Xi Visits Xinjiang - New Xi Thought Curriculum & Teaching Syllabus - Zhao Leji, Wang Yi Stress Taiwan Issue with US Delegation - Steel Industry Work Plan
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
Page 1: The front page today is all about Xi Jinping’s visit to Xinjiang. Xi is leading a central delegation to attend activities marking the autonomous region’s 70th founding anniversary. This is significant because it is the first time in the history of the Party and the country that Xi Jinping, as General Secretary, President of the People’s Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, has led a central delegation to Xinjiang to attend the celebrations.
On the plane along with Xi were Cai Qi and Wang Huning. As the plane landed, on the tarmac to greet Xi were:
Chen Xiaojian, Xinjiang Party Secretary
Erkin Tuniyaz, Chairman of the People’s Government of Xinjiang
Zumret Obul, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Xinjiang
Nurlan Abdumanjin, Chairman of the People’s Political Consultative Conference of Xinjiang
He Zhongyou, Political Commissar of the XPCC
Other central leaders who are part of the delegation are:
UFWD chief Li Ganjie
Shohrat Zakir, Vice Chairman of the NPCSC
State Councilor Shen Yiqin
Wang Dongfeng, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC NC
CMC Member Liu Zhenli
Vice Premier He Lifeng
State Councilor Wang Xiaohong, who is also identified as the Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee
The big event is planned for September 25th, as per a brief report in the paper. Another piece talks about Xi’s meeting with representatives from all ethnic groups and all walks of life in Xinjiang. As per the report:
Xi “held separate meetings with local officials, leaders of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, cadres who come to work in Xinjiang from other parts of the country, judicial workers, police officers, and patriotic members of the religious circles, among others. Xi also met with military officers ranked colonel and above, along with grassroots role models and civilian personnel from troops stationed in Urumqi. He conveyed cordial greetings to all military personnel in Xinjiang on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC.”
Next, there’s a report talking about the publication of Xi Jinping Thought curriculum and teaching syllabus. The report says:
In order to continuously deepen Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era education and training, standardise and guide the education of Party member and cadre education and training institutions at all levels to carry out the Party’s innovative theory education, the Central Organization Department, Central Propaganda Department, and Central Party School (National Academy of Administration) have compiled ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Course System and Teaching Outline.
The Outline is centered around the key elements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, such as its 10 Clears/affirmations, 14 Persistences/commitments, and 13 Achievements (if you are unsure what these are, do check out Xi’s speeches at the 19th and 20th Party Congresses; or you could dig into the archives of this newsletter). The book, comprising 26 courses, is intended for the education and training of Party members and officials. It serves as an important basis for Party member and cadre training institutions in teaching Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. 《大纲》围绕习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想“十个明确”、“十四个坚持”、“十三个方面成就”等主要内容，设置了二十六门课程并明确了每门课程的教学目的、教学重点、教学内容、教学形式、重点阅读篇目等，是党员、干部教育培训机构开展习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想教学的重要依据.)
Next, there’s a report on the new regulations on the management of military land. The report says that the regulation has a total of 30 articles. These cover four areas:
First, establishing a centralised unified management system for military land. The usage rights of military land belong to the CMC, and are exercised by the CMC’s Logistics Support Department on behalf of the CMC. The CMC Logistics Support Department should strengthen overall planning for military land usage and guide the optimised allocation of military land resources.
Second, strengthen the guarantee for land use for military construction. For military construction land usage, priority should be given to existing military land; if it is indeed necessary to add new construction land, it shall conform to the requirements of national spatial planning, annual land-use plans, and use control; use unused land as much as possible, and handle relevant procedures for land use for construction projects according to law. People’s governments at county level and above organising the compilation of national spatial planning and annual land-use plans should fully consider guaranteeing military construction land needs and solicit opinions from relevant military units. The state shall improve the mechanism for notification of military construction project land-use needs and for military-local coordination.
Third, strengthening military land protection. For constructing related public infrastructure above or below military land, approval should be sought according to regulations of the CMC. When people’s governments at county level and above need to borrow military land for reasons such as infrastructure construction and carrying out public welfare undertakings, they should sign agreements with military units and use the land according to the purposes and time limits stipulated in the agreements. Encroaching upon, polluting, or damaging military land is prohibited.
Fourth, standardising the disposal of military land use rights. Military units may dispose of military land use rights through methods such as military-civilian land use right exchange and integration or transferring military land use rights to local areas. Disposal of military land use rights should be approved according to regulations of the CMC, with priority given to land use right exchange and integration methods. In situations such as public interest needs, military facility scrapping and relocation, and military land losing military utilisation value, land use rights may be transferred to local areas according to regulations, and real estate registration procedures should be handled according to law.
一是确立军用土地集中统管制度。军用土地的使用权属于中央军委，由中央军委后勤保障部代表中央军委行使。中央军委后勤保障部应当加强对军用土地使用的统筹规划，引导军用土地资源优化配置。二是强化军队建设用地保障。军队建设使用土地，应当优先使用存量军用土地；确需新增建设用地的，应当符合国土空间规划、土地利用年度计划和用途管制等要求，尽可能使用未利用地，并依法办理建设项目用地相关手续。县级以上人民政府组织编制国土空间规划和土地利用年度计划，应当充分考虑保障军队建设用地需要，并征求军队有关单位的意见。国家健全军队建设项目用地需求通报和军地对接机制。三是加强军用土地保护。在军用土地的上方或者下方建设相关公共基础设施的，应当按照中央军委的规定报经批准。县级以上人民政府因基础设施建设、开展公益事业等原因需要借用军用土地的，应当与军队单位签订协议，按照协议约定的用途和期限使用土地。禁止侵占、污染、破坏军用土地。四是规范处置军用土地的使用权。军队单位可以采取军队与地方土地使用权置换整合或者向地方转移军用土地的使用权等方式处置军用土地的使用权。处置军用土地的使用权应当按照中央军委的规定报经批准，优先采取土地使用权置换整合方式。在公共利益需要、军事设施报废迁建、军用土地失去军事利用价值等情况下，可以按照规定向地方转移土地使用权，并依法办理不动产登记手续.
Page 2: There’s a report on Li Qiang traveling to New York for the UNGA. Another report on the page talks about Zhao Leji meeting with a US congressional delegation led by Representative Adam Smith. Xinhua says:
Zhao said that: “maintaining the sound, stable and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations is an expectation shared by the people of both countries and the world at large. Mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation are the fundamental principles for the development of China-U.S. ties, he said. Calling on both sides to adhere to principles of rationality, objectivity and fairness, he expressed the hope that they will strengthen communication, seek common ground while reserving differences, and enhance mutual trust and dispel misgivings to inject greater stability into bilateral cooperation and the global economy.”
“The Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive matter in China-U.S. relations, Zhao said, urging the United States to adhere to the one-China principle and handle the Taiwan question with caution. China’s NPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with the U.S. Congress to play a constructive role in boosting bilateral ties, Zhao said, welcoming more members of the U.S. Congress to visit China.”
Foreign Minister Wang Yi also met with this delegation. The report of this meeting is on Page 3. As per the report, Wang went into a bit of a lecture. He said:
“The two sides held a candid, in-depth exchange of views on strengthening communication and promoting the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations.” It adds:
Wang “said the delegation brings the voices of both U.S. political parties and the American people’s expectations for China-U.S. relations and it should be considered an ice-breaking journey. Wang expressed the hope that the visit will help the U.S. understand China accurately, view China objectively, approach differences rationally, engage in friendly interactions, and explore cooperation actively. This would contribute to the real realization of stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and ultimately allow the two major countries to find the right way to coexist on this planet, benefiting both countries and the world, Wang said.”
“He emphasized that the head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable leading role in China-U.S. relations. Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump have maintained contact and held phone talks three times, setting the tone and direction for the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations, Wang said, noting that the current stabilizing trend in bilateral relations is hard-won and should be cherished. He said that the U.S. congressional delegation’s visit to China has been full of twists and turns, but good things take time, and it has opened another window for engagement between the two countries. Wang stressed that understanding is the foundation on which trust can be built, the starting point from which cooperation can be explored, and the driving force that can shape the future. He noted that China’s door is always open, and more members of the U.S. Congress are welcomed to visit China and undertake exchanges. He highlighted that China and the United States are partners, rather than rivals -- and certainly not enemies. He called on the two countries to strengthen communication and dialogue, avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments, prevent confrontations and opposition, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly shoulder the responsibilities of major powers.”
“Wang also stressed that the Taiwan question is China’s internal affairs. The fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and the same China since ancient times is the real status quo in the Taiwan Strait, he said. Wang said that the United States has made political commitments regarding the one-China principle. To maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, it is essential to firmly oppose ‘Taiwan independence’.”
Also on Page 2, is a report on Li Xi’s visit to Belarus. Li met with Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko, Head of the President Administration Dmitry Krutoi, and Chairman of the House of Representatives Igor Sergeyenko. Xinhua says:
Li told Lukashenko that “China is willing to work with Belarus to fully implement the strategic plans reached between the two heads of state for the further development of bilateral relations, enhance mutual support, firmly defend common interests, strengthen practical cooperation in various areas including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), uphold the correct view of World War II history, and safeguard the post-war international order. Amid the accelerated changes in the global landscape, China stands ready to work with Belarus to implement the Global Governance Initiative, strengthening coordination and cooperation within frameworks such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, he added.”
Lukashenko reportedly said that Belarus would remain a “reliable, trustworthy and sincere friend of China”. He added that: “Belarus fully supports and is willing to take active part in the implementation of the four China-proposed global initiatives -- the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative, which Belarus believes will make tremendous contributions to a world of more balanced development, according to the Belarusian president.”
Finally, there’s a report (English report) informing that China’s total power consumption exceeded 1 trillion kilowatt-hours for the second consecutive month in August. The data for the month showed that power consumption reached 1.0154 trillion kilowatt-hours, up 5.0 percent year-on-year. From January to August, total electricity consumption reached 6.8788 trillion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 4.6 percent, with power generation by large-scale industrial enterprises amounting to 6.4193 trillion kilowatt-hours.
Page 4: There’s a report on the CCDI and NSC publishing the 8 typical cases of violations of the spirit of the 8-point central regulation.
These basically talk about the different types of corruption activities, such as
accepting gifts
bribes in forms like high-grade alcohol
enjoying all-expenses paid holidays for yourself of the family
borrowing private cars
enjoying and hosting banquets, receiving gifts such as golf bags, mobile phones, misusing official resources, taking too many people who are not required to site visits, not conducting adequate site visits for projects under one’s jurisdiction, etc.
Page 12: There’s a report informing that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and five other departments have recently jointly issued the ‘Work Plan for Stabilising Growth in the Steel Industry (2025-2026). The plan proposes that from 2025 to 2026, the added value of the steel industry will grow by an average annual rate of approximately 4%, economic efficiency will stabilise and pick up, market supply and demand tending toward greater balance, industrial structure becoming further optimised, effective supply capacity continuously increasing, and the level of green, low-carbon, and digital development being significantly improved.
“The steel industry is a foundational and pillar industry of the national economy, crucial for stabilising industrial growth and supporting the smooth operation of the economy.
To promote the stable operation and structural optimisation and upgrading of the steel industry, the plan proposes 10 specific measures in five key areas, focusing on strengthening governance, optimising supply, promoting transformation, expanding consumption, and increasing cooperation.
These measures include:
enhancing the supply capacity of high-end products
focusing on key steel materials required for high-end equipment and core components
organising steel companies to collaborate with upstream and downstream companies, universities, and research institutes on key industrial chain issues,
promoting process and equipment upgrades, and
accelerating digital transformation
The overall goal is to promote effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the industry.” 钢铁行业是国民经济的基础性、支柱型产业，对稳定工业增长，支撑经济平稳运行至关重要. 为促进钢铁行业平稳运行和结构优化升级，方案聚焦强治理、优供给、促转型、扩消费、增合作等提出5个方面10条具体举措，例如增强高端产品供给能力，聚焦高端装备、核心基础零部件等领域所需关键钢材，组织钢铁企业联合上下游企业、高校、科研院所等开展产业链协同攻关；推进工艺设备更新；加快数字化转型等，总体目标是推动行业实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长.
Page 17: This exchange from yesterday’s MoFA briefing is published in the paper.
RIA Novosti: Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Russia is ready to continue to adhere to restrictions under New START (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) for one year after the agreement expires on February 5 next year. He also added that these steps to comply with the New START Treaty will be effective if the U.S. reciprocates. I wonder what’s China’s comment on this?
Guo Jiakun: China commends the positive stance expressed by Russia. On the U.S.-Russia New START treaty, China’s position is consistent. It is important that the U.S. and Russia, which possess the world’s biggest nuclear arsenals, fulfill their special and primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, resume implementing the treaty and work out a way to continue substantively slashing their nuclear stockpile in a verifiable, irreversible and legally-binding way. This is also what the international community hopes to see.