Argentine-Chinese Relations: Deepest Impressions

Xinhua published an article and a video on October 13/14, about an interview conducted “the other day” with Argentine President Fernandez. Discussing his impending participation in the Belt-and-Road summit, Fernandez said that Argentina and China were having a “very harmonious” relationship, especially during his tenure as Argentine president. When signing the “One-Belt-One-Road” agreement with China, he also expected to “advance together with other countries” that had already signed such agreements with China.

Xinhua: What are your deepest impressions of Xi Jinping?

Asked what was his deepest impression of Xi Jinping, and which of his government concepts had left the deepest impression on him, the Argentine president said that China had “the best interpretation of multilateralism”, and Xi Jinping was showing undeniably strong leadership on that matter. Argentina had always been a supporter of the multilateralist ideal. He therefore believed that China was leading in remodelling (or rebuilding) international organizations and upholding multilateralism. This was closely related to Xi Jinping’s leadership. He, Fernandez, had greatly profited from each discussion with him, and every dialogue [with Xi] had been fruitful. He could tell all countries that harbored misgivings about China that “the Chinese government has never put forward any conditions towards me. This is absolutely true. I think this has to do with Xi Jinping’s leadership.”

My quotes above, from the interview, follow the Chinese subtitles – I can’t judge how well they reflect what President Fernandez said in Spanish. What deserves attention is the video footage. Much of the interview is accompanied with pictures about “majestic China”: a big-city skyline emerging from clouds or fog like Huangshan in the morning, containers travelling by sea and road, a bullet train, infrastructure, and Chinese projects in Argentina.

As silly as the question about the impression Xi left on Fernandez may sound, the correspondent is probably well advised to ask it if he likes his job. According to Pavel Slunkin, formerly a Belarusian diplomat, Chinese diplomats unnerved him and his colleagues with all kinds of minutiae about an impending state visit by Xi Jinping. When everything was set and the Chinese Chairman had arrived and departed again,

I approached one of the Chinese diplomats (subordinates of Qin Gang) and asked him: “What was all this for? These months of useless negotiations about the same thing. This game of arithmetic with steps at the museum at night?”.
Perhaps for the first time in months, he was completely honest with me: “In Beijing, there are several hundred people rowing behind me for my position. So, if I don’t do this, someone else will.”

President Fernandez appears to play along on such occasions, but without losing his dignity. Besides, a Chinese role in Latin America can be useful when you have the U.S. as your hegemonial neighbor – just as Vietnam likes to see the U.S. Pacific Fleet somewhere in its neighborhood. If he has never been confronted with any strings attached to the opportunities by China yet, he probably never will. His term of office ends in December this year.

Fernandez travelled Shanghai on Monday.

RAE, Argentina’s foreign radio station:

President Alberto Fernandez continued his tour of China on Monday. Yesterday he met in Shanghai with authorities of the mining company Tibet Summit Resources which controls lithium projects ongoing in northern Argentina. The day before, he had met with representatives of CST Mining Group, Power China, SEMEC, China Energy and Huwei among other important local firms. Mr. Fernandez also met yesterday with the mayor of Shanghai, Gong Zeng, in order to talk mainly about tourism. According to what was reported, Zeng highlighted the local interest in Patagonian destinations and trips to Antarctica. The Argentine president travelled to China at the invitation of his peer Xi Jinping to take part in the Silk-Road-and-Belt summit.

That was newsitem #3.

Newsitem #2:

The Argentine government highlights the international support for the sovereignty claim over Malvinas, the secretary for Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Guillermo Carmona stated this on his return from New York. The official headed the delegation that travelled to the United Nations headquarters for meetings of the 4th Committee of the General Assembly on Decolonization. In that context, Carmona renewed Buenos Aires’ willingness to resume negotiations with the United Kingdom to peacefully resolve the dispute over the islands, and he remarked that some thirty countries expressed their support to Argentina at the UN last week. Among these nations are Brazil, Russia, El Salvador, Honduras, Venezuela, Mexico, Uruguay, Cuba, Bolivia, and East Timor.

Footnote: If you want to see Tibet or East Turkestan “decolonized”, don’t count on President Fernandez (or his successor).

Xi’s Kitchen Cabinet (3): Zhao Leji – two Upholds, never change Color

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Much of the following table’s content is taken from the bio published by “People’s Daily” online, on October 25, 2017, when Zhao became a permanent politburo standing committee member for the first time (then ranking #6).

Short Bio Politburo Standing Committeee — #3 — Zhao Leji (赵乐际)
1957-03-08	Born in Xining, Qinghai province, family background: parents from Xi’an.
1974-07-00	party membership
1974-09-00	Considered an “educated youth” (知识青年), Zhao is sent or “called” to Hedong Township, Qinghai, during the “Down to the Countryside” movement. Hedong is part of the “Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture”.
1975-08-00	Returns to city life as a mail clerk and messenger at Qinghai Department of Trade.
1977-02-00	Studies at Beijing University’s philosophy faculty, as a worker-peasant-soldier student.
1980-01-00	graduation
about 1980	Returns to Qinghai Department of Trade.
1984-12-00	Party secretary at Qinghai Province Hardware Electric & Chemical Products (a Qinghai Department of Trade company), also picking up managerial duties.
1986-04-00	Chairman of financial and commercial workers’ trade union’s Qinghai Department of Trade branch.
1993-02-00	Assistant to Qinghai provincial governor, provincial department of finance director.
1994-07-00	Qinghai deputy provincial governor.
1997-03-00	Xining Municipal Party Committee Secretary.
1997-12-00	Deputy secretary of Qinghai Provincial Party Committee.
1999-08-00	Acting governor.
2000-01-00	Officially appointed as Qinghai provincial governor.
2003-08-00	Secretary of Qinghai Provincial Party Committee.
2004-01-00	Qinghai Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee director.
2007-03-25	Deputy secretary of Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee.
2008-01-23	Shaanxi Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee director.
2012-11-15	Member of the CPC’s 18th Central Committee, and politburo member.
2012-11-19	Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party.
2012-11-19	Holding the office of CPC Central Organizational Department director at the same time.
2017-10-25	First plenary session of the 19th CPC National Congress, CPC politburo standing committee membership (ranking 6th) among seven standing-committee members).
	Also Central Commission for Discipline Inspection secretary, replacing Wang Qishan.
	Investigates Yang Jing (杨晶), Zhao Zhengyong (赵正永), Qin Guangrong (秦光荣), Fu Zhenghua (傅政华), Sheng Guangzu (盛光祖), Meng Hongwei (孟宏伟), Xiao Yaqing (肖亚庆), and others.
2022-10-23	First plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee,Zhao Leji ranks second in the new politburo’s standing committee.

^{Zhao Leji’s (r) research tour in Hebei, September 2019, “Hebei Xiong’an New Area”}

What may strike a reader of this summarized biography is how often Zhao returned to previous posts in his career, how long he stayed within Qinghai networks, and how rapidly his career picked up in the 1990s (still in Qinghai, and then also in Shaanxi — see family background, accidental or not).
Deutsche Welle’s Chinese service suggested in an online article of October 23 that according to previous politburos’ practice, Zhao was likely to head the “National People’s Congress”, the CPC’s parliament simulation with Chinese characteristics. This would also match his previous experience as Qinghai Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee director (2004) and Shaanxi Provincial People’s Congress Standing Committee director (2008).
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The following is my translation of a Xinhua article, published on November 12, 2021 (a bit more than a year ago). Zhao is quoted there in his capacity as secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Main Link: “Zhao Leji emphasizes …”
Links within blockquotes added during translation.

At Central Commission for Discipline Inspection´s Standing Committee session, Zhao Leji emphasizes the positive contributions to be made for self-revolution in the new era, by thorough study and implementation of the 19th Central Committee´s Sixth Plenary Session´s spirit<
赵乐际在中央纪委常委会会议上强调 深入学习贯彻党的十九届六中全会精神 为新时代党的伟大自我革命作出积极贡献
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November 12, 2021, 21:34, Xinhua Online
2021-11-12 21:34:39 来源： 新华网
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Xinhua, Beijing, November 12 report.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection´s Standing Committee held a meeting on November 12, to convey and study the 19th Central Committee´s Sixth Plenary Session´s spirit, and to look into ways to thoroughly implement decisons. Politburo Standing Committee member and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Secretary Zhao Leji directed the meeting and emphasized the need for the disciplin inspection and supervision organs to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the [19th Central Committee´s Sixth] plenary session, to strengthen the “Four Awarenesses” [also known as the “Four Consciousnesses”], to strengthen the “Four Matters of Confidence”¹⁾, to achieve the “two upholds”, to link together and to put to use the historic experience from the party´s one-hundred years of struggle, to promote high-quality development of discipline inspection work in the new era, and, in advancing the party´s self-revolution, making positive contributions, leading the new practice of society´s revolution by self-revolution.
新华社北京11月12日电 中央纪委常委会12日召开会议，传达学习党的十九届六中全会精神，研究贯彻落实举措。中共中央政治局常委、中央纪委书记赵乐际主持会议，强调纪检监察机关要深入学习贯彻全会精神，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，贯通运用党的百年奋斗历史经验，推动新时代纪检监察工作高质量发展，在推进党的自我革命、以伟大自我革命引领伟大社会革命的新实践中作出积极贡献。
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Zhao Leji pointed out that Xi Jinping, in a speech of profound and long-lasting deep thought and of a strong political, theoretical, strategic and guiding nature, clearly designated the way forward for the party to take bravely and resolutely, for the party so as not to forget the original intention at this new major historic juncture. The plenary session´s “resolution” stands on the Communist Party of China’s summarized political experience of why the party can, why Marxism works, and why socialism with Chinese characteristics works. [The plenary session´s “resolution” stands on] a grasp of the development and discipline of party building. It is the CPC’s political declaration and guide for action in the new era. Discipline inspection and supervision organs must make the study and implementation of the plenary session’s spirit a major political mission, study the plenary session’s documents in their entirety, learn the original documents, become aware of the principles, deeply understand the main points and essentials, correctly grasp the main theme and the main line of the party’s historic development and its main stream essence, and make use of the plenary spirit for common purpose, aggregated consensus, staunch confidence and strengthened fighting spirit.
赵乐际指出，习近平总书记在全会上的重要讲话，立意深远、思想深邃、内涵深刻，具有很强的政治性、理论性、战略性、指导性，为全党在新的重大历史关头不忘初心、勇毅前行指明了方向。全会《决议》站在中国共产党为什么能、马克思主义为什么行、中国特色社会主义为什么好的政治高度总结历史经验，把握党的事业发展和自身建设规律，是新时代中国共产党人的政治宣言和行动指南。纪检监察机关要把学习贯彻全会精神作为重大政治任务，原原本本学习全会文件，读原文、悟原理，深刻领会要点要义，准确把握党的历史发展的主题主线、主流本质，用全会精神统一思想、凝聚共识、坚定信心、增强斗志。
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Zhao Leji emphasized that for the iscipline inspection and supervision organs to study and implement the plenary session’s spirit, it is necessary to link closely to reality, to stick closely to one’s duties, to deeply understand the demands of the new ideology, new conclusions and new demands put forward by the plenary session, particularly the important discourse and requirements concerning comprehensive and strict governance over the party, the party’s work style and building clean government, and fight against corruption [must be implemented at work and embodied in action]. We must – unswervingly and with all-encompassing unity and maintaining the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics – continue to learn and to put in real efforts, strive to grasp the marxist position, viewpoint and methods contained in it, and always guarantee the correct political course of discipline inspection and supervision work. We must – unswervingly and with all-encompassing unity – promote the strengthening of the entire party’s “four consciousnesses”, maintain the “four matters of confidence”, achieve the “two upholds”, conscientously carry out the responsibility and mission of political supervision, earnestly guarantee the party’s unity, guarantee centralized and unified leadership, unswervingly and with all-encompassing unity implement the guidelines of comprehensive and strict governance over the party, strengthen the will and ability to fight, promote [a state of affairs / a status when] nobody dares to nor is able or wishing to be corrupt, resolutely carry the anti-corruption work out to the end, and play a positive role in making sure that the party will never degenerate, never change color, never change smell, nor its level of achievement²⁾.
赵乐际强调，纪检监察机关学习贯彻全会精神，要联系实际、紧扣职责，深刻领会全会提出的新思想新论断新要求，特别是关于全面从严治党、党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争的重要论述、重要要求，落实到工作中、体现到行动上。要坚定不移、一以贯之坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，在持续学懂弄通做实上下真功夫，努力掌握蕴含其中的马克思主义立场观点方法，始终保证纪检监察工作正确政治方向；要坚定不移、一以贯之推动全党增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，认真履行好政治监督的责任使命，切实保证党的团结统一、保证党中央集中统一领导；要坚定不移、一以贯之贯彻落实全面从严治党战略方针，增强斗争意志和本领，一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐，坚决把反腐败斗争进行到底，在确保党不变质、不变色、不变味中发挥职能作用。要以学习全会精神为重点巩固党史学习教育成果，引导广大纪检监察干部坚定历史自信、增强历史主动、涵养历史思维、运用历史经验，不断深化规律性认识，进一步提高正风肃纪反腐工作的质量和水平。
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Yang Xiaodu, member of the politburo of the CPC and deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, attended the meeting.
中共中央政治局委员、中央纪委副书记杨晓渡出席会议。

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Previously: Li Qiang #2

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Notes

1)–	“Confident in our chosen path, confident in our guiding theories, confident in our political system, and confident in our culture”
2)–	Beijing’s “zero-covid” policy may raise questions about what <em>achievement</em> means in the CPC’s dictionary – I have no idea how they define achievement.

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Uighurs yesterday is Han Chinese today

Click picture for tweet

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Related

“Uighurs Today is the Han Chinese peoples’ Tomorrow”, August 19, 2018
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Xi Jinping’s “Inspiring New Year Address” in the Tibetan Media

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The following is a translation of a Chinese-language piece by “Tibet Daily”, the CPC’s party organ published in Tibet. It was also broadcast by PBS Tibet, even as late as on January 3.

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

The 2019 enthusiasm routine (Google search result)

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Keep in mind what the leadership entrusted you with. Put into practice the originally intended mission. — Chairman Xi Jinping’s new year’s message evokes wide-spread strong reactions among cadres and masses
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牢记领袖嘱托 践行初心使命——习近平主席新年贺词在西藏广大干部群众中引发强烈反响
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Published on Jan 2, 2022, 09:50:57. Source: Tibet Daily. Authors: Zhang Meng/Shi Jinru/Zhou Tingting
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发布时间：2022-01-02 09:50:57来源：西藏日报 作者：张猛 史金茹 周婷婷
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“What we experiencing in these flying times is an indomitable and prospering China. You find people here who inspire affection and respect, every day sees new development, and a cause passed on through the generations.” Once Chairman Xi Jinping’s new year’s eve greeting had been published on New Year’s Eve, it immediately evoked enthusiastic reactions among the broad cadreship and the masses. Everyone, one after another, said that Chairman Xi Jinping’s speech had been heartwarming and activating. In the new year, they will unite even more closely around the Party’s Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, keep in mind what the leadership entrusted them with, put into practice the originally intended mission, struggle for the construction of a united, well-off, civilized, harmonious and beautiful socialist and modern Tibet, so as to welcome the victorious 20th CPC National Congress with exceptional achievements.
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“在飞逝的时光里，我们看到的、感悟到的中国，是一个坚韧不拔、欣欣向荣的中国。这里有可亲可敬的人民，有日新月异的发展，有赓续传承的事业。”新年前夕，习近平主席的新年贺词一经发表，立即在我区广大干部群众中引发热烈反响。大家纷纷表示，习近平主席的话语温暖人心、催人奋进。在新的一年里将更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，牢记领袖嘱托、践行初心使命，为建设团结富裕文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化新西藏而努力奋斗，以优异成绩迎接党的二十大胜利召开。
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“2021 was a special year, with the 100th anniversary of the CPC’s foundation. It was also the second year for me as a teacher.” After graduating from Shaanxi Normal University, “post-95er”¹ Huang Jiapei came to Linzhi City 2nd Primary School as a music teacher. He says: “Xi Jinping mentioned that we must not forget the originally intended mission, so that it will carry us through². We can only succeed with an energetic mind and vigoroous action, by being sincere and conscientious. That’s the only way for us not to betray history, not to betray the era, and not to betray the people. As an educational worker who is both someone who “pursues his dream” and someone who pursues his dream by helping children, I deeply feel the responsibility I’ve taken. In the future, I will work with an energetic mind and vigorous action, sincerely and conscientiously, continuously improve myself, be dedicated and devoted to my work, to be someone who contributes to a beautiful and happy Linzhi and who educates ever more outstanding heirs of socialism.”
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“2021年是特殊的一年，是中国共产党成立100周年，也是我正式成为一名老师的第二个年头。”从陕西师范大学毕业就来到林芝市第二小学担任音乐老师的“95后”黄嘉佩说，“习近平主席在新年贺词中提到，不忘初心，方得始终。我们唯有踔厉奋发、笃行不怠，方能不负历史、不负时代、不负人民。作为一名教育工作者，我既是一名‘追梦人’，也是助力孩子们追梦的人，深感肩负重任。未来，我将踔厉奋发、笃行不怠，不断提升自己，敬业奉献，为建设美丽幸福林芝贡献力量，努力培养更多优秀的社会主义接班人。”
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“Chairman Xi Jinping said in his New Year’s Eve greeting that comprehensive moderate prosperity and casting off poverty is what the party owes the people. It is also a contribution to the world. To let everyone lead a better life, we can’t be satisfied with the successes we see so far. We still have a long road to go.” Huang Jiabin, first secretary at the Linzhi City rural task force at Beibeng Township‘s Gelin Village says: “To keep up ambition and wisdom is vital to prevent large-scale relapse into poverty. We will combine our advantages in a solid and practical way and do our utmost to help Gelin Village’s development.”
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“习近平主席在新年贺词中提到，全面小康、摆脱贫困是我们党给人民的交代，也是对世界的贡献。让大家过上更好生活，我们不能满足于眼前的成绩，还有很长的路要走。”林芝市公安局驻墨脱县背崩乡格林村第一书记、驻村工作队队长黄家斌表示，“扶志扶智是防止规模性返贫及助力乡村振兴的关键因素，接下来他将结合自身优势，扎扎实实、尽心尽力为格林村发展添砖加瓦。”
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“Chairman Xi Jinping’s New Year’s Eve message is full of power, inspiring the will of the people, and strengthening our confidence and determination to go forward.” Zhao Wei of a science popularization unit with Tibet Autonomous Region Science and Technology Association says: “During the past year, we have operated mobile science and technology shops in Shigatse, Naqu, Lhasa, Shannan and in other places. The science and technology truck gives basic rural farmers and shephard masses as well as young people an opportunity to experience the fascination of science in a nearby place, providing them with scientific knowledge to help citizens to improve their scientific qualities. Although some villages and townships are far above sea-level and have an adverse climate, we feel that it’s worth our efforts and our hard work when we see the curiousity and happiness in the faces of the masses and the children as they experience the basics of science. We are reviewing the past year and we are looking to the future. In the new year, we will take root in Tibet even more firmly, we won’t betray the era’s determination, we will dauntlessly advance, bravely climb the summits and constantly make new contributions to science and technology popularization in the new era’s Tibet.”
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“习近平主席的新年贺词充满力量，激荡人心，坚定了我们砥砺前行的信心与决心。”西藏自治区科学技术协会科普工作队赵伟说，“过去一年，我们在日喀则、那曲、拉萨、山南等地开展流动科技馆、科普大篷车巡展工作，为基层农牧民群众和青少年送去近距离体验科学魅力的机会，为他们送去科学知识，助力公民科学素质提升。虽然有些乡镇海拔高、气候恶劣，可是，每当看到群众和孩子们充满好奇的眼神，以及动手体验科学原理时脸上洋溢着快乐的表情时，就觉得所有的艰苦与付出都是值得的。回顾过去，展望未来。新的一年里，我将更加坚定扎根西藏、不负时代的决心，奋勇向前，勇攀高峰，不断为新时代西藏科普工作作出新的贡献。”
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“As we entered the new year, Chairman Xi Jinping’s New Year’s Eve address was most heartwarming. I felt even more inspired after listening to it. Here at Dekang Community, the residents also experienced a boost in their morale, being delighted and excited.” Song Yahang, resident work team member in Dekang Community, Lhorong County in Chamdo City, says: “In a blink of an eye, almost an entire year’s stay in Dekang Community passed by for me. Time and again I have experienced the vivid struggle of the residents by the things I have seen and heard as they were unearthed. I think they are models for the whole Dekang Community. It takes exactly hard-working construction workers like them to make Dekang Community’s future even better.” Song Yahang says that in the next step, it is planned to actively carry out activities to promote investment in the community, to let residents and business people filled with ideas, with the ability and willingness to work, take along those who want to help, to work hard to create a brand-new Dekang Community.
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“跨年夜，习近平主席的新年贺词最暖心，聆听之后倍感振奋。我们德康社区居民也备受鼓舞，欢喜雀跃。”昌都市洛隆县德康社区驻村工作队队员宋亚航说，“一转眼，我到德康社区驻村将近一年，我一次次把自己所看到的、听到的、经历过的一个个鲜活的居民奋斗史挖掘出来，我觉得他们是整个德康社区的榜样。正是有了像他们这样勤奋努力的建设者，德康社区的未来和明天才会更加美好。”宋亚航表示，下一步，打算通过优惠的政策积极开展招商引资活动，让真正有想法、能干事、想干事的居民和商人引进社区，实现一人带动一帮人，以点带面的发展模式，为营造一个崭新的德康社区而努力奋斗。
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Editor in charge: Li Xia

责任编辑：李霞

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Notes

1

born after 1995

2

While the CPC has put a comprehensive claim on being “the faithful inheritor and advocate of the outstanding traditional Chinese culture” rather recently, traditional sayings have always been part of CPC speech, though probably with varying emphasis through the decades. 不忘初心，方得始终 originally refers to Buddhism – the idea that the original intention is inseparable from the final fruit if the practice continues obliviously (according to “People’s Daily”, anyway).

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Ethnic Work, enthusiastic Reactions (2)

As reported by China Central Television’s (CCTV) main evening news on August 29, CPC secretary-general Xi Jinping’s speech on ethnic work at the Central Ethnic Work Conference in late August has met with an enthusiastic echo from the masses and cadres of all national ethnicities. The following are translations of some of that enthusiastic echo. Every quote is linked to the news program’s online video.
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This is part 2 of my translation. Part one is there.
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Link 1, 05′ 14”, Zhao Wulin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee:

Guangxi is the province or region with the most ethnic-minority inhabitants. During the 14th five-year plan we will establish and forge a model region of Chinese national sense of community, refine institutions under which all ethnic minorities live, work, learn and are happy together, promote the high-quality development of the new-era party’s ethnic work.
广西壮族自治区民族宗教事务委员会政策法规处处长赵武林
广西是全国少数民族人口最多的省区，「十四五」期间我们将创建铸牢中华民族共同体意识示范区，完善有利于各民族共居共学共事共乐的体制机制，推动新时代党的民族工作高质量发展。

–

Link 2, 05′ 32”, Li Xiangsheng, deputy director of Lincang City’s Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee, Yunnan province:

Here in Lincang, we have quite a number of ethnic minorities, such as the Yi, the Wa, the Dai and the Lahu Nationality. As a next step, we must build a platform for all ethnicities to associate, communicate and blend with each other, tell the story of the Chinese dream being built together by united ethnicities, and promote all ethnicities embracing each other like pomegranate seeds.
云南临沧市民族宗教事务委员会主任李祥生
我们临沧有彝族，佤族，傣族，拉祜族等十几个少数民族。下一步我们要搭建各民族交往，交流，交融的平台，讲好新时代各民族「同心共筑中国梦」的民族团结故事，促进各民族象石榴籽一样紧紧地拥抱在一起。

–

Link 3, 05′ 54”

Zhu Li, an aid-for-Tibet English teacher at Lhasa Naqu Middle School^*):

Secretary-General Xi has emphasized that to forge a national Chinese sense of community means to guide all ethnicities people to solidly establish an idea of community where happiness, sorrow and public wealth as well as life, death, fate and destiny are shared by all. Our school is the main base to forge the Chinese national sense of community, and I am an aid-for-Tibet English teacher. While teaching cultural knowledge, I need to pay great attention to cultivating a correct national concept, historical concept and ethnic concept, internalize the forging of Chinese national sense of community in teaching people, so as to let the flowers of national unity bloom everywhere on the now plateau.
援藏教师拉萨那曲高级中学英语教师朱丽
习总书记强调铸牢中华民族共同体意识就是要引导各族人民牢固树立，休戚与共荣辱与共生死与共命运与共的共同体理念。我学校是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的主陈地，作为一名援藏教师。我在传授文化知识的同时更要注重培养学生正确的国家观，历史观，民族观，把铸牢中华民族共同体意识内化在教书育人里让民族团结之花开遍雪域高原。

____________
Part 3 is there.
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Note

^*) Probably refers to a student age of 15 to 19

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Stun grenades on Zeman’s Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier: Prague and Taipei establish sister-city relations

The following is Taiwanese coverage of city-sister relations between Prague and Taipei. Links within blockquotes added during translation.

Red star over Radio Prague: a pre-1989 QSL card,
confirming reception of a broadcast
on December 30, 1985

Radio Taiwan International (RTI), December 12, 2019

The Prague city hall assembly unanimously passed a proposal today (December 12) to conclude a sister city agreement with Taipei. Mayor Zdeněk Hřib is likely to sign the agreement with Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je next month.

布拉格市議會今天(12日)無異議通過與台北市締結為姐妹市的提案，市長賀瑞普(Zdeněk Hřib)預計將在下個月與台北市長柯文哲簽署。

Prague city council discussed the proposal today, and because of a consensus between all governing coalition parties, a vote was taken right after a short explanation by mayor Hřib, with 39 votes in favor of the proposal, zero opposing it, and two abstentions.

布拉格市議會今天討論與台北市締結為姐妹市的提案，由於在聯合政府執政的各黨有共識，市長賀瑞普簡短說明後即直接進行表決，結果以39票贊成、零票反對、2票棄權的壓倒性高票通過。

Hřib had said after a city government meeting last week that he would officially sign a sister city agreement with Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je in January next year, to strengthen Prague’s cooperation and relations with Taipei in economics and trade, culture, tourism, education and in other fields. Besides, Prague’s Zoological Garden was hopeful to get a pangolin as a gift from Taipei.

賀瑞普上週在市政會議後曾表示，將在明年1月與來訪的台北市長柯文哲正式簽署姐妹市協議，加強布拉格與台北在經貿、文化、觀光、教育等領域的合作關係，此外，布拉格動物園可望獲得台北贈送的穿山甲。

Central News Agency (CNA), December 13, 2019

Zdeněk Hřib only took office last year. In January this year he said that he wanted to remove the clause concerning the one-China policy, and Taiwan being an inseparable part of [China’s] territory, from the sister city agreement with Beijing. He also met with Tibetan exile government leader Lobsang Sangay on his own initiative, openly challenging [Czech] president Miloš Zeman’s pro-China policies with a stun grenade at Czech-Chinese relations.

賀瑞普（Zdeněk Hřib）去年底才上任，今年1月即宣布要廢除前任市長與北京締結的姐妹市協議當中有關一個中國政策和台灣是中國不可分割領土的條款，並在市府主動接見西藏流亡政府首長洛桑森格，公然挑戰總統齊曼（Miloš Zeman）的親中政策，為捷克和中國關係投下震撼彈。

According to Hřib, he had done an internship in Taiwan as a student and got a good impression of Taiwan, referring to himself as a “Taiwan fan”. He also visited Taiwan in March, had a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen, and tested the water for concluding a sister-city status.

按照賀瑞普自己的說法，學生時代曾到台灣實習的他對台灣留下好印象，自稱是「台灣迷」。3月他還親訪台灣，晉見總統蔡英文，為締結姊妹市一事試水溫。

In fact, Hřib’s friendly conduct towards Taiwan also reflects, to a certain degree, dissatisfaction among Czech society with China.

事實上，賀瑞普的友台作為，也一定程度反映了捷克社會近年對中國的不滿。

In 2016, Chinese state chairman Xi Jinping visited Prague for the first time and pledged large-scale investment. [Czech president] Zeman replied that he hoped the Czech Republic, as an unsinkable aircraft carrier, could “help China expand its investment in Europe”, standing out in Europe’s world of politics by its friendship with China.

2016年，中國國家主席習近平首次訪問布拉格，承諾為捷克帶來大筆投資，齊曼還呼應說希望捷克成為「協助中國在歐洲擴張投資永不沉沒的航空母艦」，對中國的友好在歐洲政壇獨樹一幟。

But several years later, many of China’s investment pledges have not materialized, and Ye Jianming, a mysterious businessman and svengali between the two countries, has suddenly disappeared. Hřib’s plan to remove the one-China clause grabbed the opportunity provided by the misgivings among Czech society, concerning China.

然而，幾年過去了，中國的許多投資承諾都沒兌現，在兩國之間牽線的神秘商人葉簡明還突然消失。賀瑞普打算廢除一中條款，正好抓住捷克社會對中國質疑聲四起的時機。

Also, the Czech Republic which overthrew the communist dictatorship thirty years ago, originally attached importance to the values of democracy and human rights. But in recent years, the Czech Republic has suffered a lot from right-wing populist policies. President Miloš Zeman and prime minister Andrej Babiš have no intention of continuing the spiritual heritage left behind by the Velvet Revolution [of 1989], departing from Vaclav Havel‘s line of humanism and pro-Europeanness.

其次，30年前曾推翻共黨獨裁統治的捷克，原本就特別重視民主和人權的價值。不過，近年來，捷克深受右翼民粹政治所苦，總統齊曼和總理巴比斯（Andrej Babiš）都無意延續絲絨革命留下的精神遺產，背離前總統哈維爾（Vaclav Havel）的人道主義和親歐路線。

[…]

As expected, Hřib’s actions were answered with Chinese retaliation. In April this year, at an annual meeting at the Czech trade and industry ministry, Taiwan’s representative to the Czech Republic was, for the first time, forced to leave the venue under pressure from China’s ambassador.

一如預料，賀瑞普的舉動遭到中方報復。今年4月，捷克貿易工業部為外國使節舉辦年度會議，由於中國大使施壓，我國駐捷克代表首度被迫離席。

Following that, Beijing cancelled Czech Philharmonia’s and another three important Czech ensembles tours of China. And Zeman publicly threatened that China could discontinue direct flights between Chinese cities and Prague, and cut financial assistance for soccer club Slavia Praha.

隨後，中國又一連取消布拉格愛樂（Prague Philharmonia）等4個捷克重要表演團隊在中國的巡迴演出行程。齊曼還公開威脅，中國將中斷中國城市和布拉格的直航和切斷布拉格斯拉維亞足球俱樂部（Slavia Praha）的金援。

Interestingly, China’s retaliation proved counterproductive. After having been forced out of the meeting at the Czech trade and industry ministry, [Taiwan’s] representative Wang Chung-I was interviewed by a big newspaper, thus greatly improving Taiwan’s visibility. And cultural minister Lubomir Zaoralek has rarely met with China’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, criticizing China’s unilateral cancellation of Czech ensembles’ performances which had “seriously harmed China’s image”.

有趣的是，中國的報復反而造成反效果。駐捷克代表汪忠一被迫離席後，立刻接受大報專訪，大幅提升台灣能見度。文化部長左拉列克（Lubomir Zaoralek）罕見接見中國駐捷克大使，批評中國片面取消樂團演出「嚴重傷害中國形象」。

[…]

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Related

Interview with mayor Hřib, Radio Prague, Aug 16, 2019

Prague committed betrayal, but it was us, because we were faster

According to Guanchazhe, an online news portal in Shanghai quoting from a press conference at China’s embassy in Prague, it was Prague’s city council.

Prague unilaterally ended city friendship agreement¹⁾ with Beijing, our embassy’s reaction

布拉格单方面终止同北京市友城协议，我大使馆回应

Question: on October 7, the Prague municipal committee²⁾ decided to end the city friendship agreement it had signed with Beijing. Could you please tell us if the Chinese embassy to the Czech Republic has a comment about this?

问：10月7日，布拉格市委会决定终止布拉格市同北京市签署的友城协议。请问中国驻捷克大使馆对此有何评论？

Answer: We have taken note of Prague’s municipal committee’s decision to unilaterally end the city friendship agreement it had signed with Beijing and to pass this on to the the city assembly for consideration. This kind of behavior can even be called treachery, desctruction of Sino-Czech relations and of the atmosphere of the two countries’ local exchange and cooperation. Beijing city has already filed solemn protest to Prague.

答：我们注意到，布拉格市委会日前决定单方面终止该市同北京市签署的友城协议并提交市议会审议。这种行为可谓背信弃义，破坏中捷关系和两国地方交流合作氛围。北京市已就此向布拉格市提出严正抗议。

Concerning this, I would like to emphasize that the one-China principle is a matter of Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, touches upon China’s core interests, is the foundation and a prerequisite for all of China’s external exchange and cooperation, and also an accepted international relations’ norm and the international community’s general consensus. The Czech government has consistently supported the one-China principle. China wants to continue the work with the Czech government and all walks of life, for the promotion of exchange and cooperation on all levels between China and the Czech Republic, including the strengthening of the two countries’ local friendly exchange and cooperation.

在此我要强调，一个中国原则事关中国主权和领土完整，涉及中方核心利益，是中方开展一切对外交流合作的基础和前提，也是公认的国际关系准则和国际社会普遍共识。捷克政府一贯坚持一个中国原则。中方愿同捷克政府和社会各界一道，持续推进中捷各层级各领域交流合作，包括加强两国地方友好交流合作。

We urge the Prague municipal authorities to correct their course soon, in tune with the great trend of the era and the advancing tide of history, and to get back onto the correct track of promoting the development of bilateral relations. Otherwise, their own interests will be harmed in the end.

我们敦促布拉格市政当局早日改弦更张，顺应时代发展大势和历史进步潮流，回到促进双方关系发展的正确轨道上来，否则最终损害的将是他们自己的利益。

Guanchazhe published the above Q and A on Wednesday.

But according to Beijing News (新京报), a paper from Beijing, republished here by sina.com on Thursday, it was Beijing’s foreign affair’s office (waiban) that took the decision.

Ever since November 2018, the new Prague authorities’ main officials and others, in disregard of accepted international relations’ norm and the international community’s general consensus, despite China’s solemn position and strong opposition, has again and again taken wrong measures and made improper remarks concerning Taiwan, Tibet and other Chinese core interests.

2018年11月以来，捷克布拉格市新一届市政当局主要官员等人，无视国际关系基本准则和国际社会共识，不顾中方严正立场和强烈反对，屡屡在台湾、涉藏等涉及中方核心利益的重大问题上采取错误行动并发表不当言论。

According to Beijing News, Beijing city’s waiban published its statement on October 9, suggesting that it was Beijing that ended the sister partnership.

We hope that the related personnel²⁾ will soon become aware of the mistake and remove the negative effects by practical actions.

希望布拉格市有关人员早日认识错误，以实际行动消除负面影响。

The paper also notes that the two cities had signed the agreement in March 2016. China Radio International quoted then Prague mayor, Adriana Krnacova, as referring to the partnership as a big opportunity to make educational exchanges, for students to travel back and forth and learn from each other.

According to the South China Morning Post, Prague’s city council had voted to end the agreement after current mayor Zdenek Hrib’s unsuccessful efforts to get Beijing to remove a “one China” pledge from the agreement.

Hrib had never been in Beijing’s good books. Probably, the bid to remove the “one-China” clause from the agreement, and a visit to Taiwan, including a meeting with the country’s president Tsai Ing-wen, were major acts of wrong measures and improper remarks by that piece of personnel from Prague.

Either way, a sinologist from Prague, commenting on Radio Prague International on Thursday, didn’t come across as terribly worried about the consequences, while foreign minister Tomáš Petříček was quoted as saying that said threats had no place in diplomacy.

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¹⁾ usually referred to as a sister city relationship in Western media
²⁾ What is referred to as “municipal committee” by Beijing News (in accordance with Chinese local government structures) is actually Prague’s city council
³⁾ 有关人员

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Reception Report: Radio Japan Weekly News in Simple Japanese / Iran Radio Bros’ compromised Farsi

 

— Japan

Radio Japan has reportedly carried a new program since April, “Weekly News in Simple Japanese”.

From their announcement on May 21:

The program summarizes Japan’s weekly news in easy-to-understand Japanese which is read slowly and clearly by the announcer. Through the program, listeners will be able to grasp what is going on in Japan today. Weekly News in Simple Japanese is ten minutes long. It is broadcast every Saturday from 02:50 UTC on 17.810 MHz in Southeast Asia, and 15.325 MHz in Southwest Asia. It is rebroadcast seven hours later from 09:50 UTC on 15.280 MHz in Southeast Asia and 15.290 MHz in West Africa.

The news broadcast recordings can also be found online, on the NHK World Japan website.

— Tibet

A recent QSL card from Tibet – frequencies are shown to the right

— Iran

On Thursday, Islamic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) has reported extensively on talks by the country’s unelected leader, Ayatollah Ali Chamenei, first on US policies on Iran, and later on a “didactic” and “instructive” function of poetry. IRIB also had to convey some supreme criticism of itself:

Notice that our people have beautiful dispositions. The way our people responded on the issue of the floods in the north and south was very beautiful. Those who are aware of the developments – including in Golestan, in Khuzestan, in Khorram Abad and in Ilam: these were the main areas which suffered from the recent floods – who are aware of the presence and sacrifices of the people, and the services they rendered.

Well you can describe this in your poetry. When you include such concepts in your poetry, it becomes in fact the flag of national identity. It becomes the flag of the identity of your nation no matter if you compose poems on Islamic, national revolutionary and revolutionary issues, or on moral values or about such events. And my dear ones, identity is very important to every nation. A nation that loses its identity is easily squeezed and crushed in the fists of foreigners. This was about poetry.

As for the language, the truth is that I am worried. In the area of poetry, the poems that you compose are fortunately good poems and they enjoy a solid language. However generally speaking, language is wearing down. One can witness this. Tonight, one of the brothers from the radio was present here and he spoke with me about a very good development. I have, however, a complaint about the IRIB because instead of promoting proper, standard, refined and correct language, it is promoting a kind of language that is devoid of any identity, that is sometimes wrong, that uses wrong terminology and that worse than all, uses a language stuffed with foreign and western terminology.

Fortunately, foreign media are so much worse, so IRIB could turn to a reading of this article just a few minutes after its own dressing-down.

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Related

Shortwave Log: Holy Tibet, January 2014