Xi: 'Our Historical Course to Build a Strong Country & Rejuvenate the Nation Will Not be Blocked' - Indian Foreign Secretary's Beijing Visit
Hi folks,
Here’s wishing everyone a very happy Chinese New Year! The daily newsletter will take a bit of a break during the holidays, unless there is something substantive that develops. Today’s edition is brief, with the key report being about the visit of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing.
Cheers,
Manoj
Page 1: The lead story today is about Xi Jinping’s remarks at the Chinese New Year reception. Xi said that “in the Year of the Dragon, we demonstrated vitality and a can-do spirit. We endured storms and saw the rainbow. Over the past year, in the face of complex and severe situations, we have responded calmly, adopted comprehensive measures, overcome difficulties, and forged ahead, ensuring that Chinese-style modernisation takes new and solid steps.” 习近平强调，即将过去的甲辰龙年，是我们振奋龙马精神、历经风雨彩虹的一年。一年来，面对复杂严峻形势，我们沉着应变、综合施策，攻坚克难、砥砺奋进，中国式现代化迈出新的坚实步伐。
In his speech, Xi Jinping pointed out that in the past year, we have solidly promoted high-quality development, effectively implemented various existing policies, intensified the rollout of a package of incremental policies, and promoted economic recovery and improvement. Scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation achievements were abundant, and new productive forces developed steadily. Regional coordinated development and urban-rural integrated development showed new features. Looking at the world, China is still an important engine of global economic growth. We focused on coordinated progress in various undertakings, with new progress made in socialist democratic rule of law construction, cultural construction, social construction, ecological civilization construction, and national defense and military construction. We solemnly celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Party Congress was held, promoting further comprehensive deepening of reform. We focused on ensuring and improving people’s livelihood, maintaining employment and prices, and further consolidating and expanding the results of poverty alleviation. We coordinated development and security, resolved risks in key areas in an orderly and effective manner, and maintained social stability. We effectively responded to major natural disasters and carried out earthquake relief in the high-altitude cold and hypoxic areas of Tingri, Tibet. We continued to do a good job in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and solemnly celebrated the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. Our athletes achieved the best results in overseas competitions at the Paris Olympics, which made Chinese people at home and abroad feel proud. We deepened major power diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, actively promoted the reform of the global governance system, deepened the solidarity and cooperation of the Global South, and promoted the high-quality joint construction of BRI in greater depth and in a more realistic manner, injecting more positive energy into maintaining world peace and stability and promoting human development and progress. We have consistently promoted comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, carried out Party discipline education in a solid manner, continued to intensify anti-corruption efforts, ensuring that the Party’s leadership remains strong and powerful, and the Party’s work conduct and political conduct continue to improve, providing a fundamental guarantee for the development of various undertakings. 习近平在讲话中指出，过去一年，我们扎实推动高质量发展，有效落实各项存量政策，加力推出一揽子增量政策，促进经济回暖向好。科技创新和产业创新成果丰硕，新质生产力稳步发展。区域协调发展、城乡融合发展展现新面貌。放眼全球，我国仍然是世界经济增长的重要引擎。我们注重各项事业协调并进，社会主义民主法治建设、文化建设、社会建设、生态文明建设、国防和军队建设都取得新进步。隆重庆祝新中国成立75周年。召开党的二十届三中全会，推动进一步全面深化改革。着力保障和改善民生，就业、物价保持稳定，脱贫攻坚成果进一步巩固拓展。统筹发展和安全，有序有效化解重点领域风险，社会大局保持稳定。有力应对重大自然灾害，高效开展西藏定日高寒缺氧地区抗震救灾。继续做好港澳台工作，隆重庆祝澳门回归祖国25周年。我国体育健儿在巴黎奥运会上取得境外参赛最好成绩，让海内外中华儿女深感自豪。我们深入推进中国特色大国外交，积极推动全球治理体系变革，深化“全球南方”团结合作，推进高质量共建“一带一路”走深走实，为维护世界和平稳定、促进人类发展进步注入更多正能量。我们一以贯之推进全面从严治党，扎实开展党纪学习教育，继续加大反腐败力度，党的领导坚强有力，党风政风持续好转，为各项事业发展提供了根本保证.
Xi Jinping emphasised that the development journey over the past year has been extraordinary, with achievements that are very encouraging. We proved once again through our hard work that no difficulty or obstacle will hold back the Chinese people in their pursuit of a better life. Our historical course to build a strong country and rejuvenate the nation will not be blocked. We will undoubtedly break new ground in reform and development as long as we strengthen our conviction and confidence, confront problems and obstacles directly, and tackle risks and challenges without hesitation. 习近平强调，一年来的发展历程很不平凡，成绩令人鼓舞。我们用拼搏奋斗再次证明，任何艰难险阻都挡不住中国人民追求美好生活的前进步伐，都挡不住我们推进强国建设、民族复兴的历史进程。只要我们坚定信念信心不动摇，直面矛盾问题不回避，应对风险挑战不退缩，就一定能够打开改革发展新天地!
Xi Jinping pointed out that 2025 is the final year of the ‘14th Five-Year’ Plan. We must adhere to the guidance of Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, adhere to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, adhere to placing the development foothold on high-quality development, completely accurately and fully implement the new development concept, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, further comprehensively deepen reform, expand high-level opening up to the outside world, prevent and resolve risks in key areas and external shocks, promote sustained economic recovery and improvement, maintain social harmony and stability, and deepen the comprehensive strict governance of the Party. We will formulate proposals for the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ and continue striving toward the grand objectives. 习近平指出，2025年是“十四五”规划收官之年。我们要坚持以新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，全面贯彻党的二十大和二十届二中、三中全会精神，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，坚持把发展立足点放在高质量发展上，完整准确全面贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，进一步全面深化改革，扩大高水平对外开放，防范化解重点领域风险和外部冲击，推动经济持续回升向好，保持社会和谐稳定，纵深推进全面从严治党。我们将制定“十五五”规划建议，向着宏伟目标接续奋进.
He further called to do “a good job in people’s livelihood” and ensure that the fruits of modernisation benefit all people far more and more equitably.
Another report on the page covers Xi’s congratulatory message to Alexander Lukashenko on his reelection as the president of Belarus. Xinhua reports:
Xi said that the two of them together have “pushed bilateral ties to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership of all time high. Political mutual trust between the two sides has been continuously consolidated, Belt and Road cooperation has yielded fruitful results, and multilateral coordination has been effective, Xi said. Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Belarus relations, and would like to work with Lukashenko to continue the traditional friendship between the two countries, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to push for a greater development of China-Belarus relations and bring more benefits to the two peoples”.
Next, there’s a report on Xi’s Chinese New Year card to friends in Iowa. Xi said that “China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation and can become partners and friends.” Xinhua reports:
“China and the United States can achieve mutual success and common prosperity for the benefit of both countries and the world at large, Xi said. The Chinese president expressed his hope that the two peoples will pay more visits to each other and have more exchanges, jointly write new stories of friendship between the two peoples, and make new contributions to the development of China-U.S. relations.”
Page 2: There’s a report on Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s meeting with Wang Yi in Beijing. The Chinese readout says:
“Wang Yi said that since the meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in Kazan last year, both sides have earnestly implemented the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, carried out active exchanges at all levels, and accelerated the process of improving China-India relations. Both sides should seize opportunities, move towards each other, explore more substantive measures, and be committed to mutual understanding, mutual support, and mutual achievement, rather than mutual suspicion, mutual estrangement, and mutual consumption. The improvement and development of China-India relations completely aligns with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples, is conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the countries of the Global South, and is conducive to the two ancient civilisations contribute to Asia’s and the world’s peace, stability, development, and prosperity.” 王毅说，习近平主席同莫迪总理去年举行喀山会晤以来，双方认真落实两国领导人重要共识，开展各层级积极互动，加快中印关系改善进程。双方要抓住机遇，相向而行，探讨采取更多实质性举措，致力于相互理解，相互支持，相互成就，而不是相互猜忌，相互疏离，相互消耗。中印关系的改善发展完全符合两国和两国人民根本利益，有利于维护全球南方国家的正当权益，有助于为亚洲和世界和平稳定与发展繁荣作出两大文明古国的贡献.
The more substantive dialogue, however, was held at the vice-ministerial level. The Chinese readout says that the two sides reached the following consensus.
The Indian side is willing to fully support China’s work as the rotating chair of the SCO and will actively participate in various activities hosted by China under the SCO framework.
Both sides agreed to use bilateral and multilateral occasions to carry out active interactions at various levels, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance political mutual trust.
Both sides agreed to jointly commemorate the 75th anniversary of China-India diplomatic relations in 2025, conducting media and think tank exchanges, track-two dialogues, and other people-to-people exchange activities.
Both sides agreed to resume direct flights between mainland China and India, support coordination between the two countries’ competent departments to advance this, and take measures to facilitate personnel exchanges and mutual exchange of journalists between the two countries.
Both sides agreed to promote the resumption of Indian pilgrims’ pilgrimages to holy mountains and sacred lakes in China’s Tibet in 2025, and will consult on relevant arrangements as soon as possible.
Both sides agreed to continue cross-border river cooperation and maintain communication on holding a new round of cross-border river expert mechanism meetings as soon as possible.
The Chinese side emphasised that both sides should proceed from the fundamental interests of China and India and their peoples, persist in viewing and handling China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, actively promote dialogue, exchanges and practical cooperation with a frank and constructive attitude, positively guide public opinion and public sentiment, increase trust and dispel doubts, properly handle differences, and promote China-India relations to develop forward along a healthy and stable track. The Chinese and Indian sides also exchanged views on issues of their respective concerns in a frank and in-depth manner. 2025年1月27日，外交部副部长孙卫东同印度外秘唐勇胜在北京举行中印副外长/外秘级对话，重点推动落实中印两国领导人喀山会晤重要共识，研商中印关系改善发展举措。双方就以下具体举措达成共识：一、印方愿全力支持中方担任上海合作组织轮值主席国工作，将积极参与中方在上海合作组织框架下主办的各项活动。二、双方同意利用双多边等场合，开展各层级积极互动，加强战略沟通，增进政治互信。三、双方同意共同纪念2025年中印建交75周年，开展媒体和智库交流、二轨对话及其他人文交流等活动。四、双方同意恢复中国内地和印度间直航航班，支持两国主管部门对接推进，并采取措施，为两国人员往来和互派记者提供便利。五、双方同意推动于2025年恢复印度香客赴中国西藏神山圣湖朝圣，将尽快协商有关安排。六、双方同意继续开展跨境河流合作，就尽早举行新一轮跨境河流专家级机制会议保持沟通。中方强调，双方应从中印两国和两国人民的根本利益出发，坚持从战略高度和长远角度看待和处理中印关系，以坦诚和建设性态度，积极促进对话交流和务实合作，正面引导舆论和民意，增信释疑，妥处分歧，推动中印关系沿着健康稳定轨道向前发展。中印双方并就各自关心的问题坦诚深入交换了意见.
The Indian side’s readout of the two sides “reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively and agreed to take certain people-centric steps to stabilize and rebuild ties.” It added:
In this context, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers.
The two sides agreed to take appropriate measures to further promote and facilitate people-to-people exchanges, including media and think-tank interactions. They agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries; the relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date.
The two sides recognize that 2025, being the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China, should be utilized to redouble public diplomacy efforts to create better awareness about each other and restore mutual trust and confidence among the public. The two sides will conduct a number of commemorative activities to mark this anniversary.
The two sides took stock of the extant mechanisms for functional exchanges. It was agreed to resume these dialogues step by step and to utilize them to address each other’s priority areas of interest and concern. Specific concerns in the economic and trade areas were discussed with a view to resolving these issues and promoting long-term policy transparency and predictability.