livelihood security for the unemployed, timely honouring of unemployment insurance benefits, and strengthen the coordination between livelihood assistance and employment promotion.” 强化失业人员生活保障，及时兑现各项失业保险待遇，加强生活救助与就业促进协同.
She also talked about focussing on skilling and protecting the rights and interests of workers.
In response to the final question about the youth, Wang says that “We will take the employment of college graduates as the top priority.”
Also on the page is a report informing that in 2022, China Development Bank issued more than 1.4 trillion yuan in medium and long-term infrastructure loans. These were invested in network-based infrastructure and industrial upgrading.
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Page 3: A consolidated report on new Foreign Minister Qin Gang’s conversations with counterparts from Russia, Pakistan and South Korea.
Xinhua’s report on the call with Lavrov: Qin “said China-Russia relations are based on the principle of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-direction at the third party, noting that China is ready to work with Russia to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state and continuously push forward the two countries' relations. Qin also expressed his willingness to maintain close exchanges with Lavrov.” The report adds: “The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. Qin emphasized that China will continue to view and handle the Ukraine issue with the four points about what must be done and the four things the international community must do together proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping as the fundamental guidance.”
Xinhua’s report on the call with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari: “Qin said China and Pakistan enjoy a special friendship and high-level mutual trust, and the close high-level interactions between the two countries have injected strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations. China is ready to work with Pakistan to take the important consensus between leaders of the two countries as a guidance, continuously deepen their traditional friendship, and join hands to forge an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. Qin stressed that as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching, China pays close attention to the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, and hopes that Pakistan will continue to take effective security measures.”
Xinhua’s report on the call with Park Jin: “China and South Korea are close neighbors that will always live next to each other and partners that cannot be separated, Qin said, adding that the sound and steady development of China-South Korea relations serves the common interests of the two countries and is the general direction that both sides are continuously working for. Qin said he would like to forge and maintain good working relationship with Park and jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state. He noted that he stands ready to focus on the current situation while taking a long-term perspective, grasp the overall friendly situation and rally cooperation forces, so as to push for steady and long-term development of China-South Korea relations…Qin expressed concerns about the recent temporary restrictions taken by South Korea on arrivals from China, and voiced his hope that South Korea would uphold an objective and scientific attitude.”
Also on the page is a report about Qin visiting Ethiopia, Gabon, Angola, Benin, Egypt, the African Union Headquarters and the League of Arab States Headquarters, starting January 9. This is in keeping with the tradition of Chinese foreign ministers beginning the year with a visit to African countries.
Also worth noting is this report, which continues the series of propaganda around positive foreign views of China’s COVID-19 control policies and now opening policies. A lot of the comments in the report basically express confidence in the resilience and long-term prospects of the Chinese economy along with the opportunities that China’s opening provides to the world.
Page 4: There’s a report with comments from Wang Xiaohong, Minister of Public Security, during a national conference with the chiefs of public security bureaus.
Wand “demanded that the political security system, social stability system and public security governance system should be improved, the security of state power, system and ideology should be maintained, various risks in economic and social fields should be prevented and resolved, and a higher level of Safe China construction should be promoted.” 王小洪要求，要健全完善捍卫政治安全体系、维护社会稳定体系、公共安全治理体系，维护国家政权安全、制度安全、意识形态安全，防范化解经济社会领域各类风险，推进更高水平的平安中国建设. He added that “it is necessary to vigorously promote the construction of public security under the rule of law, deepen reform and innovation, and improve the legalisation level and overall efficiency of public security work.” 要大力推进法治公安建设，深化改革创新，提升公安工作法治化水平和公安工作整体效能.
Page 17: A couple of interesting reports to note on the international page.
First, the lead story is about the US being the “instigator” of the crisis in Syria. In a nutshell, the story says that “in order to maintain its hegemony and seek self-interest, the United States has illegally intervened in Syria, plundered resources, and imposed arbitrary sanctions on Syria, seriously undermining the Syrian people’s right to life, health, and development, and causing serious humanitarian disasters.” It adds that the US and other Western countries bear an “unshirkable responsibility” for the situation in Syria.
The article quotes a recent note sent by the Syrian government to the UNSC, claiming that US military and the armed forces it supports in the country had led to losses worth $25.9 billion to Syria. The report adds:
“According to data released by the Syrian Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, in the first half of 2022, Syria's oil production was around 80,300 barrels per day, of which 66,000 barrels was looted by the US military stationed in Syria, accounting for 83% of Syria's daily oil production. According to statistics from Russian agencies, about one-third of the oil illegally extracted by the United States in northeastern Syria each month is sold to the Kurdish Autonomous Region in northern Iraq at a price of $35-$40 US dollars per barrel through black market intermediaries.” 根据叙利亚石油部公布的数据，2022年上半年，叙石油日产量约8.03万桶，其中6.6万桶被驻叙美军掠夺，占叙日产油量的83%。据俄罗斯对外机构统计，美国在叙东北部每月盗采的石油中有约1/3通过黑中介，以每桶35—40美元的价格卖到伊拉克北部库尔德自治区.
The report also criticises the US military for looting Syrian wheat, further contributing to food insecurity in the country.
Anyway, the big point being made, apart from the complete lack of any moral consciousness within the US, is this: “America doesn't really care about human rights, it only cares about its own interests.” “美国并非真正关心人权，其关心的只是自己的利益.”
Next, there’s a piece on differences between the US and Europe over the Inflation Reduction Act. This is written by Yang Chengyu from CASS. Yang argues that the differences highlight the “the contradictions with regard to the industrial structures between the two sides and reflects the strategic intention of the US and Europe to seize the competitive advantage of the future green economy.” 分歧的背后，既凸显双方产业结构性矛盾，也反映出美欧抢占未来绿色经济竞争优势的战略意图.
Yang says that in adopting the Inflation Reduction Act, the US violated WTO rules and adopted industrial policy to implement huge financial subsidies, thereby causing concern within many countries. He writes that the “EU believes that this act discriminates against new energy vehicles, renewable energy, batteries and energy-intensive industries in Europe, encourages the transfer of new energy industries in Europe to the United States, and further accelerates the ‘de-industrialisation’ trend in Europe.” 欧盟认为，这一法案对欧洲的新能源汽车、可再生能源、电池和能源密集型产业构成歧视，变相鼓励欧洲新能源产业向美转移，进一步加速欧洲“去工业化”趋势.
Yang says that for the longest time, Europe and the US have shared similar advantages when it comes to industrial development, with competition outweighing complementarity. Moreover “as a relative ‘latecomer’, Europe has repeatedly been targeted and suppressed by the United States when its industrial advantages have been seemingly catching up with the United States.” “For example, in the 1990s, Europe’s communications, manufacturing and financial industries grew rapidly. Alcatel, Alstom, Siemens, Daimler, BNP Paribas and Commerzbank competed with American companies for the international market in their respective fields, and even in some core technologies, European companies were ahead of the United States. The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other domestic laws were applied abroad, and ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ was initiated, resulting in ‘sky-high fines’ being imposed on blossoming European industries and the competitiveness of European industries suffered heavy losses. In the 21st century, the competition between the United States and Europe in the aviation field has intensified, and Boeing initiated a 17-year aviation subsidy lawsuit against Airbus. In addition, the United States and Europe are jostling over steel and aluminium tariffs, digital service tax, supervision of technology enterprises, and data privacy protection.”长期以来，美欧产业发展趋同、优势塑造相近，竞争性大于互补性。欧洲作为相对的“后发者”，在其产业优势出现赶超美国的势头时，曾多次遭到来自美方的针对性打压、遏制。例如，上世纪90年代，欧洲通信业、制造业、金融业快速崛起，阿尔卡特、阿尔斯通、西门子、戴姆勒、法国巴黎银行、德国商业银行等在各自领域与美国企业争夺国际市场，甚至部分核心技术领先于美国。美国将《反海外腐败法》等国内法适用域外，发起“长臂管辖”，多家欧洲“工业之花”遭遇“天价罚金”，欧洲工业竞争力遭受重挫。进入21世纪，美欧在航空领域竞争加剧，美国波音对欧洲空客发起长达17年的航空补贴诉讼。此外，美欧在钢铝关税、数字服务税、科技企业监管、数据隐私保护等方面也在角力.
Yang adds that given concerns regarding climate change, Europe acted early with a strategic perspective to develop policies in the fields of green industry, decarbonisation technology, renewable energy and sustainable finance. “Europe is trying to take advantage of the transformation of the green economy to develop a comparative advantage in order to seize the new commanding heights of global competition. After the Ukraine crisis, Europe further accelerated the transformation with regard to renewable energies. In May 2022, the European Commission issued a plan to increase investment of 210 billion euros by 2027 in order to further boost investment in renewable energies, such as wind power, solar power and hydrogen energy.” 近年来，随着应对气候变化日益成为全球发展共识，绿色经济转型呈现巨大发展潜力。欧洲较早将绿色发展作为重要战略，在绿色产业链、脱碳技术、可再生能源、可持续金融等领域加速布局。欧洲力图借助绿色经济转型形成比较优势，以抢占新的全球竞争制高点。乌克兰危机发生后，欧洲进一步加速可再生能源转型。2022年5月，欧盟委员会发布计划，在2027年前增加投资2100亿欧元，进一步加大对风电、光伏、氢能等可再生能源投资.
“However, due to the adverse effects of energy supply shortage and high inflation, the downside risks of Europe's economy have intensified and the fiscal space is limited.” In this context, Yang argues that the Inflation Reduction Act, through deployment of “financial subsidies and other protectionist measures,” seeks to attract European green enterprises with international competitiveness to move to the United States.
Yang ends by predicting a prolonged tug-of-war between the US and Europe over this.
Finally, there is a report carrying comments from South American leaders criticising the violent demonstrations in Brazil.