Weekly Report 4|19 3.20.2021-3.26.2021
Highlights
Xi Jinping visited Fujian Province where he emphasized the centrality of innovation in China’s modernization strategy (see Senior Leaders section).
Senior Leaders
National County and Village-Level People's Congress Elections Work Meeting Held in Beijing
3.19 The General Office of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), the Central Organization Department, and the Central Propaganda Department jointly held a National County and Village-level People’s Congress Election Work Directives Meeting in Beijing. Deputy Director of the NPCSC Wang Chen (王晨) Director of the Central Organization Department Chen Xi (陈希) spoke at the meeting.
Wang pointed out that all must carefully study, comprehend, and resolutely implement Xi Jinping’s important speeches and Central Committee policy directives on county- and village-level people’s congress election work. Uphold the leadership of the Party, the people as the masters of their own country, and holistically integrate rule-of-law with national governance. All must recognize the importance of doing county and village-level people’s congress elections work well, uphold Party leadership in election work, uphold the people as the main body, promote democracy to the fullest, strictly proceed with the rule of law, use legal procedures to unify the Party and the people’s wishes, and stipulate clearly election discipline in order to ensure the orderly and law-abiding proceedings of elections.
Chen said it is important to deeply study and comprehend Xi Jinping’s relevant important speeches so that all can further recognize the political responsibility and the historical mission embedded in county and village-level people’s congress elections. He stressed the need to strictly monitor the political, moral, and structural criteria in elections; to highlight political standards, strictly enforce inspections, and implement scale and structure requirements; to use cadre criteria to choose good cadre cohorts, consider organizational arrangement holistically; and to create an election atmosphere of integrity, discipline, and unity.
Cadres from central and provincial organization and propaganda departments, the NPCSC General Office, the NPCSC Legislative Work Committee, national county and village-level people’s congress election committees, as well as cadres from provincial and sub-provincial people’s congress standing committees were present at the meeting.
Han Zheng Attends China Development Forum
3.22 The China Development Forum opened its 2021 meeting in Beijing. Politburo Standing Committee member Han Zheng (韩正) attended the opening ceremony and gave a speech. Han opened with China’s achievements in the Thirteenth Five Year Plan and its outlook for the Fourteenth Five Year Plan. Under the leadership of the CCP Central Committee led by Xi Jinping, he said, China’s economic, technological, and comprehensive national power have significantly risen, and the living standards of the people have also been elevated to a new level. Under the era of the “Fourteenth Five-Year Plan,” China will pursue high-quality development under a new development paradigm and will embark on the journey toward building a modern socialist country.
Han pointed out the importance of sustainable development in China’s modernization drive. He recalled Xi Jinping’s promise to the international community that China will reach peak carbon emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. Han expressed China’s firm stance on confronting the challenges of climate change, affirmed China’s belief in green development and its willingness to participate and guide international cooperation on climate change. He emphasized that in the face of climate change, humanity has a common destiny and that all countries should abide by the principle of “common but different responsibilities” (共同但有区别的责任原则).
Han then affirmed China’s continued commitment to opening up. China’s open doors shall not close, he stressed, but will become more and more open. He said that China will strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination with other countries and protect the smooth and stable circulation of global production and supply chains in order to help the recovery of the global economy. Han enumerated several initiatives of international economic engagement: continuing the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, increasing imports of high-end products and services, legal rights protection for firms with foreign investments, and further marketization, legalization, and internationalization of the domestic business environment. He also mentioned continuing international cooperation to fight the pandemic in order to build a shared health community for mankind (人类卫生健康共同体). Han also pledged more openness to international technological exchange and cooperation but simultaneously affirmed China’s commitment to technological self-reliance.
Xi Jinping: Strive to Compose the Fujian Chapter of the Comprehensive Construction of a Modern Socialist Nation
3.26 On an inspection tour of Fujian, Xi Jinping visited with science and technology workers as well as tea farmers to learn about the development of the local tea industry. People’s Daily summarized the main points he emphasized throughout his trip as follows:
It is necessary to implement the decisions and deployments of the Central Committee, adhere to the theme of seeking progress while maintaining stability, implement the New Development Concept, build a new development pattern, deepen supply-side structural reform, expand reform and opening up, promote technological innovation, and take greater steps in promoting cross-Strait integration, among other imperatives.
The health of the people is an important symbol of socialist modernization. China must continue to deepen health system reform, ensure medical resources are distributed equitably, and improve basic healthcare infrastructure.
In order to revitalize the countryside, it is necessary to focus on industries that will enrich the people according to local conditions.
To protect traditional districts, ancient buildings, and cultural relics is to preserve the history and context of China’s cities. Xi demanded that these sites be treated with respect.
China’s entry into the first phalanx of scientific and technological development depends on innovation. China must accelerate the pace of achieving technological self-reliance and adhere to the core position of innovation in the nation’s modernization drive.
It is necessary to study history wisely within the Party History Study and Education campaign. Xi emphasized that it is important to understand the historical inevitability of the CCP’s leadership and to strengthen confidence in the Party’s leadership. It is important to deeply understand the correctness of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to unswervingly follow the “only correct path.”
Propaganda Work
Zhong Sheng: Lies Cannot Change the Truth
3.23 People’s Daily published Zhong Sheng (钟声) commentary that stressed “Xinjiang-related issues” were not “human rights issues” at all but “issues of counterterrorism, deradicalization, and anti-splittism.” It said accusations of “so-called ‘genocide,’ ‘forced labor,’ and ‘religious oppression’” were “the biggest lies of this century” (本世纪最大的谎言). It cited figures for population growth over the last 40-plus years and economic development and life expectancy over the last 60-plus years to argue that Xinjiang was experiencing its “best development period in history.” The commentary stated that over 1,200 recent visitors from more than 100 countries had found that the situation in Xinjiang was “completely different” from that depicted in “certain Western media reports” and that 64 countries had signed on to a Cuban-led joint statement at the UNHRC in support of China’s position in Xinjiang. It concluded, “In the face of facts, any lies that invert black and white (颠倒黑白) and that create something out of nothing (无中生有) will ultimately have no place to hide (无所遁形), and any unscrupulous (肆无忌惮) rumors and slander will ultimately receive a righteous settling of accounts. [We] strongly advise (奉劝) a small number of Western countries to abandon ideological prejudice, stop engaging in political manipulation and double standards on human rights issues, and stop using Xinjiang-related issues to harm China’s interests and interfere in China’s internal affairs.”
United Front Work
Wang Yang at Poverty Alleviation Democratic Oversight Work Reflection Meeting with Democratic Parties
3.24 The Central Poverty Alleviation Democratic Oversight Work Reflection Meeting was held in Beijing for democratic parties. Politburo Standing Committee member and Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Wang Yang (汪洋) spoke at the meeting. Politburo member, Vice Premier of the State Council Hu Chunhua made remarks as well. The meeting was hosted by United Front Work Department Head You Quan (尤权) and eight members of democratic parties shared experiences of democratic oversight work in poverty alleviation.
Wang emphasized that all should deeply study and comprehend Xi Jinping’s important remarks at the National Poverty Alleviation Summary and Commendation Meeting as well as his remarks on resolutely developing China’s “new type of political party system.” He urged all attendees to summarize important lessons of democratic oversight in poverty alleviation work and push such work to new heights.
Wang pointed out that democratic oversight in poverty alleviation work was an important policy directive issued by the CCP Central Committee led by Xi Jinping. Wang commended the work of democratic parties over the past five years, which included grassroots-level site visits and policy recommendations, all of which, according to Wang, demonstrated the institutional advantage of China’s new type of political party system.
On behalf of the attendees, Wang Yang summarized the important lessons of the past five years. Some of the key lessons include: the imperative to uphold the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and ensure that democratic oversight always progresses toward the correct direction; the need to correctly identify the problems and continuously raise the bar in consultative oversight work with Chinese characteristics; and the need to emphasize the integration of policy advising and consensus building.
Finally, Wang Yang stressed that democratic parties need to innovate and improve the efficacy of democratic oversight methods. They also have the responsibility to tell the story of how the Chinese Communist Party has sought happiness for the people, and the story of China’s new type of political party system. Democratic party members should respect the truth and uphold integrity in public service and oversight.
Central Military Commission
Central Military Commission Commends Advanced Units and Individuals for Military Logistics Work
3.21 The Central Military Commission released an “Announcement on Commending Advanced Units and Individuals for Military Logistic Work.” It commended ten logistics danweis and twenty individuals within the Logistics Department.
The announcement pointed out that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has provided ideological guidance for all military forces over recent years. All should study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on a Strong Military and the strategic orientation for the military in the New Era. Logistics work must be constructed to meet wartime requirements. Logistics departments must strengthen scientific management, diligently organize supply guarantees, and provide strong support for troops’ battle-readiness, national defense and military reform, and preparedness to respond to difficult tasks.
The announcement demands that all military troops and officers should follow the example of the commended units and individuals. All should use combat-readiness to guide military construction work and treat military construction work as fighting a battle in order to build a new outlook for strong and modernized logistics for the military.
Organization Work
3.25 Li Qun (李群) was appointed head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration and secretary of its party group.
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