Three in one Go: “Chairman Xi Jinping’s firm and powerful words have once again made the world feel how China takes up the responsibility of a major power”

French President Emmanuel Macron’s and European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s current visits to China were preceded by Spanish President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez. The latter was part of a one-afternoon triptych – but neither Sanchez nor the two other guests of Chinese State Chairman Xi Jinping were the holy guys. That would be Xi Jinping himself.

Xi Jinping meets Spain’s Prime Minister, Xi Jinping meets Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Xi Jinping meets Singapore’s Prime Minister: CCTV Evening News, March 31

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The following is my translation of an article first published by one of Xinhua’s glossy (online) brochures, named “First Perspective”. Links within blockquotes were added during translation.

This blogpost is followed by a quiz, so keep reading to the end.

First Observation | “The Three Concentric Circles” of China’s Diplomacy as cognizable from Chairman Xi Jinping’s Foreign-Affairs Meetings
第一观察丨从习近平主席密集外事会见看中国外交“三个同心圆”

[From Graphics]
第一观察 (“First Perspective”, a reader published by Xinhua), Issue 315
Produced by Xinhua’s Domestic Department
Produced by Xinhua First Studio
第一观察 ３１５期
新华社国内部制作
新华社第一工作室出品

The wind of spring is warm and kind. On Chan’An Road in Beijing, the Spanish, Malaysian and Singaporean flags are hanging next to the five-star red flag [i. e. the PRC flag] , fluttering in the wind. China warmly welcomes three important visiting foreign leaders.
春风和煦，北京长安街上，西班牙、马来西亚、新加坡的国旗分别同五星红旗并排悬挂、迎风招展。中国热情欢迎来华访问的三位外国政要。

On March 31, Chairman Xi Jinping met separately with Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar, and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Great Hall of the People. A person in charge at the foreign ministry told reporters that with Xi Jinping’s meetings as a circle, three concentric circles can be drawn. When looking at bilateral relations, you can see that China has regional relations. It is important to take a long-term perspective to see the global significance of China’s recent diplomatic activities.
3月31日，习近平主席在人民大会堂分别会见西班牙首相桑切斯、马来西亚总理安瓦尔、新加坡总理李显龙。
外交部一位负责人告诉新华社记者，以习近平主席会见为圆心，可以画出三个同心圆，借此看双边关系、看中国同有关地区的关系，更要把目光放长远，看到近期中国一系列外交行动的世界意义。

(1)
（一）

The first concentric circle is about the level of bilateral relations.
第一个同心圆是双边关系层面。

This year is significant for China’s relations with Spain, Malaysia and Singapore.
今年对中国同西班牙、马来西亚、新加坡三国的关系都有着重要意义。

2023 marks the 50th anniversary China’s establishment of diplomatic relations with Spain. In early March, Xi Jinping exchanged messages with Spanish King Felipe 6th on the 50th anniversary of China and Spain establishing diplomatic relations.
2023年是中国同西班牙建交50周年。3月初，习近平主席还同西班牙国王费利佩六世就中西建交50周年互致贺电。

At the meeting [with Sanchez], Xi Jinping summarized the half-century experience of developing Chinese-Spanish relations as “adhering to mutual respect, exchange and dialogue, and proactively developing mutually beneficial cooperation”.
会见中，习近平主席用“坚持相互尊重、交流对话，积极开展互利合作”概括半个世纪以来中西关系发展的经验。

Setting out from the 50th anniversary, how can the good bileateral relations be developed further?
如何以建交50周年为新起点，进一步发展好两国关系？

Xi Jinping emphasized that “the two sides should persist in planning the two countries’ relations from a strategic perspective”, “build bilateral relations with strategic focus”, strengthen the development of strategic connectives, dredge cooperative potentials”, must do a good job at the Chinese-Spanish Cultural and Touristical Year activities, and promote the exchange of global civilizational dialogue and exchange”.
习近平主席强调“双方应该坚持从战略高度和长远角度谋划两国关系”“打造具有战略定力的双边关系”，“要加强发展战略对接，深挖合作潜力”，“要搞好中西文化和旅游年活动，推动世界文明对话交流”。

This year marks the tenth anniversary of China and Malaysia establishing comprehensive strategic partnership relations, and next year will see the 50th anniversary of China and Malaysia establishing diplomatic relations.
今年是中马建立全面战略伙伴关系10周年，明年将迎来两国建交50周年。

This visit to China was Prime Minister Anwar’s first after taking office. During this visit, the two sides reached consensus on the building of a Chinese-Malaysian human-destiny community¹⁾ which will surely open a new chapter in the history of our two countries’ relations.
此次中国之行是安瓦尔总理上任后首次访华。此访期间，双方就共建中马命运共同体达成共识，必将开启两国关系新的历史篇章。

Among the South-East Asian countries, Singapore is the one participating most deeply in China’s reform and opening, and the one whose interests are most closely in harmony with China’s. Chairma Xi Jinping used the words “forward-looking”, “strategic” and “exemplary” to characterize the two countries’ relations. This kind of relations also set an example for regional countries.
在东南亚国家中，新加坡参与中国改革开放程度最深，同中国利益融合最密切。习近平主席用“前瞻性、战略性、示范性”定位两国关系，这样的关系也为地区国家树立了标杆。

This time, the two countries have taken another step, elevating Chinese-Singaporean relations to a comprehensive high-quality, forward-looking partnership level, thus setting yet higher standards and goals for their bilateral relations. Chairman Xi Jinping pointed out that the Chinese side wanted to strengthen strategic connections with Singapore, deepen strategic connectives, and conscientiously turn “high quality” into a most distinct mark of Chinese-Singaporean cooperation.
此次两国更进一步，将中新关系提升为全方位高质量的前瞻性伙伴关系，为双边关系确立了更高的标准和目标。习近平主席指出，中方愿同新方加强战略沟通，深化战略对接，切实使“高质量”成为中新合作最鲜明的标识。

(2)
（二）

The second concentric circle is about the level of regional relations.
第二个同心圆是地区关系层面。

Spain is a member of the EU, and Malaysia and Singapore are China’s neigbors and also member states of ASEAN. At the three meetings, Chairman Xi Jinping discussed China’s cooperation with the relevant regions from different perspectives.
西班牙是欧盟成员国，马来西亚、新加坡是中国周边邻国，也是重要的东盟成员国。三场会见，习近平主席从不同角度谈到中国同相关地区合作。

China and Europe are comprehensive strategic partners, opportunities for one another, and common interests between China and Europe outweigh their disagreements by far. There is reason to believe that the European side understands this argument. But there is a precondition to develop Chinese-European relations well, which is that Europe maintains its strategic autonomy. That is precisely what Chairman Xi emphasized in his many meetings with European leaders.
中欧是全面战略伙伴、是彼此机遇，中欧间的共同利益远大于分歧。相信欧方也明白这个道理。但要发展好中欧关系，有一个前提，那就是需要欧方坚持战略自主。这也正是习近平主席多次同欧方领导人会晤时所强调的。

During the second half of the year, Spain will take the chairmanship of the European Union. Chairman Xi Jinping emphasized that he hoped Spain would play a positive role in promoting Chinese-European relations.
今年下半年，西班牙将接任欧盟轮值主席国。习近平主席强调，希望西班牙为促进中欧对话合作发挥积极作用。

In 2021, Chairman Xi Jinping made the “five proposals on building our home together” to the ASEAN countries. At these meetings with the two ASEAN leaders, regional cooperation has been an important part of Chairman Xi Jinping’s talks.
2021年，习近平主席面向东盟国家提出中国与东盟“五大家园”建设。此次会见两位东盟国家领导人，区域合作是习近平主席谈话的重要内容。

Meeting Prime Minister Anwar, Chairman Xi Jinping emphasized that together with Malaysia, China wanted to enhance Asian civilization, uphold strategic autonomy, hold fast to the original intention, support the central position of ASEAN, resolutely resist the cold-war mentality and confrontation, and join forces to build the common home²⁾.
会见安瓦尔总理，习近平主席强调，中方愿同马方一道，弘扬亚洲文明，坚持战略自主，坚守东亚合作初心，支持东盟中心地位，坚决抵制冷战思维和阵营对抗，合力建设好共同家园。

Meeting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Chairman Xi Jinping pointed out that we should cherish and safeguard the good Asian regional development momentum that hasn’t been easy to come by, jointly protect the regional peace dividend, and safeguard the correct direction of economic globalization and regional economic integration.
会见李显龙总理，习近平主席指出，我们尤其应该珍惜和维护亚洲地区来之不易的良好发展势头，共同守护好地区和平红利，维护好经济全球化和区域经济一体化正确方向。

During these years, the Asian region has maintained general peaceful and stable development, the good momentum of overall rise, all of which has been achieved by the people in the region, by their own hard work and wisdom. In today’s world of turmoil, the Asian peoples must all the more exclude external interference, and protect and develop their homeland well.
这些年来，亚洲地区保持总体和平稳定和快速发展、整体崛起的良好势头，这些都是地区国家人民通过自己的勤劳和智慧取得的，在当今变乱交织的世界，亚洲人民更要排除外部干扰，守护好、发展好自己的家园。

“We don’t allow any country to deprive the Asian peoples of the right to strive for a better and prosperous future.” Chairman Xi’s words were profound.
“不允许任何国家剥夺亚洲人民追求更美好幸福生活的权利。”习近平主席的话意味深长。

(3)
（三）

The third concentric circle is about the global level
第三个同心圆是世界层面。

At the tree meetings, the recent set of diplomatic actions taken by China have shown the world a China that is full of vitality, that maintains openness, but also shoulders responsibility as a great power, and, in a world of upheaval and change, provides more determinacy.
三场会见，连同近期中国一系列外交行动，向世界展现出一个充满活力、坚持开放、担当负责的大国形象，为动荡变革中的世界注入了更多确定性。

Just take March this year as an example, when Chairman Xi Jinping met several leaders from abroad who visited China, participated in the CPC’s dialog meeting with other political parties of the world and gave a keynote speech, and made a state visit to Russia on its invitation.
China facilitated the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, China hosted the 2023 China Development Forum³⁾, and the Boao Forum for Asia⁴⁾ … …
仅以今年3月为例，习近平主席会晤多位来访外国领导人、出席中国共产党与世界政党高层对话会并发表主旨讲话、应邀对俄罗斯进行国事访问；中国促成沙特和伊朗恢复外交关系；中方举办中国发展高层论坛2023年年会、博鳌亚洲论坛2023年年会……

A number of major moves and vigorous actions have attracted global attention. Recently, dignitaries, entrepreneurs, experts, scholars and delegates of international organizations have come to China one after another to take part in activities, vividly experiencing the vitality and pulsation of China’s development. The official three government leaders’ visits were in conjunction with the Bo’ao Forum for Asia.
一系列重大举措、有力行动吸引世界目光。近期，各国政要、企业家、专家学者和国际组织代表纷纷来华出席活动，真切感受到中国发展的活力与脉动。三位外国政府首脑，正是结合出席博鳌亚洲论坛年会对中国进行正式访问的。

During the meeting, Chairman Xi Jinping repeatedly talked about “Modernization with Chinese Characteristics”, thoroughly pointing out the global significance of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation by means of Modernization with Chinese Characteristics.
会见中，习近平主席多次讲到“中国式现代化”，深刻指出以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的世界意义。

Facts have proven that the better China develops, the better it can share development opportunities with all countries, and make a greater contribution to the world.
事实已经证明，中国发展越好，就越有能力同各国分享发展机遇，为世界作出更大贡献。

At the meetings, the three foreign leaders discussed global peace and development respectively, from their own perspectives.
会见中，三位外国领导人从各自视角谈及世界和平与发展这个话题——

Prime Minister Sanchez gave a positive assessment of China’s position paper concerning a political solution of the Ukraine crisis and expressed his appreciation of China’s constructive role in a political solution of the Ukraine crisis.
桑切斯首相积极评价中方关于政治解决乌克兰危机的立场文件，表示赞赏中方为政治解决乌危机发挥的建设性作用。

In view of China’s recent successful facilitation of Saudi Arabian-Iranian dialogue, Prime Minister Anwar said that this once again shows China’s constructive role in the promotion of peace. He was deeply moved by the “extremely far-sighted” Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. Prime Minister Anwar said that Chairman Xi Jinping is a great politician with global influence who not only changed the course of China’s historic development, but who also brought hope for global peace and development.
看到近期中方成功促成沙伊北京对话，安瓦尔总理表示，这再次表明中方为促进和平发挥的建设性作用。感慨于全球安全倡议、全球发展倡议、全球文明倡议“极富远见”，安瓦尔总理表示，习近平主席是具有世界影响的伟大政治家，不仅改变了中国的历史发展进程，也为世界和平与发展带来希望。

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: “Singapore advocates respect between states, peaceful coexistence, win-win cooperation, avoidance of conflicts, and joint reactions to dangers and challenges.” Clearly, this is congenial with the new type of international relations advocated by China.
李显龙总理表示：“新加坡主张国与国应相互尊重、和平共处、互利合作、避免冲突，共同应对风险挑战。”显然，这同中方倡导的新型国际关系理念是相契合的。

At the meetings, Chairman Xi Jinping’s firm and powerful words have once again made the world feel how China takes up the responsibility of a major power.
会见中，习近平主席坚定而有力的话语，让世界再次感受到中国作为负责任大国的历史担当。

________________

Notes

1)	Aka “community with a shared destiny for mankind”, or “community of common destiny”
2)	Accidentally or not, “共同家园” is how Mikhail Gorbachev’s reference to a “Common European home” is frequently translated into Chinese. Xi doesn’t appear to be superstitious.
3)	Literally: “China Development High-Level Forum 2023”
4)	Literally: “2023 Bo’ao Asia Annual Forum”

________________

Quiz

Which country is featured in this article without being mentioned even once?

________________

Xi Jinping’s Lecture: “More efficient and Fairer than Capitalism”

The following are translated excerpts from a speech given by Xi Jinping on Tuesday, at the opening ceremony of a “study class” or seminar of leading CPC and other “democratic parties‘” cadres.

^{Banner: “Seminar for the implementation of Xi Jinping’s ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era and the spirit of the party’s 20th national congress”}

Main Link: Xinwen Lianbo, Febr 7, 2023

Links and footnotes within blockquotes added during translation.

Newly-joined members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and alternate members as well as provincial-level leading cadres studied the implementation of Xi Jinping’s ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era and the spirit of the party’s 20th national congress.¹⁾ The seminar took place at the Central Party School (aka Chinese Academy of Governance) in the morning of February 7th. CPC Central Committee secretary general, State Chairman and Central Military Commissions’ chairman Xi Jinping gave an important speech there and emphasized that summarizing and deepening the theory of Chinese-style modernization is a major innovation from the 20th national congress of the CPC and the latest fruit of scientific socialism. Chinese-style modernization is a great fruit of a long and difficult search and practice conducted by the people of all nationalities, under the leadership of our party, achieved under great deprivation and at a huge price. We must add to it and cherish it, adhere to it forever and continuously expand and deepen it.

新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员和省部级主要领导干部学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想和党的二十大精神研讨班7日上午在中央党校（国家行政学院）开班。中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平在开班式上发表重要讲话强调，概括提出并深入阐述中国式现代化理论，是党的二十大的一个重大理论创新，是科学社会主义的最新重大成果。中国式现代化是我们党领导全国各族人民在长期探索和实践中历经千辛万苦、付出巨大代价取得的重大成果，我们必须倍加珍惜、始终坚持、不断拓展和深化。

Member of the politburo’s standing committee Li Qiang presided over the class opening ceremony, politburo standing committee members Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi were present.

中共中央政治局常委李强主持开班式，中共中央政治局常委赵乐际、王沪宁、蔡奇、丁薛祥、李希出席。

Xi Jinping pointed out that achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the common dream of the Chinese people ever since modernity²⁾, and countless people with lofty ideas had struggled for it and tried all kinds of ways, but failed in the end. Historically, the heavy responsibility of China’s modernization fell to the Communist Party of China.
习近平指出，实现中华民族伟大复兴是近代以来中国人民的共同梦想，无数仁人志士为此苦苦求索、进行各种尝试，但都以失败告终。探索中国现代化道路的重任，历史地落在了中国共产党身上。

Xi’s speech continues with a generous appropriation of the northern expedition, the agrarian revolution war, the Sino-Japanese war, and the civil war from 1945 to 1949 – those are all the CPC’s feats, in its own books. The CPC had overthrown the “three big mountains” (三座大山) – imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat-capitalism³⁾, made the People’s Republic of China “with the people in charge of its own affairs” or “master of their own house” (建立了人民当家作主的中华人民共和国),  achieved national independence (民族独立), people’s liberation (人民解放) so as to create the right conditions for modernization (为实现现代化创造了根本社会条件).

Xi Jinping emphasized that ever since the 18th national congress of the CPC, our party has continued its advance on foundations already laid by itself, continuously bringing about theoretical and practical innovative breakthroughs, successfully promoting and broadening Chinese-style modernization. We have deepened our knowledge, created the ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, brought about the epochally soaring sinicization of Marxism, and new standards to follow in Chinese-style modernization.
习近平强调，党的十八大以来，我们党在已有基础上继续前进，不断实现理论和实践上的创新突破，成功推进和拓展了中国式现代化。我们在认识上不断深化，创立了新时代中国特色社会主义思想，实现了马克思主义中国化时代化新的飞跃，为中国式现代化提供了根本遵循。

[…]

We have continuously perfected our strategies, such as the strategy of relying on science to rejuvenate the nation, the strategy of developing a quality workforce in the new era, and the rural vitalization strategy, thus providing support for Chinese-style modernization.
我们在战略上不断完善，深入实施科教兴国战略、人才强国战略、乡村振兴战略等一系列重大战略，为中国式现代化提供坚实战略支撑。

[…]

Xi Jiinping pointed out that the party’s leadership was directly related to the fundamental direction of Chinese-style modernization, it’s future fate, and the final decision between success and failure. The leadership by the party decides the fundamental quality of Chinese-style modernization. Only if adhering to the party’s leadership without the slightest wavering, Chinese-style modernization will see a shining future and an economic renaissance. Otherwise, it will get off course, lose its soul and even commit subversive mistakes.
习近平指出，党的领导直接关系中国式现代化的根本方向、前途命运、最终成败。党的领导决定中国式现代化的根本性质，只有毫不动摇坚持党的领导，中国式现代化才能前景光明、繁荣兴盛；否则就会偏离航向、丧失灵魂，甚至犯颠覆性错误。

In this context, Xi also mentions five aspects that – in the leadership’s view – characterize a uniquely Chinese path towards modernization. “China Daily” provided an overview of them in English about a year ago, in an article published in March 2022.

Xi’s core message was “brimming with assertiveness”, German correspondent Fabian Kretschmer noted in an article for Germany’s green-leaning “taz” on Wednesday, one day after Xi’s classroom lecture. Also, Xi had described China’s development path as a role model for the Global South. Beijing had been trying for years to export its autocratic model of government.

Indeed,

Practice confirms that Chinese-style modernization is feasible, works in a stable fashion, and is the only correct path for national rejuvenation.

实践证明，中国式现代化走得通、行得稳，是强国建设、民族复兴的唯一正确道路。

[…]

Xi Jinping pointed out that Chinese-style modernization was deeply rooted in China’s excellent traditional culture, embodied the advanced quality of scientific socialism, drew on all of mankind’s excellent civilizational fruits, represented a civilizational development direction for mankind, unfolded a mental picture different from Western modernization, was a completely new type of human civilization. Chinese-style modernization had broken the myth that “modernization = westernization, unfolded another mental picture of modernization, broadened the choices of developing countries towards modernization, and provided a Chinese plan for searching a better human society system.
习近平指出，中国式现代化，深深植根于中华优秀传统文化，体现科学社会主义的先进本质，借鉴吸收一切人类优秀文明成果，代表人类文明进步的发展方向，展现了不同于西方现代化模式的新图景，是一种全新的人类文明形态。中国式现代化，打破了“现代化=西方化”的迷思，展现了现代化的另一幅图景，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的路径选择，为人类对更好社会制度的探索提供了中国方案。中国式现代化蕴含的独特世界观、价值观、历史观、文明观、民主观、生态观等及其伟大实践，是对世界现代化理论和实践的重大创新。中国式现代化为广大发展中国家独立自主迈向现代化树立了典范，为其提供了全新选择。

If you forecast cadres’ working plans based on this rendition of Xi’s speech, the central-committee members and candidates as well as the “provincial-level cadres” are going to face difficult tasks:

Both [of these goals] are important: to create greater efficiency than in capitalism, and more efficient protection of social fairness, a better balance between efficiency and fairness at the same time – both of them promoting each other, and both of them integrating with each other.
既要创造比资本主义更高的效率，又要更有效地维护社会公平，更好实现效率与公平相兼顾、相促进、相统一。

In addition to that, Xi demands “continuously broadening high-level opening up” (不断扩大高水平对外开放), and “thorough participation in global division of labor and cooperation” (深度参与全球产业分工和合作) so as to create more room for “Chinese-style modernization”.  How far this spells cooperation with, say, America, the Netherlands or Taiwan, or rather with the “Global South”, remains to be seen. The speech is careful enough not to mention potential cooperation partners explicitly, as not all of them may be happily available for the “great rejuvenation”.

________________

Notes

1)	Only the last lines of the article mentions another group of participants: dangwais (党外 or 党外人士). In this case, i. e. the Tuesday morning study class, this referred to “comrades from the democratic parties’ central committees, the all-China industrial and trade association, and others” (各民主党派中央、全国工商联及有关方面负责同志列席开班式).
2)	“Modernity” may not be the best choice to translate 近代 – jìndài may refer to modern times, recent history, or the years since the establishment of the PRC in 1949.
3)	官僚资本主义, translated “crony capitalism” by Baike-Baidu: “bureaucrat-capitalism, also described as crony capitalism (裙带资本主义), clique capitalism (朋党资本主义), bigwigs capitalism (权贵资本主义), close-friends capitalism (密友资本主义) or relationship capitalism (关系资本主义), describes an economy where success in business depends on close relationships between entrepreneurs, business people, and government officials. […]”

Related

“Personal experience”, Jan 5, 2013

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China’s New Normal is the Old Decadent Normal

At some point during the past fourteen years of blogging, I began to feel bored by Chinese press reviews. They weren’t funny anymore,  or that’s how I felt about them anyway. They had been comical until spring 2012, if I trace the involuntary jokes back correctly, and then lost their luster.
But give a secretary-general of the Communist Party of China a lifetime job, and the fun will be back. A man with powers only held by Mao Zedong (and certain emperors) before him reopens the pandora box of ingratiation, sycophancy and loss of touch with reality that have made China great.

Xi speaking, cadres taking notes – CCTV evening news on July 24, 2013.

Here’s Xi Jinping’s vision of shared future, and its place in history:

Thousands of years ago, China envisaged a world where people would live in perfect harmony and be as dear to one another as family. Today, President Xi Jinping has given the world such a vision in the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Don’t get me wrong: the “One-Belt-one-Road” initiative has been a fairly clever approach to foreign relations. Even cold warriors like yours truly never hesitate to learn from fascists like Xi when they get something right. In the case I remember, in April 2015, on a state visit, it was just the right bit of ingratiation and – calculated, I suppose – loss of reality. (It was just Pakistan, and there was therefore no danger that the great helmsman would be overegging it. The loss of reality was Pakistan’s problem, not Xi’s.)
But it’s a different story for China when Xi’s subjects sing the praise of their overlord. Extreme flattery is where madness sets out from, and loss of reality is how it continues. Or, in the words of Jacques Ellul, a French sociologist and theologican (1912 – 1994)^*),

In an article in Pravda in May 1957, the Chinese writer Mao Dun wrote that the ancient poets of China used the following words to express the striving of the people toward a better life:
“The flowers perfume the air, the moon shines, man has a long life.” And he added: “Allow me to give a new explanation of these poetic terms. The flowers perfume the air — this means that the flowers of the art of socialist realism are incomparably beautiful. The moon shines — this means that the sputnik has opened a new era in the conquest of space. Man has a long life — this means that the great Soviet Union will live tens and tens of thousands of years.”

Ellul’s comment:

When one reads this once, one smiles. If one reads it a thousand times, and no longer reads anything else, one must undergo a change. And we must reflect on the transformation of perspective already suffered by a whole society in which texts like this (published by the thousands ) can be distributed and taken seriously not only by the authorities but by the intellectuals. This complete change of perspective of the Weltanschauung is the primary totalitarian element of propaganda.

One might object that this isn’t funny at all. I can see that point, and I can even feel a bit of the pain myself. But I also believe that the most comical stories grow in the most terrifying gardens. Chinese propaganda is making fun of itself  again – not because of a sense of self-irony (there’s nothing like that), but because Chinese public life has become living satire again.
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Notes

*)	Jacques Ellul: “Propaganda – the Formation of  Men’s Attitudes”, New York, 1968, 1973

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Guesswork: 20th National Congress of the CPC (1)

^{Propaganda video, apparently with material from 2017}

–

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.
Menu
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
–
Source: CCTV, May 22, 2022, 19:10 Beijing time
来源：央视网2022年05月22日 19:10
–
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。
–
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”。
–
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。
–
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。
–
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。
–
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。
–
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。
–
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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Press Review: Xi Jinping’s New Year’s Speech comforts the Bereaved

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Guanchazhe newsitems on home page today (Sunday):

1)	Tianjin is considerate — netizens, inasfar as their comments aren’t removed – praise the municipal authorities, including the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department, for timely information,
2)	a woman whose brother lost his life in military service (in East Turkestan) got wet eyes when listening to Xi Jinping’s new year’s speech (清澈的爱、只为中国), and
3)	an academic currently in America who believes it’s in the Chinese genes to help each other.

Guanchazhe online, Shanghai, Jan 9, 2022–

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Xi Jinping’s Heroes (2): Martyrs, Wave upon Wave

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The following is my second instalment of an article gathering notable Xi quotes concerning heroes; part one is there. No excerpts in this second part; every Xi word within the following paragraphs has been faithfully translated. All errors are my own; corrections or suggestions are welcome.

For the particularly pious, there’s “A Daily Word from Xi”,
a regular morning meditation on
China People’s Broadcasting Station (CPBS)

Links within blockquotes added during translation.

Main Link: “The Secretary General has talked about Heroes like these”, by Wen Hongyan and Song Jingsi, published on Sept 29

For the beloved motherland of their ideals, countless revolutionary martyrs held high the torch of faith, with an honor that doesn’t look back, they entered the powerful historical torrent of the people’s independence and the people’s liberation. Facing danger without fear and advancing dauntlessly in wave upon wave, they fought a brave, blood-soaked fight despite all setbacks.

为了理想中“可爱的中国”，无数革命先烈高擎信仰的火炬，义无反顾地踏入为了民族独立、人民解放的历史洪流中。他们临危不惧、前赴后继，他们浴血奋战、百折不挠。

On July 24, 2020, secretary general Xi Jinping, ending inspection work in Jilin province, pointed out:

2020年7月24日，习近平总书记在吉林考察工作结束时的重要讲话中指出：

“During the war of resistance against Japan, under extremely vile conditions, General Yang Jingyu led armed forces braved temperatures of minus 40 degrees fighting blood-soaked battles with enemies several times stronger in numbers while having nothing but dry grass, tree bark and cotton wadding in their stomachs. Their achievements were shaking popular feelings.”

“抗日战争时期，在极其恶劣的条件下，杨靖宇将军领导抗日武装冒着零下四十摄氏度的严寒，同数倍于己的敌人浴血奋战，牺牲时胃里全是枯草、树皮、棉絮，没有一粒粮食，其事迹震撼人心。”

On September 18, 1931, Japanese imperialism manufactured the Mukden Incident and began the large-scale invasion and occupation of northeastern China. In 1932, Yang Jingyu was commissioned by the party central committee to organize the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and led the Northeast military-civilians in a bloody battle at the White Mountain and Black Water . Facing the Japanese army’s frantic pressure, Yang Jingyu was brimming with fighting spirit: “A Revolution is like fire. The snow may be sealing the mountains and hiding the birds’ and animals’ traces, but as long as we carry the spark, we can chase away the bitter winter and bring light and warmth.”

1931年9月18日，日本帝国主义制造九一八事变，开始大举侵占中国东北。1932年，杨靖宇受党中央委托到东北组织抗日联军，率领东北军民与日寇血战于白山黑水之间。面对日军疯狂镇压，杨靖宇充满斗志：“革命就像火一样，任凭大雪封山，鸟兽藏迹，只要我们有火种，就能驱赶严寒，带来光明和温暖。”

In February 1940, Yang Jingyu, in a world of ice and snow and out of ammunition and food, fought a lone fight against a great number of Japanese invaders, and heroically sacrificed his life after fighting for five days and nights, in Mengjiang County (now Jingyu County in Jilin Province).

1940年2月，杨靖宇在冰天雪地、弹尽粮绝的情况下，孤身一人与大量日寇周旋，战斗五昼夜后，在濛江县（今吉林省靖宇县）壮烈牺牲。

In times of difficulty, circumstances create heroes. In this great struggle in the war of resistance against Japan, the sons and daughters of China independently and freely casted their lives, sprinkled warm blood, mothers sent their sons to fight the Japanese invaders, wives sent their young husbands to the battleground, men and women, old and young equally mobilized.

天下艰难际，时势造英雄。在抗日战争这场救亡图存的伟大斗争中，中华儿女为中华民族独立和自由不惜抛头颅、洒热血，母亲送儿打日寇，妻子送郎上战场，男女老少齐动员。

It was Jiawu 2014. In a commemorative ceremony for the whole nation’s war of resistance that had started 77 years earlier, Secretary Xi Jinping, with deep emotion, told a heroic story: a mother from Miyun County in Beijing named Deng Yufen sent her husband and five children to the front, and they all died in battle.

2014年，岁逢甲午。在纪念全民族抗战爆发七十七周年仪式上，习近平总书记深情讲述了一位英雄母亲的抗战故事：“北京密云县一位名叫邓玉芬的母亲，把丈夫和5个孩子送上前线，他们全部战死沙场。”

Deng Yufen clenched her teeth and stood firm under these blows, smiling less than before but becoming more active in the anti-japanese war and closer to the younger generations of soldiers.

面对沉重的打击，邓玉芬硬是咬牙挺住了。她脸上的笑容少了，但对抗日工作更积极了，对子弟兵更亲了。

In August 1945, the Chinese people finally defeated the Japanese aggressor. Deng Yufen had tears in her eyes, comforting her husband and her sons under the nine springs: we are victorious! Before her death in February 1970, Deng Yufen told her fellow villagers, “bury me next to the roadside, I want to see the children return”.

1945年8月，中国人民终于打败日本侵略者，邓玉芬眼噙泪花，告慰九泉之下的丈夫和儿子们：咱们胜利了！1970年2月临终前，邓玉芬对乡亲们说：“把我埋在大路边，我要看着孩子们回来。”

In the extraordinarily difficult years of the anti-Japanese war, the Chinese people fought against powerful enemies, built a great wall out of blood and flesh, with always another one stepping into the breach to replace the fallen, and wrote a majestic epos, for a shaken world to read and to make even supernatural beings cry²⁾, thus winning the fist war by Chinese against foreign aggressors in modern times³⁾.

在艰苦卓绝的抗日战争中，中国人民以铮铮铁骨战强敌、以血肉之躯筑长城、以前仆后继赴国难，谱写了惊天地、泣鬼神的雄壮史诗，赢得了近代以来中国抗击外敌入侵的第一次完全胜利。

Secretary-general Xi Jinping pointed out on a symposium commemorating the 69th anniversary of the Chinese people’s anti-Japanese war of resistance’s victory and the world’s war against fascism’s victory: “High-ranking officers like Yang Jingyu, Zhao Shangzhi, Zuo Quan, Peng Xuefeng, Tong Linge, Zhao Dengyu, Zhang Zizhong, Dai Anlan and others from numerous heroic entities such as the Eight-Route Army’s ‘Five Heroes on Langya Mountain’, the New Fourth Army’s ‘Liulaozhuang company’, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army’s eight female warriors, the KMT Army’s ‘eight heroes’, are outstanding representatives of the Chinese people undefiant,self-sacrificing stance.”

习近平总书记在纪念中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利69周年座谈会上指出：“杨靖宇、赵尚志、左权、彭雪枫、佟麟阁、赵登禹、张自忠、戴安澜等一批抗日将领，八路军‘狼牙山五壮士’、新四军‘刘老庄连’、东北抗联八位女战士、国民党军‘八百壮士’等众多英雄群体，就是中国人民不畏强暴、以身殉国的杰出代表。”

While fighting the liberation war, the Communist Party of China relied closely on the masses, obtained a power that toppled the mountains and overturned the seas, and ended the KMT’s reactionary rule, establishing a brandnew People’s Republic.

解放战争中，中国共产党紧紧依靠人民群众，获得了排山倒海的力量，结束了国民党的反动统治，建立了崭新的人民共和国。

“With no care for their heads, their warm blood irrigated the country.” To win national independence and the people’s liberation, countless revolutionary martyrs marched forward bravely, building the great wall of steel that rescued the nation in peril and defended the nation’s dignity. According to incomplete statistics, there were 3.7 million martyrs among revolutionary the troops led by the party from 1921 until 1949.

“未惜头颅新故国，甘将热血沃中华。”为争取民族独立和人民解放，无数革命先烈勇往直前以赴之，筑起拯救民族危亡、捍卫民族尊严的钢铁长城。据不完全统计，从1921年到1949年，党领导的革命队伍中，有名可查的烈士就达370多万人。

Secretary-general Xi Jinping emphasized: “The republic is red, and can’t weaken this color.⁴⁾ The blood of countless martyrs gave our flag its color. There is no way that we would not build the republic well that they hoped, fought and sacrificed for.”
“We absolutely must engrave the martyrs’ final wishes and never forget the great ideals they sacrificed their blood for.”

习近平总书记强调：“共和国是红色的，不能淡化这个颜色。无数的先烈鲜血染红了我们的旗帜，我们不建设好他们所盼望向往、为之奋斗、为之牺牲的共和国，是绝对不行的。”“我们一定要铭记烈士们的遗愿，永志不忘他们为之流血牺牲的伟大理想。”

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Notes

¹⁾ White Mountain + Heilongjiang = Dongbei
²⁾ Xi Jinping appears to have a particularly strong liking for warm blood “irrigating” the motherland, but also for borrowing from the world on the other side of the cupboard: supernatural beings have played a role in his commemorative speech about the Korean war, too, and – if a verbatim quote of what Xi said back then – in his September 2015 speech.
³⁾ Among Chinese – not among Americans or Taiwanese – “近代” usually seems to refer to the times from around 1912 to 1949. The term is discussed by a Wikipedia article, too.
⁴⁾ xCompare commemorative speech about the Korean war in October with the same phrase: 共和国是红色的，不能淡化这个颜色. Another translation for “weaken” could be “dilute” or “trivialize” its color.
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