Zhong Yin: Youth Must Adhere to CCP Leadership - Qin Gang: No 'Quick Fix' for Myanmar Situation - Mongolia Backs GDI, GSI & GCI
Hi folks,
Thank you for all the good wishes and messages during the break. I finally feel well-enough to get back to work again. Before we get to today’s edition of the paper, let me share an interview that I recorded yesterday, discussing GDI, GSI and GCI.
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition on Wednesday, May 2, 2023.
Today’s paper is also a brief holiday edition. But there are some pieces that I’d like to highlight.
First, there’s a Zhong Yin commentary at the top of the front page, which talks about the youth in the new era. This seems to be in the context of the upcoming anniversary of the May 4th Movement. In this context, we have this rather unequivocal call by the paper:
“The theme of the Chinese youth movement in the new era, the direction of the Chinese youth movement in the new era, the mission of the Chinese youth in the new era are to adhere to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and work with the people to achieve the goal of second centennial goal and realise the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; based on the new era and new journey, the goal and direction of China youth come down to one point, that is, unswervingly listen to and follow the Party, and strive to grow into a new generation that is worthy of the times and can shoulder the heavy responsibility of national rejuvenation” 明确“新时代中国青年运动的主题，新时代中国青年运动的方向，新时代中国青年的使命，就是坚持中国共产党领导，同人民一道，为实现‘两个一百年’奋斗目标、实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦而奋斗” “立足新时代新征程，中国青年的奋斗目标和前行方向归结到一点，就是坚定不移听党话、跟党走，努力成长为堪当民族复兴重任的时代新人”…
It adds that Xi Jinping has made a number of remarks on youth work since the 18th Party Congress and these have pointed out “the direction and provided fundamental guidelines for doing a good job in the Party’s youth work in the new era.” It adds:
“The times/era/age always assign historical responsibility to young people. The new era we face is not only the best era for the development of the Chinese nation since modern times, but also the most crucial era for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In the new era, the youth in China are born at the right time and shoulder heavy responsibilities. The stage for displaying their talents is extremely broad and the prospects for realising their dreams are extremely bright.” 时代总是把历史责任赋予青年。我们面临的新时代，既是近代以来中华民族发展的最好时代，也是实现中华民族伟大复兴的最关键时代。新时代的中国青年，生逢其时、重任在肩，施展才干的舞台无比广阔，实现梦想的前景无比光明. The subsequent paragraph emphasises the importance of the role of the youth of today in taking forward the “historical relay” of China’s development.
Towards the end, the article carries this call:
“The vast number of young people should strengthen their strategic self-confidence, maintain their belief in victory, unswervingly listen to and follow the Party, embrace their dreams and be down-to-earth, dare to think and do good deeds, and be determined to be a good young person in the new era who has ideals, dares to take responsibility, can bear hardships and is willing to struggle, and strive to take the lead on the track of realising national rejuvenation.” 广大青年要坚定战略自信、保持必胜信念，坚定不移听党话、跟党走，怀抱梦想又脚踏实地，敢想敢为又善作善成，立志做有理想、敢担当、能吃苦、肯奋斗的新时代好青年，在实现民族复兴的赛道上奋勇争先.
Next, there’s an article on Sichuan’s policy focus on manufacturing. This informs that the province’s efforts are focussed on “six advantageous industries,” which include electronic information, equipment manufacturing, advanced materials, energy and chemicals, food and textiles, and health and medicine. The goal is to improve the quality and double the existing base of the six advantageous industries by 2027.
Third, there’s a report with data from the Ministry of Natural Resources, which informs that the national marine product value in 2022 was 9,462.8 billion yuan, an increase of 1.9% over the previous year, accounting for 7.8% of the GDP. Within this, the added value of the marine primary industry was 434.5 billion yuan; the added value of the secondary industry was 3,456.5 billion yuan; the added value of the tertiary industry was 5,571.8 billion yuan, accounting for 4.6%, 36.5% and 58.9% of the total marine product, respectively. 记者近日从自然资源部获悉：初步核算，2022年全国海洋生产总值94628亿元，比上年增长1.9%，占国内生产总值的比重为7.8%。其中，海洋第一产业增加值4345亿元、第二产业增加值34565亿元、第三产业增加值55718亿元，分别占海洋生产总值的4.6%、36.5%、58.9%.
On Page 3, there are two reports on Qin Gang’s engagements. First, Qin met with Noeleen Heyzer, special envoy of UNSG for Myanmar, in Beijing. Xinhua reports:
“Qin said that with internal and external factors intertwined, the Myanmar issue is complex and has no ‘quick fix.’ He called on the international community to respect Myanmar's sovereignty, and support all parties in Myanmar, within the constitutional and legal framework, to bridge differences and resume the political transition process through political dialogue. Qin said the international community should respect the mediation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and promote the implementation of its five-point consensus on Myanmar. He stressed the need to act prudently and pragmatically to prevent the escalation and spillover of the crisis, adding that China will continue to support and help the special envoy in her good offices. Heyzer said that the effort to resolve the Myanmar issue should be led by Myanmar, and that the will of its people should be respected. The UN appreciates China's important role in promoting the settlement of the Myanmar issue and hopes that China will continue to make contributions to Myanmar's peace, stability and development, said the special envoy.”
Next, Qin met with Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg. Xinhua reports:
“Qin said that China stands ready to work with Mongolia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, pursue mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and enhance political mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples. Qin expressed China's willingness to further synergize the development strategies of both countries, promote the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and improve cooperation on mining and interconnectivity and other areas to build a China-Mongolia community with a shared future featuring peaceful coexistence, mutual assistance and win-win cooperation. Battsetseg said that the Mongolian side abides by the one-China principle, adding that the country believes that the Taiwan question and issues concerning Hong Kong and Xinjiang are purely China's internal affairs. Mongolia appreciates and supports China's Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, Battsetseg said, adding that Mongolia is willing to deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation with China, and make bilateral ties a model for the region. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on sandstorm prevention and control, and jointly promote sustainable development. They also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern.”
And that’s it for the paper today. But there are some external reports that are worth noting.
WSJ’s report: China Locks Information on the Country Inside a Black Box
Another WSJ report: China Spy Law Adds to Chilling Effect of Detentions
“China rewrote its law against espionage to tighten state control over a wider swath of data and digital activities, an expansion of its power to neutralize perceived foreign threats that raises the risks for businesses operating in the world’s second-largest economy. Foreign executives say the expanded scope and powers of the legislation threaten to turn everyday interactions into national-security offenses and underscore the increasingly hostile environment that many foreign businesses believe they face in the country. The updated law broadens China’s already expansive definition of national security and gives Chinese leader Xi Jinping a bevy of new tools in his ongoing project to harden the country for a potential confrontation with the U.S. and its allies. At the same time, it threatens to undermine efforts by Communist Party leaders to court foreign capital in a bid to revive economic growth. One concern for foreign executives is that the revised law allows authorities to inspect the facilities and electronic equipment of organizations as well as digital devices such as smartphones and laptops belonging to individuals suspected of spying. The amended law also raises concerns that normal business activities, such as gathering intelligence on local markets, rivals and business partners, could be swept up in the broadened definition of espionage.”
“China’s internet watchdog launched a special campaign on Friday to ban gaslighting of the country’s entrepreneurs, as Beijing works to reinstall confidence in the private sector to revive a slowing economy. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in a post on its official WeChat account that the campaign, which will last for three months, will target false or inaccurate information about Chinese enterprises and entrepreneurs, and aim to root out online websites and accounts that infringe upon peoples’ rights. Narratives such as “Chinese private entrepreneurs are traitors” or “it’s time for China’s private economy to retreat” will be targeted. The watchdog will also crack down on any leaks of private biographical information pertaining to private entrepreneurs as well as their health records, financial accounts, travel itineraries, home addresses and telephone numbers. The campaign aims to create a “benign online space for public opinions” so that entrepreneurs can focus on developing their businesses without being distracted, according to the CAC post.”
Let’s also look at the US-Philippines joint statement after the visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Washington. Here’s an excerpt:
“President Biden reaffirms the United States’ ironclad alliance commitments to the Philippines, underscoring that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. The leaders welcome the identification of new sites pursuant to the U.S.-Philippines Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which will strengthen Philippine security and support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization goals, while driving U.S. investment to local communities across the Philippines and improving our shared ability to rapidly deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The leaders underscore their unwavering commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and the importance of respecting the sovereign rights of states within their exclusive economic zones consistent with international law. The leaders support the right and ability of Filipino fisherfolk to pursue their traditional livelihoods. The leaders note the ruling of the 2016 arbitral tribunal, constituted pursuant to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They affirm the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. The leaders convey support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, noting that the conflict has adversely affected food and energy security in the Indo-Pacific. The leaders welcome cooperation with partners that share the United States’ and the Philippines’ commitment to international law and mutual respect, and in that spirit, they reaffirm their strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. They look forward to establishing trilateral modes of cooperation among the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, as well as the Philippines, Australia, and the United States. Furthermore, they welcome the Quad’s commitment to support a peaceful and stable, rules-based region with ASEAN at the center, through its efforts to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Here’s the fact sheet if you are interested.
Finally, I highly recommend this piece by CMP’s David Bandurski: “Speak Plainly, Mr. Chairman”