Tracking People’s Daily — August 24, 2020
Page 1: A long report summarising Xi Jinping’s Anhui visit last week. It says that “this visit has two main focuses: one is flood prevention and disaster relief and river management and lake management, and the other is the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.” That’s followed by a story about Xi’s speech (English version) on the development of the Yangtze River Delta. The PD story is about local cadres responding with enthusiasm to Xi’s speech.
He wants the “delta region to take the lead in forming a new development pattern that takes the domestic market as the mainstay and allows the domestic and foreign markets to boost each other.” He also “emphasized that the three provinces and one city in the Yangtze River Delta should gather scientific and technological forces, focus on key areas and key links such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and make breakthroughs as soon as possible.”
This is followed by a commentary drawing from Xi’s visit. This one talks about the real economy. It says: “to strengthen and optimize the real economy, we must focus on promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. Traditional industries are the focus of China’s industrial restructuring at present and for a period of time in the future. It is necessary to implement industrial infrastructure reconstruction and industrial chain upgrading projects, consolidate the advantages of traditional industries, strengthen the leading position of advantageous industries, and upgrade the industry by introducing new technologies, new management, and new models.”
While in Anhui, Xi visited the Anhui Innovation Museum, which informs about leadership priorities, reflected in the commentary. It says that China needs to “accelerate the cultivation of strategic emerging industries, and persevere and work for a long time. China’s economic development is facing challenges. It is more necessary to accurately recognize changes, respond scientifically, and actively seek changes, seize the opportunities given by industrial digitization and digital industrialization, accelerate the construction of new infrastructure such as 5G networks and data centers, and accelerate the advancement of digital economy and life health The development of emerging industries such as, new materials, etc. will form more new growth points and growth poles, and create new advantages for future development.”
Next, a story about Li Keqiang’s visit to Chongqing (English version). The story’s focus is about flood relief; it talks about Li taking stock, wading into muddy water — an image that did the rounds last week — speaking to locals, and promising support. Finally, an interesting report on the feedback following the fifth round of inspections of the 19th Central Committee to the party organizations of 35 central and state agencies. Here’s an excerpt:
“At the same time, the central inspection teams also pointed out the existing problems: some units are not deep enough to implement the ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era of Xi Jinping; some are not strong enough to promote the party’s comprehensive and strict governance, and the implementation of the main responsibility is not enough to perform supervision. There are gaps in responsibilities; some implementation of the party’s organizational line in the new era is not in place, and the building of leadership and cadres needs to be strengthened; some party building work responsibility systems are not fully implemented, and grassroots party building work is relatively weak; some have found that the central inspection and audit Some problems were not rectified; etc. The Central Inspection Team also received clues regarding some leading cadres, and they have transferred them to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the State Supervision Commission, and the Central Organization Department for handling in accordance with relevant regulations.”
Here’s more: “the relevant leaders of the Central Inspection Work Leading Group, the National Supervision Commission of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and the Central Organization Department attended the feedback meeting and put forward requirements for inspection and rectification. It is emphasized that the inspected party organizations must thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, earnestly improve their political positions, further strengthen their sense of mission and political responsibility, and actively adapt to the new era, new situation and new requirements…”
Pages 2, 3 & 4: Pages 2 and 3 had nothing that I found particularly interesting. There’s the national science and technology innovation week that’s been launched with Covid being a focus, and Wang Yi’s meeting with Vietnamese counterpart on the anniversary of the land border demarcation. On page 4, there’s a report on the inspection that People’s Daily underwent. Here’s an excerpt:
“The inspections also found some problems, mainly: the study, publicity and implementation of Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics are still insufficient, the implementation of General Secretary Jinping’s important instructions on the work of the People’s Daily is not deep enough, the fulfillment of functions and responsibilities are not in place, and the promotion of media integration are not enough; the implementation of the “two responsibilities” of comprehensive and strict governance of the party is not strong enough, there are weak links in the management of departments and subordinate units, in-depth research at the grassroots level is not enough, formalism, bureaucracy and other problems still exist; implementation of the organisation line of the party in the new era is not in place, the team’s self-building needs to be strengthened, there is still a gap in the building of the cadre and talent team, the grassroots party building work is relatively weak; the inspection and auditing have found that the rectification of problems is not solid enough, and the long-term mechanism is not sound. At the same time, the inspection team also received clues regarding some leading cadres, which have been transferred to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the State Supervision Commission, and the Central Organization Department for handling in accordance with relevant regulations.”
Yang Xiaochao, member of the Central Inspection Work Leading Group, “emphasized that the People’s Daily editorial board must effectively improve its political position, insist on arming its mind, guiding practice, and promoting work with Xi Jinping’s socialist thinking with Chinese characteristics for the new era, further strengthen its sense of mission and political responsibility, and actively adapt to the new era, new situation and new requirements.”
Li Baoshan, People’s Daily president, “said that the People’s Daily editorial board must improve its political position, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech on inspections, from enhancing the four consciousnesses, strengthening the four self-confidence, and achieving two safeguards. A high degree and a deep understanding of the importance of patrolling and rectification to promote the work of the People’s Daily, and earnestly strengthen the political, ideological and action awareness of doing patrol and rectification work. The editorial committee sincerely accepts the feedback from the central inspection team and accepts all of them as per the order.”
Page 16: Finally, here’s what’s covered on the international page.
