Tracking People’s Daily — September 3, 2020
Page 1: Xi Jinping attended a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the end of WWII in Beijing on Thursday. If you are interested in the events of today morning, you can check out this CGTN video. The entire PSC was present at the ceremony. Fun fact. If you watch the video, as Xi leads the PSC into the museum for the floral tribute, Wang Qishan is the eighth member walking closely behind. Anyway, back to PD, where the front page carried an editorial about WWII or “the 75th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.”
Here’s an excerpt: “After 14 years of unyielding and heroic struggle, the Chinese people defeated the vicious Japanese militarist invaders and won the first complete victory for China against foreign invasions in modern times. This great victory completely shattered the Japanese militarist colonial attempt to enslave China, and washed away the national humiliation of China’s repeated defeats against foreign aggression in modern times. This great victory re-established China’s status as a major country in the world and enabled the Chinese people to win the respect of the peace-loving people of the world. This great victory opened up a bright future for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation…This great victory is also a major contribution made by the Chinese people to the victory of the world anti-fascist war and the maintenance of world peace.”
This is followed by a lot of talk about the value of patriotism and lessons for today’s times. “On the new journey, we must carry forward the great spirit of patriotism, carry forward the great spirit of resistance, have the courage to overcome difficulties, take responsibility for deeds, and continue to move from victory to new victory.” There’s some Grade A historical revisionism in there too; for instance, “the mainstay role of the Communist Party of China was the key to the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japan.” But the larger point is this: “History has profoundly demonstrated that only the Communist Party of China can lead China, only socialism can save China, and only by upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics can the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation be realized. On the new journey, we must strengthen the “four consciousnesses”, strengthen the “four self-confidences”, achieve the “two upholds”, keep in mind the original intention, keep the mission in mind, and gather the wisdom and strength of 1.4 billion people to…realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
And then there’s this, which I guess only the most wooly-headed would buy anymore: “No force can shake our belief in peaceful development. No matter where it develops, China will never seek hegemony, never engage in expansion, and will never impose the tragic experience it has experienced on other countries and nations.”
Also noteworthy as part of the WWII commemorations is that Xi and Valdimir Putin exchanged messages. Xinhua English reports that “China and Russia, respectively the main battlefield in Asia and Europe, endured great national sacrifices for and made indelible historic contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.” The report adds: “As permanent members of the UN Security Council, Xi stressed, China and Russia both shoulder important responsibilities for the cause of world peace and development. He said he is ready to work with Putin to take the 75th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War as an opportunity to lead their countries towards deeper comprehensive strategic coordination.” According to Xinhua, Putin told Xi that Russia is “willing to continue making active efforts with friendly China to prevent war and conflicts and safeguard global stability and security.”
WWII is also the focus of Page 3, with a commentary and a Xinhua report looking back at different moments and current resonance. The commentary says that “the world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century. Hegemonism and power politics have not yet died out. Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise. The rule of law, fairness and justice are threatened. The international system with the United Nations as the core and the international system based on international law are threatened. Order is challenged, safeguarding the hard-won peace achievements and promoting the common development of the world are the propositions of the times facing all countries. At this time, all countries must revisit the determination expressed in the opening chapter of the “United Nations Charter” to “save future generations from the scourge of war that mankind has experienced twice,” and make unremitting efforts for it.”
And then this: “Faced with a world full of instability and uncertainty, China is actively exploring and answering the questions of the age of “what’s wrong with the world and what shall we do”. In recent years, China has continued to promote the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind, actively promote the joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, actively participate in UN peacekeeping operations, actively practice solutions to hot issues with Chinese characteristics, and continue to inject stability and positive energy into the world.”
Moving on, Li Keqiang presided (PD version) over a State Council meeting, promising a “prudent monetary policy.” A statement following the meeting emphasised the “need to maintain policy strength and sustainability, refrain from resorting to a deluge of strong stimulus policies, and channel funds into the real economy.” Also, two nuclear-power projects with a total investment of 70 billion yuan (about 10.24 billion USD) were approved at the meeting.
Page 2: First, a commentary following from Xi’s remarks on Tibet last week. This one focuses on Party building in Tibet. It says: “To strengthen party building, we must focus on building leadership groups, cadres and talent teams, and grassroots organizations at all levels, and continuously improve the party’s creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness. It is necessary to put the political construction of the party in the first place, ensure that party organizations at all levels…and cadres strictly abide by political discipline and rules, and work with the party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core in terms of political stand, political orientation, political principles…”
Page 4: First, Guo Shengkun spoke at a seminar on political and legal propaganda and public opinion at the offices of Legal Daily. PD says that Guo “pointed out that all types of media at all levels in the political and legal fields are the party’s propaganda front, and all work must reflect the party’s will and reflect the party’s views. It is necessary to strengthen the “four consciousnesses”, strengthen the “four self-confidences”, and achieve the “two upholds”, adhere to political guidance, strengthen political construction, implement the party’s absolute leadership over political, legal, and public opinion work, and spread the party’s voice.” He also said “that it is necessary to study, publicize and implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era as the primary political task.”
Next Zhao Kezhi’s comments during a visit to Inner Mongolia. Remember, this week reports have informed of protests in the region owing to the imposition of Mandarin. The PD story is about Zhao’s visit to Inner Mongolia and Ningxia from August 29 to September 2. He promised to “fight an iron-fisted battle” against issues of discipline in the police machinery…and “resolutely achieve absolute loyalty, absolute purity.” The piece says that Zhao Kezhi successively investigated public security organs and grassroots teams in Hulunbuir, Hohhot, and Yinchuan. Again interesting timing, considering the protests. Zhao also said:
“It is necessary to deepen the struggle against separatism, strictly implement anti-terrorism and prevention measures, and do a solid job in maintaining stability in the ethnic and religious fields and promoting ethnic unity.”
Next, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has launched a new platform for fresh college graduates seeking jobs. But let’s move on to foreign affairs with a report on Yang Jiechi’s visit to Myanmar. Yang met with Myanmar President U Win Myint, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Min Aung Hlaing. PD’s story is basically as detailed as this CGTN English piece. It says that Yang told officials there that “China is willing to work with Myanmar to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and work together to build a China-Myanmar community with a shared future… He noted the two sides should promote the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) cooperation, improve the level of bilateral trade and investment, speed up the resumption of work and production in both countries and deepen joint construction of the Belt and Road.” Yang also promised that China is willing to give priority to sharing COVID-19 vaccines with Myanmar once a vaccine is developed.
Although PD doesn’t report it, The Irrawaddy reports that Yang “announced a 200-million-yuan (39.33-billion-kyat) grant for western Rakhine State.” So what was the purpose of the visit? The report quotes Daw Khin Khin Kyaw Kyee, the head of the China desk at the Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP), as saying: “As the election is getting nearer, his trip is aimed at checking the status of China’s strategic projects in Myanmar. Before the election, China wants to make sure the CMEC projects get off the ground.”
Finally, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier met with Wang Yi during his visit to Germany. PD draws from MoFA’s readout, saying that “the German side reiterated that it will adhere to the one-China principle while upholding multilateralism in international affairs. It does not approve of the so-called “decoupling” and does not want the world to fall into divided confrontation.”
Page 7 & 9: Zhou Qiang, President of the Supreme People’s Court, comments on judicial supervision. There are two pieces on the theory page that I’d like to note. First, there’s a piece looking at the world as the Party moves towards its 100th anniversary. It says: “Hegemonism and power politics still exist, protectionism and unilateralism continue to rise, wars and terror attacks, famines and epidemics are emerging one after another, and traditional and non-traditional security issues are complicated and intertwined. To cope with global challenges, it is even more necessary for countries to follow the development trend of the times, enhance the consciousness of a community with a shared future for mankind, carry out global collaboration, and achieve common development.”
And then this classic repetition: “We have always been builders of world peace and firmly follow the path of peaceful development. No matter how the international situation changes, no matter how we develop, we will never seek hegemony, expansion, or sphere of influence. We have always been a contributor to global development, adhere to the path of common development, continue to pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win opening strategy, and share China’s development experience and opportunities with countries around the world. We have always been the defender of the international order, adhere to the path of cooperative development, safeguard the international system with the United Nations as the core, the international order based on international law, and the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as the cornerstone, and safeguard international fairness and justice.”
And then a long paragraph about the contribution of “Chinese wisdom and strength to the global fight against the epidemic.”
Next a piece by Chen Xulong from the Xi Jinping Center for Diplomatic Thought and a researcher of the China Institute of International Studies, who basically says the same thing as above. Lots of peace and equality and so on. Why do you need to keep repeating that you are peaceful if you are peaceful? I mean, who’s buying this stuff?
Page 11: Here’s the domestic politics page. Can you identify the trend?
