Here are the key reports and articles from the People’s Daily’s edition on Monday, November 17, 2025.
Page 1: The focus of the first couple of pages of the paper today is the publication of a new book on Selected Works of Xi Jinping on the Rule of Law. The volume compiles 69 pieces of the most important and fundamental works by Xi on the rule of law from December 2012 to February 2025. Some of these works, which come in forms such as speeches and instructions, have been published for the first time.
The front page report informs:
Xi Jinping Thought on Rule of Law is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a scientific summary of the rich practices and valuable experiences of the Party in leading the construction of the rule of law, marking a new historical height in our Party’s understanding of the laws governing the construction of socialist rule of law and the development of human legal civilisation. It has made significant original and integrative contributions to the development of Marxist theory of the rule of law, and provides fundamental guidance and a roadmap for advancing the rule of law in all aspects and building a modern socialist country in all respects on the track of the rule of law in the new era. 习近平法治思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分，是对党领导法治建设丰富实践和宝贵经验的科学总结，标志着我们党对社会主义法治建设和人类法治文明发展的规律性认识达到新的历史高度，为发展马克思主义法治理论作出了重大原创性、集成性贡献，为新时代推进全面依法治国、在法治轨道上全面建设社会主义现代化国家提供了根本遵循和行动指南.
Another long article talks about the evolution of the development of rule of law or law-based governance in China since the 18th Party Congress. Some useful data points from this piece:
The Central Commission for Comprehensive Law-Based Governance was established, strengthening the Party’s centralised and unified leadership over comprehensively governing the country according to law; the Plan on Building the Rule of Law in China (2020–2025), the Implementation Outline for Building a Law-Based Government (2021–2025), and the Implementation Outline for Building a Law-Based Society (2020–2025) were issued, carrying out top-level design and major arrangements for the building of a law-based China, and promoting the integrated construction of a law-based state, a law-based government, and a law-based society…Comprehensive law-based governance has unfolded with unprecedented strength. Contemporary China is experiencing the most extensive and profound social transformation in our country’s history, and is also undertaking the most grand and unique practice-based innovation in human history. ‘Rule of law is an important guarantee for Chinese-style modernization.’ ‘Advancing reform along the track of rule of law.’ ‘Governing the Party according to regulations goes deep into the Party’s heart, only then can governing the country according to law go deep into the people’s hearts’. ‘Build a foreign-related rule-of-law system and capacity that are compatible with the requirements of high-quality development and high-level opening up’...Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law continues to develop, be enriched, and be further perfected, further answering a series of major theoretical and practical questions such as rule of law and Chinese-style modernization, rule of law and reform, domestic rule of law and foreign-related rule of law, governing the country according to law and governing the Party according to rules, providing fundamental adherence for comprehensively governing the country according to law on the new journey. Keeping pace with the times and continuously innovating, this is precisely the secret of the strong theoretical advantages and vitality of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. 成立中央全面依法治国委员会，加强党对全面依法治国的集中统一领导；出台《法治中国建设规划（2020—2025年）》《法治政府建设实施纲要（2021—2025年）》《法治社会建设实施纲要（2020—2025年）》，对法治中国建设作出顶层设计和重大部署，推进法治国家、法治政府、法治社会一体建设……全面依法治国，以前所未有的力度展开。当代中国正经历着我国历史上最为广泛而深刻的社会变革，也正在进行着人类历史上最为宏大而独特的实践创新。“法治是中国式现代化的重要保障”“在法治轨道上推进改革”“依规治党深入党心，依法治国才能深入民心”“建设同高质量发展、高水平开放要求相适应的涉外法治体系和能力”……习近平法治思想持续发展、不断丰富、继续完善，进一步回答法治与中国式现代化、法治与改革、国内法治与涉外法治、依法治国与依规治党等一系列重大理论和实践问题，为新征程上的全面依法治国提供根本遵循。与时俱进、不断创新，这正是习近平法治思想具有强大理论优势和生机活力的奥妙所在.
As of the end of October 2024, China has 310 currently effective laws, more than 600 administrative regulations and supervisory regulations, and more than 14,000 local regulations. The socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, with the Constitution at its core, has been improved and developed in line with the times. 截至今年10月底，我国现行有效法律310件，行政法规和监察法规600余件，地方性法规超过1.4万件，以宪法为核心的中国特色社会主义法律体系实现与时俱进、完善发展.
The piece emphasises implementation of laws, the improvement of the supervision system, and the need for fairness. On the last bit it says: “Today, openness in legislation, openness in law enforcement, and openness in judicial work are being comprehensively advanced, allowing the people to supervise power and allowing power to operate under the sunlight.” 如今，立法公开、执法公开、司法公开全面推进，让人民监督权力，让权力在阳光下运行.
There’s emphasis on the “cultivation of legal talent”. In this regard, the piece says: “A set of data outlines the solid footprints of China’s rule of law talent team construction: the political and legal system has achieved full coverage of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era training, judges and procurators with undergraduate degrees or above in law majors exceed 95%, the number of lawyers has reached 830,000 people, notaries 15,000 people, arbitrators 67,000 people, law schools annually cultivate and deliver 100,000 specialized rule of law talents… 一组数据勾勒出我国法治人才队伍建设的坚实足迹：政法系统实现习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想培训全覆盖，法官、检察官具有法学专业本科以上学历的人员超过95%，律师人数达83万人、公证员1.5万人、仲裁员6.7万人，法学院校每年培养输送10万名法治专门人才…
The final section makes the point that the law is an instrument to “protect the hard-won achievements of reform” and “consolidate the valuable governance experience accumulated.” For example, “to implement the new development concept and shift the economy from high-speed growth to high-quality development, we must adhere to the rule of law as our guiding principle.” 习近平总书记强调，“贯彻新发展理念，实现经济从高速增长转向高质量发展，必须坚持以法治为引领.”
Third, there’s a report informing that Zhao Leji will visit New Zealand and Australia from November 19 to 25. Fourth, there’s a brief report informing that from January to October, fixed-assets investment in the railways was 671.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.7%.
Another report details the development of China’s technology SMEs. It says that the country today has more than 600,000 scientific and innovative SMEs; more than 140,000 ‘specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative’ SMEs; and over 17,600 national-level specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative “little giant” enterprises.
As of the end of 2024, the number of SMEs registered nationwide exceeded 60 million.
In 2024, among the effective invention patents of SMEs, independently developed ones accounted for 75.3%.
Little giant enterprises, with a share of 3.5% of all above-designated-size industrial SMEs nationwide, contributed 9.6% of operating income and 13.7% of profits.
Finally, there’s a report discussing this netizen question:
“Many reports of fallen officials mention ‘using their positions to seek benefits for others in business operations’; yet in reality, some officials avoid meeting with struggling or needy business owners to distance themselves from the issue. How can officials and entrepreneurs maintain a relationship that is both ‘close’ and ‘clean’?” 看到不少落马官员的通报中都有“利用职务便利为他人在企业经营等方面谋利”的表述，现实中又有一些官员为撇清关系对有困难、有诉求的企业经营者避而不见。官员和企业家交往，如何做到既“亲”又“清”？
The answer is this:
“On the one hand, in recent years, the crackdown on corruption at all levels—’tigers’, ‘flies’, and ‘foxes’—has exposed before the public the corruption problems of some fallen officials caused by collusion between politics and business. Some ‘officials’ cannot resist the temptation of ‘business’ interests, taking hidden shares and accepting kickbacks; some ‘businesspeople’ are willing to flatter ‘officials’, offering money and engaging in ‘entrapment/luring’ 围猎. These improper political–business interactions have corroded official conduct, polluted social atmosphere, and also caused many people to form ‘stereotypical’ impressions. On the other hand, increasingly, supervision has become more powerful and effective. Regulating the concurrent positions held by Party and government leaders in enterprises and strengthening supervision over leading cadres’ relatives engaging in business and running enterprises has resulted in the phenomena of power rent-seeking and official-business collusion gradually decreasing. At the same time, some Party members and cadres have misunderstood the connotation of ‘clean’, thinking that ‘clean’ means distant or aloof, becoming ‘like strangers’ with entrepreneurs. To avoid suspicion, they no longer meet, and do not handle even normal matters. Some may ask that in political–business interactions, if getting too close risks problems, and staying too far risks getting nothing done, then what exactly should be done? 一方面，近年来“打虎”“拍蝇”“猎狐”持续发力，一些落马官员因政商勾连导致的腐败问题曝光于台前。有的“官”经不住“商”的利益诱惑，入干股、收回扣；有的“商”乐于向“官”谄媚，送钱财、搞围猎。这些不正当的政商交往腐蚀了吏治，污染了社会风气，也让不少人产生了“刻板”印象。另一方面，这些年监管更加有力有效。规范党政领导干部在企业兼职（任职），加强对领导干部亲属经商办企业的监督……权力寻租、官商勾结的现象逐渐减少。与此同时，部分党员干部却误解了“清”的内涵，以为“清”就是疏、是远，与企业家“形同陌路”。为了避嫌，面不见了，正常的事也不办了。有人要问了，政商交往，走得近了怕出事，离得远了又怕干不成事，究竟该怎么办?
First, we must clarify some misconceptions. Political–business interactions that are ‘close but not clean’ easily lead to benefit transfers and breed corruption; interactions that are ‘clean but not close’ easily result in lack of responsibility and inaction. It’s important to understand that ‘closeness’ and ‘cleanliness’ are essentially related to getting things done and being upright; they are dialectically unified and can coexist without contradiction. The notion that ‘getting things done means you cannot be clean, and being clean means you cannot get things done’ is essentially a failure to clearly distinguish between public and private interests. 首先，要廓清认识误区。政商交往“亲而不清”，容易搞利益输送、滋生腐败；“清而不亲”，则容易不担当、不作为。要知道，“亲”和“清”，本质上是干事和干净的关系，辩证统一，完全可以并行不悖。所谓的“干事就不能干净，干净就不能干事”，实则是没有做到公私分明.
Next, let’s talk about methodology. In social interactions, one often hears the concept of ‘sense of boundaries’. People who grasp this well make others feel more at ease. Likewise, to achieve political–business interactions that are both ‘close’ and ‘clean’, one must also grasp this ‘boundary sense’. This sense of boundaries requires cultivating both ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ skills. ‘Inner skill’ is to uphold a public-minded heart. Holding public power without seeking personal gain naturally leads to interactions characterized by ‘unyielding integrity’ and openness. During his tenure, Liao Junbo, a nationally recognized outstanding county Party secretary, was approached by a businessman with gifts. He firmly refused, advising, ‘if I accept them, our relationship will no longer be one of friendship but one of mutual benefit. Doing so diminishes our relationship.’ These few words clearly demonstrate the importance of ‘closeness’ and ‘cleanliness’. Healthy political–business interactions should be like this: like the friendship of gentlemen, plain as water, open and aboveboard… 接着，再来谈谈方法论。社会交往中，常听到一个词——“边界感”。“边界感”拿捏得好的人，会让他人更自在。同样，政商交往要做到既“亲”又“清”，也需把握好“边界感”。这“边界感”需要练好“内外功”。“内功”是秉持一颗公心。手握公权力，不为私利谋，交往起来自然“无欲则刚”、坦坦荡荡。全国优秀县委书记廖俊波在任期间，曾有客商提着礼物去找他。他坚决退回并劝道，“我要是收下，我们就不是朋友关系而是利益关系，你这么做是把我们的关系看轻了。”寥寥几句，“亲”“清”不言而喻。健康的政商交往当如此，如君子之交，平淡似水，光明磊落。
‘Outer skill’ refers to strictly enforcing discipline and laws, and improving systems. In 2024, procuratorial organs nationwide prosecuted more than 22,000 people for corruption and bribery crimes, and prosecuted more than 1,800 people for dereliction-of-duty crimes, such as abuse of power and neglect of duty. Severely punishing corrupt officials who blur ‘close’ and ‘clean’, use power for private gain, and engage in benefit transfers promotes lawful, fair, and clean performance of duties. When discipline and law are strict, people know what to do and what not to do. When systems are clear, unhealthy tendencies retreat. When clear rules work smoothly, hidden rules lose their market; when ‘official channels’ are open, ‘back channels’ disappear. “外功”是严明纪法、完善制度。2024年全国检察机关起诉贪污贿赂犯罪2.2万余人，起诉滥用职权、玩忽职守等渎职犯罪1800余人。依法严惩“亲”“清”不分、以权谋私、搞利益输送的腐败官员，促进依法公正廉洁履职。纪法严，则知行止。制度明，则歪风退。明规则行得通，潜规则就失去了市场；“正门”办事顺畅了，“后门”就没人走了。
At the national level, concrete measures are being taken. actively implementing equal treatment for all types of market entities, breaking various ‘curtain doors’, ‘glass doors’, and ‘revolving doors’, and fostering a fair competition environment; creating more full-process, standardized government services and solidly advancing the reform of ‘efficiently completing one task’. At the local level, there are explorations too. Liaoning introduced the Guide to Getting Things Done Without Using Connections, eliminating blurry areas in administrative procedures; the Xi’an-Xianyang New Area in Shaanxi assigned legal–enterprise liaisons to enterprises, providing full life-cycle public legal services and making rule of law the best business environment. Ultimately, whether it is demanding a clear distinction between public and private interests or exercising power cautiously, the foundation of a ‘close’ and ‘clean’ relationship lies in establishing and practicing a correct view of performance. With a correct view of performance, Party members and cadres will have both reverence and the ability to make achievements. 国家层面出实招。积极落实各类经营主体平等待遇，打破各种“卷帘门”“玻璃门”“旋转门”，营造公平竞争环境；打造更多全流程、标准化政务服务，扎实推进“高效办成一件事”改革。地方层面有探索。辽宁推出《办事不找关系指南》，清除办事模糊地带；陕西西咸新区为企业配备法企联络员，提供全生命周期公共法律服务，让法治成为最好的营商环境。说到底，无论是要求公私分明，还是谨慎用权，“亲”“清”关系的根本都还是树立和践行正确政绩观。政绩观对了，党员干部干事创业有敬畏也能有作为.
Page 3: The China-Japan relationship appears to have hit some seriously choppy waters in the past week. There’s a Zhong Sheng commentary on the situation today. But before I get to that, let’s do a bit of a recap on what’s happened.
So, the latest report from The Guardian says that:
“China has sent its coast guard through the waters of the Senkaku islands and military drones past outlying Japanese territory as Beijing ramps up tensions over the Japanese prime minister’s remarks on Taiwan. On Sunday the Chinese coastguard said its ships made a ‘rights enforcement patrol’ through the waters of the Senkaku, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands. ‘China coast guard vessel 1307 formation conducted patrols within the territorial waters of the Diaoyu islands. This was a lawful patrol operation conducted by the China coast guard to uphold its rights and interests,’ the statement said.”
What started all this tension were comments by Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi in parliament, stating that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could amount to a “survival-threatening situation”, potentially requiring Japan to activate its forces in self-defense. She said if an emergency on the self-governing island would entail “battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan), any way you slice it.”
Chinese officials responded with uncalled-for ferocity. Xue Jian, China’s consul general in Osaka, threatened to “cut off a dirty neck without a moment of hesitation” in a post on X along with a news article citing Ms Takaichi’s comments.
Beijing responded by saying that her statement “constitutes a gross interference in China’s internal affairs and violates the one-China principle, the principles set forth in the four political documents between China and Japan, and basic norms in international relations. This is highly inconsistent with the political commitments made by the Japanese government so far and is egregious in terms of both the nature and impact. China deplores and opposes that and has made serious démarches and protests to Japan.”
Through the week, new irritants sprung up. This is from Wednesday’s Chinese foreign ministry briefing.
“Global Times: It was reported that the Japanese government held the autumn conferment of decorations ceremony on November 11, and conferred the Order of the Rising Sun on ‘Taiwan’s Representative in Japan’ Hsieh Chang-ting. Later that day, Hsieh said on social media that he will continue working for the ‘friendship between Taiwan and Japan.’ What is China’s comment?
Guo Jiakun: China has made clear its position on this issue before. The Japanese government took another wrong step on Taiwan by proposing and promoting the conferment on someone advocating ‘Taiwan independence’. China firmly opposes this. The Taiwan question is at the core of China’s core interests. It bears on the political foundation of China-Japan relations and the basic credibility of Japan, and is a red line that must not be crossed. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. It is also the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan. China seriously urges Japan to deeply reflect on its responsibility for the war crimes, abide by the principles and spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, honor its commitments on upholding the one-China principle with concrete actions, stay prudent on the Taiwan question, and stop sending any wrong signal to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”
Beijing demanded that the Japanese PM withdraw her remarks. Sanae Takaichi refused to do so. The Chinese foreign ministry said:
Lin Jian: In the Diet last week, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made provocative remarks on Taiwan which imply the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait. Despite China’s serious démarches and protests, she still refused to change course and take back what she had said. The wrongful remarks grossly violate the one-China principle, the guiding principles set forth in the four China-Japan political documents, and the basic norms of international relations. That constitutes a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs, a challenge to China’s core interests, and infringement on China’s sovereignty. China firmly opposes and will by no means tolerate such remarks. The Japanese side must correct its wrongdoing at once and retract the unjustified remarks. Otherwise, all the consequences arising therefrom must be borne by the Japanese side. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. It is also the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan. Japan committed innumerable crimes during its colonial rule in Taiwan.
Over the last century, Japanese militarists have waged aggression more than once under the pretext of “survival-threatening situation.” For example, Japan brazenly created the September 18th Incident under the pretext of exercising the right of self-defense. Its aggression against China inflicted untold suffering on the people of China, the rest of Asia, and the wider world. What’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi up to by reviving the phrase “survival-threatening situation”? Is Japan going to repeat its past mistakes of militarism? Does Japan try to once again make enemy with the Chinese and other Asian people? Does Japan attempt to subvert the post-WWII international order? Taiwan belongs to China. How to resolve the Taiwan question and realize national reunification is a matter for the Chinese people to decide and brooks no interference by any external force. The attempt by the leader of Japan to wade into cross-Strait affairs is a serious affront to international justice, a blatant provocation to the post-WWII order, and a great blow to China-Japan relations. If Japan dares to attempt an armed intervention in the cross-Strait situation, it would be an act of aggression and definitely meet a firm response from China. We will firmly exercise our right to self-defense under the U.N. Charter and international law and defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our message to Japan is clear: Japan must fully repent for its war crimes, immediately stop its wrong and provocative statements and moves that interfere in China’s internal affairs, and stop playing with fire on the Taiwan question. Those who play with fire will perish by it!”
On Friday, Takehiro Funakoshi, vice minister for foreign affairs of Japan, summoned Wu Jianghao, ambassador of China to Japan, to discuss the situation and protest Xue Jian’s remarks. China said later on Friday that Wu had himself “summoned Japan’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Takehiro Funakoshi, to lodge solemn representations” and assail Takaichi for failing to retract her comments, which it said “violated basic common sense, crossed China’s red line, constituted a military threat, and amounted to war-mongering.” A day earlier, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong had summoned Japan’s ambassador to China
Over the weekend, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism advised its citizens “to avoid traveling to Japan, citing security concerns. In a statement published on its official website, the ministry cited the travel advisory issued by the Chinese foreign ministry, which referred to a deteriorating security environment for Chinese citizens in Japan as well as recent provocative remarks made by the Japanese leader regarding China’s Taiwan.”
Reuters now reports that Masaaki Kanai, the director general of the Japanese foreign ministry’s Asia and Oceania bureau, will be traveling to China. He will meet his Chinese counterpart, Liu Jinsong, as per Japanese media reports. “Kanai is expected to explain that Takaichi’s comment does not signal a shift in Japanese security policy and to urge China to refrain from actions that would damage ties, media said.”
Okay, let’s now turn to Zhong Sheng’s views.
“Sanae Takaichi’s fallacious remarks on Taiwan expose the extremely erroneous and extremely dangerous view of history, view of order, and strategic outlook of Japan’s right-wing forces. The international community, especially Asian countries, must remain highly vigilant toward Japan’s strategic direction.”
The article says that the Japanese PM’s remarks “shocked the world” and “aroused strong indignation among people of conscience”. However, she has shown “no remorse and refuses to retract her erroneous remark”.
“Sanae Takaichi’s fallacious statement concerning Taiwan is no different from summoning the spirit of militarism. The claim that ‘a Taiwan incident is a Japan incident’ is a dangerous argument that exists in Japanese political circles, attempting to tie together China’s national reunification with Japan’s security guarantees. Less than a month after coming to power, Sanae Takaichi has already become the first sitting Japanese prime minister to openly trumpet the so-called claim that ‘a Taiwan incident is a Japan incident’ and link it with the exercise of collective self-defense, highlighting her dangerous domestic and foreign policy orientation. Historically, Japanese militarism repeatedly used so-called ‘existential crises’ as excuses to launch external aggression, including brazenly staging the September 18 Incident under the pretext of ‘exercising the right of self-defense’, provoking the war of aggression against China, and bringing profound disaster to the people of Asia and the world, including China. Sanae Takaichi’s re-mentioning of the so-called ‘survival-threatening situation’ provides ample reason to worry that Japan is in danger of retracing the old path of militarism.” 高市早苗抛出涉台谬论，无异于为军国主义招魂。“台湾有事就是日本有事”是日本政坛存在的危险论调，企图把中国的国家统一和日本的安全保障扯在一起。高市早苗上台不到一个月，就成为第一位公然鼓吹所谓“台湾有事就是日本有事”，并与行使集体自卫权相关联的日本在任首相，凸显其危险的内外政策走向。历史上，日本军国主义曾多次以所谓“存亡危机”为借口发动对外侵略，包括以“行使自卫权”为由悍然制造九一八事变，挑起侵华战争，给包括中国在内的亚洲乃至世界人民带来深重灾难。高市早苗再提所谓“存亡危机事态”，让人有充分理由担心日本有重蹈军国主义覆辙的危险.
The piece goes on to argue that her remarks “are a blatant provocation against historical justice” and “seriously undermine the political foundation of China–Japan relations and seriously challenge the post–World War II international order.”
It adds:
The Taiwan issue is the core of China’s core interests. It is a red line and bottom line that cannot be touched. By what method to resolve the Taiwan issue and achieve national reunification is the affair of the Chinese people themselves and brooks no interference by any external force. Eighty years ago, the heroic Chinese people defeated the Japanese aggressors. Eighty years later, the determination of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity is as firm as rock, their will unbreakable, and their capabilities vastly different from the past. Any plot attempting to meddle in or obstruct China’s great cause of reunification is like ‘a mantis trying to stop a chariot’, overestimating one’s own strength. We solemnly warn Japan that using the Taiwan issue to create trouble is simply asking for trouble for itself! 台湾问题是中国核心利益中的核心，是不可触碰的红线和底线。以何种方式解决台湾问题、实现国家统一，是中国人自己的事，不容任何外部势力干涉。80年前，英勇的中国人民打败了日本侵略者。80年后的今天，中国人民捍卫国家主权和领土完整的决心坚如磐石，意志坚不可摧，能力今非昔比。任何试图插手和阻挠中国统一大业的图谋，都是螳臂当车、不自量力。我们正告日方，借台湾问题生事，就是给自己找事！
“The crimes of Japan’s militaristic past are profound, and the people of the world, including the Chinese people, have never forgotten them and will never forget them. For the first time, Japanese leaders have expressed ambitions for armed intervention in Taiwan and issued their first military threat against China. Behind this lies the dangerous attempt by Japan’s right-wing forces to break free from the constraints of the pacifist constitution and seek the status of a ‘military power’. In recent years, Japan has significantly adjusted its security policy, increasing its defense budget year-by-year, relaxing restrictions on arms exports, and seeking to develop offensive weapons, recklessly advancing down the wrong path of military expansion. Despite verbally proclaiming itself a ‘peaceful nation’ and advocating for a world without nuclear weapons, the Takaichi administration’s stance on the ‘Three Non-Nuclear Principles’ is vague and ambiguous, hinting at a possible abandonment. High-ranking Japanese officials have even stated that they do not rule out the introduction of nuclear submarines. All of this indicates a major negative shift in Japanese policy. Eighty years after Japan’s defeat and surrender, Sanae Takaichi’s dangerous remarks, which have touched a nerve with all sides, are not only strategic recklessness but also deliberate provocation. The people of the world, including the Chinese people, must be prepared to resolutely defend peace and justice!” 日本军国主义的历史罪责深重，包括中国人民在内的世界各国人民不曾忘记也不会忘记。日本领导人首次在台湾问题上表达试图武装介入的野心，首次对中国发出武力威胁，背后是日本右翼势力突破和平宪法束缚、谋求“军事大国”地位的危险企图。近年来，日本大幅调整安保政策，逐年增加防卫预算，放宽武器出口限制，谋求发展进攻性武器，在强军扩武的错误道路上狂飙猛进。尽管嘴上自我标榜是“和平国家”，宣扬建立无核武器世界，但高市政权对“无核三原则”表态模糊，语焉不详，暗示有可能放弃，日本高官甚至声称不排除引进核潜艇。这些都表明日本政策的重大消极转向。在日本战败投降80年后的今天，高市早苗抛出触动各方神经的危险言论，这不仅是战略鲁莽，更是蓄意挑衅。包括中国人民在内的世界各国人民必须做好准备，坚决捍卫和平与正义!
Page 6: Today’s post-fourth plenum article is by Wu Zhenglong, discussing the combination of an effective market and a capable government. I am not doing a full breakdown. But here’s what he broadly says:
“Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important statements on properly coordinating the relationship between the government and the market, emphasising the need to make good use of both the ‘invisible hand’ and the ‘visible hand’, to have both an effective market and a proactive government, to fully bring into play the decisive role of the market in resource allocation, and to better bring into play the role of the government. This is a concentrated manifestation of dialectics and a two-pronged approach to the relationship between the government and the market, and also an effective solution to many prominent problems in practice. It possesses strong ideological, guiding, and targeted significance, further deepening the understanding of the laws governing the development of a socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics.” 特别是党的十八大以来，习近平总书记对统筹好政府和市场关系作出一系列重要论述，强调把“看不见的手”和“看得见的手”都用好，既要有效的市场，也要有为的政府，充分发挥市场在资源配置中的决定性作用，更好发挥政府作用。这是在政府和市场关系上讲辩证法、两点论的集中体现，也是对实践中许多突出问题的有效破解之道，具有很强的思想性、指导性和针对性，进一步深化了对发展中国特色社会主义市场经济的规律性认识.
He argues that:
“Implementing the new development concept and achieving high-quality development cannot be accomplished by relying solely on the market or the government; the two must complement each other and work together. The market is a powerful driver of development. To improve the quality and efficiency of development, it is essential to rely on an effective market to stimulate the vitality of various business entities, accelerate technological innovation and industrial upgrading, and promote transformations in development quality, efficiency, and drivers. At the same time, the role of a capable government is indispensable. Measures such as improving macro-governance, regulating market order, strengthening public services, and preventing and resolving major risks are needed to promote a healthier and more orderly market operation, ensure fair competition among all types of business entities, and ensure that the fruits of development benefit all people more broadly and equitably, thereby promoting higher-quality, more efficient, fairer, more sustainable, and safer development.” 贯彻新发展理念、实现高质量发展，仅靠市场或政府哪一方都无法完成，二者必须相辅相成、协同发力。市场是发展的强劲推动器，提升发展的质量与效益，必须依靠有效市场来激发各类经营主体活力，加快技术创新和产业升级，推动经济发展质量变革、效率变革、动力变革。同时，有为政府的作用不可或缺，需要通过完善宏观治理、规范市场秩序、强化公共服务、防范化解重大风险等措施来促进市场更加健康有序运行，保障各类经营主体公平竞争，让发展成果更多更公平惠及全体人民，进而推动实现更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展.
He says that managing the relationship between the government and market is also important for “strengthening the domestic economic cycle and properly responding to external shocks”. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China’s development environment will face profound and complex changes, with strategic opportunities and risks coexisting, and uncertainties and unpredictable factors increasing. Against this backdrop, it is imperative to adhere to the strategic focus of expanding domestic demand, strive to strengthen the domestic economic cycle, use the stability of the domestic cycle to offset the uncertainty of the international cycle, effectively respond to the impact of external shocks, and promote the steady and long-term development of my country’s economy. Strengthening the domestic economic cycle hinges on giving full play to the roles of both the government and the market, promoting the smooth flow and efficient allocation of commodity factors and resources on a larger scale. China has more than 1.4 billion people, a vast number of operating entities, and a large middle-income group; per-capita GDP exceeds USD 13,000. So long as we intensify efforts to remove institutional and systemic obstacles to the flow and allocation of various factors, and enable the stages of production, distribution, circulation, and consumption to rely more on the domestic market to achieve virtuous circulation, we can fully release enormous resource value and development potential, and enhance the endogenous driving force and reliability of the domestic ‘big circulation’. At the same time, we can also use strong domestic demand to bring together high-quality global resources, realising mutual reinforcement between domestic and international dual circulation, and firmly grasp the initiative amid global economic uncertainty, instability, and major-power competition.” （三）这是做强国内大循环、妥善应对外部冲击的内在要求。“十五五”时期我国发展环境面临深刻复杂变化，战略机遇和风险挑战并存、不确定难预料因素增多。在这种背景下，必须坚持扩大内需这个战略基点，着力做强国内大循环，以国内循环的稳定性对冲国际循环的不确定性，有效应对外部冲击影响，推动我国经济行稳致远。做强国内大循环，关键在于发挥好政府和市场“两只手”作用，促进商品要素资源在更大范围内顺畅流动和高效配置。我国有14亿多人口、规模庞大的经营主体和中等收入群体，人均国内生产总值超过1.3万美元，只要加力破除各类要素流动配置的体制机制障碍，使生产、分配、流通、消费各环节更多依托国内市场实现良性循环，就能充分释放巨大资源价值和发展潜力，增强国内大循环内生动力和可靠性。同时也能以强大的国内需求集聚全球优质资源，实现国内国际双循环相互促进，在应对全球经济不确定、不稳定和大国博弈中牢牢把握主动权.
In the second section, Wu outlines the agenda as one of building a “unified, open, competitive, and orderly market system”. This means:
Pursuing building a unified national market: Under this, Wu outlines the need to “improve market rules and regulations, especially to unify systems for property rights protection, fair competition, and quality standards, and improve statistical, fiscal, and performance evaluation systems conducive to the construction of a unified national market; enhance market infrastructure connectivity, streamline logistics, capital flow, and information flow, and improve the modern commercial and trade circulation system; clarify the specific behaviours that the government encourages and prohibits in attracting investment, and to clean up policies and measures that affect the construction of a unified national market; unify market supervision and law enforcement standards and procedures, clarify administrative penalty discretion benchmarks, and apply the same standards consistently; promote the free flow and efficient allocation of factor resources nationwide, reducing resource misallocation and idle waste; implement internal and external openness and connectivity, avoiding closed operations, preventing local self-sufficiency, and continuously releasing the dividends of a super-large-scale market.” 要健全市场制度规则，特别是实现产权保护、公平竞争、质量标准等制度的统一，完善有利于统一大市场建设的统计、财税、考核制度；要提升市场设施联通水平，打通物流、资金流、信息流，健全现代商贸流通体系；要明确政府招商引资鼓励和禁止的具体行为，清理影响全国统一大市场建设的政策措施；要统一市场监管执法标准和程序，明确行政处罚裁量基准，一把尺子量到底；要促进要素资源在全国自由流动、高效配置，减少资源错配和闲置浪费；要实行对内对外开放联通，不搞封闭运行，防止各地搞自我小循环，持续释放超大规模市场红利.
Uphold fair market competition: Under this, he calls to “implement the regulations on fair competition review and their implementation measures, strengthen anti-monopoly and anti-unfair competition law enforcement and judicial practices, and continuously break down explicit and implicit barriers affecting fair market competition”. He also says: “govern enterprises’ disorderly low-price competition in accordance with laws and regulations, guide enterprises to improve product quality, promote the orderly withdrawal of outdated production capacity, and severely crack down on market irregularities such as counterfeit and shoddy goods, false advertising, and infringement of intellectual property rights, creating a sound competitive ecosystem. It is necessary to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector of the economy, and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector of the economy, ensuring that all types of ownership economies have equal access to factors of production, participate fairly in market competition, and receive equal legal protection, promoting complementary advantages and common development among various ownership economies.” 要深入推进公平竞争政策实施，落实公平竞争审查条例及其实施办法，强化反垄断和反不正当竞争执法司法，持续破除影响市场公平竞争的显性和隐性壁垒。依法依规治理企业低价无序竞争行为，引导企业提升产品品质、推动落后产能有序退出，严厉打击假冒伪劣、虚假宣传、侵犯知识产权等市场乱象，营造良好竞争生态。毫不动摇巩固和发展公有制经济，毫不动摇鼓励、支持、引导非公有制经济发展，保证各种所有制经济依法平等使用生产要素、公平参与市场竞争、同等受到法律保护，促进各种所有制经济优势互补、共同发展.
Strengthening rule-of-law and credit economy
Building a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized: Under this, he calls to “improve the nationally unified negative list for market access, optimize the market access environment for new business models and new fields, and build an open, transparent, standardized, orderly, fair, competitive, clearly defined, and effectively regulated market access system. Further improve the enterprise exit system to better leverage the market mechanism’s function of weeding out the weak and promoting the strong. We will accelerate the improvement of the market-based allocation system for factors of production, improve the mechanism by which factor prices are mainly determined by market supply and demand, and effectively improve resource allocation efficiency.We will proactively align with high-standard international trade and economic rules, resolutely promote high-level opening-up, steadily expand institutional opening-up in rules, regulations, management, and standards, actively expand independent opening-up, deepen reforms of the management system for foreign trade, foreign investment, and outward investment, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and create new advantages in international cooperation and competition.We will protect the rights and interests of foreign investors in accordance with the law, fully implement national treatment, strengthen regular communication mechanisms and service guarantees, and encourage more foreign-invested enterprises to invest in and deepen their presence in China. 完善全国统一的市场准入负面清单，优化新业态新领域市场准入环境，构建开放透明、规范有序、平等竞争、权责清晰、监管有力的市场准入制度体系。进一步完善企业退出制度，更好发挥市场机制优胜劣汰功能。加快完善要素市场化配置体制机制，健全主要由市场供求关系决定要素价格机制，切实提升资源配置效率。主动对接国际高标准经贸规则，坚定不移推进高水平对外开放，稳步扩大规则、规制、管理、标准等制度型开放，积极扩大自主开放，深化外贸、外商投资和对外投资管理体制改革，推动贸易投资自由化便利化，塑造国际合作和竞争新优势。依法保护外商投资权益，全面落实国民待遇，加强常态化沟通机制和服务保障，鼓励更多外资企业投资中国、深耕中国.