Xi Visits Yunnan - Li Qiang on Stabilising Foreign Trade - Strengthening Supervision & Conduct - Anti-Secession Law Anniversary Meetings

Hi folks, it’s good to be back to doing this after having spent the last week recovering from a nasty bug. I still have to catch-up on the new consumption action plan, but will try and share my thoughts on that in due time.

In the meantime, here are the reports on articles that I found worth reading in the People’s Daily on Friday, March 21, 2025.

Page 1: The big story on the page is on Xi Jinping’s visit to Yunnan province. Cai Qi and He Lifeng traveled with Xi.

The report says that Xi called on Yunnan to “conscientiously implement the strategic deployment of the Party Central Committee regarding the large-scale development of the western region and the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, fully and accurately implement the new development concept, adhere to the general tone of work of seeking progress while maintaining stability, strive to promote high-quality development, emancipate the mind, reform and innovate, forge ahead with vigor, and take concrete actions, so as to create a new situation for Yunnan’s development in the process of Chinese-style modernization. 中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平近日在云南考察时强调，云南要认真落实党中央关于西部大开发和长江经济带发展的战略部署，完整准确全面贯彻新发展理念，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，着力推动高质量发展，解放思想、改革创新，奋发进取、真抓实干，在中国式现代化进程中开创云南发展新局面.

Xi’s first stop was the city of Lijiang, where he inspected the development of the local flower industry. Xinhua English captures his remarks clearly: “Yunnan’s flower industry has broad prospects, Xi said, emphasising the importance of developing the whole industrial chain so that the ‘beautiful industry’ can deliver more benefits to the people.” Next stop was the Old Town of Lijiang, which is on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Xi saw the dwellings of the Naxi ethnic group here. The key message from this paragraph is that “Xi stressed the need to strike a balance between protection and development to make the beautiful old town shine with new vigor and vitality.”

The next paragraph says:

The Mu Family Mansion in the ancient city bears witness to the history of interaction, communication, and integration among various ethnic groups in the southwest region. Xi Jinping inspected the main buildings of the Mu Mansion and visited the exhibition of research achievements on Naxi ethnic group’s Dongba culture. He emphasised that it is necessary to protect and utilize important cultural landmarks like the Mu Mansion, protect and pass on excellent traditional Chinese culture, guide the masses of all ethnic groups to consciously forge a sense of community of the Chinese nation, and continuously advance the building of the Chinese national community. When leaving, many residents and tourists gathered to see the General Secretary off. Xi Jinping encouraged everyone saying that Lijiang has beautiful scenery, distinctive culture, and high reputation, and will definitely find a path of sustainable and healthy cultural tourism development. He wished that the lives of the people of Lijiang would be as happy, healthy, and harmonious as the ‘He’ surname of the Naxi people. 古城内的木氏土司府衙署见证了西南地区各民族交往交流交融的历史。习近平察看木府主要建筑，参观纳西族东巴文化研究成果展示。他强调，要保护利用好木府这样的重要文化地标，保护传承好中华优秀传统文化，引导各族群众自觉铸牢中华民族共同体意识，不断推进中华民族共同体建设。离开时，许多居民和游客围拢过来为总书记送行。习近平激励大家说，丽江有美丽风光，有特色文化，有很高知名度，一定能走出一条持续健康的文旅发展之路。他祝愿丽江人民的生活如同纳西族的“和”姓一样，幸福安康、和和美美.

On Thursday, Xi listened to work reports of the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, affirmed the achievements made by Yunnan in all aspects, and put forward requirements for the next step of work.

Xi Jinping pointed out that promoting industrial transformation and upgrading is a key task of high-quality development. Regions differ in terms of their resource endowments and basic conditions, so industrial transformation and upgrading should be based on actual conditions, follow economic laws, and highlight their own characteristics. Yunnan should strengthen, improve and expand resource-based industries with scientific and technological innovation as the guide, and actively develop strategic emerging industries and future industries. It is necessary to accelerate the development of plateau characteristic agriculture and cultural tourism industries, promote industrial value addition, enterprise efficiency, and increase people’s income. It is necessary to actively explore benefit-sharing mechanisms and orderly undertake industrial gradient transfer.　习近平指出，推动产业转型升级是高质量发展的重点工作。各地资源禀赋、基础条件等不同，抓产业转型升级要从实际出发，遵循经济规律，突出自身特色。云南要以科技创新为引领做强做优做大资源型产业，积极发展战略性新兴产业和未来产业。要加快发展高原特色农业和文旅产业，促进产业增值、企业增效、群众增收。要积极探索利益共享机制，有序承接产业梯度转移.

Xi Jinping emphasised that Yunnan has unique geographical conditions and should actively promote high-level opening up to the outside world and build a radiation center oriented towards South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is necessary to build a free trade pilot zone with high quality, strengthen the construction of major channels such as transportation and logistics, energy, and digital information, and make various open platforms a growth point for economic development. It is necessary to expand exchanges and cooperation with neighbouring countries in economy, science and technology, talents, medical care, culture, etc., making the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative tangible and accessible. 习近平强调，云南区位条件独特，要积极推进高水平对外开放，建设面向南亚东南亚辐射中心。要高质量建设自由贸易试验区，加强交通物流、能源、数字信息等大通道建设，使各类开放平台成为经济发展的增长点。要拓展与周边国家的经济、科技、人才、医疗、文化等交流合作，让高质量共建“一带一路”可感可及.

Xi Jinping pointed out that Yunnan holds an important ecological position and must unswervingly follow the path of ecological priority and green development, strengthening China’s southwestern ecological security barrier. It is necessary to improve the natural protection area system with national parks as the main body, strengthen the protection and restoration of ecosystems, and continue to carry out comprehensive management of desertification, soil erosion and small watersheds. It is necessary to strengthen the connection between land-use regulation and ecological zoning control, and solidly promote pollution prevention and control in key areas and environmental governance of key lakes. 习近平指出，云南生态地位重要，要坚定不移走生态优先、绿色发展之路，筑牢我国西南生态安全屏障。要健全以国家公园为主体的自然保护地体系，加强生态系统保护和修复，持续开展石漠化、水土流失及小流域综合治理。要加强国土空间用途管制与生态环境分区管控衔接，扎实推进重点领域污染防治和重点湖泊环境治理.

Xi Jinping stressed that Yunnan is home to many ethnic groups, and it is necessary to strengthen the governance of ethnic minority areas in border areas, broaden the practical path of all-round integration of all ethnic groups, deeply promote the new era’s action of developing border areas and enriching the people, and effectively maintain national unity and border stability. 习近平强调，云南民族众多，要加强边疆民族地区治理，拓宽各民族全方位嵌入的实践路径，深入推进新时代兴边富民行动，切实维护民族团结、边疆稳固.

“Xi Jinping pointed out that the leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for the development of the cause. An important aspect of judging whether the level of Party leadership and Party building in a place is high is to see whether the political ecology is good. Leaders at all levels should effectively fulfil their responsibilities of governing the Party, maintain upright conduct, and handle matters fairly, promoting the continuous purification of the political ecology through their own exemplary actions. Party organizations at all levels should strengthen the education and management of Party members and cadres, seriously investigate and deal with various violations of regulations and discipline, so that unhealthy practices have no market. The Party Central Committee has already deployed the educational campaign on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the eight-point central regulations throughout the Party. Party organizations at all levels and the broad masses of Party members and cadres should consciously enhance their sense of responsibility and urgency with regard to this campaign, connect it with the situation and tasks of strict and comprehensive Party governance, connect it with the specific practices of their localities, departments and units in building work style over the years, further grasp the spirit of the eight-point central regulations and their implementation rules, grasp relevant disciplinary regulations, and lay a solid ideological and political foundation for identifying problems and concentrating on rectification. We must integrate improving Party conduct, enforcing discipline and fighting corruption, and guide the broad masses of Party members and cadres to consciously observe regulations and discipline, and boldly carry out their work and create new achievements.” 习近平指出，党的领导是事业发展的根本保证。看一个地方党的领导和党的建设水平高不高，一个重要方面就是看政治生态好不好。各级领导干部要切实履行管党治党责任，作风正派、公道处事，以自身模范行动推动政治生态持续净化。各级党组织要加强党员、干部教育管理，严肃查处各种违规违纪行为，让歪风邪气没有市场。党中央已经部署在全党开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，各级党组织和广大党员、干部要自觉增强学习教育的责任感紧迫感，联系全面从严治党的形势任务，联系本地本部门本单位这些年抓作风建设的具体实践，进一步吃透中央八项规定及其实施细则精神，把握相关纪律处分条规，为查摆问题、集中整治打牢思想政治基础。要把正风肃纪反腐贯通起来，引导广大党员、干部自觉遵规守纪、大胆干事创业.

The report ends by saying that Xi also met with soldiers stationed in Kunming.

Page 2: There’s a report on Li Qiang’s visit to Fujian. Li called on everyone to thoroughly implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches during the Two Sessions, earnestly carry out the tasks set forth by the Two Sessions, directly face various unstable and uncertain factors, strengthen confidence, overcome difficulties and forge ahead, do a good job in stabilising foreign trade with a pioneering and innovative spirit, and accelerate the construction of new advantages of high-level opening up. 他强调，要深入贯彻习近平总书记在全国两会期间的重要讲话精神，认真落实两会明确的各项任务，直面各种不稳定不确定因素，坚定信心，克难奋进，以开拓创新精神做好稳外贸工作，加快构建高水平对外开放新优势.

First, in Quanzhou, Li visited sportswear manufacturer ANTA. He said that: “in the face of changes in the external environment, it is necessary to put more effort into research and development investment, strengthening brands and other aspects, to win market favour with better products, while giving play to the role of leading enterprises and industry associations to promote orderly industry development.” 他指出，面对外部环境变化，要在研发投入、做强品牌等方面下更大功夫，以更好的产品赢得市场青睐，同时发挥龙头企业和行业协会作用，促进行业有序发展.

Visiting the Jinjiang dry port, Li said that “it is necessary to further improve the full-chain service functions of the land port, optimise the supervision methods, improve the efficiency of customs clearance, and provide more powerful support for foreign trade enterprises.” He then visited a cross-border e-commerce public service center in Shishi City, meeting with young entrepreneurs. Here, Li “emphasised the need to focus on the demands of cross-border e-commerce, provide one-stop comprehensive services, and encouraged resident enterprises to enhance collaboration while opposing disorderly competition, particularly homogeneous low-price competition.” 晋江国际陆地港是由民营企业建设运营的外贸服务平台，李强来到这里，了解其以“双口岸+双平台”服务外贸企业等情况。他说，要进一步完善陆地港全链条服务功能，优化监管方式，提升通关效率，为外贸企业提供更有力支撑。在石狮市跨境电商公共服务中心，李强听取孵化企业典型案例等情况汇报，与年轻创业者深入交流。他指出，要聚焦跨境电商需求，提供一站式综合服务，勉励入驻企业加强协同协作，反对无序竞争特别是同质低价竞争.

In Xiamen, Li visited the Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Company Limited. “Li pointed out that service trade has increasingly become a new engine for foreign trade development. China will further expand the opening of the service industry, actively connect with international high-standard economic and trade rules, give full play to the role of free trade pilot zones, and continuously release the development potential of service trade. Efforts should be intensified to attract and stabilise foreign investment, create a better business environment, and better support the development of foreign-invested enterprises.” 李强指出，服务贸易日益成为外贸发展的新引擎，中国将进一步扩大服务业开放，主动对接国际高标准经贸规则，发挥好自由贸易试验区作用，持续释放服务贸易发展潜力。加大引资稳资力度，打造更优营商环境，更好地支持外资企业发展.

He also visited Meitu Technology Co., Ltd in Xiamen, urging the company to “actively implement the ‘AI+’ action.” Finally, Li also chaired a symposium with foreign trade enterprises. He said that:

• The current foreign trade situation is complex and severe, and it is necessary to unswervingly expand opening up, look globally, seize opportunities, unite together, jointly meet challenges, and continuously improve the ability to deal with turbulent storms.

• It is necessary to vigorously develop diversified markets, actively innovate trade channels and methods, focus on enhancing product competitiveness, and accelerate the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade.

• Governments at all levels must thoroughly implement the spirit of the private enterprise symposium and strive to provide private enterprises with better policy support and development environment.

• It is hoped that the majority of private entrepreneurs will carry forward the spirit of ‘only those who dare to fight will win’, and while achieving greater development of themselves, make greater contributions to the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation.

调研中，李强主持召开外贸企业座谈会。听取8家企业负责人发言后，李强说，当前外贸形势复杂严峻，要坚定不移扩大开放，放眼全球、抢抓机遇，团结起来、共迎挑战，不断提高搏击风浪的能力。要大力开拓多元化市场，积极创新贸易渠道方式，着力提升产品竞争力，加快内外贸一体化发展。李强指出，民营企业是我国第一大外贸主体。各级政府要深入贯彻落实民营企业座谈会精神，努力为民营企业提供更好的政策支持和发展环境。希望广大民营企业家发扬“爱拼才会赢”的那样一种精气神，在实现自身更大发展的同时，为强国建设、民族复兴伟业作出更大贡献.

Next, there’s a report on Li’s instruction delivered at a spring agricultural production work conference. Li called for “continued efforts to stabilise the supply of grains and other key farm produce.” Xinhua reports:

“All localities and departments must continue to prioritize agriculture and rural development, shoulder their share of responsibilities in ensuring food security, and improve their capacity to ensure the stable production and supply of grains and other major agricultural products, Li said. To boost rural revitalization, the country should improve its support systems to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers and enrich rural areas, while continuing to consolidate and build on its achievements in poverty alleviation, Li said. Emphasizing the importance of spring agricultural production, Li called for efforts to stabilize the grain and oil crop planting areas. Work should also be done to accelerate the use of advanced and applicable agricultural machinery and equipment, as well as the large-scale application of advances in agricultural science and technology, he added.”

Third, there’s a report on Li Xi’s visit to Jiangxi. Li said that “discipline inspection and supervision organs should thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on the Party’s self-revolution, firmly support the Two Establishments and resolutely implement the Two Safeguards, conscientiously implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the CCDI, and solidly carry out the study and education on the spirit of the Central Eight Regulations, strive to strengthen the standardisation, legalisation and regularisation of discipline inspection and supervision work, deepen the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and the fight against corruption, and provide strong guarantees for promoting Chinese-style modernisation. 他强调，纪检监察机关要深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想特别是习近平总书记关于党的自我革命的重要思想，坚定拥护“两个确立”、坚决做到“两个维护”，认真贯彻落实中央纪委四次全会精神，扎实开展深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，着力加强纪检监察工作规范化法治化正规化建设，纵深推进全面从严治党和反腐败斗争，为推进中国式现代化提供坚强保障.

The key messages from the visit are:

• Discipline inspection and supervision organs should adhere to the people-centered value orientation and continue to deepen the rectification of unhealthy practices and corruption around the masses. 他强调，纪检监察机关要坚守以人民为中心的价值取向，持续深化整治群众身边不正之风和腐败问题，不断增强人民群众获得感、幸福感、安全感.

• It is necessary to continuously and deeply study and understand the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the plenary session, profoundly grasp its rich connotations, core essence, and practical requirements, effectively unify thoughts and actions with the Central Committee’s accurate assessment of the anti-corruption struggle situation and scientific deployment of the task of strict and comprehensive Party governance, overcome difficulties, take solid actions, deeply promote political supervision, improve Party conduct, enforce discipline and fight corruption, and promote new and greater effectiveness in strict and comprehensive Party governance. 要持续深学细悟习近平总书记在全会上的重要讲话精神，深刻把握丰富内涵、核心要义、实践要求，切实把思想和行动统一到党中央对反腐败斗争形势的准确判断、对全面从严治党任务的科学部署上来，攻坚克难、实干笃行，深入推进政治监督、正风肃纪反腐，推动全面从严治党取得新的更大成效.

• It is necessary to deeply study and understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on strengthening the Party’s work conduct, take the lead in implementing the educational campaign on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the eight-point central regulations, take the lead in enhancing the consciousness of learning, maintain the intensity of investigation, and work hard to ensure the effectiveness of reform, complete all learning and education tasks with high quality, and promote the Party’s style construction to go deeper and more solid. 要深入学习领悟习近平总书记关于加强党的作风建设的重要论述，带头抓好深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育，在增强学的自觉上走在前，在保持查的力度上见真章，在确保改的实效上下功夫，高质量完成学习教育各项任务，推动党的作风建设走深走实.

• Solidly carry out the action of standardisation, legalisation and regularisation of discipline inspection and supervision work.

Fourth, there’s a report on Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission Chen Wenqing’s visit to Guangxi. He talked about the Safe China initiative. He said that “as a border and coastal ethnic region, Guangxi faces a complex situation in terms of external threats and social conditions. It is necessary to thoroughly implement the overall national security concept, firmly safeguard political security, effectively prevent and resolve major stability-related risks, and resolutely guard the ‘southern gate’ of the motherland. Efforts should be made to summarise achievements, continue striving forward, and lawfully crack down on prominent crimes such as telecom and internet fraud, as well as border-related crimes such as illegal immigration and smuggling, ensuring social stability and public tranquility.” 在自治区党委政法委、公安厅调研时，陈文清指出，广西作为沿边沿海民族地区，敌情社情复杂，要深入贯彻总体国家安全观，坚定维护政治安全，有效防范化解重大涉稳风险，坚决守好祖国“南大门”。要总结战果，再接再厉，依法打击电信网络诈骗等突出违法犯罪，依法打击偷渡、走私等涉边违法犯罪，全力守护社会安定人民安宁.

He also talked about the importance of adhering to the Fengqiao Experience in the new era.

Fifth, there’s a report on Li Hongzhong’s visit to Henan. Among other things, Li focussed on the “advanced equipment manufacturing industry”, UAV sector and talked about the importance of “optimising the development environment of the private economy.” Sixth, Shen Yiqin visited Guangdong, where she stressed the importance of employment and addressing livelihood issues.

Page 3: An event was held in South Africa to mark the 20th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law of the People’s Republic of China. This was attended by the overseas Chinese community. The report says:

“Li Zhigang, Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, pointed out that the South African government firmly supports China’s reunification, and adhering to the one-China principle is a common consensus of the international community, including South Africa”.

On page 4, there’s a report of the same-themed event being held in Beijing. That report ends with this:

“In recent days, overseas Chinese in multiple countries, including Spain, Serbia, Germany, Australia, Japan, Canada, and Indonesia, have commemorated the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Anti-Secession Law through various forms such as holding symposiums and issuing joint statements, expressing the common desire of Chinese people at home and abroad to oppose ‘Taiwan independence’ secession and external interference and promote the great cause of national reunification.” 西班牙、塞尔维亚、德国、澳大利亚、日本、加拿大、印度尼西亚等多国侨胞连日来也通过举办座谈会、发表联合声明等多种形式纪念《反分裂国家法》实施20周年，表达海内外中华儿女对于反对“台独”分裂和外部势力干涉、推进祖国统一大业的共同心愿.