Xi's Letter to Border Troops - MIIT's High-Tech Ambitions - High-Rise Restrictions - Wang Yi on SCS Code of Conduct - Xi Thought: Political Security, Black Swans & Grey Rhinos
Here are the stories and pieces from the September 14, 2021, edition of the People’s Daily that I found noteworthy.
Page 1: First, Xi’s letter to a model PLA battalion stationed in “the plateau region” in an area with an average altitude of over 4,800 meters. Xi noted that this group had over the past five years had “defended the sacred territory of the motherland” with their “youth and blood.” He wants all border troops “to continue to strengthen their sense of responsibility, carry forward fine traditions, and enhance their combat readiness in order to perform their duties well.” The other story related to Xi is his condolence message (English report) over the passing of former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio.
Next we have a report from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s press conference from yesterday (English report). The key points to note:
The industrial value of the Chinese manufacturing sector grew from 16.98 trillion yuan in 2012 to 26.6 trillion yuan in 2020. Today, Chinese manufacturers command 30-percent-share of the global total-added industrial value.
More than 40 percent of the outputs of Chinese-manufactured products rank at the top of the world among 500 major industrial goods.
The ministry specifically highlighted the growth of key industries like photovoltaic equipment, new energy vehicles, home appliances, and smartphones.
R&D expenditures of industrial enterprises above designated size have doubled compared with 2012, and the number of valid invention patent applications has more than tripled.
The number of 5G terminal connections in China now stands at above 400 million, ranking first worldwide. Its 5G base stations make up over 70 percent of the global total. Focus of 5G applications will be on “new information consumption forms, the real economy, and public services.”
MIIT minister Xiao Yaqing said that “manufacturing businesses going digital is the ‘compulsory course’ for the sector’s development.
Tian Yulong, chief engineer from the MIIT said that in traditional industries such as engineering, building materials, and chemical sectors, efforts would promote technology levels and build the industrial chain more solidly.
Some technologies mentioned as focus areas for the next five years are high-end chips, quantum information and advanced computing, artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing.
Next a report about Wang Yang presiding over the Chairperson’s Council meeting of the National Committee of the CPPCC. He wants the political advisors to conduct democratic supervision with special attention to the 14th Five-Year Plan implementation.
Next, a short report that tells us that the 18th China-ASEAN Expo and the concurrent China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit concluded in Nanning on Monday. A total of 179 deals worth over 300 billion yuan ($46.59 billion) were signed during the expo.
Page 2: Guo Shengkun presided over the leading group on education and rectification. He said that it is important for leading officials to take the lead in carrying out our duties. He also spoke about pushing forward the second round of education and rectification with “higher standards and stricter requirements to ensure tangible results.” 压实责任、抓实工作，以更高标准更严要求推进第二批教育整顿，确保取得实实在在成效.
Guo stressed on the need to “strengthen political construction, carry out study and education throughout, and further build the ideological foundation of political loyalty. We need to carry out in-depth warning education so that the majority of police officers, especially leading officials, can be alerted and warned, and promote the continuous improvement of political ecology.” He also spoke about the need to weed out “black sheep and rectify stubborn chronic diseases.” The emphasis is on strengthening the role of leading officials.
Next a report (short English report) from the SCIO’s press conference on the development of the central region. This includes Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei and Hunan provinces. This draws from the guideline promoting the high-quality development of the region which was issued in July. The report in PD has provincial officials talking about their plans and goals over the next five years.
Page 3: This is usually the China’s foreign engagement page, and it’s noteworthy that we’ve got none of the China-US controversies featured on the page, such as the one about the reported possibility of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office’s name being changed.
What we do have is a report (English report) on the 12th China-U.S. Political Party Leaders Dialogue. This is such a positive story; one would think that there are no problems between China and the US. Xinhua reports that ILD’s Song Tao said that China and the US “should implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen dialogue, meet each other halfway, and create advantages for the relationship between the two countries returning to the right track of stable development.”
He added that:
“China is willing to work with the two parties of the United States to give full play to the political leading role of political parties in relations between states. China would also promote the two sides to strengthen coordination and cooperation based on respecting each other’s core interests and major concerns and properly managing differences to provide positive factors to the stable development of bilateral relations.”
PD’s report tells us that about 50 representatives from Chinese ministries and commissions, universities and other institutions, as well as from the Democratic and Republican parties, major think tanks and companies in the US attended the dialogue.
Next, we have a report (English report) about Wang Yi meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. They spoke about “fighting COVID-19, boosting bilateral trade and jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability.” PD reports that Hun Sen said, “although Cambodia is a small country, it will not retreat under pressure, and will continue to firmly support China’s legitimate position on issues concerning China's core interests, such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang.”
Wang said that China and Cambodia enjoy an “ironclad friendship”; he also spoke about support to Cambodia to “oppose bullying, safeguard national sovereignty and national dignity.” He added that “China will be Cambodia’s most reliable and long-term strategic partner. Mutual assistance between the two sides is not only to safeguard the common interests of the two countries, but also to safeguard international fairness and justice and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.” Wang also promised support in the form of vaccines, BRI investments, and backed Cambodia’s ASEAN chairmanship. In this context, Wang
“hoped that China and the ASEAN countries could conclude their consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea during Cambodia's ASEAN chairmanship next year, and reach an agreement which is effective, with practical significance, and in line with the international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
Also note that Wang met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Nam Hong. In that meeting, Wang expressed the need to “strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, jointly advocate the ASEAN centrality in regional cooperation, guard against interference by any forces outside the region in the regional countries' efforts for common development and prosperity.”
SCMP’s coverage of Wang’s visit tells us about the number of iron and steel references. I am sure there’s got to be an overcapacity joke here somewhere. Anyway, here’s something noteworthy from the SCMP report:
“Associated Press reported Hun Sen saying on Sunday that China had pledged more than US$270 million in aid to his country. On the same day, Wang officially handed a new stadium over to Cambodia. Beijing provided a US$160 million grant to build the Morodok Techo National Stadium, which has a capacity of 60,000 people. ‘Cambodia pursues the principles of peaceful coexistence and neutrality, and hopes to make good relations with all countries and does not want to be enemies with anyone or refuse any country‘s help. However, China’s contribution to Cambodia’s economic and social development cannot be replaced by any other country,’ Hun Sen said on a live television broadcast of the handover ceremony. ‘If Cambodia does not rely on China, who can it rely on?’ Hun Sen added that any external intimidation or inducement would not shake Cambodia’s determination to develop its cooperation with China, according to a readout by the Chinese foreign ministry.”
Page 4: Much of the page is dedicated to the Macao Legislative Assembly election.
Page 5: We have the 42nd piece in the Xi Thought Q&A series. The first question asks why is political security the foundation of national security? The response starts with the Arab Spring. It says that while there were a “complex” set of reasons for the Arab Spring, “fragile political security and vulnerability to manipulation and subversion by external forces” were important factors. “The ‘Arab Spring’ has since become the ‘Arab Winter, which not only failed to bring about the ‘democracy and freedom’ that the people hoped for, but led to the fragmentation of sovereignty, social disorder, economic ruin and loss of livelihood for the people. Facts tell us that political security is the foundation of national security. Without political security, national security cannot be discussed.” 今天, “阿拉伯之春”早已变成“阿拉伯之冬”, 不但没有带来民众所希望的“民主自由”, 反而导致主权割裂、社会失序、经济凋敝、民不聊生. 铁一般的事实告诉我们，政治安全是国家安全的根本，离开了政治安全，国家安全就无从谈起.
We are told that as per Xi, “political security concerns the stability of a country’s sovereignty, political power, system and ideology. It is the most fundamental need of a country and the basic condition for the survival and development of all countries. If a country cannot be independent externally and has internal political turmoil, it cannot safeguard its own interests and realise long-term development. The core of political security is regime security and system security. China is a socialist country led by the Communist Party of China, and the most fundamental way to maintain political security is to maintain the Communist Party of China’s leading and ruling position and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. Only by unswervingly safeguarding political security, can we better safeguard national interests and realise the long-term governance of the Party, the long-term stability of the country and ensure that people live and work in peace and with contentment. Political security is vital to the survival of the party and the country. In the body of national security, political security is the heart, and if the heart stops beating, then even the strongest of bodies will lose its vitality.” 习近平总书记指出，政治安全涉及国家主权、政权、制度和意识形态的稳固，是一个国家最根本的需求，是一切国家生存和发展的基础条件。一个国家对外不能独立自主，内部政治动荡，就不可能维护自身利益，就不可能实现长远发展。政治安全的核心是政权安全和制度安全。我国是中国共产党领导的社会主义国家，维护政治安全最根本的就是维护中国共产党的领导和执政地位、维护中国特色社会主义制度。只有坚定不移地维护政治安全，才能更好地保障国家利益，实现党长期执政、国家长治久安和人民安居乐业。政治安全攸关党和国家生死存亡。在国家安全这一肌体中，政治安全是心脏，心脏停止了跳动，再强壮的肌体也会失去生机.
We then engage in some good, old-fashioned Cold War mentality. We are told that since the formation of the PRC, the regime has faced numerous challenges and attempts at containment from “hostile forces”, and “the competition between the two ideologies and systems of socialism and capitalism has never stopped.” 新中国成立以来，社会主义新政权一直处于敌对势力的封锁和遏制之下，社会主义和资本主义两种意识形态和制度的较量从未停止.
We are told that hostile forces have never ceased their attempts to westernise and divide the country; they have have never stopped subverting and sabotaging the Communist Party of China’s leadership and China’s socialist system, and have planned ‘colour revolutions’ in China. 直到现在，各种敌对势力也从来没有停止对我国实施西化、分化战略，从来没有停止对中国共产党领导和我国社会主义制度进行颠覆破坏活动，始终企图在我国策划“颜色革命”.
The piece then quotes Xi as having once wondered, “If a complex situation like a ‘colour revolution’ occurs before our eyes one day, will all our cadres be able to stand up resolutely to defend the Party's leadership and the socialist system?” "如果哪天在我们眼前发生‘颜色革命’那样的复杂局面，我们的干部是不是都能毅然决然站出来捍卫党的领导、捍卫社会主义制度?" Therefore, the piece says that when it comes to matters of political security, “we must always tread on thin ice and remain alert to potential dangers in times of peace. We must never make strategic or subversive mistakes, and we must never be vague or waver.” 在政治安全这个根本性问题上，我们要时刻保持如履薄冰的谨慎，时刻保持居安思危的忧患，绝不能犯战略性、颠覆性错误，绝不能有任何含糊和动摇.
The next paragraph talks about China’s development and successes, arguing that political security was the key to this; this conversation ends by emphasising that “maintaining political security” must be taken as “the primary task to deal with security risks in various fields.” Towards the end, we are told that “at present, China’s overall social and political situation is stable, but political security is facing a very complex situation, and the task of maintaining political security is very arduous.” 当前，我国社会政治大局总体稳定，但政治安全面临的形势十分复杂，维护政治安全的任务十分艰巨. What’s important, therefore, is to be alert and work in a preventative mode. “The wise plan for the future.”
The next question is about the need to be more mindful of potential dangers and guard against risks and challenges, specifically black swan (defined in the piece as a “low probability event that is difficult to predict, but that will likely cause a chain reaction and bring massive negative effects when it occurs”) and gray rhino (defined as an obvious and highly probable event that has been repeatedly ignored and may eventually lead to a major crisis) events. The response quotes Xi as having said once that it is important to respond to “low-probability events with a high probability thinking and firmly guard against systemic risks.” We are told that distress consciousness 忧患意识是 is an “enduring cultural gene” of the Chinese nation, as well as the political quality that is infused into the spirit of the CPC. 忧患意识是中华民族能够生生不息、绵延不绝的文化基因，也是融入中国共产党精神血脉的政治品质. We are told that the CCP “was born, grew and strengthened through hardship. Over the past century, our Party has experienced difficulties and risks rarely seen in the world.” And that Xi has emphasised that this must not be forgotten; and that cadres must be prepared to make ever more arduous efforts and carry out great struggles with many new historical features.
The next bit tells us that “at present and for some time to come, China is still in an important period of strategic opportunities for its development.” But “we also need to recognize that China faces an unprecedented, complex environment in its development, with numerous overlapping problems and prominent risks and challenges. These risks and challenges are multifaceted. Some are domestic, some international; some economic and social; and some come from nature. In particular, we need to recognise that various threats and challenges have a distinct synergistic effect. Various sources of conflicting risks and challenges are intertwined and interact with each other, and sometimes black swans and grey rhinos can come together. If we are inadequately prepared and respond to them, all kinds of risks can be transmitted, superimposed, evolved and escalated. We could then end up facing major threats to our national security, and the process of realising the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation could be delayed or interrupted.” 当前和今后一个时期，我国发展仍然处于重要战略机遇期。既要看到我国发展总体态势是好的，我们完全有基础、有条件、有能力取得新的伟大胜利，也要看到我国发展面临着前所未有的复杂环境，诸多矛盾问题叠加、风险挑战凸显。这些风险挑战是多方面的，有的来自国内，有的来自国际，有的来自经济社会领域，有的来自自然界。特别是要看到，各种威胁和挑战联动效应明显，各种矛盾风险挑战源、各类矛盾风险挑战点相互交织、相互作用，有时“黑天鹅”、“灰犀牛”还会联袂而至。如果我们防范不及、应对不力，就会导致各种风险传导、叠加、演变、升级，国家安全就可能面临重大威胁，实现中华民族伟大复兴的进程就可能迟滞或被迫中断.
Therefore, it is important to “strengthen the sense of hardship and prepare for danger in times of peace,” ensure “bottom-line thinking,” “prepare for the worst,” identify “thoughtful” solutions. “We should adhere to a systematic approach, balance development and security, be more aware of opportunities and risks, and be better able to defuse risks.” It also says that it is important to “be good at nurturing opportunities in a crisis,” and “establish sound mechanisms for risk assessment” and develop and use “institutional strengths to respond to risks and challenges.”
Page 6: A report on the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development clamping down on high-rise buildings. It says that:
generally, no new super high-rise residential buildings are allowed.
Cities with an urban resident population of less than 3 million should strictly restrict the construction of super high-rise buildings to a height of more than 150 meters, and may not build super high-rise buildings with a height of more than 250 meters. If you need to exceed the 150 meters restriction, the provincial department of housing and urban-rural development shall review the project.
Cities with a permanent urban population of more than 3 million should strictly restrict the construction of super high-rise buildings with a height of more than 250 meters, and may not build super high-rise buildings with a height of more than 500 meters. If you need to exceed the 250 meters restriction, the provincial department of housing and urban-rural development shall review the project.
Page 9: On the theory page today, the lead piece is by Du Zhanyuan from the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration. He writes about external communication work. He talks about the need to focus on discourse power, which entails “building discourse and narrative systems to strengthen and improve international communication.” The aim is to “create a favourable external public opinion environment for China's reform, development and stability.”