2018 Headlines (2) – Xi’s First Six Years: the Majestic Journey toward the Highest Common Denominator

The following is the gist (as I see it) of an article published by Xinhua online, on December 16. It centers around events and developments from the past six years, future challenges and intentions, and the role of CCP secretary general Xi Jinping in those events and intentions.

Main Link / original title: The Actual Events of the Party’s Central Committee’s Leading Reform and Opening with Xi Jinping at its Core (以习近平同志为核心的党中央引领改革开放纪实 )
Links within blockquotes added during translation

The article, put together by eleven authors, contains about 10,000 characters, which is unusually long even by Chinese online standards, but will certainly have found interested readers. The length of an article doesn’t deter a Chinese audience. Readers who don’t read Chinese but would like to get the big picture are advised to use Google Translate – it does a surprisingly decent job when translating from Chinese into English.

The paragraphs are interspersed with slogans – such as the most solemn memory is to create more glory, the sincerest commitment to the people is indefatigable struggle (对历史最郑重的纪念，是再创辉煌 / (对人民最真挚的承诺，是不懈奋斗), or reform looks like a problem, and must dare to lead all the more, or this is the resounding call to battle (改革难字当头，更需敢字当先 /  这是高亢激扬的出征号令).

Reform is complicated and sensitive, states the resounding call to battle, so how to prepare a good overall plan for a huge essay?

The project is big indeed: this is a thought (or ideological) innovation unprecedented in history (这是史无前例的观念革新). And you better take this literally, if you are a cadre in China, or wish to score well for other reasons. There is no mention of Deng Xiaoping, let alone Jiang Zemin or Hu Jintao. There isn’t even a mention of Mao (which might be understandable, given that reform and opening wasn’t his main theme anyway). As for Deng, there is a mention of some slogans that became part of his doctrines, but usually reaching further back in history, such as seeking truth in facts or liberating thought, as used in the Deng Xiaoping Theory (邓小平理论).

But there is, of course, a defining trip to the South.

Comrade Xi Jinping’s first inspection destination after taking the position of secretary general was Qianhai, Shenzhen. Facing this homeland where the first “cannon” of reform and opening had rung out, Xi Jinping issued judgment that “our country’s reform has entered the time of storming fortifications and has entered the deep-blue sea areas. He emphasized that “reform does not pause, and opening does not halt. The China of the next forty years is set to make the world feel a whole new level of respect for its new successes!”

2012年12月，习近平同志担任总书记后首赴地方考察，第一站来到深圳前海。
面对这片打响改革开放“开山炮”的热土，习近平总书记作出“我国改革已经进入攻坚期和深水区”的判断，强调“改革不停顿、开放不止步”。下一个40年的中国，定当有让世界刮目相看的新成就！”

Praise is carefully hedged by remarks about a more complicated future, for which new approaches are being developed.

At first, the new requirements are billed.

Having passed several decades of rapid development, China has arrived at a new juncture. The degrees of complexity, hardship and sensitivity have hardly ever been comparable to these years.

经过几十年快速发展，中国又走到了一个新的关口。改革开放的复杂程度、艰巨程度、敏感程度，丝毫不亚于当年。

At home, a number of deep-seated contradictions have continuously amassed during the long period of growth, economic development has entered the new normal, and structural adjustment and kinetic energy conversion are imperative; issues of unbalanced and insufficient development stand out more and more obviously, and the people’s yearning for a fine life becomes increasing urgent.

向内看，经济长期高速增长过程中积累的一系列深层次矛盾不断积聚，经济发展进入新常态，结构调整、动能转换势在必行；发展不平衡、不充分问题日益突出，人民群众对美好生活的向往愈发迫切。

Abroad, the haze of the international financial crisis has not dispersed, regional conflicts occur frequently, the threat of extremism is spreading, international competition under the wave of new technologies revolution and industrial transformation require people to work harder, the dregs of opposition against globalization and protectionism is surfacing, and hyping and mourning [China’s development – this seems to point into this direction] lie in ambush.

向外看，国际金融危机阴霾未散，地区冲突频发，极端主义威胁蔓延；新科技革命和产业变革浪潮下的国际竞争形势逼人，逆全球化、贸易保护主义沉渣泛起，捧杀唱衰中国的论调此起彼伏。

Behind the creation of the “China’s rise” world miracle, premature ideological concepts and institutional malpractice are becoming stumbling blocks for the pace of reform and opening, helping the solidification of barriers, which is all the more an alarm siren, continuously shaking stable social development.

在创造了“中国崛起”的世界奇迹后，不合时宜的思想观念和体制机制弊端正在成为阻碍改革开放步伐的“绊脚石”，利益固化藩篱更是频频触动社会稳定发展的“警报器”。

To meet the challenges, a strong hand is needed – a helmsman who dares to speak inconvenient truths.

To make him speak again, the article revisits an interview Xi gave to Russian television, in February 2014

All the pleasant reforms are completed. The delicious meat has been eaten, and what is still on the dishes are rather tough bones.

The answer to these challenges? There are as many answers as questions, and all from the new great helmsman himself.

For one, there is the Central Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission (中央全面深化改革委员会), preceded by a leading small group of a similar name () or Leading Small Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform (LSGCDR) in December 2013:

Secretary general Xi Jinping held the position of group leader, thus strengthening the central committee’s centralized and integrated leadership in comprehensively deepening reform.

习近平总书记担任组长，加强党中央对全面深化改革的集中统一领导。

There is also the courage to offend thousands, rather than turning your back on the 1.3 billion [得罪千百人、不负十三亿 – thousands of cadres, 1.3 bn Chinese people]: strictly running the party, deepening reform of party discipline and state supervision organization.

Understanding the need to vacate the cage and to replace the old birds with new ones, thus making Phoenix rise from the ashes (腾笼换鸟、凤凰涅槃), to change the way of development, to implement new concepts of development, to deepen supply-side structural reform, an economy that strives into the direction of high quality will be promoted. Also,

bearing future generations in mind, reforming ecological civilization, reforming cadre evaluation, unfolding central environmental protection, we will make the concept of Lucid waters and lush mountains enter deep into peoples’ hearts.

以“为千秋万代计”的视野，深化生态文明领域改革，改革干部考核制度、开展中央环保督察，让绿水青山就是金山银山的理念深入人心；

For whatever reason, the enumeration ends there with ellipses, and turns to another topic – the CCP’s ninteenth national congress.

The article also addresses the “one country two systems” concept (limited to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge), Zhejiang’s one-stop service practice (最多跑一次), multiple-plans integration practice (多规合一) from Hainan and Ningxia, reform of medical care, medical insurance and pharmaceutical industry (三医联动) in Fujian province, and an internet court in Hangzhou, all referred to as innovation from the grassroots.

Reform of State-owned enterprises – a hard bone (硬骨头) – is described as the job of the top dog, and the C919 airliner, the Beidou Navigation system and the Fuxing Train group are presented are presented as state-enterprise achievements in a process of transforming “made in China” (中国制造) into “intelligently made in China” (中国智造).

Countryside development, deliberations on household registration reform (户籍制度改革的意见), and spiritual nourishment are also mentioned. As for the latter,

to let the people have rich spiritual nourishment, social efficiency must come first, unification of social and economic efficiency culture must be institutionalized day by day, modern public cultural services construction be accelerated, and the cultural project for the people [or benefitting the people – 文化惠民工程] be realized;

为让人民拥有丰富的精神食粮，把社会效益放在首位、社会效益和经济效益相统一的文化体制机制日臻完善，现代公共文化服务体系加快构建，文化惠民工程深入实施；

Here, too, an enumeration ends with ellipses (after the following paragraph).

When the people’s yearning for a good life becomes the common goal of the struggle, when everyone’s participation, everyone’s greatest efforts, and everyone sharing in the fruits of these become the highest common denominator, then reform will converge into a profound and majestic power, and continue the composition of a magnificent chapter on a new era.

当人民对美好生活的向往成为共同的奋斗目标，当“人人参与、人人尽力、人人共享”成为社会的最大公约数，改革正汇聚起深沉而磅礴的力量，续写新时代的壮丽篇章。

Now for the conclusions.

Looking at the world, there is no such governing party that can such a long-term plan as the CCP’s, there is no such country that can operate a steady process, step by step, the unremitting move toward reform’s objectives, and certainly not this nation ability to push open this great gate of opportunity, continuously turning the experience of reform into the reality of development.

放眼世界，没有哪个政党能像中国共产党这样作出如此长远的规划，没有哪个国家能像中国这样一步一个脚印，持之以恒地朝向既定改革目标迈进，更没有哪个民族能够一次次推开机遇的大门，把改革的经验不断变成发展的现实。

Confucius Institute says: if the people work 364 days, let them have one day of joy, and quench their spiritual thirst with articles like this one. However, these are solemn, but also sober times. The armed forces’ modernization gets only two paragraphs (and it’s all about what Xi has done to make it happen), and only when the world is doing fine, China can also do fine (and only if China is doing fine, the world can do fine) – 世界好，中国才能好；中国好，世界才更好.

____________

Related

Xiong’an, Wikipedia, most recent edit Nov 7, 2018
“四梁八柱”论, Baidu, most recent edit Nov 22, 2018

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Merry Christmas

Weser River, Verden District (West)

Merry Christmas, run, run, Rudolph, and let it snow.

2018 Headlines (1) – Vladimir Putin’s Annual Year-End Press Conference

Among other issues, the marathon Q & A session reportedly touched upon the 40th anniversary of China’s reform-and-opening policies, and on the Kuril Islands, the southernmost of which are contested between Japan and Russia.

A record number of 1,702 journalists had registered for Russian president Vladimir Putin‘s annual press conference at Moscow World Trade Center on Thursday local time, Guanchazhe online reported on the same day. This constituted a new record number. The article also contains the presidential press secretary’s revelation that Putin had set aside three days to prepare for the event, and that he had studied relevant material until late at night.

The following are excerpts from the article. Links within blockquotes were added during translation.

Main Link: Live Broadcast of Putin’s Annual Press Conference: Russia assesses China’s Reform and Opening Positively (普京年度记者会直播：俄罗斯积极评价中国改革开放)

December 18 is the 18th anniversary of China’s reform and opening. Putin said at the press conference that Russia assessed the changes positively that had happened in China.

18日，中国改革开放刚刚迎来40周年。普京在记者会上表示，俄罗斯积极评价中国发生的变化。

[Subheading]

The Xinhua reporter¹⁾ asked: “How do you evaluate the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening, and the development of Sino-Russian trade relations?”

新华社记者提问称：“您如何评价中国改革开放40周年以及中俄经贸关系发展？”

Putin said that Russia evaluated the changes and the efforts made for economic development positively. Bilateral trade between the two countries had reached 10,000,000,000 100,000,000,000 USD. The inseparably close relationship between China and Russia was useful for world peace and stability.

普京表示，俄罗斯积极评价中国发生的变化以及在经济发展上所做的努力。两国双边贸易今年达到1000亿美元。中俄两国的紧密关系对世界和平稳定都有益。

[Subheading]

Putin said that the Russian government planned to begin three-percent growth from 2021 on, and Russia’s goal was to become the world’s fifth-largest economy.²⁾

普京表示，俄罗斯政府计划从2021年开始实现3%的经济增长，俄罗斯目标是成为世界第五大经济体。

He also said that Russia’s 2018 unemployment rate was predicted to drop from 2017’s 5.2 percent to 4.8 percent. Russia’s gold and foreign-exchange reserves had increased by 7 percent, reaching 464,000,000,000 USD. Russia’s inflation rate in 2018 would exceed the four-percent target, reaching about 4.1 or 4.2 percent.

他还表示，2018年俄罗斯失业率预计从2017年的5.2%降至4.8%。俄罗斯黄金外汇储备增加7%，达到4640亿美元。俄罗斯2018年全年通胀率将超过4%的目标水平，达到4.1%-4.2%左右。

Putin emphasized at the same time that the country needed a breakthrough, for which resources were required. Russia’s government and administrative agencies were making efforts to this end. Therefore twelve national projects in the fields of science, education and health had been established.

同时，普京强调，国家需要突破。为此需要资源，俄罗斯政府和行政机关正致力于此，因此在科学、教育和卫生保健领域设立了12个国家项目。

[Subheading]

Concerning the matter of returning the islands contested between Russia and Japan, Putin believed that when it came to signing a peace treaty between Russia and Japan, security issues mattered most. Russia expressed worries about American deployment of anti-missile systems in Japan.

对于归还日俄争议岛屿一事，普京认为，在俄日签署和约的问题上，安全问题最为重要。俄罗斯对美国在日本部署反导系统表示不安。

According to article 9 of the Soviet-Japanese Joint Declaration, the islands of Shikotan island and the Habomei islands could be returned to Japan, but only after a peace treaty had been signed.

根据《苏日共同宣言》的第九条条款规定苏联政府同意把色丹岛和齿舞诸岛归还给日本，但条件是在签署和平条约之后才真正归还给日本。

The Soviet Union’s and Japan’s parliaments approved this declaration in 1956, but when Japan and America signed the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security in 1960, the Soviet Union cancelled the obligation to return these islands. On January 27, 1960, a Soviet government memorandum stated that only when all foreign troops were withdrawn from Japan, there would be a return of the islands to Japan.

1956年苏联和日本两国议会批准了这份宣言。但作为对1960年日本和美国签订的《日美安全保障条约》的回应，苏联取消了归还这些岛屿的义务。1960年1月27日苏联政府备忘录中写道，只有在所有外国军队撤离日本的条件下这些岛屿才将归还给日本。

ABC News reported on Thursday that

The press conference, however, is heavily curated. The Kremlin press service proposes questions beforehand, and decides who will be called on to speak. Follow-up questions are not permitted, allowing Putin to disarm all but the sharpest queries and make assertions that can’t be challenged. The audience is overwhelmingly friendly and often breaks into applause.

And RFE/RL wrote, also on the same day, that

[t]he Russian president cast Russia’s sluggish economy in a positive light, while calling for improvements.

When Putin took back the presidency (or the “candidacy” for it) from his straw man Dmitry Medvedev in 2011, now defunct foreign radio service “Voice of Russia” quoted political scientist Vyacheslav Nikonov as saying that

There were mentions of ambitious goals which are in fact not quite that ambitious, such as becoming one of the world’s five largest economies. I believe Russia will be up to that if it develops with seven per cent growth. I believe that we can become the fifth-largest global economy and the biggest in Europe by 2020.

In that light, even one of the calls for improvement seems to constitute a postponement.

____________

Notes

^{Footnote 1)} No Xinhuareporter seems to be included in the Kremlin’s English-language transcript of the press conference. However, the Russian-language transcript does include one (English translation by Google Translate):

Вопрос: Здравствуйте, Владимир Владимирович. Я корреспондент агентства «Синьхуа».

Question: Hello, Vladimir Vladimirovich. I am a Xinhua correspondent.

Мой вопрос именно о Китае. Состоялось торжественное собрание по случаю 40-летия проведения политики реформ и открытости. На нём Председатель Си Цзиньпин призвал довести до конца все меры, связанные с реформами и открытостью. Как Вы оцениваете изменения, произошедшие в Китае за эти годы?

My question is about China. A solemn meeting on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up policy was held. On it, President Xi Jinping called for the completion of all measures related to reform and openness. How do you assess the changes in China over the years?

И ещё. Россия и Китай приблизились к отметке двустороннего товарооборота в 100 миллиардов долларов США, и при этом российский экспорт в Китай вырос на 44 процента и оказался на 10 миллиардов долларов больше, чем импорт из Китая. Довольны ли Вы развитием российско-китайских отношений в этом году? Спасибо.

And further. Russia and China approached the bilateral trade turnover of $ 100 billion, while Russian exports to China grew by 44 percent and were $ 10 billion more than imports from China. Are you satisfied with the development of Russian-Chinese relations this year? Thank.

В.Путин: Действительно, это знаковый рубеж. Не знаю, сможем ли мы выйти на 100 миллиардов или нет, но мы приблизились к этому. Это уже, в принципе, показатель, действительно. Надо будет посчитать в начале следующего года общий объём товарооборота, но где-то в районе 100 миллиардов он будет, и это само по себе достижение. И конечно, мы не можем не быть довольны этим результатом. Но это производный результат от состояния российско-китайских отношений, от роста уровня доверия стран между собой.

Vladimir Putin: Indeed, this is a landmark. I don’t know if we can reach 100 billion or not, but we are close to that. This is, in principle, an indicator, indeed. It will be necessary to calculate the total volume of trade at the beginning of next year, but it will be somewhere around 100 billion, and this is an achievement in itself. And of course, we can not be satisfied with this result. But this is a derivative result from the state of Russian-Chinese relations, from the growth of the level of trust between countries.

Мы работаем и в двустороннем формате, и очень надёжно, мы решили все проблемы, которые доставались нам ещё со времён Советского Союза, и двигаемся дальше. Мы работаем не только в сфере экономики, но и в сфере безопасности, мы сотрудничаем очень активно на международной арене, и российско-китайское взаимодействие на международной арене, безусловно, является фактором, оздоровляющим международную обстановку, фактором стабильности и прогнозируемости развития ситуации на мировой арене.

We work in a bilateral format, and very reliably, we have solved all the problems that have come to us since the days of the Soviet Union, and move on. We work not only in the economic sphere, but also in the field of security, we cooperate very actively in the international arena, and Russian-Chinese interaction in the international arena is undoubtedly a factor improving the international situation, a factor of stability and predictability of the development of the situation in the world.

Мы положительно оцениваем изменения, которые произошли в Китае. Я считаю, что для такой страны, как Китайская Народная Республика, с миллиардом тремястами миллионов населения, очень важна стабильность и прогнозируемость, в том числе и во внутренней политике, включая и кадровую составляющую. Председатель Си Цзиньпин принял решение, и товарищи из КПК его поддержали в этом направлении, и думаю, что Китай поступил правильно, стабильность гарантирует поступательное развитие Китайской Народной Республики.

We appreciate the changes that have occurred in China. I believe that for a country like the People’s Republic of China, with a billion three hundred million people, stability and predictability are very important, including in domestic policy, including the personnel component. Chairman Xi Jinping made the decision, and the CCP comrades supported him in this direction, and I think that China did the right thing, stability guarantees the ongoing development of the People’s Republic of China.

^{Footnote 2)} The wording, according to en.kremlin.ru:

By the way, you mentioned the projected 2 percent growth for the next two years. Yes, in the next years, 2019–2020, two percent each, but from 2021, the Government is already planning 3 percent, and then more. Therefore, I strongly hope that we will manage to do all this. Some fluctuations are probably possible, but, I repeat, the most important thing is that we need… Do you see what we need to do? We need to join another league of economies, and not only in terms of volumes. I think that taking the fifth place in terms of volume is quite possible. We used to rank fifth in terms of the economy, in purchasing power parity, and we will do it again, I think. However, we need to ascend to another league in terms of the quality of the economy. This is what our national projects are aimed at.

____________

Pete Myers, 1939 – 1998

December 15, this coming weekend, marks the 20th death anniversary of Pete Myers, probably the past century’s greatest radio personality without a Wikipedia entry of his own.

Here is an excerpt from one of his programs, broadcast on October 11, 1992, an official day of mourning in the Netherlands, one week after the Bijlmer disaster.

National Leading Group on Science and Technology first plenary session held

Main Link: Li Keqiang presides over national science and technology leading group’s first session ( 李克强主持召开国家科技领导小组第一次会议)

Links within blockquotes added during translation — JR

On December 6, CCP central committee standing committee member, chief state councillor and head of the national leading group on science and technology Li Keqiang presided over the national leading group on science and technology first plenary session. Photo by Xinhua reporter Liu Wei Bing

12月6日，中共中央政治局常委、国务院总理、国家科技领导小组组长李克强在北京主持召开国家科技领导小组第一次全体会议。 新华社记者刘卫兵摄

Li Keqiang presided over national leadcing group on science and technology’s first plenary session

李克强主持召开国家科技领导小组第一次会议强调

Deepening reform will further expand arousal of society’s ingenuity

深化改革更大激发社会创造力

Even better bring technological innovation’s supporting and leading role for economic development into play

更好发挥科技创新对发展的支撑引领作用

Han Zheng attended

韩正出席

Xinhua newsagency, Beijing, December 6, CCP central committee standing committee member, chief state councillor and head of the national leading group on science and technology Li Keqiang presided over the national leading group on science and technology first plenary session, explored the strategic plan of technological development, promotion of open cooperation in innovation, to push and implement policies of giving technological organizations and employees greater leeway in decision-making.

新华社北京12月6日电 12月6日，中共中央政治局常委、国务院总理、国家科技领导小组组长李克强主持召开国家科技领导小组第一次全体会议，研究国家科技发展战略规划、促进创新开放合作，推动落实赋予科研机构和人员更大自主权政策。

Han Zheng, member of the standing committee of the CCP central committee’s politbureau and vice premier of the state council, attended.

中共中央政治局常委、国务院副总理韩正出席。

Li Keqiang pointed out that innovation concerns the country’s future destiny. Ever since the party’s eighth national congress, under the the party center’s strong leadership with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, the entire nation had implemented a new concept of development, thoroughly carried out the strategy of driving innovation, with technological development achieving major breakthroughs in many fields, society’s innovative vitality bursting forth enormously and technological progress, and old and new kinetic energy conversion constituting a huge promotional force for economic development. The current new round of global technologcial revolution and industrial transformation are pressing issues, our country finds itself at a key moment of upgrading economic transformation, facing opportunities, difficulties and challenges, and [our country] must stand on the strengthening of economic innovation power and competitive power, bringing into play our country’s abundance of manpower and human resources, domestically, the market’s huge advantages etc. must be used, technological innovation and competitiveness be established with greater vigor, and high-quality development be promoted.

李克强指出，创新事关国家前途命运。党的十八大以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，全国上下贯彻新发展理念，深入实施创新驱动发展战略，科技发展在多个领域取得重大突破，社会创新创造活力极大迸发，科技进步和新旧动能转换对经济发展形成了巨大推动力。当前世界新一轮科技革命和产业变革形势逼人，我国正处于经济转型升级的关键时期，面对机遇、困难和挑战，要立足增强经济创新力和竞争力，发挥我国人力人才资源丰富、国内应用市场巨大等优势，更大力度推进科技创新，推动高质量发展。

Li Keqiang said, technological innovation strategies needed to integrate better into the national development’s general situation, orient towards construction of modernity, focus on key core technology, foster and strengthen new kinetic energy, and promote deepened harmonization of technology with the economy. Fundamental research is the source of scientific systems and must provide increased support for the long-term stability of fundamental research, guide companies and society towards more investment, project “hard technology” research, and make efforts to achieve more innovation. Innovation mechanisms needed to be perfected, companies’ main bodies and markets to be upheld, joint innovation in production, education and research be encouraged, leading enterprises leading role in major technological projects be supported, international channels of innovation be expanded, and breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation as well as result transformation be promoted. A level playing field of technological-development resources for common use, and new types of research and development organisations and other innovative platforms as well as industrial internet platforms need to be developed, big, medium-sized and small companies, online and offline circulation, in-depth promotion of mass entrepreneurship and mass innovation must be supported, and a level based on “double innovation” as well as an industry rising to the medium and high-end be promoted.

李克强说，科技创新战略布局要更好融入国家发展大局，面向现代化建设，聚焦突破关键核心技术、培育壮大新动能，推动科技与经济深度融合。基础研究是科学体系的源头，要对基础研究加大长期稳定支持，引导企业和社会增加投入，突出“硬科技”研究，努力取得更多原创成果。完善创新机制，坚持企业主体、市场主导，鼓励产学研用联合创新，支持龙头企业牵头重大科技项目，拓展国际创新合作渠道，促进科技创新突破和成果转化。发展科技资源共享平台、新型研发机构等创新平台和工业互联网平台，支持大中小企业、线上线下融通创新，深入推进大众创业、万众创新，促进“双创”上水平，推动产业向中高端跃升。

Li Keqiang said that reform of technological structures needes to be deepened, intellectual property rights more strongly protected, and a good innovation ecology be built. The law and scientific staff needed to be respected, and the productive forces be further emancipated. Technological organizations and policies giving scientific staff greater leeway in decision-making, [policies of] assessing scientific research projects, and giving incentives to research staff needed to be implemented. As for policies concerning project management, technology route and decision-making, budget adjustments, the allocation of result transformation benefits etc. that have already emerged, the relevant departments need to further sort things out, define responsibilities, and ensure comprehensive redemption.

李克强说，要深化科技体制改革，更大力度保护知识产权，营造良好创新生态。尊重规律，尊重科研人员，进一步解放生产力。要切实抓好赋予科研机构和人员更大自主权、科研项目评价、科研人员激励等政策落实。对项目管理、技术路线决策、预算调剂、成果转化收益分配等方面已出台的政策，有关部门要逐一梳理，明确责任，确保全面兑现。

Li Keqiang said that the scientists minds needed to be vigorously enhanced, that full concentration of scientists and researchers needed to be encouraged, more opportunities for young people to grow and to make something of themselves needed to be created, and help had to be provided to them to solve lingering worries from the past^*). More efforts to build sincere science and research, to avoid fickleness and impatience, serious investigations of improper behavior in violation of scientific ethics, and the building of an academic atmosphere of pursuing excellence and a practice of rigorously striving for realistic results were needed.

李克强强调，要大力弘扬科学家精神，鼓励科研人员潜心钻研，多为青年人成长成才创造机会，帮助解决后顾之忧。加强科研诚信建设，避免浮躁，严肃查处违背科研道德和伦理的不端行为，营造追求卓越、严谨求实的学术风气。

Li Keqiang demanded that all member units of the national leading group on science and technology should take Xi Jinping’s new-era socialism with Chinese charachteristics as guidance, implement the party’s 19th national congress’ spirit, conscientiously plan the project of reforming and developing science and technology, strengthen and overall planning, focus on policy implementation and the advancement of major missions, to mobilize science and technology circles and relatede forces to spare no effort in building an innovative country.

李克强要求，国家科技领导小组各成员单位要以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，贯彻党的十九大精神，认真谋划科技事业改革发展，加强统筹协调，狠抓政策落实和重大任务推进，调动科技界和相关各方面力量，为建设创新型国家不懈努力。

Sun Chunlan, Liu He, Bagatur and He Lifeng attended the meeting.

孙春兰、刘鹤、巴特尔、何立峰出席会议。

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Notes

^*) This could refer to former students’ employment opportunities and student loans repayment problems, issues Li has discussed before.
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Related

Economic transformation, SCMP, Dec 7, 2018
Israel-China Innovation Coop, Embassy, Oct 30, 2018
十三五规划, Wikipedia as of June 10, 2018
孔子说过, State Council, Dec 30, 2016

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Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) Christmas Program on Shortwave

Following an established annual routine, Northern German Radio (NDR) broadcasts a four-hours Christmas program on shortwave – “Gruß an Bord” (greeting all ships) – on December 24, from 19:00 to 23:00 UTC.

Update: NDR Christmas Program 2019

_______________________________________
Time	Freq.	Transmit-	Target
(UTC)	(kHz)	ter site	area
___________________________________
19:00 –	6,080	Nauen,	Atlantic N
21:00		Germany
___________________________________
19:00 –	11,650	Issoudun,	Atlantic S
21:00
___________________________________
19:00 –	9,800	Issoudun,	Atlantic,
21:00		France	Indian O.,
			Sth Africa
___________________________________
19:00 –	9,740	Nauen,	Indian
21:00		Germany	Ocean W
___________________________________
19:00 –	9,570	Moos-	Indian
21:00		brunn,	Ocean E
		Austria
___________________________________
19:00 –	6,030	Armenia	Europe
21:00
___________________________________
21:00 –	6,145	Nauen	Atlantic N
21:00
___________________________________
21:00 –	9,830	Issoudun	Atlantic S
21:00
___________________________________
21:00 –	9,590	Issoudun	Atlantic,
23:00			Indian O.,
			Sth Africa
___________________________________
21:00 –	9,720	Nauen	Indian
23:00			Ocean W
___________________________________
21:00 –	9,650	Moos-	Indian
23:00		brunn	Ocean E
___________________________________
21:00 –	6,155	Armenia	Europe
23:00
___________________________________

Sources

Gruss an Bord, NDR, Nov 28, 2018
Background, RBB, Nov 17, 2018
History, Dec 25, 2017

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