“Three Proposals, concerning the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas”

The following are translated excerpts from an article by China’s domestic radio network, CPBS. Links within blockquotes added during translation.
Main Link: “Suggestions for increased investment into the construction of rural infrastructure”

^{Han Fengxiang, CPBS coverage, March 10, 2023}

CPBS online, Beijing, March 10, Reporter Wang Chi. 2023’s No. 1 central document has made clear provisions concerning increased investment in rural infrastructure construction and the promotion of the rural industries’ high-quality development. Three proposals brought about by Han Fengxiang, delegate to the National People’s Congress and director of Fenghuangshan Agricultural Machinery Farmers Professional Cooperative in Lishu County, Siping City, Jilin Province, are closely related to the development of agriculture and rural areas. They are “Proposal concerning increased investment in large agricultural counties’ rural infrastructure”, “Proposal on increased support for integrated technology for black-soil conservation and practical solidification of food security foundations in Jilin”, and “Proposal for increased support for professional agricultural cooperatives”.
央广网北京3月10日消息（记者王迟）2023年中央一号文件对加强农业基础设施建设，推动乡村产业高质量发展等方面作出了明确规定。今年全国两会，全国人大代表、吉林省四平市梨树县凤凰山农机农民专业合作社理事长韩凤香带来的三份议案均与农业农村发展密切相关，分别为《关于加大对农业大县农村基础设施投入力度的建议》《关于加大黑土地保护集成技术支持力度 切实夯实吉林粮食安全根基的建议》《关于加大对农民专业合作社扶持力度的建议》。

[…]

Proposal to increase support for farmers’ professional cooperatives
There are currently agricultural 3,040 cooperatives in Lishu County. “Farmers have joined cooperatives to farm the land intensively. The level of mechanization and the production efficiency have seen great improvement. Apart from land dividends, they also increase incomes by working as agricultural machine operators, working outside the cooperative, etc.”, Han Fengxiang told this reporter.
建议加大对农民专业合作社的扶持力度
目前，梨树县有农民合作社3040个。“农民加入合作社，将土地进行集约经营，农业机械化水平和生产效率都有了很大提高，社员们除了土地分红，还通过在合作社当农机手、外出打工等增加收入。”韩凤香告诉记者。

Han Fengxiang said that taking Lishu County as an example, there are many cooperatives, but only 266 of them have reached above-county-level model cooperative standard^*), while most of them don’t meet the standards. They are rather small, without much strength, and low degrees of specialization. There are especially few large-scale specialized agricultural machinery cooperatives and cultivation cooperatives, and they could hardly meet the requirements of scales and standardization of all villages. To a certain degree, this had hampered the development of expanded farming.
韩凤香表示，以梨树县为例，合作社数量很多，但其中达到县级以上示范社标准的合作社仅有266家，多数合作社不够规范。规模较小、实力不强、专业化程度低，特别是大型农机农民专业合作社、养殖合作社较少，难以满足各村规模化、标准化作业需要，在一定程度上制约了规模化经营发展。

Therefore, Han Fengxiang suggests to continuously increase the extent of support for farmers’ and agricultural machinery specialization cooperatives, to improve complementary agricultural machinery subsidy standards, expand the scope of subsidies, and to strengthen the cooperatives’ motivation to update and to renew machines and equipment. Secondly, continuously bring into play the positive factors of cooperatives in socialization services, to explore business opportunities in line with local circumstances, thus safeguarding farmers’ incomes and protecting national food security at the same time.
为此，韩凤香建议进一步加大对农民农机专业合作社的扶持力度，提高配套农机具补贴标准，扩大补贴范围，增强合作社更新换代机械设备的积极性。其次，进一步发挥合作社在社会化服务中的积极作用，因地制宜探索适合本土的经营模式，既保证农民收益，又维护国家粮食安全。

[Contact data]

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Note

*)

Out of those 3,040 cooperatives in total, mentioned in the previous paragraph, that is. China’s central-goverment ministry of agriculture calls on agricultural departments of all provinces, “autonomous regions”, municipalities under the central government and of East Turkestan (Xinjiang) “to implement the central government’s requirements concerning the highlighting of developing new business units, and the deepened promotion of requirements for the stablishment of model farming cooperatives”.

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Related

黑土地保护法 , MOE, June 24, 2022
Qu Dongyu, FAO, Aug 1, 2019
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Sunday Press: “Resolutely preventing a Return of Large-Scale Poverty”

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1. Headlines

Let’s start with “Guanchazhe, a news portal from Shanghai that is frequently considered as not-so-politicized, but don’t buy into that, because it’s complicated.

New Normal:
Moving across Guanchazhe’s (Shanghai) wbsite top line, we are told that “the most important thing is to boost confidence” – a report on the economic conference held by the central committee and state council on Friday and Saturday – see details further down, under “Economic Work Conference”.

Another New Normal (or who knows):
Nucleic acid test station booths are advised to turn into service stations that provide feverish passerbys with “convenient” treatment and advice (through the booth window). That, the Chinese press and radio suggest, are ideas that had become “hot” among netizens in Suzhou.

“Guanchazhe” on Sunday

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Old Normal:

When Sino-U.S. relations are bad, it must be America’s fault. Will U.S. President Biden come to his senses and stop believing that he can win against China? That’s the teaser for an exchange of opinions between Professors Zhang Weiwei (张维为) and Fan Yongpeng (范勇鹏), both from Fudan University.

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Now, a few words ab out that “economic work conference, as promised. Let’s turn to an article published by CPBS, China’s nation-wide radio network.

2. Economic Work Conference

Reportedly held in Beijing on December 15 and 16. It’s an annual meeting … here’`s Wikepedia, as accessed on December 19:

held in the People’s Republic of China which sets the national agenda for the Economy of China and its financial and banking sectors. It is convened by the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council[1] following themes, keywords, set by the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed] As of 2012, the meetings, which are closed, were being held for 2 or 3 days during the 2nd or 3rd week of December.[1]

While closed, they do publish some details of what has been said (or what sounds plausible, etc.). The entire party, country and all nationalities have been up to the challenges, achieving that wasn’t easy and should be highly valued, and the foundations of economic recovery aren’t sound yet, as demand contraction, supply shocks and weakening expectations remain the three big pressures¹⁾. To blame were – who would have thought it – “a turbulent and unsafe environment outside China’s borders” (外部环境动荡不安，给我国经济带来的影响加深). A general upturn was expected for 2023, given the strength anbd potential of the Chinese economy.

The two unwaverings (两个毫不动摇) are going to stay with us, and so will the promotion of a policy of opening up to outside world on a high level (持推进高水平对外开放). The three safeguards (三保, people’s livelihood, safe wages, and operation of authorities) are also featuring, and so are greater efforts in attracting and using foreign investsment, and resolute prevention of a large-scale return of poverty (坚决防止出现规模性返贫). High-quality development (高质量发展) is mentioned a number of times.

Have a good pre-Christmas week.
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Notes

1)	demand contraction, supply shocks and weakening expectations

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Xi’s Kitchen Cabinet (2): Li Qiang

The following is a translation of a report that toes a fine line between coming across as a moderately modest local hero, giving credit to your great sponsor, and still make people aware of your personal rise through the ranks. Li Qiang doesn’t visibly dominate the article and leaves a lot of space to Xi Jinping’s role in “Shanghai’s story”.

The article was published by Xinhua, in June 2021.

Apart from that, readers may get an idea of some of the key words in the megacity’s projects, and not least about the world according to Beijing.

Surveys about other nation’s attitudes towards China, certainly when published by Western media, often focus on OECD countries’ attitudes. At least when it comes to third-world countries’ “elites”, the picture can be different, and given the many failures of development projects in the past of the “global South”, the Chinese model does often sell there – especially when it comes with grants and scholarships.

This is the second part of a series about Xi’s kitchen cabinet, the 20th Politburo’s Standing Commission.

Previously posted:

Xi’s Kitchen Cabinet: (1): For what we are about to receive

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^{Top left: Li Qiang; top right: Song Tao}

Main Link:

The China Communist Party’s Story – the Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Shanghai

Xinhua, Shanghai, June 16, report by Wu Yu.
Jointly organized by the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the Communist Party of China Shanghai Municipal Committee, a dialogue under the name “China Communist Party’s Story – the Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on New Era Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in Shanghai” was carried out in Shanghai on June 16. Titled “Set out for the Dream, Witness the Wonders”, the world was shown the Communist Party of China’s glorious course through the century, and especially the party’s great achievements since its 18th National Congress, [illustrated by] the great changes from Shanghai as the party’s birthplace to the forefront of reform and opening up. 126 political parties and friendly organizatons with more than 740 representatives took part through video link, and ambassadors from more than 40 countries were present at the meeting.
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新华社上海6月16日电（记者吴宇）由中共中央对外联络部和中共上海市委共同主办的“中国共产党的故事——习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想在上海的实践”特别对话会16日在上海举行。对话会以“启航梦想，见证奇迹”为主题，通过上海从中国共产党的诞生地到中国改革开放前沿阵地的沧桑巨变，向世界展现中国共产党百年光辉历程，特别是党的十八大以来以习近平同志为核心的党中央带领中国取得的伟大成就。来自近100个国家、126个政党和友好组织的740多名代表通过视频连线参加对话会，40多个国家驻华大使现场出席会议。
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Li Qiang, member of the CPC Central Committee’s Politburo and Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, said in his address that Shanghai is the birthplace of the CPC, the place from where the CPC’s dream set out, a window for the world on China, a hub that connects China with the world, and a main carrier for major national strategies. Since the CPC’s 19th National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally visited Shanghai in four consecutive years, issued strategic arrangements for Shanghai’s development, poured in great momentum, Shanghai became more radiant by the day, an even more dazzling pearl of the Orient.
Binding together the vivid stories of the rise of Luziazui Financial City‘s rise, the Huangpu and Suzhou Rivers’ shoreline linkup, the “two networks” in step with the municipality (integrated online government services, “management on one website”), [Li Qiang] described Shanghai’s concrete practice in Pudong’s development and opening up, in people’s city building and megacity administration. He said that under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Thought, Shanghai will unswervingly follow the road of liberating thought, deepening reform, orientation towards the world, and of broadening openness, of smashing routine, creating new breakthroughs, and of constantly producing extraordinary achievements that are worthy of the party’s place of origin.
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中共中央政治局委员、上海市委书记李强在致辞中表示，上海是中国共产党的诞生地，是中国共产党梦想启航的地方，也是世界观察中国的窗口、中国链接世界的枢纽、国家重大战略的重要承载地。中共十九大以来，习近平总书记连续四年亲临上海，为上海发展作出战略擘画、注入强大动力，上海正日益焕发出更加璀璨的光彩，成为更加耀眼的东方明珠。李强结合陆家嘴金融城兴起、黄浦江苏州河“一江一河”岸线贯通、政务服务“一网通办”和城市运行“一网统管”“两张网”建设等生动故事，讲述了上海在浦东开发开放、人民城市建设、超大城市治理方面的具体实践，表示上海将在习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想指引下，坚定走解放思想、深化改革之路，面向世界、扩大开放之路，打破常规、创新突破之路，不断创造无愧于党的诞生地的不凡业绩。
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Song Tao, director of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party, said that Shanghai, as the place where the dream of the Communist Party of China had set out from, had witnessed the beginnings of the great cause of the CPC’s founding, witnessed the quantum leap of China standing up, prospering and its rise to become a strong country. Over the past century, the CPC had persisted in following the goal of the people’s happiness, in the struggle towards the goal of the nations’s great rejuvenation, and especially since the party’s 18th national congress, under the strong leadership of the party’s central committee with Xi Jinping as the core, all the party’s and the state’s undertakings had achieved historic successes. The masses’ sense of gain, feeling of happiness and sense of security had been enormously improved, and so had China’s international status and influence. The Communist Party had also always striven for the cause of mankind’s progress. As for the future, the CPC wants to work with political parties from all the countries of the world to strengthen friendly contacts, to bring together the majestic power of building the Community of common destiny for mankind, and to make new and greater contributions global peaceful development and the progress of mankind.
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中共中央对外联络部部长宋涛表示，上海作为中国共产党梦想启航地方，见证了中国共产党成立这一开天辟地的大事，见证了中国从站起来到富起来、强起来的伟大飞跃。一百年来，中国共产党坚持把为人民谋幸福、为民族谋复兴作为奋斗目标，特别是党的十八大以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，党和国家的各项事业取得历史性成就，人民群众的获得感、幸福感和安全感极大提升，中国的国际地位和影响力极大提升。中国共产党也一直为人类进步事业而奋斗。展望未来，中国共产党愿同世界各国政党加强友好往来，凝聚构建人类命运共同体的磅礴力量，为世界和平发展和人类进步事业作出新的更大贡献。
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The representatives of political parties etc. participating in the meeting earnestly listened to the story of Shanghai’s economic and social development and the people’s improved standard of living, narrated by representatives from all walks of life in Shanghai. Chairman of the Socialist Party of Serbia and President of Parliament Ivica Dačić, Cambodian People’s Party Central Committee’s Standing Committee and Second Vice President of Cambodia’s National Assembly Khuon Sodary, the Party of the European Left‘s first vice chairperson Mola, Gabonese Democratic Party‘s General Secretary¹⁾ Bounguendza, Panama Democratic Revolutionary Party General Secretary González, People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan vice chairman²⁾ Yousufei etc. warmly congratulated on the CPC’s 100th founding anniversary and its successes that had caught the attention of the world. They said that the CPC’s foundation had not only greatly changed China’s development process, but also contributed significantly to world peace and global development, having become a model for study by the world’s political parties, and an example to learn from. Following the CPC’s 18th national congress, the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core had proposed the “Belt and Road” initiative, helping developing countries to achieve greater development, vividly adding to the concept of a Community of common destiny for mankind. They hoped to strengthen exchanges with the CPC about government experience, and to advance pragmatic cooperation in all fields so as to benefit all countries and peoples even better.
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与会政党代表等认真听取了上海各界人士代表讲述上海经济社会发展和人民生活水平提升的故事。塞尔维亚社会党主席、议长达契奇，柬埔寨人民党中央常委、国会第二副主席昆索达莉，欧洲左翼党第一副主席莫拉，加蓬民主党总书记本根扎，巴拿马民主革命党总书记冈萨雷斯，塔吉克斯坦人民民主党副主席尤苏菲等在发言中热烈祝贺中国共产党百年华诞和取得的举世瞩目成就，表示中国共产党的成立不仅极大改变了中国的发展进程，也为世界和平、发展与进步作出了重大贡献，成为世界政党研究、借鉴和学习的榜样。中共十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的中共中央提出“一带一路”倡议、助力发展中国家实现更大发展，生动诠释了人类命运共同体理念。愿同中国共产党加强治国理政经验交流，促进各领域务实合作，更多造福各国和各国人民。
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Notes

1)	the title might look revolutionary, but Wikipedia suggests that his party is center-right
2)	supposing this is a man

To be continued.

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Related

Many Miracles, “China Daily”, June 18, 2021
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Thailand: “To compensate for the loss of Chinese Tourism Market”

The following is an excerpt from Radio Thailand’s business news last night (UTC). The program was in English.

^{Better known as FM88 Radio Thailand now, but still on shortwave}

Its info that high hopes are placed on Indian tourists, detailing that there have been 600,000 visitors from India since borders reopened in July (compared to ten million Chinese visitors during all of 2019) may or may not be indicative for the overall significance of India as a tourism market for Thailand, but I guess that if Chinese tourists remain absent for a long time, Chinese influence in Thailand could also suffer to some extent. “Zero-Covid” comes at costs, not only at home, but also abroad.

Words or word groups I didn’t understand have been replaced by brackets.

The tourism confidence survey index for the 4th quarter of this year is up 70 from 65 from the last quarter. There is an air of confidence according to the Tourism Council of Thailand that recently unveiled its latest quarterly industry confidence index. It [..] states that a strong recovery from the industry players has been signaled and that business is ready to reclaim its confidence. As one of the countries fastest-growing sector […]. The survey revealed that the industry’s confidence during the 3rd quarter 2022 was up 65, and was expected to rise to 70 for the 4th quarter, noting that the 4th quarter being the sector’s high season and its best time to recover. The Tourism Council of Thailand says it expects tourist numbers in 2022 to be around five million – about two million more than the expected target.

With the latest industry survey, there is a resurgence of confidence that the sector could return to pre-Covid levels by as early as next year, further announcing that the country’s tourism numbers returned to its 40 million mark previously experienced pre-Covid-19. During pre-pandemic era, Thailand’s peak capacity was 39.9 million tourists recorded in 2019. This was the landmark year, when the sector contributed 20% of the country’s GDP.

China was the single largest tourist segment for Thailand with more than 10 million visitors in 2019, which has continued to impose restrictions, unfortunately, on outbound tourists […] thus leaving Thailand to look for new markets. To compensate for the loss of Chinese tourism market, Thailand has managed to attract Indian tourists, where the pandemic has prompted more tourists now to visit the country. India’s tourists have become the second-largest group after Malaysia, with more than 600,000 visitors recorded since the reopening its borders in July.

The Tourism Council of Thailand reported that in its survey revealed that the country’s tourism industry service and [..] businesses have begun recovering, in terms of bottomline. Recent industry reported that hotel [revenues?] has started returning by as much as 40% of pre-Covid level, while 87% of the business were back in full operation. […] [Shortage of workforce also mentioned.]

Despite the positive outlook for the industry and the rebound of the sector, [possibility of] slowdown due to the rising interest rates and […] recession which could dampen travel demand. […]

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Related

Long Yongtu & the Smiling Curve, May 17, 2012
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President’s Double-Ten Speech 2022: Expect no Walk in the Park

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen looks ahead to her two remaining years in office. The following is an excerpt from her Double-Ten national day speech this morning (Monday), based on the presidential office’s Chinese text, and an English translation by CNA.

^{Double-Ten speech 2022, click picture for video}

…

疫情沒有擊倒我們，反而讓世界看見了臺灣的韌性。我們不只守住了疫情，更把我們往前推進了一步，成為我們心中更好的國家。	Instead of holding us back, the pandemic has helped the world see Taiwan’s resilience. Not only did we manage the spread of COVID-19, we helped Taiwan take a step forward, and made our country a better place.
但正如同棒球比賽一樣，這一局能夠化險為夷，並不代表，我們下一局就會風平浪靜。走過了上階段的疫情風暴，下一個階段我們挑戰更大，更需要我們沉著面對，共同解決。	But just as in baseball, being able to turn one inning around does not mean the next one will be a walk in the park. Having come through the outbreak of the virus, we know that our next challenges will be even greater, requiring a calm and collective response.
疫後的世界秩序，正在劇烈的變化。目前，歐美各國，正苦於通貨膨脹，和隨之而來的經濟衰退；臺灣的通膨，雖然還在可以控制的範圍，但我們仍然必須要因應，全球經濟衰退的變局。	The post-pandemic world order is in a state of rapid change. Countries across Europe and the Americas are suffering from inflation and the resulting economic downturn. While inflation in Taiwan is still at a controllable level, we must nevertheless prepare for the developments that might be triggered by a global economic contraction.
在此同時，全球供應鏈重組，仍在進行當中。臺灣雖然在半導體、以及資通訊軟硬體的領域，已經取得關鍵的地位；但在其他領域也必須要快步跟上，才能立於不敗之地。另外，極端氣候帶來的異常災變，也提醒我們，必須要建立更能夠快速應變的機制。	At the same time, global supply chains are still undergoing restructuring. Though Taiwan already holds a key position in the fields of semiconductors and information and communications technology hardware and software, we must quickly catch up in other fields to ensure our strong footing. In addition, disasters caused by extreme weather events remind us that we must build mechanisms for rapid response.
在經濟局勢的過程當中，我們還要面對的另外一個挑戰，那就是烏俄戰爭持續在進行；中國在南海、東海、以及臺灣海峽的軍事行動，衝擊印太地區的和平穩定。我們絕對不能忽視，軍事的擴張，正在挑戰自由民主的世界秩序。這些變局，都跟臺灣息息相關。	Aside from economic developments, Russia continues its war against Ukraine, while China’s military activity in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We absolutely cannot ignore the challenge that these military expansions pose to the free and democratic world order. These developments are inextricably connected with Taiwan.
臺灣正處在變局之中。我們不能抱著僥倖的心態。我們必須堅定民主立場，審慎的做出準備，隨時因應瞬息萬變的情勢。	With Taiwan a part of this changing landscape, we cannot leave things to chance. Instead, we must stand up for our democracy, and prepare prudently and sufficiently to respond to any possible contingency.
回顧過去，正是因為臺灣的韌性，我們才能夠度過疫情的挑戰。未來的兩年，在我任期的最後，我們不僅要持續站穩「四個堅持」的立場，更要在經濟產業、在社會安全網、在民主自由體制、在國防戰力，打造更精實的「四大韌性」。	Looking back, we can see that we were able to weather the challenges of the pandemic precisely because of Taiwan’s resilience. Over the remaining two years of my term, we will continue to resolutely uphold our Four Commitments. We will also enhance the resilience of four key areas: our economy and industry, social safety net, free and democratic government system, and national defense.
把中華民國臺灣，打造成為一個更強韌的國家，就是現階段國家發展，最重要的目標。	The work of making the Republic of China (Taiwan) a more resilient country is now our most important national development priority.

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Related

An Economy with new Bones, May 20, 2016
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Guesswork: 20th National Congress of the CPC (1)

^{Propaganda video, apparently with material from 2017}

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Date:	Not specified yet, but most likely in October or November,2022
Location:	“Great Hall of the People”, Beijing
Participants:	2,300 delegates from 38 “electoral” bodies.
In charge of “elections”:	The CPC organization department.
Candidates are selected in five steps, according to Li Cheng, quoting a organization department press release.
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Xi Jinping will officially be declared “The People’s Leader” (人民领袖). It’s not a new term and Xi has been referred to as “people’s leader”*) by party cadres and propaganda before, but it hasn’t joined the ideological principles yet. “Shared development” or “inclusive development” (共享发展), and “innovative”, “coordinated” etc. development in general, is likely to remain a key element of CPC ideology. For details of the CPC development party (from a dedicated technocrat’s perspective) see this preface by Hu Angang, 2018 According to Ming Pao in an article on July 12, annexing Taiwan is high on the agenda, too. The correspondents quote one source (unnamed, of course) “with a military background” as saying that “if cross-strait unification brought about, fame will follow merit” (該人士表示，實現兩岸統一，「人民領袖」這一稱號對習而言也將實至名歸), i. e. Xi Jinping would be a worthy bearer of the “peoples-leader” title.

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Notes

^*) “worthy to be called a wise (or brilliant) leader” (不愧为英明领袖) was another trial balloon, released by Cai Qi in 2017.

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Guizhou: Old Revolutionary Areas brimming with Happiness

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Main Link: Advance bravely on the new journey (奋进新征程), CCTV main evening news, May 22, 2022

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

Brimming with happiness: guess who
they are listening to

Advance bravely on the new journey, contribute feats to the new era, see the new face of the old revolutionary areas – Continue the red bloodline to write a flamboyant new Guizhou chapter by your actions
【奋进新征程 建功新时代·走进老区看新貌】赓续红色血脉 谱写多彩贵州新篇章
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Source: CCTV, May 22, 2022, 19:10 Beijing time
来源：央视网2022年05月22日 19:10
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CCTV news (Xinwen Lianbo): Guizhou was the province where the Red Army’s activity went on longest and with the broadest scope; Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing and Guizhou, [aka 湘鄂川黔] left and right of the Changjiang, the old revolutionary base area covered some 43 counties (cities and regions). Since the Communist Party of China’s 18th National Congress, under the strong leadership of the Party’s Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, the cadres and masses in Guizhou have made full use of revolutionary tradition, continued [gēng xù] the red bloodline, struggled collectively, and wrote a colorful chapter of Guizhou’s modernization and construction.
央视网消息（新闻联播）：贵州是长征时红军活动时间最长、活动范围最广的省份，湘鄂渝黔、左右江革命老区覆盖贵州43个县（市、区）。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，贵州广大干部群众发扬革命传统，赓续红色血脉，团结奋斗，谱写多彩贵州现代化建设新篇章。
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Guizhou’s Zunyi belongs to the old revolutionary area of Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing and Guizhou, and Huamao Village is located in the mountainous northwestern area of Zunyi City. In May, Huamao Village with its white walls and grey roof tiles is surrounded by crystal-clear water and green hills, the farming hotbeds are flourishing, and large numbers of tourists come to the village for sight-seeing and to experience the ancient ways of producing ceramic art. It is hard to imagine that this beautiful village with its flourishing industries and tourism was once called “the fields of desolate reeds” for being overwhelmed with poverty.
贵州遵义属于湘鄂渝黔革命老区，花茂村地处遵义市西部山区。五月的花茂村绿水青山环抱白墙灰瓦，农业产业园里采收正旺；大批游客来村里参观游览，体验古法陶艺。然而很难想象，现在这个产业兴、旅游旺的美丽村庄在多年前因为贫困荒芜被叫作“荒茅田”。
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Guizhou was once the whole country’s poorest province with the largest number of poor inhabitants and with most intense and widely-spread poverty, and more than half of these impoverished areas were part of the old revolutionary base territory.
贵州曾经是全国贫困人口最多、贫困程度最深、贫困面最广的省份，而这些贫困地区中又有一半以上属于革命老区。
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Secretary General Xi Jinping has shown concern [qiānguà] for the old area’s masses all along, and wanted to build the old revolutionary area better, so that the people of the old areas would lead better lives. After the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Secretary General Xi Jinping has visited Guizhou twice for inspection and research. Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “good days come after hard work”, and that poverty needn’t be feared and every difficulty can be overcome as long as there is confidence and determination.
习近平总书记始终牵挂着老区群众，要把革命老区建设得更好，让老区人民过上更好生活。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记两次到贵州考察调研。在遵义花茂村，习近平总书记强调，好日子是干出来的，贫困并不可怕，只要有信心、有决心，就没有克服不了的困难。
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Earnest and affectionate trust stirs people into action. After The CPC’s 18th National Congress, Guizhou launched an overall attack on absolute poverty, held poverty in check and pulled out the roots of poverty, and from infrastructure construction to relocation projects, the state has, in its central budget, arranged 124.22 billion Yuan RMB for key infrastruc-ture construction and relocation in the old revolutionary areas. Guizhou has dispatched nearly 100,000 cadres into the old areas to be stationed there for mutual help and support, to establish mechanisms with long-term effects, employment security, education and medical care, etc. continuously improving and continuously solidify the old-areas masses’ “two free-from-worries and three guarantees” foundations.
殷殷嘱托饱含深情，催人奋进。党的十八大以来，贵州向绝对贫困发起总攻，挪穷窝、拔穷根，从基础设施建设到易地搬迁项目，国家安排中央预算内资金1242.18亿元重点支持老区建设；贵州选派近10万名干部在老区驻点帮扶，建起对口帮扶长效机制；就业保障、教育医疗等体系逐步完善，全面夯实老区群众“两不愁、三保障”基础。
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In December 2019, Huamao village, based on special-interest tourism and agricultural development, got completely rid of poverty. In November 2020, Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing and Guizhou, in the old revolutionary areas left and right of the Changjiang, the 35 poor districts were cleared.
2019年12月，依靠特色旅游、现代农业发展起来的花茂村全部脱贫。2020年11月，湘鄂渝黔、左右江革命老区贵州境内的35个贫困县全部摘帽。
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The people’s lives become more prosperous with each passing day, and the landscape sees rapid development. During the past ten years, advantageous and characteristic trades of vegetables, edible mushrooms and tea leaves have taken shape in Guizhou’s old revolutionary areas. It used to be said that “the water won’t nourish the people next to it”¹⁾ in the mountains. Having relocated and become free from poverty, the masses have become new citizens of cities and towns. During the past ten years, in districts in Guizhou, one after another, the expressway has been extended and built through Zunyi and southwestern Guizhou. Airports have been built and expanded. At present, the Guiyang-Nanning High-speed Railway’s Guizhou section is being built, and train traffic is scheduled for next year. In the future, high-speed railways will link all old revolutionary areas in Guizhou with each other. Today, the old revolutionary areas’ masses are brimming with happiness.
人民生活蒸蒸日上，老区面貌日新月异。十年来，贵州革命老区形成蔬菜、食用菌、茶叶等特色优势产业；曾经“一方水土养不了一方人”的大山里，群众们通过易地扶贫搬迁成为城镇新市民。十年来，贵州革命老区县县通高速，遵义、黔西南等地新建、扩建机场。眼下，贵南高铁贵州段即将铺轨，明年建成通车。未来，高铁网将串联起贵州境内所有革命老区。如今，老区群众洋溢着满满的幸福感。
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Having kept to the bottomlines of development and ecology ever since the CPC’s 18th National Congress, a new landscape of green development has been painted on this red-colored homeland. Guizhou’s old revolutionary areas have fully implemented the river-chief system and developed industries typical for the mountainous areas. Next, Guizhou will focus on the old revolutionary areas’ high-quality development²⁾, accelerate the formation of newly emerging industrial clusters, promote new-type industrialization, new-type urbanization, agricultural modernization and tourism industrialization, sparing no effort on the new road of West development in the new era.
守住发展和生态两条底线，党的十八大以来，这片红色热土上还不断绘就绿色发展新图景。贵州革命老区全面落实河长制，发展山地特色产业。接下来，贵州聚焦革命老区高质量发展，加速培育新兴产业集群，推动新型工业化、新型城镇化、农业现代化和旅游产业化，奋力在新时代西部大开发上闯出新路。

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Notes

¹⁾ The original saying is that “each place has its water for its people”, and it’s changed here to suggest that there was no survival in the mountains in Guizhou
²⁾ In the CPC’s words, “high-quality development” is “the establishment and improvement of an economic system for green, low-carbon and circular development”, in accordance with a report by the CPC’s 19th national congress in 2017
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Li Keqiang at Yunnan University, in Accordance with their Wishes

“Yunnan University is still amazing” (云南大学还是了不起的), China’s chief state councillor Li Keqiang tells Yunnan University students at a graduation ceremony, and “Yunnan University will surely advance further”.  Not least, he wishes the students “a post in accordance with their wishes” (称心如意的岗位).

Source: Yunnan Univ. weibo channel
– click photo for more

All that seems to go without saying, but the last sentence could be important. After all, China’s “zero-Covid” policy will affect many graduates’ job searches – and Li is only too familiar with cases where that transit from learning to doing went wrong. In early February 2015, he met with students and graduates in Liping County, Guizhou, and heard complaints about student loans with hardly affordable interest rates.

Li, in general, is in charge of the economy – including its dark sides -, while Xi Jinping is in charge of lofty speeches and the spreading of Reagan-like optimism. Xi is becoming known as the man with his happy head firmly above the Olympic clouds: China’s aerospace sci-tech self-reliance, for example (earlier this month), or the skies more in general (May 2013), or with the idea that the party & the state can lock millions into their homes without reliable supplies of daily necessities and income and expect those millions to love the party & the state back for that.

What really surprised many onlookers today is that there was very little Covid policy to be seen during Li’s visit to Yunnan University today – certainly no face masks. In China, too, and on its campuses not least, there seems to be a feeling that China needs to enter the endemic stage, i. e. the era where a society begins “to live with Covid” as its effects become less dangerous or fatal.

But obviously, no hopeful event such as graduation can do without a peek across the clouds:

The Chief State Councillor hopes that the studious sons and daughters of Yunnan University will stand on solid ground, achieving sky-high successes from there (总理希望云大学子站在坚实的土地上，创造高上云端的成就),

he told the crowd before leaving again on his modest minibus.
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Updates/Related

Thank you, you too, May 18, 2022
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