Recently, I stumbled upon a disheartening story that was a revelation even to me, after having lived in China for 34 years. I can’t say too much about the story because it’s someone’s personal story. But because of that story, I realized that foreigners residing in China must register with the local police within 24 hours of settling in accommodations other than hotels. Failure to comply can result in a warning and a possible fine of up to 2,000 yuan (about 280 U.S. dollars). This comes at a time when China has gradually introduced visa-free policies for some European countries, prompting me to remind everyone of this regulation.

So, what if I compiled a list of hotels in China's, let's say, top 20 or 30 cities that are open to foreign guests? Would that interest anyone? If you're more clued up about this than me, please let me know if this seems like an unmet, yet needed service in the market. I know people can search for that on Ctrip’s app, but is that convenient?

Today's newsletter will be brief as I've been quite swamped lately. I'll just touch on the most crucial points. Over the past several days, Xi Jinping's inspection tour in Hunan has been making headlines, with the narrative focusing on the rise of the central region, and new quality productive forces. I happened to catch an article on a WeChat public account that provides some background on this topic, which was also mentioned by Sinocism yesterday. Therefore, GRR has translated some of that content to help you get a grasp of the policy context behind the importance of the rise of China's central region.

The WeChat blog is called 政知见(Zhèng Zhī Jiàn), a mobile publication under the Beijing Youth Daily focusing on providing professional coverage and analysis of current political news.

Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a symposium on further energizing the central region in the new era in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, on Wednesday. This is the second time in five years that Xi has chaired a symposium with the theme of "promote the rise of the central region."

Since last year, the central government has held several symposiums on regional economic development. This symposium is related to the central region. Since the mid-to-late 1990s, with the accelerated development of the eastern coastal areas, western regions, and northeastern regions, the central region has once been trapped in a "basin" of national economic growth.

In March 2004, "promote the development of the central region" was first included in the government work report. In April 2006, the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council issued the Several Opinions on Promoting the Rising of the Central Region of China, marking the official implementation of the strategy to energizing the central region.

The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC explicitly mentioned "accelerate the rise of the central region."

At Wednesday's symposium, Xi highlighted the central region's pivotal role as the country's important grain production base, energy and raw material base, modern equipment manufacturing and high-tech industry base, and comprehensive transportation hub.

The central region consists of six provinces: Shanxi, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Hunan. With abundant resources and enormous market potential, it holds a crucial position in the national regional development pattern.

Data shows that during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), the economy of the central region grew at an average annual rate of 8.6 percentage, ranking first among the eastern, central, western, and northeastern regions, achieving a transformation from "lagging behind" to "leading the pack."

In 2023, the GDP of the central region reached nearly 27 trillion yuan (about 4.22 trillion U.S. dollars), accounting for over one-fifth of the national total.

At the symposium, director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Party chiefs from the six provinces spoke successively to report on the work of promoting the rise of the central region and put forward suggestions.

Several details are worth noting:

First, the change in the name. In May 2019, when Xi inspected Jiangxi, he chaired a symposium on "promote the rise of the central region." This week’s symposium, compared with the one held five years ago, added the words "new era" to its name.

At this symposium, Xi affirmed the work of the central region in the past five years, mentioning that "the development of the central region has reached a higher starting point." Xi also noted that further energizing the central region still faces many difficulties and challenges that require practical research to solve them.

Second, the symposium proposed the requirement of "proactively cultivating and developing new quality productive forces." Xi emphasized the need to drive industrial innovation through technological advancement and actively foster the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces. During this year's Two Sessions, Xi took part in deliberation of three delegations and talked about the term three times, profoundly expounding the methodology of developing new quality productive forces.

The central region consists of six provinces: Shanxi, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Hunan.

Xi’s inspection in central China's Hunan Province this week is his first local inspection after this year's Two Sessions. Hunan is a major economic province in the central region, with its economic aggregate surpassing 5 trillion yuan for the first time last year.

During the inspection, he visited BASF Shanshan Battery Materials Co., Ltd, focusing on understanding the local acceleration of the development of new quality productive forces and the expansion of high-standard opening-up. China Media Group said that this trip to Hunan by Xi is field guidance on accelerating the development of new quality productive forces.

At the symposium, Xi emphasized attaching greater importance to the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation and strengthening the dominant position of enterprise innovation.

Xi also mentioned the "Central Leading Group for Coordinated Regional Development." This group was initially made public in September 2023 and is responsible for the unified management of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region's coordinated development, integration of the Yangtze River Delta, development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the establishment of the Hainan Free Trade Port, among other initiatives.

Xi also stressed the need for the group to strengthen overall coordination and oversight. Relevant central departments should increase their support and propose policy measures for further energizing the central region in the new era. Local party committees and governments should shoulder their primary responsibilities, resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, and promote the implementation of key tasks and major reform measures.

Additionally, I attended an event on Wednesday known as the democracy forum. This forum, now in its third year, coincides with the democracy summit held in South Korea this week, also marking its third anniversary. Covering the parallel forum of “AI and the Future of Democracy” of the event as a reporter for Xinhua News Agency, I jotted down some interesting observations to share here:

Zheng Bing, Deputy Director of School Affairs Committee of Jilin University, Dean of Northeast Revitalization and Development Research Institute of Jilin University：

The information culture shifts cultural rights from monopolistic to egalitarian, creating conditions for the enhancement of social democracy through information sharing. Cultural rights refer to the qualifications and capabilities to create, receive, and enjoy culture. In traditional societal cultural structures, this is represented by a pyramid shape, where cultural levels are higher at the top and lower at the bottom, distancing those at the bottom from social management and cultural creation, thereby leading to the phenomenon of cultural privilege. Cultural privilege forms the psychological basis for the worship of cultural authority. Cultural monopolies create a sense of mystique around culture, enticing the general public into blind adoration. Consequently, culture is characterized by strict stratification, for instance, a significant gap between the creators of a society's stratified culture and its consumers.

……

The development of artificial intelligence is driving new adjustments in social stratification. In China, internet technology is changing traditional economic models, thereby forming new layers within society. The application of AI in payment methods has altered the occupational distribution within society.

The first wave toppled traditional media; practitioners in print media and the printing industry faced massive layoffs and had to change careers. The second wave hit brick-and-mortar stores, making online shopping increasingly common and leading to the closure of many physical stores. The third wave impacted banks. Currently, China's major banks are seeing an annual reduction in branch locations and staff by about 5 percent due to financial activities moving online, which changes employment and social stratification. Entering the information society, how can we adjust online participation and social stratification reasonably? This should be considered from three aspects:

Firstly, the ability of internet technology and artificial intelligence to amass wealth and other social resources is very strong, accelerating the widening gap between social classes. Our "internet celebrities," once they reach tens of millions of followers, can amass substantial wealth. Despite not having high cultural or professional levels, they quickly become part of the middle or even wealthy classes.

Secondly, internet technology and artificial intelligence mainly rely on intellect rather than general manpower, leading to a rapid decrease in the demand for various labor-intensive jobs and increasing social employment pressure.

Thirdly, the development of self-awareness capabilities in artificial intelligence carries social risks. Scholars have already warned that we must fully estimate the potential negative impacts of technological progress on human society. Therefore, it is emphasized that necessary controls must be strengthened, meaning science and technology must be regulated and applied reasonably.

Zhang Haidong, Professor, Executive Director of the Shanghai New Social Strata Research Center, Secretary-General (China) of the East Asian Sociological Association:

New Characteristics of Youth's Occupational Choices

• In the past decade, the new occupation population have attracted widespread attention from various sectors of Chinese society. In the Chinese context, these new occupation population are described in various ways, including: new employment groups, new gig economy participants, practitioners of new business formats, platform economy workers, and flexible employment groups (Li Peilin,2023).

• Various survey data show that the total number of this group is estimated to be between 80 million and 100 million people. For example, according to the results of the 9th National Survey of the Labor Force conducted by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions in 2023, the total number of workers in the country is approximately 402 million, among which the scale of workers in new employment forms is 84 million, accounting for 21 percent, mainly consisting of young and middle-aged people.

• If we focus on the occupational choices of young people, we will find that they have many new characteristics:

Young people are unwilling to work in factories.

• According to the “Top 100 Occupations with the Highest Demand for Recruitment in the Fourth Quarter of 2022” released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the manufacturing industry has the largest labor gap, with 41 occupations related to production and manufacturing personnel, such as automotive production line operators, machinists, and welders. It can be said that there is a structural unemployment problem among young people.

• Although there are also many blue-collar occupations relying on platforms in the the new occupation population, young people prefer new career models rather than traditional factory models. In Chinese society, the blue-collar characteristics of the new occupation population include eight categories: truck drivers, couriers, caregivers, domestic service workers, shopping mall information assistants, online food delivery riders, real estate agents, and security guards.

• Why are young people no longer willing to work in factories? If it is said that young people no longer like physical labor, many of the above occupations are still physically demanding.

Young people are choosing multiple careers and identities, becoming slash youths (or slashies).

• Fixed or stable careers are no longer favored by some young people, and more and more individuals are opting to become freelancers or flexible workers. Data suggests that the size of this group is approximately 200 million people (unofficial data), and they frequently move between various professions, exhibiting instability.

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In the poll at the end of our last post, the new buzzword 新质生产力 "new quality productive force" was revealed to be of the greatest interest among our readers, which also happened to be the key theme of President Xi Jinping's remarks made during Tuesday's deliberation of the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC).

If you search for "new quality productive forces" on the WeChat blog platform (a platform in China similar to Substack for posting and sharing articles), you will find that many media outlets are reporting on this term. In the search suggestions, there are related slides, stocks, and even model essays for this topic related to the Chinese civil service exam, as well as at least five WeChat blogs with name related to the term.

So the first part of today's piece focuses on exploring the key term "new quality productive forces" by looking at Xi's comments on it, a recent interview of Prof. Yao Yang, director of China Center for Economic Research at Peking University, and an article by Tian Xuan, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of Finance at PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University, who is also a deputy to the 14th NPC.

The second part is a translation of the full-text readout on Xi's remarks during the deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province on Tuesday with some GRR's notes.

Some of you might be curious about why Xi engaged in discussions with fellow lawmakers from east China’s Jiangsu Province for two consecutive years (see our post covering that last year). It is because Xi was elected deputy to the 14th NPC by a vote at the first session of the 14th Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress in 2023, so it is natural for him to be with the Jiangsu delegation in 2023 and 2024, and I believe he would continue attending the deliberations of Jiangsu delegation in the coming years.

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Part 1 "New quality productive forces"

1. Xi Jinping's remarks on "new quality productive forces"

When attending the deliberation of the delegation of Jiangsu Province at the second session of the 14th NPC, Xi stressed 因地制宜发展新质生产力 developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions. The following is the opening part of the readout stressing on "new quality productive forces".

中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平5日下午在参加他所在的十四届全国人大二次会议江苏代表团审议时强调，要牢牢把握高质量发展这个首要任务，因地制宜发展新质生产力。面对新一轮科技革命和产业变革，我们必须抢抓机遇，加大创新力度，培育壮大新兴产业，超前布局建设未来产业，完善现代化产业体系。发展新质生产力不是忽视、放弃传统产业，要防止一哄而上、泡沫化，也不要搞一种模式。各地要坚持从实际出发，先立后破、因地制宜、分类指导，根据本地的资源禀赋、产业基础、科研条件等，有选择地推动新产业、新模式、新动能发展，用新技术改造提升传统产业，积极促进产业高端化、智能化、绿色化。

Xi emphasized the need to firmly focus on the primary task of high-quality development, and develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions.

Facing the latest round of scientific and technological revolutions and industrial transformations, we must seize opportunities and step up efforts to make innovations, he said.

We must also cultivate and strengthen emerging industries, arrange the development of industries for the future in advance, and modernize industrial system. To develop new quality productive forces doesn’t mean ignoring or abandoning traditional industries. The endeavors in this regard should never be in a mad scramble, and bubbles should be prevented. We should also avoid the domination of a single model, he said.

Localities should adhere to the principle of proceeding from reality, building the new before discarding the old, taking measures in line with local conditions, and giving differentiated guidance. They must selectively cultivate new industries, business models and growth drivers in the light of their resource endowment, industrial foundation and scientific research conditions, among other factors. They must transform and upgrade traditional industries with new technologies and take rigorous actions to make industries higher-end, smarter, and more environmentally friendly.

"New quality productive forces" as a key term in recent top-level meetings

According to a Xinhua explainer and a Xinhua article on Wednesday with more details about Xi's remarks in the deliberation, the term "new quality productive forces" was first introduced in September in 2023 by Xi during an inspection and research trip, was highlighted again at the Central Economic Work Conference in December, and became the subject of the first group study session held by the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee this year. When it comes to the Two Sessions period this year, the term is highlighted in this year's government work report as the first one among the "top ten priorities" of government work in 2024.

Definition given by Xi

With innovation playing the leading role, new quality productive forces mean advanced productivity that is freed from traditional economic growth mode and productivity development paths, features high-tech, high efficiency and high quality, and comes in line with the new development philosophy.

How does the term relate to China's push for scientific and technological innovation, comprehensive reforms, and the development of Jiangsu Province?

According to the Xinhua article mentioned above, Xi has made clear requirements regarding the development of new quality productive forces, which can be summarized as follows:

1. Relationship between scientific and technological innovation and new quality productive forces

Scientific and technological innovation is a key element in developing new quality productive forces. When the fruits of scientific and technological innovation are timely applied to specific industries and industrial chains, and modern industrial systems are perfected, the chain between scientific and technological innovation, industrial innovation and the development of new quality productive forces will become fully jointed.

2. Relationship between new quality productive forces and comprehensively deepening reforms

Developing new quality productive forces requires advancing comprehensively deepening reforms and forming new types of productive relations suited to the new situation. With reforms to break through bottlenecks, the development of new quality productive forces will be freed from fetters, enabling innovations and technological inventions to mushroom.

3. The important role of major economically developed provinces in developing new quality productive forces

Jiangsu, as one of the major economically developed provinces, shall be made a major locality for the development of new quality productive forces. Xi stresses the imperative for Jiangsu to “build interconnected innovation, industrial, and supply chains in a broader range of areas, so that Jiangsu can better leverage its strength to drive the development of the whole region and the whole country”, which sufficiently highlights the important responsibility shouldered by major economically developed provinces like Jiangsu, in the development of new quality productive forces.

Insights on the term from two experts

Yao Yang, Professor, Director of China Center for Economic Research at Peking University, explains in an recent interview conducted by China News Service that new quality productive forces are productivity that is able to raise the 全要素生产率 Total Factor Productivity (TFP), which is key for China's economy to transition from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development. [Listen to a GRR's podcast show with Prof. Yao discussing China's economy in transition]

[Note: TFP is calculated by dividing output by the weighted geometric average of labor and capital input, with the standard weighting of 0.7 for labor and 0.3 for capital. It refers to how efficiently a country or business uses all of its resources—like labor, machinery, and technology—to produce goods and services. It's like measuring how well a chef uses all the ingredients in the kitchen to make a meal, not just how many ingredients they have. If TFP is high, it means the economy is using its resources very effectively to grow and innovate.]

Prof. Yao Yang:

For a long time in the past, the improvement of TFP in China primarily relied on reforms. Going forward, to enhance TFP, we need to increase investment in science and technology and improve technological levels and innovation capabilities.

Regarding economic growth, there is a fundamental model called the Solow Model. This model suggests that a country's economic growth will eventually reach a so-called steady state. At this steady state, the rate of progress in a country's per capita income is equal to the rate of technological advancement; when a country has not reached this steady state, the increase in per capita income can still rely on capital accumulation. China has not yet reached this steady state, but the proportion of capital accumulation will become increasingly lower, and the share of technological progress must increase.

Assuming that by the middle of this century, China reaches a steady state, the growth in per capita income will have to rely entirely on technological progress. We are currently in a transition period, so it is crucial to strive for technological advancement. The path of high-quality development formulated by the central government is designed to serve this transformation.

Tian Xuan, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of Finance at PBC School of Finance at Tsinghua University and a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, elaborates on China's economic transitioning phase when answering why developing new quality productive forces at a faster pace replaced expanding domestic demand listed as the top one task in this year's government report in a recent article:

经过多年快速发展，我国经济长期积累的结构性体制性矛盾仍然突出，经济增长方式粗放问题仍然严重，投资规模增长过快，有效需求特别是居民消费需求不足，为了适应高质量发展阶段质量第一、效益优先的新要求，必须改变过去传统生产力条件下依靠大量资源投入、高度消耗的发展方式，由不可持续性向可持续性转变，由粗放型向集约型转变。

With the structural and institutional problems accumulated during years of rapid development still prominent, the consequences, including excessive investment, particularly a lack of effective demand, notably in domestic consumption, still persist. To put quality first and give priority to performance in the high-quality development stage, there is a need to abandon the past development model that relies heavily on resource-intensive and unsustainable practices and transition to a sustainable model.

In terms of external factors, he adds that to tackle challenges in global development accompanied by geopolitical risks, especially with the ongoing risk of decoupling from China by Western countries, there is a fundamental need for a transformation in productivity with new quality productive forces.

“The ongoing risk of decoupling from China by Western countries” mentioned by Prof. Tian reminds your Ginger River of the argument between the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the spokesperson for the China's Foreign Ministry on the issues of technological decoupling and national security.

FM rebuts US official's remarks on Chinese cars as false narrative, over-politicization of economic and trade issues -- Global Times

Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, made these remarks after US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a recent interview with US media outlet MSNBC that "cars these days are like an iPhone on wheels… You connect your phone and you might receive the text message… Imagine a world with 3 million Chinese vehicles on the roads of America, and Beijing can turn them off at the same time."

Mao said that by that logic, shouldn't China be more worried about Washington's ability to get hundreds of millions of Apple phones of Chinese users to channel collected information back to the US, or even cause a blanket screen shutdown?

Tian Xuan, as an expert in the financial sector, further discussed the efforts he believes are needed to develop new quality productive forces.

从金融的角度看，我的学术研究发现，激励创新需要容忍失败的文化氛围，需要崭新的创投组织形式，需要正确的人力资源政策，需要“不太积极”的二级市场、健康开放的资本市场和稳定的宏观政策导向组成的一整套“组合拳”去激励企业技术创新。

From a financial perspective, my academic research has found that incentivizing innovation requires a culture that tolerates failure, new forms of venture capital organizations, correct human resource policies, and a "combo" of a "less aggressive" secondary market, a healthy and open capital market, and stable macroeconomic policy orientations to stimulate corporate technological innovation.

...

充分发挥天使投资、风险投资、私募股权等创业投资力量对基础研究、应用研究、科技转化等创新活动的支持，支持创业投资机构深度参与企业发展和治理过程，为优质企业提供发展所需的知识、人才、专业技能等，提升企业经营水平。

It is crucial to fully leverage the power of startup investments such as angel investment, venture capital, and private equity in supporting innovation activities in basic research, applied research, and technology transfer. Support for venture investment institutions to deeply participate in the development and governance processes of enterprises is necessary, providing high-quality businesses with the knowledge, talent, and professional skills needed for development, thereby enhancing the operational level of enterprises.

Happy to see a deputy to the NPC emphasizing the importance of the venture capital industry. I know that in the past two years, doing venture capital in China has not been that easy, and it is also facing transformation. [Check out my YouTube channel show filming a typical day in the life of a Chinese venture capitalist.]

Part 2 Full-text readout of Xi's remarks on Tuesday

The following is the English translation of the full readout of Xi's important remarks made on Tuesday.

习近平在参加江苏代表团审议时强调 因地制宜发展新质生产力

Xi stresses developing new quality productive forces according to local conditions

中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平5日下午在参加他所在的十四届全国人大二次会议江苏代表团审议时强调，要牢牢把握高质量发展这个首要任务，因地制宜发展新质生产力。面对新一轮科技革命和产业变革，我们必须抢抓机遇，加大创新力度，培育壮大新兴产业，超前布局建设未来产业，完善现代化产业体系。发展新质生产力不是忽视、放弃传统产业，要防止一哄而上、泡沫化，也不要搞一种模式。各地要坚持从实际出发，先立后破、因地制宜、分类指导，根据本地的资源禀赋、产业基础、科研条件等，有选择地推动新产业、新模式、新动能发展，用新技术改造提升传统产业，积极促进产业高端化、智能化、绿色化。

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of CPC Central Committee, took part in the deliberation of the government work report with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Jiangsu Province to the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress on the afternoon of March 5.

He emphasized the need to firmly focus on the primary task of high-quality development, and develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions. Facing the latest round of scientific and technological revolutions and industrial transformations, we must seize opportunities and step up efforts to make innovations, he said. We must also cultivate and strengthen emerging industries, arrange the development of industries for the future in advance, and modernize industrial system. To develop new quality productive forces doesn’t mean ignoring or abandoning traditional industries. The endeavors in this regard should never be in a mad scramble, and bubbles should be prevented. We should also avoid the domination of a single model, he said.

Localities should adhere to the principle of proceeding from reality, building the new before discarding the old, taking measures in line with local conditions, and giving differentiated guidance. They must selectively cultivate new industries, business models and growth drivers in the light of their resource endowment, industrial foundation and scientific research conditions, among other factors. They must transform and upgrade traditional industries with new technologies and take rigorous actions to make industries higher-end, smarter, and more environmentally friendly.

According to the readout, six deputies shared their opinions on various issues in the delegation's panel deliberation:

江苏代表团审议热烈，气氛活跃。崔铁军、高纪凡、宋燕、吴惠芳、吴新明、孙景南等6位代表分别就实现高水平科技自立自强、推动中国光伏行业高质量发展、加强文化遗产保护传承、建设共同富裕的幸福村、服务长三角一体化发展、弘扬工匠精神等问题发言。习近平不时插话，同大家交流。

The deliberation was carried out in a warm and lively atmosphere within the delegation. Cui Tiejun, Gao Jifan, Song Yan, Wu Huifang, Wu Xinming and Sun Jingnan, six deputies of the delegation, presented on how to achieve great self-reliance and strength in science and technology, promote the high-quality development of the country’s photovoltaic industry, strengthen the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage, build happy villages featuring common prosperity, support the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and promote craftsmanship. Xi joined their talks from time to time, exchanging opinions with his fellow deputies.

After summarizing the deputies’ topics, the readout continues with Xi’s comments on Jiangsu Province:

在认真听取大家发言后，习近平作了发言。他首先表示赞成政府工作报告，充分肯定江苏经济社会发展取得的新进展，新成效，希望江苏坚定信心，鼓足干劲，勇挑大梁，为全国大局做出更大贡献。习近平强调，江苏发展新质生产力具备良好的条件和能力，要突出构建以先进制造业为骨干的现代化产业体系这个重点，以科技创新为引领，统筹推进传统产业升级、新兴产业壮大、未来产业培育，加强科技创新和产业创新深度融合，巩固传统产业领先地位，加快打造具有国际竞争力的战略性新兴产业集群，使江苏成为发展新智生产力的重要阵地。

After listening to the deputies’ presentations, Xi delivered a speech. He expressed his approval of the government work report, fully acknowledging the new progress and achievements made in Jiangsu’s economic and social development. He expressed the hope that Jiangsu will have greater confidence, exert its utmost, and shoulder greater responsibilities to make even more contributions to the nation.

Xi stressed that Jiangsu possesses favorable conditions and capabilities for developing new quality productive forces. He highlighted the importance of building a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the mainstay.

It is essential for technological innovation to play a leading role in coordinating the upgrading of traditional industries, the expansion of emerging industries, and the nurturing of industries for the future. It is imperative to intensify the integration between technological innovation and industrial innovation, and reinforce the leading edge of traditional industries. It is important to accelerate the building of internationally competitive clusters of strategic emerging industries, and make Jiangsu a major locality for the development of new quality productive forces.

Xi's election in Jiangsu as a deputy to the 14th NPC, according to analysts, reflects the emphasis from the nation's top leadership on advancing the Chinese path to modernization, furthering the integrated growth of the Yangtze River Delta and ensuring self-reliance in science and technology, reported by China Daily.

A Global Time article gives a review of Jiangsu as a national economic powerhouse

As a national economic powerhouse, east China's Jiangsu Province saw its regional gross domestic product (GDP) increase by 5.8 percent year-on-year to 12.82 trillion yuan (about 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2023, according to the annual session of the provincial people's congress in January. This figure means the province contributed the second-highest GDP in China in 2023 only following south China's Guangdong Province with 13.57 trillion yuan (about 1.9 trillion U.S. dollars).

Apart from the impressive figures, Jiangsu people's undeniable business acumen plays a vital role in continuously pushing the province to explore new areas aligned with the demand of national strategies and the market.

In 2023, the output value of new energy vehicles (NEVs) and new energy industries in Jiangsu increased by 19 percent and 14.5 percent respectively. The production of lithium-ion batteries for automobiles increased by 18.7 percent. Monocrystalline silicon production increased by 31.6 percent, photovoltaic cell production increased by 45.6 percent, NEV production increased by 46.3 percent, wind power generator production increased by 66.4 percent, and charging pile production increased by 1.3 times, according to Xinhua.

In the next part of the readout, Xi calls for further reforms on all fronts to provide impetus for advancing Chinese modernization.

习近平指出，要谋划进一步全面深化改革重大举措，为推动高质量发展，推进中国式现代化持续注入强劲动力。围绕构建高水平社会主义市场经济体制，加快完善产权保护、市场准入、公平竞争、社会信用等市场经济基础制度。完善落实两个毫不动摇的体制机制，支持民营经济和民营企业发展壮大。激发各类经营主体的内生动力和创新活力。深化科技体制、教育体制、人才体制等改革，打通束缚新质生产力发展的堵点、卡点，持续建设市场化、法治化、国际化一流营商环境，塑造更高水平开放型经济新优势。

Xi pointed out the necessity of planning major measures to further deepen reform on all fronts, so as to continuously inject strong impetus into the endeavor to promote high-quality development and advance Chinese modernization.

To build a high-level socialist market economy, it is imperative to accelerate the improvement of basic systems underpinning the market economy such as those for property rights protection, market access, fair competition, and social credit. It is essential to improve and implement the institutions and mechanisms to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector, facilitate the growth of the private sector and private enterprises, and stimulate the endogenous power and innovation vitality of various business entities.

Reform of systems involving science and technology, education and professional personnel should be deepened, and barriers obstructing the development of new quality productive forces should be removed. Efforts should be continued to create a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized to foster new strengths for a higher-level open economy.

What does "further deepen reform on all fronts" mean? Those interested may take a look at a recent post by Zichen Wang’s Pekingnology about "deepening reform" as I know many of you are expecting the opening of the third plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

Pekingnology

Xi Jinping promises a new wave of "reform" since 2013

I’ve been traveling lately so this post has been delayed for almost two weeks. (I had the fortune of taking part in two wonderful events - the Salzburg Global Seminar on China and the 6th Baghdad International Dialogue) From what I have read, the topic I intended to cover still hasn’t garnered much attention either within or outside China. So I’m trying…

Read more

2 years ago · 13 likes · Zichen Wang

Then, this is the part where Xi called on Jiangsu to fully integrate into and contribute to the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

习近平强调，党的十八大以来，我们实施了一系列区域协调发展战略，区域重大战略、主体功能区战略等，为构建新发展格局，推动高质量发展发挥了重要支撑作用。江苏要全面融入和服务长江经济带发展和长三角一体化发展战略，加强同其他区域发展战略和区域重大战略的对接，在更大范围内联动构建创新链、产业链、供应链，更好发挥经济大省对区域乃至全国发展的辐射带动力。

Xi stressed that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, a series of coordinated regional development strategies, major regional strategies and functional zoning strategies have been implemented, playing an important supporting role in fostering a new development paradigm and promoting high-quality development.

It is imperative for Jiangsu to fully integrate into and contribute to the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt and the strategy for integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, and strengthen its alignment with the development strategies of other regions and major regional strategies to build interconnected innovation, industrial, and supply chains in a broader range of areas, so that Jiangsu can better leverage its strength as a major economically developed province to drive the development of the whole region and the whole country.

The readout continues to include Xi's urges to consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery, and to improve the Party's work.

习近平指出，要继续巩固和增强经济回升向好态势，提振全社会发展信心。党员干部首先要坚定信心，真抓实干。要巩固拓展主题教育成果，建立长效机制，坚决纠治形式主义，官僚主义，切实为基层减负，激发全党全社会创造活力，提振党员干部干事创业的精气神。要坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，在发展中稳步提升民生保障水平，引导激励广大群众依靠自己的双手创造幸福生活。

Xi pointed out that efforts must be made to sustain and reinforce the positive momentum of economic recovery, and boost confidence in development across society. Party officials should be among the first to have greater confidence and take concrete, effective actions. To consolidate and expand what has been achieved in theoretical study programs, efforts must be made to establish a long-term mechanism, resolutely rectify pointless formalities and bureaucratism, effectively reduce the burden on the grassroots, spark the creativity of the entire Party and society, and boost Party officials’ enterprising spirit in their work. The people-centered development philosophy should be upheld, and the people’s well-being should be steadily improved in the course of pursuing development, so as to guide and encourage the broad masses to create a happy life with their own hands.

In the last part of the readout, Xi stresses efforts to enhance people's well-being and ensure workplace safety.

习近平最后强调，要抓好安全生产，进一步做好安全隐患排查，强化预警监测，落实应急措施，保障人民群众生命财产安全。

Lastly, Xi stressed that it is important to ensure workplace safety by further improving the work to detect safety hazards, strengthening early warning and monitoring, and implementing emergency measures to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property.

中共中央政治局常委、中央办公厅主任蔡奇参加。

穆虹、姜信治等参加。

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, participated in the deliberation.

Mu Hong and Jiang Xinzhi, among others, were present.

The study session was opened at the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (the National Academy of Governance). The Party school organizes a number of study sessions every year, of which attended by principal officials at the provincial and ministerial levels is the highest-level class at the school. The first time the Central Committee of the CPC held a study session dates back to 1999, which focused on analyzing the causes and lessons of the financial crisis in Southeast Asian countries.

The theme of this year's study session is "boosting high-quality development of the financial sector", marking the first time since 1999 that the theme of finance has been addressed.

Today's piece presents the full-text translation of the readout of Xi's speech, with five quick takeaways added by me.

习近平在省部级主要领导干部推动金融高质量发展专题研讨班开班式上发表重要讲话

Xi makes important speech at study session on promoting high-quality development of financial sector

新华社北京1月16日电 省部级主要领导干部推动金融高质量发展专题研讨班16日上午在中央党校（国家行政学院）开班。中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平在开班式上发表重要讲话强调，中国特色金融发展之路既遵循现代金融发展的客观规律，更具有适合我国国情的鲜明特色，与西方金融模式有本质区别。我们要坚定自信，在实践中继续探索完善，使这条路越走越宽广。

A study session on promoting high-quality financial development, attended by provincial and ministerial-level officials, was opened at the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (the National Academy of Governance) on the morning of Jan 16. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made an important speech at the opening ceremony. Xi noted that the path for financial development with Chinese characteristics not only follows the way for the development of modern finance, but also has distinctive features that suit China’s national conditions, and thus it is different in nature from the mode of Western financial development. We should have more confidence and continue to explore and improve our work in the financial sector, so that this path will become wider and wider.

1. In addition to differences in ideology with the West, the once-in-a-century international financial crisis in 2008 made decision-makers in China realize the importance of not blindly following the development mode of the financial sector in the West.

In 2017, 韩保江 Han Baojiang, an economic scholar at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, said in an interview with "瞭望 Liaowang", a news magazine under Xinhua News Agency, that the international financial crisis is a concentrated manifestation of various ailments of the old international pattern and the Western development model. He said that the unprecedented global financial crisis has not only educated the Chinese people but also awakened people around the world.

中共中央政治局常委赵乐际、王沪宁、丁薛祥、李希，国家副主席韩正出席开班式，中共中央政治局常委蔡奇主持开班式。

Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee as well as Vice-President Han Zheng attended the ceremony. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the opening.

习近平指出，党的十八大以来，我们积极探索新时代金融发展规律，不断加深对中国特色社会主义金融本质的认识，不断推进金融实践创新、理论创新、制度创新，积累了宝贵经验，逐步走出一条中国特色金融发展之路，这就是：坚持党中央对金融工作的集中统一领导，坚持以人民为中心的价值取向，坚持把金融服务实体经济作为根本宗旨，坚持把防控风险作为金融工作的永恒主题，坚持在市场化法治化轨道上推进金融创新发展，坚持深化金融供给侧结构性改革，坚持统筹金融开放和安全，坚持稳中求进工作总基调。这几条明确了新时代新征程金融工作怎么看、怎么干，是体现中国特色金融发展之路基本立场、观点、方法的有机整体。

Xi noted that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, we have actively explored the rules governing the development of finance in the new era, kept deepening our understanding of the defining feature of socialist finance with Chinese characteristics, and persistently promoted practical, theoretical and institutional innovation in the sector. In this process, we have accumulated valuable experience and gradually blazed a distinctively Chinese path to developing finance. On this path, the CPC Central Committee’s centralized, unified leadership over financial work must be upheld, people-centered approach must be adhered to as its value orientation, and the fundamental principle that finance serves the real economy must be upheld as well. On this path, risk prevention and control must be regarded as the abiding theme of financial work, market-oriented financial innovation and development under the rule of law must be constantly promoted, and supply-side structural reform in the financial sector must be continued. On this path, financial opening up and security must be well coordinated, and the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability must be followed. These points have clarified how financial work should be perceived and carried out on the new journey in the new era. They form a sound whole that encapsulates the fundamental position, viewpoints and methods for developing finance in a distinctively Chinese way.

2. The eight "must" I highlighted above can be regarded as the core of the "distinctively Chinese path to developing finance", which is supposed to be different from the West mode. Those requirements are exactly the same as those stressed in the Central Financial Work Conference on October 31, 2023. Zichen Wang's Pekingnology has a pretty useful interpretation of the conference.

习近平强调，金融强国应当基于强大的经济基础，具有领先世界的经济实力、科技实力和综合国力，同时具备一系列关键核心金融要素，即：拥有强大的货币、强大的中央银行、强大的金融机构、强大的国际金融中心、强大的金融监管、强大的金融人才队伍。建设金融强国需要长期努力，久久为功。必须加快构建中国特色现代金融体系，建立健全科学稳健的金融调控体系、结构合理的金融市场体系、分工协作的金融机构体系、完备有效的金融监管体系、多样化专业性的金融产品和服务体系、自主可控安全高效的金融基础设施体系。

Xi emphasized that a country with a strong financial sector should have a strong economic foundation, and lead the world in economy, technology and comprehensive national strength. Such a nation should also have a series of key core financial elements, such as a strong currency, a strong central bank, strong financial institutions, strong international financial centers, strong financial supervision, and a high-calibre team of financial talents. Building a strong financial sector requires long-term and persistent effort. It is a must to accelerate the building of a modern financial system with Chinese characteristics, and establish and improve a sound and stable financial regulation system, properly-structured financial markets, a financial institution with clear division of labor and cooperation, a complete and effective financial regulatory system, a diversified and professional system of financial products and services, and a financial infrastructure that is independent, controllable, safe and efficient.

3. The six "strong" I highlighted above may be of interest to many readers. It appears that these goals are essentially the specific objectives emphasized by Xi when building "a country with a strong financial sector". In the context of "a strong currency", the internationalization of the renminbi (RMB) is likely to continue to be a hot topic. Regarding "a strong central bank", the Financial Times has a piece reporting that the central bank was sidelined after the plan on reform of Party and state institutions proposed the formation of a Central Financial Commission. While the establishment of the Central Financial Commission involved adjustments to the organizational structure, I am not sure that the term "sideline" can accurately describe the situation considering that the establishment of "a strong central bank" is one of the six key core financial elements stressed in Tuesday's study session.

习近平指出，要着力防范化解金融风险特别是系统性风险。金融监管要“长牙带刺”、有棱有角，关键在于金融监管部门和行业主管部门要明确责任，加强协作配合。在市场准入、审慎监管、行为监管等各个环节，都要严格执法，实现金融监管横向到边、纵向到底。各地要立足一域谋全局，落实好属地风险处置和维稳责任。风险处置过程中要坚决惩治腐败，严防道德风险。金融监管是系统工程，金融管理部门和宏观调控部门、行业主管部门、司法机关、纪检监察机关等都有相应职责，要加强监管协同，健全权责一致的风险处置责任机制。严厉打击金融犯罪。

Xi pointed out that efforts must be made to prevent and defuse financial risks, especially systemic risks. Financial regulation must be "sharp and tough." Financial regulatory and administrative authorities must clearly define their responsibilities and strengthen cooperation and coordination between them. It is imperative to strictly enforce the law in such areas as market access, prudential supervision and behavioral supervision, so that financial supervision both horizontally and vertically is administered to the letter. Local governments should not just do their financial work well, but also focus on the big picture, and manage well financial risks under their jurisdiction and perform their duties well in maintaining stability. In the process of risk management, corruption must be resolutely cracked down on, corrupt elements must be punished and moral hazard must be prevented. Financial regulation is a systematic project, and financial management departments, macro-control departments, industry authorities, judicial departments, and discipline inspection and supervision organs all have corresponding responsibilities. They should strengthen coordination in supervision, and optimize the risk management mechanism, under which anyone in charge must be held accountable for risk control. We should also crack down on financial crimes.

习近平强调，要通过扩大对外开放，提高我国金融资源配置效率和能力，增强国际竞争力和规则影响力，稳慎把握好节奏和力度。要以制度型开放为重点推进金融高水平对外开放，落实准入前国民待遇加负面清单管理制度，对标国际高标准经贸协议中金融领域相关规则，精简限制性措施，增强开放政策的透明度、稳定性和可预期性，规范境外投融资行为，完善对共建“一带一路”的金融支持。要加强境内外金融市场互联互通，提升跨境投融资便利化水平，积极参与国际金融监管改革。要守住开放条件下的金融安全底线。

Xi stressed that it is necessary to improve our country's efficiency and capacity in the allocation of financial resources through expanding opening up, and boost our financial sector's international competitiveness and its influence on international rules. Prudence should be exercised when it comes to the pace and intensity of endeavors in this regard. It is imperative to promote high-level financial opening up with a focus on institutional opening up, and implement the management system of pre-establishment national treatment plus negative lists. It is essential to benchmark against relevant rules in the financial sector from high-standard international economic and trade agreements to streamline restrictive measures, improve the transparency, stability and predictability of opening-up policies, standardize outward investment and financing, and improve financial support for Belt and Road cooperation. It is also essential to boost the inter-connectivity between the domestic and overseas financial markets, further promote the facilitation of cross-border investment and financing, and take an active part in the global reform on financial regulation. The red line for financial security must never be crossed under the conditions of opening up.

4. Recently GRR published an article in which Zhang Wei, an economic scholar, said at the China Economic Roundtable that institutional opening-up is currently a top priority in the field of opening-up.

I also found a chapter in China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) introducing "制度型开放 institutional opening-up" and the part related to financial sector says

稳妥推进银行、证券、保险、基金、期货等金融领域开放，深化境内外资本市场互联互通，健全合格境外投资者制 度。稳慎推进人民币国际化，坚持市场驱动和企业自主选择，营造以人民币自由使用为基础的新型互利合作关系

We will steadily promote the opening of banking, securities, insurance, funds, futures, and other financial sectors, deepen the interconnection of domestic and foreign capital markets, and improve the system of qualified foreign investors. We will steadily promote the internationalization of RMB in a prudent manner, adhere to market-driven operation and independent choice of enterprises, and create a new type of mutually beneficial cooperative relationship based on the free use of RMB.

Note that the internationalization of RMB is classified as a category of institutionalized openness. It explicitly states that the Chinese government's attitude towards promoting the internationalization of the RMB is in a prudent manner. I feel that this generally aligns with the development trend since the publication of the plan. Of course, there may have been some impact (positive or negative) on the progress of RMB internationalization due to geopolitical conflicts in recent years. I am not an expert in this field, so I will not delve into it further.

And my understanding of the statement "We must safeguard the financial safety bottom line under open conditions" is that opening up is a prerequisite, and only after that should security be addressed.

习近平指出，推动金融高质量发展、建设金融强国，要坚持法治和德治相结合，积极培育中国特色金融文化，做到：诚实守信，不逾越底线；以义取利，不唯利是图；稳健审慎，不急功近利；守正创新，不脱实向虚；依法合规，不胡作非为。

Xi noted that to promote high-quality development of the financial sector and build China's financial strength, it is imperative to combine rule of law with rule of virtue and foster a financial culture with Chinese characteristics. It is essential to remain committed to honesty and trustworthiness instead of crossing the line, to seek interest without compromising moral principles instead of putting profit before everything, to be prudent and cautious in work instead of seeking instant success and quick profits, to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground instead of diverting funds out of the real economy, and to be compliant with law and regulations instead of conducting illegal activities.

5. The highlighted part are not new and it reminds me of China Media Group's recent anti-corruption documentary series, which particularly emphasized “新型腐败 new type of corruption” and “隐性腐败 quiet corruption” exemplified in the financial sector. In the fourth episode (available on YouTube), it disclosed the case of 范一飞 Fan Yifei, the former deputy governor of China's central bank, and investigation found that he mainly received bribes through an investment company run by his younger brother Fan Kan.

习近平最后强调，各级领导干部要增强金融思维和金融工作能力，坚持经济和金融一盘棋思想，认真落实中央金融工作会议的各项决策部署，统筹推进经济和金融高质量发展，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业作出新的更大贡献。

Xi noted at the end of his speech that officials at all levels must strengthen their financial acumen and capability in financial work. They should develop thinking about overall planning of both economic and financial work, faithfully implement the decisions and arrangements made at the central financial work conference, and coordinate efforts towards the high-quality development of both the economic and financial sectors, so as to make new and greater contributions to advancing the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.

蔡奇在主持开班式时指出，习近平总书记的重要讲话思想深邃、视野宏阔、论述精辟、内涵丰富，具有很强的政治性、理论性、针对性、指导性，对于全党特别是高级干部正确认识我国金融发展面临的形势任务，深化对金融工作本质规律和发展道路的认识，全面增强金融工作本领和风险应对能力，坚定不移走中国特色金融发展之路，具有十分重要的意义。要深刻理解把握习近平总书记重要讲话的丰富内涵、精髓要义和实践要求，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，坚决做到“两个维护”，切实把思想和行动统一到党中央决策部署上来。

While presiding over the opening, Cai Qi highlighted that General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech is insightful, rich in substance, and has a broad vision and penetrating views. It is of political, theoretical, pertinent and guiding importance. This speech is of great significance for the entire Party, particularly senior officials, to have a correct understanding of the current situations and tasks facing China's financial development, further understand the fundamental principles and development path of financial work, substantially strengthen their capability in financial work and risk control, and stay committed to the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics. We should deepen our understanding of the speech's rich substance, core tenets and requirements for practical work, as well as the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We should firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership, and align our thoughts and actions with the decisions and plans made by the Central Committee.

中共中央政治局委员、中央书记处书记，全国人大常委会党员副委员长，国务委员，最高人民法院院长，最高人民检察院检察长，全国政协党员副主席以及中央军委委员出席开班式。

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice chairpersons with CPC membership of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, state councilors, president of the Supreme People's Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, vice chairpersons with CPC membership of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and members of the CMC attended the opening.

各省区市和新疆生产建设兵团、中央和国家机关有关部门、有关人民团体，中央管理的金融机构、企业、高校，解放军各单位和武警部队主要负责同志参加研讨班。各民主党派中央、全国工商联及有关方面负责同志列席开班式。

Leading officials from all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, relevant central Party and state departments, relevant people's organizations, centrally-administered financial institutions, enterprises and institutions of higher learning, units of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force participated in the study session. Heads from central committees of other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and other relevant departments sat in on the opening.

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1. In summarizing China's achievements in innovation for the year 2023, the C919 large passenger airliner entered commercial service was mentioned first as an example, highlighting the importance the Chinese leadership places on this matter as the country seeks to become more self-reliant in technology.

这一年的步伐，我们走得很有力量。经过久久为功的磨砺，中国的创新动力、发展活力勃发奔涌。C919大飞机实现商飞，国产大型邮轮完成试航，神舟家族太空接力，“奋斗者”号极限深潜。

This year, we have marched forward with robust steps. Thanks to years of dedicated efforts, China's innovation-driven development is full of energy. The C919 large passenger airliner entered commercial service. The Chinese-built large cruise ship completed its trial voyage. The Shenzhou spaceships are continuing their missions in space.

2. “稳中求进、以进促稳、先立后破” “seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old”, the principle of the country’s economic development in 2024, was mentioned again in the new year address after we first see it in the Central Economic Work Conference.

要坚持稳中求进、以进促稳、先立后破，巩固和增强经济回升向好态势，实现经济行稳致远。要全面深化改革开放，进一步提振发展信心，增强经济活力，以更大力度办教育、兴科技、育人才。

We will continue to act on the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old.

3. In terms of the Taiwan issue, Xi said that “祖国统一是历史必然” “China will surely be reunified”, which in my opinion is aligned with what he said to President Joe Biden in San Francisco this year.

祖国统一是历史必然，两岸同胞要携手同心，共享民族复兴的伟大荣光。

China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

During the meeting with Biden in San Francisco, Xi said:

Taiwan question remains the most important and most sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations. China takes seriously the positive statements made by the United States in the Bali meeting. The U.S. side should take real actions to honor its commitment of not supporting "Taiwan independence," stop arming Taiwan, and support China's peaceful reunification. China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable.

4. In the latter part of last year's address, Xi Jinping said that

Ours is a big country. It is only natural for different people to have different concerns or hold different views on the same issue. What matters is that we build consensus through communication and consultation.

Such expressions can easily bridge the gap between the leader and the public. It's important to note that many ordinary Chinese people are usually more focused on their specific work and lives (Actually, this is the case in any country). They may not have a deep understanding of every issue mentioned in new year address or policy documents. However, many of them might be waiting for expressions like these. In this year's New Year Address, I found similar styles of expression:

前行路上，有风有雨是常态。一些企业面临经营压力，一些群众就业、生活遇到困难，一些地方发生洪涝、台风、地震等自然灾害，这些我都牵挂在心。

Along the way, we are bound to encounter headwinds. Some enterprises had a tough time. Some people had difficulty finding jobs and meeting basic needs. Some places were hit by floods, typhoons, earthquakes or other natural disasters. All these remain at the forefront of my mind.

现在，社会节奏很快，大家都很忙碌，工作生活压力都很大。我们要营造温暖和谐的社会氛围，拓展包容活跃的创新空间，创造便利舒适的生活条件，让大家心情愉快、人生出彩、梦想成真。

Today, in our fast-paced society, people are all busy and face a lot of pressure in work and life. We should foster a warm and harmonious atmosphere in our society, expand the inclusive and dynamic environment for innovation, and create convenient and good living conditions, so that the people can live happy lives, bring out their best, and realize their dreams.

5. In the section of the speech related to foreign visits, China Media Group, which broadcast Xi Jinping's New Year Address, included video clips of Xi's visits to some countries and meetings with foreign leaders in 2023. This included footage of him walking with Biden in San Francisco and his speech at the Welcome Dinner by Friendly Organizations in the United States:

I've placed the video link and the full text of the new year address below. Do you think there are any noteworthy points in the New Year's address? Feel free to leave a comment! Wish you success in all your endeavors in 2024!

BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- On New Year's Eve, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered his 2024 New Year message via China Media Group and the Internet. The following is the full text of the message:

Greetings to you all! As energy rises after the Winter Solstice, we are about to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new. From Beijing, I extend my best New Year wishes to each and every one of you!

In 2023, we have continued to forge ahead with resolve and tenacity. We have gone through the test of winds and rains, have seen beautiful scenes unfolding on the way, and have made plenty real achievements. We will remember this year as one of hard work and perseverance. Going forward, we have full confidence in the future.

This year, we have marched forward with solid steps. We achieved a smooth transition in our COVID-19 response efforts. The Chinese economy has sustained the momentum of recovery. Steady progress has been made in pursuing high-quality development. Our modernized industrial system has been further upgraded. A number of advanced, smart and green industries are rapidly emerging as new pillars of the economy. We have secured a bumper harvest for the 20th year in a row. Waters have become clearer and mountains greener. New advances have been made in pursuing rural revitalization. New progress has been made in fully revitalizing northeast China. The Xiong'an New Area is growing fast, the Yangtze River Economic Belt is full of vitality, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is embracing new development opportunities. Having weathered the storm, the Chinese economy is more resilient and dynamic than before.

This year, we have marched forward with robust steps. Thanks to years of dedicated efforts, China's innovation-driven development is full of energy. The C919 large passenger airliner entered commercial service. The Chinese-built large cruise ship completed its trial voyage. The Shenzhou spaceships are continuing their missions in space. The deep-sea manned submersible Fendouzhe reached the deepest ocean trench. Products designed and made in China, especially trendy brands, are highly popular with consumers. The latest models of Chinese-made mobile phones are an instant market success. New energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products are a new testimony to China's manufacturing prowess. Everywhere across our country, new heights are being scaled with dogged determination, and new creations and innovations are emerging every day.

This year, we have marched forward in high spirits. The Chengdu FISU World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games presented spectacular sports scenes, and Chinese athletes excelled in their competitions. Tourist destinations are full of visitors on holidays, and the film market is booming. The "village super league" football games and "village spring festival gala" are immensely popular. More people are embracing low-carbon lifestyles. All these exhilarating activities have made our lives richer and more colorful, and they mark the return of bustling life across the country. They embody people's pursuit of a beautiful life, and present a vibrant and flourishing China to the world.

This year, we have marched forward with great confidence. China is a great country with a great civilization. Across this vast expanse of land, wisps of smoke in deserts of the north and drizzles in the south invoke our fond memory of many millennium-old stories. The mighty Yellow River and Yangtze River never fail to inspire us. Discoveries at the archeological sites of Liangzhu and Erlitou tell us much about the dawn of Chinese civilization. The ancient Chinese characters inscribed on oracle bones of the Yin Ruins, the cultural treasures of the Sanxingdui Site, and the collections of the National Archives of Publications and Culture bear witness to the evolution of Chinese culture. All this stands as testament to the time-honored history of China and its splendid civilization. And all this is the source from which our confidence and strength are derived.

While pursuing its development, China has also embraced the world and fulfilled its responsibility as a major country. We held the China-Central Asia Summit and the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and hosted leaders from across the world at many diplomatic events held in China. I also paid visits to a number of countries, attended international conferences, and met many friends, both old and new. I shared China's vision and enhanced common understandings with them. No matter how the global landscape may evolve, peace and development remain the underlying trend, and only cooperation for mutual benefit can deliver.

Along the way, we are bound to encounter headwinds. Some enterprises had a tough time. Some people had difficulty finding jobs and meeting basic needs. Some places were hit by floods, typhoons, earthquakes or other natural disasters. All these remain at the forefront of my mind. When I see people rising to the occasion, reaching out to each other in adversity, meeting challenges head-on and overcoming difficulties, I am deeply moved. All of you, from farmers in the fields to workers on factory floors, from entrepreneurs blazing the trail to service members guarding our country -- indeed, people from all walks of life -- have done your very best. Each and every ordinary Chinese has made an extraordinary contribution! You, the people, are the ones we look to when we fight to prevail over all difficulties or challenges.

Next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We will steadfastly advance Chinese modernization, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, speed up building the new development paradigm, promote high-quality development, and both pursue development and safeguard security. We will continue to act on the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old. We will consolidate and strengthen the momentum of economic recovery, and work to achieve steady and long-term economic development. We will deepen reform and opening up across the board, further enhance people's confidence in development, promote vibrant development of the economy, and redouble efforts to boost education, advance science and technology and cultivate talents. We will continue to support Hong Kong and Macao in harnessing their distinctive strengths, better integrating themselves into China's overall development, and securing long-term prosperity and stability. China will surely be reunified, and all Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Our goal is both inspiring and simple. Ultimately, it is about delivering a better life for the people. Our children should be well taken care of and receive good education. Our young people should have the opportunities to pursue their careers and succeed. And our elderly people should have adequate access to medical services and elderly care. These issues matter to every family, and they are also a top priority of the government. We must work together to deliver on these issues. Today, in our fast-paced society, people are all busy and face a lot of pressure in work and life. We should foster a warm and harmonious atmosphere in our society, expand the inclusive and dynamic environment for innovation, and create convenient and good living conditions, so that the people can live happy lives, bring out their best, and realize their dreams.

As I speak to you, conflicts are still raging in some parts of the world. We Chinese are keenly aware of what peace means. We will work closely with the international community for the common good of humanity, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make the world a better place for all.

Right at this moment, when the lights in millions of homes light up the evening sky, let us all wish our great country prosperity, and let us all wish the world peace and tranquility! I wish you happiness in all the four seasons and success and good health in the year ahead!

Thank you! Enditem

The Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs recently convened in Beijing, featuring a noteworthy address by Xi Jinping. The last time this meeting was held was in 2018, after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Before that, it was in 2014, following the 18th CPC National Congress. Last year, the 20th CPC National Congress was held in Beijing.

Below is a quick review of some key parts of the conference and a full-text translation of the readout of the conference. Chinese foreign affairs work is highly systematic, and I am aware that among my newsletter readers are many diplomats who are much more professional than I am. Therefore, given my limited time, today's review will not be particularly in-depth. However, I plan to publish more valuable articles related to Chinese diplomacy and foreign affairs in the future.

A quick review

1. The establishment and development of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is listed as the first achievement (normally regarded as the most important one in such type of readout) of all the historic achievements in China’s external work since the 18th CPC National Congress:

会议认为，党的十八大以来，在推进新时代中国特色社会主义事业的伟大征程中，对外工作取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。一是创立和发展了习近平外交思想，开辟了中国外交理论和实践的新境界，为推进中国特色大国外交提供了根本遵循。

First, we have established and developed Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, opening up new vistas in the theory and practice of China’s diplomacy and providing the fundamental guideline for advancing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics

2. An conclusion paragraph of the past ten years on work relating to foreign affairs: (Note: "new era" in China normally refers to the period after 2012)

会议强调，新时代十年，我们在对外工作中经历了不少大风大浪，战胜了各种困难挑战，开创了中国特色大国外交新局面，我国外交的战略自主性和主动性显著增强。我国已成为更具国际影响力、创新引领力、道义感召力的负责任大国。

It was underlined at the conference that in the decade of the new era, we have seen high winds and choppy waters and overcome various difficulties and challenges in China’s external work. We have opened up new prospects in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and gained much more strategic autonomy and initiative in our diplomacy. China has become a responsible major country with enhanced international influence, stronger capacity to steer new endeavors, and greater moral appeal.

3. In terms of the valuable experience which the Party and the country have been gained in the new era of Chinese diplomacy, points such as holding the international moral high ground, uniting and rallying the overwhelming majority in the world, shouldering China’s responsibility as a major country, fighting spirit, rejecting all acts of power politics and bullying, vigorously defending national interests and dignity and many other aspects are mentioned:

会议指出，在新时代外交工作实践中，我们积累了一系列宝贵经验。必须做到坚持原则，在关乎人类前途命运和世界发展方向的重大问题上，要旗帜鲜明、站稳立场，牢牢占据国际道义制高点，团结争取世界大多数。必须体现大国担当，坚持弘扬独立自主精神，坚持引领和平发展，坚持促进世界稳定和繁荣。必须树立系统观念，以正确的历史观、大局观把握大势、统筹兼顾、掌握主动。必须坚持守正创新，坚守中国外交的优良传统和根本方向，同时开拓进取，推动理论和实践创新。必须发扬斗争精神，坚决反对一切强权政治和霸凌行径，有力捍卫国家利益和民族尊严。必须发挥制度优势，在党中央集中统一领导下，各地区各部门协同配合，形成强大合力。

It was pointed out at the conference that a range of valuable experience has been gained in the new era of Chinese diplomacy. It is imperative to uphold principles. On major issues concerning the future of humanity and the direction of the world, we must take a clear and firm position, hold the international moral high ground, and unite and rally the overwhelming majority in our world. It is imperative to shoulder China’s responsibility as a major country. We need to advocate the spirit of independence, champion peaceful development, and promote global stability and prosperity. It is imperative to apply systems thinking. With a correct understanding of history and of the big picture, we must navigate the prevailing trends, adopt a coordinated approach, and seize the initiative. It is imperative to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground. We need to follow the fine tradition and fundamental direction of China’s diplomacy, and at the same time work progressively for innovation in both theory and practice. It is imperative to carry forward our fighting spirit. We must reject all acts of power politics and bullying, and vigorously defend our national interests and dignity. It is imperative to leverage our institutional strengths. Under the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all regions and all departments must coordinate with each other and build strong synergy.

4. A world view concluded by the conference:

会议指出，世界大变局加速演进，世界之变、时代之变、历史之变正以前所未有的方式展开，世界进入新的动荡变革期，但人类发展进步的大方向不会改变，世界历史曲折前进的大逻辑不会改变，国际社会命运与共的大趋势不会改变，对此我们要有充分的历史自信。

It was noted at the conference that great transformation is accelerating across the world. Changes of the world, of our times, and of historical significance are unfolding like never before, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Yet the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. We must have full confidence in these trends of historical impact.

5. The "China faces new strategic opportunities in its development" narrative is not new. It was mentioned in the Report to the 20th CPC National Congress.

会议认为，展望未来，我国发展面临新的战略机遇。新征程上，中国特色大国外交将进入一个可以更有作为的新阶段。要紧紧围绕党和国家中心任务，稳中求进、守正创新，坚定维护国家主权、安全、发展利益，开辟中国外交理论与实践新境界，塑造我国和世界关系新格局，把我国国际影响力、感召力、塑造力提升到新高度，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业营造更有利国际环境、提供更坚实战略支撑

It was highlighted at the conference that looking ahead, China faces new strategic opportunities in its development. On the new journey, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will enter a new stage where much more can be accomplished. We must focus on the central task of the CPC and the country, seek progress while maintaining stability, break new ground while upholding fundamental principles, and firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests. We will explore new frontiers in China’s diplomatic theory and practice, foster new dynamics in the relations between China and the world, and raise China’s international influence, appeal and power to shape events to a new level. We will create a more favorable international environment and provide more solid strategic support for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through the Chinese path to modernization.

Full-text translation of the readout

The Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing from Wednesday to Thursday. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (CPC) of China, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the conference. Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, and Vice President Han Zheng, attended at the meeting.

In his speech, Xi systematically reviewed the historic achievements and valuable experience of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, elaborated on the international environment and historical mission of China's external work in the new journey, and made comprehensive plans for China's external work at present and in the future. Li Qiang emphasized in his chairing of the meeting that it is necessary to guide work relating to foreign affairs on the new journey with Xi Jinping's Thought on Diplomacy, and put forward requirements for understanding and implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech.

It was made clear at the conference that since the 18th CPC National Congress, historic achievements have been secured and historic changes have taken place in China’s external work on the great journey of advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. First, we have established and developed Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, opening up new vistas in the theory and practice of China’s diplomacy and providing the fundamental guideline for advancing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Second, we have showcased distinct Chinese characteristics, style and ethos in our diplomacy, and established the image of a confident, self-reliant, open and inclusive major country with a global vision. Third, we have advocated the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, pointing the right direction for human society leading to common development, lasting peace and security, and mutual learning between civilizations. Fourth, we have followed the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, and played an increasingly important and constructive role in international affairs. Fifth, we have taken a holistic approach to our relations with all parties, with a view to fostering major-country dynamics featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development. Sixth, we have expanded a comprehensive strategic layout, and formed a wide-ranging, high-quality global network of partnerships. Seventh, we have advanced high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and established the world’s most broad-based and largest platform for international cooperation. Eighth, we have worked to both pursue development and safeguard security, and effectively upheld China’s sovereignty, security and development interests with a firm will and an indomitable fighting spirit. Ninth, we have taken an active part in global governance, and shown the way in reforming the international system and order. Tenth, we have strengthened the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and brought about greater coordination in China’s external work.

It was underlined at the conference that in the past decade of the new era, we have seen high winds and choppy waters and overcome various difficulties and challenges in China’s external work. We have opened up new prospects in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and gained much more strategic autonomy and initiative in our diplomacy. China has become a responsible major country with enhanced international influence, stronger capacity to steer new endeavors, and greater moral appeal.

It was pointed out at the conference that a range of valuable experience has been gained in the new era of Chinese diplomacy. It is imperative to uphold principles. On major issues concerning the future of humanity and the direction of the world, we must take a clear and firm position, hold the international moral high ground, and unite and rally the overwhelming majority in our world. It is imperative to shoulder China’s responsibility as a major country. We need to advocate the spirit of independence, champion peaceful development, and promote global stability and prosperity. It is imperative to apply systems thinking. With a correct understanding of history and of the big picture, we must navigate the prevailing trends, adopt a coordinated approach, and seize the initiative. It is imperative to uphold fundamental principles and break new ground. We need to follow the fine tradition and fundamental direction of China’s diplomacy, and at the same time work progressively for innovation in both theory and practice. It is imperative to carry forward our fighting spirit. We must reject all acts of power politics and bullying, and vigorously defend our national interests and dignity. It is imperative to leverage our institutional strengths. Under the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all regions and all departments must coordinate with each other and build strong synergy.

It was noted at the conference that great transformation is accelerating across the world. Changes of the world, of our times, and of historical significance are unfolding like never before, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. Yet the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. We must have full confidence in these trends of historical impact.

It was highlighted at the conference that looking ahead, China faces new strategic opportunities in its development. On the new journey, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will enter a new stage where much more can be accomplished. We must focus on the central task of the CPC and the country, seek progress while maintaining stability, break new ground while upholding fundamental principles, and firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests. We will explore new frontiers in China’s diplomatic theory and practice, foster new dynamics in the relations between China and the world, and raise China’s international influence, appeal and power to shape events to a new level. We will create a more favorable international environment and provide more solid strategic support for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through the Chinese path to modernization.

It was pointed out at the conference that building a community with a shared future for mankind is the core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It is how China proposes to solve the questions of what kind of world to build and how to build it based on our deepening understanding of the laws governing the development of human society. It reflects the Chinese Communists’ worldview, perception of order, and values, accords with the common aspiration of people in all countries, and points out the direction for the progress of world civilizations. It is also the noble goal pursued by China in conducting major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for the new era. Since the dawn of this new era, building a community with a shared future for mankind has developed from a Chinese initiative to an international consensus, from a promising vision to substantive actions, and from a conceptual proposition to a scientific system. It has served as a glorious banner leading the progress of the times. In summary, in building a community with a shared future for mankind, the goal is to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity, the pathway is promoting global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, the guiding principle is to apply the common values of humanity, the basic underpinning lies in building a new type of international relations, the strategic guidance comes from the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and the platform for action is high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. On this basis, we seek to bring countries together to meet challenges and achieve prosperity for all, and usher in a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

It was pointed out at the conference that given the series of major issues and challenges facing the world today, China calls for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. An equal and orderly multipolar world is one in which all countries, regardless of size, are treated as equals, hegemonism and power politics are rejected, and democracy is truly promoted in international relations. To keep the progress toward greater multipolarity generally stable and constructive, the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter must be observed by all, the universally recognized, basic norms governing international relations must be upheld by all, and true multilateralism must be practiced. A universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization is one that meets the common needs of all countries, especially the developing countries, and properly addresses the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources. It is important to resolutely oppose the attempt to roll back globalization and abuse the concept of security, oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, firmly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, overcome the structural problems hindering the healthy development of the world economy, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

It was made clear at the conference that in the current and upcoming periods, China’s external work shall be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy in particular. It should serve the goals and missions of Chinese modernization, and follow the principles of self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation. Focusing on the theme of building a community with a shared future for mankind, we need to strengthen strategic planning in sync with the changing times, deepen and improve our diplomatic layout, follow a problem-oriented approach, and apply a systematic way of thinking. We need to identify the strategic tasks of Chinese diplomacy in a more multi-dimensional and comprehensive manner. We need to act with a stronger sense of historical responsibility and a more vibrant spirit of innovation to make new headway in our major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

It was pointed out at the conference that upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in our external work is the natural requirement of making new headway in our major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on the new journey, and of providing a stronger underpinning for Chinese modernization. It is important to strengthen the intellectual and theoretical competence of the foreign service, deepen reform of systems and institutions, promote the building of a contingent of personnel involved in foreign affairs, and continue to make our external work more science-based, forward-looking, proactive and innovative.

It was stressed at the conference that we must unswervingly uphold the CPC central leadership’s ultimate authority over foreign affairs, conscientiously uphold the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and further strengthen the systems and institutions for the CPC’s leadership over external work. All localities and departments should keep in mind the big picture and coordinate with each other to implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee on our external work in both letter and spirit.

Wang Yi gave concluding remarks. Leading officials of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Commerce, the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission and Yunnan Province, and a representative from the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations gave presentations at the conference.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, leaders of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, State Councilors, President of the Supreme People’s Court, Procurator General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and leaders of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference attended the conference.

Members of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, major officials of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities separately listed in the state plan, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, of the relevant departments of central CPC and State institutions, relevant people’s organizations, relevant departments of the Central Military Commission, and of some financial institutions under the direct management of the Central Government, as well as Chinese ambassadors, ambassadorial-rank consuls general posted overseas and representatives to international organizations participated in the conference. Enditem

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1. The conference's evaluation of China's economic development & achievement in 2023:

... 我国经济回升向好，高质量发展扎实推进。现代化产业体系建设取得重要进展，科技创新实现新的突破，改革开放向纵深推进，安全发展基础巩固夯实，民生保障有力有效，全面建设社会主义现代化国家迈出坚实步伐。

... China's economy has achieved a recovery, with solid progress made in high-quality development in 2023. Significant progress has been made in building a modern industrial system, new breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation, deeper reform and opening up, and a solid foundation for security development. The well-being of the people has been effectively guaranteed, and solid steps have been taken in building a modern socialist country comprehensively.

2. The conference's evaluation of the difficulties and challenges for China's economy:

会议指出，进一步推动经济回升向好需要克服一些困难和挑战，主要是有效需求不足、部分行业产能过剩、社会预期偏弱、风险隐患仍然较多，国内大循环存在堵点，外部环境的复杂性、严峻性、不确定性上升。要增强忧患意识，有效应对和解决这些问题。

The meeting pointed out that to further revive the economy, China still has to overcome some difficulties and challenges, including lack of effective demand, overcapacity in some sectors, lackluster social expectations, certain risks and hidden problems, bottlenecks in the domestic circulation, as well as rising complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment. It is important to be more mindful of potential dangers and to effectively respond to and solve these problems.

3. Economic work for 2024: The phrase "先立后破" (establishing the new before abolishing the old) is especially important for China's economy during the transition period from old to new momentum. The practices formed during China's long-term reform process, such as 摸着石头过河 "crossing the river by feeling the stones" and 渐进试点 "gradual pilot testing", are examples of the approach of first establishing and developing, then addressing problems.

会议强调，做好明年经济工作，要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，全面贯彻落实党的二十大和二十届二中全会精神，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，完整、准确、全面贯彻新发展理念，加快构建新发展格局，着力推动高质量发展，全面深化改革开放，推动高水平科技自立自强，加大宏观调控力度，统筹扩大内需和深化供给侧结构性改革，统筹新型城镇化和乡村全面振兴，统筹高质量发展和高水平安全，切实增强经济活力、防范化解风险、改善社会预期，巩固和增强经济回升向好态势，持续推动经济实现质的有效提升和量的合理增长，增进民生福祉，保持社会稳定，以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业。

It was emphasized at the meeting that to do a good job in the economic work next year, it is necessary to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts. It is also essential to accelerate the forging of a new development paradigm, focus on promoting high-quality development, comprehensively deepen reform and opening up, and build self-reliance and strength in high-level science and technology. It is imperative to intensify macro regulation, do a good job both in expanding domestic demand and deepening supply-side structural reform, ensure both new urbanization and rural revitalization across the board, and secure both high-quality development and high-level security. It is important to boost economic vitality, prevent and mitigate risks, improve social expectations, consolidate and promote the momentum of economic recovery, and effectively improve the quality of our economy and promote its growth within a reasonable range. It is important to improve people's well-being, maintain social stability, and make further progress in building China into a strong country and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization.

会议要求，明年要坚持稳中求进、以进促稳、先立后破，多出有利于稳预期、稳增长、稳就业的政策，在转方式、调结构、提质量、增效益上积极进取，不断巩固稳中向好的基础。要强化宏观政策逆周期和跨周期调节，继续实施积极的财政政策和稳健的货币政策，加强政策工具创新和协调配合。

It was pointed out at the meeting that next year, we must adhere to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old. It urged the introduction of more policies that will help stabilize expectations, growth and employment, as well as active endeavors to promote the transition of growth models, structural adjustment, and quality and efficiency improvement, so as to consolidate the foundation of stable economic development with positive outlook. The country should strengthen counter-cyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments of macro policies and continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy with strengthened innovation and coordination of policy tools.

4. Confidence. Insufficient demand and a lack of confidence among micro entities are key factors currently hampering the pace of economic recovery. Confidence is more important than gold. As 2024 will be the second year post-pandemic, with the scar effects gradually fading, expanding total demand, easing supply constraints, boosting market entity confidence, stimulating local government vitality, and stabilizing the real estate sector are crucial. With these measures, China may achieve an economic growth rate of around 5 percent next year as many domestic and international institutions forecast.

综合起来看，我国发展面临的有利条件强于不利因素，经济回升向好、长期向好的基本趋势没有改变，要增强信心和底气。

Overall, favorable conditions outweigh unfavorable factors in China's development, and the fundamental trend of the economic recovery and long-term positive outlook has not changed, and it is necessary to strengthen confidence and morale.

5. Development v.s. Security: Greater emphasis on the relationship between development and security.

必须坚持高质量发展和高水平安全良性互动，以高质量发展促进高水平安全，以高水平安全保障高质量发展，发展和安全要动态平衡、相得益彰。

We must adhere to the benign interaction of high-quality development and high-level security, promote high-quality development to achieve high-level security, and ensure high-quality development with high-level security, balancing development and security dynamically and benefiting each other.

6. A Chinese path to Modernization: President Xi has not only mentioned 中国式现代化 the Chinese path to modernization in internal meetings but also in dialogues with world leaders, such as during the November summit in San Francisco with U.S. President Biden. As the conference emphasized, this represents China's most significant political pursuit.

必须把推进中国式现代化作为最大的政治

We must promote the Chinese path to modernization as the greatest political task

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7. Economic work as the central task: Last year's readout did not mention the phrase "economic work as the central task," but Chinese leaders have mentioned it on other occasions. However, seeing it in this year's readout may reinforce the message for many people about the firm commitment to economic development.

在党的统一领导下，团结最广大人民，聚焦经济建设这一中心工作和高质量发展这一首要任务，把中国式现代化宏伟蓝图一步步变成美好现实。

...unite the broadest people under the Party's unified leadership, focus on the central task of economic work and the primary task of high-quality development, and step by step turn the grand blueprint of Chinese modernization into a beautiful reality.

8. Macroeconomic data v.s. Micro-level perceptions: Greater emphasis on the relationship between macroeconomic data and micro-level perceptions. This reflects unstable expectations and a lack of confidence among micro entities, potentially dragging down the steady and continuous recovery of the economy. For instance, the lack of confidence among micro entities can weaken the effects of macroeconomic policies, leading to traps such as "tax reduction and fee reduction traps" and "liquidity traps." In recent years, China has continuously implemented proactive fiscal policies and prudent monetary policies, but the effectiveness of these policies is diminishing marginally, to some extent resulting in policy spinning and inefficiency. Also, insufficient confidence and expectations can amplify economic contraction and downward pressures, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy. The lack of confidence and expectations can create a cycle of "expected economic downturn - behavior contraction - economic performance downturn." In addition, insufficient confidence and expectations could, to a certain extent, affect the credibility of the government, which must be given high priority.

要全面贯彻明年经济工作的总体要求，注意把握和处理好速度与质量、宏观数据与微观感受、发展经济与改善民生、发展与安全的关系...

The meeting laid out the overall requirements for economic work in the coming year, emphasizing the balance between speed and quality, macro and micro perspectives, economic development and people's well-being, and development and security.

9. A new round of fiscal and tax system reform: Planning a new round of fiscal and taxation system reforms is an important task for the next stage, which is fundamental to solving the current issues of tight fiscal operations and continuous growth in local government debt. As the 分税制改革 tax-sharing reform is approaching its 30th year, it is necessary to further carry the reform through to the end. Although the 20th Party's Third Plenum has not yet convened, this statement reminds me of the significant extensive reform plan issued at the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013.

要谋划新一轮财税体制改革，落实金融体制改革。

Plan a new round of fiscal and tax system reform and implement financial system reform.

10. Consumption: What is the consumption with potentials the conference readout refers to? And what is the consumption without potentials? I believe that a recent series "China City" published by a data-drive newsletter Baiguan featuring the economic landscape of China's various cities, from 4th-tier, average, "nothing-special" city, to one of China's richest towns and its "Utopia City," offers a glimpse of some consumption with potentials.

二是着力扩大国内需求。要激发有潜能的消费，扩大有效益的投资，形成消费和投资相互促进的良性循环。

Second, expanding domestic demand. Efforts should be made to stimulate consumption with potentials and expand productive investment to create a virtuous cycle of mutual promotion between consumption and investment

And some useful links & documents:

1) Full-text readout of the Central Economic Work Conference 2023 [CN]

2) Full-text readout of the Central Economic Work Conference 2022 [CN] [In case some of you might want to compare them)

English version of the 2022 conference by Wang Zichen

3) CPC leadership holds meeting on 2024 economic work, anti-corruption work, Party discipline [CN]

[Note: the political bureau meeting on Dec. 8 sets the tone for the central economic work conference of 2023]

Official English full-text readout of the political bureau meeting

Full translation of the readout by Ginger River Review (GRR)

The Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from December 11 to 12. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the meeting and delivered an important speech. Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, were present at the meeting.

In his important speech, Xi Jinping comprehensively summarized the economic work of 2023, profoundly analyzed the current economic situation, and systematically arranged the economic work for 2024. Li Qiang made a concluding speech, putting forward requirements for implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech and doing a good job in next year's economic work.

Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the conference. [Photo: Xinhua]

This year marks the first year to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and is a year for economic recovery following three years of COVID-19 prevention and control, according to the meeting. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups in the country have withstood external pressures, overcome internal difficulties, comprehensively deepened reform and opening up, intensified macro-control, focused on expanding domestic demand, optimizing structure, boosting confidence, and preventing and defusing risks. China's economy has achieved a recovery, with solid progress made in high-quality development in 2023. Significant progress has been made in building a modern industrial system, new breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation, deeper reform and opening up, and a solid foundation for security development. The well-being of the people has been effectively guaranteed, and solid steps have been taken in building a modern socialist country comprehensively.

The meeting pointed out that to further revive the economy, China still has to overcome some difficulties and challenges, including lack of effective demand, overcapacity in some sectors, lackluster social expectations, certain risks and hidden problems, bottlenecks in the domestic circulation, as well as rising complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment. It is important to be more mindful of potential dangers and to effectively respond to and solve these problems. Overall, favorable conditions outweigh unfavorable factors in China's development, and the fundamental trend of the economic recovery and long-term positive outlook has not changed, and it is necessary to strengthen confidence and morale.

In recent years, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we have effectively coordinated the two overall situations of domestic and international affairs, coordinated the prevention and control of the epidemic and economic and social development, and coordinated development and security, deepening our regular understanding of doing economic work well in the new era.

We must adhere to high-quality development as the hard truth of the new era, implement the new development concept completely, accurately, and comprehensively, and promote the economy to achieve effective quality improvement and reasonable quantitative growth. We must persist in deepening supply-side structural reform and focusing on expanding effective demand, leveraging the advantages of a super-large market and strong production capacity, basing the domestic large cycle on domestic demand, and improving the quality and level of the international cycle. We must rely on reform and opening up to enhance the endogenous driving force for development, coordinate the promotion of deep-level reforms and high-level opening up, constantly liberate and develop social productive forces, and stimulate and enhance social vitality. We must adhere to the benign interaction of high-quality development and high-level security, promote high-quality development to achieve high-level security, and ensure high-quality development with high-level security, balancing development and security dynamically and benefiting each other. We must promote the Chinese path to modernization as the greatest political task, unite the broadest people under the Party's unified leadership, focus on the central task of economic work and the primary task of high-quality development, and step by step turn the grand blueprint of Chinese modernization into a beautiful reality.

It was emphasized at the meeting that to do a good job in the economic work next year, it is necessary to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and faithfully implement the new development philosophy on all fronts. It is also essential to accelerate the forging of a new development paradigm, focus on promoting high-quality development, comprehensively deepen reform and opening up, and build self-reliance and strength in high-level science and technology. It is imperative to intensify macro regulation, do a good job both in expanding domestic demand and deepening supply-side structural reform, ensure both new urbanization and rural revitalization across the board, and secure both high-quality development and high-level security. It is important to boost economic vitality, prevent and mitigate risks, improve social expectations, consolidate and promote the momentum of economic recovery, and effectively improve the quality of our economy and promote its growth within a reasonable range. It is important to improve people's well-being, maintain social stability, and make further progress in building China into a strong country and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization.

It was pointed out at the meeting that next year, we must adhere to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, promoting stability through progress, and establishing the new before abolishing the old. It urged the introduction of more policies that will help stabilize expectations, growth and employment, as well as active endeavors to promote the transition of growth models, structural adjustment, and quality and efficiency improvement, so as to consolidate the foundation of stable economic development with positive outlook. The country should strengthen counter-cyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments of macro policies and continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy with strengthened innovation and coordination of policy tools.

Proactive fiscal policy should be moderately intensified, with a focus on improving quality and efficiency. It is essential to make good use of fiscal policy space, enhancing the effectiveness of funds and policy outcomes. Optimizing the structure of fiscal expenditure, strengthening the financial support for major national strategic tasks, and reasonably expanding the range of special local government bonds as capital are key. Implementing structural tax cuts and fee reductions with a focus on supporting technological innovation and the development of the manufacturing industry is crucial. Strict supervision of transfer payment funds and serious fiscal discipline are required. Enhancing fiscal sustainability and safeguarding the baseline of "Three Guarantees" at the grassroots level, while strictly controlling general expenditures, is necessary. Party and government agencies should adapt to tighter budgetary constraints.

Prudent monetary policy should be flexible, moderate, and precisely effective. Maintaining reasonably ample liquidity, ensuring that the scale of social financing and the volume of money supply match the expected targets of economic growth and price levels, is important. Effective utilization of monetary policy tools in both aggregate and structural terms to revitalize existing funds and improve efficiency is needed. Financial institutions should be guided to increase support for technological innovation, green transformation, inclusive small and micro businesses, and the digital economy. Promoting a stable and declining overall cost of social financing and maintaining the basic stability of the RMB exchange rate at a reasonable and balanced level is vital.

It is important to enhance the consistency of macroeconomic policy directions. Strengthening the coordination of fiscal, monetary, employment, industrial, regional, technological, and environmental policies, and incorporating non-economic policies into the assessment of macroeconomic policy consistency are essential. Strengthening policy coordination to ensure concerted efforts and synergy, and enhancing economic publicity and public opinion guidance to promote a positive narrative of China's economy are also key directives.

The meeting called for focusing on promoting high-quality development next year, highlighting key points, grasping key issues, and doing a solid job in economic work.

First, lead the modernization of the industrial system with scientific and technological innovation. We should leverage scientific and technological innovation to drive industrial innovation, especially using disruptive and frontier technologies to create new industries, new models, and new momentum, developing qualitatively new productivity. Improve the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, implement high-quality development actions for key industrial chains in the manufacturing industry, strengthen quality support and standard leadership, and enhance the resilience and security level of industrial chains and supply chains. Vigorously promote new industrialization, develop the digital economy, and accelerate the development of artificial intelligence. Build several strategic emerging industries such as bio-manufacturing, commercial aerospace, and low-altitude economy, open up new tracks for future industries such as quantum and life sciences, widely apply intelligent and green technologies, and accelerate the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. Strengthen applied basic research and frontier research, and enhance the main position of enterprises in scientific and technological innovation. Encourage the development of venture capital and equity investment.

Second, expanding domestic demand. Efforts should be made to stimulate consumption with potentials and expand productive investment to create a virtuous cycle of mutual promotion between consumption and investment. Promote consumption from post-pandemic recovery to continuous expansion, cultivate and strengthen new types of consumption, vigorously develop digital consumption, green consumption, and healthy consumption, and actively cultivate new growth areas for consumption such as intelligent home appliances, entertainment tourism, sports events, and trendy domestic products. Stabilize and expand traditional consumption, boost large-scale consumption such as new energy vehicles and electronic products. Increase the income of urban and rural residents, expand the scale of the middle-income group, and optimize the consumption environment. Driven by improving technical, energy consumption, and emission standards, promote large-scale equipment updates and the replacement of old goods. Give full play to the amplifying effect of government investment, focus on supporting key and core technology breakthroughs, new types of infrastructure, energy-saving and carbon reduction, and cultivate and develop new momentum. Improve investment and financing mechanisms, implement new mechanisms for government and social capital cooperation, and support social capital participation in the construction of new types of infrastructure and other fields.

Third, deepen reforms in key areas. Plan further comprehensive deepening reform measures to continuously inject strong momentum into promoting high-quality development and accelerating Chinese modernization. Continuously consolidate and develop the public sector and to encourage, support and guide development of the non-public sector, fully stimulate the internal drivers and innovative vitality of various business entities. Deepen the efforts to deepen and upgrade state-owned enterprise reform, enhance core functions, and improve core competitiveness. Promote the development of private enterprises, and implement a number of measures in market access, factor acquisition, fair law enforcement, and rights protection. Promote the development of the enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products. Accelerate the development of a unified national market, focus on breaking various forms of local protection and market segmentation. Effectively reduce the overall logistics cost of society. Plan a new round of fiscal and tax system reform and implement financial system reform.

Fourth, expand high-level opening up. Accelerate the cultivation of new momentum for foreign trade, stabilizing the overall performance of foreign trade and foreign investment, and expand trade in intermediate products, service trade, digital trade, and cross-border e-commerce exports. Relax market access in telecommunications, medical and other service industries, benchmark against international high-standard economic and trade rules, earnestly solve problems such as data cross-border flow and equal participation in government procurement, continuously build a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized first-class business environment, and create the "Invest in China" brand. Effectively clear the bottlenecks for foreign personnel to come to China for business, study, and tourism. Advance the implementation of the eight actions to support the high-quality co-construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative", coordinate and promote major landmark projects and "small yet smart" people-centered projects.

Fifth, prevent and defuse risks in key sectors continuously and effectively. We need to coordinate the resolution of risks in real estate, local debt, and small and medium-sized financial institutions, and call for a crackdown on illegal financial activities to firmly guard against systemic risks. The meeting advocated for a proactive and prudent resolution of real estate risks, treating different ownership types of real estate enterprises equally in satisfying their reasonable financing needs, and promoting the stable and healthy development of the real estate market. It urged acceleration in the construction of affordable housing, "dual-use" public infrastructure, and the transformation of urban villages as part of the "three major projects." The meeting called for the improvement of related fundamental systems and the rapid development of new models for real estate development. It emphasized the importance of coordinating the resolution of local debt risks with stable development, encouraging economically significant provinces to play a real leading role in stabilizing the national economy.

Sixth, the meeting highlighted the unwavering focus on agricultural, rural areas, and farmers' issues. It set the goal of building a strong agricultural nation, learning from the "Ten Million Projects" experience, and effectively promoting the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas. This would ensure national food security, prevent large-scale poverty, and improve the levels of rural industrial development, construction, and governance. The meeting emphasized the need for dual drivers of science and technology and reform, strengthening measures to increase farmers' incomes, focusing on tangible projects that resonate with the people, and building liveable and prosperous rural communities. The meeting called for a steadfast supply of vital agricultural products like grain, exploring inter-provincial compensation mechanisms for grain production and sales, reforming the land occupation-compensation balance system, and raising standards for high-quality farmland construction. It advocated for an all-encompassing approach to agriculture and food, transforming agriculture into a modern, large-scale industry.

Seventh, promote the integrated development of urban and rural areas and coordinate regional development. It aimed to organically combine the advancement of new urbanization and the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, encouraging the bidirectional flow of various elements and focusing on county towns as key carriers of new urbanization to form a new pattern of integrated urban-rural development. The meeting called for urban renewal actions to create liveable, resilient, and smart cities. It emphasized leveraging the comparative advantages of different regions, aligning with their primary functions, actively integrating into and serving the new development pattern, optimizing the layout of major productive forces, and enhancing the construction of national strategic hinterlands. The meeting stressed the importance of developing the maritime economy and building a strong maritime nation.

Eighth, deepen the development of ecological civilization and green, low-carbon growth. It aimed to establish pilot zones for "beautiful China" and highlands for green and low-carbon development. The meeting called for an active and prudent approach to peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, accelerating the creation of green and low-carbon supply chains. It emphasized the ongoing efforts to fight for blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil, improve the mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products, implement reforms in collective forest rights, and accelerate the construction of a new energy system, enhancing the efficient and circular use of resources and improving the security of energy and resource supplies.

Ninth, ensure and improve people's livelihoods. It advocated for efforts within capabilities, firmly securing the baseline of people's livelihoods. The meeting stressed prioritizing employment, ensuring stability for key groups, weaving a tight social security net, and improving a layered and categorized social assistance system. It called for accelerating the perfection of a birth support policy system, developing the gray economy, and promoting high-quality population development.

The meeting underscored the need for a deep understanding of the Party Central Committee's scientific judgment on the economic situation and a heightened sense of responsibility and mission in economic work. It encouraged seizing all favorable opportunities and conditions, acting promptly and doing more wherever possible, to counter the uncertainties of the situation with the certainty of their work. The meeting laid out the overall requirements for economic work in the coming year, emphasizing the balance between speed and quality, macro and micro perspectives, economic development and people's well-being, and development and security. It called for accurate grasping of policy directions for economic work next year, strengthening policy synergy and maximizing combined effects, making advance preparations and leaving room in policy reserves, and focusing on effectiveness and enhancing people's sense of gain in policy evaluation, aiming to improve the effectiveness of macro policies in supporting high-quality development.

The meeting highlighted the importance of methods in advancing work, focusing on main contradictions, breaking through bottlenecks, planning ahead, and ensuring the implementation of key tasks for the next year's economic work. It called for maintaining an enterprising spirit, remaining mindful of the country’s most fundamental interests, taking the initiative, strengthening collaboration, actively planning and using effective work levers, and solidly promoting high-quality development.

The conference emphasized the necessity to uphold and strengthen the comprehensive leadership of the Party, thoroughly implement and execute the Party Central Committee's decisions and plans regarding economic work. It was underscored that these implementations must be carried out rigorously and unswervingly, ensuring that the final outcomes align with the intentions of the Party Central Committee's decisions. The conference called for swift and efficient execution, with an overall coordination of timing, degree, and effectiveness.

There was a strong emphasis on practical and earnest implementation, with a firm resolution to correct formalism and bureaucratism. The conference urged the need for courage and integrity in implementation, adhering to the correct principles of personnel management, and fully leveraging the initiative, proactivity, and creativity of leaders at all levels. It also highlighted the importance of consolidating and expanding the achievements of thematic education, transforming these into effective measures for promoting high-quality development.

The conference called for ensuring the supply and price stability of essential livelihood commodities at the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, guaranteeing the timely and full payment of wages to migrant workers, caring for the production and life of people in difficulty, thoroughly implementing the responsibility system for production safety, and safeguarding the life, property, and health of the people.

The meeting called on the entire Party to unite closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, to remain confident and forge ahead, striving to achieve the goals and tasks of economic and social development. It emphasized taking practical actions and achieving results in high-quality development, making new and greater contributions to comprehensively advancing China's modernization, building a strong country, and rejuvenating the nation.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretaries of the Central Secretariat, leading comrades of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, State Councilors, the President of the Supreme People's Court, the Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, leading comrades of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and members of the Central Military Commission attended the meeting.

Leading comrades in charge of the Party and government from provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, cities specifically designated in the state plan, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as relevant central and state organs, relevant people's organizations, some financial institutions and enterprises managed by the central government, and leading comrades in charge of various departments of the Central Military Commission also participated in the meeting.

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What happened?

• Chinese President Xi Jinping made an inspection tour in east China's Shanghai from Tuesday to Saturday. This is Xi’s first visit to Shanghai in three years.

• Xi on Thursday chaired a symposium on advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), three years later after one was convened in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province.

  [Note: Covering a 358,000-square km expanse, the Yangtze River Delta, consisting of Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, taking up only 4 percent of China's land area and less than 10 percent of the population, contributes about 25 percent of the country's total GDP. It is one of the most vibrant, open and innovative city clusters in China.]

• On Friday morning, Xi was briefed on the city's work by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Shanghai Municipal Committee and the Shanghai municipal government.

• On his return journey to Beijing on Sunday, Xi visited a memorial hall of the New Fourth Army in Yancheng, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province.

Xi made remarks while chairing a symposium on advancing the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta on Thursday.

Where did Xi go?

• During his trip, Xi inspected the Shanghai Futures Exchange, an exhibition on Shanghai's sci-tech innovations at the 张江科学城 "Zhangjiang Science City", and a government-subsidized rental housing community in Minhang District.

The above three places on Apple Maps are marked out by GRR based on information from Xinhua News Agency, which may not be the exact locations, but for your reference only.

• According to Xinhua, he learned about the city's efforts in strengthening its competitiveness as an international financial center, building the city into an international sci-tech innovation center, and constructing government-subsidized rental housing projects.

Xi Jinping inspects the Shanghai Futures Exchange in east China's Shanghai

What were some overseas China watchers' expectations on Xi's visit?

President Xi Jinping to chair Yangtze River Economic Belt meeting during Shanghai tour in display of support for the financial hub - SCMP

Xi’s visit to Shanghai, the gateway city for foreign businesses and capital entering the mainland, has heightened expectations among economic watchers that Beijing would further liberalize its consumer and financial markets to boost the world’s second-largest economy.

“Shanghai remains an economic locomotive for China because of its link with the foreign markets via the ports and airports,” said Ding Haifeng, a consultant at Shanghai financial advisory firm Integrity. “Inflow of capital and talent will eventually benefit the development of the YRD.”

Xi’s First Shanghai Visit Since 2020 Showcases Tech, Finance -- Bloomberg

The trip is also likely to be viewed as a signal of China’s determination to reinvigorate investor confidence as the nation’s post-pandemic recovery continues to struggle.

What did Xi say during the inspection?

• Xi stressed the need to 加快建设“五个中心” speed up building Shanghai into a modern, socialist and international metropolis by focusing on the construction of international centers of economy, finance, trade, shipping and sci-tech innovation.

  [Note: By 2025, Shanghai's expenditure on research and development is expected to account for around 4.5 percent of the city's gross domestic product, according to a city plan. It also aims to host more than 26,000 high-tech enterprises and about 560 foreign-funded research and development centers by 2025.]

• Xi urged Shanghai to accelerate building itself into a modern, socialist and international metropolis with global influence, and play a leading and exemplary role in advancing 中国式现代化 Chinese modernization.

• Xi stressed that Shanghai should comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up from a higher starting point, urging the city to devote significant energy to promoting pioneering reform and opening-up on all fronts. 【The part in the Chinese readout: 习近平强调，上海作为我国改革开放的前沿阵地和深度链接全球的国际大都市，要在更高起点上全面深化改革开放，增强发展动力和竞争力。】

• When visiting the Shanghai Futures Exchange, Xi urged the exchange to speed up the construction of a world-class exchange, and make greater contributions to exploring the futures regulatory system and business model with Chinese characteristics and building an international financial center.

• When visiting Zhangjiang Science City in the Pudong New Area, Xi said promoting Chinese modernization can not be separated from the strategic support of science and technology, education and talent, and that Shanghai should take a lead in this respect.

• When visiting a residential community in Minhang District that is dedicated to providing affordable rental housing for new urban dwellers, young people and frontline workers, Xi said he was pleased to see city builders from all over the country living and working here with joy and contentment. Migrant workers who come to make contributions in Shanghai are also masters of the city, he said.

What is the message?

• Xinhua released an article on Thursday titled “At a Critical Moment, General Secretary Xi Jinping's Visit to Shanghai Sends an Important Signal," emphasizing three key points showed by Xi's visit: China's financial industry should better serve the real economy; the key of Chinese-style modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology; urban development should adhere to a people-centered approach.

• The integrated development of the YRD has been a national strategy for five years. From 扎实推进 "solid progress" to 深入推进 "continuous efforts", this year's meeting not only summarized the major breakthroughs made in the past several years, but also set out a development blueprint for the next phase, according to an article posted on Friday titling "Three Years, Two Symposiums: Guiding High-Quality Development in the Yangtze River Delta" on 时事报告 Report on Current Affairs, a WeChat blog of a magazine of the same name under the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

• The piece on Report on Current Affairs says that the YRD's coordinated development was an important decision made when China's economy was shifting towards a phase of high-quality growth. It will become the pacesetter of national high-quality development in the new era, helping improve the overall layout of China's reform and opening-up and creating strong growth momentum.

Below is Xinhua's English summary of the full-text Chinese readout on Xi's inspection in Shanghai which was published on Sunday. I put it here in case any of you want to read it：

Xinhua Headlines-Xi Focus: Xi stresses expediting building Shanghai into modern socialist int'l metropolis

SHANGHAI/YANCHENG, Jiangsu, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to speed up building Shanghai into a modern, socialist and international metropolis by focusing on the construction of international centers of economy, finance, trade, shipping and sci-tech innovation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Shanghai that ran from Tuesday to Saturday.

Xi urged Shanghai to accelerate building itself into a modern, socialist and international metropolis with global influence, and play a leading and exemplary role in advancing Chinese modernization.

He inspected the Shanghai Futures Exchange on Tuesday afternoon as soon as he got off a train.

Xi urged the exchange to speed up the construction of a world-class exchange, and make greater contributions to exploring the futures regulatory system and business model with Chinese characteristics and building an international financial center.

When visiting Zhangjiang Science City in the Pudong New Area, Xi said promoting Chinese modernization can not be separated from the strategic support of science and technology, education and talent, and that Shanghai should take a lead in this respect.

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi visited a residential community in Minhang District that is dedicated to providing affordable rental housing for new urban dwellers, young people and frontline workers.

Xi said he was pleased to see city builders from all over the country living and working here with joy and contentment.

Migrant workers who come to make contributions in Shanghai are also masters of the city, he said.

On Friday morning, Xi was briefed on the city's work by the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and the Shanghai municipal government.

Xi noted that accelerating the construction of Shanghai as international centers of economy, finance, trade, shipping and sci-tech innovation is an important task entrusted to the city by the CPC Central Committee.

Xi stressed that Shanghai should intensify its research to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, boost the transformation and upgrading of its traditional industries, and continuously enhance its status as an international center of economy and its influence in global economic governance.

More efforts should be made to promote high-level financial opening-up to better serve the real economy, sci-tech innovation, and the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said.

He noted that the city should implement its strategy of upgrading its pilot free trade zone in full, promote the development of the international trade center, and enhance its capability of global allocation of shipping resources.

Xi stressed that Shanghai should comprehensively deepen reform and opening-up from a higher starting point, urging the city to devote significant energy to promoting pioneering reform and opening-up on all fronts.

Shanghai should also foster a world-class business environment, stimulate the vitality of various business entities, and strengthen its attractiveness to high-end resources at home and abroad, he noted.

Xi pointed out that Shanghai should explore a new path of modernization in megacity governance with Chinese characteristics, and that improving people's living standards and well-being is the original aspiration and ultimate goal of urban construction and governance.

He highlighted efforts to deepen culture-related institutional reforms and invigorate the innovation and creativity of culture.

Noting that Shanghai is the birthplace of the Communist Party of China, Xi emphasized the importance of making good use of local resources to carry forward the great founding spirit of the Party and build a team of high-caliber, professional officials that matches the standards of a modern, socialist and international metropolis.

On his return journey to Beijing on Sunday, Xi visited a memorial hall of the New Fourth Army in Yancheng, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the CPC Central Committee general office, was also on the inspection tour. Enditem

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From October 7 to 8, the National Conference on the Work of Public Communication and Culture was held in Beijing. The quinquennial meeting, previously held in 2013 and 2018, is a top-level meeting that provides guidance for China's work related to public communication, culture and ideology.

The most important outcome of this year's meeting is that, for the first time, 习近平文化思想 Xi Jinping Thought on Culture was put forward. This is the latest addition to the array of thoughts that Xi has previously proposed, including the thoughts on the 习近平经济思想 economy, 习近平外交思想 diplomacy, 习近平强军思想 military, 习近平生态文明思想 environment and 习近平法治思想 legal affairs.

I understand that this piece may pose a slightly steeper challenge for those familiar with typical reports, given the inherently abstract nature of China's official discourse on cultural matters. Coupled with the nuances lost between Chinese and English translations, some readers might find it demanding to grasp the full scope. However, given the profound influence of Xi Jinping's cultural thought on China's ideology, societal values, and international communication, I believe it is essential to shed light on this significant topic.

My friend and colleague Wu Ziyu, who covers political and cultural news in China, and GRR’s co-editor Liu Xinyi made great contributions to today’s piece.

In Xi’s instruction made public at the national meeting over the weekend, he made requirements in seven aspects:

-- strengthening the Party's leadership over the work of public communication and culture;

-- developing a socialist ideology that has the power to unite and inspire the people;

-- cultivating and applying core socialist values;

-- strengthening the penetration and credibility of the media and its ability to guide and influence;

-- promoting the creative transformation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture;

-- vigorously developing the cultural sector;

-- enhancing international communication capacity and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.

These requirements are in line with Xi's earlier instructions, which were given at a meeting on cultural inheritance and development that took place in June 2023. The following are his 14-point instructions in that meeting, which were conveyed in a Xinhua news article subsequent to the meeting:

-- uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over the work of public communication and culture, shoulder new cultural mission, build a strong socialist culture and secure new successes in developing socialist culture;

-- uphold the foundational system for ensuring the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological domain, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and develop a socialist ideology that has the power to unite and inspire the people;

-- build stronger cultural confidence, helping socialist culture to flourish, and build modern Chinese civilization;

-- guide cultural development with the core socialist values, carry out extensive public awareness activities on socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese Dream, so as to inspire the people to embrace shared ideals, convictions, values, and moral standards;

-- work faster to develop philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, carry out research on the basis of China's reality, expound China's path, explain China's practice and construct China's theory;

-- promote the creative evolution and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, so as to ensure Chinese culture maintains its charm and evolves with the time;

-- strengthen the penetration, guidance, influence, and credibility of the media, promote China’s underlying values and spread positive energy, and cement and expand the mainstream thoughts and ideas that inspire hard work in the new era;

-- encourage people-centered cultural creation, always prioritize social benefits in cultural creation, and produce more outstanding works that inspire the people;

-- cherish historical and cultural heritage as treasuring our own lives, and attach importance to the preservation, utilization and development of cultural relics and heritage, so as to preserve the roots of the thriving Chinese ethos;

-- understand that the Chinese path to modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement, which can foster common prosperity in cultural-ethical life for all people and promote their well-rounded development;

-- forge a strong sense of community and create a source of inspiration for the Chinese nation;

-- understand that the high-quality development of the internet is crucial to the party's long-term governance, transform the internet from a unpredictable factor into a driving force for our cause, foster a positive, healthy, upward and benevolent cyberspace culture, and promote internet civilization;

-- increase China's cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture, strengthen our international communications capabilities in order to tell China's stories better and better present Chinese culture to the world;

-- uphold humanity's shared values, implement the Global Civilization Initiative, and promote exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations, making the garden of world civilization flourish.

Xi has more than once emphasized the role of culture in China's governance. In a speech he made in 2016, he noted that

坚定文化自信,是事关国运兴衰、事关文化安全、事关民族精神独立性的大问题

Cultural confidence is essential to China's prosperity, cultural security and the independence of China's national spirit.

From the Chinese leader's point of view, Chinese civilization embodies many prominent features that make it distinctive. At the aforementioned meeting on cultural inheritance and development in June this year, Xi elaborated on Chinese civilization's feature of being consistent, innovative, uniform, inclusive and peaceful.

Speaking of its consistency, Xi noted that Chinese civilization is the only great civilization in the world that has existed and developed in the form of a nation without being interrupted. He added that it signifies Chinese civilization's principal cultural role and strong vitality, which enables it to develop itself, respond to challenges and continue to break new grounds.

Xi also underlined the innovativeness of the Chinese civilization. He cited it as the fundamental reason why the Chinese nation upholds fine traditions but never blindly sticks to old ways, respects the fine traditions but never indiscriminately restores old traditions. It is also the reason why the Chinese nation is fearless of new challenges and is always open to new things, said Xi.

When illustrating the uniformity of Chinese civilization, Xi said that it determines that national unification always stays at the heart of China's core interests and a strong and unified country is the pillar upon which the well-being of all Chinese people depends.

Instead of replacing diverse cultures with one single culture, Chinese civilization aims to unite them into a common culture, and seeks to dissolve conflicts and build consensus, said Xi, expounding on the civilization's inclusivity.

The peaceful nature is another prominent feature of Chinese civilization, noted Xi. He added that the ideas of peace, amity and harmony have been embedded in Chinese civilization since ancient times.

Chinese civilization seeks to build a world where an individual actively involves oneself in the world, said Xi. Therefore, China will not impose its own values and political system on others. It will remain a champion of cooperation, not confrontation, nor will it dish out favors to acolytes and punishments to opponents.

For a deeper understanding of Xi Jinping's cultural thought, consider exploring additional articles from this year's 13th issue of Qiushi, the top theoretical journal of the the Communist Party of China. Highlights include "Building a Socialist Cultural Power", "The “Two Integrations”: the Only Path and Strongest Assurance for Our Success" [GRR has found its English version], and "Marching Confidently Towards a New Cultural Mission" [The third part of this English commentary from Qiushi has talked about "Understanding how to effectively shoulder the new cultural mission", which is related to the Chinese version]

Unfortunately, due to GRR's capacity constraints, we cannot provide full translations of all these articles at the moment. If you're keen on this subject, please leave a comment, and I'll do my best to translate select portions when possible.

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As GRR counts, this is Xi's fourth inspection tour out of Beijing to local areas this year. The other three are the inspections in Guangdong Province in April, the inspections in Hebei Province in May, and the inspections in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces ahead of the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province.

It is also the third time Xi has inspected the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region over the past 10 years or so.

According to Xinhua, Xi inspected the city of Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, from Monday to Tuesday, where he urged sustained efforts to tackle desertification. A separate article from Xinhua shows that Xi inspected the capital city of Hohhot from Wednesday to Thursday. He called on the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to pursue green development and strive for Chinese modernization.

Today's piece, first of all, based on Xi's inspection this time, extends coverage to his other two in recent months, aiming to decode the enterprises highlighted in the inspection.

Secondly, it will briefly examine Xi's previous two inspection tours to Inner Mongolia to see what is important to this autonomous region.

Xinhua has released a full-text English translation of the official Chinese report for Xi's inspection from Monday to Tuesday and an English readout on Xi's inspection in Hohhot from Wednesday to Thursday hours ago. The links are provided here in case some of you want to delve into it in detail.

Part 1

Enterprises and industrial parks are often among the stops on Xi's inspection schedule, with this trip to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region this week no exception.

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi inspected an industrial park, a photovoltaic industry base in Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia. There he was briefed on local efforts in developing industries of new energy and new materials, optimizing and adjusting industrial structure, and pursuing green and low-carbon development.

At the manufacturing shop, Xi learned about the R&D and production of semiconductor and photovoltaic materials by park-based companies.

He stressed the need to adhere to the path of green development, and called for efforts to promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional energy industries while beefing up support for eco-friendly energies.

Xi said China now needs to depend on high-standard self-reliance and strength in science and technology and a new development pattern to make S&T breakthroughs.

In Xi's speech, there's a statement that could potentially draw a lot of attention from China watchers:

构建国内大循环是为了保证极端情况下国民经济能够正常运行，这同参与国际经济循环是不矛盾的。

Building a strong domestic economy is for ensuring normal operation of national economy under extreme circumstances which is not contradictory to participating in international economic circulation.

Note the “极端情况” "extreme circumstances" was mentioned by Xi not for the first time. At a high-profile meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in 2020, he said:

在当前国际形势充满不稳定性不确定性的背景下，立足国内、依托国内大市场优势，充分挖掘内需潜力，有利于化解外部冲击和外需下降带来的影响，也有利于在极端情况下保证我国经济基本正常运行和社会大局总体稳定。

In the context of the current international situation full of instability and uncertainty, relying on the advantages of domestic market and fully tapping the potential of domestic demand is conducive to resolving the impact of external shocks and declining demand, and is also conducive to ensuring basic normal operation of China's economy and the overall stability of society under extreme circumstances.

So far, however, there is no more authoritative information clarifying the so-called "extreme circumstance." The use of the word "extreme" also reminds your Ginger River of the Party's emphasis on national security at the first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee on May 30.

会议强调，当前我们所面临的国家安全问题的复杂程度、艰巨程度明显加大。国家安全战线要树立战略自信、坚定必胜信心，充分看到自身优势和有利条件。要坚持底线思维和极限思维，准备经受风高浪急甚至惊涛骇浪的重大考验。

It was stressed at the meeting that the complexity and severity of national security problems faced by our country have increased dramatically. The national security front must build up strategic self-confidence, have enough confidence to secure victory, and be keenly aware of its own strengths and advantages. We must be prepared for worst-case and extreme scenarios, and be ready to withstand the major test of high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms.

In Hohhot, Xi also called for resolute efforts to expand high-level opening-up and realize win-win cooperation, participate in the co-construction of the Belt and Road initiative and the development of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, thus enhancing China's level of opening-up, establishing an important gateway for China's northward opening-up, and leveraging the greater role of Inner Mongolia in connecting domestic and international circulations.

In fact, his other two inspection tours, one to south China's Guangdong Province in April and the other to northern Hebei Province in May, also led him to institutes and enterprises related to the sectors of semiconductors and new energy.

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Xi's inspection tour in Hebei in May: Semiconductor research institute

During the inspection to Hebei Province in mid-May, Xi visited 中国电科产业基础研究院 a research institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation in the capital city of Shijiazhuang to learn about relative R&D and production.

Since 1956, the institute has been engaged in semiconductor research. It is the birthplace of original technologies concerning semiconductors, sensors, microsystems and integrated circuits in China. Its various products, including solid-state microwave products and electronic ceramic casings, have provided strong support for the development of digital economy and industries, such as 5G base stations, new energy vehicles, and optical communications.

At the institute, Xi encouraged researchers to achieve consistent progress in grasping cutting-edge technologies and developing more technological and engineering equipment and projects of great significance.

China's burgeoning semiconductors have drawn fire from the U.S. The enactment of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 prohibits chip funds from being used for investment in China and Chinese companies from participating in the Manufacturing USA network.

Xi's inspection tour in Guangdong in April: New energy carmaker

During the inspection of the southern city of Guangzhou in April, Xi paid a visit to the GAC Aion New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd, a top new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer in China.

The production line at the assembly shop of the carmaker is equipped with intelligent chips, which can identify customized processes and independently adapt to the assembly. Currently, intelligence and NEV are among the emerging pillar industries of Guangzhou.

Xi has pointed out that the automobile industry is one with a large market, of high technical standard and in need of delicacy management. The development of NEVs is the only way for China to move from an automobile country to an automobile power.

Statistics from the General Administration of Customs, Chinese imports and exports slightly expanded 0.5 percent to 3.45 trillion yuan (about 484 billion U.S. dollars) in May, with exports down 0.8 percent. Yet the export of vehicle industry, with NEVs as the mainstay, increased nearly 80 percent in the first five months. Observers say NEVs export will sustain growth momentum and serve as a key underpinning of China's exports, not only currently but also in the future.

China Exports Drop More Than Expected, Fueling Growth Risks -- Bloomberg

One sustaining bright spot for Chinese exporters was the continued strength of global demand for Chinese cars, with total vehicle shipments hitting a record for any single month of $9 billion. One of the drivers of the recent surge in car exports has been the popularity overseas of Chinese electric vehicles, although shipments of other types of cars have also been rising.

A week ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk met with several senior Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, as well as Minister of Industry and Information Technology Jin Zhuanglong, and also paid a visit to the Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory during his trip to China from May 30 to June 1, during which he praised China's vitality and potential, voiced confidence in the Chinese market and expressed willingness to deepen cooperation.

Part 2

What is important to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region?

Ecological conservation and environmental protection have been consistently highlighted in Xi's inspection tours in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the past three times.

Here is a brief review of these inspections:

China is one of the countries plagued by the most serious desertification in the world. The Inner Mongolia grassland serves as an important ecological shield for Beijing and even north China at large.

During an inspection tour to the region in 2019, Xi went to a forestry station in the city of Chifeng, where he learned about local efforts in ecological conservation and forestation. He noted that China is the largest contributor to man-made forest coverage in the world, and stressed the need to firmly pursue green development that puts ecology first.

In another inspection tour of the region in 2014, Xi urged efforts to build an ecological conservation system and explore a path of green development that is in accordance with natural law and suitable for the national conditions and realities of the region.

In this week's inspections, Xi stressed that to strengthen comprehensive prevention and control of desertification and further carry out the construction of such key ecological projects as the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP) is of great concern to China's ecological security, the building of a great country, and the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

Ethnic solidarity and the well-being of ethnic minority groups are also a concern to Xi in these inspections. When visiting a residential community in Chifeng in 2019, he noted that Inner Mongolia is the birthplace of China's system of regional ethnic autonomy and has upheld ethnic solidarity as a tradition.

During this inspection from Wednesday to Thursday, Xi stressed that the most arduous task of promoting common prosperity lies in border areas with mainly ethnic minority populations.

At the end of this inspection, Xi stressed that promoting the entire Party to address prominent problems with Party conduct in the spirit of self-reform through education campaigns is an important historical experience.

The statement is in line with an article by the country's top anti-corruption watchdog published in People's Daily on Tuesday, saying the authorities will keep high pressure on key sectors including finance, state-owned enterprises, universities, statistics, sports and agriculture, in terms of corruption crackdown.

"坚决防止转变风向、降调变调的错误期待" "We must resolutely prevent the wrong expectation of changing our direction or loosening our grip," the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said.

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The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region includes three provincial-level regions, with key focuses on relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital and coordinating development in one of the biggest city clusters in China.

By taking advantage of their geological closeness and economic significance, the three provincial-level regions are expected to produce a collective impact on the regional and national economy.

Today's piece offers you a list of key time points of the development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and an abridged translation of the official readout of Xi's inspection.

LOCATION

Source: exploringtianjin.com

KEY TIME POINTS

• Xi's history of visiting the region and speeches related to coordinated development can be traced back to May in 2013, when Xi visited Tianjin Municipality and called for composing "a tale of two cities" with the characteristics of a modern socialist country in the new era. In August of the same year, Xi called for coordinated development in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

• In 2014, a seminar concerning coordinated development was held in Beijing in which Xi said the synchronized development has "national significance," and this strategy should be promoted to a national level. In 2015, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee released an outline of the development plan in this region, providing an important guideline for implementing the strategy.

• In February 2016, a plan for socioeconomic development during the period of the 13th Five Year Plan in the region was brought into effect, which is the first 13th Five Year plan for inter-regional development.

• In March, a report regarding the administrative sub-center of Beijing and relieving the city of non-essential functions was approved by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

• In 2017, China announced its plan to construct the Xiong'an New Area, eying on becoming a significant part of the world-class Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city cluster, taking over Beijing's non-capital functions and providing a Chinese solution to "big city malaise," such as overcrowding, pollution and traffic congestion.

• Xiong'an, together with the sub-center of Beijing -- Beijing's Tongzhou District, is expected to become one of the two areas for future development of the capital city, boosting the region to become one of the three economic engines of China, other than 珠三角 the Pearl River Delta and 长三角 The Yangtze River Delta Regions.

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ABRIDGED TRANSLATION OF THE OFFICIAL READOUT

Xi Jinping: Make Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region pioneer in pursuing Chinese modernization

中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平近日在河北考察，主持召开深入推进京津冀协同发展座谈会并发表重要讲话。…… ，努力使京津冀成为中国式现代化建设的先行区、示范区。

President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to reach new heights in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and to make it a pioneer and example in pursuing Chinese modernization. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks as he inspected Hebei Province and presided over a meeting on promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

5月11日至12日，习近平在河北省委书记倪岳峰、省长王正谱陪同下，先后来到沧州、石家庄等地，深入农村、港口、科研单位等，实地了解京津冀协同发展情况。

On Thursday and Friday, Xi went to the cities of Cangzhou and Shijiazhuang, where he visited the countryside and places including a port and a research institute.

11日上午，习近平来到沧州市，……，仔细察看小麦长势，并向正在田里劳作的种植户、农技专家询问旱碱麦产量、价格、品质、收益等。

On Thursday morning, Xi visited Cangzhou City, where he learned about the cultivation of crops that are tolerant of drought and high alkalinity at a wheat field.

11日下午，习近平来到黄骅港煤炭港区码头，…… 。习近平强调，河北区位优势独特，海运条件便利，要持续推进港口转型升级和资源整合，优化港口功能布局，……，在推动区域经济协调发展、建设现代化产业体系中发挥更大作用。黄骅港……，打造多功能、综合性、现代化大港。

Later in the day, Xi visited a coal port area of Huanghua Port. Xi noted the unique locational advantages and convenient shipping conditions of Hebei Province, underscoring the need to upgrade Hebei's ports and optimize their functional layout to play a bigger role in promoting coordinated regional economic development and developing a modern industrial system. Xi urged the development of Huanghua Port into a modern hub port with multiple functions.

12日上午，习近平来到位于石家庄市的中国电科产业基础研究院考察调研，…… ，走进生产车间察看芯片生产流程。习近平指出，……，不断在关键核心技术上取得新突破。他勉励科技工作者再接再厉、勇攀科技高峰，不断攻克前沿技术，打造更多科技自立自强的大国重器。

On Friday morning, Xi visited a research institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation in Shijiazhuang City. He entered a workshop to observe the chip production process, stressing the need for new breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. Xi encouraged researchers to achieve consistent progress in grasping cutting edge technologies and developing more technological and engineering equipment and projects of great significance.

习近平随后考察了石家庄市国际生物医药园规划展馆，…… 。习近平强调，…… 。要加强基础研究和科技创新能力建设，把生物医药产业发展的命脉牢牢掌握在我们自己手中。…… ，研发生产更多适合中国人生命基因传承和身体素质特点的“中国药”，……。

Later, Xi visited the planning exhibition hall of a biomedical industry park, where he emphasized the importance of strengthening basic research and scientific innovation capacity to keep the lifeline of the biomedical industry firmly in China's own hands. To achieve this, he called for more research and development of medicines that fit into the genetic and physical characteristics of the Chinese population.

12日下午，习近平在石家庄市主持召开深入推进京津冀协同发展座谈会。

On Friday afternoon, Xi chaired a meeting on promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

听取大家发言后，习近平发表了重要讲话。…… 希望河北 …… 完整、准确、全面贯彻新发展理念，…… ，加快建设经济强省、美丽河北，…… 。

During the meeting, he called on Hebei to focus on the primary task of high-quality development and the strategic task of creating a new development pattern to accelerate building the province into an economic powerhouse with a sound environment.

习近平强调，党的十九大以来，按照党中央决策部署，…… ，京津冀协同发展取得新的显著成效，…… ，雄安新区建设取得重大阶段性成果，…… 。实践证明，党中央关于京津冀等重大区域发展战略是符合我国新时代高质量发展需要的，是推进中国式现代化建设的有效途径。

Since the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017, new and remarkable progress has been achieved in the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, especially in the Xiong'an New Area, Xi said. It has been proven that the CPC Central Committee's major regional development strategies meet the need for the country's high-quality development in the new era, he said, describing the strategies as effective channels for advancing Chinese modernization.

习近平指出，要牢牢牵住疏解北京非首都功能这个“牛鼻子”，…… 。要着力抓好标志性项目向外疏解，接续谋划第二批启动疏解的在京央企总部及二、三级子公司或创新业务板块等。…… 。要进一步从源头上严控北京非首都功能增量。

Xi called for solid and orderly efforts to relieve Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital, urging the planning for the relocation to Xiong'an of another batch of the headquarters of state-owned enterprises directly under the central government in Beijing as well as their subsidiary companies and units of innovation operation. Work should be done to restrain Beijing's functions non-essential to its role as the national capital from increasing, Xi said.

习近平强调，要推动北京“新两翼”建设取得更大突破。

Xi called for more progress in developing both the Beijing municipal administrative center and Xiong'an to effectively rid Beijing of "big city malaise."

习近平指出，京津冀 …… 拥有数量众多的一流院校和高端研究人才，创新基础扎实、…… ，在实现高水平科技自立自强中发挥示范带动作用。…… 。要强化企业的创新主体地位，形成一批有自主知识产权和国际竞争力的创新型领军企业。要巩固壮大实体经济根基，把集成电路、网络安全、生物医药、电力装备、安全应急装备等战略性新兴产业发展作为重中之重，着力打造世界级先进制造业集群。

Xi said the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, with a number of first-rate colleges and universities and abundant high-end research talent, has a solid foundation of innovation. The region should play an exemplary role in achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, he said, calling for accelerated efforts to build Beijing into a major hub for independent and original innovation. Xi stressed the necessity of reinforcing the principal role of enterprises in innovation and cultivating a group of leading innovative enterprises with international competitiveness that hold independent intellectual property rights. Xi urged efforts to consolidate and enlarge the foundation of the real economy, stressing that strategic emerging industries such as integrated circuit, cyber security, biomedicine, electronic power equipment and emergency response equipment should be the first priority. He also called for efforts to build world-class advanced manufacturing industrial clusters.

习近平强调，推进京津冀协同发展，最终要体现到增进人民福祉、促进共同富裕上。…… ，不断提高人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感。…… 。要持续抓好北方防沙带等生态保护和修复重点工程建设，持续推进绿色生态屏障建设等重大生态工程。

The coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region should ultimately improve the people's wellbeing and promote common prosperity, Xi said, adding that constant efforts should be made to enhance the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. Xi stressed the need to promote key ecological conservation and restoration projects such as the sand control belts in northern China and major ecological projects such as the building of ecological shields.

习近平指出，要继续加快推进交通等基础设施建设，深入推进区域内部协同。…… 。要把北京科技创新优势和天津先进制造研发优势结合起来，加强关键核心技术联合攻关，…… ，带动河北有条件的地区更好承接京津科技溢出效应和产业转移。……，打造全国对外开放高地。

Xi urged efforts to further accelerate the development of transportation and other infrastructure, as well as efforts to advance intra-regional coordination. Beijing's edge in scientific and technological innovation should be combined with Tianjin's strength in advanced manufacturing research and development, Xi said, calling for strengthening joint efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields. Xi urged efforts to help eligible areas in Hebei absorb the scientific and technological spillovers from Beijing and Tianjin as well as the transfer of industries. He also called for building the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region into a national pacesetter in opening-up.

习近平强调，…… ，进一步增强各级党组织的政治功能和组织功能，为推进京津冀协同发展提供坚强保证。

Xi stressed the need to further enhance the political and organizational role of Party organizations at various levels to provide a strong guarantee for the coordinated development of the region.

Premier Li Qiang and Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, both members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting. Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi in the inspection trip and attended the meeting.

In his remarks, Li Qiang urged efforts to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region more effectively and efficiently, focus on relieving Beijing of functions non-essential to its role as the national capital, and ensure notable results will be achieved in landmark projects in the process.

Ding Xuexiang called for persistent endeavor to prevent and control air pollution and bring the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to a new level.

The blind development of energy-intensive projects with high emissions and backward production capacity must be curbed, said Ding. He also urged redoubled efforts in developing new and clean energy and preventing and controlling pollution.

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This newsletter is committed to providing you with high-quality reporting on China. In today's issue, we present an article on major issues pertaining to the country's current economic work by Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The article was published in the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee, on Feb. 16. It was part of Xi's speech in the annual Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing on Dec. 15, 2022. Xinhua News agency released an official readout of the speech and key points of the conference in December.

If you compare the articles from December and February, you will find that some of the content from the December piece has been removed, while the February article has added many new contents compared to the previous version. I know that some people are trying to compare and study these contents in order to get a glimpse of the latest economic policy priorities. Therefore, GRR have created a markup version (and a no markup final version) of the English translation of the articles for your easy reference to see which content has been added and removed. The Chinese version is also provided in case you need it [The Chinese version was created by unknown individuals and circulated among China-watchers in February]. A screenshot is provided below as an example:

The documents are downloadable and can be shared:

1. Major issues pertaining to China's current economic work (markup version by GRR)

2. Major issues pertaining to China's current economic work (no markup final version by GRR)

3. Major issues pertaining to China's current economic work (Chinese markup version by unknown individuals)

Please note that all the files created by GRR do not represent any official document or views, as this is just a personal newsletter.

This newsletter also includes the GRR's no markup final version in case you want to read it here.

Major issues pertaining to China's current economic work

Xi Jinping

The economic work in 2023 will be complicated, and it is necessary to bear in mind the overall strategic picture, focus on the major problems, start with improving public expectations and boosting confidence in development, pay close attention to the major and key links to ensure everything is implemented as planned.

1. Vigorously expand domestic demand

    Insufficient aggregate demand is an acute problem facing the Chinese economy. We must vigorously implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand and take more effective measures to ensure a positive cycle of social reproduction. China, through expanding domestic demand, has accumulated experience in successfully responding to the Asian financial crisis in 1998, the international financial crisis in 2008, and the impact of COVID-19 since 2020. The next step is to optimize policies to fully leverage the fundamental role of consumption and the key role of investment.

    First, we must prioritize the recovery and expansion of consumption. With further progress in new industrialization, informatization, urbanization and agricultural modernization, consumption is now playing a foundational role in promoting economic growth. We must fully tap consumption potential by enhancing people's purchasing power, improving consumption conditions, and innovating consumption scenarios. Consumption is directly correlated with income. We must use multiple channels to increase urban and rural incomes, especially for those middle- and low-income urban residents with a high inclination to consume but had a relapse in consumption due to the impact of COVID-19. We must make appropriate increases in consumer credit and support consumption in housing improvement, new energy vehicles, elder care, and services in terms of education, healthcare, culture, and sports.

    Second, we must effectively drive investment of the whole society through government investment and policy incentives. Currently, private investment expectations are low, so government investment has to play a guiding role in responding to cyclical economic fluctuations. Government investment should further reinforce the groundwork for long-term benefit, strengthen weak areas, and drive structural adjustment. We must speed up with the major projects in the 14th Five-year Plan (2021-2025), strengthen transport, energy, water conservancy, agriculture, and information infrastructure to effectively boost inter-regional connectivity. We must support urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas in their construction of modern infrastructure systems and implement action plans for urban renewal and rural construction initiatives. We will increase technological and industrial investments, advance the construction of major science and technology infrastructure projects and the improvement of R&D capability for key and core technologies. Policy-based finance must play a role of counter-cyclic adjustments by increasing financial support for major projects in line with national development planning and industry policies, while at the same time balancing the economic and social benefits. We must relax control over market access for non-governmental investment so as to attract more private investments to major state projects and projects aimed at strengthening areas of weakness. We must expand project reserves, improve preliminary work, and strengthen factor of production assurance.

    We should continue to give full play to the supporting role of exports in the economy. We must stabilize exports to developed countries, expand exports to emerging economies, upgrade the processing trade, and improve the added value of exported goods, expand service trade, develop digital trade, and consolidate and expand export advantages in new industries such as new energy vehicles. We must expand imports of advanced technology, important equipment, and energy resources. We must make full use of the China-Europe Railway Express to accelerate the transformation of China into a trader of quality.

2. Move faster to modernize the country's industrial system

   We must build internal foundations to take a firm foothold in the world. China has the most complete industrial system and a domestic market with the greatest potential in the world. We must improve resilience and security of industrial and supply chains, while paying close attention to addressing weaknesses and enhancing strengths.

    First, we must ensure the smooth functioning of national economic cycles. China's economy must guarantee national security, meeting people's basic living needs, as well as the normal operation of infrastructure and basic industries. We should greatly promote food security and energy security, ensuring that China’s food supply remains firmly in its own hands. We must implement a new round of actions to increase China's grain production capacity by 50 million metric tons, improve productivity by better using arable land and technology, and yield more food by better utilizing China's land resources. We must put more efforts into the exploitation, storage, and production of important energy and minerals, as well as the coordinated integration of electricity generation, grid, load, and storage. We must accelerate the construction of a new energy system, encourage domestic enterprises to go global in groups, and push forward diversification of imports. Steps must be taken to enhance strategic goods reserve and security capacities.

     Second, we must accelerate the upgrade and development of China's industrial system. We must plan ahead in key areas and comprehensively modernize our industrial system, so as to consolidate our leading position in traditional advantageous industries and create new competitiveness. We must seize the new opportunities generated by global industrial restructuring to open up new areas and succeed in new arenas. Traditional manufacturing is the foundation of the modern industrial system. We must accelerate digital transformation, promote advanced and applicable technologies, and move the manufacturing sector toward higher-end, smarter, and greener production. Strategic emerging industries are the pillars and arenas of future development. It is necessary to accelerate R&D and application of cutting-edge technologies such as new energy, artificial intelligence, biomanufacturing, low-carbon technology, and quantum computing and support enterprises that use special and sophisticated technologies to produce novel and unique products. We must vigorously develop the digital economy, improve the level of normalized supervision, and support platform companies in leading economic development, creating employment, and participating in international competition.

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3. Effectively implement the "Two Unswervinglies"

    There have been some misleading and even wrong argument in the society as to our commitment to the socialist market economy and the policy of the "Two Unswervinglies". Our position must be clear and unambiguous and we must continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy and adhere to the "Two Unswervinglies." [Note: The "Two Unswervinglies" refer to "unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector. "]

    First, we must deepen the reform of state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises (SOEs), while enhancing the core competitiveness of the SOEs. Three years of SOE reforms have borne fruit. In the new round of deepening the SOE reforms, we must focus on enhancing the core competitiveness and core functions, depending on the changing situations. China has a large scale of state-owned productive assets, yet some have low returns on assets and lack innovation capability. This is incompatible with the requirement that state-owned capital and SOEs should get stronger, better, and bigger, and that they should provide strategic support for the economy. We must continue to carry out function-based reforms, balance the economic and social responsibilities of SOEs, and establish a state-owned assets management system based on managing capital. We will give more play to state-owned capital operating companies, restructure the SOEs by way of the market, and create a number of innovative SOEs. We will improve modern corporate governance of SOEs with Chinese characteristics, build market-based operation mechanisms, and move faster to help Chinese companies become world-class outfits.

    Second, we must improve the development environment for private enterprises and faciliate the growth of the private sector. The private economy plays an important role in economic and social development, employment, fiscal revenue, and technological innovation. Institutional and legal arrangements must be made to ensure the equal treatment of private enterprises and SOEs. Supportive policies and public opinion are also necessary to facilitate the growth of the private economy and enterprises. We must protect the property rights of private enterprises,  and the rights and interests of entrepreneurs in accordance with the law. We need to comprehensively review and revise laws, regulations, and policies related to enterprises, and continue to remove barriers that hinder equal access. We must improve the fair competition system, oppose local protectionism and administrative monopolies, and create more opportunities for private enterprises. We need to strengthen management services for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)  and support the development of MSMEs and individual businesses.  Leaders at all levels should help solve problems and take practical actions for private enterprises so as to establish a cordial and clear relationship between government and business. SOEs, private enterprises, and foreign-funded enterprises must all operate in accordance with the law.

4. Make greater efforts to attract and utilize foreign capital

    China's utilization of foreign capital continues to maintain rapid growth in 2022. Throughout the world, both developed countries and emerging economies have made attracting and utilizing foreign investment a major national policy, and international competition for attracting investment is becoming more intense. In that case, we must promote high-standard opening-up and attract global resources and production factors by leveraging the strengths of China’s enormous market and domestic circulation. We must not only retain high-quality existing foreign investment but also attract more investment to improve trade and investment cooperation.

    First, widen market access. We must make appropriate reductions to the negative list for foreign investment, promote the opening-up of modern service industries, and give full play to the pioneering role of open platforms such as the pilot free trade zones, the Hainan Free Trade Port, various economic development zones, and bonded areas. The announced foreign investment access policies should be implemented promptly and effectively.

Second, comprehensively improve the business environment. We should implement national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises, promote fair competition, and ensure that foreign-invested enterprises participate in government procurement, bidding, and standard-setting on an equal basis in accordance with the law. We should strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights and the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investment. We must actively seek to join the high-standard economic and trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), proactively match relevant rules, regulations, management, and standards to deepen domestic reform in related fields.

    Third, provide targeted services to foreign-funded enterprises. We should strengthen communication and exchanges with foreign investors, provide the greatest possible convenience for foreign investors to engage in trade and investment negotiations in China, and ensure that economic and trade personnel go abroad to attract investment on a regular basis.

5. Effectively fend off and defuse major economic and financial risks

    We must adhere to addressing both symptoms and root causes, combining near-term measures with long-term strategies, and firmly guard against crossing the bottom line of systemic risks.

    First, forestall systemic risks arising from the property sector. The property industry has a significant impact on economic growth, employment, fiscal revenue, residents' wealth, and financial stability. We must take proper measures to handle systemic risks and moral hazard, respond to various risks, and promote the steady development of the property market. Responsibility must be assumed by various regions and relevant departments. We must adopt city-specific measures, focus on improving market expectations, expand effective demand, meet people's basic housing needs and the need for improved housing conditions, support the implementation of childbirth and talent policies and address housing difficulties faced by our people, especially new urban residents and young people. We should encourage local governments and financial institutions to increase the supply of government-subsidized rental housing, and explore the construction of a long-term rental housing market. Sticking to the principle that "housing is for living in, not for speculation," we must thoroughly analyze major trends and structural changes in the supply-demand relationship and the urbanization pattern of the real estate market,  and seize the opportunity to figure out fundamental strategies in the medium and long term to eliminate the drawbacks from the model of "high debt, high leverage, high turnover" over the years and promote the real estate industry's smooth transition to a new development model.

    Second, forestall and defuse financial risks. Finance is crucial to the overall development. We need to coordinate the prevention of major financial risks and moral hazard, clarify the responsibilities of involved parties, act swiftly to prevent the formation of regional and systemic financial risks. We need to strengthen the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over financial work and deepen the reform of the financial system.

    Third, prevent and defuse local government debt risks. We need to clarify the primary responsibility of provincial-level governments for preventing and resolving hidden debts, increase efforts to dispose of existing hidden debts, optimize the debt maturity structure, and reduce interest burdens. We should steadily advance the combined supervision of hidden debts and statutory debts of local governments, resolutely curb the increase of debt and defuse existing debt. We must prohibit all kinds of disguised borrowing behaviors and prevent the local state-owned enterprises and institutions from "operating as a vehicle." We need to strengthen the comprehensive governance of financing vehicles and promote their transformation according to their categories. We should deepen the reform of the fiscal and tax systems, improve the system for fiscal transfer payments, improve the fiscal system under the provincial level, steadily advance the construction of the local tax system, and strengthen the basic financial capacity and self-development capability of local governments.

    There is still a lot of important work to be done in 2023. We must advance rural revitalization on all fronts, stabilize grain production, and ensure that people do not return to impoverishment in large numbers. We must facilitate the flow and circulation of production factors between urban and rural areas, and build a beautiful countryside that is desirable to live and work in. We must focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy, advancing high-standard opening up, and planning for a new round of comprehensively deepening reforms. We must prepare for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and advance the high-quality joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative. We must deeply implement major regional strategies and promote coordinated regional development to complement each other’s strengths and bring out the best of each other. We must drive the green transformation of economic and social development, coordinate efforts to reduce carbon emissions, control pollution, expand green coverage and promote growth, and create conditions to accelerate the transition from controlling over the amount and intensity of energy consumption to controlling both the amount and intensity of carbon emissions. We must make further efforts to keep our skies blue, waters clear and lands clean, and therefore build a Beautiful China.

                                                                 -     END     -

Ginger River Review (GRR), the China-focused newsletter, now has its own voice in the form of the Ginger River Radio (GRR) podcast! On the podcast, you can listen to experts from all industries talking about the Chinese economy, society, technology, foreign policy and other things matter to the Chinese leadership and general public in China, with jokes and laughs in between.

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Last week on the first episode of the podcast, Jiang Jiang (JJ), the founder of GRR, chats with Robert Wu, CEO of BigOne Lab, one of the leading alternative data companies in China. Robert shared his firsthand insights into China's data economy, including the country's most recent data governance regulation, the country's economic recovery from COVID, the tech landscape, online and offline consumption trends, the challenges facing the Chinese data industry, and a comparison of data-driven businesses in China and the United States.

Read what data told the privately-owned data firm on top hidden trends in China’s consumer sector:

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Top Hidden Trends in China Consumer Sector- Suggested by Data

The world is constantly changing, and we always crave to know more about new things. For many of our readers, the curious animal inside us is simply insatiable. Usually, one relies on tips, news, some dinner conversations with friends to know about these things. At BAiGUAN, we use technology to systemically scan across the entire public domain on a dail…

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3 years ago · 7 likes · Robert Wu

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Your trusted source for credible, multi-faceted and actionable insights about China.

By BigOne Lab

I also wrote a thread on Twitter introducing the new photos shown in the background of Xi’s new year address based on the official source:

On New Year's eve, President Xi Jinping delivered his 2023 New Year Address through China Media Group and the Internet. The following is the full text of the address:

   Greetings to you all. The year 2023 is approaching. From Beijing, I extend my best New Year wishes to all of you.

   In 2022, we successfully convened the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). An ambitious blueprint has been drawn for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, sounding a clarion call of the times for us forging ahead on a new journey.

   The Chinese economy has remained the second largest in the world and enjoyed sound development. GDP for the whole year is expected to exceed 120 trillion yuan (about 17.3 trillion U.S. dollars). Despite a global food crisis, we have secured a bumper harvest for the 19th year in a row, putting us in a stronger position to ensure the food supply of the Chinese people. We have consolidated our gains in poverty elimination and advanced rural revitalization across the board. We have introduced tax and fee cuts and other measures to ease the burden on businesses, and made active efforts to solve the most pressing difficulties of high concern to the people.

   Since COVID-19 struck, we have put the people first and put life first all along. Following a science-based and targeted approach, we have adapted our COVID response in light of the evolving situation to protect the life and health of the people to the greatest extent possible. Officials and the general public, particularly medical professionals and community workers, have bravely stuck to their posts through it all. With extraordinary efforts, we have prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges, and it has not been an easy journey for anyone. We have now entered a new phase of COVID response where tough challenges remain. Everyone is holding on with great fortitude, and the light of hope is right in front of us. Let's make an extra effort to pull through, as perseverance and solidarity mean victory.

   Comrade Jiang Zemin passed away in 2022. We pay high tribute to his towering achievements and noble demeanor, and cherish the great legacy he left behind. We will honor his last wishes and advance the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

   Wave upon wave, the mighty river of history surges forward. With the persistent efforts of one generation after another, we have taken China to where it is today.

   Today's China is a country where dreams become reality. The Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games concluded with a resounding success. Chinese winter sports athletes gave their all and achieved extraordinary results. Shenzhou-13, Shenzhou-14 and Shenzhou-15 soared into the heavens. China's space station was fully completed and our "home in space" is roving in the deep-blue sky. The people's armed forces marked the 95th birthday and all service members are marching confidently on the great journey of building a strong military. China's third aircraft carrier Fujian was launched. C919, China's first large passenger aircraft, was delivered. And the Baihetan hydropower station went into full operation... None of these achievements would have been possible without the sweat and toil of the numerous Chinese people. Sparks of talent are coming together, and they are the strength of China!

   Today's China is a country brimming with vigor and vitality. Various pilot free trade zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port are booming, innovations are gushing out in the coastal areas, development is picking up pace in the central and western regions, the momentum for revitalization is building in the northeast, and there is greater development and affluence in the border regions. The Chinese economy enjoys strong resilience, tremendous potential and great vitality. The fundamentals sustaining its long-term growth have remained strong. As long as we stay confident and strive for progress while maintaining stability, we will realize the goals we have set. On my visit to Hong Kong earlier this year, I was deeply glad to see that Hong Kong has restored order and is set to thrive again. With determined implementation of One Country, Two Systems, Hong Kong and Macao will surely enjoy long-term prosperity and stability.

   Today's China is a country that keeps to its national character. In the course of 2022, we encountered various natural disasters including earthquakes, floods, droughts and wildfires, and experienced some workplace accidents. Amid those disconcerting and heartbreaking scenes, there have emerged numerous touching stories of people sticking together in face of adversity or even sacrificing their lives to help others in distress. Those heroic deeds will be forever etched in our memories. At every turn of the year, we always think of the great character of resilience that the Chinese nation has carried forward through millennia. It gives us still greater confidence as we continue our way forward.

   Today's China is a country closely linked with the world. Over the past year, I have hosted quite a few friends, both old and new, in Beijing; I have also traveled abroad to communicate China's propositions to the world. Changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace, and the world is not yet a tranquil place. We cherish peace and development and value friends and partners as we have always done. We stand firm on the right side of history and on the side of human civilization and progress. We work hard to contribute China's wisdom and solutions to the cause of peace and development for all humanity.

   After the 20th CPC National Congress, my colleagues and I visited Yan'an. We were there to relive the inspiring episode in which the Party's central leadership overcame extraordinary difficulties in the 1930s and 1940s, and to draw on the spiritual strength of the older generation of CPC members. I often say, "Just as polishing makes jade finer, adversity makes one stronger." Over the past 100 years, the CPC has braved wind and rain, and forged ahead against all odds. That is a most difficult yet great journey. Today, we must press on courageously to make tomorrow's China a better place.

   Going forward, China will be a country that performs miracles through hard work. Here I want to quote Su Shi, a renowned Chinese poet, "Charge at the toughest and aim at the farthest." It means to take on the biggest challenges and go after the most ambitious goals. Long as the journey is, we will reach our destination if we stay the course; difficult as the task is, we will get the job done if we keep working at it. As long as we have the resolve to move mountains and the perseverance to plod on, as long as we keep our feet on the ground and forge ahead with our journey by making steady progress, we will turn our grand goals into reality.

   Going forward, China will be a country that draws its strength from unity. Ours is a big country. It is only natural for different people to have different concerns or hold different views on the same issue. What matters is that we build consensus through communication and consultation. When the 1.4 billion Chinese work with one heart and one mind, and stand in unity with a strong will, no task will be impossible and no difficulty insurmountable. The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of one and the same family. I sincerely hope that our compatriots on both sides of the Strait will work together with a unity of purpose to jointly foster lasting prosperity of the Chinese nation.

   Going forward, China will be a country that has great expectations of its younger generation. A nation will prosper only when its young people thrive. For China to develop further, our young people must step forward and take on their responsibilities. Youth is full of vigor and is a source of hope. Youngsters should keep their country in mind, cultivate keen enterprise, and live youth to the fullest with great drive, to prove worthy of the times and the splendor of youth.

   To the many people who are still busy working at this very moment, I salute you all! We are about to ring in the New Year. Let us welcome the first ray of sunshine of 2023 with the best wishes for a brighter future.

   May our country enjoy prosperity and our people live in harmony. May the world enjoy peace and people of all countries live in happiness. I wish you all a happy New Year and may all your wishes come true.

   Thank you.  Enditem

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In today's newsletter, GRR offers you a translation of the full account of Xi's inspection tour released by Xinhua News Agency on Thursday with some notes to it.

Please kindly note the translation and the documents have no authorization to represent anybody else, as this is only a personal newsletter.

Xi Jinping calls for further responsibility and endeavors for the revitalization of Northeast China and the development of Liaoning Province

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, president of the People's Republic of China, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made an inspection tour of Liaoning Province recently. Xi required the province to implement the Party Central Committee's decisions and plans, uphold the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, balance COVID-19 control and economic and social development, and coordinate development and security. He also called for thorough implementation of the new development philosophy, resolutely promoting high-quality development, making solid progress in achieving common prosperity, and stepping up efforts to modernize the governance system and capacity. Xi stressed that Party building must be furthered with strict discipline, and local Party committees and governments must shoulder greater responsibility and make further endeavors in revitalizing Northeast China in the new era, strive to open a new chapter in the revitalization and development of Liaoning, and set the stage with concrete action to welcome the 20th Party National Congress.

[GRR: An article by Xi Jinping on applying the new development philosophy was published on Tuesday in this year's 16th issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee. In the article, Xi noted that "Promoting the common prosperity for all is a long-term task and a realistic task. It cannot be rushed, nor can it be delayed. We must place it in a more important position and make concrete progress. We shall keep working hard, making more proactive efforts towards this goal. " 促进全体人民共同富裕是一项长期任务，也是一项现实任务，急不得，也等不得，必须摆在更加重要的位置，脚踏实地，久久为功，向着这个目标作出更加积极有为的努力。]

From August 16 (Tuesday) to 17 (Wednesday), accompanied by Zhang Guoqing, secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee, and Li Lecheng, governor of Liaoning, Xi Jinping went to Jinzhou and Shenyang, where he visited a revolution museum, inspected a river and lake management project, an enterprise and a community.

[GRR: Zhang Guoqing, secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, had previously served as the mayor of Chongqing, the mayor of Tianjin, and the chief executive of China North Industries Corp., a state-owned defense corporation.]　

Xi went to the Liaoshen Campaign Memorial in Jinzhou on the afternoon of August 16. Over 70 years ago, under the leadership of the CPC, the people's army won this campaign against the Kuomintang forces. Xi visited the Entrance Hall, Hall of Campaign History, Hall of Supporting the Front and Hall of Martyrs. He recalled the liberation war history of Northeast China and how this important campaign was won, and commemorated the moving deeds of the people who did their best to support the front and the heroic acts of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives. Xi pointed out that the victory of this campaign gave expression to the great strategic insight and planning of Chairman Mao Zedong and other revolutionaries of the older generation. The decisive battles during the War of Liberation between our Party and the Kuomintang were not only a competition between military strength, but also more importantly, a struggle about winning people's support. The victory of the Liaoshen Campaign would not have been achieved without the staunch support of the people in the Northeast, neither would the victory of the Huaihai Campaign without the efforts of local people who used their handcarts to support the front, and nor would the victory of the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign without the endeavor of those who rowed their boats to ferry our soldiers.

[GRR: Liaoshen Campaign 辽沈会战 (Liaoxi-Shenyang) was the first of the three major military campaigns (along with Huaihai Campaign and Pingjin Campaign) launched by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) against the Kuomintang during the late stage of the War of Liberation. The campaign took place from September 12 to November 2, 1948, lasting 52 days. After the campaign, PLA liberated the north-east region and overtook Kuomintang’s army in the number of soldiers for the first time in history.]

Trust and support from the people are of vital political importance, which determines whether we will succeed or not with our cause. As long as our Party forever maintains close bond, and throws in its lot with the people, we will be able to pool great strength to surmount all difficulties and hardships, Xi said. Xi stressed that every Party member is obliged to study the history of the Party. He called for efforts to make it a routine and long-term work to study Party's history so that Party members will be guided to take such study as a compulsory and regular task.

Xi had a cordial meeting with representatives of veteran soldiers, senior comrades and relatives of revolutionary martyrs and expressed his sincere solicitude to them. He noted that the people in Northeast China not only made enormous sacrifices for the victory of the Liaoshen Campaign and the liberation of the region, but also made great contributions to the building of the People's Republic of China and the victory of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, which the Party and the people will remember forever. Numerous revolutionary martyrs sacrificed their lives for the founding of our socialist country. The nation is composed of people, and people are all that matter to the nation. We will never allow our socialist country to change its nature, and neither will the people. As a Chinese saying goes, "when drinking water from a well, you should never forget who dug it." Since the People's Republic of China was founded more than seven decades ago, with hard work by one generation after another, tremendous changes have taken place in our country. The people are living a moderately prosperous life, and the Chinese nation becomes a proud and active member of the international community. We will continue to march forward and work hard to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation to console the souls of our revolutionary martyrs and forefathers. Party committees and governments at all levels should care about the veteran soldiers, senior comrades and relatives of revolutionary martyrs, and ensure that the veteran soldiers and senior comrades enjoy their retirement and Party's concern and care reach relatives of revolutionary martyrs. Our socialist country was not founded easily, and safeguarding it requires great responsibilities. We must tell the stories of the Party, revolution and heroes well and pass on the traditions of revolution to ensure that future generations carry on the revolutionary heritage of our socialist country, Xi said. Xi also wished the veteran soldiers and senior comrades sound health and a long and happy life.

Xi then arrived at the Donghu Forest Park in Jinzhou to inspect the local ecological remediation work. The park is located at the north side of where the Xiaoling River and the Nyu'er River converge. Jinzhou has taken comprehensive measures to improve the environment along the rivers since 2014. It has also built a green belt of more than 10 kilometers along the riverbank, creating a riverside fitness and recreation park shaped like a ribbon. Xi took a close look at the environment along the Xiaoling River. He noted that good environment is valuable assets for economic growth and social development in Northeast China, and it is also what the region can take advantage of in its revitalization drive. It is important to apply the concept of green development to ecological conservation, environmental improvement, production and manufacturing, the development of cities, the people's lives, and many other aspects so that work can be accelerated to construct a beautiful China. Ecological conservation is an endeavor that could significantly boost people's sense of gain and impress the people the most. It is imperative to manage ecological conservation of mountains and waters and environmental protection of cities in a holistic manner, allotting space to production, to daily life, and to ecological development in a reasonable manner, and building more public places for recreation, fitness and entertainment.

Xi was briefed on the province's flood control work on site. North China has recorded an above the average level of rainfall since the start of the year. Months into the flooding season, Liaoning has received multiple rounds of heavy rainfall, leading to crop damage and financial losses. With the support of relevant central authorities, the provincial Party committee and government have gone to all lengths to rescue and relieve the affected population, evacuating nearly 200,000 people without delay and ensuring them access to food, clothes, clean drinking water, safe interim accommodation and medical resources. Overall social stability has thus been maintained.

[GRR: Since the start of the flooding season, Liaoning has been hit by 13 rainfalls. Floods have affected 470,200 people in nine cities, causing damage to 126,500 hectares of field. Downpours also made Raoyang river burst its banks on August 1. Local rescue teams have started drainage work [video], and authorities are on the way to help people in disaster-hit areas return to their homes soonest. ]

Xi attached great importance to the rescue, relief and resettlement of those affected. Xi noted that August remains a key month for the North to prevent floods. Party committees and governments at all levels must continue putting people and their lives above anything else. They should enhance flood monitoring, ferret out and address risks and vulnerabilities in a timely manner, and make detailed and tangible efforts in carrying out flood control and disaster relief measures. And they should make appropriate arrangements for those affected to ensure their safety. It is important to devise proper plans for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction to help people restore their production and lives at an early date. It is also important to improve current mechanisms and institutions, better response plans, strengthen early warning and prevention of extreme weather conditions, and boost the capabilities of preventing and fending off floods and geological disasters, as well as capabilities for emergency rescue and disaster relief. At present, some localities are suffering from severe droughts, and concrete measures should be taken in response.

[GRR: Central and southwest regions of China have experienced droughts as a result of low precipitation and high temperatures, according to the National Meteorological Center. Drought relief and the transfer of emergency water supplies will be advanced in the scorched Yangtze River basin, said the authorities.]

In the Donghu Culture Square, members of the public who were enjoying their leisure time or conducting cultural activities greeted the general secretary upon his arrival. Xi said amiably to them that the Chinese-style modernization is one featuring common prosperity, rather than prosperity for only a handful of people; it is a modernization with a coordinated development of material and cultural progress, which requires efforts to promote the fine traditional Chinese culture, make good use of the "red" revolutionary culture and develop the advanced socialist culture to enrich people's intellectual and cultural lives. The Party Central Committee attaches great importance to the revitalization of the country's northeast region. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee has implemented a strategy on deepening the revitalization of Northeast China. We have full confidence in an all-round revitalization of the Northeast in the new era, and we are looking forward to that. Jinzhou is a heroic city, and a city boasting a unique culture and profound historical and cultural heritage as well. I am glad to see that efforts in conservation and renovation have greatly improved the ecological and living environment here. I hope everyone could raise their awareness of environmental conservation and protection and make joint efforts in protecting their own home. I wish you all a better and happier life.　

[In a study session of provincial and ministerial-level officials held in July, President Xi gave a tone-setting speech that sets the stage for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). In that speech, Xi also talked about modernization. He stressed that there is no set model of modernization in the world, nor is there a universal criterion for modernization that fits all. The modernization we are pursuing is the CPC-led socialist one. We must push forward national rejuvenation by following a uniquely Chinese path to modernization. 世界上既不存在定于一尊的现代化模式，也不存在放之四海而皆准的现代化标准。我们推进的现代化，是中国共产党领导的社会主义现代化，必须坚持以中国式现代化推进中华民族伟大复兴 ... ]

Xi inspected the city of Shenyang on August 17. In the afternoon, Xi visited the Siasun Robot and Automation Co., Ltd. In the enterprise's exhibition hall, Xi was briefed about Liaoning's efforts in the revitalization of the northeast region in the new era, watched a special display of the province's advanced technological products, and inspected the company's production, operation as well as its work in independent innovation. In the company's factory workshops, tests of industrial robots, collaborative robots and specialized robots were being carried out. Xi asked the technicians and workers about the enterprise's research on core technologies and expressed acknowledgement to the achievements the enterprise has made in independent innovation and industrial development, saying that the company represents the Chinese speed and the Chinese proficiency.

Xi waved to representatives of workers and staff members who were gathering outside the workshops. Xi stressed that the CPC Central Committee has implemented the innovation-driven development strategy, paying special attention to independent innovation and creating an environment for innovation, with a view to improving China's industrial level and strength, and promoting China's transformation from a major economy to a strong economic power and a manufacturer of quality. With economic globalization encountering adverse currents and protectionism, we must keep our door open for development. We must develop our economy in a down-to-earth manner, and at the same time remain open and inclusive so as to create a win-win cooperation model for all to benefit. We should actively build a new development pattern with domestic circulation as the mainstay and the domestic and international circulations to promote each other, Xi said.

We should adhere to self-reliance, putting the development of the country and the nation on the basis of our own strength and firmly grasping the initiative of development. We must follow a path of independent innovation to fully build China into a great modern socialist country and realize the Second Centenary Goal. We should promote self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology, seizing every minute to make breakthroughs in "bottleneck" problems, and striving to have the core technologies in key areas and equipment manufacturing industry in our own hands. Young people, full of vigor and vitality, are the hope of enterprise development. Party committees and governments at all levels should create an environment for fully stimulating young people's creativity, encouraging them to be brave in innovation and scale new heights in various fields and make greater contributions to the revitalization of Northeast China in the new era, Xi added.

[GRR: Xi also put emphasis on ''addressing the 'bottlenecks' in core technologies in key fields." 随着我国发展壮大，突破“卡脖子”关键核心技术刻不容缓 when he inspected Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province, in June. Learn more about inspection to Wuhan in a GRR post (in the second part)]

Xi then went to Mudan community at Santaizi subdistrict of Huanggu District. Built in the 1980s, it has become a demonstration community with more than 3,000 households for grassroots governance after infrastructure renovation and service improvement in recent years. Xi walked into the community service center, activity center and elderly service center. From community workers, teachers and students of a happiness education class and elderly volunteers, he learned about local situations of Party building, living environment and services for residents. At a canteen for the elderly, Xi asked those having their meals there whether the food is expensive or not, whether the community service is good or not, and what difficulties they still have.

Xi walked into resident Li Shui's apartment and was shown around the kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, etc. He then sat down in the living room and had a cordial conversation with the family. They told Xi that, thanks to the renovation of old residential communities, it was much warmer inside their homes in winter and roads were not water-logging any more. They said that they were happy with improved living environment. Now they don't have to worry about children's education or basic medical care for the elderly, and the friendly neighborhood is just like a big family. Learning that they are living a happy and hopeful life, Xi was very much gratified.

Bidding farewell to the residents, Xi stressed that the dream of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the dream of building a strong country as well as the Chinese Dream are all meant in nature to realize the people's dream of happiness. The ultimate goal of the CPC's endeavors is to seek happiness for the people. He pointed out that as a major aspect of the action plan for urban renewal, renovation of old residential communities is an important work that enhances people's sense of gain. The principle is to serve the people and make their life convenient and safe. More efforts should be made to further improve the living environment and upgrade facilities concerning the supply of water, electricity and gas, so as to better meet residents' daily needs and ensure their safety. Community services should also be boosted and the service provision functions of communities should be strengthened. The elderly and children spend more time in communities and their well-being is a major concern for most families, noted Xi. As China is stepping into an aging society, Xi emphasized the importance of developing old-age programs and relevant industries, and strengthening the construction of elderly care facilities in areas with adequate conditions.

The healthy growth of children has a bearing on the future of the country and the Chinese nation and on the well-being of millions of families, he said. Communities should carry out more off-campus activities for public welfare to ensure children's physical and mental health. He stressed that Party organizations at the community level should be strengthened and community-level work be enhanced. More resources should be allocated to communities so that the people feel the CPC serves the people wholeheartedly and is always with the people. Xi wished a better life for all in the revitalization drive of Northeast China in the new era.

Ding Xuexiang, Liu He, Chen Xi, He Lifeng and other leading officials of the central Party and government departments accompanied Xi during the inspection tour.

On the morning of August 17, Xi met with officers at or above senior colonel level and chief officers of regiment units in Shenyang. He extended sincere greetings to all officers and soldiers of Shenyang-based troops on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, and had a photo taken with them. Zhang Youxia accompanied Xi during the meeting.

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It has been a routine practice of the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee to address high-level Chinese officials ahead of the once-for-every-five-year CPC national congress, to unify Party members' thoughts and chart out future development.

In the tone-setting speech, in which Xi summarized achievements in theories and practices since the 18th CPC National Congress held in November 2012, he said the upcoming CPC 20th National Congress will set key goals, tasks and policies for the Party and the nation “for the next five years or even longer periods to come.”

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who presided over the opening ceremony of the study session, said senior officials should thoroughly study Xi's important speech, follow its guiding principles both in thinking and action, promote reform, development and stability in their respective regions and departments, and set the stage for the Party's 20th National Congress with concrete action.

With the 20th CPC National Congress set to convene later this year (the exact date has not been released), Xi’s latest speech offers a fine opportunity to take a glimpse of the themes of the upcoming grand gathering.

A Chinese-language readout of Xi's speech was published by Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday evening. GRR offers you a full translation today.

Meanwhile, the 共产党员网 www.12371.cn released the name list of the 293 elected deputies to the Party's 20th national congress from the central and state organs. In a previous post, GRR has collected and updated the full-text official reports delivered by the 31 party secretaries at their local CPC congresses, and the name lists of their elected deputies to the Party's 20th national congress in the time order on Google Drive (PDF file and Excel file), which can be shared, downloaded, and worked upon.

Please kindly note the translation and the documents have no authorization to represent anybody else, as this is only a personal newsletter.

A study session on the gist of Xi Jinping's speech to welcome the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, attended by officials at the provincial and ministerial level, was held from Tuesday to Wednesday (July 26 to 27) in Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), delivered a speech. Xi said that on the journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and achieve the Second Centenary Goal, the whole Party must hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and to the needs of our times, remain confident in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and stay committed to driving forward the historic process of national rejuvenation.

Concentrating on the CPC's central task in the new era on the new journey, we should put forward new ideas, strategies and measures to advance the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy in a coordinated manner. Through vigorous and determined endeavor, we should work together and strive to write a new chapter in building a modern socialist country in all respects, Xi said.

Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice President Wang Qishan, attended the opening ceremony of the study session.

Xi noted that the upcoming 20th CPC National Congress is a conference of great significance, as it will be held at this crucial moment when we embark on the new journey to build China into a modern socialist nation in all respects. At the congress, we will lay out goals, tasks, and major policies for developing the cause of the Party and the country in the next five years or even longer periods to come, which are pivotal to the further development of the Party and the country's cause, the future of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the realization of national rejuvenation. Clearly identifying the banner our Party will hold, the path it will take, the goal it will continue to strive for, and to what extent it is motivated on the new journey ahead is of great significance to uniting and encouraging Chinese people of all ethnic groups to strive for a new success for socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi noted that to plan and advance the work of the Party and the country, we must thoroughly review the international and domestic situations to have a clear understanding of the strategic opportunities, risks and challenges we face. At present, profound changes unseen in a century are evolving rapidly across the world, exhibiting more distinctive features of our world, our times, and the historic change we are facing. China faces new strategic opportunities and new strategic tasks, enters a new strategic stage, and is confronted with new strategic demands and strategic environment for its development. The risks and challenges we are to face and the problems we are to address are more complex than ever before. The whole Party must be more mindful of potential dangers, be always prepared for worst-case scenarios and have a strong will and greater capability to respond to even harder situation. We must formulate right strategies to respond to changes, foster opportunities, and make breakthroughs, and rely on tenacious struggle to open up new horizons for our cause. The most essential is to manage our own affairs well, Xi said.

Xi stressed that the five years since the 19th CPC National Congress have been unusual and extraordinary. The CPC Central Committee has kept in mind the overall picture for national rejuvenation and major changes in the world unseen in a century, united and led the whole Party, the armed forces and the people of all ethnic groups in effectively coping with the grave and complex international situation and a series of risks and challenges, and pushed forward socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era in an energetic manner.

We have continued to strengthen the Party's overall leadership and the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee. We have worked with full strength to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects, boosted high-quality development and taken swift yet steady steps in advancing reforms. We have promoted the whole-process people's democracy, developed advanced socialist culture and improved public well-being. We have pooled our efforts in eradicating absolute poverty and spurred ecological conservation. We have defended national security, maintained overall social stability, advanced the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, safeguarded peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and carried out major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on all fronts.

We celebrated the centenary of the founding of the CPC and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and carried out a campaign to encourage the study of the Party's history among Party members. In particular, in the face of the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, we have put the people and their lives first and launched an all-out people's war to curb the epidemic. We have protected people's lives and health to the maximum extent and achieved the best performance in the world in coordinating economic development and epidemic response. We have enforced the central government's overall jurisdiction over the special administrative regions in accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Laws, and formulated and implemented the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, securing a firm control over the overall situation of Hong Kong.

Facing the rapid changes in international situation, we have worked hard to safeguard our national dignity and core interests, keeping in hand the initiative in our country's development and security. We have made further efforts to exercise full and rigorous governance over the Party, worked ceaselessly to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline, and made coordinated efforts to ensure that officials do not have the opportunity, desire or audacity to engage in corruption. As a result, the Party's ties with the people have become closer, and a healthy political atmosphere has been fostered and developed within the Party, providing strong political underpinnings for the development of the cause of the Party and the country, Xi said.

Xi noted that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Over the past decade, we have upheld Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, fully implemented the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the Party's basic theory, line and policy. We have taken a host of strategic approaches, carried out a series of transformative moves and made many breakthroughs and remarkable progress. We have also solved many tough problems that remained unsolved for a long time, accomplished many things of vital importance and long-term significance, and withstood the test brought about by risks and challenges from political, economic, ideological, and natural domains. We have scored historic achievements and historic shifts in the cause of the Party and the country. Such great changes in the first decade of the new era are of landmark significance in the history of the Party, the PRC, reform and opening up, and the development of socialism and the Chinese nation, Xi said.

Xi stressed that achieving national rejuvenation will be no walk in the park, and it will take more than drum beating and gong clanging to get there. We must undertake a great struggle with many new contemporary features and be prepared to work even harder toward this goal. Over the past decade, we have encountered risks and challenges that were like high winds and raging waves, with some of them as severe as storms on the sea. All sorts of risks and challenges have arrived one after another, making the situation unprecedentedly grim and complex. We have braved difficulties with firm confidence and won one battle after another. All the achievements we have made are outcomes of the hard work of our Party and the people, Xi said.

Having Marxism as a sound theoretical guide is the source of our Party's distinctive political character and huge political strength, Xi said. It has been proved that at the fundamental level, the capability of our Party and the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics are attributable to the fact that Marxism works. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, changes taking place at home and abroad and developments in practices have presented us with a series of important theoretic and practical questions that urgently require our in-depth answers. We have continued to adapt the basic tenets of Marxism to China's specific realities and its fine traditional culture, forming the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and achieving a new breakthrough in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.

The whole Party must grasp the outlook and methodology of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and uphold and make good use of its standpoints, viewpoints and methods. We will thus be able to open up new horizons in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times through great practices in the new era.

Xi stressed that based on long-term exploration and practices since the founding of the PRC in 1949, especially since the launch of reform and opening up in 1978, we have successfully promoted and expanded a uniquely Chinese modernization with new breakthroughs in theories and practices since the 18th CPC National Congress.

There is no set model of modernization in the world, nor is there a universal criterion for modernization that fits all. The modernization we are pursuing is the CPC-led socialist one. We must push forward national rejuvenation by following a uniquely Chinese path to modernization. We must neither retrace our steps to the rigidity and isolation of the past, nor take the wrong turn by changing our nature and abandoning our system. We must stress reliance on our own efforts to drive the nation's development, and make sure the future of China's development and progress remains firmly in our own hands.

Xi pointed out that the 19th CPC National Congress outlined a two-step strategic plan to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects: Socialist modernization will be basically realized from 2020 to 2035; From 2035 to the middle of the century, China will become a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.

The 20th CPC National Congress will envision the two-step strategic plan for building China into a great modern socialist country, with a focus on outlining strategic tasks and major initiatives for the next five years. The next five years are crucial as we set out to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects, and doing a good job during this period is of vital importance to achieving the Second Centenary Goal. We must focus our efforts on addressing unbalanced and inadequate development, and on addressing inadequacies, strengthening areas of weakness, consolidating fundamentals and giving full play to strengths, and work out new approaches and measures for solving our problems.

Xi stressed that our efforts to build China into a modern socialist country and achieve the goals and tasks on the new journey in the new era hinge on the Party. The CPC is the world's largest Marxist ruling party. To strengthen its governing position and retain people's sincere support, the Party must always keep sober-minded and determined on the journey. CPC members must stay vigilant against the long-term nature of the tests confronting the Party as they relate to governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment, and against the dangers of losing drive, lacking competence, becoming disengaged from the people, and succumbing to inaction and corruption. The Party's full and rigorous self-governance is a never-ending journey, so is its self-reform.

Historical experience suggests that strong discipline and self-governance of the CPC should always be in place. Neither laxation nor attitude of nonchalance is allowed. The CPC must continue full and rigorous self-governance, push ahead with the great project of Party building in the new era, and lead social transformations through its self-reform.

According to Xi, the CPC needs to uphold its fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, reinforce its mass viewpoint, implement its mass line, and respect the people's creativity. It should do everything for the people and rely on them in everything it does, act in line with the principle of "from the people, to the people," maintain close ties with the people, and keep open to public criticism and supervision. It should always breathe the same breath as the people, share the same future, and stay truly connected to them.

When presiding over the opening ceremony, Li Keqiang pointed out that General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a very important speech. Xi made a sound analysis of the current international and domestic situations, expounded on the work of the past five years and the great changes taking place over the past decade of the new era. He explained in depth the major theoretical and practical issues for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and illuminated major principles, policies and action plans for developing the cause of the Party and the country in the years to come.

Hailing Xi's speech as highly political, theoretical and instructive, Li said that it plays a critical role in helping the whole Party deeply understand the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; strengthen their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

Li urged officials to thoroughly study and understand Xi's remarks, and align their action and thinking with the guiding principles conveyed by Xi's speech as well as the Party Central Committee's major decisions and plans. It is imperative to remain confident, conscientiously push for reform, development and stability in their respective regions and departments, and pave the way with concrete action for the convening of the 20th CPC National Congress, Li said.

In his summary speech at the closing ceremony of the study session, Wang Huning stressed that Xi's remarks profoundly elucidated a series of major theoretical and practical issues concerning the development of the cause of the Party and the country. By studying those remarks, we have become more strategically self-confident, remained strategically clear-headed, and enhanced our confidence and morale, Wang said.

Wang called for continued efforts to study the guiding principles of Xi's speech, deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, firmly uphold Xi's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, thoroughly understand and effectively apply Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and improve capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress with CPC membership, state councilors, president of the Supreme People's Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, vice chairpersons of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference with CPC membership and members of the CMC attended the opening ceremony.

Those who participated in the study session included leading officials from all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, relevant departments of the central Party and state organs and people's organizations, as well as from major units of the armed forces and departments of the CMC. Heads of the central committees of other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and other relevant departments were present at the opening ceremony. 

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Please note that errors may exist in this GRR’s translation. Also, this does NOT represent official translation or views, as this is only a personal newsletter.

Ginger River's friend and colleague Yang Liu also offered a translation of some of Xi's remarks during the inspection with some good footnotes.

Xi Jinping's inspection tour of Xinjiang

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently inspected the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China and visited officials and the general public of different ethnic groups.

Xi stressed efforts to resolutely implement the CPC Central Committee's decisions, and fully and faithfully carry out the plans and the policies of the CPC for the governance of Xinjiang in the new era. Concentrating on the overarching goal of ensuring lasting social stability, security and enduring prosperity, we should maintain steady progress in our work, further extend reform and opening up in all respects, promote high-quality development, coordinate COVID-19 response with economic and social development, and balance development and security imperatives. On our journey in the new era, we will endeavor to build Xinjiang into a beautiful place that is united, harmonious, and prosperous, with an advanced culture, a happy life for all and sound ecological environment.

From July 12 to July 15, Xi's itinerary included Urumqi, Shihezi, and Turpan cities, and he made fact-finding trips to a university, an international land port area, a residential community, museums, a village, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), among other sites. During his trips, Xi was accompanied by Ma Xingrui, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the CPC, and Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of Xinjiang regional government.

[Ginger River: Ma Xingrui, the former governor of Guangdong Province, one of several veterans of China’s aerospace who have been promoted to key leadership positions, was appointed as the new Party chief for Xinjiang in December 2021.]

On Tuesday afternoon, Xi went to Xinjiang University, his first stop. He visited the museum on the university history and the center for fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation to learn about the university's history and development and its efforts in cultivating capable personnel and promoting the exchange and communication between people of different ethnic groups. He was also briefed by the students returning from field studies on what they had learned.

[Ginger River: See an article on the sense of community for the Chinese nation by Meng Fanli published on Qiushi on June 27th, 2022.]

Our country is a unified multiethnic country, with the Chinese people of all ethnic groups united in diversity being a salient feature, Xi noted. Creatively adapting Marxist ethnic theory to China's specific realities, we have formulated ethnic theories and policies characterized by ethnic equality and unity, regional ethnic autonomy, and shared development and prosperity, so that all ethnic groups have enjoyed equality, unity and progress in real sense under the socialist system.

Our ethnic theories and policies are sound and effective. We should stay committed to the correct and Chinese way to address ethnic issues, continue to enrich and develop the Party's ethnic theories for the new era, advancing research on the fundamental issues concerning the community for the Chinese nation. China, a country with ethnic unity, is invincible and will have a bright future, and our Second Centenary Goal is bound to be achieved and so is the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Xi said.

Xi noted that the fundamental task of education is to foster virtue. He urged the university to uphold the socialist direction of education and nurture a new generation of capable young people with moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills for the socialist cause. The university should highlight its unique strengths, foster high-calibre faculty, enhance its innovative capacity in scientific researches and make more progress in making itself a world-class university and developing world-class disciplines. He also expected students of the university to strive for the future of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese nation.

Xi's next stop was the Urumqi International Land Port Area where he was provided with relevant information and through real-time video link watched how the Urumqi China-Europe Railway Express Hub, the land ports at the Alataw Pass and Horgos operated. He also chatted with people working at the freight train service desk and other on-site staff.

Xi stressed that with the country opening wider to the world, the western region being further developed, and the Belt and Road Initiative being materialized, Xinjiang has changed from a relatively closed inland region to a frontier of opening up. The region should develop the core area along the Silk Road Economic Belt, incorporate its regional opening-up strategy into the overall layout of the country's westward opening up, innovate the system for an open economy, speed up the construction of major opening-up corridors, so that it can make better use of international and domestic markets and resources and actively serve and integrate itself into the country's new pattern of development. He also urged local leading officials to continue to prevent both inbound cases and domestic resurgences of COVID-19, uphold a dynamic zero-COVID policy and try their best to adopt targeted response measures and reduce inconvenience in people's everyday life.

[Ginger River: there is a slight difference in Xi's wording on the dynamic zero-COVID policy in his past three inspection tours in Sichuan, Hubei and Xinjiang:

In Sichuan, Xi said that perseverance makes the difference, and the country's dynamic zero-COVID approach must be unswervingly continued. He required that people must have confidence, clear up all obstructions, and never slacken vigilance to ensure key links are consolidated in the control and prevention work, and thus what the country has achieved in its response to the epidemic can be consolidated.

In Hubei, Xi said that the CPC Central Committee made the decision to adopt a dynamic zero-COVID policy based on the nature and purpose of the Party and the country's actual conditions. We would rather suffer temporary losses in economic development than harm people's lives and health, particularly the elderly and children … Victory comes from perseverance. We need to overcome the tendency of letting down our guard, of being weary of fight, and of relaxation, and carry out prevention and control measures attentively while trying our best to maintain stable and healthy economic development.]

On Wednesday morning, Xi visited the community of Guyuanxiang in the Tianshan District of Urumqi where more than 95 percent of the residents were ethnic minorities. He walked into the public service center, the community service center, the dance room and the children's reading room, and chatted with residents there. Having watched a traditional cultural performance by local children with keen interest, he noted that the education of China's fine traditional culture should start with children and be sustained so that it will be developed as part of people's life in an imperceptible and formative manner. Such education will contribute to building a firm foundation for passing on China's fine traditional culture through generations, he said.

[The community of Guyuanxiang in the Tianshan District was established in 2001 and home to 5,407 residents. The community has been named the model of national unity and progress in 2019.]

Shown around the living room, bedrooms and kitchen at the home of Ablet Tursun, a Uygur resident, Xi sat down with his family for a friendly conversation. He stressed that ethnic unity is the lifeline for people of all ethnic groups in China and all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are inseparable members of the family of the Chinese nation. We should value the current stability and unity in China with all 56 ethnic groups standing together, maintaining firm resolve, making pragmatic and concerted efforts for achieving the Second Centenary Goal under the Party's leadership.

Xi noted that community work concerns thousands of families. Party organizations at the primary level should play an active role, and more attention should be paid to the work at the primary level. It is imperative to take into account the needs and expectations of residents of all ethnic groups, help them solve problems and address their difficulties, promote the brotherhood and mutual help among people of all ethnic groups, build a beautiful home and create a better future together.

When Xi was leaving the residential community, people of various ethnic groups sang and danced in their ethnic costumes to show their sincere love and esteem for him. In return, Xi wished everyone a prosperous career and a happier life.

Then Xi arrived at the Museum of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. He visited the Exhibition of Xinjiang Cultural Relics, watched a show of the Kirgiz ethnic epic “Manas” and chatted cordially with the performers. The epic has been designated as an intangible cultural heritage.

[The epic “Manas” is a traditional epic poem composed and sung entirely in oral form by Kyrgyz people throughout the centuries. The epic tells the story of hero Manas and his descendants' fight against various foes. It was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. ]

Chinese civilization is extensive and profound, has a long history stretching back to antiquity, and is composed of outstanding cultures of all its ethnic groups, Xi said. He called for further study on the history of the community for the Chinese nation and its unified pattern of diverse ethnic cultures.

He added that we should make full and effective use of the historical facts, archaeological objects, and cultural heritage on the exchanges between various ethnic groups in Xinjiang, to prove that this region inhabited by many ethnic groups has been an integral part of China since the ancient times, and that various ethnic groups in Xinjiang have been important members of the big Chinese family in weal and woe.

Efforts should be made to better preserve and pass on the intangible cultural heritage, and to carry on the excellent traditional cultures of all ethnic groups, Xi said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi went to the Shihezi City under the Eighth Division of the XPCC and visited the Museum of Military Reclamation of the XPCC.

[Founded in October 1954, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) plays a key role in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It assumes the responsibilities of reclaiming the wasteland and guarding the border areas commissioned by the state, and operates a unique administrative system that combines the functions of the Party, government, military and enterprise, with economic planning directly supervised by the state. It is an organization that handles its own administrative and judicial affairs within the reclamation areas under its jurisdiction in accordance with the laws and regulations and those enacted by the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to a white paper on Xinjiang released by the Information Office of the State Council.]

On the first floor of the museum, Xi met with representatives of the three generations of workers from the XPCC. He said that the XPCC has made indelible contributions to promoting Xinjiang's development, ethnic unity, social stability and border security.

The spirit of patriotism, dedication, hard work and enterprise the XPCC people have developed is an important part of the fine traditions of the CPC, and such spirit must be carried on.

Then Xi left for a fact-finding trip to the 143rd Regiment of the Eighth Division. At a cotton planting base of the Agricultural 1st Company, Xi checked on cotton growth, and asked farmers and agricultural technicians in the field about cotton planting, marketing and their family income, among others. At a peach orchard of the 9th Company, Xi expressed his appreciation of what the company has done to encourage and support its employees to develop farming industry, eco-tourism and agri-entertainment over the years, which has helped increase the income for the employees.

With its high level of agricultural mechanization, large-scale agricultural development and industrialized operation as well as its strengths in the production of grain, cotton, cooking oil, fruits and vegetables, the XPCC should play an even greater role in safeguarding China's food security and securing supply of key agricultural products, Xi pointed out.

The CPC Central Committee's policies to support the XPCC must be implemented to the letter so that its strength can be given full play, Xi said.

He also demanded strengthening agricultural science and technology and equipment support to develop competitive agricultural products and industries in accordance with local conditions, and promoting the development of green agriculture and animal husbandry.

In the 143rd Regiment Huayuan Town Square, Xi had a cordial conversation with officials and workers from the XPCC. Xi stressed that the strategic role of the corps is irreplaceable. It is imperative to speed up the corps' reform, deepen the integration of the corps with local areas, build a pastoral homeland featuring harmony between urban and rural areas. The functions and roles of the corps should be given full play as a stabilizer for securing national borders, a melting pot for uniting people of all ethnic groups and a demonstration area for developing advanced productive forces and culture, so that the corps will be further consolidated in its strengths in maintaining stability and safeguarding borders in the new era, Xi said.

During his inspection tour in Turpan City on Thursday, Xi visited the Grape Valley to see a display of unique local fruits and learn about the city's efforts to develop grape-oriented distinctive industries and push for culture-tourism integration. Xi underlined that Turpan's beauty and fertility, along with its wealth of fruits, are a gift from nature. It is necessary to properly handle the relationship between socioeconomic development and environmental protection, promote the integrated development of culture and tourism, and create industries that enrich the people, Xi said.

[Turpan, with its dry and sunny climate, has a long history of growing grapes and is one of the main grape production bases in China.]

Then Xi went to the Xinchengximen Village in Xincheng Area, Ya'er Town, Gaochang District of Turpan, visiting its public service center and an agricultural product processing enterprise. In the village square, when the general secretary arrived, people gathered around with cheers to greet him. Having pointed out that no ethnic group should be left behind in the building of a modern socialist country in all respects, Xi called for efforts to consolidate and expand what has been achieved in poverty alleviation, make solid progress in rural revitalization, bringing prosperity, a happy life and beautiful environment to rural residents. Xi also wished locals a more prosperous life and children healthy development.

In Turpan, Xi also inspected the Jiaohe Ruins, a world cultural heritage site and also the best-preserved, longest-lasting and largest relics of a clay-built city across the globe. Xi emphasized that the ancient city of Jiaohe served as a main traffic artery along the Silk Road, witnessing the over 5,000-year history of the Chinese civilization and is of huge historical value. Xi regarded it as necessary to strengthen the protection, utilization of cultural relics, and the preservation, passing-down of cultural heritage, to constantly expand the global influence of Chinese culture, and boost national pride and cultural confidence.

On Friday morning, Xi heard work reports from the regional Party committee, the regional government and the XPCC, and acknowledged the achievements made in all the work related to Xinjiang. He expressed the hope that the Party committee and the government of the region will unite all the officials and the people as one and lead them to forge ahead determinedly, and take solid steps to do a better job in all the fields.

Xi noted that with the overarching goal of Xinjiang work as the focus, efforts must be made to advance the fundamental, basic and long-term imperatives to ensure enduring social stability and long-term security in the autonomous region. We must constantly explore the effective approaches to fully implement the policies of the CPC for the governance of Xinjiang in the new era, and materialize what the CPC Central Committee requires in concrete actions and practical work, so as to ensure that work related to Xinjiang will forge ahead towards the correct direction, Xi said.

Xi pointed out that the people's support is vital for ensuring Xinjiang's lasting stability. We must stay united and look into the future, giving full play to the role of all officials and the people in ensuring stability, boosting development and promoting reform. We must mind closely the opinions and views of people from all walks of life. We must ensure that work on safeguarding stability is law-based and done on routine basis. We must communicate Xinjiang to the world in a multi-level, comprehensive and multi-dimensional manner, do a better job in letting the world see Xinjiang with their own eyes, and tell Xinjiang's stories well, Xi said.

Xi noted that we must develop a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and encourage more exchanges and interactions among different ethnic groups. All the ethnic cultures in Xinjiang have their roots in the Chinese civilization. We must educate and guide all officials and people to have a correct understanding of Xinjiang's history, especially that of its ethnic groups, so as to uphold the right perspective of the Chinese nation's history and strengthen the national psyche of the Chinese nation. We must take further steps to advance the project that aims to create a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation among young people. We must promote integration among people from all ethnic groups in all areas such as culture, economy, society and psychology so that they will be closely united like the seeds of a pomegranate that stick together, Xi said.

[Ginger River: Xi uses pomegranate, a symbol of good fortune and fertility in traditional Chinese culture, as a metaphor for "the unity of all nationalities." -- When the pomegranate fruit is ripe, it has many chambers and many “children”, and the seeds are full and “hug” each other, so it was used to describe that the 56 ethnic groups in China are closely united together. ]

Xi stressed that the capability of governing religious affairs must be improved to ensure the healthy development of religions. We must better uphold the principle of developing Islam in the Chinese context and provide active guidance for the adaptation of religions to socialist society. We must train a team of Party and government officials who are adept at the Marxist view on religion, familiar with religious affairs and competent to engage in related work, foster a group of religious figures who are politically reliable, have noble characters and religious accomplishments and can play their role at critical times, and foster a group of religious researchers who have firm political stand and good academic achievements, stick to the Marxist view on religion and be good at innovation. We must ensure that reasonable demands of religious believers be met and rally them around the Party and the government, Xi said.

Xi pointed out that it is necessary to further cultural development in Xinjiang with promoting the sense of national identity as the focus. Cultural identity is of utmost importance. It is important to have a correct understanding of our history and culture, highlight Chinese cultural characteristics and the visual image of the Chinese nation. We should demonstrate the common features of Chinese culture, and display the historical facts of exchanges and interactions between Xinjiang and various ethnic groups in the rest part of China by developing a particular discourse and other effective vehicles. We should fully showcase the Chinese culture by displaying what can be touched and seen to strike a common chord. We should educate and guide people of all ethnic groups to establish a correct view of country, history, ethnicity, culture and religion, and enhance their identification with the motherland, the Chinese nation, the Chinese culture, the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi stressed that it's important to have a deep understanding of the close connection between development and stability, between development and people's livelihood, and between development and the will of the people, and make it possible for people to benefit from development achievements. Work needs to be done to accelerate high-quality economic development, cultivate and expand competitive specialty industries and enhance their capabilities to create jobs. Efforts should also be made to align efforts to consolidate the results of the battle against poverty with rural revitalization, and optimize the long-term mechanism for sustainable rural development.

He noted that it is essential to uphold holistic protection and systematic conservation of mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland, and desert ecosystems, facilitate ecology-prioritized development, further the fight against pollution, and strictly toe the line in ecological conservation. Xinjiang should expand its opening up, forge a bridgehead for opening up westward, and advance the building of the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Xi stressed that we must exercise full and rigorous self-governance over the Party and do a good job in training a contingent of competent officials. We must adhere to the underlying principle of being strict, take enhancing the Party's political building as the overarching principle to promote the building of all the other sectors of the Party and tighten the Party's political discipline and rules. We must reinforce and expand the achievements made in studying the history of the Party, educate and guide all the Party members and officials to strengthen their ideals and convictions and pass on the fine traditions of the Party.

Endeavors are needed to consolidate grassroots networks, and make Party organizations at the primary level in various fields strong forts. Party organizations at the primary level should improve their conduct and remove bureaucratism and pointless formalities. The leading groups of Party organizations and government departments should be streamlined, and the role of officials of ethnic minorities be brought into full play, he said.

Xi said that the XPCC needs to adapt to new developments, meet new demands, so as to play a greater role in the work related to Xinjiang. The XPCC and local areas should be better integrated in development, build major infrastructure jointly, and promote integration on economic, social, cultural and ecological progress, ethnic unity as well as the development of the official and personnel pool. The two sides need to build infrastructure with joint efforts, share resources, further integration and boost complementation.

Xi said that the work related to Xinjiang is a key issue for the CPC and the whole country, for it is concerned with China's overall development. The CPC needs to perceive the importance of the work related to Xinjiang from a strategic and overall perspective, step up efforts on pairing assistance for Xinjiang, enhance the mechanisms to improve the work related to Xinjiang and set the stage with concrete action for the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

[Ginger River: Here is the name list of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's 43 deputies to the Communist Party of China's 20th national congress, and a readout (Chinese) of the official report delivered by Xinjiang's party secretary Chen Quanguo on the local CPC congress in October, 2021.

GRR has collected and UPDATED the full-text official reports delivered by the 31 party secretaries at their local CPC congresses, and the name lists of the elected deputies to the Party's 20th national congress from the 31 CPC congresses at the provincial level. You can download the PDF file and Excel file via Google Drive and they can be shared and worked upon.]

Before listening to the reports, Xi met with representatives of current and retired officials at different levels in the region, leading officials of the XPCC and officials of relevant departments, and representatives of different ethnic groups and sectors, officials working on aiding programs, law-enforcement officers, and patriots of religious circles. Xi, on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, extended sincere greetings to all living and working in the region.

On Friday morning, Xi met with representatives from military officers and troops in Xinjiang, delivering sincere greetings to all members of the military and hailing remarkable achievements of them on keeping the borderline of Xinjiang secure, and stabilizing the region and boosting the development of the region. Xi urged that the military in the region should materialize the CPC's thinking on strengthening armed forces and the military strategies and principles in the new era, and make contributions to long-term social stability in Xinjiang.

Xi left Xinjiang for Beijing on Friday afternoon. People of various ethnic groups gave him a warm seeing-off along roads with applause.

Ding Xuexiang, Liu He, Zhang Youxia, Chen Xi, He Lifeng, and other leading officials of the central Party and government departments accompanied Xi during the inspection tour.

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The article is mainly about five major issues in China’s development, which are common prosperity, nature of capital, supply security, major risk mitigation, and the goals of achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality.

On December 10, 2021, Xinhua News Agency published a readout (Chinese) of Xi’s speech at the conference, which included the five issues, with one paragraph for each one. This week's Qiushi article included more detailed content and multiple paragraphs for each issue, which Ginger River believes will help you better understand them.

Please note that errors may well exit in this GRR’s translation. Also, this does NOT represent official translation or views. If this is not clear enough, please read the About page.

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正确认识和把握我国发展重大理论和实践问题※

Properly Understand the Major Theoretical and Practical Issues in China's Development

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission

As China enters a new stage of development, its internal and external environment has undergone profound changes. The country is faced with major new questions that need to be properly comprehended. I address a few issues here.

The first issue: We must properly understand the strategic goal of realizing common prosperity and the pathways to this end. "The wealth of a country is measured by the abundance of its people." The creation and distribution of wealth is a major issue that all countries face. While social wealth keeps growing, extreme wealth gaps and polarization trouble some Western countries all along. Moreover, income in some Latin American countries is not high, but the distribution disparity remains large. Under the guidance of the Chinese socialist system, we must unleash and develop productive forces, and continuously create and accumulate the wealth of society. At the same time, polarization must be prevented. Besides, we will strive for more visible and substantive progress in the well-rounded development of individuals and the common prosperity of the entire population. In the past, we performed egalitarianism at a low-income level. After the reform and opening up, some regions and some people got rich first. In the meantime, the income gap has widened gradually and some improperly gathered wealth has brought risks and challenges to the healthy operation of the economy and society.

Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics. So how should the path of common prosperity be taken? We are exploring it. To achieve this goal, the first step is to "make a bigger and better cake" through the joint efforts of the people, and then divide and distribute the cake properly through rational institutional arrangements. This is a long-term historical process, so we shall create conditions and improve the system to steadily move toward this goal.

In promoting high-quality development, employment must be prioritized. Employment is the foundation of people's well-being. We should better leverage the role of economic growth in boosting employment, and constantly promote the amount and the quality of employment. We should support the development of micro and small businesses and give full play to their role as the main channel of employment. And we must learn the 西方国家经济"脱实向虚"的教训 lesson of some Western countries "leaving the real economy for the fictitious economy", and continue to grow the real economy and create more high-quality jobs. Furthermore, we need to increase investment in human capital, advance the quality of education, strengthen vocational education and skills training, improve the quality of the workforce to better adapt to the needs of high-quality development, and effectively prevent the risk of mass unemployment.

We must ensure the full function and effect of [wealth] distribution. Efficiency and equality must be balanced, and fundamental institutional arrangements must be done in terms of the coordination between primary distribution, redistribution and the third distribution. We will adhere to the system whereby distribution according to work remains the predominant mode, raise the share of work remuneration in primary distribution, and improve the distribution system according to factors of production. We will increase the adjustment effect of taxation, social security and transfer payments, and improve their precision. We also need to make full use of the third distribution, guide and support enterprises and social groups who have both the ability and willingness to take an active part in public charity. But "逼捐" "coercive donation" (force others to donate) in the form of moral kidnapping is not allowed.

We must improve the system and institutions of public service policies and promote common prosperity, rather than falling into the trap of "welfarism". Back then, populism prevailed in some Latin American countries, and high welfare systems supported a bunch of "lazy people" and those who reap without sowing. The result is that these countries' finances are overburdened, falling into the "middle-income trap", and they could not get out of it for a long time. Raising welfare is easy while cutting it is another story. Moreover, "welfarism" beyond a country's capability is not sustainable, which would inevitably cause severe economic and political problems! Therefore, we should insist on doing our best while doing things within our power, and put focus on facilitating the level of public services, providing precise and basic public services in areas of greatest concern to people, such as education, medical care, pensions and housing. We will protect those in need's bottom line of living and not make empty promise.

The second issue: We must properly understand the nature of capital and its laws of behavior. Marx and Engels had not envisaged that a market economy was possible under a socialist system, and certainly could not foresee how a socialist state would deal with capital. Although Lenin and Stalin led the socialist construction of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union practiced a highly-centralized planned economy at that time, and basically, no large-scale capital problems were encountered. The socialist market economy is a great invention of the CPC. Given that it is a socialist market economy, capital of various forms would certainly emerge. Though capital in a capitalist society and that in a socialist society certainly have many differences, capital is chasing profits everywhere. "The one thing that unites all the people in the world is wealth, the one way to manage all the wealth is law." We will explore how capital can take an active role in the socialist market economy, while curbing its negative effects. Over the recent years, due to lack of understanding and insufficient regulations, some fields in China have witnessed the unregulated expansion of capital, blatant manipulation, and profiteering. This is why behaviors of capital must be regulated to avoid harm. We shall make capital fulfill its mission as a factor of production while preventing it from going unchecked. And this is a major political and economic issue that we cannot turn away from.

In practice, the following points must be kept in mind. We should set up a "traffic lights" mechanism for capital. "Traffic lights" apply to all vehicles on the road, and that should be the case for capital as well, no capital should go on a rampage. And we will prevent capital from growing out of control. We should fight against monopoly, profiteering, exorbitant prices, malicious speculation, and unfair competition by strengthening the effective supervision of capital in accordance with the law. The socialist market economy is ruled by law, so capital activities must abide by the law. To retain capital's arbitrary expansion is not to get rid of capital, but to make capital grow orderly. We will improve relevant laws and regulations that are defective, and strictly implement existing laws and regulations to support and guide the healthy and orderly development of capital. We must adhere to and improve the socialist market economy, unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector, unwaveringly encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector, and stimulate its healthy development as well as the growth of participants in the private sector.

The third issue: We must properly understand the supply security of primary goods. Securing the supply of primary goods is a critical strategic issue for a major country like China. We must reinforce strategic planning and make early adjustments to ensure the security of supply.

We must prioritize the spirit of thriftiness. "Taking in a temperate manner leads to abundance while taking in an extravagant manner leads to scarcity." We will implement a comprehensive resource conservation strategy, pushing forward conservation actions in all areas. In the field of production, we will advance the overall conservation, integration and recycling of resources, reduce energy consumption per unit of product consumption, and accelerate the transformation of technology in manufacturing, so that input and output efficiency will be improved. In the field of consumption, we will enhance national awareness of conservation, advocate a simple and moderate, green and low-carbon lifestyle, oppose extravagant waste and excessive consumption, and promote food conservation activities like 光盘 "Clean Plate" campaign (the habit of mindful eating). We will extensively build green offices, green families, green communities, green travels, and other relevant activities too.

We must enhance the capability of securing domestic resources production. We should step up the exploration of minerals, and a new round of strategic action to find a breakthrough in mining will be implemented. We will also raise the development and protection levels of marine resources and mineral resources. We must hold onto the bottom line of self-sufficiency of crucial energy resources. State-owned enterprises will serve as the backbone in accelerating the development and application of advanced technology related to petroleum and natural gas resources. We will strengthen the construction of the national strategic goods reserve system. So that, in critical moments, they could play a regulating role which would keep the bottom line of security. Waste sorting and recycling will be carried out. Moreover, we must expand the use of domestic solid waste, as well as move ahead with the establishment of a recycling system for waste and used materials.

We must optimize the security of overseas resources. We should make full use of international and domestic markets and resources, in a way that brings us mutual benefits and win-win outcomes. Under the premise of effectively preventing outbound investment risks, we should strengthen cooperation in energy resources with relevant countries, and buttress rights and interests in high-quality overseas resources.

Here, I would put special emphasis on the security of agricultural product supply. From the results of the latest national land survey, arable lands are still decreasing. And in some places, areas of basic farmland are not for grains. Instead, fruit trees or other high-value-added crops are planted. I have repeatedly said that the food supply of Chinese people should be firmly held in our own hands at any time, and the sources of food should mainly come from China. We should prioritize raising overall agricultural production capacity, Continuously promote the construction of high standard farmland, back an initiative for the revitalization of the seed industry, and upgrade agricultural machinery and equipment to ensure that farmers who grow food receive reasonable income. We must ensure absolute grain security, fundamental self-sufficiency in grains, and enhance the production capacity and self-sufficiency rates of oil plants and soybeans.

The fourth issue: We must properly understand the importance of guarding against and defusing major risks. Since the 1990s, China has effectively handled the Asian financial crisis, the international financial crisis, the COVID-19 epidemic and other major tests. Now, China's economy and financial sector possess many risks, but the overall situation is under control. We must think about worst-case scenarios just as the old saying goes "Nip the disaster in the bud." We have to leverage the strengths of CPC's leadership and the advantages of our socialist system, spot the problem early on, and try our best to avoid major risks or crises.

In the previous stage, we effectively disposed of the shadow banking risks and Internet financial risks. At the same time, we must see that new risks are still brewing, "black swan" and "gray rhinoceros" events keep coming. In analyzing these phenomena, I found several important points. One reason behind these phenomena is the result of long-term accumulation. The "三期叠加" "three phases superposition" impact (Ginger River's notes: a period that China's economic growth rate shifts, a period that the pain of structural adjustment is felt, plus a period that the economy needs to digest the previous stimulus. All three periods add up together) has not yet ended, and there are still risks from earlier stages to be digested. The second is the deficiencies of regulatory capacity and system. There is a lack of supervision for financial institutes’ corporate governance and a mismatch between financial regulatory capacity and the regulatory level. Some local governments borrowed in a covert and illegal manner, causing the liability burdens to continuously grow. The third reason is the savage behaviors of debtors. Some big enterprises were blind and impulsive. They pulled off diversified expansion irrationally, so they relied heavily on financial leverage, resulting in too much industrial capital ending up in the financial sector. Some shareholders and actual controllers operated and managed financial enterprises illegally. Problems like insider control, manipulation by major shareholders, financial fraud and massive embezzlement kept showing up. Fourth, there existed collusion between government and business and corrupt practices. Some officials in charge of financial institutions and government officials were spotted with negligence, malpractice and corruption. They also enriched themselves in their pockets at the expense of the state, causing significant losses. Fifth, the economic cycle has changed. When the economy went into a downturn, those originally hidden risks surfaced, so the probability of local risk triggering systemic risk would increase, featuring the risk of companies going bankrupt.

Next, we must continue the work to handle the risk in accordance with the policy of ensuring the stability of the big picture, strengthening coordination, implementing policy in a differentiated manner, and dissolving risks in a targeted manner. We should enhance the law in the financial sector, and explore and establish a system of regular law modification. We should push the local governments to fulfill their responsibilities, ensure the stability of places under their jurisdiction and defuse risks. We have to make sure that financial regulators, the departments in charge of an industry and supervision departments mitigate risks as required by their responsibilities. We will urge enterprises to treat self-rescue as their main responsibility and to develop feasible risk resolution programs. We need to strengthen our capability, improve the level of regulatory technology to make up for regulatory shortcomings, and reinforce the construction of financial regulatory cadres. Sufficient resources should be available and a fund for ensuring financial stability will be established. Moreover, the deposit insurance system and industry guarantee funds will be brought fully into play. We must study and set up support policies for financial institutions in terms of mergers, acquisitions and the diffusion of non-performing assets. Local governments should take the initiative to put idle assets to use, and dissolve the risks. Corporate shareholders should first shoulder the risk and the loss until the equity is cleared. All parties should cooperate extensively, and the financial industry should establish an integrated risk disposal mechanism with full authorization and coordination to improve the abilities of cross-market and cross-industry coordination and response.

We should pay extra attention to some enterprises in the real-estate sector. Local governments should take responsibility, enhance regulation, and maintain a vigilant guard against systemic risks. So that the real-estate market could develop in a stable and healthy way.

The fifth issue: We must properly understand the idea of achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Promoting carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee after careful consideration, which is our solemn commitment to the international community and an inherent requirement for boosting high-quality development. Recently, there have been some problems with the actual operation. For example, we found phenomena such as "碳冲锋""carbon rush" "一刀切" "one-size-fits-all", 运动式"减碳" campaign-style "carbon reduction", even "拉闸限电" "pulling the plug to limit electricity", which are not in line with the requirements of the CPC at all. Green development is a comprehensive and complex transformation of the economy and society. Restructuring energy and industry can not be achieved overnight, and they must be done based on reality. If the gradual withdrawal of traditional energy is not under the premise that there is a safe and reliable alternative, it will have an adverse impact on economic development and social stability. Pollution reduction and carbon reduction are an integral part of economic restructuring. So we need to build the new before weeding out the old, and always have the big picture in mind.

At the ninth meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, I made a comprehensive arrangement for "double carbon" (to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060), emphasizing the principles such as national coordination, a priority of conservation, relying on forces of both government and market, linking up domestic work and that of other countries and risk prevention. The CPC Central Committee has already issued opinions on achieving carbon neutrality and approved an action plan for peaking carbon emissions by 2030. We should be determined to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality and carbon peak emissions, but it is not possible to finish the job in one leap, and we must base ourselves on China's national context, where coal is a major energy source. While advancing the clean and efficient use of coal, we should accelerate the transformations of coal power units to make them more flexible, develop renewable energy, promote the optimal combination of coal and new energy and increase the absorptive capacity of new energy. We must work hard to get breakthroughs in low-carbon technology, speeding up the promotion and application of advanced technologies. We should conduct scientific evaluations, improve the “双控” "dual control system”, and create conditions for the transformations towards controlling both the amount and the intensity of carbon emission. We should also expedite the establishment of a reward and control mechanism. All localities and government departments should take coordinated moves for "double carbon" and "dual control" work. And setting an overall quota and simply dividing it all the way done must be avoided. We must ensure the supply of energy, making a well-balanced energy supply system that has various goals. And we need to increase energy supply from multiple channels. Major enterprises, especially state-owned enterprises, should take the lead in securing the supply and stabilizing the price. Moreover, large-scale power cuts are strictly prohibited. We will promote the energy revolution, boost the reform of energy consumption, supply, technology, and relevant institutions, strengthen international cooperation, and step up in building national strength in energy.

*[The Qiushi Journal noted that] This is part of Xi Jinping's speech at the Central Economic Work Conference held on December 8, 2021.

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