Tracking People’s Daily — August 26, 2020
Page 1: The key focus on the front page today are pieces drawing from Xi’s speech, which I’d covered yesterday. This commentary basically reiterates the key points that Xi said, adding that “to view the new opportunities and challenges in the new development stage, we must have dialectical thinking. In the face of a severe and complex situation, if we want to gain advantages…we must stick to Marxist philosophy…and master the fundamental method of materialist dialectics, and improve our ability to manage complex situations and deal with complex issues.” Then there’s this report with academics and cadre chiming in.
Next, the General Office released a new document about reforming the social assistance system. The entire document is available in the paper. So over two years, the Party wants to build an urban and rural social assistance system with Chinese characteristics. And this will become “high quality” by 2035. This is about providing financial support for livelihood purposes, along with medical care, housing, education, and employment support for those who are identified as needing it. There are different layers of relief that’s being promised in the policy; much of which I guess is already in place. For instance, relief for families affected by disasters. The key with any such policies is targeting, i.e., how does one identify the intended beneficiaries? To that end, the document doesn’t provide any specific details. It just talks about doing things effectively and in a timely manner. Along with this, there’s a commentary which talks about the significance of implementing this policy effectively.
Page 3: First, a report with foreign commentators talking about the Chinese economic recovery and how that supports the global economy. Second, a commentary hitting out at the US’ “clean network” plan. The commentary calls the plan “undisguised hegemony and bullying,” blaming “some American politicians” or trying to pull down the “technology iron curtain.” The piece talks about the EU’s concerns about the US. And then says:
“The US cannot accept that Chinese high-tech companies are increasingly becoming industry leaders. Therefore, they are frantically besieging Chinese companies around the world by unscrupulous means. The purpose is to maintain their technological monopoly status and deprive companies of other countries of their legitimate development rights.”
Next, talks between Liu He, Steven Mnuchin and Robert Lighthizer. PD says: the two sides had a constructive dialogue on strengthening the coordination of the macroeconomic policies of the two countries and the implementation of the first phase of the China-US economic and trade agreement. Both sides agreed to create conditions and atmosphere to continue to promote the implementation of the first phase of the China-US economic and trade agreement. The US statement said that the parties “addressed steps that China has taken to effectuate structural changes called for by the agreement.” Those changes, it said, would “ensure greater protection for intellectual property rights, remove impediments to American companies in the areas of financial services and agriculture, and eliminate forced technology transfer.” It added that both sides “see progress and are committed to taking the steps necessary to ensure the success of the agreement.”
Brent Christensen, the Director of the American Institute in Taiwan’s Taipei office, on Sunday attended the annual ceremony of the “battle on August 23, 1959” organised by the DPP. So here we have the Taiwan Affairs Office responding. Here’s the English version. Finally, a report about Duan Jielong, China’s ambassador to Hungary, being elected as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Page 4: A few stories to note. First, rotation of the PLA Garrison in Hong Kong. Second, Liu Guozhong is now the new chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee and Zhao Yide is the governor of Shaanxi Province.
Page 9: The theory page has a piece about implementing the party’s organizational line. The piece says that the Party must “deeply understand and do a good job of arming the whole party with the party’s scientific theory. Organization is the shape and thought is the soul.”
Then: “to uphold the party’s leadership, we must firmly achieve the two safeguards. The political and legal organs must implement the two maintenances in all aspects of the party’s organizational construction, give full play to the political and organizational functions of party organizations at all levels, insist on the party’s absolute leadership over political and legal work…”
It adds: “Our party has established a rigorous organizational system including the party’s central organization, local organizations, and grassroots organizations. This is a powerful advantage that no other political party in the world has. It is necessary to coordinate the promotion of the construction of party organizations at all levels and fields, so that the party organizations at all levels are sound and powerful, and form a strict organizational system that connects from top to bottom and executes effectively. Political and legal agencies should adopt pragmatic and innovative ideas and measures to build a solid and rigorous organizational system, enhance the creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness of grassroots party organizations, and build a model agency that is political, disciplined, responsible, and efficient.”
And importantly, this: “Taking the education and rectification of the national political and legal team as the starting point, we will coordinate the promotion of “eliminating the black sheep, rectifying the stubborn disease, promoting the spirit of heroes, and improving the ability and quality,” and strive to build a political and legal iron army that the party and the people can trust, depend on, and can rest assured.”
And: “It is a long-term task to persist in arming the mind with Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Like smelting metals, it must be tempered and quenched repeatedly to improve purity, strength and toughness, and truly forge special materials.”
Page 16: The international page covers the following stories.
