Second press conference held by the Press Center for the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China

Speakers:

Xiao Pei, deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC and vice chairman of the National Commission of Supervision

Xu Yousheng, deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee

Guo Yezhou, deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee

Han Wenxiu, deputy director in charge of routine work of the Office of the Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs of the CPC Central Committee

Chairperson:

Chen Wenjun, head of the International Press Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

Date:

June 28, 2021

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! Welcome to this press conference held by the Press Center for the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the CPC. Over the past century, generations of Chinese communists have forged ahead and marched forward. Remarkable achievements have been made in all aspects. Today, we have with us: Mr. Xiao Pei, deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC and vice chairman of the National Commission of Supervision; Mr. Xu Yousheng, vice head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee; Mr. Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; and Mr. Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. They will brief the media on the duties of their respective departments and take questions.

Next, I will give the floor to Mr. Xiao.

Xiao Pei:

Comrades, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good morning! We will soon celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. Over the past century, the party has stayed true to its original aspiration and kept in mind its mission, bravely forged ahead, and united and led the Chinese people to create remarkable and historic achievements. The century-long journey of the Party is not only a magnificent history of social revolution and struggle, but also a history of self-revolutionary struggle, driving out evil and ushering in the good. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that for a party that fights for the eternal well-being of the Chinese nation, the centenary is only the prime of life. The key is that the Party must always supervise its own conduct and run itself with strict discipline. While promoting social revolution, the Party should carry out a thorough self-revolution, and remain the pillar of the nation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has been steadfast in its efforts to strengthen Party discipline. It has retained comprehensive and strict governance over the Party as part of the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. General Secretary Xi once said that "For the good of my people, I will put aside my own well-being." With the sense of responsibility to never turn his back on the 1.4 billion and strong determination, Xi has promoted the great new project of Party building in the new era. Party members and the people have been brought together by good conduct, the Party has been governed with strict discipline, and corruption has been cracked down on with zero tolerance. Party solidarity and unity have been reinforced, while the practice of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance have been effectively addressed. The Party has taken on a new look with good conduct. China has established a sound intra-Party and state supervision system, secured and fully consolidated a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption, and made historic and pioneering achievements in comprehensive and strict governance over the Party. The Party has emerged stronger from the process.

From December 2012 to May 2021, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, discipline inspection and supervision commissions nationwide investigated 392 officials at the ministerial level or above, 22,000 at the director general level, 170,000 at the director level, and 616,000 senior staff. 626,500 violations against the central Party leadership's eight-point decision on improving work conduct were also investigated nationwide. The historic achievement of the full, rigorous self-discipline of the Party in the new era has provided strong political guidance and political guarantees for the realization of the first centennial goal.

Having the courage to carry out self-revolution is the most distinctive character of the Party, which has been tempered through 100 years of struggle. Standing at the historic juncture to achieve the two centenary goals, discipline inspection and supervision commissions will be armed with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We will step up our efforts to fight corruption, give full play to the role of supervision in safeguarding implementation and promote development centering around the overall situation of modernization. We will ensure that the Party is at the core of strong leadership in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will make new achievements in strict governance over the Party.

Thank you!

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Chen Wenjun:

Next, the floor is given to Mr. Xu.

Xu Yousheng:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I'm glad to attend today's press conference and communicate with you on the work of the United Front Work Department.

In a few days, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. For the past century, the CPC has always adhered to and developed the broadest united front, rallied all available forces and mobilized all possible positive factors and worked together for the great cause of seeking happiness for the people and national rejuvenation. The united front has become the political advantage of the CPC to unite the people together. It has become an important instrument that helps achieve the victory of revolution, country building and reform, strengthen the Party's class foundations, expand its public support, and consolidate its status as the ruling party. This will support China's endeavors to build a modern socialist country and achieve national rejuvenation.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has reiterated the importance of the united front. The CPC Central Committee has held a series of meetings, released a number of documents, and promulgated the Regulations on the United Front Work of the CPC. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thoughts on strengthening and improving the work of the united front was formed, providing a fundamental basis for the work of the united front in the new era. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, the relations between political parties, ethnic groups, between religions, different social strata, and our compatriots at home and abroad have become more harmonious. The united front has shown a dynamic look of forging and pioneering ahead in solidarity, bringing together Chinese at home and abroad to realize the Chinese Dream together. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Next, Mr. Guo, please.

Guo Yezhou:

Ladies and gentlemen, the year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the 100th anniversary of the Party's external work. Looking back on history, we can proudly say that it was a century of advancing the cause of the Party and the country and contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It was a century of bringing about profound changes in the relationship between China and the rest of the world and that between the CPC and the rest of the world. It was a century of connecting the fundamental interests of the Chinese people with the common interest of humankind and making new contributions to human progress.

Over the past century, the Party's external work has always progressed hand in hand with the cause of the Party and the people, taken the theoretical achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context as its guide to action, and gone through the whole process of China's revolution, country building, and reform.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has been personally planning, directing and taking part in the Party's external work. The Party's external work has been advancing with pioneering and enterprising spirit, making an important contribution to the historic achievements and the historic shifts in the cause of the Party and the country. The CPC is moving closer to center stage like never before with increasing global influence, the ability to inspire and the power to lead.

As was pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, "the external work of the Party constitutes an important front of our Party, an important component of our country's overall diplomacy and an important manifestation of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics." This observation summarizes in a scientific way the Party's external work over the past century and is fundamental guidance for the direction of the external work of the Party in the new era.

Since the founding of the CPC in 1921, its external work has always been an important front of the Party. This reflects the political nature of the Party's external work. Staying committed to the Party's ideals, we have done work that directly embodies the Party's will. The Party's external work is a great cause carried out by the whole Party with coordination.

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Party's external work has been an important part of China's overall diplomacy. This highlights the strategic function of the Party's external work. Through party-to-party exchanges at all levels and in various forms, the Party's external work helps guide, consolidate, and promote state-to-state relations and provides a channel for communication when bilateral relations hit rock bottom. Through the building of a new type of party-to-party relations, we also contribute to the building of a new type of international relations and interactions between China and the rest of the world.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, which heralded a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party's external work has increasingly become an important manifestation of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. This demonstrates the unique style of the Party's external work. In our work, we insist on giving full play to our distinctive advantages, highlighting political guidance and passing on our excellent traditional culture. The Party's external work demonstrates a distinctively Chinese style and vision.

Our Party now maintains regular exchanges with over 560 political parties and organizations in more than 160 countries. Indeed, our friends can be found in every corner of the world.

Looking to the future, we will earnestly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, continue to serve the role of the Three Important Perspectives, take a holistic approach to the situation both at home and abroad, focus on the goal of rejuvenating the Chinese nation and promoting the progress of humanity and always keep in mind what is of vital importance to the nation. We must keep firmly in mind the need to maintain the Four Consciousnesses which are maintaining political integrity, thinking in terms of the big picture, following the leadership core, and keeping in alignment with the CPC Central Committee. We must bolster Four-sphere Confidence. This means staying confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must ensure the Two Upholds: upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

We must ensure that the Party's external work is always in line with the major judgments, strategies and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, and see to it that the ruling status of the Party is sustained and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is upheld. We must firmly safeguard our nation's sovereignty, security and development interests.

We must accurately grasp the external environment and historical position of the Party and the country, and intensify our study of the laws that govern the changing international situation and landscape, providing useful reference for the decision-making of the Party Central Committee.

We will continue to advance the innovation in the theory and practice of the Party's external work, optimize its overall strategic arrangement, systems and mechanisms, advance the framework of the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, make innovations to tell the CPC story well, promote high-quality BRI cooperation, facilitate the building of a new development paradigm, and work with political parties of other countries to build a global community with a shared future for mankind and a better world together. Thank you.

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Chen Wenjun:

Next, let's invite Mr. Han to make an introduction.

Han Wenxiu:

Good morning, everyone. I will, from the perspective of economic and social development, elaborate on the great achievements and experience of the CPC over the past century since its founding.

Over the past century, the CPC has united and led the Chinese people to carry out a great revolution and construction undertaking that was unprecedented and painstaking, transforming the old China, which was impoverished and suffered badly, into a new socialist country that is rising and thriving and leading the Chinese nation onto the broad road toward the great goal of national rejuvenation. To achieve the original aspiration and the mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and the rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, we need a sound material foundation.

Under the leadership of the CPC, China's economic strength has increased significantly. In the 70 years since the founding of the PRC, China's economy has grown around 189 times in real terms. China rose to be the second largest economy worldwide with a GDP of more than 100 trillion yuan, accounting for over 17% of the world's total. In the early days of the founding of the PRC, we couldn't even produce a tractor. Now we have become the only country in the world with an industrial system covering all the industrial categories according to the United Nations Industrial Classification, with the output of more than 220 kinds of products, including cars and computers, ranking first in the world. The fast improvement in China's economic strength and comprehensive national strength demonstrates a bright future for national rejuvenation.

Under the leadership of the CPC, the past century witnessed huge changes in the lives of the Chinese people. When the PRC was founded, the per capita national income in China was only tens of dollars, the average life expectancy of the Chinese people was only 35 years, the adult literacy rate was around 20%, and the infant mortality rate was as high as 200‰. After 70 years of hard work since the founding of the PRC, the per capita national income in China has exceeded $10,000, the average life expectancy has risen to 77.3 years, the average length of schooling for people over the age of 15 has reached 9.9 years, and the infant mortality rate has been reduced to 5.6‰. China has lifted 770 million people in rural areas out of poverty since reform and opening-up, accounting for more than 70% of the global total over the same period. China has eradicated extreme poverty for the first time over its history of thousands of years, has built a moderately prosperous society in all aspects, and is heading steadily towards the goal of common prosperity.

Over the course of the century-long struggle, the CPC has gained many valuable experiences and understanding in leading and promoting economic and social development. We must remain committed to strengthening the leadership of the CPC in promoting economic development. We must make development the top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country. We must bear in mind the central task of high-quality development, advance reform and opening-up, practice and improve the basic socialist economic system, leaving the market to play a decisive role in the allocation of resources and the government to better play its role, implement a win-win strategy of opening-up, and create a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment. We must make innovation the primary driver of growth, and accelerate efforts in building China into a leader in science and technology and achieving sci-tech self-reliance and self-strengthening at higher levels. We must uphold a people-centric approach, work hard to ensure and improve people's wellbeing through development, and strive to constantly meet the people's desire for a better life. We must believe that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and stay on the path of sustainable development featuring advanced production, higher living standards and healthy ecosystems. The new era has entrusted the CPC with new missions. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we must ground our efforts in the new development stage, apply the new development philosophy, and create a new development paradigm. We must act on the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability and strive for new victories in fully building a modern socialist country. Thank you.

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Chen Wenjun:

Thank you for all the introduction. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify your news outlets before asking questions.

Xinhua News Agency:

All countries are pursuing modernization, and the CPC has achieved its First Centenary Goal and put forward the Second Centenary Goal focusing on modernization. What are the characteristics of China's modernization and how does China achieve modernization under the leadership of the CPC? Thank you.

Han Wenxiu:

I will answer these questions. To achieve modernization is a persistent goal of generations of the CPC members. The goal from building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, to achieving basic modernization, and then to building a great modern socialist country in every dimension is the top-level design and strategic planning of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. The type of modernization we are pursuing is "Chinese-style modernization" which has the following important characteristics:

First, China's modernization is the modernization of a huge population. China has a population of more than 1.4 billion. To achieve the modernization of the whole, which is unprecedented in human history, will inevitably require greater efforts and overcoming more difficulties. We will also inevitably have a broader worldwide impact and make a greater contribution to the cause of human progress.

Second, China's modernization is the modernization of common prosperity for all. Realizing common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we should both make the cake bigger and share it fairly. In the process of modernization, we should consciously and proactively solve the problems of regional disparities, urban-rural disparities and income disparities, strive for common prosperity, resolutely prevent polarization and ensure that everyone can benefit from the fruits of modernization.

Third, China's modernization is the modernization of coordinated material and cultural progress. We must adhere to core socialist values, strengthen education on ideals and beliefs, promote the spirit of patriotism, collectivism and heroism, carry forward China's fine traditional culture, and strive to coordinate and realize comprehensive abundance of material development and the people's all-round development in the process of modernization.

Fourth, China's modernization is the modernization of the harmonious coexistence between humankind and nature. We have simultaneously advanced economic development and ecological conservation. Resisting the old way of "pollution first, treatment afterwards," we now follow a new development path of resource conservation, environmental protection, and green and low-carbon development. We should actively address global climate change and strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 to make a positive contribution to humanity.

Fifth, China's modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. We have always followed the basic norms of peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit when handling international relations, upheld multilateralism, opposed hegemonism and unilateralism, and actively promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

China's modernization has its modifier words, which are prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. It means we should promote socialist material, political, spiritual, social and ecological progress. China's modernization has embodied the original aspiration and mission of the CPC, that is, to seek happiness for the people of China and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China's modernization has also reflected the law of the development of socialism and the evolution of human society. We must uphold overall leadership by the CPC, pursue a people-centered approach to development, follow the new development philosophy, continue reform and opening up, take a systematic approach to overall development, and mobilize all positive factors to build a modern socialist country in all respects.

Thank you.

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People's Daily:

My question is for Mr. Xu Yousheng. The United Front is an important way to ensure the success of the Party's causes in revolution, construction and reform. It has made remarkable achievements in the new era. What experience and inspirations can you share? Thank you.

Xu Yousheng:

Thanks for your question. As you said, during the century-long struggle of the CPC, the united front has accumulated a wealth of experience, which can be summarized into six points.

First, the United Front upholds CPC leadership. CPC leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the most distinctive characteristic of the united front. The CPC serves as the core of unity and cohesion for the united front. The leadership of the CPC enables the united front to advance in the right direction.

Second, the united front shares a common theoretical and political foundation. The united front stays committed to patriotism and socialism. On the Chinese mainland, socialism is its broadest consensus. To fully build a modern socialist country is a common goal shared by the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. Outside the Chinese mainland, patriotism and support for national reunification is its broadest consensus. To realize national rejuvenation is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation at home and abroad.

Third, the united front promotes great unity and solidarity. It is a fundamental task of the united front to build consensus and pool strength, and to unit all the forces that can be united and mobilize all the positive elements that can be mobilized to fight for the goal of the Party.

Fourth, the united front serves the overall work of the Party and country. It focuses on the central task of the Party for building consensus and pooling strength. At present, the main task of the united front is to further promote harmony in relations between political parties, between ethnic groups, between religions, between social strata, and between our compatriots at home and abroad. It stays committed to building a modern socialist China and realizing Chinese rejuvenation; to upholding and improving socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing the country's governance system and capacity; to ensuring social harmony and stability and safeguarding China's sovereignty, security, and development interests; to maintaining lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao and achieving China's full reunification.

Fifth, the United Front shelves differences to seek consensus. The united front is a unity of contradictions of similarities and differences, requiring consensus building in essence. The accommodation of differences directly impacts the width and depth of the unity of the united front. We shall balance consistency with diversity, make more friends with non-CPC persons, and respect, safeguard and accommodate interests of our allies.

Sixth, the united front seeks extensive social participation. Our work involves extensive endeavors, our advantage is unity and we draw strength from coordination. We endeavor to build a united front with extensive social participation with the CPC committees exercising unified leadership, the united front organs taking the initiative in coordination, and all related sectors performing their respective duties to promote the high-quality development of the United Front in the new era. Thank you.

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CRI:

We note that many foreign political parties and leaders have sent congratulatory messages and letters to the CPC on the centenary of its founding. Could you share us the main contents of these letters? What are their opinions of the CPC? Thank you.

Guo Yezhou:

I'd like to take this question. The CPC's 100th founding anniversary has far-reaching significance. It is a big event for the CPC and the Chinese people, and has garnered continuous global attention. As the celebrations for the centenary are approaching, congratulatory messages and letters are flooding in. Many state leaders and leaders of political parties extended congratulations in their letters to General Secretary Xi Jinping. Some congratulations were in the form of a political resolution. Some were jointly sent by ruling and opposition parties who shelved their differences and sat down in red uniforms for a meeting to send a congratulatory letter to show their consensus in developing friendly ties with China. Some were part of party theoretical research achievements, which was touching and profound. Some were both in video and written forms.

By June 27, we had received more than 1,300 congratulatory messages and letters, many of which came from over 150 heads of state and government, and more than 200 principal leaders of political parties. Related work is still underway.

Foreign political parties have paid close attention to the CPC, demonstrated by their congratulatory messages and letters as well as in their exchanges with the Party. In the eyes of foreign political parties and political leaders, the CPC has five distinctive features. First, the CPC is a party pursuing theoretical explorations and keeping pace with the times. They said the CPC has stayed committed to looking at Marxism through combining theory and practice and has developed a theoretical system that has kept up with the times.

Second, the CPC has put the people at the center of its priorities and promoted the people's well-being. Many foreign political parties and political leaders said the CPC has traveled an extraordinary journey along which it weathers the storm together with the Chinese people. China's development is attributed to the CPC's dedication to promoting the people's well-being .

Third, the CPC constantly strengthens party building and has emerged stronger with full vitality. They said the CPC's exercise of strict Party discipline has showed its courage to conduct self-reform, and consolidated the CPC's ruling foundation with wide support from the people.

Fourth, the CPC has strong leadership and great energy to fight. They believe that the strong leadership and implementation capacity of the CPC have enabled China to make remarkable achievements in various fields. A sense of responsibility of all members of the Party enables the CPC to win its victories.

Fifth, the CPC has a global vision. They spoke highly of the CPC for exploring new practices with the Belt and Road Initiative, the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, global cooperation to fight against the COVID-19 and other major measures to promote human development and progress. They said the CPC has brought confidence and hope to the turbulent and changing world with continuous public ideological achievements.

These messages and letters also conveyed the international community's new expectations for the CPC at a new historical starting point. They expected and believed the CPC would be able to lead the Chinese people to address the risks and challenges ahead and realize the Second Centenary Goal as scheduled. They wished China would continue to benefit the people of the world with greater prosperity and progress. They hoped the CPC to fully respond to the concerns of developing countries and political parties, and share its experience of running the Party and the country in multiple ways. They would like the CPC to continue to promote exchanges and cooperation between political parties, and help other countries to achieve rapid development toward modernization. They also anticipated the CPC could provide the world with continuous public ideological achievements, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, lead the international community to deal with global challenges including global security, climate change and imbalanced development, and make more contributions to building a peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

The leader of the CPC and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era are also among the concern of foreign political parties and political leaders for the CPC. In their eyes, General Secretary Xi Jinping is a leader who emerged from the Chinese people and is a statesman with great practices. They see him as a world-class leader because of China's huge achievements, poverty relief miracles, the CPC's endeavors to discipline the Party, and the country's contribution to the cause of human progress.

They are familiar with Xi's quotes like "For the good of my people, I will put aside my own well-being" and "The state is the people, and the people are the state." They admire Xi's leadership and his care for the people. They hail his political courage for reform and facing up to tough issues, and appreciate his political wisdom for making achievements with innovation and initiative as well as his broad and strategic vision with a long-term perspective.

They said Xi, who has always placed the people's aspiration to live a better life as the focus of all the country's work, is the master planner for the blueprint of China's great rejuvenation. He is a world-class leader with a global vision offering new solutions to global challenges, leading the reforms of the time and giving hope to the world at a time of global crisis.

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and related practices are also a focus of great attention by foreign political parties and political leaders in their congratulatory messages, and in our routine interactions. They agreed that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is also significant to the world in addition to guiding China toward historical achievements and changes in every sector of the country.

Its global significance lies in the following aspects. First, it breaks new ground for the development of socialism. This important thought "belongs to every progressive political party and country that is committed to taking the lead to achieve national development and working for people's happiness." It also "further advances humanity's exploration of a better social system." Second, the thought re-energizes the development of party politics. They believe that this important thought taps into the internal logic between party building and national governance. "It has achieved success in the governance of both the Party and the country, deepening people's understanding of the evolution of human society." Third, the thought explores a new path in humanity's pursuit of modernization. They believe that "developing countries are highly encouraged by the ‘Chinese miracle'" and that "the Chinese path is a brand-new choice for developing countries to achieve modernization." Fourth, the thought has charted a new course for the development of international relations. They believe that this important thought consists of multiple concepts such as the Belt and Road Initiative, a human community with a shared future, and new types of international relations, to name a few. "It has profoundly changed people's conventional understanding of international relations" and "ignited a new dream for all humanity to pursue a better life together."

My colleagues and I are working to compile and publish these congratulatory messages. After they are published, you'll find that much of what I just said are quotes from them. These points of view clearly show that various political parties from a range of countries have fully realized that General Secretary Xi Jinping is the core of the CPC, the leader of the Chinese people, and the backbone of the Chinese nation which is marching toward great rejuvenation. They have realized that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the political principle and fundamental guideline of China's development. They have realized that the CPC is the core leadership of all China's undertakings, and that the CPC is inseparable from the Chinese people and the destiny of the Chinese nation. They have also realized that correctly understanding the CPC is the key to comprehensively understanding present-day China and precisely tapping into the country's future development.

As we celebrate the centenary of the CPC and embark on a new historic journey, the Party's external work should live up to the expectations of the international community, proactively respond to their demands and concerns, and continuously better communicate to the world the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, publicize Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, tell stories about the Chinese people's fight for their dream under the leadership of the CPC, and help the rest of the world better understand the CPC, so as to win more support, understanding and accompaniment for the socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics. Thank you.

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TASS:

I have two questions, both of which are about the CPC and the international community. First, as the CPC's centenary approaches, what is the Party's most important message of blessing to the Russian people and around the world? My second question is about the Hainan Free Trade Port. On the centenary of the CPC, what expectations does the Party have for the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port? Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you. These two questions concern different fields. Mr. Guo will take your first question.

Guo Yezhou:

Thank you to this Russian friend for your question. Following the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China-Russia relations have always maintained a high standard of performance. When the two countries celebrated the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2019, the two heads of state announced that the two countries will develop a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. China-Russia relations are marching toward mutual support, deep convergence of interests, innovative development, and inclusive and win-win results. Practical cooperation in various fields has yielded significant results. The close coordination and collaboration between the two countries is conducive to promoting world peace and stability.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two heads of state have maintained close strategic communication. We have firmly supported each other on issues concerning our respective core interests. This fully demonstrates the high standard of performance and special nature of China-Russia relations.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. China and Russia are taking this opportunity to expand and deepen practical cooperation in various fields in a larger scope.

Currently, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era is growing ever stronger as time goes by in a world undergoing major transformations and adjustments, and has become a fine example of stable, healthy and mature relationships between nations, which has brought tangible benefits to both countries and their peoples. Mutual political trust between the two countries has also reached an unprecedented high level, becoming an important factor in promoting positive interactions between major countries and safeguarding regional and global peace and stability.

Political party exchanges also constitute an important component of China-Russia relations. The CPC has established formal interparty relations with the four major parties in Russia that have won seats in the Russian State Duma, namely the United Russia party, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and A Just Russia-Patriots-For Truth party, and conducted multiple forms of dialogues and cooperation at various levels with them. China-Russia political party relations have the characteristics of wide coverage, high-level exchanges, high degree of institutionalization, pragmatic dialogues and prominent strategic coordination, among others, and serve as a model of political party dialogue between nations. At present, the political parties of the two countries are actively implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, conducting in-depth experience communication in national governance, and exchanging views on major issues of common concern to effectively promote the development of China-Russia relations and pragmatic cooperation in various fields in the new era.

As the centenary of the CPC approaches, the Party will hold a series of celebrations and send greetings and best wishes to the people of all countries around the world, including the Russian people. Journalists are welcome to pay close attention to our celebrations. As vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, I'd like to say that we'll never forget that it was the salvoes of Russia's October Revolution that brought Marxism-Leninism to the Chinese people who were struggling at the time to find the right path to salvage the country and save the Chinese people. In the early stages of the CPC's development, the Chinese Communists already established close ties with the Communist International. In 1928, the Chinese communists traveled all the way to Moscow to hold the 6th National Congress of the CPC, marking the only congress of its kind to be held outside China in the history of the Party. In the first half of the 20th century, many dedicated patriots from the CPC went to the former Soviet Union to work and study. Then, they returned to the motherland and devoted themselves to various sectors of the country's revolution and development. During World War II, when the both countries were the main battlefields in Asia and Europe, respectively, the peoples of the two countries fought side by side and made great sacrifices and contributions to the final victory. At the critical moment when much was needed to be done to develop the newly founded People's Republic of China, it was a large number of Soviet experts who came to China's aid and helped the country lay the foundations for its industrialization with their wisdom and hard work, leaving behind touching stories of the friendship between the two peoples.

Standing at a new historical starting point, our Party is leading the Chinese people on a new journey of fully building a modern socialist country. The Russian people have also made remarkable achievements in national development. We are glad to see the social and political stability enjoyed in Russia and the constant improvement of its people's living standards. In July 2020, President Putin signed a presidential decree, which set the main goals and strategic tasks for the country to achieve breakthrough development by 2030. We have full confidence in Russia's development prospects and believe that under the leadership of President Putin, the Russian people will surely achieve its goals of national development and revitalization. We wish Russia greater accomplishments on the development path of national strength and prosperity, the Russian people eternal peace and stability, and every Russian family happiness and good health.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging. I hope all countries around the world can join hands to win the fight against this major infectious disease and restore order to work and daily life as soon as possible. I also hope political parties of all countries, including China and Russia, can soon resume face-to-face exchanges and jointly contribute our strength and wisdom to building a better world. Thank you.

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Chen Wenjun:

The question about the Hainan Free Trade Port goes to Mr. Han.

Han Wenxiu:

In 1980, China established the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, among others. Since then, we have kept pushing forward opening up along the coastline and the Yangtze River, and in border and inland areas, including the establishment of the Hainan Free Trade Port in 2020. All of these efforts demonstrate that China is opening its door wider to the world. The construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port is a strategy that General Secretary Xi Jinping personally planned and made, and is a big event to open up new prospects for reform and opening up at a higher level. So far, the Master Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port and the Hainan Free Trade Port Law have been published and implemented. In the first five months of this year, the actual utilized foreign capital in Hainan increased around fivefold and imports and exports of goods grew by 38.5%. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port has gotten off to a flying start and the port is enjoying great popularity, becoming an appealing destination for investment and business.

While building the free trade port, the key was to stick to the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, focus on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and prioritize institutional innovation, working to build the port into a model for global cooperation and opening up.

The CPC Central Committee set three major periods for the Hainan Free Trade Port in its long-term plan: First, by 2025, a free trade port system focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be basically established; second, by 2035, it will become a new highland for China's open economy; third, by the middle of this century, the port will be built into a globally influential and high-level free trade port. To meet these goals, we are full of expectations and confidence.

Thanks!

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CCTV:

We all know that, over the past century, the CPC has always firmly exercised self-supervision and practiced strict self-governance. Especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, major headway has been made in this respect, which won sincere support from the people and drew a lot of attention at home and abroad. Would you please give us an introduction about the achievements that the CPC has made in practicing strict self-governance since the 18th CPC National Congress? Thanks.

Xiao Pei:

"Heroes are those who know themselves and can surpass themselves." This is a quote from the speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Red Army. Having the courage to carry out self-revolution and exercising strict self-supervision and self-governance is a distinctive characteristic of the Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, one of the major features for the governance of the CPC Central Committee is the comprehensive and strict governance over the Party. China has made historic and pioneering achievements in the comprehensive and strict governance over the Party, which has a far-reaching and profound influence. The Party has emerged stronger from the revolution and has taken on a new look with good conduct. These are demonstrated in four aspects.

First, we unequivocally adhere to the leadership of the CPC and strengthen Party building. When General Secretary Xi Jinping met domestic and foreign journalists after the 18th CPC National Congress concluded, he said that the desire of people for a better life is the goal of the CPC. There remain aspects that people are not satisfied with, and we must firmly exercise self-supervision and practice strict self-governance. Two years later, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted an inspection tour in Jiangsu province in December 2014. In Shiye town of Zhenjiang city in Jiangsu province, Cui Ronghai, a veteran CPC member told General Secretary Xi Jinping that Xi is the nemesis of corruption and savior of the people. A total of 83 centrally administered officials had been disciplined at that time. General Secretary Xi said that we need to do all we can to truly live up to people's expectations and practice comprehensive and strict governance over the Party. It was during this inspection tour that the strategy of comprehensive and strict governance over the Party was identified and became a part of the four-pronged comprehensive strategy, a part of the comprehensive strategy of the CPC.

The fundamental purpose of comprehensive and strict governance over the Party is to adhere to and strengthen the Party's leadership, improve Party building, and ensure that the Party is at the core of the strong leadership in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the whole Party worked jointly to fulfill the political duties in exercising self-supervision and practicing self-governance, and resolved problems of Party leadership enervation and weaknesses in Party building and governance as well as slack in discipline. The CPC has reinforced weak links and taken on a new look with good conduct. The Party flag always flutters high on the front line of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, achieving decisive success in eradicating extreme poverty and combating the COVID-19 outbreak. The Party has given full play to its political, organizational, and institutional strengths to win these battles, which demonstrates that the CPC's leadership and the authority of the CPC Central Committee are what the Chinese people can truly depend on.

Second, we unequivocally step up and give top priority to the Party's political building, and resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole as well as resolutely uphold the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership (the Two Upholds) with robust oversight. The Party's political building is of fundamental importance to the Party. Meanwhile, the Two Upholds is the top political principle for the CPC. Its purpose is to ensure that the Party's political line is closely followed and that the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee as well as those favorable policies are put in place to benefit people. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC firmly ensures the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Intraparty Political Life Under New Circumstances and the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Internal Oversight, and safeguards all relevant systems under the CPC's centralized and unified leadership. We have enhanced the intraparty political atmosphere, strictly enforced the political discipline and political rules of the CPC, and improved the political ecosystem of the Party. Party members who were easily swayed when facing major issues, who complied in public but opposed in private, and who were slack in implementing the guiding principles of the instructions made by the CPC Central Committee were held accountable. Cases of corruption that involved political and economic issues were severely investigated and prosecuted. We ensure the solidarity and unity of the Party and firmly uphold the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership.

Third, we continue to unswervingly improve Party conduct and Party discipline, and fight against corruption to remove the "virus" that has influenced the healthy growth of the Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have achieved great progress in practicing strict self-governance, securing and consolidating a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption. The reason behind these achievements lies in pushing forward the requirements made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, which is to make sure officials don't dare to, are unable to, or have no desire to commit corruption. We carried out work to address the practice of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance, fought against corruption and opposed acts of privilege seeking, and addressed both the symptoms and root causes of the problems in a systematic manner. This is how we made these achievements. First, we improved Party conduct. After the 18th CPC National Congress, a new generation of CPC central leadership was elected at the First Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held on Nov. 15, 2012. On Dec. 4, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee introduced its eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that the implementation of the eight-point decision aimed to improve Party building. The key is that the CPC Central Committee and the General Secretary should lead by example, and with unremitting efforts, set a good example for Party building while promoting the spirit of perseverance. Problems like using public funds for recreational activities have been resolved step by step, year by year, and in a consistent manner. So far, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC has published reports on addressing the practice of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance, and on violations against the eight-point decision for 93 successive months. We firmly oppose acts of formalism and bureaucratism. Those who failed to implement the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee, who slacked off regarding the instructions of the CPC Central Committee, and who didn't foster a correct view on evaluating their performances, were investigated and held accountable. We worked to ease the burdens at the community level, to see that our people have a greater sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security, and to ensure social fairness and justice with efforts to exercise comprehensive and strict governance over the Party.

To improve Party conduct, we must tighten discipline first. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we have included strengthening Party discipline in an overall plan for Party development. The CPC Central Committee has twice made revisions to the Regulations on CPC Disciplinary Action — after the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and after the 19th CPC National Congress, respectively — establishing a system of Party discipline covering six aspects. We focus on oversight of the "key few" leading officials and make them set examples for the vast majority. We exercise oversight over the Party and govern the Party with strict discipline. In accordance with the strict principles, efforts will be made to identify problems early and correct them while they are nascent. Party officials who trade expensive gifts and unique resources for personal gain will be punished. We strictly regulate the conduct of running businesses and launching enterprises by the spouses and children of Party officials as well as the spouses of their children. We work to remove the mindset and acts of privilege seeking.

We continue to improve Party conduct and Party discipline and fight against corruption. A sweeping victory in the fight against corruption was secured and fully consolidated. After the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee came down hard on corruption with zero tolerance. With firm determination, the CPC Central Committee caught both "tigers" and "flies," which are two metaphors used respectively to refer to high-ranking and low-ranking officials who have violated law and are found guilty of corruption. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC has investigated 453 centrally administered officials. Disciplinary actions, including oral warnings, written censures, demotions, and prosecutions, were carried out to punish 8.834 million people. A total of 626,000 violations against the central Party leadership's eight-point decision were investigated nationwide. Approximately 217,000 cases relating to formalism and bureaucratism were investigated, with 322,000 people disciplined. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, more than 390,000 cases relating to the livelihood of the people or infringing upon the interests of the people were filed, and 359,000 people were disciplined. A total of 280,000 cases relating to poverty alleviation were filed, and 188,000 people were disciplined. During the campaign to combat organized crime and root out local mafia, 93,000 cases were investigated and 84,000 people were disciplined. The tremendous efforts that we have made in exercising oversight over the Party and governing the Party, as writer Eryue He said, are unprecedented in the history of China. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we have written a new chapter for anti-corruption in the new era.

Fourth, we continue to uphold and improve the Party and state oversight system. We carry out punishments for better governance, and the key lies in combating corruption. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we established an authoritative, efficient oversight system with complete coverage and under the Party's unified command, strengthening the checks and supervision over the exercise of power. With focus on intraparty oversight, we integrated it with oversight in other aspects.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has unswervingly exercised comprehensive and strict governance over the Party, resisted unhealthy practices and negative influences that had lasted for many years, removed problems that had existed for many years, and kept purifying the Party's thinking, organization, conduct, and body. According to a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics at the end of 2020, 95.8% of the Chinese people showed confidence in the comprehensive and strict governance over the Party and the fight against corruption, up by 16.5 percentage points compared with that in 2012. Our Party has developed an effective path to purify, improve, reform, and enhance itself.

Thanks!

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Nikkei:

In terms of the GDP growth rate, China's economy has recovered to its pre-pandemic level. However, the recovery rates of employment, income, and consumption are still relatively slow. What measures will China take in the second half of the year to speed up the recovery of its household sector? Thank you.

Han Wenxiu:

Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has achieved important progress in promoting economic and social development while continuing COVID-19 prevention and control. China was the only major economy in the world to attain positive growth in 2020, with its GDP expanding 2.3% year on year. In the first quarter of this year, China's economy grew 18.3% year on year, mainly because of last year's low comparison base. Judging from major indicators regarding industry, the service sector, consumption, investment and exports, China's economy continues to recover with stronger internal driving forces. The survey-based urban unemployment rate was 5% in May, already below the pre-pandemic level in 2019. Meanwhile, we have also seen that the recovery rate varies among industries and companies. Industries such as transportation and tourism lag behind others, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are still facing many difficulties.

Looking forward, we will uphold the underlying principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability. While continuing effective epidemic prevention and control, we will pursue a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, and maintain the continuity, consistency, and sustainability of our macro policies. We will increase the precision of our measures to better support SMEs. We will focus on sustaining the recovery of domestic demand and especially the consumption sector, strengthen the employment-first policy, consolidate and build on the results of poverty elimination, and improve the social security system. We will promote the continuous expansion of domestic demand by generally increasing urban and rural personal income. We will increase employment and income as well as improve social security and the people's wellbeing through high-quality development. In this way, we aim to achieve a virtuous circle featuring economic growth and employment, income and consumption elevate each other. At the same time, we will step up international macroeconomic policy coordination to jointly serve global economic recovery and keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and open. We believe that China's economic recovery will be more balanced, coordinated and sustainable, which will in turn deliver more benefits to the people and make a greater contribution to the global economic recovery. Thank you.

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Economic Daily:

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially since reform and opening-up, the private sector of the economy has thrived and made many important achievements. My question is for Mr. Xu. From the perspective of the United Front Work Department, how do you view the role and contribution of the private sector in promoting China's economic and social development? Thank you.

Xu Yousheng:

Thank you for your attention to the private sector. As is well known, the private sector provides an essential economic foundation for upholding and advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to the development of the private sector. On Nov. 1, 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended a symposium on private enterprises and said, "private enterprises and private entrepreneurs belong to our own family." His words warmed the hearts of private entrepreneurs, whether present or not. On various occasions, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important remarks on promoting the healthy growth of the non-public sector and encouraging those working in this sector to achieve success. He required that we shall be firm in consolidating and developing the public sector of the economy and shall remain steadfast in encouraging, supporting, and guiding the development of the non-public sector. To promote healthy growth of the non-public sector, the State Council and local governments at various levels have taken a series of measures to create favorable policy, legal, market, and social environments for the private sector, and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law. To encourage those working in the non-public sector to achieve success, we have implemented the principles of trust, solidarity, service, guidance and education, providing guidance for them to enhance their patriotism, professionalism, innovation capacity, compliance with the law, and integrity, make more contributions, and be more qualified in carrying forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Since reform and opening-up, thanks to the strong support from the Party and the government, private enterprises and the private sector have grown stronger and played an irreplaceable role in promoting development, improving people's livelihoods, advancing innovation, deepening reform, and expanding opening up. The private sector accounts for more than 50% of China's tax revenues, more than 60% of GDP, more than 70% of technological innovations, more than 80% of urban employment, and more than 90% of enterprises. By the end of 2020, the number of Chinese private enterprises exceeded 40 million. The scale and development quality of the top 500 Chinese private enterprises have also significantly improved. We are delighted to have seen that private enterprises show gratitude for the Party's support and actively contribute to our social development. I would like to share two sets of figures with you. First, in September 2015, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, and the China Glory Society jointly initiated a targeted poverty alleviation program, calling for private enterprises to help poverty-stricken villages. By the end of 2020, 127,000 private enterprises had offered targeted support for 139,000 villages, investing 110.59 billion yuan in developing local industries and 16.86 billion yuan in promoting public works projects. Their support helped create more than 900,000 jobs and benefitted over 18 million people registered as living below the poverty line. Second, in the fight against COVID-19, private enterprises donated a total of 17.2 billion yuan, accounting for about 60% of the donations of the society, and their in-kind donations were worth 11.9 billion yuan. Responding to the Party's call, private enterprises did all they could to ensure the production and supply of anti-epidemic materials and actively resume work, production and business in an orderly manner, thus making a great contribution to coordinating the fight against the virus with efforts to continue economic and social development. Thank you.

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China News Service:

Regarding the issue of anti-corruption, we have noticed media reports stating that more than 90% of the general public are satisfied with the results of the Party's work in improving Party conduct, building a clean government and combating corruption. When answering the question just now, Mr. Xiao mentioned a sentence at least twice: "a sweeping victory has been secured and consolidated in all respects of the fight against corruption." This phrase was also stated in this way at the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) in January. I would like to ask, in what specific ways has this manifested? What will your next steps be going forward? Thank you.

Xiao Pei:

Securing a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption is a strategic goal put forward by the 19th National Congress of the CPC. The sixth requirement of section 13 of the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, uses this phrase as its title. "Having secured a sweeping victory and consolidating it in all respects" was General Secretary Xi Jinping's significant judgment on the current anti-corruption fight at the fifth plenary session of the 19th CCDI of the CPC held this January. With tenfold efforts to encircle the corruption and fivefold efforts to fight it, it is necessary to build up absolute strength and form an overwhelming situation in the fight against corruption. That is, the entire Party must act to form a pattern in which the whole Party implements the main responsibilities of managing and governing the Party. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the anti-corruption campaign has formed a strategic position with no no-go zones, no ground left unturned and no tolerance shown for corruption. It has formed a situation where the sharp sword of Damocles is hanging high, the deterrence is always there, and whenever a case involving corruption is discovered, it is handled accordingly. The anti-corruption campaign has also formed a system and mechanism that makes no one dare, be able to or want to be corrupt. This is the sweeping victory. Two months after the conclusion of the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the second plenary meeting of the 18th CCDI of the CPC and proposed that unswervingly punishing corruption is a manifestation of the Party's strength. No matter who you are or how high a position you hold, if you violate the Party's discipline and national laws, you will be severely punished. The general secretary said that this is by no means empty talk: the CPC Central Committee must do what it says. Over the past eight years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has led us in a great struggle with many new historical characteristics. The fight against corruption is one of the important battles, and also a tough battle for our self-revolution and strict governance of the Party in an all-round way. Over the past eight years, the general secretary has repeatedly warned the entire Party that corruption has destructive and harmful effects on the Party's ruling foundation, and that corruption is the easiest way to bring down the government and the biggest threat to the Party. The fight against corruption is a significant political struggle that cannot and must not be lost, and it requires firm resolve to fight and win. Therefore, the general secretary said that people's support is the greatest politics. If you want to avoid offending hundreds of corrupt officials, you will offend 1.4 billion people. This is a political "account book," and an "account book" where people's hearts are at. That cannot be clearer. It is necessary to lay a solid foundation for the Party's rule and to unite the hearts of the Party members and the people. Therefore, the anti-corruption fight carried out by our Party is backed up by sound theories, and is purposeful, action-oriented and effective.

First, we have established the anti-corruption system and mechanism under the unified leadership of the Party, which has formed a work system and pattern featuring the unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, overall coordination by the Party committees, organization and coordination of the commissions for discipline inspection, efficient coordination of functional departments, and the participation and support of the people. Party committees at all levels implement the main responsibilities, and the anti-corruption coordination group of the CPC Central Committee fully exerts its functional role. The CPC Central Committee promoted the deepening of reforms to the national inspection and supervision system, integrating the reforms of the disciplinary inspection system and the supervision system, established the National Supervisory Commission and local supervisory committees at all levels to form a special anti-corruption force, like clenching your fingers to form a fist, so as to punish corruption effectively. These are major reforms to the political system, which have strengthened the Party's overall leadership in all aspects and the entire process of its anti-corruption work.

Second, the principle of anti-corruption work has been established, which is the "Three Insists" mentioned in the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, namely, insisting that there are no no-go zones, no ground is left unturned and no tolerance is shown for corruption; insisting that there are tight constraints, maintaining a tough stance, and a long-term deterrence, and insisting on punishing both those who take bribes, and those who offer them. The establishment of this principle in the anti-corruption work has had a huge deterrent effect. According to the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, the CCDI maintains a close eye on key people and key areas; on those who have not restrained themselves from misbehavior or stopped their wrongdoing since the 18th National Congress of the CPC; on issues that have received concentrated and strong complaints from the public; on key areas such as construction of projects, land transfer, public resource transactions, finance, state-owned enterprises, politics, law and justice, education, and medical care; on corruption affecting the lives of the people, especially those who dare to use poverty alleviation funds and infringe on the interests of the people; on corruption related to people's livelihood; and on the corruption causing risks, such as corruption that lurks behind financial risks, and then resolutely investigates and deals with them.

Third, an important guideline in the fight against corruption has been formed, which is advancing measures as a whole to ensure no one dares, is able to or wants to be corrupt. This is not only the basic policy in the fight against corruption, but also an important strategy for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the first goal set was to curb the rampant spread of corruption. Under the still severe and complex anti-corruption fight at the time, we started by treating the symptoms, to buy time for treating the root causes, constructing the system and deepening reforms. After the 19th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping asked us to continue to advance the anti-corruption fight with no delay, address both the symptoms and root causes, comprehensively implement the treatment, and press on to deal with corruption at deeper levels. Therefore, "not daring to be corrupt" is the prerequisite, and "not being able to be corrupt" is the key, which means that we must strengthen construction of the system, enhance supervision and management, deepen reforms, and remove system and mechanism obstacles. Finally, "not wanting to be corrupt" is fundamental. The Party has promoted the theme of staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission. The general secretary asked that it be an eternal task for strengthening Party building and a lifelong task for all Party members and cadres, so as to build a "dam of thought" for them to resist corruption and degeneration, so that leading officials and cadres dare not be corrupt because of awe, cannot be corrupt because of the system, and do not want to be corrupt because of self-awareness. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the national disciplinary inspection and supervision organs have filed and reviewed 3.8 million cases, or to be more specific, 3.805 million cases. Around 4.089 million people were investigated and dealt with, and the anti-corruption efforts and scales were considerable. The Party has disciplined and applied administrative sanctions on 3.742 million Party members. Since the 19th National Congress of the CPC, under the deterrence of punishing corruption and encouraged by the Party's lenient policies, 42,000 people have actively surrendered to the Party organizations and disciplinary inspection and supervision organs. Since we launched the "Sky Net" international anti-corruption campaign, pursing criminal suspects, their money and properties overseas, we have brought back 9,165 fugitives from 120 countries and regions, among whom were 2,408 Party members and state employees, and recovered 21.739 billion yuan. 60 of the 100 most-wanted corrupt Chinese fugitives subject to Interpol's red notices have returned from abroad.

Fourth, a rule of law system against corruption has been established. Over eight years ago at the second plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward that we should apply rule of law thinking and approaches in cracking down on corruption. In accordance with the work of the national anti-corruption legislation, we have amended the Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Law, and formulated the Supervision Law and the law on administrative discipline for government employees. Our system of rule of law in this regard has been further improved.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the fight against corruption has lived up to people's expectations, safeguarded the Party's purity, and won the people's hearts. The intensity and effectiveness of this fight are unprecedented in the history of both China and the world. China has opened a new path in which we combat corruption under the CPC's leadership, resolutely punish corruption based on the socialist rule of law, and tackle corruption through the strength of the socialist system. Thank you.

Macao Daily News:

Mr. Guo mentioned earlier that the CPC has maintained constant contact with more than 560 political parties and political organizations from over 160 countries. My question is, what role does the Party's external work play in the future. Thank you.

Guo Yezhou:

During the introduction session, I already briefed on the role the Party's external work has played during different historical periods of revolution, construction and reform of China. To answer your question, I will introduce the role of the Party's external work since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era following the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. It's fair to say that this new era has put forward new requirements and missions for the Party's external work, while also requiring it to play new roles in the following aspects.

First, the Party's external work should play a bigger role in faithfully fulfilling its duty as an important front of our Party. To achieve this goal, the Party's external work has given top priority to serving General Secretary Xi Jinping's important diplomatic agenda and major decisions of the CPC Central Committee. The Party's external work has kept consciously and firmly in mind the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment. It has also strengthened the confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It resolutely upholds General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and resolutely upholds the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. The Party's external work has proactively shouldered its political responsibility, firmly maintained worst-case scenario thinking, raised awareness of potential dangers, and carried forward the fighting spirit. It strives to resolve some of the negative factors existing in the external environment, as well as safeguard and consolidate the Party's position as the governing party. It has also taken the initiative to conduct research on major theoretical and practical issues, so as to better assist and support the decision-making of the CPC Central Committee. The Party's external work also proactively carries out political and publicity work concerning national sovereignty, security, and development interests, strengthening the international community's support for China's just cause.

Second, the new era requires the Party's external work to play a bigger part in further increasing the CPC's international influence, ability to inspire, and power to shape. With this in mind, the Party's external work has actively responded to the concerns of the international community, consecutively holding 14 sessions of "Stories of CPC – Local Party Committees' Achievements in Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era." In 2020, we overcame the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and held over 260 online events. In the first half of this year, in view of the new challenges of the pandemic and the country's prevention regulations, we have held more than 150 communicative events online and offline. Themes of these events include "Green Development," "Targeted Poverty Alleviation," "Innovative Development," Openness and Win-win Cooperation," and "Turning Blueprint into Reality," to name a few. The Party's external work has made active efforts to help the international community have a more accurate and profound understanding of the CPC's original aspiration and founding mission, and view the Chinese path, experiences, and visions in an objective and comprehensive way, so as to let people hold correct expectations and establish an objective, fair, and friendly "view of the CPC" and "view of China."

Third, the Party's external work should play a bigger part in establishing a new type of party-to-party relations and serving the overall development of our major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. To achieve this goal, the Party's external work has followed the basic principles of expanding common ground while shelving differences, mutual respect, and mutual learning, and comprehensively developed friendly relations with political parties around the world. We have been working continuously to consolidate and strengthen our relationship with socialist countries such as Vietnam, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Laos, and Cuba because party-to-party relations are the political foundation for our relations with these countries. We have also strengthened institutionalized exchanges with major countries and major parties, stepped up communication and cooperation with political parties from neighboring countries and developing countries, and actively participated in global multilateral party events. We also strive to build a global political party partnership network, giving full play to the role that party-to-party relations play in consolidating, promoting, and safeguarding the relations between countries. As of the end of 2020, the CPC had maintained regular contact with 544 political parties from 164 countries as well as 16 international and regional political partisan organizations. Among these foreign political parties, more than 160 are the national ruling parties of the respective countries; more than 100 are political parties participating in governance; over 100 are local ruling parties; and over 200 are influential opposition parties. It is fair to say that CPC's "friend circle" in the world keeps expanding, and this "friend circle" is inclusive of political parties despite their status to both officials and non-officials.

Fourth, it will play a bigger role in serving the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To this end, we gave play to our distinctive strengths in our work, enhanced the connection of political philosophies in interparty exchanges, deepened cultural communication and mutual learning, built cooperation consensuses, expanded cooperation space, and worked hard to serve and promote the fostering of a new development paradigm. We strived to overcome the fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic, actively met the development demands of various localities, provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, and created the "Political Party Plus" model for exchanges, which covers all the country's provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions except for Taiwan province. All these have contributed to promoting work and production resumption across the country, and result-oriented international cooperation at all levels.

Finally, the new era calls on the CPC's international engagement work to play a bigger role in promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, safeguarding world peace, advancing common development, upholding fairness and justice, and demonstrating the responsibility of China as a major country and of the CPC as a major party. To this end, through interparty communication, we actively promoted the process of political settlement in regional hotspots and of difficult issues as well as some global matters, advocated fostering a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation, and made global governance fairer in accordance with the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. We established a political party consultation mechanism with key partners in the Belt and Road Initiative to further build consensus with governments and opposition parties in these countries and encourage them to participate in related collaboration.

At the critical moment when COVID-19 was running rampant, we provided anti-epidemic materials to more than 200 political parties in over 70 countries, and briefed in real-time more than 400 political parties and political organizations in 140-plus countries on China's experience in fighting the epidemic and resuming work and production. We also mobilized domestic non-governmental organizations to provide anti-epidemic support to more than 60 countries, and called for solidarity and cooperation in anti-epidemic endeavors along with more than 140 political parties and international organizations of political parties from over 110 countries. We also issued consensuses with more than 190 political parties and organizations (over 100 of which were from Islamic countries) from more than 80 countries, opposing interference in other countries' internal affairs by a few countries on the pretext of human rights. It's fair to say that the CPC's external work reflects the responsibility of a major country and a major party and has added new elements to the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.

We firmly believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and as the building of a modern socialist country with Chinese characteristics has been initiated across the board, the CPC can and will secure great achievements in its external engagement. Thank you.

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Chen Wenjun:

Due to the time limit, we will take one final question.

Phoenix TV:

My question is regarding the new development paradigm. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that we should understand the new development stage, apply the new development philosophy and foster a new development paradigm. How could we grasp the implications and features of the new development pattern? What impact will the new development pattern have on the economy of China and the world at large? Thank you.

Han Wenxiu:

Fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, after comprehensively considering the domestic and international contexts and looking to the future. At present, China is leading the world in pandemic prevention and control as well as economic and social recovery. China was the only major economy to register positive growth in 2020 and will enjoy even higher growth recovery this year, which will further consolidate and expand the country's achievements in pandemic prevention and control and socioeconomic development. This shows that the strategic decision to build a new development pattern is highly targeted, foresighted, pioneering and entirely correct. Its huge significance and influence will be further revealed in the future development and practices.

In fact, a lot has been said about the implications and features of the new development paradigm. Here I'd like to stress a few points.

First, the new development paradigm is not about pursuing closed-door domestic circulation, but open domestic and international circulations. Domestic circulation is the basic foothold for China to sustain healthy economic growth and ensure economic security. However, this doesn't mean giving up the international division of labor and cooperation. Instead, we will pursue higher-level opening-up that is deeper, more wide-ranging and covers more sectors, expand institutional opening-up that covers rules, standards, etc., and attract global high-end talent, knowledge, technologies and management experience to improve the quality and efficiency of domestic circulation through international circulation.

Second, the new development paradigm not only focuses on demand-side management, but takes supply-side structural reform as the main task. The principal contradiction facing China's economy lies on the supply side and we need to keep improving both supply and demand. While continuously expanding domestic demand, we will strive to build high-quality and high-efficiency industrial, supply and innovation chains, make supply better adapt to demand, remove the chokepoints in economic circulation, and upgrade the quality and level of the supply system.

Third, the new development paradigm is not a small, local or individual circulation, but a large circulation of the national economic system. Various regions, industries and market entities, including state-owned enterprises, private and foreign-invested businesses, need to find their places in the new development pattern and give play to their comparative strengths. Instead of pursuing "small and all-inclusive" circulations of their own, they should strive to improve the connectivity in the domestic market, and speed up the establishment of a unified national market where all kinds of market players can enjoy fair competition.

Formulating a new development paradigm is a systematic program involving a long-term process. Domestically, it will ensure China's development is more resilient, expand the country's development space, support high-quality economic growth, promote a high-quality life for the people, and advance the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country. Internationally, a new development pattern will provide broader market space and cooperation opportunities for all countries, and add impetus and support to the steady recovery and sustained growth of the global economy. It is fair to say that facing the profound and complex changes of the international environment, cultivating a new development pattern is China's solution and contribution to deepening economic globalization and realizing the common prosperity of all countries.

Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you to all the speakers. The second press conference held by the Press Center for the Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China is hereby concluded. Thank you for your attendance.

Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yang Xi, Zhou Jing, Duan Yaying, Yuan Fang, Cui Can, Wang Wei, Zhang Liying, Li Huiru, Liu Qiang, Zhang Rui, Zhu Bochen, Zhang Junmian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Chen Xia, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.