Five things on China’s Leaders’ Minds – 2 August 2021

Top-ranked articles for week of 25-31 July 2021

It’s the economy

As usual, there’s little in common between what China’s official media reports is happening in China and what everyone else reports. The flooding in Henan was reported, but only in the eighth most popular item (“Li Keqiang asked Henan and other places to make rescuing trapped people their primary task and to minimise casualties”, here); the crackdown on its private education industry – not at all.

Instead, the focus was on a Politburo meeting on the economy; followed by continuing reports of Xi Jinping’s visit to Tibet (a carryover piece from last week); two items of diplobabble (50 years of Sino-Sierra Leone ties and congratulations to Vietnam’s leaders on their re-election); and brief piece of XJP hagiography.

The Politburo economy meeting report was noteworthy for its concise itemisation of China’s leaders’ economic priorities – only just over 1,200 characters in total, and with its contents squeezed across four substantive paragraphs.

The first of these noted how well things were progressing under the leadership of Xi Jinping and the CPC.

The second began by listing the country’s top three challenges – “the current global epidemic is still evolving, the external environment is becoming more complex and severe, and the domestic economic recovery is still unstable and uneven”. It then outlined the various measures necessary to deal with them (“We must do a good job in the cross-cycle adjustment of macroeconomic policies, maintain the continuity, stability, and sustainability of macroeconomic policies, make overall plans for the convergence of macroeconomic policies this year and the next, and maintain economic operations within a reasonable range” etc, etc).

The third was more specific (“support the accelerated development of new energy vehicles, accelerate the integration of the county and rural e-commerce system and express logistics distribution system, accelerate the construction of major projects in the 14th Five-Year Plan, and guide enterprises to increase investment in technological transformation” etc, etc). It also noted the need to “do a good job in carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and issue an action plan for carbon peaking before 2030 as soon as possible”, and highlighted property issues: “We must adhere to the positioning that houses are used for living, not for speculation, stabilize land prices, stabilize housing prices, and stabilize expectations, and promote the steady and healthy development of the real estate market”.

And the fourth listed key policies now being implemented:

insist on consolidating and expanding the results of poverty alleviation and the effective connection of rural revitalization, strengthening employment services for college graduates, unblocking employment channels for migrant workers, and improving labor rights protection for flexible employees. Promote the national overall planning of basic endowment insurance, implement the three-child birth policy, and improve the supporting policies for childbirth, parenting, and education. Grasp the autumn grain production, ensure the safety of rations, and stabilize the production of pigs. It is necessary to tighten the strings of safe production and public safety, and take measures to ensure the safety of people's lives and property. We must unswervingly do a good job in the prevention and control of the coronavirus epidemic, and continue to promote vaccination. Do a good job in the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

No mention of the digital yuan, stock markets, tutoring, etc; nor of trade/trade-related manufacturing, the reining in of the tech sector or the possible reining in of video games; aside from a Belt and Road mention, nothing on external economic ties.

Yet there is more than enough that seems worth commenting on: that people’s welfare is a theme running throughout the piece, not the well-being of companies or the pursuit of economic growth; that things are trickier than before, and so perhaps people’s expectations should be tempered; that the government wants to show that it’s working on issues that upset/could upset people (soaring property prices); that it’s move towards a more environmentally sustainable economy must be taken seriously.

In short, keep the focus tight and domestic; the right structures are in place; be careful and implement the correct policies … Work hard and be cautiously optimistic? Certainly, that would seem to be the propaganda message.

1. Politburo economy meeting

分析研究当前经济形势和经济工作

Analyze and study the current economic situation and economic work

Date of first publication: 30 July 2021

Story ranking: 12

Story source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 1,235 characters/921 words

中共中央政治局7月30日召开会议，分析研究当前经济形势，部署下半年经济工作。中共中央总书记习近平主持会议。

会议认为，今年以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，我们统筹国内国际两个大局、统筹疫情防控和经济社会发展，有效实施宏观政策，经济持续稳定恢复、稳中向好，科技自立自强积极推进，改革开放力度加大，民生得到有效保障，高质量发展取得新成效，社会大局保持稳定。成功举办庆祝中国共产党成立100周年系列活动，正式宣布全面建成小康社会，踏上向第二个百年奋斗目标进军的新征程。

The Politburo of the CPC Central Committee held a meeting on July 30 to analyze and study the current economic situation and plan economic work in the second half of the year. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.

The meeting noted that since the beginning of this year, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we had coordinated the overall domestic and international situations, coordinated epidemic prevention and control, and economic and social development, and effectively implemented macroeconomic policies. The economy has continued to recover in a stable manner and improve, scientific and technological independence and self-reliance have been actively promoted, reform and opening up have been strengthened, people's livelihood has been effectively guaranteed, high-quality development has achieved new results and the overall social situation has remained stable. A series of activities to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China had also been held, officially announcing the completion of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarking on a new journey towards the goals of the second centenary.

“全面贯彻新时代党的治藏方略谱写雪域高原长治久安和高质量发展新篇章”

“Comprehensively implement the party’s strategy for governing Tibet in the new era and write a new chapter in the long-term stability and high-quality development of the snow-covered plateau”

Date of first publication:23 July 2021

Story ranking: 12

Story source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 4,515 characters/ Xinhua News Agency words

在庆祝西藏和平解放70周年之际，中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平来到西藏，祝贺西藏和平解放70周年，看望慰问西藏各族干部群众，给各族干部群众送去党中央的关怀。习近平作为中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席到西藏庆祝西藏和平解放，在党和国家历史上是第一次，充分表达了党中央对西藏工作的支持、对西藏各族干部群众的关怀。

On the occasion of celebrating the 70th anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission came to Tibet to congratulate the 70th anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation. Cadres and masses of all ethnic groups sent to the Party Central Committee for care. As General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi Jinping went to Tibet to celebrate the peaceful liberation of Tibet. This is the first time in the history of the Party and the country. He fully expressed the Party Central Committee’s support for Tibet’s work and care for the cadres and masses of all ethnic groups in Tibet.

A story that also appeared in last week’s top five things on China’s leaders’ minds. Clearly an item that China’s leaders want to be at the forefront of officials’ minds.

3. 50 years of diplomatic relations with Sierra Leone

习近平同塞拉利昂总统比奥互致贺电

Xi Jinping exchanges congratulatory messages with Sierra Leone president Bio

Date of first publication: 29 July 2021

Story ranking: 10

Story source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 351 characters/278 words

国家主席习近平7月29日同塞拉利昂总统比奥互致贺电，庆祝两国建交50周年。

On July 29, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Sierra Leone’s President Bio to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

4. Xi Jinping congratulates Vietnam’s president

习近平致电祝贺阮春福当选连任越南国家主席

Xi Jinping congratulates Nguyen Xuan Phuc on his re-election as president of Vietnam

Date of first publication: 26 July 2021

Story ranking: 10

Story source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 339 characters/289 words

国家主席习近平致电阮春福，祝贺他当选连任越南国家主席。

习近平在贺电中指出，中越是山水相连的社会主义邻邦，传统情谊深厚，共同利益广泛。面对百年变局和世纪灾疫，双方坚守共同理想信念，践行团结友好初心，以实际行动赋予两国全面战略合作新的时代内涵。

On July 26, President Xi Jinping called Nguyen Xuan Phuc to congratulate him on his re-election as the president of Vietnam.

Xi Jinping pointed out in the congratulatory message that China and Vietnam are socialist neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, with deep traditional friendship and extensive common interests. In the face of a century of change and the pandemic of the century, the two sides adhere to common ideals and beliefs, practice the original intention of unity and friendship, and give the two countries a new era of comprehensive strategic cooperation with practical actions.

5. Book about Xi Jinping published

《习近平在福建》出版发行

“Xi Jinping in Fujian” published

Date of first publication: 29July 2021

Story ranking: 10

Story source: Xinhua News Agency

Length: 639 characters/423 words

《习近平在福建》一书近日由中共中央党校出版社出版，在全国发行。

The book Xi Jinping in Fujian was recently published by the Party School Press of the CPC Central Committee and distributed nationwide.