Speakers:
Mr. Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of foreign affairs
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee
Date:
Sept. 29, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 36th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade" to brief you on China's diplomacy in the new era. We have invited Mr. Guo Yezhou, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), and Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister of foreign affairs. They will also take your questions.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Guo for his introduction.
Guo Yezhou:
Friends from the media, it is a great pleasure to brief you on the Party's external work in the new era over the past decade.
The CPC's external work is a cause of the whole Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions on major theoretical and practical issues regarding the Party's external work, including its definition, purpose, content, methods and actors, providing fundamental principles and guidance for the Party's external work in the new era. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, historic achievements have been made in the Party's external work featuring high-quality development. The international prestige of General Secretary Xi Jinping has been continually growing, the global influence of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has increased steadily, the Party's international circle of friends has kept expanding, and historic changes have taken place in the relationship between the CPC and the world.
Over the past decade, we have been committed to serving the major diplomatic agenda of General Secretary Xi Jinping and taken concrete actions to support the "two establishments" (the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era) and to 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 Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership).
Global events involving political parties have been held, including the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, and the CPC and World Political Parties Summit. General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered keynote speeches, charting the course for the trend of the times and human progress. Leaders of foreign political parties said the speeches helped them see the future of both China and the world. We have made every effort to facilitate top-level exchanges between General Secretary Xi Jinping and leaders of other socialist countries including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Vietnam, Laos and Cuba. Such exchanges have played a leading role in the development of China's relations with these countries. We have held a series of events, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Political Parties Forum, the SCO People's Forum, and the BRICS Political Parties, Think Tanks and Civil Society Organizations Forum. These have proven to be successful practices in serving General Secretary Xi Jinping's major diplomatic agenda, improving relevant cooperation mechanisms, and boosting the momentum of cooperation.
Over the past decade, we have been committed to telling the CPC's stories thoroughly and innovatively. We have organized thematic briefings following the 18th and 19th CPC national congresses and the plenary sessions of the 18th and 19th CPC central committees. Dozens of delegations have been sent to nearly 100 countries and regions at their invitation and communicated face-to-face with more than 10,000 political party leaders and prominent figures during over 500 briefings. In response to the interest of foreign political parties, we have offered in-depth introductions to the four volumes of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China." Many political party leaders have regarded the books as important sources of references for their work and asked for a set of the books for each senior official in their parties. In collaboration with CPC committees of relevant provinces and equivalent administrative units, we have held 14 briefings under the theme of "Stories of CPC — Achievements in Practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" to elaborate on the new practices and progress in the CPC's state governance. We have invited more than 600 foreign guests to experience firsthand the standing committee meetings of CPC committees at city- and county-levels and activities of Party organizations at the primary level. We have also livestreamed the standing committee meetings of CPC committees at the county-level and villagers' congresses for viewers around the world. International participants have commented that the meetings are truly results-oriented and represent down-to-earth forms of democracy.
Over the past 10 years, we continued to make courageous and efficient efforts that brought great results and safeguarded national sovereignty, security, and development interests with firm resolve. The Party's external work has been conducted conscientiously and responsibly, especially when involving the core interests and major concerns of China. Plenty of foreign political parties, non-governmental organizations, and people with vision, highly agreeing with China's relative stances, have formed a potent voice being spoken in defense of justice. As the CPC celebrated its centenary, more than 600 political parties and political organizations sent us more than 1,500 congratulatory messages or letters to mark the grand event together. We innovated an approach for boosting exchanges through the involvement of political parties. Leading officials of local Party committees have led nearly 100 batches of Party delegations for overseas trips, facilitating pragmatic external cooperation and the construction of the new development paradigm.
Over the past 10 years, we continued to expand the international circle of friends of the Party through genuine communication and exchanges. We maintained contact with more than 600 political parties and political organizations and proactively participated in multilateral dialogues between political parties within the region and beyond. We made efforts to create a new pattern of international relations by promoting a new model of relationship between political parties, and strived to improve the global partnership network through a cemented global partnership network of political parties. Some political party leaders revisited the IDCPC after assuming the office of a country's president, prime minister, or other important positions, saying it felt like reuniting with siblings or returning home. We carried out political party diplomacy, public diplomacy, and people-to-people diplomacy at the same time. By hosting dialogues for mutual learning among civilizations and international academic exchanges, we enabled China's social organizations and think tanks to communicate with a wider world.
Over the past 10 years, we strived to build a community with a shared future for mankind through collective will, effort, and wisdom. The CPC has always seen the development of China as part of the development of the entire human society and closely linked the destiny of the country with the destiny of the world. We willingly sent out letters to foreign political party leaders to explain China's practice in COVID-19 prevention and control and the lessons learned, and provided solutions to the prevention and control and the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. We also provided medical supplies and technical assistance as best as we could to foreign political parties and political dignitaries as well as international organizations of political parties when they needed them. We built a mutual consultation mechanism for political parties from Belt and Road Initiative signatories and established and perfected the Silk Road Think Tank Association and the Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network. We helped deepen policy exchanges and people-to-people bonds and made continued efforts to build consensus on promoting high-quality development through the Belt and Road cooperation. We hosted an exchange activity to share how the international community pursued the Global Development Initiative proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping and organized events to celebrate the International Day of Peace so as to advance the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. Together with political parties from across the world, we uphold the common values of mankind and contribute our wisdom and strength in building a better world.
Facing a new era and new journey, the Party shoulders major responsibilities and has a lofty mission to perform in conducting its external work. This is a glorious mission with huge potential to fulfill and great results to achieve. This is all I want to say. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thanks to Mr. Guo. Now Mr. Ma will brief us.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Ma Zhaoxu:
Comrades, ladies and gentlemen, and friends, good morning! We will soon convene the 20th CPC National Congress. At this moment, I am pleased to be here addressing this press conference.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has led us to forge ahead with Party's external work by overcoming difficulties, risks, and tests as we embarked on a historical journey of furthering the great undertaking of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era. We have achieved many important achievements. Our historical achievements have been all-around and groundbreaking. We found a new method of major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and created a better external environment for realizing the Two Centenary Goals (building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects and building a great modern socialist country in all aspects) and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Riding on the development trends of China and the world and pondering on the future of humankind, General Secretary Xi Jinping carried forward the core principles and fine traditions of New China's diplomacy and proactively promoted innovations in major diplomatic theories and practices. A series of new concepts, proposals and initiatives with Chinese characteristics mirroring the spirit of the times and setting the trend of human progress were put forward. These elements form Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.
The 10 major subjects of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy are as follows: strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC on external work under the overarching principle of upholding the authority of the CPC Central Committee; pursuing major-country diplomacy with distinctive Chinese features to fulfill the mission of national renewal; promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind as part of the effort to preserve world peace and pursue common development; enhancing strategic confidence that is rooted in socialism with Chinese characteristics; promoting the Belt and Road Initiative under the principle of shared benefits through discussion and collaboration; pursuing peaceful development based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation; forging global partnerships while advancing China's diplomatic agenda; steering the reform of global governance based on fairness and justice; safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests with the national core interests as the bottom-line; nurturing a distinctive style of Chinese diplomacy by combining fine traditions of our external work and features of the times.
Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we have focused on serving national rejuvenation and promoting human progress. Based on the new position and direction of China's development, we have grasped the changes in the relations between China and the rest of the world and developed ourselves to help others with the well-being of the world in our mind. We have steadfastly followed the path of peaceful development, advanced the building of the community with a shared future for mankind, and advocated establishing a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness and justice and win-win cooperation. We will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
We have advanced China's diplomatic agenda in a comprehensive, multilevel, multifaceted way and promoted dialogues, communication and cooperation with other countries. As our circle of friends expands and our global partner network enlarges, we have established diplomatic relations with 181 countries and forged partnerships with more than 110 countries and regional organizations.
We have proactively promoted the reform and building of the global governance system, safeguarded the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law and practiced genuine multilateralism. Remaining committed to the universal value of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, we have enhanced the global efforts to battle COVID-19 and deal with climate change with concrete actions. Moreover, we have promoted sustainable development and provided Chinese solutions for and contributed to addressing the global governance deficit and tackling global challenges.
We have firmly safeguarded our national interests and dignity. We have maintained a clear position and never budged an inch on major issues concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, maritime territory and human rights. We have always risen to challenges and fought hard and vigorously to safeguard our national sovereignty, security and development interests.
We have implemented people-centered philosophy and focused on the central task of the Party and the state. While staying truly connected to the people, we have served national economic and social development and resolutely protected the legitimate rights and interests of oversea Chinese citizens and corporations.
Looking to the new journey, the successful convention of the 20th CPC National Congress will surely lead China's diplomacy in the new era in striving forward and breaking new ground. We will closely follow the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and boost consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We will stay confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership to write a new chapter on the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Ma. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Zhinews of Shenzhen Satellite TV:
During the past decade, China has actively reformed and built the global governance system. Yet some people argue that China plans to start all over again and change the rules-based international order. How do you view China's position and role in global governance? Thank you.
Ma Zhaoxu:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, China has expanded and deepened the involvement of its diplomacy in global governance with unprecedented intensity. It has contributed Chinese wisdom, offered Chinese solutions and demonstrated its sense of responsibility, winning wide praise from the international community.
Bearing in mind the future and the fate of humanity, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forth, at the United Nations and other major occasions, China's global governance vision that advocates commitment to openness and inclusiveness instead of closeness and exclusion; commitment to working based on international law instead of a sense of superiority; commitment to consultation and cooperation instead of conflict and confrontation; and commitment to keeping up with the times instead of rejecting change. China's vision guides reforms of the global governance system and international system and injects positive energy into global uncertainty.
China has faithfully fulfilled its responsibility and mission as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It has sent over 50,000 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations and is now the second largest financial contributor to both the United Nations and UN peacekeeping operations. China stays committed to facilitating peaceful negotiations and advocates resolving disputes through peaceful means to settle significant hotspots such as the Ukraine crisis, the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Iranian nuclear issue, and Afghanistan. China maintains its commitment to promoting global security and has proposed the Global Security Initiative, winning praise and support from more than 70 countries.
China was among the first countries to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals. It has taken the lead in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, accounting for over 70% of global poverty reduction. We have used China's new achievements in development to provide the world with new opportunities, contributing over 30% of global growth on average. We have proposed a Global Development Initiative, set up the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund and expanded South-South cooperation, injecting strong impetus into human progress.
China has followed through with the Paris Agreement on climate change and declared its carbon peak and neutrality targets as well as new measures for nationally determined contributions, playing a key role in the cooperation on addressing climate change. It hosted the COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity and established the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, making it a firm player in global ecological governance. We have taken an active part in global digital governance and put forth the Global Initiative on Data Security to make the global digital governance system fairer and more equitable.
Recently, we have put forth related initiatives on food security and energy security, offering Chinese solutions to the world's challenges.
Here I want to make it clear that the reform of the global governance system is not intended to reinvent the wheel. Instead, it aims to make the system fairer and more equitable. The international order can only be underpinned by international law instead of the so-called rules drawn up by a few countries and the rules of a country or an organization. No matter how the global situation might have changed, China will neither change its resolve to practice genuine multilateralism nor change its efforts in improving global governance nor change its actions in pushing multilateral cooperation. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CGTN:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Chinese Communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have offered an in-depth answer to address major questions both in theory and practice, achieving another leap forward in understanding the nature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We note that several important innovative ideas and initiatives have been launched in the diplomatic field, such as building a community with a shared future for mankind. How has China implemented these ideas and initiatives in its diplomacy over the past decade? Thank you.
Ma Zhaoxu:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with an accurate understanding of the overarching global development trend and China's growth, has had a good understanding of China's relations with the rest of the world. The CPC Central Committee has provided answers to fundamental questions such as what a world we should build, what international relations we should develop, what diplomacy China needs, and how China carries out its diplomacy under new circumstances, making a series of major theoretical and practical innovations in the field of diplomacy.
Faced with the question of "what kind of world to build and how to build it," General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind based on in-depth thinking about the future of humanity, thus charting the course for human development and progress. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is the general goal of China's diplomacy in the new era, and it has become a glorious banner leading the trend of the times.
The core of a community with a shared future for mankind is to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity. China is both an advocator and a practitioner of building a community with a shared future for mankind. We uphold the concept of a global community of development with a shared future, stay committed to achieving shared growth through extensive consultation and joint contribution, and keep taking forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We have signed more than 200 documents on Belt and Road cooperation with 149 countries and 32 international organizations. Thanks to the BRI, East Africa has got its first expressway, the Maldives has a sea-crossing bridge, Laos has transformed itself from a landlocked to a land-linked country, and the China-Europe Railway Express has also become an important lifeline to ensure stable and smooth global logistics. Before the opening of the China-Laos Railway last year, Laotian students in China wrote a letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping to express their gratitude for the BRI.
When the once-in-a-century pandemic hit, we always stood at the forefront of international cooperation against the virus, shared epidemic prevention and control, and diagnosis and treatment plans with more than 180 countries and international organizations, sent 38 medical expert teams to 34 countries, and provided more than 2.2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. We carried out the largest global emergency humanitarian action since the founding of New China, in a bid to promote the building of a global community of health for all.
The building of a community with a shared future for mankind has been increasingly welcomed and supported by the international community. From China taking the lead to countries around the world joining the efforts, it has achieved great progress. When General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech titled "Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" in Geneva, over 800 guests in attendance gave more than 30 bursts of warm applause within 47 minutes. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the purpose of our practice of multilateralism is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The concept is fully demonstrated in the documents of the United Nations and other international organizations. The building of a community with a shared future between China and Africa, China and Arab countries, China and Latin American and Caribbean countries, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and China and Central Asian countries is also being actively promoted. Since last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping has successively proposed the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, which have further enriched the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.
At present, our world is living through accelerating changes unseen in a century and is entering a new period of volatility and transformation. Changes to the world, history, and our times are becoming more evident. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we need to make innovation based on what has worked in the past, unremittingly promote innovation in diplomatic theory and practice through determined endeavors, and constantly break new ground for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Daily:
As stated in the introduction, foreign political parties pay close attention to "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China." How do they describe Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era? What do they focus on? Thank you.
Guo Yezhou:
Thank you for your questions. Over the past decade in the new era, one of the most profound impressions in Party's external work is that more and more foreign political parties have paid attention to China and the CPC, with their focus not only on China's development achievements but also on China's path and system. When exploring the key to success in China, they have focused more on the decisive role of the CPC's leadership. Moreover, they have paid much attention to its significance to the world when focusing on the influence on China of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Many foreign political parties agree that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has "raised the theoretical outcomes concerning economic and social development to the level of the rules of the evolution of human society." They also agree that the thought has "illustrated the concrete path to achieving the grand vision of humankind," "lighted the new dream of humanity's joint pursuit of a better life," and "contributed wisdom and strength to humanity's noble cause of peace and development." Some foreign Marxist parties hold that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is "the Marxism of our times."
While speaking highly of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, foreign political parties of some countries have also put some of the ideas and policies into practice. For example, they have applied our "4+2" system, the democratic policy-making process on village affairs under the leadership of village Party organizations. ("4" means four steps: Proposals should be put forward by the Party branch, jointly discussed by the village committee and the Party branch, and deliberated by Party members, and villagers' representatives should adopt resolutions. "2" means transparency on two levels: resolutions and implementation results should be made known to the public.) They have taken the system of community-level self-governance in China directly into the practices of their own parties and have been very satisfied with the effects. Specifically, foreign political parties mainly focus on the following aspects.
First, they focus on the public products that the CPC provides to the international community in the new era. They believe that the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping mark a new starting point for the development of China and the world. Moreover, they believe the initiatives formulate a good vision for building a better world, demonstrating the CPC's care about the well-being of humanity and its sense of responsibility for the international community.
Second, they focus on the values and ideas embodied in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. They believe that the people-centered approach, targeted poverty alleviation, the pursuit of common prosperity, whole-process people's democracy and other ideas are thoroughly demonstrated in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and are significant constituents of the new model for human progress created by Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC. Humanity's common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom chart the course for the future development and are very important for safeguarding multilateralism and fostering a new type of international relations.
Third, they focus on the CPC's experience in state governance. They believe that under the leadership of the CPC, the impossible has been made achievable one by one in China. These experiences have provided valuable references for political parties to resolve challenges in governance and for developing countries to overcome difficulties in achieving modernization. Therefore, they all look forward to deepening the exchange of governance experiences with the CPC.
Fourth, they focus on the charm and wisdom reflected in the building of the CPC itself. They pay close attention to the CPC's experience and effective practices in exercising complete and strict self-governance of the Party and intensifying efforts to fight corruption. Many foreign Marxist parties agree that the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with decisive significance, is the most important political achievement of the CPC in the new era. They believe that the CPC's thoughts and practices in self-reform have enhanced Marxist parties' awareness of thought, theory and action in building and strengthening the party.
Over the past decade, we have catered to these focuses of foreign political parties and strived to publicize and introduce Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We believe that political parties, especially governing parties in all countries, should independently explore their own governance based on national and party conditions. Every kind of responsible exploration deserves respect. We have focused on strengthening communication and dialogue based on voluntarism, neither importing the models of other countries nor exporting the model of China. We value mutual learning and have learned about meaningful thoughts and explorations from foreign political parties. Such communication and dialogue aims to jointly develop governance capacity and work together to promote global governance efficacy. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Global Times:
In recent years, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee has organized many global political parties' high-level meetings. We also see that the Party has been increasingly active and influential on the international stage. Can Mr. Guo briefly introduce the roles of the Party's external work in national foreign affairs?
Guo Yezhou:
Thank you for your concern about the major diplomatic activities of political parties. As I just mentioned in the press release, the Party maintains various forms of contact with more than 600 political parties and political organizations. A series of global high-level political parties' meetings, including the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting held in November 2017 and the CPC and World Political Parties Summit held in July 2021, are a comprehensive display of the Party's international circle of friends and also the broadest response by political parties from other countries to our Party's calls. General Secretary Xi Jinping attached great importance to and personally planned and guided these high-level dialogues and meetings to make them embody the advantages, duties and roles of our Party's external work.
General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that the Party's external work is an important front of the Party, an important part of the overall national diplomacy, and an important embodiment of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party's external work has focused on the goal of rejuvenating the Chinese nation and promoting the progress of humanity and made important contributions to the continuing development of the CPC's endeavors and the overall national diplomacy.
We have built extensive and close ties with other political parties and continuously promoted the development of state-to-state relations. We have enhanced communication with ruling and opposition parties of other countries to maintain and promote the healthy and stable development of state-to-state relations. In the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences, respecting, and learning from each other, we have continuously strengthened solidarity and cooperation with political parties of developing countries and enhanced exchange and communication with political parties of developed countries. All these efforts are aimed at building a new type of relations between political parties and a new form of international relations, consolidate the network of global political party partnerships, and help improve the network of global partnerships.
We maintain a correct political orientation and take it as our mission to safeguard the Party's governance security and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Party has conscientiously fulfilled missions and responsibilities in conducting its external work. In response to issues involving China's core interests and major concerns, the Party has joined with political parties, think tanks, social organizations, and people with wisdom and foresight of other countries to express the voice of justice to safeguard our country's sovereignty, security, and developmental interests and work hard for a favorable external environment for advancing on a new great journey.
We keep in mind the mission of serving the people and actively support the implementation of national development strategies. The Party grounds its efforts in conducting external work in the new development stage, follows the new development philosophy, and fosters a new development paradigm in its diplomatic endeavors. The Party has further explored ways of exchanges between political parties and strengthened the alignment of development strategy, policy planning, and mechanism and platform through consultation and cooperation between political parties. With the needs of economic and social development as our compass, we have continuously enriched the content and methods of exchanges and worked hard to improve the efficiency of the Party's external work in serving the central work of the Party and country.
We are committed to promoting human progress and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. The Party's external work fully reflects its strong sense of responsibility as a major political party in a major country. It has worked with political parties of other countries to enhance communication and mutual trust and seek common ground while respecting differences. They join hands to uphold international equity and justice, advocate and practice real multilateralism, and promote more fair and reasonable development of the global governance system. They pool wisdom and strength for building a better world, and promote the progress of human civilization together.
On the new journey to fully build a modern socialist China, the Party's external work will have a big role to play and usher in a new developmental stage. Please stay tuned. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Reuters:
Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked Chinese diplomats to have more fighting spirit when dealing with other countries. Critics say that bilateral relations have suffered as a result. Going forward, will China continue with this combative approach in the next five years? Thank you.
Ma Zhaoxu:
Safeguarding China's sovereignty, security, and development interests is the sacred mission of Chinese diplomacy. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have established a strong line of defense for defending national interests and national dignity with a stronger will, more solid action, and more powerful measures, and we have the initiative of the country's development and security firmly in our own hands.
We have unequivocally defended the one-China principle, established and re-established diplomatic relations with nine countries, resolutely fought back against provocative acts regarding the Taiwan question, and consolidated consensus on the one-China principle among the international community. We have strongly prevented external forces from interfering in Hong Kong's affairs and reinforced the sound situation of Hong Kong going from disarray to good governance. We fiercely exposed lies about Xinjiang with facts and the truth, and defeated the political scheme of "using Xinjiang to contain China." We have steadily advanced consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and maintained the overall stability of the situation in the South China Sea.
We have rejected any politicization or stigmatization associated with COVID-19, while more than 80 countries wrote letters and issued statements to oppose the politicization of the virus' origin tracing. At the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, we defeated the anti-China actions exploiting human rights issues seven times in a row, shaping a strong momentum where nearly a hundred countries supported China's just position and opposed interference with China's internal affairs on the pretext of human rights. After unremitting efforts, Ms. Meng Wanzhou, who was illegally detained for more than 1,000 days, safely returned to the motherland.
When we carry out diplomatic struggles, our targets are words and deeds that harm China's national interests and national dignity, and we defend our own legitimate rights and interests. What we oppose is hegemony and bullying, and we fight for fairness and justice in the world. We use our actions to tell the world that the era when the Chinese nation had been trampled on by other countries has long gone, and there is no power to stop China's development and advance. We have the confidence to take the initiative to fight, the backbone to defy hegemony, and the great spirit to uphold justice. The Chinese nation will not be intimidated or crushed, nor will it be taken in by fallacies or tremble in the face of danger. We will never sit by and watch our national interests be damaged, and no one should expect China to swallow anything that undermines our interests. Going forward, Chinese diplomacy will continue to overcome all odds and forge ahead bravely, and will always be a loyal guard of the interests of the country and the people. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Channel NewsAsia:
Question from CNA. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently made his first overseas trip in more than two years, attending the SCO summit and meeting leaders from Central Asia. Some observers have described this visit as China's attempt to boost cooperation to check and balance the West. What's your comment on this? Do Chinese top leaders have plans to meet their counterparts from other regions like the U.S. in person, overseas, in the coming months? Thank you.
Ma Zhaoxu:
In the middle of this month, General Secretary Xi Jinping had great success in attending the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO, and making state visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. General Secretary Xi Jinping stayed there for 48 hours, attended nearly 30 events, and met with leaders of 10 countries, which strongly promoted the development of the SCO and pushed relations between China and the relevant countries to a new level. As for foreign trips by Chinese leaders going forward, if there is any relevant news, we will publish it in a timely manner. Please be sure to closely follow the press conferences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping took the lead in practicing and setting a personal example, and carried out a series of brilliant and fruitful diplomatic efforts with heads of states.
When General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Russia in March 2013, he proposed for the first time to promote the establishment of a new type of international relations. He proposed the Belt and Road Initiative during his visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia in the fall of 2013. In 2015, he proposed jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind at the UN General Assembly. In 2017, he systematically elaborated on the profound connotations of and path to jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). When he attended the General Debate of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly and the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022, he proposed the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, respectively, to provide Chinese solutions for strengthening global governance.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has said that actions hold the key to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made 42 visits abroad, covering 69 countries on five continents, and received over 100 heads of state and government at home. He once made four overseas visits in a month and chaired 70 bilateral and multilateral events in a week. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, General Secretary Xi Jinping has actively carried out "cloud diplomacy." He made 181 phone calls with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations and participated in 78 major diplomatic activities via video link. This February, China successfully hosted the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. We have carried out Winter Olympics diplomacy. General Secretary Xi Jinping hosted over 20 bilateral events with visiting world leaders who all found their trips to Beijing pleasant and satisfying. This June, General Secretary Xi Jinping chaired the 14th BRICS Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development via video link. This has steered high-quality development of the BRICS to a new era and taken solidarity among emerging markets and developing countries to new heights. General Secretary Xi Jinping once said, "frequent overseas trips may be exhausting, but we are repaid with a broader network of friends." Chinese netizens said, "we are seeing the world by following President Xi." All of these have demonstrated the irreplaceable role and strategic value of head-of-state diplomacy.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has made friends all over the world and shared with them the stories of China. He has kept a 30-plus-year-long friendship with his friends in the state of Iowa in the U.S., setting an example of the Chinese saying "only from hearts can friendship lasts forever." General Secretary Xi cited the changes taking place in Liangjiahe village as an example of the historical achievements that the Party has made over the past century. He used the metaphor "whether the shoe fits or not, only the wearer knows" to explain that China has adopted the development path suited to its national realities, which helped the international community to better understand China. These demonstrated General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership and charisma, positioning him as an approachable leader who values integrity and friendship. It also showcased his international vision of "developing ourselves to help others with the well-being of the world in our mind." Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Phoenix TV:
How does the CPC carry out exchanges with ruling parties of socialist countries and other left-wing political parties such as Marxist political parties? What progress has been made in exchanges and interactions? Thank you.
Guo Yezhou:
Thank you for your question. It is known that political parties are the principal players in political life in most countries. They are the source of the policy decision-making process, influencers of public opinions, and representatives of social consensus. The special and important position of ruling parties in socialist countries has determined the vital importance of exchanges and dialogues among these parties. The commitment to communist parties' leadership and exploring socialist development paths suited to respective national conditions are the defining features of exchanges between the CPC and ruling parties of other socialist countries. We have carried out multi-level exchanges with ruling parties in DPRK, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba, such as high-level visits, sending special envoys, briefing on major issues, making exchanges between party organizations at all levels and relevant departments, and institutionalizing theoretical seminars. These high-level exchanges were held in various forms, covering a wide range of topics and had a profound influence, of which the top-level strategic exchanges provided defining political guidance for state-to-state relations.
Our Party has also actively carried out exchanges with other left-wing political parties, including Marxist political parties across the world. We held the seminar commemorating the 200th anniversary of Marx's birth and the CPC and World Marxist Political Parties Forum, among others. We conducted theoretical exchanges and policy dialogues so as to uphold our original aspirations and keep our missions in mind.
We have carried out dialogues and exchanges with ruling parties of other socialist countries and Marxist political parties in order to support the development of state-to-state relations, deepen the friendship between our peoples, and push forward the progress of human civilization. These dialogues and exchanges will help us enhance our understanding of governance by a communist party, the development of socialism, and the evolution of human society. During dialogues and exchanges, we respect the independent explorations of all Marxist political parties. We never interfere with the internal affairs of other parties through exchanges and dialogues, nor the internal affairs of other countries through party-to-party exchanges. Through dialogues and exchanges, we strive to jointly explore the development paths of socialism in light of our respective national realities, and ways to adapt Marxism to our national conditions and our times. In the meantime, through dialogues and exchanges with ruling parties of other socialist countries and Marxist political parties, we feel more strongly than ever that Marxism is full of vitality and that socialism enjoys a promising future. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
I would like to learn about the exchanges between the CPC and the political parties in developing countries, especially neighboring countries, and what achievements have been made through these exchanges? Thank you.
Guo Yezhou:
This also involves the Party's foreign exchanges. We are connected with neighboring countries by mountains and rivers. China and its neighbors are geographically linked, our peoples are connected by kinship, and our cultures enjoy a natural affinity, which is an outstanding advantage for China to have exchanges and dialogues with the political parties in its neighboring countries.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has upheld the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and implemented the important consensus on developing bilateral ties reached by top leaders through various forms, including visits of delegations, exchanges of correspondence, and other online and offline activities. The Party's external work has covered almost all neighboring countries and their political parties, writing a new chapter for the CPC and parties from China's neighboring countries to enjoy mutual respect, deepened friendships, mutual learning, and mutual support.
Through exchanges with political parties in neighboring countries, we have actively stepped up the implementation of major concepts and initiatives put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in China's neighboring countries and advanced the building of a neighborhood community with a shared future to a new level. Through inter-party exchanges, we have facilitated the accurate dovetailing of development strategies between China and other countries and promoted cooperation on key projects, so as to improve people's livelihoods. We have worked to create a synergy between the BRI and development strategies of other countries, advanced the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and tightened the bond of interests between countries in the region. We have exchanged governance experience on issues of common concern, such as Party building, economic development, and poverty reduction and alleviation, so as to jointly improve our respective governance capabilities. We have also actively explored close cooperation under bilateral and multilateral dialogue mechanisms to promote a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation, thus improving regional and global governance.
Exchanging with the political parties of developing countries is an important pillar of our Party's external work, accounting for over 75% of the total number of foreign parties regularly exchanging with the CPC. China faces similar historic opportunities and development tasks, and has a similar desire for regional and international peace and security with other developing countries. We also share many common topics. The principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith as well as the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping have resonated deeply with parties of developing countries.
In our exchanges with political parties in other developing countries, we have always supported each other in exploring development paths suited to our national conditions and conducted in-depth discussions on issues of common interests, such as targeted poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, and green development. Through political party, we have promoted practical cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, boosted regional development, jointly coped with the challenges facing the world economy, and followed the path of common development and prosperity. We have shared experience in party and state governance and discussed ways to address global challenges, through various forms of dialogue between political parties as well as dialogue mechanisms between political parties in China and the ones in Africa, Latin America (CELAC), Central and Eastern Europe, Arab countries, Central Asia, and Pacific island countries. The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, the concept of global governance, and the new security outlook put forward by the general secretary have won widespread approval from political parties of developing countries.
At last, I would like to say that China will always be a member of the team of developing countries. The CPC will always be a good friend, good brother, and a good partner to political parties of developing countries.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_N Video from Southern Metropolis Daily:
As more and more Chinese citizens and companies go abroad, their first thought is the motherland and seeking help from Chinese embassies and consulates abroad when they are in trouble. I would like to ask, how does Chinese diplomacy deliver on the commitment of "diplomacy for the people" and protect legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens overseas? Thank you.
Ma Zhaoxu:
Since the 18th National Congress, as people-to-people exchanges and China's overseas interests have constantly expanded, the duties and responsibilities guided by the commitment of "diplomacy for the people" have become heavier and heavier. We have always adhered to the CPC's fundamental tenet of serving the people wholeheartedly, providing safe havens for overseas compatriots. The motherland will always be the strong backing of the Chinese people.
We have actively supported the construction of the new development paradigm and continuously facilitated exchanges between Chinese and foreign personnel. We have efficiently coordinated relations between epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, overcome difficulties brought by the epidemic, established "fast tracks" for necessary personnel exchanges, and built "green channels" for the transportation of emergency materials.
We have constantly improved our consular service network to effectively address people's needs and worries. More than 280 embassies and consular agencies around the world have provided consular services to overseas Chinese citizens. We have further promoted the transformation and upgrading of consular services, significantly reduced fees for Chinese citizens to obtain relevant documents, innovatively conducted overseas remote video notarization, and comprehensively launched the mobile application "China Consular Affairs." We have rolled out a set of convenient services, such as online processing of overseas passports and travel permits, online verification of consular certification, and online appointment of marriage registration, to free people from going on errands through wider use of online services. The Chinese passport has become increasingly useful, making it easier for Chinese citizens to go abroad to visit family members and relatives, travel, or conduct business. According to some netizens, a Chinese passport not only leads you to a wider world, but also brings you home safely.
We have constantly strengthened the implementation of the "Peaceful China Initiative" overseas and strived to ensure the safety of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions. The Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Foreign Ministry has provided round-the-clock assistance to overseas citizens. Consular protection will follow Chinese citizens wherever they go. Over the past decade, we have organized more than 10 emergency evacuations of our overseas citizens. In just a few days after the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, we have opened "life passages" and safely evacuated more than 5,200 Chinese citizens. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad have distributed "Spring Festival packages" and "health kits" to overseas compatriots in more than 170 countries and helped more than 4.6 million overseas Chinese citizens get vaccinated through the "Spring Seedlings Initiative." After receiving a letter for help from a Chinese student with disabilities, the Chinese Embassy in the United States immediately delivered "health kits" to him. The student was so moved that he shed tears and thanked his motherland in sign language.
We will shoulder serving the people as the abiding mission of Chinese diplomats and put it into practice, and make every effort to safeguard the security and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens and institutions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Beijing Youth Daily:
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "to understand China today, one must learn to understand the Communist Party of China." We all know that telling the story of the CPC is an important task of the IDCPC. Can you give us a brief introduction to this work? Thank you.
Guo Yezhou:
Thank you for your question. As China has moved closer to the center of the world stage, a series of major theoretical and practical accomplishments of the Party has got a lot of attention from the international community. In particular, foreign political parties want to know the thoughts and actions of the CPC. They have more observations and deep thoughts about the CPC's governance of China and want to hear more from the CPC. In this context, it is the responsibility of us, the international department, to perform duties, leverage our strengths, respond to concerns, and provide more information as well as better tell stories about CPC to the international society. These are integral principles and responsibilities of the Party's external work.
We tell stories that follow in the footsteps of the general secretary. Among the CPC stories, the most important ones are those of General Secretary Xi Jinping. In recent years, at the request of foreign political parties and dignitaries, we have invited many foreign political leaders to visit places, either online or in person, where General Secretary Xi Jinping once worked or personally paid attention to, such as Shibadong village of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture in Hunan province, Xiaqi village in Ningde city of Fujian province, and Liangjiahe village of Yanchuan county in Shaanxi province. In this way, foreign political leaders can see for themselves the whole process of how the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era came into being, developed, and was put into practice.
We tell stories in response to the needs of the international society. We listen carefully to the concerns of foreign political parties and leaders to understand their interests in the CPC and strive to provide the information they need in their areas of interest. For example, in response to the need of foreign political parties to understand CPC's major political agenda, we have held hundreds of briefings around the 18th and 19th CPC National Congress, as well as plenary sessions of the CPC Central Committee. In response to the needs of developing countries who want to know CPC's experience in governing the country, we have held a series of thematic briefings in cooperation with relevant provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions), focusing on targeted poverty alleviation, common prosperity, new development philosophy, supply-side structural reform, and other topics of interest to foreign parties. We not only introduce what we think but also show how we have done it, what results have been achieved, and what needs to be improved.
We tell stories about community-level governance. The Chinese people working hard to realize their dreams under the leadership of the Party is the most exciting chapter in the story of the CPC. Foreign political parties and leaders pay attention to the top-level political design of CPC's governance of the country, as well as the day-to-day governance practice at the community level. To this end, we broadcasted live globally the meetings of the standing committees of the county party committees and the villages' representative assemblies. We invited village branch secretaries of the CPC, ordinary Party members, and ordinary villagers to tell their stories, demonstrating the CPC's democratic and scientific decision-making process and how farmers got rid of poverty. It also helps foreign political parties and leaders understand why the CPC is capable of governing the country and why socialism with Chinese characteristics works.
Under the leadership of the CPC, historic achievements and changes have been made in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. The past decade in the new era has been extraordinary. The CPC has numerous great and exciting stories. The IDCPC will continue to work hard for the Party's external work and better tell these good stories. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Guo and Mr. Ma, and thanks to all reporters. Today's press conference is concluded. Goodbye!
Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Qian, Liu Sitong, Zhou Jing, Li Huiru, Duan Yaying, Ma Yujia, Yan Bin, Wang Wei, Wang Yanfang, Xu Kailin, Yang Xi, Yuan Fang, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Cui Can, Zhang Tingting, Wang Yiming, Qin Qi, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
Speakers:
Mr. Chen Yuanfeng, deputy director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee
Mr. Ma Xiaoguang, director general of the Publicity Bureau and spokesperson of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee
Mr. Qiu Kaiming, director general of the Research Bureau of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee
Ms. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee
Date:
Sept. 21, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference. Today, we are holding the 35th press conference under the theme of China in the past decade. We have invited Mr. Chen Yuanfeng, deputy director of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, to brief you on achievements in Taiwan work and cross-Strait relations since the 18th CPC National Congress and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Ma Xiaoguang, director general of the Publicity Bureau and spokesperson of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee; Mr. Qiu Kaiming, director general of the Research Bureau of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee; and Ms. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Chen Yuanfeng for his introduction.
Chen Yuanfeng:
Friends from the press, let me begin by welcoming you to the press conference on work related to Taiwan. On behalf of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee, I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for your long-term care, concern and support. Now, I will briefly introduce the major achievements in Taiwan work and cross-Strait relations in the past 10 years, as well as the important experience we have drawn from that.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has pursued the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation amid profound global changes unseen in a century. With an accurate understanding of the changes at home and abroad, the CPC Central Committee has adopted innovative theories and measures in all respects on Taiwan-related work, continued to chart the course of cross-Strait relations, safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and promoted progress toward national reunification. General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward a series of new concepts, thoughts and strategies as well as major policies on Taiwan-related work. He published a series of important remarks and gave a series of important instructions, thus developing the Party's overall policy for solving the Taiwan question in the new era, and setting out the overarching guideline and a program of action.
In the past decade, a historic breakthrough has been made in cross-Strait political exchanges. We have facilitated the first meeting and direct dialogue between leaders of the two sides since 1949, raising exchanges and interactions to new heights, which is a new milestone for cross-Strait relations. The departments in charge of cross-Strait affairs on both sides have established regular contact and communication mechanisms on a common political foundation, and the heads of the two departments have exchanged visits and set up hotlines.
In the past decade, a new dimension has been opened up in cross-Strait dialogue and negotiation. Upholding the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, the CPC and the Chinese government have facilitated exchanges between political parties across the Strait, and conducted dialogues, consultations and in-depth exchanges of views on cross-Strait relations and the future of the Chinese nation with relevant political parties, organizations and individuals in Taiwan. These efforts have resulted in consensus on multiple issues, and promoted a number of joint initiatives exploring the "two systems" solution to the Taiwan question with all sectors of Taiwan society.
Over the past decade, Taiwan compatriots on the Chinese mainland have gradually enjoyed equal treatment and development opportunities. Guided by the people-centered development philosophy and conviction that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are of the same family, the CPC and the Chinese government have promoted peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and integrated development of the two sides for the benefit of both the mainland and Taiwan. We have also refined the institutional arrangements, policies and measures to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, designed to advance the well-being of Taiwan residents. These include electronic travel passes for Taiwan residents to enter or leave the mainland, the delivery of water from the coastal province of Fujian to Kinmen Island, residence permits for Taiwan residents, progressively ensuring that Taiwan compatriots have equal access to public services so as to facilitate their studying, starting businesses, working and living on the mainland, and an ongoing effort to pave the way for Taiwan to benefit first from the mainland's development opportunities.
Over the past decade, cross-Strait trade and Taiwan investment on the mainland have grown significantly. The volume of cross-Strait trade increased from $160.03 billion in 2011 to $328.34 billion in 2021, doubling in 10 years. Taiwan businesses had invested in 85,772 projects as of 2011, while in 2021 the number rose to 124,142, up by 44.7%. The mainland is the largest export market for Taiwan, the largest source of trade surplus, and the largest destination for Taiwan's off-island investment.
Over the past decade, cross-Strait people-to-people exchanges from all walks of life have continued to expand. While countering interference and obstruction from separatist forces, we have called on the people of Taiwan to promote effective and in-depth cooperation and people-to-people exchanges in various fields across the strait. We have held a number of exchange events such as the Straits Forum, Shanghai-Taipei City Forum, and Straits Youth Forum and maintained the momentum of cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation. In 2011, 7.1 million cross-Strait visits were made, of which 5.26 million trips were from Taiwan to the mainland. In 2019, the total number of cross-Strait visits reached 9 million, including over 6 million visits from Taiwan to the mainland. In the past three years, affected by COVID-19, online communication has become the main form of people-to-people interactions across the Strait, and the numbers of people participating in and covered by online communication are reaching new highs.
Over the past decade, we have been constantly strengthening opposition to Taiwan independence and advancing national reunification. We have been resolute in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity and opposing separatist activities and external interference. We have safeguarded peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. We have taken lawful action against and effectively deterred separatist forces. We have handled Taiwan's external exchanges in a sound manner, and consolidated the international community's commitment to the one-China principle.
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, work related to Taiwan has seen important progress in the past 10 years. These achievements made on the basis of acting on General Secretary Xi Jinping's important remarks on the work related to Taiwan are an important part of the historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country. This process has fully demonstrated that we must adhere to the Party's leadership and firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership in the work on Taiwan; we must adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus; we must firmly oppose any separatist activities seeking "Taiwan independence" and never allow any individual or force to separate Taiwan from China; we must resolutely oppose foreign interference and resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity; we must coordinate the resolution of the Taiwan question and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and resolutely advance the process of the reunification of China; we must strive for the well-being of all Chinese people, including those in Taiwan, and to realize the aspirations of all Chinese people for a better life; we must follow the principles of freeing the mind and seeking truth from facts to adopt new and innovative measures in relation to Taiwan; we must have the courage and skill to fight against any force that attempts to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity or stands in the way of its reunification; and we must uphold extensive unity and solidarity to mobilize all factors to fight against any force that would divide the country, and pool strengths to make historic achievements in advancing national reunification.
Today, as China and the world experience profound changes, realizing China's complete reunification is facing new challenges. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process. The time, momentum, and righteousness of reunification are on the side of the Chinese mainland. In the new era, our resolve to realize national reunification in the face of provocation from secessionists and external forces is even stronger. The trend of China's reunification cannot be altered by any disruptions or obstructions. We will follow the general guidelines of the CPC in solving the Taiwan question and the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee on work related to Taiwan. We will defeat separatism and external interference, make concrete efforts to promote peaceful cross-Strait relations, integrate the development of the two sides, and work toward national reunification. We will join hands with our compatriots in Taiwan to strive for national reunification and rejuvenation.
This is all of my opening remarks. Next, my colleagues and I are ready to answer your questions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Chen. Now the floor is open to questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.
China Media Group:
The white paper titled The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era, published this August, mentioned the practice of one country, two systems in Taiwan. What benefits will peaceful reunification and one country, two systems bring to the Taiwan region and Taiwan compatriots?
I'll take this question. Peaceful reunification and one country, two systems are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to realizing national reunification. It embodies the Chinese wisdom that we thrive by embracing each other. In designing the specifics for implementing one country, two systems after peaceful reunification, we will give full consideration to the realities in Taiwan and the views and proposals from all walks of life on both sides. Furthermore, we will fully accommodate the interests and sentiments of our compatriots in Taiwan. To realize peaceful reunification, we must acknowledge that the mainland and Taiwan have their own distinct social systems and ideologies. The one country, two systems principle is the most inclusive solution to this problem. It is an approach grounded in democratic principles, demonstrates goodwill, seeks peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question, and delivers mutual benefit. Once peaceful reunification is achieved under one country, two systems, it will create huge opportunities for social and economic development in Taiwan and bring tangible benefits to the people of Taiwan.
After reunification, the Taiwan region may practice a social system different from that of the mainland, and Taiwan compatriots will be able to live and work in peace and tranquility, as the central government will be in a better position to take care of them. Provided that China's sovereignty, security, and development interests are guaranteed, Taiwan's social system and its way of life after reunification will be fully respected, and the private property, religious beliefs, and lawful rights and interests of the people in Taiwan will be fully protected. All Taiwan compatriots who support the reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation will be the masters of the region, contributing to and benefiting from China's development.
After reunification, the systems and mechanisms for cross-Strait economic cooperation will improve further. Supported by the vast mainland market, Taiwan's economy will enjoy broader prospects, become more competitive, develop steadier and smoother industrial and supply chains, and display greater vitality in innovation-driven growth. Many problems that have long afflicted Taiwan's economy and its people will be resolved through integrated cross-Strait development with all possible connections between the two sides. Taiwan's fiscal revenues can be better employed to improve living standards, bringing real benefits to the people and resolving their difficulties.
After reunification, Taiwan's cultural creativity will also enjoy a great boost. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait share the culture and ethos of the Chinese nation. Nourished by Chinese civilization, Taiwan's regional culture will flourish and prosper.
After reunification, Taiwan will have a greater space for development, and the people of Taiwan will enjoy greater security and dignity. They will stand upright and firmly within the international community. They will share the pride of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with the people of the mainland.
We want to reiterate the fact that peaceful cross-Strait reunification will not harm the legitimate interests of any other country, including any economic interests they might have in Taiwan. On the contrary, it will bring more development opportunities to all countries. It will create more positive momentum for prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world. Moreover, it will contribute to building a human community with a shared future, promoting world peace and development, and propelling human progress. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Daily:
Recently, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have been preaching the idea that the two sides across the Strait should not be subordinate to each other. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been obscuring and hollowing out the one-China principle. Considering current cross-Strait relations, how do you understand the nature of the Taiwan question and interpret the one-China principle?
Qiu Kaiming:
Good morning, everyone. I'll take this question. The current situation across the Taiwan Strait remains severe and complex due to the island's DPP authorities colluding with some forces in the U.S. to seek the independence of the island. Meanwhile, some forces in the U.S., motivated by a hegemonic mindset and a Cold War mentality, have intensified their efforts to use Taiwan to contain the development of the mainland. The DPP authorities have promoted the idea that the two sides across the Strait should not be subordinate to each other. Meanwhile, the U.S. has been obscuring and hollowing out the one-China principle for its own political gain. Such moves attempt to distort the nature of the Taiwan question and deny the one-China principle.
Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence. Many historical records and annals document the development of Taiwan by the Chinese people in earlier periods. They also demonstrate that since the middle of the 12th century, the imperial central governments of China all set up administrative bodies to exercise jurisdiction over Penghu and Taiwan.
The emergence and evolution of the Taiwan question have been inextricably interwoven with the history of the Chinese nation since China entered modern times. Following the Opium War starting in 1840, China suffered an invasion by Western powers and was plunged into the darkness of domestic turmoil and foreign aggression. Its people, ravaged by war, saw their homeland torn apart. Taiwan was under foreign occupation for half a century. The Cairo Declaration issued by China, the United States and the United Kingdom in 1943 stated that it was the purpose of the three allies that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, including Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be restored to China. The Potsdam Proclamation signed in 1945 reiterated: The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out. In 1945, the Chinese people, including Taiwan compatriots, fought bloody battles with unyielding determination and won the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Taiwan was thus recovered and returned to the motherland.
On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded, becoming the successor to the Republic of China, and the Central People's Government became the only legitimate government of the whole of China. The new government replaced the previous KMT regime in a situation where China, as a subject under international law, did not change and China's sovereignty and inherent territory did not change. As a natural result, the government of the PRC should enjoy and exercise China's full sovereignty, which includes its sovereignty over Taiwan. As a result of the civil war and the interference of external forces, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have fallen into a state of protracted political confrontation.
At its 26th session in October 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758, which undertook to restore all the rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations. This resolution settled once and for all the political, legal and procedural issues of China's representation in the UN, and it covered the whole country, including Taiwan. It also spelled out that China has one single seat in the UN, so there is no such thing as two Chinas or one China, one Taiwan. The United Nations and its specialized agencies all follow the one-China principle in dealing with questions concerning Taiwan. To date, 181 countries have established diplomatic relations with the PRC on the basis of the one-China principle. The one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community; it is consistent with the basic norms of international relations.
History, jurisprudence and international reality have all proven that the truth that Taiwan is part of China and both the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China has never been changed and can't be changed. Although the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are yet to be reunified, the sovereignty and territory of China have never been divided. Motivated by its nature of pursuing Taiwan independence and political gains, the DPP authorities profess that Taiwan and the mainland should not be subordinate to each other and that the status of Taiwan has yet to be determined. Their attempt to deny or dispute the one-China principle distorts the facts and confuses the public.
The Taiwan question is an internal affair of China and no external interference will be tolerated. Diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. are premised on dealing with Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly, and the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US bilateral relations. The three China-U.S. joint communiques clearly describe the U.S.' commitments on the Taiwan issue. The U.S. side explicitly declared in the Shanghai Communique released in 1972 that the United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. The China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, published in 1978, states: The United States of America recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan. It also states: The Government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. However, the U.S. has constantly clouded the one-China principle in recent years. They are breaching their commitments on the one-China principle and turning their backs on the wheel of history. We firmly oppose this. We urge the U.S. side to adhere to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and deal with Taiwan-related issues prudently and properly.
Just as the white paper says: We are one China, and Taiwan is part of China. This is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law. Taiwan has never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable. Any attempt to distort these facts and dispute or deny the one-China principle will fail. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People's Daily:
Mr. Ma Xiaoguang just introduced the white paper entitled The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era, and published in August, and said that the principles of peaceful reunification and one country, two systems will bring tangible benefits for Taiwan's economic and social development and Taiwan compatriots. I have two questions. Why did you publish the white paper at this time? What new expressions does the white paper include on China's policy and stance to achieve national reunification in the new era? Thank you.
Chen Yuanfeng:
I will answer your questions. Mr. Ma just introduced what benefits will be brought following the principles of peaceful reunification and one country, two systems. The white paper also gives a relatively thorough description of the content. After achieving peaceful reunification and one country, two systems, we will conduct in-depth communication and exchanges with all sectors of Taiwan society to explore the "two systems" solution to the Taiwan question.
On Aug. 10, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office jointly released a white paper titled The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era. On the same day, the spokesperson of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee was authorized to remark on the white paper. Here, I would like to brief you on the relevant issues.
First, the publication of the white paper is most relevant and of great significance. The Chinese government has published two white papers on Taiwan previously. One was The Taiwan Question and Reunification of China in August 1993, and the other was The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue in February 2000. These two white papers comprehensively and systematically elaborated the basic principles and policies regarding resolving the Taiwan question. Over the past two decades and more, especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, theories on national reunification and principles and policies concerning Taiwan have been continuously enriched and developed. General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed a series of major concepts, policies and propositions on work related to Taiwan. The CPC's overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era has been developed, providing the overarching action guideline in this regard. An unstoppable force now drives China's national rejuvenation, and we are better positioned, more confident and capable of accomplishing the great cause of national reunification. In recent years, however, Taiwan's DPP authorities have redoubled their efforts to divide the country, and some external forces have gone all out to exploit Taiwan to contain China and try to prevent the Chinese nation from achieving complete reunification and national rejuvenation. Facing the new situation, it is necessary to publish a new white paper on national reunification to further reiterate that Taiwan is part of China. The paper demonstrates the firm resolve of the CPC and the Chinese people and their strong commitment to national reunification. It elaborates on the position and policies of the CPC and the Chinese government in the new era to promote the country's reunification.
Second, the content of the white paper are comprehensive and systematic, with prominent highlights. Based on the overall goal of national rejuvenation and global changes on a scale unseen in a century, the white paper has presented a thorough account of Taiwan's history. It comprehensively summarized the CPC's struggle for complete national reunification as well as its major achievements and valuable experiences. It exposed and denounced the DPP authorities' intensified provocation designed to divide the country and the desperate acts and fallacies of the U.S. when it plays the Taiwan card. The white paper has systematically elaborated the major principles and policies followed by the CPC and the Chinese government in the new era to facilitate national reunification and unequivocally clarified the bright prospect of Taiwan after peaceful reunification in accordance with the principle one country, two systems. It demonstrates our full confidence in achieving complete national reunification, resolute resolve to oppose Taiwan independence separatist forces and external interference, and consistent aspiration to ensure the wellbeing of Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Third, the white paper is most relevant to fighting against any forces seeking Taiwan Independence and promoting national reunification. Amid the current complicated international landscape and grim situation across the Taiwan Strait, the white paper is conducive to exposing and denouncing the vicious provocation of any collusion between the Taiwan independence separatist forces and external forces to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as to obstruct and sabotage China's process toward national reunification. It is conducive to demonstrating the position and attitude of the CPC and the Chinese government to continue to strive for peaceful reunification with utmost sincerity and effort. The white paper also helps boost the spirit of the whole Party and Chinese people of all ethnic groups to press ahead with national reunification, strengthen the confidence and courage of anti-separatism and pro-reunification forces in Taiwan and those staying abroad, and pool strengths into a mighty force to support and promote the great cause.
Fourth, the white paper will help unite our compatriots in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao and overseas to work together for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the great cause of peaceful national reunification. Peaceful cross-Strait reunification benefits not only the Chinese nation and Chinese people, but all other peoples and the international community as a whole. We hope that our compatriots in Taiwan will stand on the right side of history, fully consider the position and role of Taiwan in China's rejuvenation, and actively participate in the just cause of China's peaceful reunification. We hope that our compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and overseas will make new contributions to promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the peaceful reunification of the country. We also hope that the international community will abide by the one-China principle, properly handle Taiwan-related questions, and understand and support the Chinese people's just cause of opposing separatist forces seeking Taiwan independence and striving for national reunification. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_ETtoday:
What progress has been made in cross-Strait people-to-people exchanges and cooperation and communication in various other fields in recent years? What can be done to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on cross-Strait exchanges? In addition, we have seen that an increasing number of young people from Taiwan come to the mainland to study and work. What has been done to attract them to the mainland? Thank you.
Zhu Fenglian:
Thank you for your attention to ordinary and young people on both sides of the Strait. Indeed, cross-Strait relations are internally driven forward by non-government sectors and the youth. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have worked with local governments and relevant departments to earnestly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping as well as the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, continuously expanded cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and enhanced the kinship and wellbeing of compatriots on both sides of the Strait, thus lending strong internal impetus to the growth of cross-Strait relations. We have summarized the following four aspects:
First, the belief that compatriots across the Strait should promote exchanges, cooperation, and development has been widely supported. The pattern for cross-Strait exchanges enjoys a solid and stable foundation. Cross-Strait interactions and exchanges in various sectors are expanding, and a wide-ranging, multi-tiered pattern for communication has been built. In 2015, China removed entry permit requirements for Taiwan residents traveling to the mainland and began issuing electronic travel passes to them, further facilitating cross-Strait communication and leading to a peak of 9.85 million trips that year. Since 2020, due to COVID-19 and political obstructions set by Taiwan's DPP authorities, online communication has become the main form of cross-Strait exchange. Nearly 1,000 exchange activities have been held both online and offline by compatriots across the Strait from all walks of life.
Second, the policy of equal treatment has been deepened and refined to support more Taiwan compatriots to pursue, build, and achieve their dreams on the mainland. We worked with all localities and government departments to introduce a series of policies and measures that are preferential to Taiwan compatriots. We provide development opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and ensure they enjoy equal treatment, including issuing residence permits for Taiwan residents, removing work permits for Taiwan compatriots working on the mainland, expanding trials to allow more Taiwan compatriots to work in public institutions, increasing enrollment for Taiwan compatriots, ensuring their access to professional qualification examinations, social security, and free COVID-19 vaccines on the mainland, among other benefits.
An increasing number of Taiwan compatriots now find opportunities for development on the mainland. We have built 78 bases and demonstration platforms for cross-Strait youth entrepreneurship and employment, providing services for over 220 Taiwan youth startup programs. More than 2,000 young scholars from Taiwan are teaching at universities and colleges on the mainland. About 3,000 university students from Taiwan are awarded scholarship on the mainland every year. Nearly 1,000 Taiwan compatriots have attained professional qualifications in a variety of popular sectors. About 300 Taiwan compatriots working and living on the mainland have received honorary titles, including winners of the May 1 Labor Medal, the Youth May Fourth Medal, the March 8 Red-Banner Holder, and the Five-Virtue Family at or above the prefectural level.
Third, as the integrated social and cultural development across the Strait continues to be deepened, compatriots across the Strait has shown a closer bond of kinship on the new journey in the new era. Every year, a large number of Taiwan compatriots come to the mainland to trace their ancestors' history. Cross-Strait cultural exchanges in film, television, music, art, creative design, book publishing, intangible cultural heritage, and other sectors are thriving. Excellent cultural products such as films and TV dramas from the mainland are popular among Taiwan people, especially teenagers. Every year, thousands of Taiwan artists and performers take part in radio, television, audiovisual programs, and film production on the mainland. Ethnic minorities from Taiwan also participated in the 11th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities.
Fourth, the general public and young people have become a primary force in driving cross-Strait exchanges. They have become the foundation and engine for advancing the development of relations across the Strait. An increasing number of cross-Strait exchange activities have been held for the general public and the young generation. As the largest platform focusing on people-to-people exchanges across the Strait, the Straits Forum has been held for 14 consecutive years. The Shanghai Taipei City Forum, an important platform for exchanges among cities, has been held for 13 years consecutively. A wide range of exchange activities are carried out every year, involving science and technology, education, medical care, sports, religion and belief, labor unions, and women's affairs. Every year, we carry out hundreds of summer (or winter) camps and studying camps for Taiwan youth and hold large exchange activities such as the Cross-Straits Youth Festival and the Straits Youth Forum, attracting tens of thousands of young people from Taiwan to participate. Taiwan compatriots also actively take part in volunteering activities on the mainland, including anti-poverty projects, rural vitalization, teaching assistance, free medical programs, disaster relief, and epidemic prevention and control work.
Looking forward, we will introduce more preferential policies and measures for Taiwan compatriots. We will advance integration through better connectivity and more preferential policies based on mutual trust and understanding. Efforts will be made to create favorable conditions for improving cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and promote mutual understating and mutual trust among compatriots across the Strait. We will work together to push forward the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the peaceful reunification of the country. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_TVBS:
How are cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation and exchanges going now? The economies of the mainland and Taiwan are highly complementary. What's your take on this? What are the characteristics of cross-Strait economic exchange? Thank you.
Ma Xiaoguang:
Over the past decade, we have been working to expand cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation, which has delivered fruitful results. The characteristics can be summarized as follows.
First, the trade volume between the mainland and Taiwan doubled in the past 10 years. Taiwan's trade dependence on the mainland remains high.
Second, investment on the mainland from Taiwan businesses is gaining momentum with positive changes. Investments have focused more on major projects and high-tech projects.
Third, the integrated development of economies across the Strait have delivered more substantial and concrete outcomes. Since 2018, we have unveiled 31 measures and 26 measures to enhance cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation. We have released 11 measures and 22 measures on agriculture and forestry to support the development of Taiwan-funded enterprises. We have also rolled out policies to encourage more Taiwan residents to register as self-employed individuals on the mainland. These efforts have helped Taiwan compatriots and businesses enjoy greater development opportunities and equal treatment on the mainland. We have encouraged Taiwan compatriots and businesses to take part in the Belt and Road Initiative, the country's major regional strategies, and strategies for regional coordinated development. We have supported Fujian province in exploring new approaches for integrated development across the Strait. Other provinces and cities where Taiwan businesses are clustered have also been encouraged to pilot preferential policies for them. We have guided enterprises across the Strait to strengthen cooperation in terms of funds, technology, management, standards, brands, and channels. We have helped Taiwan businesses to expand the domestic market on the mainland. Thousands of Taiwan enterprises in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and other provinces and cities have enjoyed preferential tax policies of various kinds. Hundreds of Taiwan enterprises have received specialized financial support in terms of industrial transformation and upgrading, green manufacturing, and smart manufacturing. As of June this year, 41 Taiwan-funded financial institutions had received Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) licenses, and 53 Taiwan enterprises had been listed on the mainland.
Fourth, the number of platforms for cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation has increased and they have made notable achievements. The Summit for Entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait has vigorously promoted joint ventures and cooperation between enterprises on both sides of the Strait and has become the most important platform for exchanges and cooperation between entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait. In addition, cross-Strait integrated circuits industry cooperation pilot zones in the cities of Hefei in Anhui province and Xiamen and Quanzhou in Fujian province, as well as a cross-Strait industrial cooperation zone for replacing old growth drivers with new ones in Shandong province, and five cross-Strait industrial cooperation zones in Guangxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces have been set up. We have supported Kunshan Pilot Zone for Deepening Cross-strait Industrial Cooperation to carry out pilot tests with Taiwan. As of 2021, there were more than 350 Taiwan-funded projects in the five cross-Strait industrial cooperation zones, with investment totaling over 100 billion yuan. Various regions have continued to hold distinctive Taiwan-related economic and trade activities and promoted the partnering and delivery of high-quality projects. The cross-Strait economic exchanges and cooperation have kept a strong momentum and we have seen more solid achievements. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Hong Kong Economic Herald:
People on both sides of the Strait are highly concerned about cross-Strait political exchanges. What achievements have relevant parties on both sides of the Strait achieved in safeguarding the common political foundation and conducting political exchanges in recent years? Thank you.
Qiu Kaiming:
Cross-Strait political exchanges have drawn attention on both sides of the Strait because this issue plays a pioneering and leading role in cross-Strait relations. We can see its importance in the white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," which regards the realization of the first meeting and direct dialogue and communication between leaders across the Strait since 1949 as the first major measure for promoting work related to Taiwan under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping since the 18th CPC National Congress. Over the years, we have grasped the trend of the times and promoted cross-Strait political exchanges on the basis of staying committed to the 1992 Consensus and firmly opposing "Taiwan independence." The historic achievements that we have made are embodied in three aspects:
First is promoting a historic meeting between the leaders of the two sides of the Strait. On Nov. 7, 2015, General Secretary Xi Jinping, also president of China, met with then Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou. It was the first meeting between leaders of the two sides since 1949. Many reporters witnessed this historic moment. Both sides have reached consensus on the theme of promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and national rejuvenation, consolidated and deepened the key position and role of the 1992 Consensus as the common political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, which has been widely affirmed and highly appraised by compatriots on both sides of the Strait and the international community. The cross-Strait leaders' meeting fully demonstrates the firmness and tactical flexibility of the Party Central Committee's principles and policies on the work related to Taiwan, and fully demonstrates that we have the initiative in the development of cross-Strait relations and the great goodwill to seek well-being for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. We have shown the world that the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have the wisdom and the ability to handle its own affairs.
Second is promoting the establishment of regular contact and communication mechanisms between the departments in charge of cross-Strait affairs on both sides of the Strait. In February 2014, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and Taiwan's mainland affairs council established a regular communication mechanism on the political basis of the 1992 Consensus. Heads of the two departments visited each other many times and opened hotlines, which raised the level of institutionalization of cross-Strait exchanges. Since the DPP came to power in 2016, it has turned its back on the 1992 Consensus that states both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China, which has undermined the political foundation for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and led to the suspension of this communication mechanism.
Third is maintaining exchanges with relevant parties in Taiwan and promoting cross-Strait democratic consultation. There are three aspects in this regard. Firstly, General Secretary Xi Jinping and other Party leaders have maintained contact with relevant parties, groups and representatives in Taiwan through meetings, correspondence and the like, so as to consolidate the common political foundation on both sides of the Strait and ensure the right direction of the development of cross-Strait relations. Secondly, we have jointly held the Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum, the Cross-Strait Peaceful Development Forum, and dialogue and exchanges between the CPC and Kuomintang to exchange views and build consensus on important issues in the development of cross-Strait relations. In addition, we have conducted dialogues and consultations with representatives of political parties, groups and people from all walks of life in Taiwan and issued joint initiatives centering on cross-Strait relations and national rejuvenation. We have successively held the Hand in Hand to Realize Dreams: Cross-Strait Compatriots Exchange Seminar in Shanghai last year and in Beijing this year. We have united and led patriotic reunification forces and created an institutionalized platform for democratic consultation across the Strait, which played an important role in fighting against any force that would divide the country and promoting national reunification. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Beijing News:
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the 1992 Consensus. Since coming to power, the DPP authorities have refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus. The mainland has been in a fierce struggle with the DPP authorities over upholding or denying the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus. What is the major significance of the mainland always upholding the 1992 Consensus? Thank you.
Ma Xiaoguang:
The 1992 Consensus is the political foundation and anchor for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. The significance of the 1992 Consensus lies in that it embodies the historical fact and legal basis that the two sides both belong to one China, defines the fundamental nature of cross-Strait relations, and bears on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and interests and wellbeing of compatriots on both sides of the Strait.
We can recall together. In 1992, authorized by the two sides of the Strait, the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), through the meeting in Hong Kong and subsequent correspondence, reached the common understanding that each should express verbally that both sides of the Taiwan Strait adhere to the one-China principle, later named the 1992 Consensus. The historical fact about the two sides reaching the 1992 Consensus is very clear. The content of the consensus consists of two specific paragraphs with mutual recognition of both sides after negotiations. The SEF said: In the process of seeking national reunification through the joint efforts of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, both sides adhere to the one-China principle but have different understandings of the meaning of one China. The ARATS said: Both sides of the Taiwan Strait adhere to the one-China principle and strive to pursue national reunification. But in cross-Strait talks on routine affairs, the political meaning of one China will not be touched upon. In these two paragraphs, both sides stated their basic stance that they stick to the one-China principle and pursue national reunification. The key point is that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China and work together toward national reunification. With regard to the political meaning of one China, SEF said both sides have different understandings, while ARATS said in cross-Strait talks on routine affairs, [it] will not be touched upon. The two sides sought common ground while reserving differences. The key to reaching the consensus lies in that both sides clearly stated their attitudes on the major issue of principle that both sides uphold the one-China principle, and at the same time, properly handled differences. The consensus demonstrates the political wisdom of seeking common ground while reserving differences and is a valuable asset for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
It is based on the 1992 Consensus that the Wang-Koo meeting and a series of negotiations and consultations between the ARATS and the SEF were subsequently held, with many agreements reached to promote the development and improvement of cross-Strait relations. In February 2014, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the Mainland Affairs Council of Taiwan established regular contact and communication mechanisms on the common political foundation of joint confirmation of the 1992 Consensus, with the heads of the two departments exchanging many visits. On Nov. 7, 2015, a historic meeting between leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait was held, making a joint confirmation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus. In 2016, the DPP authorities refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus after taking office and have stepped up separatist activities aimed at Taiwan independence, severely impacting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.
The development of the cross-Strait relations has proved time and again that upholding the 1992 Consensus and opposing Taiwan independence is the common political foundation. Only based on that will the peaceful and stable development of cross-Strait relations be achieved, people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait be benefited, and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait be safeguarded. If there is any attempt to shake or even abandon this foundation, cross-Strait relations will inevitably be damaged and plunged into turmoil and the interests of compatriots on both sides of the Strait will be harmed. We hope that our fellow compatriots in Taiwan will learn the significance of the 1992 Consensus, cherish and safeguard it, and oppose and resist any separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence to propel cross-Strait relations back to the right track. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Red Star News:
For some time, the DPP authorities have colluded with external forces in successive provocative actions designed to divide the country, and the United States has continued to gang up with some countries to use Taiwan as a pawn to contain China. The visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan has escalated the tension across the Taiwan Strait. What measures will be adopted by the mainland to keep effectively deterring separatist schemes or activities for Taiwan independence? Thank you.
Zhu Fenglian:
All those concerned about cross-Strait relations and the situation in the Taiwan Strait have paid great attention to this question. There are many concerns and suggestions as well. Why is that? Since 2016, cross-Strait relations have been faced with severe and complicated challenges, and the situation in the Taiwan Strait has been tense and unstable. The root cause is that the DPP authorities have stubbornly adopted a separatist stance, catered to schemes of external forces to exploit Taiwan to contain China, and taken successive provocative actions designed to divide the country, seriously undermining the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, endangering national sovereignty and territorial integrity and damaging the common interests of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the overall interests of the Chinese nation.
The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, grasping the overall situation of cross-Strait relations from the perspective of the general interests of the Chinese nation, has appropriately responded to changes in the situation in the Taiwan Strait and taken concrete actions to resolutely crack down on various provocations to seek Taiwan independence. It resolutely foils all external interference, effectively deters and thwarts separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence and firmly grasps the initiative in cross-Strait relations.
The U.S. and other external forces are playing the Taiwan card, constantly hollowing out the one-China principle and condoning separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence to take risks and provocations. They use Taiwan as a pawn to contain China's development and progress and obstruct the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This has led to the continuous escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait and seriously damaged the interests, well-being and bright future of Taiwan compatriots. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting China's Taiwan region despite strong opposition from China in August this year. Her visit was a severe escalation of Taiwan-U.S. collusion. It gravely infringes on China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, severely violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, seriously tramples on international law and the basic norms governing international relations, breaks the serious political commitment the United States has made to China, and sends a seriously wrong signal to forces seeking Taiwan independence. We expressed our strong condemnation and protest, and took a series of resolute and decisive countermeasures.
It is worth noting that our resolute and decisive countermeasures are targeted against separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence and interference by external forces, not the majority of Taiwan compatriots. We will continue to unite all anti-independence forces and positive elements on the island, expand cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, deepen cross-Strait integration and development, foster the common interests of compatriots on both sides of the Strait, and forge closer bonds, so as to isolate and combat forces seeking Taiwan independence, and strengthen and shape the general trend of opposing independence and promoting reunification.
We would also like to stress that seeking Taiwan independence is a dead end and will only push the Taiwan compatriots into danger. The Taiwan question concerns China's core interests and the Chinese people's national sentiments. Any attempt by external forces to use the Taiwan question to obstruct China's development and reunification will fail. We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification; but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form. No one should underestimate our resolve, will and ability to defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, while with the strong guarantee of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the material foundation accumulated over 40 years of reform and opening up, as well as with the solid public will of the Chinese people, we will surely be able to overcome the risks and challenges on the way forward, resolutely smash any separatist schemes for Taiwan independence, firmly oppose the interferences of all external forces, and solidly advance the process of national reunification. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CRNTT:
The mainland has announced two groups of diehard Taiwan independence separatists, and said to punish them according to law. May I ask what measures will be taken in this regard? Will you consider issuing detailed implementation rules for the Anti-Secession Law, or formulating a separate law on national reunification? Thank you.
Zhu Fenglian:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have thoroughly studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on our work related to Taiwan, using law-based thinking, methods, and the power of the rule of law to defend the one-China principle in accordance with the law. We have resolutely opposed and deterred any separatist activity seeking Taiwan Independence and protected the legitimate rights and interests of compatriots on both sides of the Strait.
Actively using legal means to combat and contain separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence and punish diehard Taiwan independence separatists and their affiliated companies and major supporters such as financial sponsors in accordance with the law is an important measure to combat and contain the separatist forces and activities seeking Taiwan independence. It's also vital for maintaining the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. This move significantly deterred the separatist forces on the island. Moreover, it encouraged patriots who supported the reunification of the motherland inside and outside the island and received extensive support and affirmation.
We will continue to take targeted measures against diehard Taiwan independence separatists in accordance with the law. We will intensify the punishments of the very few diehard Taiwan independence separatists who have arrogant remarks about independence, vile acts of seeking independence, and rampant activities of relying on the United States to seek independence. We will prohibit them and their families from entering the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, restrict their affiliated companies from cooperating with mainland-related organizations and individuals, and never allow their affiliated companies and financial sponsors to make profits on the mainland. We will also take other necessary punishment measures to pursue criminal accountability against diehard Taiwan independence separatists in accordance with the law, with the punishment effective for their lifetimes. Taiwan independence separatists inside and outside the island will surely pay a heavy price if they are so obsessed as to continue the path, do not know how to restrain themselves, and go their own way.
I would like to stress that the Constitution, the Anti-Secession Law, the National Security Law and other laws have explicit provisions for resolving the Taiwan question and promoting the reunification of the motherland, providing a solid legal guarantee for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and the reunification of the motherland. We will continue to strengthen the use of the law-based approach and means to combat the separatist elements advocating Taiwan independence and advance the progress of the reunification of the motherland. We will also further introduce new law-based measures to oppose and deter the separatist schemes or activities for Taiwan independence according to the development and changes of the situation and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Phoenix TV:
Now the public generally believes that the DPP authorities are seeking independence by force and the U.S. is strengthening its support in improving Taiwan's so-called self-defense capacity, so the possibility of peaceful reunification is decreasing, and the mainland is likely to "promote reunification by force". How do you view the public opinion? Is there a timetable for the mainland to resolve the Taiwan question and realize complete national reunification? Thank you.
Ma Xiaoguang:
I would like to reiterate that we uphold the basic principles of peaceful reunification and one country, two systems, and work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. Our confidence comes from the development and progress of our country, the overwhelming support of the 1.4 billion Chinese people, and the time-honored history and culture of the Chinese nation. So, we will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. At the same, we must make it clear that we have unswerving determination and strong will to defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we will never allow any individual or force to invade and divide the sacred territory of our motherland. We will only be forced to take drastic measures to respond to the provocation of separatist elements or external forces should they ever cross our red lines. The attempts of separatist forces to pursue independence and prevent reunification by force will only accelerate their own demise.
The two sides of the Taiwan Strait must be and will surely be reunified. It is indispensable for the realization of China's rejuvenation in the new era and a historical trend that no individual or force can hold back. The Taiwan question arose as a result of weakness and chaos in our nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality. On our way to national rejuvenation, we will surely succeed in realizing complete national reunification. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
Now the current situation across the Straits is becoming more complex and serious, and the trend of supporting 'Taiwan independence' is rising on the island. Some are worried about the mainland's ability to maintain the initiative in cross-Strait relations and the realization of complete national reunification. What's your view on that? Thank you.
Qiu Kaiming:
The journalist just mentioned that the current situation across the straits is becoming more complex and serious and the trend of supporting 'Taiwan independence' is rising on the island. Despite multiple challenges in the grave and complex situation across the Straits, we still have strategic focus and determination, historical patience, and full confidence to resolve the Taiwan question and realize complete national reunification.
The confidence comes from the development and progress of the country. During more than four decades of reform and opening up, particularly since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's composite national strength in the aspects of the economy, technology, education, culture, and military, as well as its international influence, have significantly improved. The mainland has formed a comprehensive advantage over Taiwan. In 2021, the GDP of the Chinese mainland exceeded 114 trillion yuan. The mainland has a population of over 1.4 billion, a middle-income group of over 400 million, 160 million market entities, and the world's most complete and largest industrial system. The potential for domestic demand is being unleashed and the domestic economy is becoming more dynamic. With its continuous development, the mainland will have a greater influence on and an attraction for the Taiwan people as well as a stronger ability to maintain the pulling force and initiative in cross-Strait relations.
The confidence comes from the power of morality. Taiwan has been an integral part of China's territory since ancient times. Although the two sides are yet to be reunified, the sovereignty and territory of China has never been divided, the fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one China has never changed, and the one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community and a universally recognized norm governing international relations. As the Chinese proverb goes, With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you cannot take a step. A just cause will surely succeed.
The confidence comes from the power of the people. The vast majority of Taiwan compatriots oppose Taiwan independence and support the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations. The mainstream public opinion in Taiwan calls for peace, development, and a better life. More and more Taiwan compatriots have come to realize that the future of Taiwan lies in national reunification and their well-being depends on national rejuvenation. The more than 1.4 billion mainlanders and all Chinese both at home and abroad eagerly expect reunification and firmly defend it. This constitutes the strongest support for us.
The confidence also comes from the power of culture. The bond of culture is the strongest, and the power of culture is the most enduring. For thousands of years, the Chinese nation has always pursued unity and unification, and the idea of great unification has been deeply embedded in the genes of the Chinese people. Like an old saying goes, this is a permanent principle between heaven and earth, and the universal truth throughout ancient and modern times. Safeguarding national unity is the most cherished part of national integrity of the Chinese people.
Seeking Taiwan independence and preventing reunification is by no means acceptable in view of the history and culture of the Chinese nation. The will and resolve of the over 1.4 billion Chinese people will never allow that to happen. The attempt is doomed to fail. The people on both sides of the Straits should follow the tide of history, work together for greater national interests, oppose separatist activities seeking Taiwan independence, bolster confidence and pool strengthen for reunification, promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Strait relations by deepening exchanges and cooperation, and jointly strive for national reunification and rejuvenation. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. That's all for today's press conference. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Cui Can, Wang Wei, Yan Bin, Wang Yiming, Xu Kailin, Zhang Junmian, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Zhang Liying, He Shan, Guo Yiming, Ma Yujia, Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Qian, Li Huiru, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Huang Liuquan, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council
Mr. Wang Linggui, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 20, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 34th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We have invited Mr. Huang Liuquan and Mr. Wang Linggui, deputy directors of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, to brief you on the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao since the 18th CPC National Congress and take your questions.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Huang for his introduction.
Huang Liuquan:
Friends from the media, good morning. Thank you for your interest in and support for "one country, two systems" and the work related to Hong Kong and Macao. Alongside me at the press conference this morning is Mr. Wang Linggui. Before we take your questions, I would like to briefly introduce the implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has unswervingly stayed true to the letter and spirit of the "one country, two systems" principle, proactively responded to the changes inside and outside Hong Kong and Macao, taken a series of measures to address both symptoms and root causes of the problems, and worked to ensure the ship of "one country, two systems" breaks the waves and forges ahead, thus achieving historic accomplishments and transformations.
First, the theory of "one country, two systems" has broken new ground. General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new concepts, new visions and new strategies for "one country, two systems" and the work related to Hong Kong and Macao, raising the Party's understanding of "one country, two systems" to new heights. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the fundamental purpose of "one country, two systems" is to safeguard China's sovereignty, security, and development interests and to maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao; its top priority is to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and the more firmly the "one country" principle is upheld, the greater the strength of the "two systems" will unleash; the central government, in implementing the principle of "one country, two systems," will maintain two key points: first, the central government will remain resolute in implementing the principle, and will not change or vacillate in this stand; and second, the principle will be implemented precisely as it was originally intended; the rule of law must be maintained in Hong Kong and Macao, the central government's overall jurisdiction must be upheld while the special administrative regions' (SARs) high degree of autonomy must be secured, Hong Kong and Macao must be administered by patriots, and the distinctive status and advantages of Hong Kong and Macao must be maintained; the chief executives and the governments of the SARs in the driver's seats are the first to be held accountable for the governance of the regions; support will be provided to the SARs in their efforts to better integrate into the overall process of national development, and resolute actions will be taken to guard against and deter external interference in the affairs of Hong Kong and Macao; there is no reason to change the good policy of "one country, two systems," and it must be adhered to in the long run. These important statements of General Secretary Xi Jinping have enriched and developed the theory of "one country, two systems," provided fundamental guidance for the implementation of "one country, two systems" in the new era, and constitute the fundamental reason for the new achievements and developments in the work related to Hong Kong and Macao.
Second, the system of "one country, two systems" has been improved. With regard to the serious situation that occurred in Hong Kong, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in its assessment of the situation then, reinforced the Party's centralized and unified leadership on the work related to Hong Kong and Macao; made the major decision of improving the exercise of the central government's overall jurisdiction over the SARs in accordance with the Constitution and the basic laws and improving the relevant systems and mechanisms of the two SARs for enforcing the Constitution and the basic laws; promoted the establishment and improvement of the legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for the two SARs to safeguard national security, the formulation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and the improvement of the electoral system of the HKSAR; and supported the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) in amending its law on safeguarding national security. All these have provided solid institutional safeguards for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao as well as the steady implementation of "one country, two systems."
Third, Hong Kong and Macao have maintained their prosperity and stability. With strong support from the motherland, Hong Kong's economy has been thriving, and its status as an international financial, shipping and trading center has been maintained. Its innovative science and technology industries have been booming. Moreover, Hong Kong has remained one of the most free and open economies in the world, and has also maintained a world-class business environment. Its laws, including the common law, have been maintained and developed. Hong Kong has been ranked the world's freest economy more than 20 times in a row, and has long been ranked as one of the most competitive economies in the world. In addition, Hong Kong has ranked first for multiple times for total funds raised among the global Initial Public Offering (IPO) markets in the past decade. Greater efforts have been made in Macao to build "one center, one platform and one base" (namely a world center of tourism and leisure, a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and a base for exchange and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist). Macao's efforts to appropriately diversify its economy have delivered early results. The rapid economic growth, improvement of people's well-being, and beautiful scenery of the city, highlight the remarkable achievements Macao has made in economic and social development. Facing the severe impact of the pandemic, the governments of the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, with the support of the central government, have adopted proactive and effective measures to mitigate difficulties for their peoples and promote economic recovery over the past more than two years. As a result, the SARs have been able to overcome difficulties, and make progress in all areas of their endeavors.
Fourth, Hong Kong and Macao have accelerated their integration into the country's overall development. Significant achievements have been made in development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) which was planned, deployed and advanced by General Secretary Xi Jinping. For example, the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and multiple ports have been put into operation. Efforts have been stepped up to establish major cooperation platforms in Hengqin (an island in Zhuhai city), Qianhai (a special cooperation zone in Shenzhen city) and Nansha (a district in Guangzhou city). Greater efforts have been made to synergize rules and mechanisms in the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. The flow of production factors across borders has been accelerated. In addition, policies and measures have been improved to make it convenient for people from Hong Kong and Macao to develop their careers on the mainland. In the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Hong Kong and Macao have been serving as an important bridge and window between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. As a result, they have made irreplaceable contributions to the country's economic miracle marked by long-term, stable and rapid growth.
As the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao have become more connected and more extensive exchanges and close cooperation have been carried out, greater patriotism and a stronger sense of national identity have been fostered among the people in Hong Kong and Macao. Hardships and challenges have made the people in Hong Kong and Macao aware that they have always maintained a close bond with the motherland in weal and woe. The ranks of patriots who love both the country and their regions have been strengthened. The mainstream values, which are characterized by love of both the motherland and Hong Kong and Macao and conform with the principle of "one country, two systems," have enjoyed growing popularity. Hundreds of thousands of young people from Hong Kong and Macao are studying, working and living on the mainland, writing a rewarding chapter in their lives with a stronger sense of national pride and awareness of their status as masters of the country.
That's all for my introduction. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Huang. Now, the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking questions.
CCTV:
The successful practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao has been an important part of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. What new progress and achievements have been made in the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao over the past decade?
Huang Liuquan:
Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, new progress and achievements in the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao have been made in various areas. I'd like to make an introduction focusing on the following three aspects:
First, in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, the constitutional order based on the Constitution and the respective basic laws has been maintained in a sound manner, and the governance system has been improved. The central government's overall jurisdiction over the SARs has been well implemented, and a high degree of autonomy in the SARs has been exercised as it should be. The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has been formulated and enforced, and the Macao SAR is set to amend its law on safeguarding national security. We have been committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. We have materialized the principle that Hong Kong and Macao should be administered by patriots, and improved Hong Kong's electoral system. Efforts have been made to ensure the democratic system of the SARs conforms to the principle of "one country, two systems" and the SARs' constitutional status, and is in the interest of residents' democratic rights in Hong Kong and Macao, as well as their prosperity and stability. Hong Kong and Macao residents can enjoy extensive rights and freedom in accordance with the law.
Second, the Hong Kong and Macao SARs have overcome various hardships and challenges and are advancing steadily. Despite adverse changes in the external environment, the severe COVID-19 epidemic and social unrest, Hong Kong and Macao have continued to develop. From the perspective of Hong Kong, its status as an international financial, shipping and trading center and an international civil aviation hub has been further consolidated and improved. Positive progress has been made in constructing a global innovation and technology center, an international legal and dispute resolution service center in the Asia-Pacific region, a regional intellectual property trade center, and a Sino-foreign cultural and art exchange center. From the perspective of Macao, its economy has developed rapidly, with its per capita GDP ranking among the top in the world. It has seen the booming growth of emerging industries including conventions and exhibitions, traditional Chinese medicine, specialized financial services, and cultural and creative industries. Macao's economic diversification has achieved initial results. The Hong Kong and Macao SARs have made overall progress in social undertakings such as education, science and technology, medical and health care, culture, and sports. They have continuously expanded exchanges with other countries, and significantly increased their international impact.
Third, while leveraging complementary advantages and seeking common development with the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao have accelerated their integration into the remarkable journey toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Hong Kong and Macao have actively integrated themselves into the overall national development, proactively dovetailed themselves with the national development strategies, comprehensively expanded exchange and cooperation with the mainland, and continuously improved the mechanism in this regard. They have given full play to the advantages of a high degree of openness and aligned themselves with international rules. In doing so, they have played an important role in raising China's opening up to a higher level with broader coverage and scope. Hong Kong has always been the largest source of foreign capital, the largest destination for foreign investment, and the largest transit trade port for the Chinese mainland. Macao has become an essential platform for China's two-way opening up, especially for economic and trade exchanges with Portuguese-speaking countries. In the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Hong Kong and Macao have made and will continue to make significant contributions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People's Daily:
The 19th CPC Central Committee adopted at its fourth plenary session the Resolution on Upholding and Improving the Socialist System with Chinese Characteristics and Modernizing China's System and Capacity for Governance. It proposes that we will uphold and improve the system of "one country, two systems." What specific progress has been made in this regard? Thank you.
Wang Linggui:
Hong Kong and Macao have been reintegrated into China's governance system since they returned to the motherland. Upholding and implementing "one country, two systems," maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, and promoting the peaceful reunification of China are notable strengths of China's state governance system.
The central government has always unswervingly, fully and faithfully implemented the principle of "one country, two systems." That is to say, the central government will remain resolute in implementing the principle and will not change or fluctuate in this stance. Moreover, the principle will be implemented as it was initially intended. The central government has always adhered to law-based governance in Hong Kong and Macao, upholding the constitutional order established by the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the basic laws of the two SARs and improving the systems and mechanisms related to the implementation of the Constitution and the basic laws. We must both adhere to the "one country" principle and respect the differences between the "two systems." We must ensure both the central government's overall jurisdiction over the Hong Kong and Macao SARs and a high degree of autonomy in the two regions. We must both give full play to the role of the mainland as a staunch supporter of Hong Kong and Macao and enhance their own competitiveness.
For a time, the situation in Hong Kong was grim due to complex factors at home and abroad and rampant activities of destabilizing anti-China forces in the region. The CPC Central Committee has stressed that we must maintain our firm commitment to the letter and spirit of the "one country, two systems" principle, and uphold and improve its system. In accordance with the top-level design and overall plan made at the fourth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, China has adopted the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) with resolve, fundamentally closing the systematic loopholes and marking an important milestone in the practice of "one country, two systems." We have established the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR according to the law, guided the setting up of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR and the designation of National Security Advisers for the committee, and authorized Macao's Committee for Safeguarding National Security to retain national security affairs advisers and national security technical advisers. We have systematically improved the electoral system in the HKSAR, laying a solid institutional foundation for safeguarding the security of the political power of the HKSAR and establishing a high-quality democratic system with Hong Kong characteristics. We have further improved the institutional mechanism by which the chief executive of the HKSAR is responsible to the central government. We support Hong Kong and Macao in their efforts to deeply dovetail themselves with the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and other national strategies involving the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We support both regions as they grow their economies, improve people's lives and foster greater patriotism and stronger national consciousness among the people in the two regions. We resolutely prevent and contain external forces' interference in the affairs of Hong Kong and Macao and their separation, subversion, infiltration and sabotage activities. Through these important measures, we have upheld and improved the institutional system of "one country, two systems," laying a solid foundation for governing Hong Kong and Macao according to law and promoting the implementation of "one country, two systems" in a sound and sustained manner.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CRNTT:
Over recent years, the central government has repeatedly stressed the need to fully and faithfully implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and ensure that patriots administer Hong Kong and Macao. How should this be understood? Thank you.
Wang Linggui:
Thank you for your question. The principle of "one country, two systems" embodies a complete system. Fully and faithfully implementing this principle requires an accurate understanding of the relation between "one country” and "two systems." Its top priority is safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests. With this being ensured, Hong Kong and Macao can keep their previous capitalist systems unchanged for a long time and enjoy a high degree of autonomy. Since the socialist system is the fundamental system of the People's Republic of China and leadership by the CPC is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, all residents in the two SARs should willingly respect and uphold the country's fundamental system. The central government's overall jurisdiction over the SARs underpins their high degree of autonomy, and such autonomy bestowed by the law is fully respected and resolutely safeguarded by the central government. The more firmly the "one country" principle is upheld, the greater the strength of the "two systems" can be unleashed for the development of the SARs.
It is a universal political rule that a government must be in the hands of patriots. There is no country or region in the world where its people will allow an unpatriotic or even treasonous force or figure to take power. The principle that patriots should administer Hong Kong and Macao is an essential requirement for Hong Kong's and Macao's long-term prosperity and stability, as well as safeguarding the immediate interests of the people in both regions. The governance teams of the SARs must be patriots who stand firm, take on responsibility, care for the people, and have the power to inspire a sense of responsibility. In addition, everyone in Hong Kong and Macao, regardless of profession and belief, can be a positive force and do their bit for the region's development. But they must genuinely support the principle of "one country, two systems," love Hong Kong and Macao, and abide by the Basic Law and other laws of the two SARs. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Lianhe Zaobao:
China enforced the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in 2020 to maintain stability in Hong Kong. Some opinions argue that Hong Kong is becoming similar to the mainland, which would affect its position as an international financial center. Notably, after the outbreak of the pandemic, Hong Kong's connectivity with the rest of the world has been influenced by its connection with the mainland. What is your take on that? Thank you.
Huang Liuquan:
I think upholding national security is common practice for all countries in the world, and not a single country would tolerate deeds and opinions to overturn its national political power and split the country. All countries worldwide have their own national security laws. If you read the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), you will understand that there is no difference between the law and national security laws of other countries, with the same purpose and content. Therefore, in my view, it is alarmist and politically biased to say that Hong Kong would become similar to the mainland's system because of the enforcement of the law in Hong Kong. Fact proves that after its enforcement, Hong Kong has restored an orderly rule of law, safe lives for the Hong Kong people, and a sound business environment. A poll showed that 71.9% of respondents believed that the enforcement of the law bolstered their confidence in Hong Kong's practice of "one country, two systems."
In his speech at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, President Xi Jinping highlighted that "we must maintain Hong Kong's distinctive status and advantages." The central government and the Hong Kong people cherish Hong Kong's distinctive advantages in relying on the motherland and connecting the world. Both support Hong Kong in consolidating its position as an international financial, shipping, and trade center. Both champion a free, open, and standard business environment, maintain the common law, and expand smooth and convenient international connectivity. We believe that no matter what others say, Hong Kong will dazzle the world with its enormous vitality as an international metropolis.
As for the question you asked about connectivity against the backdrop of the pandemic, my opinion is that the rampant global pandemic has exerted a profound influence and has changed the way the world connects each other, and Hong Kong is not immune to that. I noticed that the new term of the government of the HKSAR reiterated many times after its inauguration that connecting with the rest of the world and achieving customs clearance between the mainland and Hong Kong are compatible. The HKSAR coordinates epidemic prevention and control and socio-economic development and improves its epidemic prevention and control measures according to the epidemic development of Hong Kong and the rest of the world as well as Hong Kong's conditions. I think the adjustments made by the HKSAR are justified and should not be over-interpreted.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Phoenix TV:
Last year, the central government improved the HKSAR's electoral system and released a white paper titled "Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems." Can you introduce the central government's stance on and attitude towards Hong Kong's democratic development?
Wang Linggui:
Thank you for your question. Democracy is the common value of all humanity and an important philosophy that the CPC and the Chinese people uphold unswervingly. "One country, two systems" under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy is an important reflection of the CPC's democratic philosophy. After Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Hong Kong people can run their own region, marking the start of Hong Kong's true democracy.
The CPC designs, establishes, upholds, and promotes Hong Kong's democratic institutions and firmly supports the HKSAR to develop its democracy in an orderly manner in accordance with the law. However, Hong Kong confronted setbacks in its democratic development due to anti-China agitators' intended confrontation and harassment and exposed deficiencies and loopholes in its electoral system. The CPC Central Committee made resolute decisions to improve Hong Kong's electoral system in 2021.
From the election of the Election Committee to the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) election, to the sixth-term chief executive election, the three elections have demonstrated the distinctive features and advantages of the new electoral system. To be specific: First, it is a broadly representative electoral system. The composition of the Election Committee increased from 1,200 members to 1,500 members, and the LegCo seats from 70 to 90. It is unprecedented that candidates come from such diverse backgrounds. The second is political inclusiveness. Candidates who come from different political groups from across the political spectrum represent different political beliefs. Patriots of all stripes who administer Hong Kong represent the interests of all, rather than a certain political group. The third is balanced participation. The composition of the committee has been expanded from four to five subsectors. The LegCo members are from three groups of constituencies. Candidates for the office of the Chief Executive must be nominated by at least 188 members of the Election Committee and at least 15 members from each sector. The fourth is fair competition. Candidates compete with each other in their expertise, political program, vision, sense of responsibility, and contribution to garner the voters' support. The electoral activities are more rational, fair, and orderly. From the above characteristics, we have seen that the new electoral system can ensure that public opinion is reflected, the people's wisdom pooled, and the people's welfare achieved. It is a broad-based, genuine, and effective democratic system.
It can be seen from the above that the central government's position and attitude toward Hong Kong's democratic development have been very clearly reflected in the new electoral system and its successful practice. It should also be noted here that elections are not the whole of democracy. The HKSAR's democratic system is underpinned by the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR. The Constitution clarifies the constitutional responsibility of the central government to steer and determine the democratic development of the HKSAR. The Basic Law stipulates the main content of the democratic system of the HKSAR and the path and principles for its future development and provides Hong Kong residents with extensive democratic rights and freedoms. The democratic system of the HKSAR is in line with the principle of "one country, two systems" and the constitutional status of Hong Kong. It is conducive to safeguarding the democratic rights of Hong Kong residents and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong with brighter prospects. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Hong Kong Sing Tao Daily:
Recently, Hong Kong was once again rated as the world's freest economy among 165 economies, according to the Economic Freedom of the World 2022 Annual Report released by the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think tank. However, the report also said that after the national security law was promulgated and implemented, it had a certain impact on the degree of economic freedom. What is your response to this? Thank you.
Huang Liuquan:
I saw the report you just mentioned, and there have been other similar reports involving Hong Kong during the past period of time. Judging by these reports, Hong Kong's status as the world's freest economy and the most competitive region has been widely recognized by the international community, which shows that the international community has always commended Hong Kong's unique status and advantages and has always been confident in Hong Kong's development.
As I said just now, the main purpose of implementing the national security law in Hong Kong is to restore the rule of law and order in Hong Kong, and bring its development back on the right track so as to maintain Hong Kong's market and investment environment, and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of investors from all over the world in Hong Kong. It is hard to imagine how it is possible to create a good business environment if rioting, smashing, looting, and burning are rampant.
In just two years following the implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Hong Kong citizens' confidence and the global capital's confidence in Hong Kong have continued to rise. International institutions and the business community have positively evaluated Hong Kong's business environment. We have also seen Hong Kong rose to third place in the Global Financial Centres Index. The total value of Hong Kong's asset and wealth management had reached HK$35.55 trillion by the end of 2021, which was 20% up compared with the amount at the end of 2019. Hong Kong banks' deposits exceeded HK$15 trillion in July this year, an increase of 8.5% from the days before the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong. In March this year, the International Monetary Fund praised the stability of Hong Kong's financial system and again recognized Hong Kong's status as a major international financial center. In addition, we have also seen more buoyant enterprise activities in Hong Kong. This also shows that Hong Kong's business environment and economic freedom have not been undermined. I would like to share with you some data on corporate activities. In 2021, the number of companies in Hong Kong whose parent company is in the Chinese mainland and overseas reached 9,049, a record high. In the first half of 2022, a total of 50,087 companies were established in Hong Kong, and the number of new companies increased steadily. These facts fully demonstrate that the law on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong will not undermine Hong Kong's economic freedom, but instead provide a very solid legal guarantee for Hong Kong to maintain prosperity and stability and consolidate its competitive advantages.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_South China Morning Post:
Has the central government noticed or become concerned about an "emigration wave" in Hong Kong? In the past year, more than 110,000 local residents left Hong Kong, and the city's population dropped by 1.6%. Many of them left by joining the immigration programs launched by foreign countries for Hong Kong residents. Meanwhile, some foreign talents also chose to leave Hong Kong. What is the central government's expectation for the current chief executive to keep local and foreign talents staying in Hong Kong? Thank you.
Huang Liuquan:
Thank you for your questions. I have also seen such reports from Hong Kong media recently, and many are paying attention to the so-called "emigration wave." The data you mentioned above was also cited by Hong Kong media and attracted my curiosity. I later found these figures were cited from a report released by Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department. Here, I would like to share with you the detailed numbers.
According to the report, the provisional estimate of the Hong Kong population was 7.2916 million in mid-2022. Among them, 7.1819 million were usual residents and 109,700 were mobile residents. From mid-2021 to mid-2022, 18,300 people settled in Hong Kong with One-way Permits, while 113,200 Hong Kong residents left the city, which is what you just mentioned. Besides, new births and deaths were 35,100 and 61,600 during the period, respectively. According to the above data, we cannot conclude that the reduction of the Hong Kong population was due to an emigration wave, as there are many other factors contributing to the decrease. As a spokesperson from the HKSAR government explained, "there is no direct statistical figure on emigrants. As an international hub, Hong Kong has high population mobility all the time. Over the past decade, Hong Kong residents, excluding One-way Permit holders, have seen a net outflow in most years." Therefore, according to the demographic data released by the HKSAR government and the spokesperson's explanation, it's not appropriate to conclude that there emerged an emigration wave in Hong Kong.
At present, Hong Kong has been in a critical stage from chaos to order and prosperity, and Hong Kong society is full of expectations for the city's future development. The central government will stay committed to supporting wider and closer communication and cooperation between Hong Kong, the mainland, and the rest of the world. I also noted that the spokesperson of the HKSAR government has actively responded to the concerns from all walks of life, saying that "the HKSAR government will continue to encourage talented people both at home and abroad to settle in Hong Kong and facilitate mobility of talented people in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA." The HKSAR government is taking active measures to attract talents to the city. Therefore, I believe that Hong Kong's highly free, open, and well-regulated business environment, its smooth and convenient communication with the rest of the world, its common law system and low tax policy, the fusion of Western and Chinese cultures there, and in particular, its geographical advantages manifested in its close connection with the world market and the strong support from the motherland, will surely attract more talent to realize their aspirations in Hong Kong. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Bloomberg:
Thank you, a question from Bloomberg. If a decision to extend "one country, two systems" past 2047 in Hong Kong was made, what would such an extension mean for Hong Kong's future? Thank you.
Wang Linggui:
Thank you very much for your question. Unswervingly, comprehensively, and accurately implementing "one country, two systems" is China's unchanging policy. On July 1 this year, in his address at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly announced to the world, "There is no reason for us to change such a good policy, and we must adhere to it in the long run!" If Hong Kong, Macao, and the international community had any doubts in this regard before, this speech by the general secretary on July 1 gave the final word, and all those worries and discussions no longer persist.
"One country, two systems" is a great innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is the best system for Hong Kong and Macao to maintain long-term prosperity and stability after returning to the motherland. As an unprecedented great undertaking, the system of "one country, two systems" has morphed from a science-based vision 40 years ago and been implemented proactively. The system has been fully put into practice and continuously enriched and improved, overcoming a series of challenges and risks, and achieving a universally recognized success. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the helm and guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we have pushed Hong Kong to achieve a major transition from chaos to governance, and Macao has maintained a stable and sound development. The practice for more than two decades has fully proved that "one country, two systems" is a good system that is applicable, achievable, and favorable.
At present, China's national rejuvenation has become a historical inevitability of great significance, and promoting the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao is an important part of this historic process. We believe that with the firm backing of the motherland and the solid guarantee provided by "one country, two systems," Hong Kong and Macao will surely create splendid feats on the journey ahead toward China's second centenary goal and will share the glory of the Chinese nation's rejuvenation together with people in the rest of the country!
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group:
From disarray to good governance, Hong Kong is entering a new phase of becoming more prosperous. The people of Hong Kong are eagerly looking forward to the practical solutions to the problems regarding people's wellbeing that range from land and housing to the extreme disparity between the rich and the poor, and to the development of youth. What measures will the central government take to support and help Hong Kong address these problems? Thank you.
Wang Linggui:
General Secretary Xi Jinping is very concerned about the vital interests of Hong Kong citizens. In his important address at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, General Secretary Xi Jinping especially emphasized that "Currently, the biggest aspiration of Hong Kong people is to lead a better life, in which they will have more decent housing, more opportunities for starting their own businesses, better education for their children, and better care in their twilight years." General Secretary Xi Jinping hopes that the newly inaugurated HKSAR government should be "pragmatic, live up to what the people expect of it, and consider the expectations of the whole society, particularly ordinary citizens, as what it should accomplish foremost. It should be more courageous and adopt more efficient measures to overcome difficulties and forge ahead. It should make sure that all citizens in Hong Kong share more fully and fairly the fruits of development." General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out that we must "help young people with their difficulties in studies, employment, entrepreneurship, and purchasing of housing, so that more opportunities will be created for their development and accomplishment."
We are very pleased to see that the new HKSAR government has started to take action, setting up the Steering Committee on Land and Housing Supply and Task Force on Public Housing Projects to comprehensively promote the speed, efficiency, and the quantity of land and housing work through a multi-pronged approach. The HKSAR government also set up the Task Force to Lift Underprivileged Students out of Intergenerational Poverty and the District Matters Co-ordination Task Force, helping young people strive for upward mobility. These measures show the determination and the taking of responsibility to solve these problems. According to a recent poll released by The Society for Community Organization (SoCO) in Hong Kong, more than 80% of the surveyed grassroots citizens believe that the new HKSAR government can achieve the central government's hope that it should actively respond to those aspirations from the people.
Meanwhile, we should see that the people's concerns and difficulties in daily life that you mentioned have built up over a long period of time. It is impossible to resolve these problems in one move or with a one-size-fits-all solution. While pursuing development, we will do our utmost to address them. Going forward, the central authorities will continue to fully support Hong Kong in its efforts to seize historic opportunities offered by China's development and actively dovetail itself with the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and other national strategies such as the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The central authorities will also fully support Hong Kong in leveraging its unique advantages to carry out more extensive exchanges and close cooperation with the rest of the world, and in taking active yet prudent steps to advance reforms in order to unlock the enormous creativity and development potential of Hong Kong society.
We believe, under the firm support of the central authorities and the sound governance of the chief executive and the government of the HKSAR in the driver's seat, the first levels to be held accountable for the governance of the region, the people of Hong Kong will work hard and devote themselves to building Hong Kong into a better home, therefore creating a better and happy future. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Two more questions.
Macao Daily:
Due to the impact of COVID-19, Macao has faced multiple difficulties in development. How will the central authorities help Macao overcome these difficulties? The central authorities always support the development of an appropriately diversified economy in Macao. Regarding this, what progress has been made? Thank you.
Huang Liuquan:
The COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading and severely impacting the social and economic development of countries all over the world. Macao cannot stay immune to the impact either. Due to the pandemic, people from all walks of life in Macao have a more sober awareness of the existing problems in the local economic structure and deeper understanding of the development direction set by the central authorities for Macao.
The central authorities always attach great importance to and unremittingly promote the development of an appropriately diversified economy in Macao. In December 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at a gathering in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland. He pointed out, "What is particularly important is to ensure good collaboration with Zhuhai in developing Hengqin, which will create immense space and new momentum for Macao's long-term development." In September 2021, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council released the general plan for building a Guangdong-Macao in-depth cooperation zone in Hengqin, marking how we have comprehensively implemented and accelerated the building of the zone into a new phase. Through a year, initial outcomes have been accomplished. The relevant departments of the central authorities and the Guangdong provincial government have launched specific measures regarding different fields such as industries, science and technology, human resources, and finance. Under the firm support of the central authorities, the Macao SAR will continue to appropriately diversify its economy. In my opening statement, I said that the proportion of emerging industries like conventions and exhibitions, traditional Chinese medicine, special financial products and services, and cultural and creative industry in the GDP of Macao has continued to rise. The strategic position of Macao as "one center, one platform, and one base" has been basically put in place. Macao has ramped up efforts to develop itself into a world tourism and leisure center, and is well-known as a Creative City of Gastronomy. It has achieved fruitful results in building itself as a service platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and has made steady progress in becoming a base for exchanges and cooperation where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist.
Just as you said, Macao has encountered some difficulties and challenges in its social and economic development in the past few years due to the epidemic. However, its positive economic fundamentals remain unchanged. We believe that, under the strong support of the central authorities and the firm leadership of the chief executive and the government of the Macao SAR, Macao can give better play to its unique advantages, make more achievements in driving economic growth, and improve people's wellbeing. In response to the requests of the Macao SAR, the relevant departments of the central authorities will actively formulate policies and measures to support Macao's tourism growth and accelerate the building of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
What measures has the central government taken to support Hong Kong and Macao in integrating into the overall development of the country and particularly in participating in the high-quality development of the GBA? What achievements have been secured? What other measures will be taken in the future? Thank you.
Huang Liuquan:
Developing the GBA is a new measure to promote the cultivation of a new landscape of comprehensive opening-up in China in the new era and a new practice to advance the cause of "one country, two systems." One of the vital purposes of developing the GBA proposed by the central government is to further support Hong Kong and Macao's integration into the overall national development, improve the well-being of compatriots in the two SARs, and maintain long-term prosperity and stability there.
In 2019, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Three years into the implementation of the outline, remarkable achievements have been secured in the GBA development with the joint efforts of relevant central departments as well as Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. First, the development of major cooperation platforms has been accelerated. The Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin has innovated a new system of shared growth through consultation, collaboration, and joint management and formulated 12 kinds of channels to align rules and mechanisms. Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone has coordinated space expansion and policy coverage expansion. The demonstration zone for comprehensive cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Guangzhou's Nansha district has seen its functions constantly improved, with nearly 3,000 enterprises from Hong Kong and Macao settling there. Second, steady progress has been made in building an international center for technology and innovation. The framework for the Greater Bay Area International Center for Technology and Innovation has taken shape, with the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong sci-tech innovation corridor, Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao sci-tech innovation corridor, Shenzhen Hetao innovation center, and Zhuhai Hengqin innovation center as the mainstays. We call them "two corridors" and "two centers." The Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians has been established in Hong Kong. Cooperation has been deepened between the Chinese mainland and the 20 key national laboratories of Hong Kong and Macao in brain science, smart cities, the Internet of Things, and other fields with distinctive strengths. Third, new breakthroughs have been made in connectivity between Hong Kong, Macao, and the Chinese mainland. The development of world-class airport and port clusters and a new type of infrastructure system in the GBA has been accelerated. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge have entered operation. The development of the "Greater Bay Area on rail" has continued, and it now basically takes around one hour to move among major cities in the GBA. The cross-border flow of personnel, vehicles, goods, funds, and other production factors has become more efficient and convenient. Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, new Hengqin Port, and Qingmao Checkpoint have been opened successively. Convenient customs clearance models, including co-location arrangement, as well as "joint boundary control system," have been implemented. Fourth, policies and measures to facilitate the development of people from Hong Kong and Macao on the mainland have continued to be improved. The scope of mutual qualification recognition in professional fields between Hong Kong, Macao, and the mainland has been gradually expanded. Policies supporting Hong Kong and Macao youth in their employment, entrepreneurship, and exchanges on the mainland have been refined. The service system for the people of Hong Kong and Macao to live on the mainland has been improved, making it more convenient for them to get elderly care and be covered by the social security system on the mainland.
Going forward, relevant central authorities will continue to support Hong Kong and Macao in leveraging their unique strengths and roll out more effective measures to accelerate the development of the Greater Bay Area International Center for Technology and Innovation, the integrated development of the GBA market, and the construction of major GBA cooperation platforms. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Huang, Mr. Wang, and friends from the press. That's all for today's press conference.
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Zhang Liying, Gong Yingchun, Zhou Jing, Duan Yaying, Liu Jianing, Wang Yiming, Wang Yanfang, Zhang Tingting, Zhang Rui, Ma Yujia, Zhang Junmian, Yan Bin, Liu Sitong, Wang Wei, Li Huiru, 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.
Speaker:
Mr. Huang Runqiu, minister of ecology and environment
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 15, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 32nd press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We have invited Mr. Huang Runqiu, minister of ecology and environment, to brief you on applying the new development philosophy and building a beautiful China where humanity and nature exist in harmony and take your questions.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Huang Runqiu for his introduction.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you, Mr. Chen. Friends from the press, good morning. As the 20th CPC National Congress draws nearer, I am very pleased to brief you here on the historic achievements China has secured in ecological conservation and environmental protection over the past decade since the 18th CPC National Congress. In fact, we have witnessed the battle against pollution and the historic progress of ecological conservation together in recent years, and you have told China's stories in ecological progress well in your own way and made your contributions to ecological conservation. Here on behalf of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you.
Over the past decade since the 18th CPC National Congress, new historic achievements and transformations have been secured in the cause of the Party and the country. The same is true in the field of ecology and environment. The past decade has witnessed the deepest understanding, the greatest efforts, the most solid measures, the fastest progress, and the most remarkable results in ecological conservation and environmental protection. To conserve the ecological environment, the CPC Central Committee has made unprecedented efforts on various fronts in terms of thinking, law, system, organization and conduct, and carried out a series of tasks of fundamental, pioneering and long-term significance, bringing about historic, transformative and overall changes in ecological conservation and environmental protection. The entire Party and country have become remarkably more conscious of and proactive in promoting green development, and have created miracles in ecological and green development attracting global attention. We have embarked on a path of sustainable development featuring advanced production, higher living standards and sound ecosystems, and made major headway in building a beautiful China.
In terms of guiding thoughts, General Secretary Xi Jinping, keeping in mind the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, has vigorously promoted innovation in theories, practices and systems of ecological conservation, put forward a series of new, creative concepts, ideas and strategies, and formed Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, providing a fundamental guide to action for ecological conservation and environmental protection.
In terms of strategic deployment, we have included building a beautiful China into the goals of building a great modern socialist country, ecological conservation into the Five-sphere Integrated Plan, harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature into the basic strategy of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and green development into the new development philosophy, pollution prevention and treatment into the three critical battles (alongside fighting potential risk and poverty). It is fair to say that the planning and arrangements to make progress on the ecology have been improved and become more systematic and more mature.
In terms of reform measures, we have reformed the management system for ecological environment and natural resources in recent years. We have established and implemented a series of systems, including central government ecological inspections, evaluations and accountability of ecological progress targets, river and lake chiefs, ecological protection redlines, pollutant discharge permits, and compensation for ecological damage. Over the past decade, we have formulated and revised more than 30 related laws and regulations, strongly ensuring ecological conservation with increasingly extensive institutional systems.
In terms of ecological and environmental quality, the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities above prefecture level in 2021 fell by 34.8% compared with 2015, and 84.9% of surface water bodies nationwide met Class I to III quality standards. Soil pollution risks have been effectively controlled. Import of foreign waste has been banned, achieving the goal of zero imports of solid waste. In addition, nature reserves now cover 18% of China's land area, and wild populations of more than 300 rare and endangered wildlife species have been restored, presenting a vivid view of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
In terms of green and low-carbon development, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP nationwide have dropped by 34.4% in the past decade, and the share of coal in primary energy consumption has declined from 68.5% to 56%. The scale of renewable energy development and utilization as well as the production and sale of new energy vehicles both rank first in the world. Last year, we launched the world's largest Carbon Emission Trade Exchange, and green development is increasingly becoming the defining feature of high-quality development.
In terms of international influence, we have made historic contributions to the conclusion, signing, entry into force and implementation of the Paris Agreement aimed at addressing climate change. We announced that we would strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Last year, we held the first phase of the 15thmeeting of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity in Kunming and issued the Kunming Declaration. We have also actively promoted green development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China has become an important participant, contributor and leader in global ecological conservation.
Friends from the press, China has entered a new stage of development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has underscored that on the new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, the entire Party and country must maintain and strengthen the strategic focus of ecological progress, work hard to promote green transition in all aspects of economic and social development, and strive to build a beautiful China where humanity and nature exist in harmony, so as to make greater contributions to jointly building a clean and beautiful world.
Next, the MEE will firmly follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, resolutely implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and promote pollution and carbon emissions reductions, green expansion and economic growth in a coordinated manner, so as to advance high-quality economic growth and create a high quality of life through high-level ecological protection. Last July, with the approval of the CPC Central Committee, the MEE established a research center for Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. We will build this center into a pacesetter for theoretical research, publicity and interpretation of the thought. We also welcome active support and participation of friends from the press in the center's work.
Finally, we hope that through practical efforts, green development will become a brighter defining feature of a beautiful China, so as to pave the way for a successful 20th CPC National Congress. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Huang. The floor is open now. Please name the news agency you work for before raising questions.
CCTV:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have declared war against pollution, subsequently made a comprehensive plan to prevent and remedy pollution, and then entered a phase of continuous environmental improvement. Mr. Huang, what progress has been made in ecological environment protection, what major changes have taken place, and what important steps will be taken in the future? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thanks a lot for the questions. The ecological environment presents a major social issue associated with people's livelihood, as well as a major political issue that is very important to fulfilling the CPC's mission. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made unprecedented efforts to promote ecological progress, one important strategy of which was to plan for and make solid efforts to prevent and control pollution. General Secretary Xi Jinping established the guiding principles and strategies for the work and provided support and encouragement for us. He once said that, no matter how difficult it is, we must prevent and control pollution, do not hesitate, do not flinch, and fight it with resolution, courage, and a strong drive. And we kept his word firmly in mind, made steadfast efforts, and have seen great results. It is fair to say that we have completed the goals and missions set so far and even done some extra work, and, as the result, the ecological environment has been remarkably improved.
I believe that the journalists here at this press conference share this strong feeling that we have seen more and more clear days in recent years. Lush mountains and clear waters can be seen everywhere. And these make people feel a stronger sense of happiness, gain, and security for environmental improvement. According to the survey and statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics last year, the rate of public satisfaction with the environment surpassed 90%. To be specific, I think the main results of the fight against pollution can be summarized in three aspects.
First, the air quality experienced historical changes. As an air quality criterion, the national average density of PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, lowered from 46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015 to 33 in 2020 and to 30 last year, historically reaching the interim target-1 set by the World Health Organization. In addition, the rate of days with good air quality reached 87.5% last year, 6.3 percentage points higher than in 2015. China has become the country to improve its air quality most quickly in the world. According to Bloomberg, in the seven years between 2013 and 2020, the scale of air quality improvement in China equaled that of the United States over the 30 odd years since the launch of the Clean Air Act.
Second, water quality experienced a turning point for the good. Over the past decade, the proportion of water section with good water quality at Grade I to III in the country's water quality system has increased by 23.3 percentage points to reach 84.9%, approaching the level of developed countries. The murky and stinky waters have disappeared from cities at prefecture level and above. The safety of drinking water has been effectively secured.
Third, soil environmental quality went through fundamental changes. Over the years, we rolled out the law on the prevention and control of soil pollution, which is of great importance as our first fundamental legislation in the field. We carried out a national survey on soil pollution of land for agriculture and construction use and exercised risk management over soil pollution. The momentum of deteriorating soil pollution has been curbed effectively.
The journalist just asked about what we will do during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The CPC Central Committee has made it clear that we will further the efforts in fighting pollution. In November last year, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council published their opinions regarding this point. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, we said we should make firm efforts to fight pollution, and in the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we said that we should further the efforts in the field. In my opinion, this is not only a change in terms but also an indication that we are facing deeper problems and more significant difficulties of a wider scope, while being required to meet higher standards. So, during this period, we will maintain the intensity of our efforts while expanding their breadth and depth. We will make further efforts to fight pollution with higher standards. All of these can be summarized into three aspects as follows.
First, at a strategic level, we must maintain a strategic focus, and advance in the right direction and in a sound and sustained manner. The ecological environment quality has improved, however, it is still at a relatively low level. Tireless efforts should be made to meet the needs of the people for a good ecological environment. We will put the fight against pollution into the big picture of socioeconomic development, seeking progress while maintaining stable performances, coordinating pandemic prevention and control with socioeconomic development and ecological environment protection so as to secure basic safety of the ecological environment.
Second, at a tactical level, we should continue to treat pollution with targeted, law-based, and science-oriented measures. We have proposed that we should make accurate assessments regarding what has caused the pollution, which regions are involved, the right timing and proper schedule to control the pollution, the targets we should tackle, and the measures we should adopt. We advocated that we should seek control of environmental pollution by invoking the law and protect the ecological environment through the rule of law.
Moreover, we will place emphasis on addressing problems at the source through systematic and comprehensive measures. We should coordinate the efforts in carbon reduction, pollution mitigation, vegetation planting, and economic development. One of the priorities is the coordination in five aspects. The first is the efficiency-improving coordination between carbon reduction and pollution mitigation. This is required for the high-quality development of the economy and serves the need to deepen environmental treatment and fundamentally transform the quality of the ecological environment from the source. The second is the coordination of the treatment of PM2.5 and ozone. Because the precursor of these two is the same. So, the reduction of both can be made possible at the same time. In recent years, we have made efforts and seen preliminary results. In 2021, the synergized reduction of both has been initially realized. The third is the coordination of water resources, water environment, and water ecosystem. A water body with good water quality requires a good water environment and good water ecosystem, which consists of water, aquatic plants, and fish. There is a gap on this front, especially regarding biodiversity as well as the restoration and conservation of the water ecosystem. And we shall put in more efforts. The fourth is the coordination between urban and rural resources. Our shortcoming and weakness still exist in the environmental treatment of rural areas, especially the treatment of diffused pollution, garbage, sewage, and murky and stinky waters. The fifth is the coordination of treatment of conventional pollutants and new types of pollutants. We should especially build a risk prevention and control system regarding new chemical substances.
Third, at an operational level, we have planned eight key campaigns in pollution prevention and control and have launched them one after another. To promote blue skies, we will focus on generally eliminating heavy air pollution, controlling ozone pollution, and pollution caused by diesel trucks. To protect clear waters, we will give priority to generally eliminating black, malodorous water bodies and controlling and preventing water pollution in key sea areas and the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. To protect clean lands, we will carry out critical battles against pollution in agriculture and rural areas with a focus on cleaning up the black, malodorous water bodies and domestic sewage.
In short, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we will make greater efforts to address the salient ecological and environmental problems that concern people's daily life, and gain credibility with solid outcomes. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
Water ecological and environmental protection is of great significance to improving the quality of life of the people and promoting high-quality development of the economy. What changes have taken place in China's water ecosystems and environments over the past decade? What will be done next? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your question. I have just talked about the water environments in China. Water is one of the most basic elements of our environment. It is the aspiration of the people for a better environment and also a goal that our environmental protection workers strive for. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have acted upon the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and launched programs on the prevention and control of water pollution with the strongest resolve and most effective measures, bringing about transformative changes in the protection of water ecosystems and environments. These changes can be generalized into three aspects.
First, water ecological and environmental protection and governance system has been improved. We have revised the Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, formulated and revised a series of laws and regulations such as the Yangtze River Protection Law, and developed over 20 relevant discharge standards of pollutants, consolidating the legal basis for water ecological and environmental protection of water bodies. We have seized the opportunity for institutional reform and set up water ecosystems and environmental regulatory agencies in seven major river basins, strengthening unified regulation over water ecological and environmental protection. The total number of state-controlled water sections increased from 1,940 to 3,641 during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, achieving full coverage of 10 major river basins, cities at and above the prefecture level, provincial and municipal borders of important water bodies, and important water functional zones. We have promoted the establishment of compensation mechanisms for the ecological conservation of river basins that span provinces. In recent years, we have launched trials for provinces situated on the upper and lower reaches of river basins compensating each other for ecological conservation in 13 river basins, such as Xin'an River and Chishui River, in 18 provinces, including Anhui province and Zhejiang province, developing well-coordinated governance between the upper and lower reaches and the left and right banks.
Second, our efforts to keep water clear have made significant progress. Concerning the protection and restoration of the Yangtze River basin, a total of more than 60,000 sewage outfalls into the Yangtze River have been identified. Over 16,000 illegal problems have been addressed through quick action, focusing on controlling the pollution of phosphorite mines, phosphorite chemical enterprises, and phosphogypsum warehouses and improving the water quality of state-controlled water sections with ratings lower than Grade V. The water quality of the Yangtze River's main stream reached Grade II standard or above for two consecutive years. In terms of the protection and improvement of the Yellow River basin ecosystems, we have identified about 17,000 sewage outfalls in the upper and some of the middle reaches of river basins, with the water quality of the Yellow River's main stream reaching Grade III standard or above. To improve water environments in cities, we have done a great deal of work with relevant departments over the years. We have carried out targeted actions for environmental protection to clean up black, malodorous water bodies in cities and generally eliminated 295 black, malodorous water bodies in built-up areas of cities at and above the prefecture level. In the past, black, malodorous water in cities were problems that concerned the people. Now they have been transformed into beautiful landscapes. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the number of newly-built sewer networks at and above the prefecture level reached 99,000 kilometers, which is equivalent to over twice the length of the Earth's equator. Over 1,200 industrial parks at and above the provincial level have realized centralized sewage treatment. To ensure of drinking water safety, we have launched a special campaign on protecting the environment in centralized drinking-water source areas nationwide, identifying and addressing over 10,000 problems in 2,804 water-supply sources, ensuring more secure drinking water sources for the people.
Third, positive progress has been made in the protection and restoration of river and lake ecosystems. We have strengthened the protection and restoration of river and lake shorelines. In the battle to protect and restore the Yangtze River, 162 kilometers of shorelines of the Yangtze River have been restored, and over 12 million square meters of beaches have been covered with plants. The Yangtze River shorelines has significantly improved. For eutrophic lakes such as Taihu Lake, Chaohu Lake, Dianchi Lake, and Erhai Lake, we have accelerated the industrial restructuring around the lakes, turned more polders into lakes, strictly regulated and controlled emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus, and addressed agricultural pollution from non-point sources, effectively controlling illegal activities such as land reclamation from lakes, encroachment on lake shorelines, and illegal sand mining.
Just as we mentioned earlier, with our efforts, transformative changes have taken place in water quality in China over the past decade. A large number of typical examples of water pollution prevention and control have also emerged in various places. For instance, the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake, which is the largest freshwater lake in the North China Plain, had long been below Grade V in the past. Since the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area, Hebei province has resolutely implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on restoring and protecting Baiyangdian Lake and has been committed to making "three-sphere" integrated plans for water replenishment, pollution prevention and control, and flood control, and advancing them in a coordinated way. In 2021, the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake and rivers that empty into the lake reached Grade III standard, achieving a great leap from below Grade V to Grade III. As you can see in this picture, viewed from water quality and ecological landscapes along the lakeshore, Baiyangdian Lake has become a beautiful landscape and harmony between nature and water. Some indigenous fishes, such as rhodeussinensis, which have not been seen in Baiyangdian Lake for years, are gradually recovering. And the number of wild bird species has increased to 237. The ecological beauty of groups of fishes and shrimps and flocks of flying water birds has reappeared. The pearl of the North China Plain shines brilliantly again. In 2021, 18 cases nationwide were listed in the first group of excellent cases of beautiful rivers and lakes, setting an illustrious example.
Entering the new stage of development, we will shift the focus of water ecological and environmental protection from the prevention and control of water pollution to the coordinated protection of water resources, water ecosystems, and water environments. In particular, we will make greater efforts to protect and restore water ecosystems, strengthen the weak points, improve the quality and efficiency of our actions, and take further steps to advance water ecological and environmental protection, laying a solid foundation for building a beautiful China. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Nanfang Metropolis Daily:
In recent years, China's air quality has significantly improved. We used to see pictures of blue skies posted on WeChat. In recent years, with better air quality, blue skies have become a common sight, and fewer pictures have been shared among people. How did such great changes take place in such a short time? What key measures have been taken? How could the air quality in China be further improved in the future? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your questions. Speaking of blue sky, I would like to show you a photo taken at night. This image shows star trails in the night sky against the backdrop of the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City. How was the photo taken? As you can see, stars twinkle at night and their movements in the sky form bright trails called star trails. The photo must be taken in an environment with good air quality. Therefore, this image is a true reflection of Beijing's improvement in air quality in recent years. The average density of PM2.5(particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less)was reduced by 63.1%, nearly two-thirds, from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 33micrograms per cubic meter in 2021. The number of heavily-polluted days in Beijing reduced from 58 in 2013 to eight in 2021, then to two this year. Consequently, "blue sky" days have become the norm in Beijing, as evidenced by the APEC summit in 2014, the parade in 2015 and the Winter Olympics this year.
Beijing epitomizes China's changes in air quality. Air quality in the past 10 years was improved substantially across China, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Zhujiang River Delta region. Over the past decade, the average density of PM2.5 in China's 74 major cities dropped by 56%. The number of heavily polluted days in those cities decreased by 87%. In 2021, the number of heavily polluted days in cities at and above prefecture level across China declined by 51% compared with 2015. China is the first developing country to tackle PM2.5pollution and is hailed as the fastest to address air pollution.
How was China able to improve its air quality so much? To my understanding, it should be accredited to the importance of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council attached to it and their science-based decisions. In recent years, China rolled out the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan and a three-year action plan to fight air pollution . Of course, the concerted efforts from government departments and all sectors of society, including the press, were indispensable. I think the efforts made in adjusting the structures of the following four aspects are crucial.
First, we adjusted the energy structure to be cleaner and lower in carbon emissions. Over the past 10 years, two-thirds of China's increased energy consumption was from clean energy. The number of coal-fired boilers and kilns was reduced from 500,000 to 100,000. We promoted clean heating during winter season in northern China, sparing more than 27 million rural households from smoky coal-fired heating in winter. People are living happier lives as their living conditions improved notably. The air quality was also improved, thanks to burning 60 million fewer metric tons of coal.
Second, we adjusted the industrial structure to improve the quality and efficiency of industrial development. In the past decade, we reduced outdated production capacity and cut overcapacity of 300 million metric tons of steel, 400 million metric tons of cement and 150 million metric tons of glass. We established the world's biggest clean coal power generation system and the capacity of coal power generators with ultra-low emissions reached more than 1,030million kilowatts. We strived to upgrade the whole procedure of steel production towards ultra-low emissions, with 630 million metric tons of crude steel capacity being or having been upgraded to achieve ultra-low emissions.
Third, we adjusted the transportation structure to adapt to a green approach. In the past 10 years, we reduced more than 30 million outdated and high-emission vehicles. Now China owns the world's largest number of new energy vehicles. The vehicle emission and fuel quality standards have been updated from "China IV" to "China VI," and the standards are both leading the world.
Fourth, we improved the urban environment governance structure to include dust control as a key area. We have combated the dust generated by mining gravel in construction sites, resulting in a notable decline in urban dust. We set up a grid-based supervision institution to tackle air pollution at the village and community levels. Burning uncultivated land in spring, straw in autumn and garbage all year long, barbecuing in summer, and coal-fired heating in winter were controlled. The cities took on a new look, to which technology contributed greatly. More than 2,000 technicians participated in examining the reasons for air pollution and resolving them. We developed a national forecast model whose accuracy rate reached 90% in combating PM2.5 pollution. Such technological support was pivotal in our fight against air pollution.
More needs to be done to meet people's expectations and achieve the goal of building a "beautiful China." Next, focusing on coordinated efforts to reduce pollution and lower carbon emissions, we will tackle both PM2.5 and ozone and emphasize joint control of various pollutants and coordinated prevention and control efforts across regions. In doing so, we can press ahead with low-carbon and green development in industries, energy and transportation, fight against air pollution and promote sustainable improvements in air quality. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_ITVNews:
This summer here in China and across the region in places like India and Pakistan we saw what appeared to be the accelerated effects of climate change. I want to get your view on what we've experienced this summer. And do you think that China can still reach its targets on decarbonization and on emissions, given it's experiencing these extreme events when we've seen some parts of the country facing power outages?
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your question, which is a good one suitable at this time. Some places in China encountered extreme long-term heat this summer. As you mentioned, hot days, drought, floods and other disastrous weather also plagued regions and countries like Europe and Pakistan. We have felt the consequences of climate change and the urgency to respond to climate change.
The Chinese government has attached great importance to addressing climate change issues. In the past 10 years since the 18th CPC National Congress, under Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, we have placed responding to climate change to a more prominent position in national governance, and have implemented proactive national strategies to combat climate change and intensified efforts to reduce carbon emissions. We have strengthened China's Nationally Determined Contribution. Remarkable results have been made in steering socioeconomic development on the track of green development.
In Sept. 2020, President Xi Jinping declared at the general debate of the 75th Session of The United Nations General Assembly that China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.That means China, the largest developing country in the world, will reduce its carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality in the shortest time. That is very challenging in view that China's energy system relies on coal and it has an extensive industrial system. Though it is a huge challenge for us to achieve that goal, it demonstrates China's resolve to combat climate change and embark on the road of green development, which provided an important impetus to global climate governance from a political perspective.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that achieving "dual carbon" goals is not something that others asked us to do but is something we must do. Over the past 10 years, China has cut its carbon emission intensity by 34.4%, reversing the rapid growth of carbon dioxide emissions. Green growth has become a defining feature of high-quality economic and social development. You asked about our determination. I would like to introduce our concrete efforts to answer your questions. So, what have we done over the past decade?
First, we steadily promoted energy restructuring. Over the past decade, the share of coal consumption in primary energy consumption dropped from 68.5% to 56% last year. The share of non-fossil fuels increased by 6.9 percentage points to 16.6%. China's installed capacity of renewable power increased by 3.1 times, exceeding one billion kilowatts. The installed capacity of wind, solar, water, and biomass power all topped the world.
Second, we continued to optimize and upgrade the industrial structure. We vigorously developed green and low-carbon industries, strictly contained the blind expansion of energy-intensive projects with high emissions, cut backward production capacity based on laws and regulations, and stepped up efforts to ease overcapacity. Over the past 10 years, China's energy consumption increased by 3% annually, underpinning the 6.5% annual growth of the national economy. The energy intensity dropped by 26.2%, which is the fastest in the world, saving energy equivalent to 1.4 billion tons of standard coal, and cutting emissions equivalent to 2.94 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Strategic emerging industries thrive rapidly. China's new-energy vehicle sales reached 3.52 million units in 2021, topping the world.
Third, we continued to enhance the carbon sink capacity and the ability to respond to climate change. Over the past decade, China increased the forested area by 7.1% to 227 million hectares, serving as a major contributor to afforestation efforts in the world. China increased its forest carbon sinks by 7.3%, reaching 839 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, which can offset the annual carbon emissions from mobile vehicles in China. China has released a national climate change adaptation strategy. A pilot campaign has been carried out to build climate-resilient cities. Our capacity to deal with challenges posed by climate change has been improved in key sectors, such as agriculture and infrastructure construction.
Fourth, we stepped up efforts to develop the carbon market nationwide. The China Carbon Emission Trade Exchange became the largest in the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions covered in the system upon starting trading online on July 16, 2021, with a total of 2,162 key emission-related entities in the power generation industry being included during its first compliance period. The total trading volume of carbon emission quota in the market reached 195 million tonnes as of yesterday, with a turnover totaling 8.559 billion yuan. By giving effective play to the incentive role of the market mechanism, we controlled greenhouse gas emissions and promoted green and low-carbon development.
Fifth, China made its contributions to global climate governance. Upholding the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China has engaged constructively to promote the multilateral process of climate change issues and made historic contribution to the adoption, entry into force and smooth implementation of the Paris Agreement. We made continued efforts to deepen South-South Cooperation on addressing climate change. By the end of last month, China has allocated 1.2 billion yuan in total, signed 43 cooperation documents and trained more than 2,000 relevant personnel from developing countries.
Achieving the goals of peaking carbon emissions and carbon neutrality is necessary to relieving the serious constraints imposed by resources and the environment on China's economic growth and achieving sustainable development. Therefore, we have firm determination to achieve the "dual carbon" goals. It is also a solemn commitment toward building a community with a shared future for mankind. China always keeps its word and acts with resolve. We will fully implement the 1+N policy framework for peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, actively participate and play a leading role in global climate governance, making more and new contributions to building a beautiful China and responding to global climate change. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_National Business Daily:
Over the years, we have seen more lucid waters and lush mountains around us, and the sight of rare animals and plants has been caught more often than before. These are the results of China's efforts in ecological protection. What has China done to protect the eco-environment over the years? Speaking of eco-environment, we will think of COP15. As the COP15 presidency, what kind of role will China play in the second phase of the meeting? What goals does China have? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your questions. A beautiful ecological environment lays the foundation for achieving harmony between humans and nature. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has prioritized ecological protection in the efforts to promote ecological progress, stressed on more than one occasion the need to conduct holistic conservation and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, to improve the quality and stability of ecosystems and ensure natural ecological security. Over the past decade, we have made great achievements in this regard, and the works we have done are as follows:
First, the past decade has witnessed the overall improvement of the eco-environment protection system. In terms of laws and regulations, China has promulgated and revised more than 20 laws and regulations, including laws on bio safety and forests and laws on the protection of wild animals and wetlands. We have further strengthened legal protection for ecological environment. In terms of systems and measures, China initiated an ecological conservation redline system. More than 25 percent of China's land area has been demarcated for ecological protection under this system. China has established a national park-based nature reserve system and established the first batch of five national parks, including the Three-River-Source National Park, bringing 90% of land ecosystem types and 74% of national key protected wild animal and plant species under protection. By enforcing the ten-year fishing ban along the Yangtze River, rare aquatic species, including the Yangtze finless porpoise, which is often called the "smiling angel," has seen initial recovery. The number of aquatics species monitored in Dongting Lake increased by 30 from 2018 to 2021.
Second, the past decade has witnessed the greatest efforts for supervising ecological protection. By conducting central eco-environmental protection inspections, a series of prominent eco-environmental problems have been solved. For example, the Qilian Mountains, which suffered from significant damages, are now covered in greenery. The effort in ecological governance has seen great results. The northern slope of the Qinling Mountains has also undergone historical changes. Blind development was curbed, non-ecofriendly factors withdrew in an orderly manner, and the ecosystem has started to restore. We have worked with relevant departments to conduct the "Green Shield" campaign five years in a row to strengthen the supervision of nature reserves, which helped to solve more than 5,000 problems found in national nature reserves.
Third, the past decade has seen China effectively consolidate its shields for ecological security. We adhere to the holistic conservation and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts. We have steadily advanced 25 pilot projects to protect and restore mountain, water, forest, farmland, lake and grassland ecosystems, carried out major biodiversity protection projects, and designated 35 biological diversity conservation priority areas. The glossy ibis, which was once thought to be extinct, has reappeared. You can see that this picture is the glossy ibis, which is rare and has appeared again in our nature. Moreover, there are now new members of the critically endangered Hainan gibbon species, as seen in the picture above. The number of Hainan gibbons is constantly expanding. The critically endangered species of graptopetalum aquifolium that had been thought missing for a century has also been discovered again. In total, 112 unique, rare and endangered wild animals and plants have returned to the wild.
Fourth, the past decade has seen innovative development, during which we have turned "lucid waters and lush mountains" into "invaluable assets." We regard the construction of ecological civilization as an essential platform and carrier for practicing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and successively organized and named five batches of 362 national ecological civilization demonstration cities and counties. Moreover, we have created 136practice and innovation bases for the "two mountains" concept, according to which "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." We have guided all localities to actively explore new ways to achieve green and high-quality development with ecological conservation as the priority. For example, the Jiawang district in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province. Through the vigorous implementation of restoration projects for mine subsidence, afforestation and water system management, this district has witnessed a massive transformation from "a city of half coal ash" to "a city of green hills and lakes."
Fifth, the past decade has seen China's increased participation in global biodiversity governance. We have actively implemented the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its protocols. Over the past decade, China has accomplished its biodiversity conservation goals better than the global average. In October last year, as the president of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention, we successfully held the first phase of COP15 in Kunming. President Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered a keynote speech, announcing the establishment of the Kunming Biodiversity Fund and other host country initiatives. In addition, the Kunming Declaration was adopted at COP15. The theme of this conference is "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth," which has explained to the world China's ideas, propositions and actions to advance global ecological civilization. It has also contributed to the promotion of global ecological civilization and biodiversity conservation using Chinese wisdom, solutions and strength.
The reporter mentioned the second phase of COP15 just now. I think all of you are very concerned about it. Taking into account the domestic and international COVID-19 prevention and control situation, the location of the second phase of the conference will be changed to Montreal, Canada, the seat of the CBD Secretariat, from December 7 to 19, 2022. Although the location has changed, the theme of COP15 remains the same, "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth." Under the same theme, China will continue to perform its duties as theCOP15 president to lead the agenda. Our goal is to reach an ambitious and pragmatic post-2020 global biodiversity framework that balances the objectives of the convention promotes global biodiversity and builds a shared future for all life on earth. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Daily:
Minister Huang, we know that soil is an important foundation for life to survive. A good soil environment is essential for breeding animals and plants, as well as for the lives of ordinary people. What is the current state of China's soil environment? Are there any problems now? How will the problems be fixed? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your question. Soil is the foundation of everything and the source of life, and it is important to prevent and control soil pollution. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have worked with various regions and departments to steadily keep our lands pollution-free. As a result, the soil pollution across the country has been effectively curbed, the overall soil environmental quality has remained stable and soil pollution risks have been kept under control. Overall, we have made progress in the following three areas.
First, we have carried out diagnostic assessments. Together with relevant departments, we have completed a detailed survey of soil pollution across the country and established a national soil environmental monitoring network comprising 80,000 points, covering all counties, cities and districts. We have identified the area and distribution of soil pollution in agricultural land and its impact on the quality of agricultural products, learned about the distribution and environmental risks of soil pollution in key industries and enterprises and shared relevant data with multiple departments.
Second, we have established a system. China has promulgated the Law on Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution, the first basic law on soil pollution prevention and control. We have clarified the principles of soil pollution prevention and control, featuring "prevention and protection first, classified management, and risk control." We have established a system of laws and regulations for soil pollution prevention and control to ensure that people don't worry about food or land quality. Together with relevant departments, we have successively issued departmental regulations such as soil environmental management measures for polluted land plots, agricultural land, and industrial and mining land and formulated a series of standards and specifications for controlling soil pollution risk in agricultural land and construction land.
Third, we have controlled the risks. Since the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan (2016–2020), we have strengthened the prevention at the source. Working with relevant departments, we have continued to take action in preventing and controlling heavy metal pollution sources such as cadmium in agricultural land soil and put more than 18,000 enterprises under stricter regulation. In terms of the safe use of contaminated farmland, we worked to reduce the risk of agricultural product pollution by adjusting the planting structure. For strictly controlled cultivated land, the measures we took to manage risks included withdrawing from the cultivation of edible agricultural products and turning farmland into forests. Regarding the safe use of construction land, we have conducted soil pollution surveys and assessments on more than 40,000 plots across the country in accordance with laws and regulations. A total of more than 1,500 plots of construction land have been included in the soil pollution risk management and restoration list. We strictly manage these lands, and those failing to meet the risk control and restoration requirement shall not be used as residential, public management, or public service land. For some vacated industrial plots, a combined measure of controlling soil pollution risk and building greens together has been adopted in certain areas. They planned and built urban green areas, which ensure not only safe use of land but also expand ecological green space for residents. In this way, economic returns and social and environmental benefits are pursued at the same time.
I will give you an example. Taopu Industrial Park in Shanghai was once a chemical industrial zone built in 1954. It used to have severe soil and groundwater pollution. Over the years, the polluted land has been vacated and effectively treated and restored, and the park has become a pleasant green space in the city center. The park has undergone a transformation and has become a benchmark for transforming, upgrading and ecologically restoring Shanghai's old industrial bases.
Of course, we are also soberly aware that although fundamental changes have taken place in China's soil environmental quality, the foundation of work for soil pollution prevention and control is still weak. Going forward, we will work with relevant departments to do an excellent job in four aspects. First, we will adhere to the principle of precautionary prevention, strengthen the supervision and law enforcement of key soil pollution entities under supervision and prevent new soil pollution. Second, we will pay close attention to the areas with prominent arable land pollution, conduct investigations on the causes of pollution, implement a classified management system and continuously improve safe utilization. Third, we will strictly manage the land used for construction, strengthen joint supervision around the residential, public administration and public service land plots, and firmly end illegal development and utilization. Fourth, we will comprehensively promote the implementation of various tasks in the action plan for dealing with new pollutants and vigorously enhance the ability to address such pollutants. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
Hello, Mr. Huang, every summer, many people choose to go to the seaside for vacation. The quality of seawater and the marine environment area matter of general concern. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, may I ask what work China has carried out in marine ecological and environmental protection, and what results have been achieved? What will be the focus of the next step? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for your questions. The sea is a strategic place for high-quality development. Protecting the marine environment is significant for promoting high-quality development in coastal areas and building a harmonious relationship between humankind and the sea. General Secretary Xi Jinpingemphasized that we must attach great importance to developing a marine eco-civilization. This involves strengthening the prevention and control of marine environmental pollution, protecting marine biodiversity, realizing the orderly development and utilization of marine resources, and leaving a blue sea and blue sky for future generations. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the main achievements of China's marine environmental protection can be summarized in four "new" characteristics:
First, a new pattern has been formed in the integrated land-sea governance system. In 2018, the responsibility for marine environmental protection was integrated into the MEE, combining the protection of both land and sea. We resolutely implement the reform of Party and government institutions, set up three supervision institutions for basin and marine environment in different sea areas, and established coordination mechanisms with relevant departments in marine environment monitoring and evaluation, supervision and law enforcement, protection and governance. Eleven coastal provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and related municipal and county-level environment departments have also re-established marine ecological and environmental protection agencies, forming a new work pattern of coordinating land and sea protection, as well as coordination and cooperation across different levels.
Second, the quality of the marine environment has seen new improvements. We have further promoted the prevention and control of pollution in offshore areas, and the marine environment has been significantly improved. In the past 10years, among the rivers entering the sea which have national-level water-quality monitoring sections, 71.7% of water sections were graded in categories I-III, up 25 percentage points. The proportion of water sections graded as inferior category V decreased by 24 percentage points to 0.4%. The balance of excellent water quality in offshore areas across the country increased by about 17.6 percentage points to 81.3%. We have made great efforts to improve the water environment of the Bohai Sea region. All 30 tasks with established time frames have been completed with high quality, and the ecological environment of the Bohai Sea region has been significantly improved. We continue to promote the building of beautiful bays, and scenes of beautiful bays with clean water, clean beaches, schools of fish and flocks of gulls, and harmonious relationships between the sea and people have continued to emerge. Lingshan Bay in Qingdao city, Shandong province, has renovated 30kilometers of coastline for visitors and citizens to appreciate the sea. It is a magnificent transformation.
Third, marine environment management and protection efficiency has achieved a new leap forward. Since the institutional reform, we have promoted optimizing and integrating the land-sea monitoring network and gradually built a marine environment monitoring network based on 1,359 national-level monitoring sites. We have further improved the marine environment supervision system. All coastal provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) have comprehensively cleaned up sewage outfalls into seas. Nearly 19,000 sewage outfalls have been reviewed in the Bohai Sea region. All localities have also continued to strengthen the supervision of the marine aquaculture ecological environment and the management of marine garbage. Fujian province's Ningde city focused on the green transformation of marine aquaculture, upgrading traditional foam net cages to environment-friendly plastic net cages, significantly reducing fishery waste and transforming the sea garbage dump in the past into a beautiful idyllic "sea garden."
We, together with relevant departments, continue to strengthen marine ecological protection and restoration. Up to now, the marine ecological protection red lines of 11 coastal provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) have all been delineated, and a total of 145 marine nature reserves have been established nationwide, with a total area of about 7.91 million hectares. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, we have improved and restored 1,200 kilometers of coastline and 23,000 hectares of coastal wetlands. By 2021, all 24 marine ecosystems included in the monitoring had largely recovered from an "unhealthy" state.
Fourth, a new mechanism for marine environment surveillance and law enforcement has been formed. We have made greater efforts to ensure that responsibilities for marine environment governance are fulfilled. Since 2015, the environmental inspections carried out by the central government have revealed more than 150 salient problems concerning marine environment and we have urged local governments to make effective rectifications. We continue to strengthen law enforcement for marine environmental protection. In recent years, we have cooperated with the China Coast Guard and other departments to carry out special surveillance and law enforcement actions such as "Blue Sea," which has formed a solid deterrent to violations of laws and regulations related to the marine environment.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we will work with relevant departments and coastal localities to focus on building beautiful bays as the main task and the improvement of the marine environment as the priority, improve the environment in key sea areas. We will work to advance the management of bays with a holistic approach and tailored measures, continue to improve our capacity for coordinated protection of land and sea.We will promote high-quality economic development in coastal areas with high-level marine environment protection. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
The last question.
Red Star News:
Good morning, Mr. Huang. Over the past decade, we see that ecological and environmental protection has gained much more attention. The past decade has witnessed stricter measures and more interdepartmental collaboration for environmental protection. Could you brief us on the development of the legal and institutional framework regarding ecological and environmental protection? What landmark achievements have been made? Thank you.
Huang Runqiu:
Thank you for the questions. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized on many occasions that developing institutions is essential for ecological conservation. The ecological environment should be protected with strict institutions and the rule of law. This is the essence of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Under the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, we have seen more vital legislation, more newly-introduced institutions and stricter regulation and law enforcement regarding ecological and environmental protection than ever before.
The past decade has seen stronger legislation on ecological and environmental protection than ever before. Both the quantity and quality of new laws have been improved. As a fundamental and overarching law in ecological and environmental protection, the Environmental Protection Law was comprehensively revised and came into force in 2015. The newly amended law stipulates punitive measures such as levying fines accumulating by the day, closing down or distraining pollution-causing facilities and equipment , and detention, thus being called the strictest environmental protection law in history. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress formulated and amended 25 laws related to ecological and environmental protection, covering air, water, soil, solid waste and noise pollution prevention and control. In addition, it looked at laws related to essential ecosystems and elements such as the Yangtze River, wetlands, and chernozem soil. More than 30 laws on ecological environment protection have come into force, forming a comprehensive, practical, effective, and stringent socialist legal system on ecological environment protection with Chinese characteristics. In addition, ecological civilization was written into the country's Constitution. Moreover, the civil code included the green principle as a general principle of civil activities. Finally, the Criminal Law and its amendments clearly defined the crimes of polluting the environment and destroying resources. These are all highlights of legislation on environmental protection in the past decade.
Second, the past decade has witnessed more newly-introduced institutions on ecological and environmental protection than ever before. In 2015, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council promulgated two top-level design documents-the guidelines on accelerating ecological advancement and the integrated reform plan for promoting ecological progress. Since then, a series of innovative systems have been introduced, such as the central supervision system for environmental protection, the reform of the vertical management system for monitoring, supervision, and law enforcement of eco-environmental institutions that are at and below the provincial level, and the emissions permit system . Law enforcement officers for ecological protection have been included in the system of coordinated law enforcement by government departments and wear the same uniforms as other personnel in the system. An institutional framework has taken shape, providing an institutional base for advancing ecological conservation and environmental protection.
In particular, the central supervision system for ecological and environmental protection has played a crucial role. A press conference held by the State Council Information Office this July introduced the progress in implementing the system. Here, I would like to add some points.
General Secretary Xi Jinping personally planned, deployed, and promoted the central supervision system for ecological and environmental protection, a major institutional innovation and reform measure of the Party and the country. The system has facilitated the implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, ensured that both CPC committees and governments are held accountable and that officials take responsibility for ecological and environmental protection in performing their duties , helped resolve a large number of environmental problems, promoted high-quality economic development, and become a litmus test of the officials' sense of responsibility. During the two rounds of supervision, we released 262representative cases, and handled287,000 tip-offs and complaint letters, of which 286,000 have been settled. Moreover, 18,000 officials were held accountable during the first round. It is fair to say that the supervision has achieved sound political, economic, environmental and social effects.
Third, the past decade has witnessed the strictest regulation and law enforcement as well as the most effective implementation of the legal system. Statistics speak volumes. In 2021, the number of administrative penalty cases concerning environmental protection was 1.6 times that before the implementation of the new environmental protection law. From 2013 to 2021, the people's courts tried an average of more than 2,000 cases involving pollution crimes per year, while the number was several dozens and sometimes less than 20 per year before 2013. Since the newly revised environmental protection law came into force in 2015, there have been over 170,000 cases involving fines accumulating by the day, closing down or distraining pollution-causing facilities and equipment, production restrictions and halts, detention, and pollution crimes.
While enforcing the law, we have made full use of information technology such as modern remote sensing and big data, as well as advanced equipment such as mobile laboratories, drones, and uncrewed ships. We have established an integrated "air-space-land" monitoring mechanism to identify problems and clues accurately, thus significantly enhancing the ability to detect polluters. I have a photo here to show you. You can see that some companies discharge sewage into the river using pipes hidden under the ground. Generally, it is difficult to find, but our infrared imagers can easily detect the act. These enterprises have been severely punished. At the same time, we have optimized law enforcement methods, improved law enforcement efficiency, and implemented a positive list system for supervision and law enforcement to see that the law-abiding are let be and lawbreakers are punished in accordance with the law.
Going forward, we will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, improve the legal and institutional system for ecological and environmental protection, promote precise, scientific and law-based pollution control, and at the same time offer more guidance and assistance to enterprises to boost high-quality development. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Huang. Thank you to friends from the media. Today's press conference is now concluded. See you!
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Zhang Liying, Wang Yanfang, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, Liu Jianing, Cui Can, Ma Yujia, Wang Yiming, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Zhuang Shaoqin, vice minister of natural resources
Mr. Liu Guohong, a member of the CPC Leading Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and chief engineer of the MNR
Mr. Li Chunliang, vice administrator of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA)
Mr. Zhang Zhanhai, chief engineer of the MNR
Mr. Yu Haifeng, director general of the Geological Exploration Department, MNR
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 19, 2022
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 33rd press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We are delighted to have invited Mr. Zhuang Shaoqin, vice minister of natural resources; Mr. Liu Guohong, a member of the CPC Leading Group of the MNR and the ministry's chief engineer; and Mr. Li Chunliang, vice administrator of the NFGA, to brief you on achievements in China's natural resources development in the new era and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Zhang Zhanhai, chief engineer of the MNR, and Mr. Yu Haifeng, director general of the Geological Exploration Department, MNR.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhuang Shaoqin for his introduction.
Zhuang Shaoqin:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. First of all, I would like to thank the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee for giving us the opportunity to take part in this press conference, and to thank you for your long-term care, support and help for the natural resources sector.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with a strategic perspective of the sustained development of the Chinese nation, has deeply promoted the reform of the ecological civilization system. The past years have seen historic achievements and changes in China's natural resources development, which have effectively promoted the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
Over the past decade, we have kept in mind the worst-case scenarios, strictly protected farmland, effectively guaranteed the supply of resources, and effectively supported high-quality development and a high quality of life. We have continued to implement the most stringent farmland protection system, strictly set a redline ensuring that the total farmland shall be no less than 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares), and consolidated the foundation of national food security. We have continued to strengthen basic geological surveys and mineral resource exploration. The reserves of major mineral resources increased, and the outputs of coal, tungsten and other mineral products have ranked first in the world for many years. Significant progress has been made in extracting gas hydrates, or what we usually call "flammable ice." We have optimized the layout of land and space in accordance with laws and regulations, ensured the supply of land in an orderly manner, and effectively supported the implementation of major national strategies such as coordinated regional development, new urbanization and rural revitalization. Land used for urban housing, parks and green spaces, and public service facilities has grown substantially, and the living environment in urban and rural areas has improved significantly.
Over the past decade, we have thoroughly implemented a comprehensive resource conservation strategy, continued to improve the ability to conserve and effectively use resources, and promoted the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. We have adhered to and implemented the most stringent system of economical use of land, controlled the total amount and intensity of land used for construction, and improved the evaluation system for economical use of land across regions and projects. We have put inefficiently utilized land into use to meet the increasing needs for construction. We strictly marked the boundaries of urban development and promoted high-quality green urban development featuring efficiency and effectiveness. From 2012 to 2021, the land used for construction per unit of GDP nationwide dropped by 40.85%, and the economic density of land increased significantly. In accordance with the requirements of resource conservation and green development, a survey and evaluation system for the development and utilization of mineral resources has been established to promote the comprehensive utilization of resources and accelerate the development of green mining.
Over the past decade, we have followed the philosophy that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and the concept that mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts form a living community. The quality and stability of the ecosystem have continued to improve, which has effectively promoted the building of a beautiful China. We have adhered to and implemented the most stringent environmental protection system, scientifically set redlines for ecological protection, and brought the total area under protection to more than 30% of China's territory. Except for major national projects, coastal reclamation activities are no longer allowed, and new island reclamation is strictly controlled. A system of nature reserves with national parks as the mainstay has been established, the first batch of national parks has been established, and natural and cultural heritage resources have been protected and used in an orderly manner. The value and advantages of China's diverse natural resources have been further brought into play. We have adhered to systematic governance, retained security boundaries for the natural environment, and provided high-quality ecological products for the people. We have promoted the implementation of major projects for the protection and restoration of important ecosystems across the country, and deployed and implemented a number of integrated protection and restoration projects for mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and the quality of river and lake ecosystems has been significantly improved. Forest coverage has increased to 24.02%, and the desertified land under management has achieved a historic change from "sand encroaching on human habitats" to "people pushing back the deserts."
In the past 10 years, we have advanced the reform of ecological conservation system, and improved the natural resources governance system and capacity by stepping up scientific and technological innovation and applying information technology. We have pressed ahead with the reform of the property rights system for natural resources assets. We have established a system for the confirmation and registration of natural resources ownerships, explored a principal-agent system for the property rights of natural resources assets owned by the whole people, and set up a paid-use mechanism for natural resources covering major categories such as land and mineral resources. Completing the third national land survey, the MNR compiled China's first territorial spatial planning outline and set up a unified planning system for national territorial space. We have advanced reforms in the natural resources field to delegate power, streamline administration, and optimize government services. Based on unified criteria, unified planning, and the same digital map and platform, we have integrated various review and approval items into one, various certifications into one, and streamlined various kinds of surveying and mapping into one. That means immovable property can be registered at one department rather than various departments as before. It takes at most five days for common registration and mortgage registration of immovable property in all cities and counties across China, which helps improve the business environment. Based on the real scene 3D China project, we have been building a new type of basic surveying and mapping system to promote digital and smart territorial spatial planning. The investigation, monitoring, early-warning, and prevention and control systems for geological and marine disasters have been improved, which have reduced casualties and property damage caused by disasters. We promulgated the Wetland Protection Law and revised the Land Management Law, Forest Law, and Surveying and Mapping Law. We have intensified the national supervision and inspection of natural resources, protecting natural resources and the ecological environment with the strictest system and law-based governance. In so doing, we have formed a rational process for land development strictly based on functional zoning.
In the past decade, we have engaged in international cooperation to promote the global governance of natural resources and ecological conservation. We have contributed to global ecological conservation, the building of a community of all life on Earth, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Together with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, we released typical Chinese practices through nature-based solutions. We have participated in the maritime governance mechanism within the UN framework and launched China's action for a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). We have actively forged blue partnerships and established marine cooperative relations with more than 50 countries and international organizations, providing public goods and services, including tsunami pre-warning for countries around the South China Sea. We donated high-resolution global land cover data to the UN and set up a UN Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Center in China.
Next, on the new journey, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will apply the new development philosophy in full, in the right way, and in all fields of endeavor. Focusing on the new development paradigm, we will strive to break new ground in promoting natural resources development so as to make more contributions to fully building a modern socialist China.
Now, my colleagues and I would like to take your questions. Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, Mr. Zhuang. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Red Star News:
Food security is a crucial strategic issue concerning national security. Farmland is the lifeblood of food security, and never crossing the red line for 120 million hectares of farmland is the prerequisite for food security. What measures has China taken to secure the red line in the past decade? What are the results? Thank you.
Liu Guohong:
Thank you for your question. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to arable land protection. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important instructions on farmland protection and underscored practicing the strictest farmland protection system and protecting farmland just as we protect pandas. Firmly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we have taken tough measures to abide by the red line for 120 million hectares of farmland, which can be summarized into five aspects.
First, we have enforced strict legal system on farmland protection. We improved laws and regulations, revised the Land Management Law and a regulation on implementing the Land Management Law, and promulgated the Black Soil Protection Law. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued a guideline on strengthening farmland protection and offsetting farmland used for other purposes. The State Council released documents to prevent the use of farmland for non-agricultural and non-grain purposes. Second, we have drawn red lines for farmland and permanent basic farmland. We launched the prioritized protection of farmland. In the national territorial space planning outline and in designating urban space, agricultural space, and ecological space with three red lines for urban development boundaries, permanent basic farmland, and ecological conservation, protection tasks of farmland, and permanent basic farmland with designated locations were deployed to local governments. Thus, we can ensure that farmland is prioritized as designated and will be protected as much as possible. Third, we have strictly prohibited non-agricultural use of farmland and maintained a balance between occupation and replenishment of farmland. The use of farmland for non-agricultural construction should be replenished before being occupied, and the size and fertility of the land should be ensured. Occupied paddy fields should be replenished with paddy fields. We strictly verified and confirmed the replenishment of farmland and set up a disclosure system for replenished land to ensure real replenishment. Fourth, we have strictly prohibited the use of farmland for other agricultural purposes and maintained a balance between usage and replenishment. The third national land survey exposed problems such as sharp decrease of farmland caused by use for other agricultural purposes. In response, we required that if the farmland is turned into forest, grassland and garden land, replenishment of equal amount and quality should be made to ensure stable and long-term use. Fifth, we have launched strict supervision and law enforcement for farmland protection. National natural resources departments have strengthened supervision and inspection of provincial governments' performance of their responsibilities in protecting farmland. Ledgers for problems are established to urge rectification. Satellite remote sensing technology has been applied to help law enforcement with satellite images so as to promptly detect, investigate and handle illegal practices. We made typical cases public to deter people from similar practices.
Through the abovementioned measures, coupled with the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the support and supervision from all sectors of society, and the cooperation among Party committees and governments at all levels as well as related departments, markable results have been secured in farmland protection over the past decade, meeting the target set by the State Council to keep a total of 1.865 billion mu of farmland in 2020, thus securing the redline. Particularly in the past two years, the decline of farmland has been initially curbed, and the total area of farmland in 2021 registered a net increase. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China County Times:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, historic, transformative, and holistic changes have taken place in China's ecological progress. As important departments for promoting ecological progress, what main measures have the forestry and grassland departments taken, and what specific contributions have been made over the past decade? Thank you.
Li Chunliang:
Thank you for your questions. First of all, I would like to thank all the friends from the press for your long-term interest and support in our work.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to promoting ecological progress as well as the development of forestry and grassland sector. General Secretary Xi Jinping has always kept forestry and grassland related work in mind and made a series of important expositions and instructions in this regard. He has participated in tree planting in the capital of Beijing for 10 consecutive years and conducted multiple inspections and investigations in forestry areas, tree farms, grasslands, and national parks, which has promoted historic achievements and transformations in the field of forestry and grassland.
The forestry and grassland departments at all levels have thoroughly implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, made solid progress in promoting the integrated development of forestry, grassland, and national parks, to make lush forests and grassland be part of the beautiful eco-environment.
Let me first present you with a set of data. China's forest area registers 230.67 million hectares, ranking fifth worldwide; forest stock stands at 19.49 billion cubic meters, ranking sixth worldwide; and man-made forest area amounts to 87.6 million hectares, ranking first worldwide. Grassland area registers 264.53 million hectares, ranking second worldwide, and wetland area reaches about 56.67 million hectares, ranking fourth worldwide. China is also one of the 12 countries with the richest biodiversity in the world, holding almost all types of ecosystems in the world. The numbers of higher plant species and vertebrate species in China account for 10% and 13.7% of the world's total, respectively, both ranking among the top globally. The total carbon storage of forests and grassland in China stands at 11.44 billion tons, also ranking among the top in the world.
The data reflects China's excellent ecological performance in forestry and grassland development since the 18th CPC National Congress. Here, I will brief you on the performance from six aspects.
Over the past decade, we have made solid efforts to build a beautiful China by expanding greenery. Through continuous large-scale greening programs, we have afforested 64 million hectares of land, planted grass and improved the original vegetation and eco-environment of grassland on 11 million hectares of land, and added or restored more than 800,000 hectares of wetlands. Our forest coverage rate and comprehensive vegetation coverage of grassland have reached 24.02% and 50.32%, respectively. China has contributed a quarter of the world's new forest areas in the past decade.
Over the past decade, a new nature reserve system has taken shape. We have strived to build a national park-based nature reserve system with nature reserves as the foundation and various types of nature parks as supplements. The first group of five national parks has been officially established, namely the Three-River-Source National Park, the Giant Panda National Park, the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, the Hainan Tropical Forests National Park, and the Wuyishan National Park. The China National Botanical Garden and the South China National Botanical Garden have been set up in Beijing and Guangzhou, respectively. Effective protection has been ensured for 74% of wildlife species under key protection and 65% of higher plant communities. Last year, you well covered the northbound trek of the wild Asian elephants and their safe return to Yunnan province. Here, I would like to refresh your memory on these. Last year, a herd of 15 Asian elephants all returned to their original habitat of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve after wandering more than 1,400 kilometers in 124 days, and are now living a leisurely life. Yesterday, I asked the monitoring personnel to send me pictures of the elephants, and I'd like to share one with you here. In the picture, there are four Asian elephants, including two mothers and two babies. The two babies are what we cared about the most last year. They were born during last year's northbound trip and are very healthy now. They weighed 100 kilograms at birth, and now, as I was told by the monitoring staff, appear to weigh 300 kilograms, as you can see in the picture. Thank you for your interest in them.
Over the past decade, we have focused on desert ecological protection to set a global benchmark. We have protected around 18.53 million hectares of land with desertification prevention and treatment. We have saved 5 million hectares from desertification, prevented 4.33 million hectares from becoming sandy land, and prevented 5.26 million hectares from becoming stony deserts. Up to 53% of manageable desertified land has been treated. Many role models working for desertification control, such as Wang Youde, have stood out. A spirit of desertification control has formed, represented by afforestation efforts in Babusha Forest Farm in Gansu province, Youyu county in Shanxi province, and Kekeya in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Over the past 10 years, a new forest and grassland resource management pattern has taken shape. We have introduced the forest-chief system nationwide, appointing nearly 1.2 million forest chiefs at the five administrative levels of province, city, county, township and village. Among them, 421 are also provincial-level officials. The information-based management of forest and grassland resources has improved dramatically, and an internet-based sensing system of forest and grassland ecology has been built. Thanks to these efforts, we have been able to monitor forest and grassland resources within one system, evaluate them by one set of indexes, and manage them through one map. The shares of the fire-related damaged area to the overall forest area and the total grassland area have been stably kept below 0.9‰ and 3‰, respectively, considerably lower than the global average.
Over the past decade, major ecological projects have been carried out to ensure ecological security. We have implemented 66 regional and systematic forest and grassland management projects and 40 pilot demonstration projects on national territorial greening in major ecological areas such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yellow River Basin, and the Yangtze River Basin. We have carried out natural forest protection projects in an all-around way, benefiting about 171.87 million hectares of natural forests, and implemented projects converting cropland to forests and grasslands, covering around 34.67 million hectares of cropland in two rounds of practices and extending Shaanxi province's green land by 400 kilometers to the north. A total of 15 million-mu shelter forest bases have been built under the Three-North (Northeast China, North China and Northwest China) Shelterbelt Forest Program, China's earliest and longest-running afforestation project. We have implemented systems prohibiting grazing on grassland and maintained a balance between grassland and livestock to promote the rehabilitation of the vast grassland.
Over the past decade, we have implemented the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" and intensified our efforts to improve the environment and people's living standards. We have facilitated and given full play to the role of forest and grassland resources as "a reservoir, a granary, a bank vault and a carbon sink," contributing to the critical battle of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. In 2021, the overall output value of China's forestry industry exceeded 8 trillion yuan. The plantation area of tea-oil trees reached 4.53 million hectares, benefiting nearly two million poverty-stricken people by increasing their incomes. We have actively promoted the development of the featured forestry and fruit industry. A total area of 300,000 hectares has been allocated for the forestry and fruit industry in Aksu prefecture in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, contributing to one-third of local farmers' average net income. A total of 1.102 million poverty-stricken people have been hired and registered to work as forest rangers nationwide, and 23,000 afforestation and grass planting cooperatives have been established, helping more than 20 million people get rid of poverty and increase their income.
From the achievements mentioned above, we can strongly feel that over the past decade, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China's ecology has continued to become better both in the aspects it reveals and the way it develops. It presents a vivid picture of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, with the people thoroughly enjoying a sound ecological environment of blue sky, green land and clear water. Meanwhile, the international community has also widely recognized China in building the ecological civilization. China has become a participant, promoter and trailblazer of global ecological civilization construction.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People.cn:
The mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland and desert coexist with a shared future. Therefore, we must systematically consider various ecological elements while implementing protection and restoration. The MNR is responsible for exercising the responsibility of national territorial ecological protection and restoration in a unified way, so what major measures has the MNR taken to promote ecological protection and restoration in recent years, and what results have been achieved? Thank you.
Zhuang Shaoqin:
Ecosystem protection and restoration is a basic responsibility of the MNR and an essential aspect of the "two unifications," that is, unification in performing the duties of the owner of public-owned natural resource assets and unification in performing the duties of regulating the use of all territorial space and protecting and restoring ecosystems. I have also noticed that other government departments have recently introduced the achievements made in ecological protection and restoration. Today, I want to give an introduction focusing on some measures taken by the MNR. We have promoted ecological protection and restoration by following Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. In particular, we have worked according to the principle of improving governance with laws and regulations, systematic and comprehensive measures, and an emphasis on addressing the root causes of issues.
We have first strengthened overall planning in addressing the root causes of issues. As we said, the national territorial space planning outline has set the red lines for ecological conservation. All eco-areas of great significance and sensitivity have been included within the red lines, such as the national park-based nature reserve system. With the setting of the red lines, we have established a pattern for safeguarding national ecological security by constructing protective barriers for eco-security in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the important ecological areas along the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, the northeast forest belts, the sand control belts in the north, the hilly and mountainous areas in the south, and the coastal zones. At the same time, the MNR, the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments have jointly issued an overall plan for major national eco-system protection and restoration projects and nine special construction plans. The plans have stated clearly that by 2035, ecological problems in not only ecological spaces, but also agricultural and urban spaces must be solved systematically. Hence, a coordinated arrangement has been made at the overall level to address the root causes of problems.
Second, we have strengthened systemic governance. According to the concept put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts form a community of life. Instead of restoring one single element, we should take into consideration the ecosystem as a whole and conduct systemic governance of regions and drainage basins. Since the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, we have focused on the protective barriers for eco-security in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the important ecological areas along the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, the northeast forest belts, the sand control belts in the north, the hilly and mountainous areas in the south, and the coastal zones, and planned and implemented 44 projects for the systemic conservation and restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, with over 2 million hectares having been treated and restored. At the same time, by focusing on areas where mineral resources are concentrated, especially areas covered by national major regional development strategies, such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze Economic Belt, and the Yellow River basin, we have carried out ecological conservation and restoration of mines with restored areas reaching 280,000 hectares. We have also taken further steps to launch actions such as the Blue Bay environmental improvement initiative, protection and restoration of coastal belts, and protection and restoration of mangrove forests. A total of 1,500 kilometers of coastlines and 30,000 hectares of coastal wetlands have been restored. In addition, we have also promoted ecological restoration in rural areas by launching comprehensive land improvement in holistic approaches, contributing to rural revitalization.
Third, we have been committed to comprehensive governance. We have established new mechanisms for ecological conservation and restoration. In particular, we have rolled out policies for encouraging and supporting the participation of nongovernmental capital in protecting and restoring ecosystems. New incentive mechanisms and policies, as well as new models of investment and financing, have been adopted to attract the participation of nongovernmental capital. At the same time, we have carried out the reform of the natural resource assets property rights system in a coordinated way to promote the realization of the value of ecological products. Other relevant policies have been issued, such as management policies for drawing red lines for protecting the ecosystems, designating permanent basic cropland, and delineating boundaries for urban development in the "three types of territorial spaces and three types of control lines" to reflect the idea of prioritizing ecological conservation. There are also policies focusing on coastal reclamation activities and land greening programs. All these policies are expected to arouse the enthusiasm of the whole society to promote comprehensive governance of the ecological environment.
Fourth, we have been committed to law-based governance. New advances have been made in the rule of law in the protection and restoration of ecosystems. Over the years, we have carried out formulation and revision of the Law on Development and Protection of Territorial Space, the Law on the Planning of Territorial Space, the Law on Nature Reserves, the Law on National Parks, and laws and regulations related to land, forests, grasslands, wetlands, farmlands, and minerals, providing strong legal support for ecological conservation and restoration.
In short, over the years, we have acted upon the guiding principles of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and carried out institutional reforms from the above aspects, laying a sound foundation for eco-environmental construction. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Guangming Daily:
One of the major changes in China's society over the past decade is the realization of unified registration of immovable property, which concerns numerous households. What progress has been made in institutional development in this regard? What new measures have been adopted in the areas that people are concerned about, such as shortening the time required for registration and providing more convenient services? Thank you.
Liu Guohong:
Thank you for your question. Establishing the unified registration system for immovable property and integrating responsibilities of registration of immovable property are major decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. Over the past decade, setting one goal a year and advancing step by step, we have successfully accomplished the reform of unified registration of immovable property and continuously improved the quality, level, and efficiency of registration services, effectively protecting the property rights of enterprises and the people and ensuring the security of immovable property transactions. It can be said that the work has served all walks of life and benefited numerous households, mainly reflected in three aspects.
First, the unified registration system for immovable property has been established and put into practice, with the goal achieved as scheduled. I would like to brief you about the work we have done in recent years. In 2013, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council made the decision to launch the reform of the unified registration system for immovable property. In 2014, the Provisional Regulations on the Registration of Immovable Property was promulgated. In 2015, the integration of responsibilities and agencies for the registration of immovable property in China was completed. In 2016, the initiative of issuing new immovable property registration certificates and suspending old ones was completed. In 2017, all the registration agencies at city and county levels were included on the national registration information platform. It took five years for us to achieve the goal of reform for unification in four aspects, including registration agencies, registration bases, registration books, and the registration information platforms.
Second, the quality, level, and efficiency of registration services have been improved to facilitate the registration of people and enterprises. We have implemented information integration, process integration or personnel integration, simplified application materials and procedures, and continued to reduce the time required for immovable property registration. We have promoted services to facilitate and benefit people, and provided "single-window and inter-agency services" for registration, transaction, and taxation of immovable property, and "Internet Plus Immovable Property Registration." At present, all cities and counties have basically realized five-day processing of general registration and mortgage registration.
Third, practical measures have been taken to resolve the most pressing difficulties and problems that are of great concern to the people to enhance their sense of fulfillment. We have continued to promote localities to resolve difficulties in registration caused by longstanding issues, with a large number of people receiving property ownership certificates. We have planned and launched trials for cleaning up longstanding issues in regulating the determination and registration of forest tenure. Guided under the principles of respecting history and seeking truth from facts, we have taken steady steps to resolve longstanding issues in forest tenure registration. We have completed the immovable property registration of the resettlement housing for people relocated from inhospitable areas. By the end of June 2021, about 2.58 million resettlement houses for registered poor households had completed immovable property registration.
In the next step, we will continue to implement the people-centered development philosophy and make great efforts to improve the conduct of the ranks of the registration of immovable property according to the deployments of deepening reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, improve regulation, strengthen services, and improve the business environment, which were deployed by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. We have continuously improved the convenience of registering immovable property to make it give full play to its important role in protecting property rights, guaranteeing transactions, and serving the interests of the people and enterprises. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
The maritime economy is an important part of the national economy. A developed maritime economy is an important support for building a strong maritime country. Over the past decade, what progress has been made in developing the maritime economy and building a strong maritime country? What are the next major tasks? Thank you.
Zhang Zhanhai:
Thank you for your questions. As you said, the maritime economy is an important manifestation of comprehensive national power and is closely related to the lives of the people. Therefore, the whole of society attaches great importance to it. The oceans are strategically important to high-quality development. We should speed up the progress in the construction of world-class sea ports, a well-established modern maritime industry system, and a green and sustainable marine ecological environment to push for the building of a maritime power, General Secretary Xi Jinping has noted. MNR has conscientiously implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and worked together with related departments and localities to promote the high-quality development of the maritime economy. New progress has been made in developing the maritime economy.
First, the overall strength of the maritime economy has been improved. From 2012 to 2021, the total value of the maritime economy rose from 5 trillion yuan to 9 trillion yuan, with its proportion to GDP remaining around 9%. The structure of maritime industries has also been continuously improved. In particular, the growth rate of emerging maritime industries has exceeded 10%. China is also the world's largest ship building country, which has been further enhanced. China has become a front-runner in ocean engineering equipment manufacturing. The scale of its maritime ports and the total installed capacity of offshore wind power have ranked first around the world. MNR also worked with related departments to release financial guidelines on supporting the development of the maritime economy. The loan balance of the maritime economy of major banks is maintained at 600 billion to 700 billion yuan.
Second, the effective use of maritime resources has been enhanced. We established and improved a management and control system on sea reclamation with the aim of continuously strengthening management and control. We guaranteed the implementation of major national projects under strict management and control. We classified and resolved longstanding problems and quickened our steps to effectively revitalize sea reclamation resources. From 2018 to the first half of this year, 418 projects have been implemented, and the contractual right to 86.78 million ha of land has been confirmed, involving an investment of about 900 billion yuan. In addition, we strengthened the protection, utilization, and management of the coastline, and urged and guided localities to achieve the target of coastline retention rate. We also improved the system for paid use of sea areas and uninhabited islands to use maritime resources more efficiently.
Third, progress has been made in the protection and restoration of maritime ecology. A maritime ecology early warning and monitoring system was basically established, and a targeted action plan for mangrove forest protection and restoration, as well as a campaign for maritime ecology protection and restoration, were carried out. Around 145 maritime protected areas were established across the country, covering an area of 7.91 million ha. In addition, 143 projects involving the Blue Bay environmental improvement and protection and restoration of coastal zones were launched, renovating and restoring 1,500 kilometers of coastline, 30,000 ha of coastal wetland, and 72 kilometers of ecological seawalls.
Fourth, innovation in marine science and technology has been accelerated. Our country has 10 maritime satellites in orbit, and a maritime satellite constellation was established. Ocean exploration and transport operations, represented by the Jiaolong manned deep-sea submersible and the Fendouzhe (Striver) deep-sea manned submersible, have achieved a qualitative leap. The Xuelong 2 icebreaker filled in China's blanks in the field of major equipment for polar expeditions and is also our country's first domestically-built polar icebreaker. The continuous running time of domestically-developed megawatt tidal power generators has been leading the world.
In the next step, we will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; apply the new development philosophy in full, in the right way, and in all fields of endeavor; continuously improve the system for maritime resources protection and exploration; and safeguard China's maritime ecological security to promote the high-quality development of the maritime economy and make new contributions to building a strong maritime country. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Beijing News:
We all know that China has a large population but scarce land, so while we adhere to the system of providing the strictest possible protection for farmland, we also try to stick to promoting the most efficient use of land. May I ask what results have been achieved in promoting efficient and intensive use of land and what are the next steps? Thank you.
Liu Guohong:
Thanks for your question. As we all know, the efficient and intensive use of land is not only an inherent requirement for green transformation and high-quality development but also a practical requirement for the protection of farmland, which is of great significance.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has given essential instructions on the efficient and intensive use of land on many occasions. In particular, he stressed that it is necessary to adhere to intensive development, define the total amount, limit the capacity, put idle land into use, optimize the increment, and improve the quality. Not long ago, the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform reviewed and adopted opinions on comprehensively strengthening the resource conservation work, making new arrangements for the conservation and utilization of resources with high efficiency and creating higher demands.
We have firmly implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and taken a series of measures to better conserve land resources and use them efficiently.
First, we have strengthened planning and regulation. We have formulated and implemented the territorial space plan by integrating various plans into one. We have optimized the spatial pattern, coordinated the land use needs of various industries, and scientifically delineated boundaries for urban development, which will, in turn, spur the intensive urban development.
Second, we evaluate strictly. We have strengthened the evaluation of various construction projects in terms of the economical use of land and strictly implemented standards for land use quotas. We have strengthened the review, approval, and monitoring of land use in economic development zones. From 2012 to 2020, the overall plot ratio of national economic development zones increased from 0.83 to 1, and the average investment intensity of industrial land increased by more than 60%.
Third, we have strengthened incentives and constraints. We have adopted incentive policies in the aspects of use control, plot ratio adjustment and price adjustment to promote the redevelopment of inefficiently-used urban land and to put idle land into good use. In 2018, we established a mechanism linking the amount of newly-added land used for construction to the amount of idle land that put into use. Over the past four years, we have reduced 914,666 hectares of unused land, and handled 290,666 hectares of idle land. Currently, a quarter of the total supply of construction land are used to be unused or idle land. The proportion reaches 50% in some localities.
Fourth, we have focused on demonstration and guidance. In recent years, 46 economical land use technologies and models in three batches have been introduced, and 427 model counties (cities) and 24 model prefecture-level cities have been selected in three batches for efficient and intensive use of national land resources. This year, we launched an initiative to build model counties (cities) in economical and intensive use of natural resources covering land, minerals, and marine resources.
Over the past 10 years, China's economical and intensive land use system has improved, and the mechanism has become more complete. It now includes eight categories: planning and management; plan adjustment; standard control; market allocation; policy incentives; monitoring and supervision; assessment and evaluation; and joint responsibility. Through continuous efforts, the level of economical and intensive use of land has been significantly improved. Just as Mr. Zhuang Shaoqin introduced, from 2012 to 2021, the nationwide construction land use area per unit GDP dropped by 40.85%.
Going forward, we will focus on strictly controlling new construction land and simultaneously putting idle land into use. We will continue to strengthen planning and regulation as well as land conservation evaluation to promote the efficient use of land in various construction projects. We will continue to deepen the linkage between the amount of newly-added construction land and that of unused and idle land, and improve the incentive measures for utilization of idle construction land. We will guide the whole society to enhance the awareness of the economical and intensive use of land and continuously improve the level of economical and intensive land use to better promote high-quality economic development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Natural Resources News:
We know that the establishment of a territorial space planning system that integrates various types of plans into one single master plan is a major deployment for the reform of the system for developing an ecological civilization. Ever since the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the document of several opinions on building a territorial space planning system and supervising the implementation in 2019, how is this work progressing? Thank you.
Zhuang Shaoqin:
This document is the general design and overall deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to promote the integration of multiple plans. The document clearly states that space planning such as the plan to develop functional zones, land use plan, and planning in urban and rural areas should be integrated into a unified territorial space planning. At the same time, it also says that the implementation of "integrating various types of plans into a single master plan" should be promoted in accordance with the four aspects of plan formulation and approval, implementation and supervision, regulations and policies, and technical standards. I will mainly elaborate on these four aspects:
First, it's about the system of the plans' formulation and approval. The territorial space planning system includes five levels and three types, inheriting some characteristics from the previous plans for land use and urban and rural planning. The five levels refer to the administrative levels of the country, province, city, county, and township. Types include the master plan, detailed plan, and special plan. Currently, in terms of the master plan, the territorial space plan outline has been formulated. This outline is based on "three spaces and three lines," which means three types of land spaces, including urban space, agricultural space, and ecological space, as well as redlines for protecting the ecosystems, designating permanent basic farmland, and boundaries for urban development. Although the area within the three types of lines and boundaries is less than 50% of the entire territorial land area, it defines the skeleton and foundation of the entire territorial space layout. The delineation of "three spaces and three lines" provides a basic guarantee for ensuring China's food security, ecological security, and energy security, and promoting sustainable urban and rural development. When delineating the "three lines," priority was given to the protection of farmland. Red lines for farmland protection and ecological protection were drawn first, and then urban development boundaries were delineated, which is to spur the efficient and intensive land use and promote the green transformation of the economy and society. By coordinating the space requirements of various special plans on the "one map" of territorial space plan, we have truly implemented the "integration of various types of plans into a single master plan," while also promoting the digital transformation of space governance. The outline is of landmark significance for promoting the reform of the "integration of various types of plans into a single master plan." At the same time, the local territorial space planning, especially the territorial space planning above the city level, has already produced phased results.
In terms of the detailed plan, the reform broke through the original urban-rural division. Under the condition that the original urban-rural plan and land-use plan are handled in a consistent manner, the detailed regulatory plan can be formulated and revised for the urban areas, which can serve as a basis for guiding urban renewal and various constructions. In rural areas, village plans can be formulated to promote rural revitalization, which is also a type of detailed plan.
In terms of the special plan, there are actually two levels. At the national and regional levels, specific departments take the lead in formulating the special plans. After coordinating with the territorial space plan, special plans can be included in the territorial space plan to ensure the implementation of the special plans. At the city and county levels, according to the Urban and Rural Planning Law, the relevant special plans are an integral part of the master plan. Therefore, the MNR, together with the relevant departments, shall advance the special plans simultaneously with the master plan, and eventually, they shall be included in the territorial space plan to ensure their legitimacy and practicability.
Second, it is about the system for supervision on implementation. Since 2019, we have been building a supervision system for the implementation of the territorial space plan, which can incorporate all plans of "five levels and three types." The system can implement full-spectrum, all-factor, and full-life-cycle management of the entire territorial space so as to supervise each piece of land and each project. Meanwhile, we have established an oversight, evaluation, and early warning system for the implementation of the territorial space plan. This system conducts monitoring, evaluation, and early warning based on the annual surveys and changed status of territorial land and other surveys and information, including the monitoring of geographic and national conditions. Since last year, we have completed the examination and evaluation for 108 cities approved by the State Council based on the third national land survey. In the first half of this year, we have carried out special examinations and assessments in more than 600 cities across the country based on their population changes and other situations. In the future, we will conduct regular examinations and assessments according to the annual surveys. In addition, on the basis of "integration of multiple plans into one single master plan," we are promoting the reform of regulation over land use, especially the reforms for the integrations of multiple reviews into one and of multiple permits into one. Some localities have begun to combine the original two permits, namely, the construction land plan permit and the construction project plan permit.
Third, it is about the system of laws, regulations, and policies. Article 18 of the regulations for the implementation of the Land Administration Law implemented in 2021 stipulates that the state shall establish a territorial space planning system. The territorial space plan approved according to law is the fundamental basis for all kinds of development, protection, and construction activities. Where a territorial space plan has been prepared, the general plan for land utilization and the urban-rural plan shall no longer be prepared. After implementing "multi-planning into one," only the territorial space plan is the basis for construction and plan permission. At present, the National People's Congress is promoting the legislative work for the territorial space plan. Various localities have also done a lot of work actively in this regard. The cities of Dalian and Ningbo have issued municipal-level territorial space plan regulations, while Hunan, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and other provinces are formulating provincial-level regulations on territorial space plans.
Fourth, in terms of building a basic standard system, we have established technical standards for territorial space planning in a three-year action plan with the Standardization Administration of China (SAC). We did this to accelerate the building of a unified technical standard system from four aspects: common bases, compilation and approvals, supervision and implementation, and information technology. There are several characteristics in building such a system. First, it is necessary to adhere to "integrating multiple regulations into one," especially for unifying the classification of land and sea use. This is fundamental and includes the standards for the information and data. Second, it must meet the requirements of ecological civilization, especially the requirements of intensive conservation, green and low-carbon, and safety and resilience. Third, it must meet the requirements of high-quality development, adhere to a people-centered approach, and serve the people's needs for better lives. Fourth, it must emphasize adjusting measures to local conditions. We need to streamline the previous system which had too many standards. Moreover, we need to avoid the "one size fits all" approach which risks making cities and towns all look the same. We will give better play to local advantages and leave room for formulating local standards.
In addition to these four aspects, it is worth mentioning that, with the support of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the development of the entire spatial planning industry has been very encouraging in recent years. The number of registered planners has increased from less than 30,000 before the reform to over 40,000 now, an increase of 39%. At the same time, the number of organizations with class-A qualifications for planner staff has increased from more than 400 to over 600. Furthermore, the number of registered planners and organizations has increased without the need to lower standards. Indeed, we have actually raised standards. Therefore, the industry has also been well developed. In terms of the discipline development, with the support from the Ministry of Education, some well-known universities have strengthened the development of the planning discipline in accordance with the requirements of "integrating multiple regulations into one" and building an ecological civilization.
Next, we will firmly implement the deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to promote the integration of multiple plans and continue to deepen the related reform. In particular, we will work to strengthen the planning regarding the aspects of science, authority, seriousness and effectiveness. And we will also continue to provide better support for the construction of new development patterns, promote the transformation of development methods, in order to pressing forward for a beautiful China and achieving harmony between human and nature. Thanks.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Zhonghongwang.com:
Over the past decade, China has implemented the strategic action of mineral exploration. What role does this action play in improving the guarantee of mineral resources? What are the future considerations? Thank you.
Yu Haifeng:
Thank you for your concerns about the mineral prospecting work. To implement the important instructions by General Secretary Xi Jinping and to guarantee the safety of national energy and resources, since 2011, we have organized and carried out strategic actions of mineral prospecting in accordance with the requirements of the State Council, and has developed a batch of strategic areas for important mineral resources in the past decade. Under the continuous increase in mining operation and consumption, the reserved resources of major minerals have generally increased. The specific data are as follows:
First, 23 large oil fields of 100 million metric tons and 28 large gas fields of 100 billion cubic meters were newly discovered, and 32 new non-oil and gas resource bases were also found.
Second, the newly proven geological reserves of petroleum in the western regions accounted for more than half of the country's total, and the output accounted for about one-third of the country's total. The newly proven geological reserves and natural gas production in western regions accounted for more than 80% of the country's total. Offshore oil and gas production accounted for about a quarter of the country. Especially in 2021, the crude oil output of Bohai Oilfield exceeded 30 million metric tons, and the new output increased significantly. In particular, we have founded 32 non-oil and gas mineral resource bases, and 25 of them are located in the western part of China.
Third, the added resources of over 80 old mines have reached large and medium-sized scale, and the service life of nearly 800 production mines has been extended to varying degrees.
Fourth, China's basic geological survey work has been improved. The coverage rate of the 1:50,000 regional geological survey has increased from 24.7% to 45.5%, and the survey work of important prospecting and prospective areas has been thoroughly surveyed.
Fifth, scientific research achievements, such as "the innovation of geological theory and the major breakthrough in prospecting of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau" and the "trinity" prospecting prediction theory in solid mineral exploration areas, have greatly supported domestic prospecting activities.
Sixth, we have issued the "three rates" target requirements for 124 mineral varieties such as coal and iron, and selected and promoted 360 advanced and applicable technologies, processes and equipment. As a result, the recovery rates of petroleum, solid minerals, and ore beneficiation have increased by 9 percentage points, 8 percentage points, and 9.5 percentage points on average, respectively.
Seventh, we have promoted the revision of the "Mineral Resources Law," deepened reform on the mining rights transferring system, and formed new standards for the classification of mineral resources and reserves.
For the next step, the MNR will resolutely implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, carry out the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, collaborate with relevant departments to launch a new round of mineral exploration campaigns with more focus on scarce strategic resources, enhance fundamental geological work, strengthen prospecting, especially accurate prospecting, and give full play to the role of various market entities so as to improve our ability to secure strategic mineral resources.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
The surveying, mapping and geoinformation work is fundamental support for economic and social development, affecting all walks of life and serving thousands of families. What progress has been made in improving such support for economic and social development? What achievements have been made in this regard? Thank you.
Liu Guohong:
First of all, thank you for your concern about the surveying, mapping, and geoinformation work. As you said, this work is a basic but significant and glorious mission. In a reply letter to the veteran team members and CPC members of the First Geodetic Surveying Brigade of the MNR, General Secretary Xi Jinping fully affirmed the great spirit of those working on the frontlines of surveying, mapping and geoinformation, manifested in their loyalty to the Party and dedication to the country. Inspired by General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, our staff in this field have worked hard, kept exploring new ground, and achieved transformation and upgrading in all work. Over the last decade, our basic surveying and mapping capabilities have been significantly improved, and geoinformation services have been expanded, providing strong support for economic and social development. It's mainly demonstrated in the following three aspects.
First, the transformation and development of our surveying, mapping and geoinformation work has basically formed a new pattern. We have revised the Surveying and Mapping Law, and the Regulations on Map Management, among others, and defined the role of surveying, mapping and geoinformation activities in promoting progress in the economic, national defense, social and eco-environmental fields, as well as safeguarding the security of national geoinformation. We have also formulated and implemented the Outline of the National Medium- and Long-term Plan for Basic Surveying and Mapping (2015-2030), forming a new work pattern in the construction of a new surveying and mapping system, the strategic transformation of basic geoinformation, the sound development of the geoinformation industry and other relevant industries, and security services for surveying, mapping and geoinformation.
Second, we have continued to improve our capabilities of acquiring basic surveying and mapping data and enhance their support services. We have significantly improved the performance of our homemade satellites to receive remote sensing data. In the past decade, we achieved a breakthrough in obtaining high-resolution images from our domestic satellites. Ten years ago, we had to buy foreign satellites for high-resolution imaging. At present, as a lead user, the MNR alone has 25 domestic satellites in orbit. We now update the 2-meter resolution images of our territory every quarter and the sub-meter resolution images annually. In 2021, we worked out 463,000 images through surveying and mapping. It might not be a familiar concept to the public, but if you see it this way, the areas covered by these surveying and mapping results are 20 times that of our entire territory. The national satellite navigation and positioning system has been fully established to provide centimeter-level real-time navigation and positioning services for the whole society. We can't live without it. These technologies, such as spatio-temporal databases, a new generation of national digital elevation model, and the construction of a real 3D China, and a spatio-temporal big data platform, have provided a unified spatio-temporal database for the construction of a digital China.
Third, the surveying, mapping and geoinformation work has provided solid support for economic and social development. The results of surveying, mapping and geoinformation have greatly supported major national surveys, such as economic censuses, land surveys, censuses on pollution sources, and population censuses, and injected strong impetus to the digital reform of government governance. Spatial data services based on geographical location, navigation, and positioning have greatly boosted the rapid development of new industries such as modern logistics, autonomous driving, and the sharing economy. I would like to share with you a set of figures. The total output of the geoinformation industry increased from 150 billion yuan in 2011 to more than 750 billion yuan in 2021, a four-fold increase in 10 years. Additionally, emergency mapping support, known as the "eye above the disaster area," has played an irreplaceable role in providing a timely and reliable geographical location to verify the disaster situation and organize rescue efforts in a targeted manner. Over the last decade, we have provided support services for more than 200 major natural disasters and public emergencies. After 10 years of efforts, we have basically formed a rapid response mechanism for emergency mapping. Take the earthquake that hit Luding, Sichuan province on Sept. 5 as an example. We provided the command map to the front headquarters within three hours after the earthquake. At the same time, we urgently mobilized 14 satellites to program and record for seven consecutive days. The directional, fixed, and timed shooting has facilitated an updating of the command map in a timely manner during the rescue process. We swiftly sent in drones to acquire radar images of the earthquake area with a resolution of 0.3 meters. For the remote areas, where the roads were interrupted and it was difficult for rescue workers to reach, we acquired high-definition images with a resolution of 0.1 meters, providing timely and precise positioning services for rescue workers and winning valuable time for the rescue work. It goes without saying that this mechanism should be constantly improved on the basis of the present in order to better provide services.
Going forward, we will firmly adhere to the requirements of supporting economic and social development and promoting ecological progress, continuously improve our abilities in surveying, mapping and geoinformation, and make new contributions to building a modern socialist country in all respects. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
In January this year, President Xi Jinping said at the 2022 World Economic Forum Virtual Session that China is now building the world's most extensive national parks system. What measures will forestry and grassland departments take to this end? Thank you.
Li Chunliang:
Thank you for your attention to the development of national parks. It has been 10 years since the target of establishing a national parks system was first put forward at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in 2013. Over the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned, deployed, and promoted the development of national parks. He announced the designation of China's first group of national parks and declared that the country is putting in place the world's most extensive national parks system. The NFGA, other relevant departments, local Party committees and governments have earnestly implemented General Secretary Xi's important instructions. We have firmly shouldered the glorious mission and political responsibility entrusted to us by the CPC Central Committee, explored boldly and actively made innovation. It is fair to say that the development of national parks has become the highlight of our forestry and grassland work over the past decade and a bright spot of our endeavor to promote ecological conservation and build a beautiful China. This is reflected in the following five aspects.
First, we have explored a national park development path with Chinese characteristics by piloting the national parks system. Since 2015, China has launched 10 pilot programs for the national parks system, strengthened top-level design, and formulated the principles of "putting ecological protection first, representing the national image, and benefitting the public" for national park development. National parks will be authorized by the central government and jointly developed by the central and local governments. China has accumulated experience in promoting innovation in the management system, ecological conservation, and community integration.
Second, we have achieved notable progress in protecting the ecological environment of the first group of national parks. The Sanjiangyuan National Park covers the source areas of the Yangtze River, Yellow River, and Lancang River. The Giant Panda National Park connects giant panda habitats that initially belonged to 73 nature reserves and 13 metapopulations. And 72% of wild giant pandas in the country have been effectively protected. The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has facilitated the migration of wild animals. The number of Siberian tigers has topped 50, and the number of Amur leopards has exceeded 60. The function of the rainforest ecosystem in the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park has been gradually restored. In the last two years, a Hainan gibbon cub was born and two were monitored in the park, increasing the island's gibbon population to 36 in five families. In the Wuyishan National Park, 14 new species were discovered in the past three years. At the same time, new national parks are being built in an orderly manner, and they will be designated once they are well-established.
Third, we have actively promoted the building of legal and policy systems for national park development. We have issued the Provisional Measures for the Management of National Parks and the Guidelines on the Establishment of National Parks, and launched and enforced five sets of national standards and a series of industry standards. We are soliciting public opinions on the draft law on national parks, and Sept. 19 is the closing date. We welcome your suggestions. In addition, fiscal policy support has been improved for the protection and restoration, ecological compensation, research and monitoring, and science popularization related to national parks.
Fourth, we have coordinated ecological conservation and green development. We have stayed committed to balancing ecological conservation, green development, and better lives. Moreover, we have properly addressed longstanding issues and various challenges arising from the development of national parks. We have enabled local residents to gain tangible benefits while participating in ecological conservation, nature education, and ecotourism development to increase their recognition and sense of belonging in the national parks.
Fifth, we are actively building the world's largest national parks system. As the journalist mentioned, General Secretary Xi said at the 2022 World Economic Forum Virtual Session that China is now putting the world's largest national parks system in place, setting the course for developing national parks. We are formulating a plan for the spatial layout of national parks as part of our efforts to turn the blueprint drawn up by General Secretary Xi into reality. The plan is being formulated with an aim of building the world's largest national parks system with the most diverse ecological and geographical features and the highest value for conservation. We will make a detailed introduction when it is released to the public soon.
Developing national parks is of vital importance to a nation. What we are doing today will benefit generations to come. This endeavor requires sustained effort and, more importantly, the support of society as a whole. Let's work together to develop our national parks so that our future generations have these precious natural assets, and contribute to building a modern country characterized by harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's press conference is concluded. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Liu Jianing, Zhang Junmian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Liu Sitong, Zhou Jing, Zhang Rui, Yan Bin, Huang Shan, Yan Xiaoqing, Li Huiru, Qin Qi, Wang Wei, He Shan, Zhang Liying, Ma Yujia, Yang Xi, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yuan Fang, Xu Kailin, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Jiang Wanrong, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development
Mr. Li Rusheng, chief engineer of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD)
Mr. Li Xiaolong, director general of the General Office, MOHURD
Mr. Wang Shengjun, director general of the Housing Reform and Development Department of the MOHURD and the ministry's spokesperson
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 14, 2022
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 31st press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We are delighted to have invited Mr. Jiang Wanrong, vice minister of housing and urban-rural development to brief you on China's measures and achievements in housing and urban-rural high-quality development in the new era and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Li Rusheng, chief engineer of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD); Mr. Li Xiaolong, director general of the General Office, MOHURD; and Mr. Wang Shengjun, director general of the Housing Reform and Development Department of the MOHURD and the ministry's spokesperson.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Jiang Wanrong for his introduction.
Jiang Wanrong:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good afternoon. It is a great pleasure for me to attend the press conference this afternoon which is being held in the run-up to the 20th CPC National Congress. I would also like to thank the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee for giving us this opportunity to introduce the trajectory and achievements of housing and urban-rural development in the past 10 years. My colleagues and I will answer your questions and respond to your concerns. First, on behalf of MOHURD, I would like to thank you for your long-term attention to and support for housing and urban-rural development.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important instructions on housing and urban-rural development, and proposed a series of new ideas, new concepts and new strategies, providing fundamental principles and guidance for us to do a good job in housing and urban-rural development. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the MOHURD has mobilized and guided officials and employees in the entire industry to study and implement the instructions and strive to build beautiful cities and countryside, meet housing needs for all people, and achieve historic progress in housing and urban-rural development.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The past decade has seen the largest number of government-subsidized housing projects and the highest amount of relevant investment in China. Hundreds of millions of people have realized their dream of having their own home. We regard accelerating the building of a housing support system as an important task to meet the basic housing needs of the people. The housing support system has been continuously improved. The construction of government-subsidized housing has been steadily advanced, the rebuilding of run-down urban areas has been vigorously implemented, groups benefiting from the housing provident fund have gradually been expanded, and the housing support capacity has been continuously enhanced. Over the past 10 years, the country has invested 14.8 trillion yuan in building various types of government-subsidized housing and rebuilding 59 million housing units in run-down urban areas. Low-income families with housing difficulties have been basically covered, and more than 140 million people have realized their dream of having their own place to live.
The past decade has seen the fastest development in China's real estate industry and a real estate market which is increasingly better regulated. The living conditions of the people have been significantly improved. We have been adhering to the principle that "houses are for living in, not for speculation" and implementing city-specific policies and classified guidance to promote the stable and sound development of the real estate market. We put in place a long-term mechanism for the development of the real estate market and are ensuring that municipal-level governments shoulder the primary responsibilities, supervised by provincial-level ones. We have established and improved the real estate market supervision system, and unswervingly kept the prices of land and housing as well as market expectations stable. In the past 10 years, the scale of housing supply has continued to increase. The sector sold a total of 13.23 billion square meters of commercial homes during the period, up 2.2 times from the previous decade, with better construction quality, more amenities and improved living environment.
The past decade has seen changes to China's urban development paradigm and significant improvements to the quality of development. Cities have become healthier, safer and more livable. Adhering to "one respect, five coordinates," we put the people's living conditions in the first place, leave the best resources for the people, improve the ability to meet people's basic living needs and provide public services, and promote intensive and green development. Efforts have been made to explore a high-quality urban development path with Chinese characteristics. In the past 10 years, urban functions have been continuously improved, the urban living environment has been significantly upgraded, and the urban governance level has been markedly enhanced. In 2021, China's percentage of permanent urban residents reached 64.72%, built-up areas of cities covered 62,000 square kilometers, 98% of urban residents had access to gas, and 99.4% to water supply. The green area rate of urban built-up areas reached 38.7%, and the per-capita area of green parks reached 14.87 square meters. People now enjoy more convenient, comfortable and better lives in cities.
Over the past decade, China has made huge efforts to develop rural areas, greatly transforming their look and giving rural residents a stronger sense of gain, happiness, and security. Fully implementing the tasks of eliminating poverty and comprehensively promoting rural revitalization, we have vigorously renovated dilapidated houses in rural areas, advanced rural development, improved the living environment there, and strived to build scenic and livable villages. A total of 23.42 million registered poor households nationwide have had access to safe housing, securing a historic victory in ensuring safe housing for impoverished rural residents. More than 50,000 beautiful villages with distinctive local features have been built, and more than 90% of household waste in villages has been collected, transported, and treated. A total of 6,819 villages of vital conservation value have been included in the list of traditional Chinese villages, and 520,000 traditional buildings, including cultural relics, historical buildings, traditional dwellings, temples, and ancestral halls, have been protected, developing the largest heritage conservation program of agrarian civilization with the richest contents and greatest value in the world.
Over the past decade, China has transformed and upgraded its construction industry and been marching from a major builder toward a strong builder. China's construction has continued to change the country's look. We have deepened the reform to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulations, and upgrade services in the construction industry, as well as reform the examination and approval system for construction projects. We have improved supervision systems and mechanisms, strengthened quality and safety management, optimized the business environment, and promoted the coordinated development of smart construction and new types of building industrialization. In the past decade, the construction industry has played a more solid role as a pillar industry of the national economy and has become more modernized, with project quality steadily improving. In 2021, the total output value of the construction industry reached 29.3 trillion yuan, 2.1 times that of 2012; the value added reached 8 trillion yuan, accounting for 7% of GDP; and the industry created more than 50 million jobs. A number of world-class landmark projects, such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Beijing Daxing International Airport, have been completed, demonstrating China's strong comprehensive national strength.
The past decade has witnessed remarkable achievements. Fundamentally, all of these are attributed to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the scientific guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. All of these are owed to the wisdom and sweat of builders in the new era and to the mighty strength of people from all sectors of society to build better urban and rural areas and realize their dream of having access to decent housing. Standing at a new historical starting point, we will focus on the central task of the Party on a new journey in the new era, keeping in mind the shouldering and fulfillment of our responsibilities, and striving for new advances in promoting the high-quality development of housing and urban-rural construction. By doing so, we aim to make greater contributions to realizing the second centenary goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects, and paving the way for a successful 20th CPC National Congress with impressive achievements.
Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
Over the past decade, China has secured visible outcomes in urban development, with the urban environment being more beautiful, functions further improved, and residents are enjoying more convenience in their lives. Could you introduce the measures the MOHURD has taken to promote urban development and improve the urban landscape? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
Thank you for your question. City dwellers have experienced the development and changes of cities in recent years. I'd like to invite Mr. Li Xiaolong to answer this question.
Li Xiaolong:
Thank you for your question. Urban work plays a major role in the overall work of the Party and the country. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new concepts, ideas, and strategies for urban work, answering the fundamental question of for and by whom are the cities being built and developed, as well as the major question of what kind of cities should be built and how to build them, thus providing principle guidance for promoting high-quality urban development.
After 37 years, in December 2015, we held the fourth Central Urban Work Conference, clarifying the overall thinking, goals, and tasks for urban development. This conference marked a milestone in urban work and turned a historic page in China's urban development.
Over the past decade, we have remained committed to a people-centered development philosophy, focusing on addressing the most pressing difficulties and problems that greatly concern the people. We have endeavored to create a quality living space for the people and make our cities healthier, safer, and more livable.
Over the past decade, China's urban living environment has been greatly improved. We have continued to restore the ecological environment and functions in cities, comprehensively renovated old urban residential communities, made further progress in sorting household refuse and greening urban gardens, and basically eliminated black, fetid water bodies in built-up areas of cities above the prefecture level, making the urban environment more livable. A total of 163,000 old residential communities have been renovated nationwide, benefiting more than 28 million households, and 297 cities above the prefecture level have adopted refuse sorting, covering 150 million households.
The past decade has witnessed the steady improvement of the comprehensive carrying capacity of cities in the country. We vigorously improved the system of urban infrastructure, accelerated new types of urban infrastructure, coordinated the construction of urban underground space and municipal infrastructure, and made efforts to renovate old public facilities. Just now, Mr. Jiang introduced some data, so I won't say more about this aspect.
The past decade has witnessed an increasingly consolidated foundation for the safety and security in Chinese cities. We established a risk inventory system for urban governance, and carried out surveys and safety inspections of buildings, constructions, and municipal facilities. We also promoted the building of sponge cities and piloted the sponge city program in 75 cities. A total of 1,116 areas prone to waterlogging in 60 key cities have been pinpointed and addressed, and urban waterlogging has been controlled systematically.
The past decade has witnessed a better system and mechanism for the workings of Chinese cities. We established and improved the urban examination and evaluation system, which provided strong support for accurately identifying and solving the root causes of "urban diseases." This included promoting the construction of the CIM platform and urban operation management service platform and steadily implementing the urban renewal action.
In the past decade, China has made remarkable progress in urban construction and development, which gained the recognition of the international community. We promoted the establishment of the World City Day and the Global Sustainable Development Cities Award (Shanghai Award) at the U.N., strengthened exchanges and sharing among cities around the world, and boosted the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and the U.N .2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which jointly advanced the sustainable development of global cities. Thank you.
Yicai:
The construction industry is a pillar industry of the Chinese economy. What has the ministry done to upgrade the structure of the industry? How has the "Built by China" brand changed the face of China? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
As I said in the introduction, China is now a major state in the construction industry and will continue to build its strength in the industry. Plenty of international landmark projects are also being advanced steadily. I would like to invite Mr. Li Rusheng to answer your questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Li Rusheng:
Thank you. Just as Mr. Jiang said that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the past decade marks an important period for the construction industry to transform and upgrade. "Built by China" has shown its strong comprehensive strength. I would like to add a few more points.
In the past decade, the scale of the construction industry has constantly increased. In the period, the industry's added value increased from 3.69 trillion yuan to 8.01 trillion yuan, accounting for more than 6.85% of GDP, which consolidated its position as a pillar industry of the economy. In 2021, the industry's total output reached 29.3 trillion yuan, more than twice that of 2012, and the sector created 52.82 million jobs, 10 million more than that of 2012.
In the past decade, the development benefit of the construction industry has sharply increased. Engineering design, construction standard, project quality, the level of S&T innovation, and the skills of workers have all been significantly improved. Labor productivity reached 473,000 yuan per person, an increase of nearly 60% compared with 2012. A number of new products, new business forms, and new models have taken shape, including prefabricated buildings, construction robots, and the internet for the construction industry. In 2021, the area of newly built prefabricated buildings in China reached 740 million square meters, accounting for 24.5% of the total newly built constructions.
In the past decade, the construction industry has supported people's basic living needs. Projects for improving people's wellbeing, such as the construction of urban infrastructure, schools, and hospitals, the rebuilding of run-down urban areas, and the renovation of old residential communities in cities, have significantly changed the landscape of urban and rural areas and facilitated people's work and life. Take the construction of urban rail transport as an example. At the end of 2021, the total length of urban rail transit lines reached 8,571 kilometers, more than four times that of 2012. The annual passenger volume reached 23.6 billion, which greatly facilitated people's travel. A number of landmark projects completed during the past decade, such as the Beijing Daxing International Airport, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals in Wuhan, embody the achievements of the transformation and development of the construction industry, and become the calling card of "Built by China."
In the past decade, the construction industry has expanded its overseas presence at a faster pace. Its international competitiveness has been significantly enhanced, with overseas projects carried out in more than 190 countries and regions. Since 2013, the turnover of contracted overseas projects and the amount of newly signed contracts have maintained steady growth. In 2021, 79 Chinese enterprises were among the world's largest 250 international contractors, as the number of such enterprises and the proportion of business have continued to rank first since 2014.
The influence of the "Built by China" brand has continued to improve. During his 2019 New Year speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "Made in China," "Created in China," and "Built by China" should work together to continuously change the face of China. His remark not only recognizes the construction industry, but also shows ardent expectations of its future development.
Next, we will further deepen the reform of the construction industry, strive for innovation-driven and technology-led development, and promote the transformation, the upgrading, and high-quality development of the industry so as to continue building the brand of "Built by China" and make a greater contribution to the sustained and sound development of the economy and society. Thank you.
China News Service:
Safe housing is an important part of the Two Assurances and Three Guarantees in poverty reduction [this refers to assurances of adequate food and clothing and guarantees of access to compulsory education, basic medical services, and safe housing for impoverished rural residents]. What has the MOHURD done to achieve the goal of providing safe housing to the rural poor population? Thank you.
Li Rusheng:
As Mr. Jiang mentioned before, in the battle against poverty, a total of 23.416 million registered poor households nationwide have access to safe housing, which means the issue of safe housing for poor rural population has been solved. We are very pleased to see that they have moved from clay and straw houses in brick ones, which shelter the wind and are larger and brighter. Their sense of contentment, happiness, and security has been greatly improved. The work we have done in this regard is as follows:
First, we carried out precise identification. We laid out applicable standards to identify dilapidated houses in rural areas, which include four levels: level A, which means safe; B, which is basically safe; C, which is partially dangerous; and D, which is dangerous. Houses identified as C and D-level houses are regarded as dilapidated houses for renovation.
Second, we ensured that responsibilities are fulfilled. We take registered poor households as the priority of our work. We adhere to the principle that the government at the provincial level takes the primary responsibility and the government at city, county, and township levels implements the tasks. Identification of safe housing has been carried out for every village and every household. We established a ledger for the renovation of dilapidated houses. Efforts were made to manage projects, funds, and human resources in a coordinated way. The renovation works have been mainly done by farmers themselves and subsidized by the government. For those areas of extreme poverty, we provided preferential policies. We also carried out a working mechanism in which a household would be removed from the list once its dilapidated house was renovated.
Third, we provided professional assistance. We formulated technical standards and guidance that are applicable in works of renovation and completion acceptance. We carried out training for construction workers and managers. We organized efforts to provide tailored technical assistance and help areas of extreme poverty, enhance techniques for renovating dilapidated houses, and improve housing quality.
Fourth, we conducted careful examinations and checks. We worked with relevant departments to conduct examinations nationwide to ensure registered poor households have access to safe housing. By fully leveraging the institutional strength of "CPC Secretaries at Five Levels Responsible for Poverty Elimination" [the five levels refer to the Party committees of provinces, cities (prefectures), counties, and townships, and the Party branches of villages], we organized local governments to work with Party branches of villages and village committees, village Party chiefs, and resident work teams in poor villages to conduct examinations on housing conditions for every registered poor household, in a bid to make sure that no household and no one is left behind.
Next, the MOHURD will align the efforts of consolidating and expanding poverty alleviation achievements with rural vitalization endeavors, conduct dynamic monitoring, and continue the renovation works of dilapidated houses and seismic retrofitting in rural areas. We will speed up the building of a long-term mechanism that aims to ensure safe housing for low-income groups in rural areas in a bid to better meet the growing needs of rural residents. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Changjiang Daily:
Urban management is closely related to people's interests, and has drawn much attention from all circles of society. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that cities shall be governed meticulously, like creating an embroidery. What has the ministry done in this regard? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
As the Chinese saying goes, construction work accounts for 30% of urban development while the rest relies on management. Managing a city, especially mega-cities, is not an easy job. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made clear instructions in this aspect many times. Today, Mr. Wang will introduce this aspect.
Wang Shengjun:
Thank you for your question. In recent years, we have resolutely acted on the important instruction given by General Secretary Xi Jinping that cities shall be governed with meticulous efforts and made special action plans on making the urban management more meticulous. We guided local authorities to deepen reform of the law enforcement system for urban management. Meticulous efforts have been made to improve urban management.
First, we deepened institutional reform. We have established a four-tiered system for urban management at the national, provincial, city, and county levels. The MOHURD has set up the Urban Management Supervision Bureau. Provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have specialized departments that are in charge of urban management. There are also comprehensive departments with urban management functions at city and county levels. Laws and regulations have been improved, and we have promulgated Measures for Law Enforcement in Urban Management and Technical Standards for Urban Outdoor Advertising Facilities, among others. We worked to carry out urban management works at the community level and solve the "last-mile" problem to better meet the needs of people. We pushed forward the establishment of a new city management paradigm based on collaboration and participation.
Second, we focused on sci-tech development in urban management. We have initiated the building of an urban management service platform at the national, provincial, and city levels. We have established a national network that connects all departments, and in which coordinated efforts will be achieved, and information will be shared. We have set up a new mechanism in which our decision-making, management, and innovations are based on statistics. The platforms at national and provincial levels focus on the overall situation, providing guidance and conducting supervision. The platform at the city level focuses on coordinating efforts, enhancing competent services, and strengthening assessment. Shanghai, Hangzhou, Qingdao, and other cities have put in place e-platforms for urban management, which preliminarily realized the goal of addressing problems at the source as well as process monitoring, early warning, emergency response, and improving the urban management with a holistic approach.
Third, we have made greater efforts to train urban management personnel and improved our capability for doing meticulous work. We have continuously carried out special campaigns themed with "Strengthening Foundation, Changing Working Style, Building Image," and formulated the Code of Conduct for Urban Management and Law Enforcement. We have worked to ensure that law enforcement is strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil by comprehensively introducing the system of publicity for administrative law enforcement, the system of archiving of the entire law-enforcement process and the system of legal review of major law enforcement. We have also promoted the "721 Working Method," which solved 70% of the problems through service, 20% of the problems through management, and 10% of that through enforcement. In the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and the fight against disasters such as waterlogging, typhoons, and snowstorms, urban management officers have lived up to their responsibilities, taken the lead, and made contributions. Three urban management officers, including Zhang Guifeng, were awarded the title of "model civil servants."
Four, we have made contribution to the operation of cities. We have formulated the standards for clean, orderly, and safe cityscape and included main indicators into the national standard evaluation system for civilized cities. We have continued to improve cities' appearance and environment, focusing on tackling difficult problems in backstreets, alleyways, advertising plaques, and manhole covers. We have also conducted trials of risk list management system for urban governance and pilot monitoring system for the safe operation of urban infrastructure, and built comprehensive monitoring systems for information on gas, water supply, drainage, power supply, heating, and bridges so as to improve urban risk prevention and control capabilities.
Thank you!
CNBC:
I have prepared two questions. First, I would like to ask, how is the housing shortage situation in urban and rural areas? How much more money and what kind of measures will be needed to support urban and rural development? Second, what are the key plans for the issues of urban and rural housing development in the next year or two? For example, in regards to the proportion of rental housing, government-subsidized rental housing, etc.? What other sectors will have new opportunities to participate? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
The housing problem is a major concern to all. I will invite Mr. Wang Shengjun to answer these questions.
Wang Shengjun:
Thank you for your questions. Mr. Jiang has introduced the development situation, including the progress we have achieved in housing construction over the past decade. Since the reform and opening-up, especially the urban housing reform, we have constantly accelerated the pace of housing construction and continuously expanded the scale of housing supply, so the problem of housing shortage has been solved gradually. According to the data of the seventh national census, the nation's total household living space has surpassed 50 billion sq m as of 2020. At this stage, people's demand for housing has shifted from "zero to one" to "good or not." They have started to require more comfortable living conditions, a more beautiful environment, and more convenient services. In response to people's expectations, the MOHURD will speed up the establishment of a housing system with multiple types of suppliers, multiple channels for housing support, and encouragement for both renting and buying. We will strive to improve housing design and construction, improve management and service quality, and continuously meet people's needs for a better living.
Over the last decade, we have made a rapid progress in housing as well as urban and rural development. The construction scale of housing, including urban infrastructure, has become relatively large. Speaking of future work regarding housing and urban and rural development, it is fair to say that we still in a period of rapid urbanization. Tens of millions of people are added to the urban population every year, resulting in massive demand for urban housing, infrastructure, and public service facilities. Meanwhile, our cities have entered an important stage of urban renewal and have been faced with many new tasks such as rebuilding old urban residential areas, shoring up weak links in infrastructure and renovation. It is fair to say that the construction scale remains relatively large considering these two aspects mentioned above, as well as the efforts to advance rural development. Advancing housing and urban and rural development has remained a long-term task as well as a comprehensive task.
Going forward, the MOHURD will earnestly implement the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and take various measures to advance supply-side structural reforms in housing, urban renewal, and rural development in a coordinated manner. We will also accelerate the construction of government-subsidized rental housing, as you mentioned before, to make new progress in the high-quality development of housing and urban and rural areas.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CCTV:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, housing conditions in China have achieved noticeable improvement, helping many urban residents realize their dreams of settling down. Regarding this, could you please introduce what efforts the MOHURD has made and what achievements have been produced? For the next step, what new measures will be taken to consolidate the work of housing support and to solve housing problems for low- and middle-income urban residents and new urban residents? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
Thank you for your questions. The housing problem concerns people's well-being. Therefore, we should ensure that the government functions better while letting market forces play a decisive role. We have prioritized improving two systems: the housing market system and the housing support system. The government plays a more significant role in the support system. Over the past decade, we have explored the following aspects and made several achievements.
First, we have moved faster to improve the housing support system to meet people's basic housing needs. Focusing on meeting people's basic housing needs, we have fully considered different groups' housing conditions and financial capacity while exploring and establishing the housing support system. Based on a thorough investigation and demonstration, and a review of experiences gained from the trials, with the approval of the State Council, last June, the General Office of the State Council issued opinions on accelerating the development of the government-subsidized rental housing. It outlined for the first time the top-level design for the housing support system at the national level. It proposed accelerating the improvement of the housing support system with public rental housing, government-subsidized rental housing and shared ownership housing as the mainstay. In other words, the housing support system mainly consists of three parts: public rental housing, government-subsidized rental housing, and shared ownership housing. To deliver the best outcomes, we have worked with relevant departments to establish a set of relatively sound housing support policies and management systems, including financial, fiscal and tax, land and other support policies. In addition, we have set up mechanisms for the admission, use, exit and operation management of government-subsidized housing, ensuring that benefits can effectively be brought to people struggling with housing and needing help.
Second, we have advanced housing reconstruction in neglected urban areas to help people move from sub-standard accommodation to new apartments. In 2013, the reconstruction of the neglected urban areas was fast-tracked. The state has issued policy documents concerning speeding up the rebuilding of housing in dilapidated urban areas every year for three consecutive years. These documents set out clear requirements about the number of buildings to be rebuilt and the necessary infrastructure. Departments and commissions of the central government have cooperated closely and introduced a series of effective policies and measures concerning financial support, tax and fee cuts and exemptions, capital subsidies, land supply and special bonds. Over the past decade, over 43 million housing units in underdeveloped urban areas have been rebuilt, helping hundreds of millions of residents in run-down urban areas to improve their living conditions and to live in peace and contentment.
Third, we have made great efforts to develop government-subsidized rental housing to help new urban residents and young people realize their dreams of having a home to settle in. We have urged and guided localities to accelerate the development of government-subsidized rental housing, set the development goals, establish fundamental institutions, promote multi-party participation and implement supporting policies. Moreover, a pattern of developing government-subsidized rental housing with multiple types of suppliers and numerous channels for support has taken shape. In 2021 and 2022, 3.3 million government-subsidized rental housing units were constructed nationwide, addressing the housing needs of nearly 10 million new urban residents and young people. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, 6.5 million government-subsidized rental homes will be built in 40 key cities, solving the housing difficulties for about 20 million new urban residents and young people.
Fourth, we have promoted the well-regulated development of public rental housing to ensure the basic needs of urban households with housing difficulties and low incomes. Over the past decade, public rental housing operation management has been continuously strengthened, with an increase in the amount of physical housing stock and an improvement in the housing subsidy system. By the end of 2021, 38 million people in need had moved into public rental housing. The provision of physical housing and rental subsidies has addressed the housing needs of many people in difficulty. I would like to share some figures with you. We have ensured the housing needs of 11.76 million people living on low incomes and subsistence allowances and struggling with housing. Moreover, we have helped 5.08 million people over 60 years old, 710,000 people with disabilities, 440,000 young teachers, 260,000 entitled groups, and 230,000 sanitation workers and bus drivers.
Fifth, we have developed shared ownership housing according to local conditions and helped households with certain financial capacities to purchase shared ownership housing. In April 2014, we launched pilots on the development of shared ownership housing in six cities, including Beijing and Shanghai. We deepened the pilot programs in September 2017. By the end of 2021, a total of 83,000 shared ownership housing units had been built in Beijing and 136,000 households had signed contracts in Shanghai. Shared ownership housing enables residents to obtain houses with property rights at relatively lower prices, increasing their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security.
Indeed, housing support is a long-term task. Next, we will thoroughly implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, focusing on increasing government-subsidized rental housing and improving the housing support system. We will further regulate the development of public rental housing, develop shared ownership housing according to local conditions, and steadily advance housing renovation in run-down urban areas. We will make more efforts to increase the supply of government-subsidized housing to better meet people's basic housing needs while making new achievements in housing support.
Thank you!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CNR News:
Significant changes are taking place in not only urban but also rural development. How will the MOHURD advance the building of beautiful countryside and retain our cultural roots? Moreover, what measures will be taken next to promote rural revitalization? Thank you.
Li Xiaolong:
Thank you for your questions. The idea that the development of beautiful countryside should enable people to enjoy the beautiful scenery and retain their cultural roots has been ingrained into people's minds. Beautiful villages have also become places where people living in cities would most like to bring their elderly and children to visit during holidays or to take photos for social media.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the MOHURD has conscientiously studied and implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and instructions on rural development and stepped up rural development to build a beautiful and livable countryside. Rural areas have taken on a new look.
First, we have improved the management over the construction of rural houses and villages. We have provided design support to countryside construction and strengthened the training of rural constructors to improve rural development. We have promoted the modernization of rural housing and villages, enhanced the design and construction level of rural housing, strengthened the development of village infrastructure and public service supporting facilities, protected the natural and cultural environment, and greatly enhanced the housing conditions of rural residents. These efforts have given rise to a number of picturesque villages with distinctive features.
Second, breakthroughs have been made in treating household waste in rural areas. We have guided all localities to coordinate the development of waste treating facilities and services at the county, township and village levels. The domestic waste collection, transporting and treating service has covered more than 90% of villages, an increase of 60 percentage points compared with 2012. The task of improving 24,000 undesignated refuse dumping points has been completed, and nearly 1 billion cubic meters of various types of garbage left untreated for long have been adequately addressed.
Third, the protection of traditional villages has continued to improve. We have organized and implemented programs to protect traditional Chinese villages, and 6,819 villages were included in the "List of Chinese Traditional Villages for Protection." We have carried out demonstrative projects for contiguous protection and utilization of traditional Chinese villages. 520,000 historical buildings and traditional dwellings and 3,380 intangible cultural heritage items at and above the provincial level have been protected and inherited, forming the world's largest protection group of agricultural civilization heritage.
Fourth, the evaluation mechanism for rural development has been continuously improved. We have established and enhanced the evaluation mechanism for rural development and built an index system to evaluate rural development, rural housing construction, village construction and county seat construction among other aspects. In 28 provinces across the country, 117 sample counties were evaluated, shedding light on the status and performance of rural development nationwide as well as the significant problems and shortcomings. The findings serve as important references for scientifically promoting rural development.
In the next step, we will continue to advance poverty alleviation to help achieve rural revitalization, and promote the beautiful countryside initiative to continuously yield new results. First, we will implement projects to improve the quality and safety of rural housing by enhancing the design and construction level. We will improve rural houses' functions and supporting facilities and continuously improve rural residents' housing and living conditions. Second, we will guide all localities to further improve the system for the collection, transport and treatment of domestic waste, improve the governance level, and continue to improve rural living environments. Third, we will increase the protection and utilization of traditional Chinese villages. Fourth, we will carry out a comprehensive evaluation of rural development. Fifth, we will further mobilize and stimulate people's enthusiasm and initiative to participate in rural development and ensure rural people can share the fruits of rural development. Thank you.
Southern Metropolis Daily:
In the past decade, real estate has been closely related to the vital interests of ordinary people and the country's economic and social development. The rapid development of real estate has also played a significant role in improving people's housing conditions. What measures has the MOHURD taken in this regard? As we move forward, is there anything else under consideration when promoting a stable and healthy housing market, especially regarding the delivery of houses to their purchasers? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
Everyone has personal experiences with real estate, so please let me invite Mr. Wang Shengjun to give you an introduction to this issue.
Wang Shengjun:
Thanks for your question. Real estate is of great interest to everyone, so let me introduce the details.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee, with great care for the people's wellbeing, has proposed the principle that houses are for living in, not for speculation, and made comprehensive plans to meet the housing needs of all Chinese people as a major task. The housing system to ensure supply through multiple sources, provide housing support through multiple channels, and encourage both housing purchase and renting has been gradually improved. "Houses are for living in, not for speculation" has become a public consensus.
As Mr. Jiang Wanrong said, with the rapid development of real estate, our market order has been constantly regulated. Over the past ten years, we have worked closely with all relevant departments to resolutely implement the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The focus of real estate development has always been on ensuring people's wellbeing. We have implemented in steps long-term mechanisms to stabilize land prices, housing prices, and expectations, and take city-specific policies to promote the steady and healthy development of the real estate market. There are mainly the following aspects.
First, we have established a policy coordination mechanism. We have kept real estate policies continuous and stable, making them more coordinated and well-targeted. We have supported people's demand for housing and improved housing by reining in speculative investment in the housing market. We have also enhanced the land supply management for residential use, established a joint mechanism for housing and land supply, and improved macro-prudential management of real estate financing to promote a sound circle between real estate and finance.
Second, we have established a mechanism that links the ministry with provinces and cities. Considering real estate market law, the ministry and provincial and municipal governments have coordinated efforts to strengthen the primary responsibility of municipal government and the supervision and guiding responsibility of provincial governments. We have adopted city-specific measures and made full use of tools for regulation to enhance guidance and supervision over city-specific measures.
Third, we have improved the monitoring, early warning, evaluation and assessment mechanism. We have established a sound information system for the real estate market and a monitoring system to carry out monthly monitoring, quarterly evaluation and annual evaluation regularly. For cities where the housing prices exceed the target of regulation, we urge municipal governments to take effective measures to stabilize the market by issuing letters of warning and conducting inquiries, research and supervision.
Fourth, we have enhanced supervision over the real estate market. The ministry and related departments have jointly launched a three-year campaign to ensure the order of the real estate market. We have done this by rectifying violations of laws and regulations in real estate development, housing sales, housing rental and property services, and strengthening supervision of pre-sale funds for commercial housing following the principle of "getting them under control instead of over control." We take it as the primary goal to ensure home delivery, meet living needs, maintain stability, and prevent and defuse market risks in accordance with the law- and market-based principles to protect the legitimate rights and interests of homebuyers and maintain overall social stability.
Real estate involves living needs and development as well. The ministry and related departments will continue to take concrete steps to promote the steady and sound development of the real estate market. First, we adhere to the policy that homes are for living in, not for speculation; this is the fundamental principle for real estate regulation. Second, we will improve the housing market and support systems, both of which are indispensable. Third, we will increase efforts to stabilize land prices, housing prices and expectations. Fourth, we will improve the mechanism for coordinating the elements of people, homes, land and funds by determining housing prices based on the population and estimating land supply and funds based on homes.
Regarding home delivery, the ministry, together with the Ministry of Finance and the People's Bank of China, issued special measures last month to support cities in need. We utilized special loans from policy banks to boost the construction and delivery of housing projects that have been sold and have difficulties delivering on time. At present, work in this regard is getting underway in an orderly manner. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Hong Kong Economic Herald:
Historical and cultural heritage carries the gene and bloodline of the Chinese nation. Over the decade, China has systematically sought to protect, utilize and maintain historical and cultural heritage in the country's urban and rural construction. What efforts have been made by the ministry to enhance the work in this regard? Thank you.
Li Xiaolong:
Thank you for your question. It is our responsibility to history and the people to protect and carry forward historical and cultural heritage. We have implemented the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and continued to strengthen the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage. At present, China has 140 state historical and cultural cities, 312 historical and cultural towns, 487 historical and cultural villages and 6,819 traditional villages, more than 1,200 historical and cultural blocks, and 59,500 historical buildings, making them the most comprehensive, complete and systematic carrier for carrying forward traditional Chinese culture.
First, we have established a system for protection and inheritance and formed a systematic protection model. The concept of the system involves a time span covering the 5,000-year history of Chinese civilization, including the ancient time, 180 years of modern and contemporary history, 100 years since the founding of the Communist Party of China, 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and 40 years of reform and opening-up. Meanwhile, it also involves coverage, where all that ought to be designated for protection shall be designated and all that ought to be protected shall be protected. We had done a lot of jobs before the concept of the system was rolled out. Last August, the Opinions on Strengthening the Protection and Inheritance of Historical and Cultural Heritage in Urban and Rural Construction was issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council. The document clarified the protection of historical and cultural cities, towns and villages (traditional villages), blocks and immovable cultural relics, historical architecture and streets, industrial, agricultural, irrigation and intangible cultural heritage and the cultural heritage of place names. The complete system has formed a systematic protection model.
Second, we insist on promoting protection by utilization. Urban and rural historical and cultural heritage are closely linked to ordinary people's lives. For example, Chinese traditional construction methods, whether a mix of brick and wood or a wooden structure, decay more easily the less you use them. Therefore, a question worth thinking about is how we can protect these cultural relics whilst making good use of them. Now, we encourage all localities to adopt the approach to promote protection by putting them into use, and make historical and cultural resources be utilized and come alive through refined transformation. By doing so, on the one hand, we can protect cultural relics. On the other hand, we can resolve the pressing difficulties and problems of the most significant concern to the people and make their living more convenient. Some places have achieved good results by adopting this approach and the relic sites have now become popular among internet users after transformation and renovation.
Third, we strengthen supervision and management. To improve the protection of famous historical and cultural cities, towns and villages, it is imperative to supervise and inspect. Regarding destructive behaviors such as large-scale demolition and reconstruction, we have promptly investigated, punished and issued circulated notices to criticize, reversing this bad tendency and the malpractice of demolishing relics and constructing replicas, in a timely manner. At the same time, we have established a special evaluation system for the normalized protection of famous historical cities. Starting this year, we will guide each of such cities to complete yearly self-assessments.
Going forward, the MOHURD will work with relevant departments to speed up the improvement of the urban and rural historical and cultural heritage protection and inheritance system. We will wholly and systematically protect historical and cultural heritage, and strive to do an excellent job in the protection and inheritance of urban and rural historical and cultural heritage in the new era, so that urban and rural areas can retain their memories and the public can enjoy the nostalgia. Thank you!
Cover News:
Construction has a high energy consumption, but it also has a high energy saving potential. May I ask what measures our country has taken to promote the rapid development of energy efficiency of buildings and green architecture, and encourage energy conservation and emission reduction in the construction sector? What results have been achieved? Thank you.
Li Rusheng:
Well, thank you for your questions. Indeed, the construction sector is an important area of China's energy consumption and carbon emissions. It is also vital for China to achieve peak carbon emission and carbon neutrality. I would like to answer your questions on expanding the construction of eco-friendly buildings, promoting the energy efficiency of buildings, adjusting energy structures and improving the green standards.
First, we have expanded the construction industry through green architecture. The coverage area of newly built green buildings nationwide has increased from 4 million square meters in 2012 to more than 2 billion square meters in 2021. In 2021, the proportion of newly built green buildings in urban areas that year reached 84%, and the cumulative number of projects that have obtained green building labels reached 25,000. Currently, 2,134 green building materials products have obtained certification labels, which has driven the coordinated development of related industries and has extended and widened the construction industrial chain.
Second, we improved the lives of residents through the energy efficiency of buildings. We vigorously promoted building energy efficiency and raised the energy efficiency standard for residential buildings in northern China from an energy saving rate of 50% in 2012 to 75%. By the end of 2021, urban energy-efficient buildings had reached 27.7 billion square meters. According to the monitoring results, the residential buildings that have undergone energy-saving renovation can increase the indoor temperature by 3-5 degrees Celsius in winter and decrease it by 2-3 degrees Celsius in summer, improving the living comfort of residents.
Third, we have made the residential environment greener by adjusting the energy consumption structure. By the end of 2021, China's buildings' solar thermal energy application area reached 5.066 billion square meters, and the installed solar photovoltaic capacity reached 18,200 megawatts. The shallow geothermal energy application building area was about 467 million square meters, and urban buildings' renewable energy replacement rate reached 6%, effectively reducing carbon emissions.
Fourth, we have strengthened the industry's competitiveness by improving building energy efficiency standards. We have promulgated and implemented a series of standard specifications for the energy efficiency of buildings, green architecture and building materials. These include the "General Code for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Application in Buildings," "Assessment Standard for Green Building," "Technical Standard for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings," and "Green Product Assessment - Wood-based Panels and Wooden Flooring," which have enhanced the competitiveness of the construction industry and created conditions for the "Built by China" brand to go global.
Going forward, we will adhere to the priority of ecology and conservation, implement the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and promote energy efficiency of buildings, green architecture and green construction. We will accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation and development of urban and rural construction and put a green label on "Built by China" to contribute to building a beautiful China. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Shou Xiaoli:
Due to time constraints, we will take the last question. Housing and urban-rural development is closely related to everyone and has received widespread attention. If you do not get the opportunity to ask your question, please feel free to contact the MOHURD after the press conference. Let's give the last opportunity to this journalist in the first row.
21st Century Business Herald:
Since its establishment, the housing provident fund system has benefited more and more people with increasingly higher satisfaction. How has the system been improved? What role has it played in meeting the people's basic housing needs? Thank you.
Jiang Wanrong:
Thank you for your positive comment on our work. The housing provident fund system has indeed played a very important role. I would like to invite our spokesperson Mr. Wang Shengjun to take these questions.
Wang Shengjun:
Thank you for your questions. I'll make a brief introduction. The housing provident fund system was first launched in Shanghai in 1991 amid the urban housing reform. It is a fundraising, use and management system created to solve the housing problem for employees. Over the past decade, the system has developed steadily, benefitted larger groups of people, continued to release the system's dividends, and played an increasingly prominent role in meeting people's basic housing needs. I would like to summarize its development in three points.
First, the system pools funds for people's accommodation. Over the past decade, the coverage of the system has continuously expanded and the scale of the fund has become ever larger. The number of people who pay contributions to the fund has increased from 102 million to 164 million, the total deposits from 5 trillion yuan to 22.5 trillion yuan, and the fund balance from 2.68 trillion yuan to 8.18 trillion yuan. Last year, employees in the non-public sector accounted for 52.1% of all those who contributed to the fund. Meanwhile, over 1 million workers in flexible employment participated in the system. We also encourage our fellow compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan who are working on the Chinese mainland to contribute to and use the housing provident fund.
Second, the system provides convenient services for the people. We support both renting and buying to solve the housing problem for the people. In the past decade, 12.44 trillion yuan were withdrawn from the housing provident fund; 27.36 million individual housing loans were issued, totaling 10.28 trillion yuan, of which more than 80% were first-home loans. In addition, 341 municipal housing provident fund management centers have set up platforms enabling trans-provincial, off-site, and round-the-clock services. A national platform for the transfer and continuation of the housing provident fund has been launched to help employees transfer their accounts and continue contributing despite movement across the country. We have handled a total of 4.19 million housing provident fund transfers and continuations, with an amount exceeding 100 billion yuan. In May last year, the national housing provident fund mini-app was launched, which has provided individual housing provident fund information inquiry services to more than 67 million depositors.
Third, the system helps guard against risks and protects employee's savings through transparent operation. Using the internet plus regulation model, we have improved the national housing provident fund regulation and service platform, which enables online real-time regulation and established an impregnable risk prevention system combining internal risk control and external regulation and connecting online inspection with offline verification and disposal. Since 2015, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the People's Bank of China, we have released the previous year's national housing provident fund "account book" to the public every year, and local housing provident fund management centers have also disclosed the annual housing provident fund bills within their jurisdictions through various channels.
The housing provident fund, with saving as the basis and fund at the core, is designed to ensure people's accommodation. Going forward, we will continue to innovate and develop the system to sustain its benefits for both employers and employees and better meet the people's housing needs. Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you to Mr. Jiang and all the other speakers. Thank you to friends from the media. That's all for today's press conference.
Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Zhang Liying, Cui Can, Wang Yanfang, Qin Qi, Huang Shan, Xu Kailin, Zhou Jing, Zhang Rui, Liu Sitong, He Shan, Lin Liyao, Ma Yujia, Xu Xiaoxuan, Yuan Fang, Yan Bin, Duan Yaying, Li Huiru, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Li Guoying, minister of water resources
Mr. Zhang Xiangwei, director general of the Department of Planning and Programming of the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR)
Mr. Chen Mingzhong, director general of the Department of Rural Water and Hydropower of the MWR
Mr. Yao Wenguang, director general of the Department of Flood and Drought Disaster Prevention of the MWR
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 13, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference. Today, we are holding the 30th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We have invited Mr. Li Guoying, minister of water resources, to brief you on achievements in water development since the 18th CPC National Congress and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Zhang Xiangwei, director general of the Department of Planning and Programming of the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR); Mr. Chen Mingzhong, director general of the Department of Rural Water and Hydropower of the MWR; and Mr. Yao Wenguang, director general of the Department of Flood and Drought Disaster Prevention of the MWR.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Li for his introduction.
Li Guoying:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I am very glad to brief you on water development work since the 18th CPC National Congress. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to people from all walks of life for your long-standing interest in and support for China's water development.
China suffers from water scarcity, imbalanced seasonal and regional water availability, and frequent floods and droughts. This makes China one of the countries with the most complicated water resource conditions and the most difficult and arduous task in terms of water management. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attaches great importance to water development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, mindful of the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, has set out a policy framework for water management that prioritizes water conservation, balances spatial allocation, adopts a systematic approach, and involves both government and market efforts; established development strategies for the Yangtze River and the Yellow River; and arranged major water conservancy projects such as the national water network, thus providing strategic guidance and a roadmap for China's water development in the new era. These steps are of milestone significance in the history of water management of the Chinese nation. With General Secretary Xi Jinping at the helm and guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, people from all walks of life have made concerted efforts to scientifically manage water resources, thus solving many tough problems that were long on the agenda but never resolved, and accomplished multiple major goals that affect the country's overall strategic and long-term development and the people's wellbeing. China has made historic achievements and transformations in water development.
The past decade has witnessed overall improvements in the country's capabilities to guard against floods and droughts. We have acted on the principles of "giving priority to disaster prevention and combining prevention, response and relief; integrating routine disaster reduction and urgent disaster relief; shifting the focus from post-disaster relief to pre-disaster prevention, from response to a single disaster to comprehensive disaster reduction, and from reducing disaster losses to alleviating disaster risks," put people's lives first, improved flood prevention systems in drainage basins, enhanced forecasting, early warning, disaster drills and preparedness, and operated water projects in a fine-tuned fashion. In this way, we have contained severe floods of the Yellow River, Yangtze River, Huaihe River, Haihe River, Pearl River, Songhuajiang-Liaohe River and Taihu Lake. In the past decade, the annual cost of damage caused by floods, as a share of China's GDP, dropped to 0.31% from 0.57% in the previous decade. Since 2021, we have seen a mega flood in the upper stream of the Heilongjiang River, autumn floods on a rarely seen scale in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and a rarely seen flood in the Beijiang (north river) of the Pearl River Basin; nationwide, 8,135 large and medium-sized reservoirs have controlled 225.2 billion cubic meters of floodwater; 12 national floods storage areas have been put into use, avoiding flooding events in 3,055 cities and towns, floods in more than 39.48 million mu (2.63 million hectares) of arable land, and the relocation of 21.64 million people. Meanwhile, we have effectively responded to severe droughts in the Pearl River Basin and other areas, ensuring basic water supply in a year of extraordinary droughts. This year, faced with the most severe drought in the Yangtze River Basin since 1961, we adopted precise and targeted measures in a specific scope and carried out a special joint action for drought relief and water supply of reservoirs, thus ensuring drinking water security for 13.85 million people and meeting the irrigation needs of 1.9 million hectares of autumn grain crops.
The past decade has witnessed the resolution of the long-standing drinking water security problem in rural areas. Drinking water security in rural areas is a key indicator for eradicating absolute poverty. With this firmly in mind, we have solved the drinking water security problem for 17.1 million registered poor people and a total of 280 million rural residents over the past decade. To date, 84% of the rural population have access to tap water. In this way, the problem of drinking water which troubled generations of Chinese farmers has been resolved. We have promoted the construction of farmland irrigation projects. A total of 7,330 large and medium-sized irrigation districts have been built and the effective irrigated area has reached 69.13 million hectares. In the irrigated areas, which account for 54% of China's arable land, farmers produced 75% of the country's grain and more than 90% of cash crops. This has laid a solid foundation for ensuring food security through our own efforts.
The past decade has witnessed transformations in the utilization of water resources. We have prioritized water conservation, implemented a national water-saving initiative, strengthened a rigid constraint system for water resources, and promoted efficient and intensive water utilization. In 2021, water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP and per 10,000 yuan of value-added of industry dropped by 45% and 55% respectively compared to 2012. The effective utilization coefficient of farmland irrigation water went up from 0.516 in 2012 to 0.568 in 2021. In the past decade, China's total water consumption has remained stable. With 6% of the world's fresh water, China feeds nearly 20% of the global population and generates over 18% of global economic output.
The past decade has witnessed holistic upgrading in the distribution of water resources. Based on the overall and spatially balanced allocation of water resources in drainage basins, we have accelerated major water diversion projects and key water supply projects. The first phase of the eastern and central routes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project were put into operation, supplying 56.5 billion cubic meters of water so far and benefitting 150 million people. The construction of other major projects has started, including water diversion projects such as channeling water from the Yangtze River to the Hanjiang River, a follow-up project for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, water transfer to central Yunnan province, water diversion from the Yangtze River to the Huaihe River, and the Pearl River Delta Water Resources Allocation Project, as well as large reservoirs such as Jiayan Reservoir in Guizhou province and Laluo Reservoir in Tibet. As such, a complete, secure, reliable, efficient, environmentally friendly, smart, smooth and well-regulated national water network is taking shape at a fast pace. The supply capacity of water conservancy projects across the country increased from 700 billion cubic meters in 2012 to 890 billion cubic meters in 2021.
Over the past decade, the condition of rivers and lakes has improved fundamentally. Guided by the philosophy that clean water and green mountains are just as valuable as gold and silver, we have advanced the protection and governance of water ecosystem. We have fully established the river-chief and lake-chief system, with 1.2 million river and lake chiefs at the five administrative levels of province, city, county, township and village performing their duties. We launched the Mother River restoration project, and the groundwater level of northern China has picked up. In 2021, shallow groundwater in controlled areas rose 1.89 meters on average from the same period in 2018, while deep confined water climbed 4.65 meters. The aquatic ecosystem of the Baiyangdian Lake has been restored; many rivers that have dried up for many years, such as the Yongding River, have fully resumed water supply; and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has realized full operation for the first time in a century. We have brought soil erosion under control across 580,000 square kilometers of land over the past 10 years. The area and intensity of soil erosion have declined, with barren mountains covered with green and flaming mountains transformed into mountains of flowers and fruits. More rivers have been restored, more basins have been revitalized and more rivers and lakes have become pleasant rivers and lakes that benefit the people.
Over the past decade, the capability of water conservancy governance has improved systematically. We strengthened the management of water conservancy systems and mechanisms under the rule of law, deepened unified planning, unified governance, unified control and unified the administration of basins, and advanced modernization of water conservancy systems and capability of water conservancy governance. The law on the protection of the Yangtze River and regulation on the management of groundwater were released and implemented, and the mechanism for coordinating water resources law enforcement and criminal justice and the cooperation mechanism between water resources law enforcement and procuratorial public interest litigations have been continuously improved. Reforms in key areas, such as market-oriented trading of permits for water use, have been accelerated, and breakthroughs have been made to reform water conservancy investment and financing. Water conservancy investment from bank loans and social capital has reached 238.8 billion yuan since the beginning of the year, setting a record. The construction of digital twin basins, digital twin water networks, and digital twin water projects has been accelerated. There has been a significant advancement in the science and technology of water conservation.
Embarking on a new journey, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, water resource authorities will apply the new development philosophy in full and correctly. Authorities from all fields will endeavor and fully implement the thinking of prioritizing water conservation, spatially balanced allocation, systematic governance, and leveraging the government's and the market's strengths. We will focus on enhancing the national ability to safeguard water safety and make concrete efforts to promote the high-quality development of water conservancy in a new development stage and make our contributions to writing a brand-new chapter in building a modern socialist country in all respects. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Li. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.
CCTV:
The river-chief and lake-chief system was fully established by the end of 2018. It has been almost four years since then. What specific work has the MWR done during this period and what achievements have been made? Thank you.
Li Guoying:
The river-chief and lake-chief system is a major reform planned, deployed and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping personally. It is a major institutional innovation formally approved by the CPC Central Committee. In October 2016, guidelines on appointing local government heads as river chiefs across the nation to clean up and protect its water resources were rolled out by the general offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. In December 2017, guidelines for establishing a lake chief system were released by the general offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. This innovative system is based on upholding the people's fundamental interests and aims to resolve floods, problems of the water ecosystem, water environment and water resources, which are of the utmost and immediate concern to the people. Therefore, the establishment and implementation of the system have won extensive support and positive response from Party committees and governments at all levels and people from all sectors of society. Since establishing and implementing the system, tangible progress has been made in at least three aspects.
First, a management system of water conservancy governance has been continuously improved. At the national level, we established and improved the inter-departmental joint meeting mechanism for the river-chief and lake-chief system. Leading officials from the State Council serve as conveners, and 18 member units act closely to strengthen the coordination, organization and leadership of promoting the river-chief and lake-chief system nationwide. In terms of basins, seven basin institutions, including the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, the Huaihe River, the Haihe River, the Pearl River, the Liaohe River and the Taihu Lake basin institutions, have established their own provincial inter-departmental joint meeting mechanisms for the river-chief and lake-chief system. Their offices are located in their management institutions, which aim to strengthen coordination between basins and form a joint prevention, joint control and joint treatment working mechanism for coordinating upstream and downstream, left bank and right bank, and mainstream and tributary. In terms of areas, river-chief and lake-chief offices at the provincial, prefectural, or county levels are established to form a coordinated joint working mechanism for the related department within their jurisdictions and pool a powerful joint force for the protection and governance of rivers and lakes.
Second, a responsibility system has been fully established. It is a responsibility system for river and lake protection and governance, with leading Party and government officials taking responsibility at the core. Up to now, leading Party and government officials from 31 provinces, centrally administered municipalities and autonomous regions, have served as river and lake chiefs at the provincial level. There are more than 300,000 river and lake chiefs at the provincial, city, county, and township levels and more than 900,000 at the village level, including river patrol staff and river protection staff. Therefore, each river and each lake are managed well and under protection.
Third, the conditions of rivers and lakes have been continuously improved. All localities give full play to the advantages of the river-chief and lake-chief system and take an active role. Facing acute problems related to floods, water resources, the water ecosystem and the water environment, we work in light of actual conditions and take targeted measures to deal with the chaos of rivers and lakes. We manage the space of rivers and lakes according to law, protect water resources strictly, quicken our steps to restore the water ecosystem and make great efforts to tackle water pollution. Thanks to these efforts, the conditions of rivers and lakes have changed historically, more and more rivers have been restored, more and more basins have been revitalized and more and more rivers and lakes have become beautiful rivers and lakes that benefit the people. Thank you!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Hong Kong China Review News Agency:
Accelerating the construction of water conservancy infrastructure is highly relevant to the overall strategic situation and people's well-being. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has successively carried out 172 major water-saving and water supply projects and 150 major water conservancy projects. Since the beginning of this year, the MWR has further intensified efforts to promote water conservancy infrastructure construction. Over the last decade, what role has the water conservancy infrastructure system played in promoting the high-quality development of China's economy and society? Thank you.
Zhang Xiangwei:
Thank you for your question. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great significance to the construction of water conservancy infrastructure. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have implemented 172 major water-saving and water supply projects and 150 major water conservancy projects. Over the last decade, China's investment in water conservancy projects has reached 6.66 trillion yuan, five times that of the previous decade. During this period, a number of key flood control projects were carried out, such as the construction of major flood storage and detention areas along the Yangtze River, flood control in the downstream of the Yellow River, and the Datengxia water conservancy project on the Xijiang River. A set of large-scale projects were also carried out to harness small and medium-sized rivers and reinforce dilapidated reservoirs. Storage capacity was increased by 105.1 billion cubic meters, and 56,500 kilometers of levees of grade 5 or higher were added. A system of river basin flood control projects mainly consisting of river channels, levees, reservoirs, and flood storage and detention areas has been basically formed for major rivers, playing an important role in ensuring the safety of people's lives and property and major infrastructures. Over the past decade, we have completed 54 cross-basin and cross-regional water diversion projects, such as the first phase of the Middle East Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the diversion of water from the Yangtze River to the Huaihe River, the Han River to the Wei River, and the allocation of water resources in the Pearl River Delta, increasing the designed annual water diversion volume to 64.79 billion cubic meters. The overall deployment capacity of water resources has been significantly improved in China.
Since the beginning of this year, we have thoroughly implemented the guiding principle of the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 11th meeting of the Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, and earnestly carried out a series of measures made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to stabilize economy. We have accelerated construction of water conservancy projects, and achieved remarkable results in project construction, investment, and job creation.
First, compared with the same period of past years, the number of projects started this year hit a record high. Since the beginning of this year, a record 19,000 new water projects have been started nationwide. In particular, a number of major projects of strategic significance, such as the second phase of the Huaihe Waterway to the Sea, the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project to replenish the Han River, and the allocation of water resources in Guangdong around the Beibu Gulf, have started construction smoothly. All of the above are major water infrastructure projects that had been needed for many years but had not been undertaken until this year.
Second, the scale of investment was larger than at any time in history. While increasing government investment, local governments have issued special bonds and gathered financial support and private capital to raise funds for water conservancy projects through multiple channels. From January to August, China invested 977.6 billion yuan in water conservancy projects, up 50.9% year on year. The national investment in water conservancy projects exceeded 700 billion yuan, reaching 703.6 billion yuan, up 63.9% year on year.
Third, a larger number of jobs have been created. We have given full play to the advantages of water conservancy projects with wide areas, long industrial chains, and more job opportunities, especially in terms of providing jobs for rural labor forces. From January to August, the water conservancy projects have delivered jobs to a total of 1.91 million people, including 1.53 million rural workers.
The construction of large-scale water conservancy infrastructure has played an important role in stabilizing growth and employment, and promoting high-quality development of the economy and society. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People.cn:
Water-saving is highly relevant to the production and life of people. The report to the 19th CPC National Congress has also made it clear that we should implement a national water-saving initiative. The National Development and Reform Commission and the MWR have jointly issued the National Water Saving Action Plan, transforming the water-saving action into a national initiative. Therefore, I would like to ask, what achievements have been made since the launch of the national water-saving initiative? What are the next steps? Thank you,
Chen Mingzhong:
The implementation of a national water-saving initiative is an important task deployed at the 19th CPC National Congress. Since the National Water Saving Action Plan was introduced in April 2019, a cross-department coordination mechanism for the national water-saving work led by the MWR and 20 other departments has been put in place to push for achievement of various targets and tasks set in the action plan. At present, various tasks have been well accomplished, and the six key actions are being implemented in a steady manner. All of these key actions, including the dual control of total water use and water intensity, the action to save water and improve efficiency in agriculture, the action to save water and reduce emissions in industry, the action to save water and reduce losses in urban areas, the action to develop water sources and promote water conservation in key areas, and the action to give a better play to the role of scientific and technological innovation, have been actively carried out. At the same time, we have further deepened reform on water-saving systems and mechanisms, continuously improved policies, regulations and technical standards, and constantly enhanced organizational guarantees and basic capabilities. As of now, all 31 provincial-level regions have established departmental coordination mechanisms or water-saving joint conference systems, issued provincial water-saving action plans, and carried out water-saving actions in a solid and orderly manner. Through joint efforts over the years, we have made remarkable progress in water-saving. These achievements have been mainly manifested in the following aspects:
China's water use efficiency has dramatically improved, especially regarding public awareness of water conservation. In recent years, we have continued our efforts in water-saving transformation in large- and medium-sized irrigation areas, with newly-built high-efficiency water-saving irrigation areas growing by over 120 million mu nationwide from the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). We have stepped up efforts to promote water-saving transformation in the industrial sector and encouraged more enterprises to put water conservation high on the agenda. As such, the reuse rate in industrial enterprises above the designated size reached 92%. Meanwhile, planned water use management was practiced by 99% of enterprises above the designated size in key water-intensive industries experiencing overexploitation of water resources. Building water-efficient cities has become a priority. Cities of prefectural level and above that lack water have all been established as water-saving cities, and 119,000 enterprises in the service sector have become water-saving enterprises. We have made unconventional water resources part of the water allocation system and established pilot programs for using recycled water in certain areas. China's total unconventional water use rose to 13.83 billion cubic meters in 2021 from 10.77 billion cubic meters in 2019. We have launched a campaign to promote water-saving efforts in counties across the country, with 1,094 counties (districts) becoming water-saving counties. In 2021, China's total water use was kept below 610 billion cubic meters. Its water consumption per 10,000 yuan of GDP was 51.8 cubic meters, while the water consumption per 10,000 yuan of industrial added value was 28.2 cubic meters, dropping by 45% and 55% from the 2012 level, respectively. China's farmland irrigation efficiency index rose to 0.568 in 2021 from 0.516 in 2012.
Going forward, the MWR will take full advantage of the coordination mechanism on water conservation to encourage synchronized efforts between departments and local governments. We will encourage national water conservation action and implement the plan to build a water-saving society in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). We will continue to advance the actions mentioned earlier in terms of six areas to ensure that sustainable water use will support China's high-quality economic and social development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
The soil erosion problem in China is one of the most severe in the world. Over the past decade, what achievements have been made in comprehensively controlling soil erosion? What are the subsequent plans? Thank you.
Yao Wenguang:
Thank you for your questions. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, departments responsible for water resources at all levels have implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and firmly upheld and practiced the notion that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets to advance the comprehensive control of soil erosion. Thanks to these efforts, the area and intensity of soil erosion in the country have declined, and the erosion caused by water and wind also dropped. Around 2.6742 million square kilometers of land experienced soil erosion in China in 2021, a decrease of 274,900 square kilometers from the 2011 level, with the share of land areas experiencing severe soil erosion, or worse, falling to 18.93%. The water and soil conservation rate hit 72.04%.
China has made remarkable progress over the past decade in soil erosion control, especially in intensity, speed and efficiency. These efforts have laid a solid foundation for building an ecological civilization. Over the past 10 years, we have prioritized prevention and control to reduce soil erosion as much as possible. We have tightened supervision according to the law and ensured that around 500,000 projects have implemented soil erosion prevention and control policies, thereby effectively reducing potential soil erosion caused by human activity. We have practiced comprehensive management to reduce soil erosion. Following the national strategy, we have promoted major water and soil conservation projects in light of actual conditions, with 580,000 square kilometers of land with soil erosion being treated. We have put people and their lives first and endeavored to ensure that soil erosion prevention and control will promote agricultural production and the development of local specialty industries. For example, we have made efforts to control soil erosion in Dingxi city of Gansu province, Ganzhou city of Jiangxi province and the northern part of Shaanxi province, where planting potatoes, navel oranges and apples have become local specialty industries. As such, more than 10 million people living in poverty nationwide have benefited from soil erosion control, with an annual income increase of about 5 billion yuan. Thanks to these efforts, those places with unfavorable natural conditions have transformed into areas with lucid waters and lush mountains, generating remarkable economic benefits.
In the new stage of development, we will implement the new development philosophy in a thorough, accurate and comprehensive manner, accelerating institutional reform and innovation. We will ramp up efforts to prevent and control soil erosion, and enhance supervision and management, to promote a comprehensive green transition of economic and social development. We will scientifically advance comprehensive soil erosion control and implement the small river basin ecological improvement policy. We will rejuvenate the ecological environment of rivers and lakes, and improve the quality and stability of the ecosystem, to offer more high-quality environmental products. All these efforts will serve as solid support for the building of a beautiful China. Thank you!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Zhonghongwang.com:
As the flood control and drought relief systems have been improved in recent years, we have greater confidence to deal with flood and drought disasters. Could you introduce the achievements we have made in flood and drought disaster prevention? Also, this year the Yangtze and Pearl River basins have experienced the worst drought in the past 60 years. What has the MWR done to deal with this severe drought? What is the progress so far? Thank you.
Yao Wenguang:
Thank you for your questions. In the past decade, the MWR has actively followed General Secretary Xi Jinping's concept of "two commitments and three transformations" in disaster prevention, reduction and relief. We have resolutely implemented the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and continuously strengthened the building of flood and drought disaster prevention capabilities. In terms of engineering, flood control engineering systems, which consist of river channels, dykes, reservoirs, and flood storage and detention areas, have been formed and put in place for major river basins. Through comprehensive measures of "blocking, dividing, storing, delaying and draining" water, we are now able to prevent flooding on a scale equivalent to the largest that has occurred since the founding of New China. The annual water supply capacity of China's water conservancy projects has reached 890 billion cubic meters. Through comprehensive measures such as "storing, diverting and pumping" water, the safety of urban and rural water supplies have been guaranteed and losses caused by drought have been minimized. In terms of non-engineering measures, monitoring and early warning capabilities have been significantly improved. The number of hydrological stations across the country has increased from more than 70,000 in 2012 to 120,000 in 2021, and the time for collecting information from all stations has been shortened from 30 minutes to 15 minutes. The accuracy of flood forecasting for major rivers in the south and north have increased to over 90% and 70% respectively. Monitoring and early warning platforms for mountain flood disasters have been set up in 2,076 counties with disaster prevention and control tasks.
Through a combination of engineering and non-engineering measures, we have been able to overcome major floods and severe droughts. Compared with the previous decade, the average annual loss rate of flood disasters in China has dropped from 0.57% to 0.31%. We have effectively guaranteed the safety of people's lives and property, water supply and food security, and economic and social operation.
In recent years, China has experienced frequent floods and droughts, and the system of water conservancy projects and non-engineering measures have played important roles in the flood control and drought relief.
In terms of flood control, in 2021, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River experienced the worst flooding during any fall since the founding of New China. The MWR adhered to the principles of "systematic, coordinated, scientific and safe" and made great efforts to provide highly tailored responses and solutions. The MWR accurately calculated each criteria to schedule reservoir groups including the Yellow River Xiaolangdi, Luhun, Guxian, Hekou Village and other main and tributary reservoirs to block and reduce flood water flow as effectively as possible. As a result, the water flow at Huayuankou Station was controlled at around 4,800 cubic meters per second, avoiding the evacuation of 1.4 million people downstream and flooding of 3.99 million mu of farmland. We have achieved the goal of "no casualties, no flooding of flood plains and no running of dams" and won the tough battle against floods. This June, the Pearl River has experienced severe floods, and flooding in the Beijiang River has been the most severe since 1915. Water resources departments jointly scheduled 37 reservoirs, such as the Xijiang Longtan, Dateng Gorge and Beijiang Feilai Gorge, to block and reduce floods. We resolutely activated the flood storage and detention area of the Pa River and used the Beijiang Lubao Floodgate and Southwest Floodgate to divert flood water in time. Floods of the Xijiang River and Beijiang River avoided each other, and the water level and flow of important river sections were controlled within a safe range. As a result, the flood control safety of the Xijiang River Dam, Beijiang River Dam, Guangzhou and the Pearl River Delta was ensured.
Drought-relief efforts: From 2021 to the spring of 2022, the East River and the Han River of the Pearl River Drainage Basin experienced the most severe drought in the past 60 years. In addition, influenced by the upstream expansion of the salty tide at the Pearl River Estuary, the drought was continuous from autumn, winter and spring and was made worse by salt. The MWR formulated emergency water regulation plans, and formed three defense lines to guarantee water supply by organizing local reservoirs to store water in a timely way. The MWR ordered nearby reservoirs to dispatch water to dilute the salt and remote reservoirs to reserve water. The MWR also delicately administered water conservancy projects like the Dateng Gorge of Xijiang River and Jiantan Dam of Dongjiang River repeatedly and replenished water for dilution to effectively inhibit the upstream flow of the salty tide at the Pearl River Estuary and guarantee the water supply in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and areas like East Guangdong and South Fujian. Since July of this year, heat waves and diminished rainfall have hit the Yangtze River Basin; the water sources of rivers and lakes have been highly scarce; the water level of rivers and lakes has continued to fall; the drought has become severe. The MWR worked out the Yangtze River Basin emergency water dispatch plan. It carried out a project entitled "coordinated command of water reservoirs in the Yangtze River Basin to resist drought and guarantee water supply." The MWR delicately utilized reservoirs near the Three Gorges Dam, namely, the cascade reservoir groups in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the reservoir groups of the main and tributary rivers named Xiang, Zi, Yuan and Li of the Dongting Lake, and Gan, Fu, Xin, Rao and Xiu of the Poyang Lake. Water conservancy departments in Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River were guided by the MWR to deal with every irrigated area and each intake in cities and countryside for better water diversion, pumping and dispatching. Until now, a total of 3.57 billion cubic meters of water has been replenished in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and 356 large and middle-sized irrigated areas have irrigated a total of 1.904 million hectares of farmland. These efforts have benefited 13.85 million people and ensured water safety in drought-affected areas and the water supply for large-scale farming, livestock breeding and autumn crop planting.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
Providing safe drinking water and adequate supply in rural areas is essential for rural residents' well-being. My question is, what progress and achievements have been made in rural water supply since the 18th CPC National Congress? In line with advancing rural revitalization, what will the MWR do to guarantee water supply in rural areas?
Chen Mingzhong:
Thank you for your question. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have emphasized the issue of drinking water safety in rural areas. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, great efforts have been made to manage the issue. The MWR has collaborated with local governments to construct water supply projects in rural areas, completing a total investment of 466.7 billion yuan. The MWR has guaranteed drinking water safety for 280 million rural residents, improving the water supply for 340 million rural people, with the penetration rate of tap water in rural areas reaching 84%, 19 percentage points higher than in 2012. The problem of carrying water on shoulders generation after generation has been resolved with historical significance.
First, we have set up a complete system of water supply projects. By the end of 2021, a total of 8.27 million water supply projects were completed in rural areas across China, offering services for 900 million people.
Second, we have guaranteed safe drinking water in poverty-stricken rural areas. A total of 17.1 million registered poor people have access to safe drinking water. Many farmers and herders in poverty-stricken areas have realized strides from buckets to tap water facilities.
Third, we have eradicated water-borne diseases. A total of 9.75 million rural residents no longer drink water with excess amounts of fluorine and 1.2 million rural residents no longer have salty water. Chinese farmers bid farewell to high fluorine and salty water.
Fourth, we have stepped up administrative responsibility systems. As for rural water supply, local governments have shouldered the primary responsibility, the water conservancy administrative departments have taken the supervision responsibility and the water supply units assumed the management responsibility. The centralized water supply projects in rural areas have fixed pricing and charging systems and the long-term operation system and mechanism of the project have kept improving.
In order to better meet people's yearning for better lives, the next step for the MWR will be to continue increasing its efforts in promoting the construction of rural water supply projects to further ensure safe drinking water in rural areas in accordance with the overall deployment and requirements of rural revitalization. The work will focus on the following aspects:
First, we will fully consolidate and build on the achievements of rural water supply projects, and meet people's basic needs. We will strengthen the comprehensive assessment and dynamic monitoring of drinking water safety in rural areas. By sticking to the dynamic zero policy, we will make sure that drinking water problems are solved as soon as they are found. Second, we will accelerate the construction of large-scale water supply projects. On the basis of building stable water sources, we will carry out large-scale water supply projects and standardized transformation of small-scale projects in light of local conditions. The integration of urban and rural water supplies will be encouraged in areas where conditions permit. Third, we will carry out special actions to improve the quality of rural water supply and ensure water quality and safety. We will speed up the construction of water source protection areas to fully ensure drinking water safety in rural areas, put in place purification and disinfection facilities and equipment, and improve the water quality assurance system which goes from water sources to faucets. Fourth, we will constantly improve the long-term management and maintenance mechanism to yield greater benefits. We will promote coordinated regional management and specialized management and maintenance of the rural water supply, and improve the pricing mechanism for water supply. In particular, we will strengthen digital empowerment to realize smart water supply. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Paper:
The overexploitation of groundwater in North China has drawn much attention from society. What progress has been made in the comprehensive treatment of this problem and the ecological water replenishment of rivers and lakes in the region since the 18th CPC National Congress was held? Thank you.
Li Guoying:
Due to various historical reasons, North China's ecological environment of rivers and lakes was once seriously damaged, and a large area of land subsidence has been caused because of the overexploitation of groundwater. In March 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping made clear requirements and specific arrangements for addressing groundwater overexploitation and land subsidence in the North China Plain. The MWR, together with the relevant departments of the State Council and local governments, resolutely carried out General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, and took a series of measures including "saving, controlling, replacing, replenishing and managing" to vigorously implement comprehensive treatment of groundwater overexploitation. The first is "saving," that is, saving water and strengthening the saving of water on the demand side. Three measures were adopted in North China: saving water and improving efficiency in agriculture, saving water and reducing emissions in industry, and saving water and reducing losses in urban areas. The second is "controlling," that is, strictly controlling the scale and intensity of groundwater exploitation. For agriculture, which is the largest user of water, the methods of fallow rotation and developing rain-fed agriculture were adopted. At the same time, the development of water-intensive industries was strictly controlled. The third is "replacing," that is, the replacement of groundwater with other water sources. Industries and sectors, which previously used groundwater as their source of water, switched to surface water in production. The groundwater sources for them have been replaced with water from the central and eastern routes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the Yellow River, local surface water, and unconventional local water resources. The fourth is "replenishing." Underground water in North China is mainly replenished by rivers and lakes. However, rivers in the region have been cut off for some time and lakes have dried up for a long time, meaning that there is no supplementary source of groundwater. Therefore, from a broader perspective, we are considering having ecological water replenishment for rivers and lakes in North China. Over the past two years, the MWR has stepped up efforts to replenish water in the Yongding River, Baiyangdian Lake and the canal section north of the Yellow River of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The fifth is "managing," that is, carrying out strict regulation over the exploitation of groundwater. The first step is to delineate the areas with groundwater overexploitation in North China, delimiting areas where exploitation is forbidden or restricted, and then implementing strict management within these areas. Especially in areas where the deep groundwater has been overexploited, mechanical and electric wells have been closed or even sealed. At the same time, the groundwater monitoring system has been established to conduct strict supervision and assessment.
By implementing the five measures I just mentioned, significant results have been achieved in recent years, which are mainly reflected in the following aspects: the latest statistics from the end of December 2021 show that shallow groundwater recovered by 1.89 meters and the deep confined water recovered by 4.65 meters in the groundwater overexploitation control areas in North China compared with the same period in 2018. Meanwhile, monitoring results show that the recharge of groundwater has reached 8 billion cubic meters over the years. The Yongding River, Chaobai River and Hutuo River have resumed their flow. Baiyangdian Lake has come back to life. The canal section north of the Yellow River of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, which has been cut off and dried up for nearly a hundred years, has also achieved the full flow connection this year, realizing the centennial joining-up with the Yongding River. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
Implementing the major projects of the national water network is the major decision and plan of the CPC Central Committee. At present, China has basically formed the overall landscape of water resource allocation with water diversion channels transferring water from south to north and connecting east and west. On that basis, what can be done to accelerate the development of the national water network and ensure water security for the development of a modern socialist country in all respects? Thank you.
Zhang Xiangwei:
Thank you for your question. The spatial and temporal distribution of water resources in China is extremely unbalanced. Accelerating the construction of the national water network and building a high-quality modern infrastructure network for water conservancy are urgently needed to optimize the strategic landscape of China's national water resources, and have a bearing on national development and security. We will fully implement the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speeches at the 11th meeting of the Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs of the CPC Central Committee and the symposium on promoting the high-quality follow-up development of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Focusing on building connections, improving the network and strengthening links, we will make science-based plans for the hierarchical layout comprising three levels, taking the natural water system of major rivers and lakes, major water diversion projects, and key water transfer channels as the main structure, with connection projects of regional rivers and lakes and water supply channels at the secondary level, and key water resource regulation and storage projects at the primary level, to construct a national water network that is complete, safe, efficient, green, intelligent, circulates smoothly and is regulated in an orderly manner. We will enhance the capacity for coordinating the allocation of national water resources, flood control and improving strategic water resource reserves. Next, we will work on the following four aspects:
First, we will accelerate the construction of the backbone of the national water network. Focusing on national major strategies, based on the mainstreams of large rivers as well as major rivers and lakes, giving priority to the eastern, central and western routes of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, we will promote the planning and construction of a number of trans-basin and cross-regional major water diversion projects in a scientific manner. Based on the ongoing construction of the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project diverting water from the Yangtze River to the Hanjiang River, we will continue to work on the planning and demonstration of the follow-up construction of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project to ensure its high-quality development.
Second, we will improve the system of regional water resource allocation. Based on the needs of ensuring water security for the country, regions and different provinces, we will strengthen connectivity between national major water resource allocation projects and regional important water resource allocation projects, advance connectivity among regional rivers and lakes and the construction of water diversion projects, forming a water network system across provincial, municipal and county levels featuring integration between urban and rural areas and interconnectivity.
Third, we will advance the construction of water resource regulation and storage projects. We will fully tap into the potential of existing water resource projects in water resource regulation and storage, accelerate the construction of key water resource projects in accordance with the plans, and implement small and medium-sized water resource supporting projects to enhance the capacity for ensuring the water supply of urban and rural areas and for improving the national strategic water resource reserves.
Fourth, we will develop the digital twin water network. Through the use of digital scenarios, intelligent simulations and precise decision-making, we will vigorously promote the development of the digital water network, intelligent water diversion, automatic monitoring and early warning, so as to build a digital twin water network with forecasting, early warning, previewing and contingency plan functions, fulfilling our goal of building a more digitalized, internet-based, and intelligent water network. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Beijing News:
The medium and large irrigated areas in China are the main battleground for ensuring national food security. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has redoubled its efforts to transform and build medium and large irrigated areas, consolidating the water conservancy foundation for food security. The No. 1 Central Document for 2022 also called for stepping up efforts to promote the follow-up construction of support facilities and transform medium and large irrigated areas, plan and newly build a number of modern irrigated areas in areas with appropriate water and soil resources, and give priority to turning medium and large irrigated areas into high-standard farmland. What progress and achievements have been made in the transformation and construction of medium and large irrigated areas? Thank you.
Chen Mingzhong:
Thank you for your question. China boasts a long history of irrigation. At present, China's effective irrigated farmland accounts for 54% of the country's arable land, and produces from the land account for over 75% of the country's grain and 90% of the country's cash crops. Irrigated areas are crucial to stabilizing high yields. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the development, construction and renovation of irrigated areas and have invested around 150 billion yuan since the 18th CPC National Congress in building and renovating irrigated areas. This has delivered remarkable results, and laid a solid foundation for irrigation work in securing China's food supply. The achievements can be summarized in the following aspects:
First, we have established a network integrating projects for water storage, diversion, withdrawal, transportation and drainage. There are 7,330 medium- and large-sized irrigated areas each above 10,000 mu across China. We constructed a batch of canals and renovated a series of supporting facilities, water pumping stations, aqueducts and ditches. The length of major canals reached 400,000 kilometers, 10 times the Earth's circumference. The irrigated areas can water farmland in times of drought and drain water in times of flood.
Second, we have promoted water conservation in agriculture with substantial improvements in the efficiency of irrigation water use. The national index for effective use of irrigation water increased from 0.516 in 2012 to 0.568 in 2021. The amount of water saved annually reached 48 billion cubic meters, 1.3 times the annual water supply of the Yellow River, or 10 times the amount of water in Miyun Reservoir.
Third, we have increased and improved irrigated areas. We have restored or increased irrigated areas amounted by 60 million mu, and renovated about 300 million mu of irrigated areas, which prevented irrigated areas from declining. The area of effective irrigated farmland nationwide increased from 937 million mu in 2012 to 1,037 million mu.
Fourth, we have increased comprehensive grain productivity. The newly added grain productivity amounted to 30 billion kilograms, with the average yield per mu of medium- and large-sized irrigated farmland areas increasing around 100 kilograms, 1.5 to 2 times the national average.
Next, in collaboration with the national water network, major water diversion projects and programs to protect major water resources, the MWR plans to construct and renovate another batch of irrigated areas to increase China's comprehensive ability to produce grain and provide solid water conservancy support for securing national food security. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Last question.
Cover News:
The 14th Five-Year Plan for Technological Innovation in Water Conservancy emphasized the role of technology in water conservancy, and technology will underpin high-quality water conservancy development by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. What progress has been made in and what measures will be taken for smart water conservancy development? Thank you.
Li Guoying:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the MWR has firmly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on building China's strength in cyberspace and applied the Digital China strategy, strengthening in-depth integration of information technology and water conservancy practices. We have made notable progress in the following two aspects:
First, a space-air-ground integrated network for monitoring water conservancy has been established to obtain timely and important information. We have constructed a national water resources monitoring system, a network of national groundwater monitoring stations, and 430,000 water resources information points across China. Hydrological monitoring is carried out on all 5,186 small- and medium-sized rivers for the risk of flooding. The time needed to collect and transmit rainfall and water condition monitoring information has been shortened from one hour to one minute at 110,000 state flood stations nationwide.
Second, a national water conservation map has been created to increase the efficiency of flood control, drought relief and water resources management. The map covers 16 million water conservancy facilities in 55 categories and conducts dynamic management and online updates. Spatial management has been carried out in water areas above the designated size, water conservancy facilities and water conservancy departments, underpinning detailed emergency responses to flood prevention, drought relief and other emergencies. In addition, it provides detailed services for implementing the strictest water resources management institution and the river chief and lake chief mechanisms.
Next, complying with requirements of meeting demand, prioritizing application, harnessing digitalization and increasing capabilities, the MWR will follow the trend of digitalization and focus on intelligent development with networks, which is supported by data, algorithms and computing power. We will apply digital twin technology in basins, water networks and water conservancy projects by using digitalized scenarios, intelligent simulations and targeted solutions. We will build a smart water conservation system with functions of forecasting, early warnings, disaster relief planning, and emergency drills, which will provide strong technical support to improve the nation's water security. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. That's all for today's press conference. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Zhang Liying, Yang Xi, Wang Yanfang, Qin Qi, Zhang Junmian, Gong Yingchun, Zhou Jing, Xiang Bin, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, He Shan, Liu Jianing, Yuan Fang, Yan Xiaoqing, Mi Xingang, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Huai Jinpeng, minister of education
Mr. Lyu Yugang, director general of the Department of Basic Education of the Ministry of Education (MOE)
Mr. Chen Ziji, director general of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education, MOE
Mr. Wu Yan, director general of the Department of Higher Education, MOE
Chairperson:
Mr. Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 9, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 29th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We are delighted to have invited Mr. Huai Jinpeng, minister of education, to brief you on China's achievements in education reform and development since the 18th CPC National Congress and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Lyu Yugang, director general of the Department of Basic Education; Mr. Chen Ziji, director general of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education; and Mr. Wu Yan, director general of the Department of Higher Education, MOE.
Huai Jinpeng:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. It is a great pleasure to meet you, and I would like to express my thanks to you for your long-term interest in, support for and trust in education.
General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to a letter from the students of Beijing Normal University who are participating in a teacher training program and extended greetings to teachers across the country ahead of the 38th Teachers' Day in China, which falls on Sept. 10. This fully reflects the high importance the CPC Central Committee attaches to education and its care for teachers.
Education is crucial for the country and the Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas and new strategies around the fundamental issues of what kind of citizens we should be cultivating, and how and for whom we are cultivating citizens. These important instructions on education, made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, has pointed out the direction and provided fundamental guidelines for the development of education in China in the new era. Over the past 10 years, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the education sector has fully implemented the Party's education policy, carried out the fundamental mission of fostering virtue, nurtured a new generation of capable young people who have a good and all-round grounding in moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetic aspects, and are well-prepared to join the socialist cause. The education sector has been promoting education equality, improving the quality of education, and accelerating the modernization of education, so as to build a country strong in education and to provide education that our people are satisfied with. Education in China has displayed more characteristic features and made historic achievements, and is undergoing structural changes.
In the past decade, universal education has expanded remarkably, better guaranteeing people's access to education and effectively alleviating this pressing problem that is of the greatest concern to the people. At present, China has nearly 530,000 schools of various levels and categories, with over 290 million students currently receiving education. The gross enrollment ratio for preschool education reaches 88.1%, up 23.6 percentage points compared with 10 years ago. Following its full coverage nationwide, the retention rate of nine-year compulsory education hits 95.4%, an increase of 3.6 percentage points compared with 10 years ago. The gross enrollment ratios for senior secondary education and higher education climb to 91.4% and 57.8%, up 6.4 percentage points and 27.8 percentage points, respectively. The coverage of education in China has either reached or surpassed the average levels of middle- and high-income countries in the world. Specifically, preschool education and compulsory education have reached the average level of high-income countries, and higher education is becoming universal. The average schooling years of the working-age population reach 10.9 years. All the 200,000 dropouts from compulsory education have returned to school, which means that the long-standing student dropout problem has been solved, making an important contribution to building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. All 2,895 counties across the country have passed education inspections, and 99.8% of primary and secondary schools have met the 20 bottom line requirements for running a school. Schools have undergone fundamental changes, and the country has achieved new progress in promoting balanced and integrated development of compulsory education in urban and rural areas. The country's financial aid system for students has covered all educational stages, making nearly 1.3 billion payments over the past 10 years. We have continued to implement special plans for key colleges and universities to admit students from rural and poverty-stricken areas, enrolling a total of more than 950,000 students. All counties with a population of more than 300,000 have special education schools, and over 95% of children with disabilities are enrolled in compulsory education.
In the past decade, our educational service capacity has been steadily improved, providing a strong source of talent and intellectual support for the implementation of major national strategies and socioeconomic development. Over 218 million Chinese have a college degree, a substantial growth from a decade ago. We have implemented a training plan for cultivating outstanding talent in foundational disciplines, deepened the reform of master and doctoral degree programs in engineering, strengthened innovation and entrepreneurship education for college students, and accelerated the training of urgently needed talent. We have optimized forms of vocational education, promoted the integration of vocational and general education, and deepened the integration of production and education. Secondary and higher vocational schools (excluding technical schools) have cultivated more than 79 million graduates in the past 10 years. We have steadily advanced the development of world-class universities and disciplines. Several disciplines have been placed among the world's top ranks. The innovation ability of Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs) has continued to improve. In the past 10 years, HEIs received 67% of all natural science awards and 72% of all technological invention awards. For three consecutive years, HEI researchers have been awarded first-class prizes at the State Natural Science Awards. HEIs have contributed to innovation and making key technological breakthroughs such as the observation of the quantum anomalous Hall effect for the first time, the quantum computer "Jiuzhang," China's first home-developed cutter suction dredger "Tian Jing," the world's first pebble-bed modular high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear plant, and China's first home-developed COVID-19 antibody drug approved for marketing. We have deepened industry-university- research cooperation and accelerated the commercial application of scientific and technological achievements. The monetary value of patent commercialization has amounted to 8.89 billion yuan, up from 820 million yuan a decade ago. We have promoted the prosperity and development of philosophy and social sciences in colleges and universities. We have promoted educational exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and supported youth in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to integrate into overall national development.
In the past decade, the reform and opening-up of education has continued to deepen, and the education system that serves the lifelong learning of people has been further improved. We have ensured that the Party exercises overall leadership over education, followed Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in educating people, promoted theoretical and political courses in primary and secondary schools as well as universities and colleges in an overall manner, incorporated "work skills" into the Party's education policy, and fully promoted education in standard spoken and written Chinese across the country. Students have unswervingly followed the instructions and guidance of the Party and declared their commitment to making due contributions to building a strong country. We have been committed to prioritizing the development of education, and government spending on education has remained above 4% of GDP for 10 consecutive years. We have further reduced the burden of homework and after-school tutoring on students in compulsory education, and the education sector is undergoing changes. Reforms in areas such as education evaluation, examination and enrollment have continued to deepen, and law-based governance of education has become more strict and powerful. We have exercised full and strict Party self-governance in this regard. We have ensured that the average salaries of teachers in compulsory education are not lower than that of public servants working in the same locality. In the face of COVID-19, more than 18 million teachers rose to the challenge and switched to online teaching. We have launched the national education digitalization strategy to accelerate the digital transformation of education. We have been working to build a new paradigm of education opening-up, and deepen cooperation in the field of education among Belt and Road countries. We have strengthened cultural exchanges between China and other countries, developed closer relations among people, and helped build a community with a shared future for mankind. With an expanded international education platform, China's education sector is becoming increasingly open and we are more confident about playing a more active role in education on the international stage.
Embarking on a new journey, we will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, educate people for the Party, cultivate talent for the country, promote the high-quality development of education, and make new and greater contributions to the realization of the second centenary goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects.
Now, my colleagues and I are happy to answer your questions. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Huai. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CCTV:
Tomorrow is Teachers' Day. Teachers are fundamental to education. Mr. Huai, what major progress was made in building the teacher force in the past 10 years? Thank you.
Huai Jinpeng:
Thank you for your question. I am willing to answer this question since I was once a teacher for more than 20 years.
Teachers are fundamental to education, which determines the future. Nurturing talents is to foster China's innovative ability. Excellent teachers underpin high-quality education. I would like to introduce the progress made in education personnel in the past decade in the following aspects.
Let me cite statistics first. The total number of full-time teachers at all educational levels in China reached 18.44 million by 2021, up 26% from 14.62 million in 2012. The past decade has seen an increased number of teachers as well as an improvement in the quality and structure of teachers, which has provided a solid guarantee for modernizing education, building China into a country with strong education, and delivering education that satisfies people's needs.
We credit tremendous changes in education to the great importance that the Party and the country has attached to the teaching workforce since the 18th CPC National Congress. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a number of important instructions, delivered important speeches, and extended Teachers' Day greetings to teachers each year in different ways. His important discourse about teachers improved the status and role of teachers' work to an unprecedented level so that teachers can be more confident and achieve more self-improvement. This discourse also served as a fundamental reference for building a strong teaching workforce in the new era. The discourse included four requirements for good teachers, four aspects that teachers should guide students, four relationships that teachers should balance in education, and what makes a great educator. The MOE has implemented measures and pressed ahead in this regard, which can be summarized into three aspects, namely respecting teachers, strengthening the teaching workforce, and benefiting teachers.
First, society respects teachers more. Respecting teachers and valuing education is a fine tradition of Chinese culture, which requires society to appreciate, understand, and support teachers. We have built and improved a system to commend, award, select, and publicize exemplary teachers by granting titles such as "People's Educator," "Models of the Times," "National Model of Teaching and Educating," "the Most Beautiful Teachers," and national model teachers and excellent teachers awards, such as the National Teaching Achievement Award. The system embodies an important function in serving teachers and boosting their spirits. We actively publicized major exemplary teachers, such as Yu Yi, Wei Xinghua, Gao Mingxuan, and Zhang Guimei, as well as a large group of excellent teachers working at schools. We celebrated Teachers' Day and fostered a fine atmosphere in society to respect teachers and value education. Meanwhile, guided by the principle that teachers should be given both strict supervision and profound love, we rolled out professional codes and increased teachers' self-discipline. Giving top priority to teachers' ethics and conduct, we released a series of documents, including 10-point codes of conduct for teachers to enhance teachers' ideological and political awareness. We also established a system for enhancing teachers' ethics in a bid to standardize teachers' ethics and manage institutions through law-based governance.
Second, more concrete measures have been taken to strengthen the teaching workforce. We have established a system with Chinese characteristics for cultivating and training teachers to improve their caliber and abilities. An open and flexible paradigm for training teachers has been formed, with normal universities as the mainstay and the participation of comprehensive universities. Normal universities affiliated with the MOE have enrolled 85,000 students supported by public funds in the past 10 years, and 90% of them taught in China's central and western provinces after graduation. We have launched a targeted training plan to nurture excellent teachers for underdeveloped regions in central and western China. More than 10,000 normal college students receive targeted training annually to teach in 832 counties, helping to reduce poverty in central and western China. The National Training Program has trained more than 18 million teachers in the past 12-plus years. We established an education assistance project, via which over 220,000 teachers aided education in schools in central and western regions. We stepped up efforts to increase teachers' digital literacy and teaching competence and sped up the construction of a digitalized education platform for teachers and a national information system for teacher management so that new technologies could facilitate the teaching workforce.
Third, policies benefit teachers more. We have intensified efforts to ensure that teachers can devote their time to teaching. We have established and improved a long-term mechanism to ensure the wages and benefits of compulsory education teachers and a mechanism to ensure their wages and benefits should be adjusted to those of local public servants. Currently, all regions have implemented policies to ensure that compulsory education teachers' average wages should be no less than those of local public servants. We strived to ensure teachers' living conditions. In the past 10 years since the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the central government invested more than 26 billion yuan in building 600,000 sets of rural dormitories in remote and poor areas, which provided accommodation to over 830,000 teachers.
To promote our country, we must strengthen education and build a strong teaching workforce. Taking building the teaching workforce as our basic work, we will continue to promote the cultivation of professional and innovative education personnel of a high caliber.
Thank you for your concern about teachers, who serve as the most crucial and fundamental power for developing education. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
China's compulsory education has become universal. In addition, compulsory education became more balanced among counties between 2012 and 2021. What measures will be taken to further promote the sound and balanced development of compulsory education in the future? Thank you.
Lyu Yugang:
Compulsory education is essential for China's education undertakings and has been universal in China since 2011. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attached great importance to compulsory education and promoted leapfrog development and historic achievements on this front. First, we have ensured universal access to compulsory education and solved the long-period problem of dropouts in the fight against poverty. Second, we have basically achieved balanced development of compulsory education in counties. With unremitting efforts, all counties passed the national assessment for basic and balanced development of compulsory education, marking a new milestone in China's development of compulsory education.
Next, according to the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we will focus on modernizing and strengthening education with unwavering emphasis, intensity, and efforts. We will sustain compulsory education as a top priority and consolidate the achievements made in ensuring compulsory education and its balanced development among regions. We will advance the fine and balanced development of compulsory education in a bid to meet people's expectations for access to education as well as high-quality education.
In terms of goals, we will emphasize four aspects, namely, more vivid development philosophies, higher standards in building schools, a higher caliber of the teaching workforce, and increased satisfaction among the people. We will ensure sound and balanced compulsory education by 2035.
In terms of implementation, we will bolster the construction of a high-quality and balanced basic public education service system to narrow the gap between regions, urban and rural areas, schools, and different groups. This can be achieved by standardizing school construction, integrating urban and rural education, balancing the allocation of teacher resources, harnessing digitalization in education, and forming an institution to care for students.
To ensure progress, the government will be in charge, coordination will be strengthened, plans will be well-crafted, work will be done step by step, and pilot and demonstrative programs will be launched. The MOE has adopted a document to oversee and evaluate the development of quality and balanced compulsory education at the county level. Last year, 135 counties and districts were selected to carry out pilot programs, according to the document. With the basic requirements and key tasks already being specified, the pilot programs will actively explore paths and measures for developing quality and balanced compulsory education and play demonstrative and leading roles.
I will stop here. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Red Star News:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the development of vocational education and made unprecedented efforts to promote it. Could you share the future plans for developing vocational education? Thank you.
Chen Ziji:
Just as you said, since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the development of vocational education and promoted it vigorously by continually ramping up policy support for building a modern system at a faster speed. As a result, vocational education has achieved leapfrog development. It used to follow the example of general education but now has become a relatively independent type of education and entered a stage of pursuing excellence and higher value. The changes can be seen in the following four aspects.
First, the operational mechanisms of vocational schools have been improved. A pattern featuring government leadership, industry guidance, and participation of enterprises is being formed. So far, state-owned enterprises have set up 435 vocational schools, and private enterprises have set up some 2,200. Over 50 industry regulators, industry organizations, and central enterprises have jointly set up 56 teaching instruction committees to guide vocational education in different industries. Over 1,500 vocational education groups have been established, involving over 30,000 enterprises. Vocational schools and enterprises have jointly set up 24,900 internship and training bases. Some 3,000 enterprises that integrate vocational education with industries have been fostered, and 21 cities are integrating industry with vocational education on a pilot basis.
Second, the layout of vocational education has been improved. So far, China has established 9,789 secondary vocational schools (including 2,492 skilled workers schools) and 1,518 vocational colleges. Now, almost every county has at least one secondary vocational school, and every city has at least one vocational college. The role of vocational education in supporting regional socio-economic development has become more significant. When designing majors for secondary vocational schools, junior vocational colleges, and undergraduate vocational programs, we took an integrated approach, and have opened 1,349 majors at 120,000 sites, basically covering all sectors of the national economy.
Third, training models have been innovated. Now schools and enterprises make training plans together, and practical training accounts for over 50% of a student's training. This way, teaching and production have been more effectively linked. Over 11,600 experts from some 4,600 enterprises and public institutions have been engaged to revise the introduction of the above-mentioned 1,349 majors. We have also launched 558 modern apprentice programs on a trial basis covering 501 schools and over 1,000 sites.
Fourth, international cooperation has delivered big highlights. So far, Chinese vocational colleges have established stable ties with over 70 countries and international organizations, set up 25 "Luban Workshops" in partnership with 23 countries and regions, and launched "Chinese language plus vocational training" programs in more than 40 countries and regions. They have also launched over 1,000 institutions and programs with their partners in 28 countries and regions. Chinese vocational colleges have so far hosted some 20,000 overseas students. Over 1,000 teaching standards for vocational majors, 6,000 standards for vocational courses, and 2,000 courses have been introduced overseas.
Going forward, we will continue to modernize vocational education and carry out related reforms to promote well-rounded human development and support high-quality socio-economic development. We will work on the basis of enhancing the core capability of vocational colleges, and seek to break through by integrating it with industry. We will continue to integrate vocational and general education as a key task and innovate mechanisms for international exchanges and cooperation. With these efforts, General Secretary Xi Jinping's ardent expectations for vocational education will be transformed into fruitful actions on the vocational education front. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Changjiang Daily:
The reform to the examination and enrollment system is a major concern of students and their parents. Could you introduce the progress of the reforms? Thank you.
Huai Jinpeng:
This is a very good question. The examination and enrollment system is a basic educational system in China. Concerning national development as well as the immediate interests of the people and the health of teenagers, its reform is an important matter that almost everyone and every family has paid attention to.
In 2014, the State Council issued a document on deepening the reform of the examination and enrollment system, marking the start of a new round of reform to the system. The MOE then adopted a series of documents and policies to instruct 29 provinces to comprehensively reform their college entrance examination practices. An examination and enrollment model with Chinese characteristics has since taken shape, marked by categorized examination, comprehensive evaluation, and diversified college admission. Related institutions and mechanisms have been improved to further ensure fairness, sound talent selection, and strong supervision. The modern education, examination, and enrollment system with Chinese characteristics has been improved, as demonstrated in the following five aspects.
First, education access among different regions and between urban and rural areas has become more equitable. We have continued the program to enroll more students from central and western China and allocated new enrollment quotas in favor of central and western provinces and provinces with large populations. We have also continued the special program for major universities and colleges to enroll students from rural areas and poverty-stricken areas. From 2012 to 2022, annual enrollment from such areas has increased from 10,000 to 131,000 thanks to the program, and the total enrollments have exceeded 950,000. We have further implemented and improved the policy to grant children who live in urban areas with their rural migrant worker parents the same eligibility to go to secondary school or college as local students after receiving compulsory education. Some 1.68 million relocated children have sat the college entrance exam in the places of relocation.
Second, examinations have been improved to better promote well-rounded human development. All localities across China have generally put in place mechanisms for evaluating the well-rounded development of high school students. The function of college entrance exams in cultivating talent has been strengthened, with its content now focusing more on prompting comprehensive moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and development of labor skills among students. There is a greater tendency to test a student's capabilities in the exam, and exams are now being more effectively linked with teaching. We have vigorously promoted categorized examinations for vocational college enrollment to test a student both on their academic achievements and professional skills. Annual enrollments through categorized examination have now passed three million, accounting for more than 60% of the total enrollments by vocational colleges.
Third, talent selection has become more scientific and standard. In recent years, designated circumstances for granting extra scores to certain college entrance exam sitters have been significantly reduced and strictly controlled. Five national categories of circumstances have been canceled, and we are gradually canceling 95 local categories. The preferential policies for ethnic minorities will be made more targeted. In 2020, we launched a program to select and cultivate top-notch innovation talents in basic disciplines to meet the needs of China's major strategies. Around 18,000 enrollments have been made in the past three years under the program. We have also further reformed the examination and enrollment methods for art majors and members of high-level sports teams in colleges and universities to make selection fairer and more scientific.
Fourth, we have further strengthened institutional development. We have increased information transparency, thoroughly implemented the Sunshine Project in college student enrollment, and earnestly carried out a series of restrictions on work related to student enrollment such as the "30 Prohibitions" and "Eight Basic Requirements." We have strengthened management on the process of examinations and admissions and strictly cracked down on illegal and criminal activities related to examinations. Since 2020, we have actively responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and created a model for organizing large-scale examinations under the regular epidemic prevention measures based on China's experience.
Fifth, we have made steady progress in comprehensive reform of the national college entrance examination. So far, a total of 29 provinces across the country have implemented the reform, giving students more choices in the combination of exam subjects instead of having to choose between liberal arts or science subjects. Regular senior high schools have to varying degrees adopted a system allowing students to choose electives. Colleges and universities have further improved curriculum provision requiring more focus on the cultivation of talents with solid foundation and wide career scope.
The examination and enrollment system is the country's basic education system. The MOE will continue to deepen reform in line with the needs of the country's economic and social development and personnel training to better serve national strategies. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
After a decade of rapid development, the accessibility of preschool education has been greatly improved. Could you please introduce what measures the MOE has taken to promote the development of preschool education? Going forward, how can inclusive preschool education resources continue to be expanded, the problem of difficult and expensive access to kindergartens be solved, and crucial support for the implementation of the three-child policy be provided?
Lyu Yugang:
Thank you for your questions. These are good questions and of great public concern. The learning done in early childhood provides a crucial basis for the rest of one's whole life. The access to kindergartens has become a firm demand for many families. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the development of preschool education and issued a number of guidelines on deepening reform and standardizing the development of preschool education to promote its rapid development and improve its accessibility. In 2021, there were 295,000 kindergartens nationwide, with 48.05 million children enrolled. The gross three-year enrollment rate reached 88.1%, which was 23.6 percentage points higher than that of 2012. The coverage rate of government-subsidized private kindergartens reached 87.8%, which was 20.5 percentage points higher than that of 2016 when statistics began, enabling the vast majority of children to enjoy inclusive preschool education services and enhancing people's sense of happiness and gain.
Over the last decade, to promote the development of preschool education, we have focused our efforts on solving the problem of difficult and expensive access to kindergartens that is of great concern to the people, and achieved obvious progress. We have mainly taken measures from the following aspects.
First, we have remained firm to the direction of development, always adhered to the people-centered approach in the development of education, and firmly grasped the basic direction of preschool education for the benefit of the public.
Second, we have implemented special campaigns. The MOE and other departments have continuously carried out multi-phased action plans. The central government allocated 196 billion yuan of special funds to support preschool education and continued to step up efforts to promote its development.
Third, we have expanded resources for the benefit of the public and vigorously developed public kindergartens, which accounted for 51.9% of the total in 2021, while actively supporting private kindergartens to provide public services. We have also implemented a special campaign to improve the governance of kindergartens in urban communities, bringing more than 20,000 kindergartens under orderly management, increasing the number of public education places by 4.16 million, and significantly expanding inclusive preschool education resources.
Fourth, we have established and improved institutions and systems, issued working rules and charging methods for kindergartens and guidelines on smooth transition from kindergarten to elementary school, and carried out supervision and evaluation on the operation of kindergartens and the provision of preschool education at the county level, to constantly improve the overall operation of kindergartens.
Next, the MOE will take implementation of the "14th Five-Year Plan" Action Plan for the Development and Improvement of Preschool Education as an important focus, earnestly implement the national population development strategy and actively promote the implementation of the three-child policy.
As for the overall goals, we will further increase the accessibility and affordability of preschool education. By 2025, the gross three-year preschool education enrollment rate is expected to reach 90%, the coverage rate of government-subsidized private kindergartens is expected to reach 85%, and a properly distributed public service system for preschool education will be established, covering both urban and rural areas.
In terms of the supply of places, according to the trend of population change, we will strengthen the prediction of enrollment demand by county, further expand preschool education resources through a variety of channels, especially inclusive preschool education resources, effectively solve the problem of large class sizes, and better meet the enrollment demand of kindergarten-age children.
In terms of policy support, we will further improve the system for ensuring inclusive preschool education, the mechanism for funding and cost sharing, and the system for providing supplementary kindergarten teachers and guaranteeing their salaries and benefits.
In terms of preschool care and education, we will continue regarding games as basic activities and deeply promote the transition from kindergarten to elementary school in a scientific manner, to effectively alleviate parents' anxiety about their children's enrollment. We will also improve the quality evaluation system and comprehensively improve care and education in kindergartens. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Paper:
It has been more than a year since the "double reduction" policy was launched. What achievements have been made? How should we evaluate the results? Thank you.
Lyu Yugang:
This question has drawn widespread attention from all sectors of society over the past year or so. As one of the major decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the "double reduction" policy has gained massive attention, understanding and support from society. The MOE has attached great importance to the implementation of the "double reduction" policy, regarding it as a top priority for the work of the ministry's Party leadership group and education supervision. We have refined the policies and measures, improved the working mechanism, and paid close attention to the implementation of the work. Overall, the "double reduction" work is progressing smoothly and has achieved phased results.
Everyone is aware that the implementation of "double reduction" involves the two parties of schools and off-campus. In terms of schools, the key is to focus on strengthening the main position of school education, training talents who can take on the responsibility of national rejuvenation, and achieving the "three improvements."
First, schools should improve the management of homework. Over the past year, the total quantity of school written homework and time spent doing it have been effectively controlled, and the quality of homework has been continuously improved. According to a third-party survey, since the implementation of the "double reduction" policy one year ago, 87.8% of students said they believe that the amount of homework has been significantly reduced, and more than 90% of the students were able to complete their homework within the specified time.
Second, schools should improve after-school services. After-school services have achieved full coverage. The content of after-school services has been gradually enriched and is increasingly attractive, which better meets the diverse learning needs of students. In a third-party survey, 90% of students said they participate in after-school services, which have always been voluntary, and 88.3% of the students said they enjoyed the services provided by the school.
Third, schools should improve classroom teaching. All parties from the national to the local levels, to schools, have paid more attention to education and teaching reform. The country has built a smart education platform for primary and secondary schools to expand the sharing of high-quality education resources. To date, there are 34,000 resources. Since the revision on March 1, the total number of visits has reached 8.8 billion, with a daily average of 46.35 million visits. It's fair to say that the platform has effectively served the implementation of the "double reduction" policy. All local schools and colleges have comprehensively introduced new curriculums and textbooks, actively promoted the country's excellent teaching achievements, and led the reform of education and teaching. Local governments have established basic teaching procedures, strengthened teacher training, enhanced support for teaching and research, accurately analyzed learning conditions, and focused on teaching students in accordance with their aptitude. The quality of classroom teaching has steadily improved. National monitoring of the quality of compulsory education shows that most primary and middle school students have a positive mental outlook, and more than 80% of the students' academic quality has reached the medium level or higher.
As we see, significant achievements have been made and the effects are apparent in reducing the off-campus tutoring burden on students. For example, the number of off-campus curriculum subject-tutoring institutions has decreased sharply, with 95.6% of offline and 87.1% of online establishments closing. Meanwhile, the price of off-campus training has decreased by an average of over 40%. Moreover, actions were taken to curb irregularities while enhancing the governance of non-academic training institutions.
The implementation of the "double reduction" policy has further promoted the changes in the education concept of principals, teachers and parents. Nowadays, schools are paying more attention to ensuring the well-rounded development of students in terms of moral grounding, intellectual and physical ability, aesthetic sensibility, and work skills. Meanwhile, parents are gradually developing a concept that puts "health first" in cultivating children by positively establishing a harmonious and close parent-child relationship.
Although the "double reduction" work has achieved initial success, we should be keenly aware that this work is an arduous and sophisticated project requiring more effort. Next, the MOE will earnestly implement the decisions of the CPC Central Committee, follow the overall thinking of consolidation, advancement and risk-control, focus on lightening burdens, strengthening quality, and increasing efficiency to gradually improve our "double reduction" work and promote the high-quality development of basic education.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Science and Technology Daily:
We have noticed that in recent years, many landmark technologies have been presented by universities. Can you introduce the situation in cultivating talent in basic academic disciplines and top innovative talent at universities, as well as the development of sci-tech innovation and plans? Thanks.
Wu Yan:
I am happy to answer your questions. The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to cultivating basic academic disciplines and top-notch talent. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made several important instructions, emphasizing the need to cultivate talent in basic academic disciplines in an all-round way. In recent years, the MOE has thoroughly implemented and continuously strengthened the training of basic academic disciplines and top-notch innovative talent and focused on an independent path of talent training to provide key support for building the world's major talent center. We continued our efforts in the following three areas:
First, we bear in mind the need for national development, focus on strengthening the cultivation of talent in basic academic disciplines, and improve the country's strength in the disciplines. In 2018, based on the preliminary work, the MOE, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Finance, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and the China Association for Science and Technology jointly launched a cultivation plan for top students in basic disciplines. The plan established 288 training bases covering basic science, basic medicine and basic liberal arts in 77 high-level universities, attracting more than 10,000 outstanding students. A number of talent with great scientific research potential made their presence known. The 24th meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform presided over by General Secretary Xi Jinping this February, adopted Opinions on Strengthening Talent Cultivation in Basic Academic Disciplines. Meanwhile, a strategic action of cultivating top-notch talents in basic disciplines is underway by strengthening the four key elements – first-class core courses, first-class core teaching materials, first-class core faculty, and first-class core practice projects. Efforts were also made to reform the "five major mechanisms" –the unconventional selection mechanism of top students, the bachelor's-master's-doctorate combined degree program, collaborative education mechanism of science and education integration, long-term evaluation mechanism and the support mechanism. Our goal was to deploy a multifaceted and comprehensive chain of policies. We aim to continuously cultivate outstanding natural, medical and social scientists who can shoulder great responsibilities in the future.
Second, we have been working hard on China's matters of urgency, such as strengthening the cultivation of outstanding engineers and enhancing the country's strength in engineering. Facing the challenges of a new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and based on the previous work, the MOE, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Chinese Academy of Engineering jointly launched the second version of the Education and Cultivation Plan of Excellent Engineers in 2017. We aimed to cultivate the ability to solve complex engineering problems and comprehensively deepen the building of new engineering disciplines. We have promptly added 71 undergraduate majors in carbon storage science and engineering, artificial intelligence, biological breeding and more. We have also established 11 national industry-education integration innovation platforms in integrated circuits, energy storage, and other fields. Moreover, together with industry departments, we have established 50 modern industrial colleges, 33 software colleges with special features and for demonstration, 28 microelectronics colleges for demonstration, 11 first-class cybersecurity colleges and other professional and characteristic colleges. We have supported more than 1,100 colleges and universities and more than 800 enterprises to implement industry-education cooperation and collaborative education programs. Currently, China's engineering education scale ranks first in the world, tens of millions of engineering and technical professionals have been trained, and many industry leaders have emerged, supporting the construction and development of China as the world's largest manufacturing country.
Third, we have responded to the needs of China's development, focusing on strengthening the cultivation of technological innovation talents and enhancing the country's strength in relevant areas. We have built the first batch of 12 technical colleges for the future at 12 high-level universities aimed at producing cutting-edge, revolutionary and groundbreaking technological development in the next 10-15 years. We are breaking the barriers of traditional disciplines and majors, promoting the innovation with the in-depth cross-integration of disciplines and majors, and pushing forward the building of new disciplines of engineering, medical science, agricultural science, and liberal arts. With such efforts, we will cultivate a large number of technological innovation talents who can adapt to and lead the latest round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. Thank you.
Huai Jinpeng:
I would like to add one more thing. Mr. Wu Yan said basic disciplines are an important part of higher education. This decade has witnessed great changes in the technological aspect of higher education. We all know that colleges and universities are the main force of basic research, and cultivating top-notch innovation and basic-discipline talent is an important reason for the sustainable development of basic research. We often say that cultivating creative talents means accumulating important energy for the main force of basic research. There's another saying that the height of higher education determines the height of our technological innovation. At a central talent-related work conference on Sept. 27 last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed accelerating the efforts to build China into a major world center of professional talent and innovation, which pointed out to us the inevitable logic between talent cultivation and innovation and creation. I would like to add a point here. For the past 10 years, the MOE has implemented a general pattern of promoting both talent training and technological innovation to accelerate development from the perspective of the layout and structure of science and technology in the entire education field. I'd like to brief you on the results.
First, a scientific and technological innovation system with precise levels and a reasonable layout for universities has been basically formed. In the past decade, the MOE has organized universities and colleges to take the initiative to work on the world's scientific and technological frontiers and China's major national needs. Regarding the frontier sciences, which is the basic research that Mr. Wu just mentioned, and critical scientific research platforms such as integrated research platforms for breakthroughs in core technologies, the MOE has established key research laboratories and engineering centers. There are currently more than 1,500 such platforms. In terms of talent team building, colleges and universities have gathered more than 40% of the national academicians of the CAS and the Chinese Academy of Engineering and nearly 70% of the winners of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. The full-time equivalent of R&D personnel increased to 334,000 person-years, an increase of nearly 60%. In particular, Chinese scientific and technological personnel and scientific research teams of universities have actively participated in international scientific and technological cooperation and led the launch of one of the country's first major international scientific programs, "Deep-time Digital Earth" (DDE). This was what the education system has achieved in terms of research patterns and teams.
Second, a number of landmark major scientific and technological achievements have been made. Over the past decade, the MOE has organized colleges and universities to adhere to the principle that scientific and technological development must target the global sci-tech frontiers, serve the main economic battlefields, strive to fulfill the significant needs of the country and benefit people's lives and health, and to bravely climb the peaks of science and technology. Colleges and universities have won six of the 10 first prizes of the State Natural Science Award in the past decade, a milestone in terms of basic research. They have also won 10 of the 11 first prizes for China's State Technological Invention Award and two special prizes for the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award. In a series of pillar projects such as the Shenzhou space missions, the construction of the BeiDou satellite navigation network, and the completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, colleges and universities have helped to break through many technological bottlenecks and made contributions to basic research and key technologies. At the same time, universities also gave full play to the advantages of profound basic research and interdisciplinary integration, actively supported the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, served rural revitalization, contributed to the science and technology of the Winter Olympics, and made active and effective efforts for national scientific and technological innovations and serving the country by science and technology.
Third, the vitality of scientific and technological innovation in colleges and universities has been continuously stimulated. Over the past decade, the MOE has vigorously promoted the innovation mechanism of the scientific and technological system in colleges and universities, relieved the burden of scientific research personnel, gave colleges and universities greater autonomy in scientific research management, continued to deepen the reform of scientific and technological evaluation, and gradually established an evaluation orientation centered on innovation quality, ability and contribution in colleges and universities. We vigorously promoted the spirit of scientists, and many great teachers have emerged.
The past 10 years of scientific and technological development in colleges and universities were a decade of talent cultivation and technological innovation, a decade of serving the national strategy, and a decade of striving to build China into a country with strong education. Mr. Wu and his colleagues are also promoting the "Internet +" innovation and entrepreneurship education campaign. In recent years, innovation and entrepreneurship education and practical activities have not only affected China, but also attracted college students from all over the world to participate in this important campaign. Going forward, we will continue to promote high-level and high-quality free exploration in colleges and universities while strengthening organized scientific research and breakthroughs, focusing on the country's critical needs, building the national science and technology platform, and promoting the further development of China's science and technology.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Beijing News:
There were 10.76 million college graduates this year, a record high. At the same time, college graduates have encountered some difficulties in seeking jobs due to the pandemic. Over the past few months, we have seen that the unemployment rate of young people aged between 16 and 24 has been on the rise. What is the judgment of the Department of Education on the overall employment situation of college graduates this year? What measures will be taken next to promote employment? Thank you.
Huai Jinpeng:
Thanks to this reporter for your question. The issues we discussed today are all of common concern to the people and the society and are major issues in economic and social development. Employment is pivotal to people's well-being and a field that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to and cared about. Therefore, it is the top priority of our work this year to ensure the employment of college graduates. As is known to all, the total number of college graduates this year has reached nearly 11 million, exceeding 10 million for the first time in history. Affected by various factors, including the COVID-19 epidemic and mounting downward pressure on the economy, employment has experienced unprecedented difficulties.
In fact, not only this year has the education system encountered challenges in employment. In recent years, the employment of college graduates has faced many challenges and difficulties. Faced with that, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and with the direct care and personal attention of General Secretary Xi Jinping to the employment of college graduates, the Department of Education, together with relevant departments, has firmly put into practice the decisions and plans, overcome difficulties, and implemented comprehensive policies, ensuring a stable employment situation of college graduates for many years. By far, college graduates in 2022 have made steady progress in securing jobs. I would like to report the progress to you. Here are the main features:
First, strong support has been provided. We have strengthened top-level design to promote employment and improved policies in providing college graduates with multiple channels to find jobs or start their own businesses, encouraging them to find employment at the community level and in the central and western regions, optimizing guidance services, and strengthening the protection of rights and interest of employment. Especially in recent years, we have launched a series of bold policies. For example, we have promoted admission to higher levels of education and recruitment of all types of government bodies, public institutions and state-owned enterprises in a coordinated way to help college graduates to find employment as soon as possible and facilitate their job hunting.
Second, employment channels have been expanded. The major role of market-based employment channels such as micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises in creating jobs has been fully leveraged. We have taken extensive action this year to launch the "Special Program on the Visits of Secretaries and Presidents of Colleges and Universities to Enterprises to Expand Job Opportunities and Bolster Employment" and the "Program on Ten Thousand Enterprises Entering Campus." We have organized a series of activities, such as activities themed "Joint Promotion of Employment by Private Enterprises and Colleges and Universities" and "Recruitment by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in One Hundred Days," to promote exchanges, cooperation, and communication between enterprises and universities, making every effort to broaden channels for creating market-based employment. The reform in the education of innovation and entrepreneurship has been advanced. Just as I mentioned when I answered the last question, the "Internet Plus" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition has also played a significant role in setting an illustrious example for and having a multiplier effect on encouraging college graduates to start their own businesses to boost employment.
Third, better guidance has been provided. We have put our hearts and souls into delivering employment guidance and take it as fundamental. In particular, we have given full play to the role of over 100,000 employment service workers in colleges and universities and counselors of graduating classes. We have strengthened career planning and employment guidance for college graduates and guided them to establish a positive outlook on employment to contribute to places where the country needs them most. Especially this year, based on the previous "24365" employment service platform for college graduates, we have optimized and upgraded it into the "National Employment Service Platform for College Graduates," providing services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This kind of digital platform has enabled college graduates to access non-stop employment guidance and services and offered one-stop and one-click online services. This year we have provided 13.7 million jobs for college graduates through this platform.
Fourth, assistance has been taken as a priority. We have established and improved the assistance mechanism for employment and carried out targeted assistance for groups with special difficulties, such as households lifted out of poverty, households living on subsistence allowances, unemployed households and college graduates with disabilities. We have launched the "Project of Support to Employment of People with Difficulties by the Central Special Lottery Welfare Fund," providing employability training for 100,000 people offline and 500,000 online, making people with difficulties more competitive in the job market. In recent years, the employment rate of low-income households and college graduates with disabilities has been higher than the national average.
Fifth, structural adjustment has been made. It is an important direction for the reform of higher education. In combination with the needs of the labor market and technological revolution and industrial transformation, we have taken employment as an important part of the development of world-class universities and world-class disciplines, known as the "Double World-Class Project," and the structural adjustment of higher education as well as a major reference for construction performance and discipline evaluation. We have guided colleges and universities to prioritize disciplines and majors with the strongest societal demands, broadest employment prospects, strongest needs for economic and social development, and the largest talent gaps. For the disciplines and majors that have a low employment rate and have not been able to meet market demand for years, we should make timely adjustments and work together with local governments and colleges and universities to study disciplines and majors suitable for economic and social development and the all-round development of students. We must strive to improve the education structure and system with the quality of talent cultivation, meeting the job market's needs and economic and social development.
Promoting the employment of college graduates is the duty of the education system and what we are concerned about. We will unswervingly work to ensure the employment of college graduates and take it as an opportunity to optimize the structure of education further and deepen educational reform. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_21st Century Business Herald:
Since the beginning of this year, the MOE has been vigorously promoting national education digitalization strategic action and launched the National Smart Platform for Public Educational Services. What is the status of the development of this platform? What are your considerations for future work? Thank you.
Huai Jinpeng:
I will take this question. That is an area that I am particularly interested in. As we all know, not only China but many countries in the world attach great importance to the digitalization of education. Digitalization is an important part of education transformation worldwide. This year, the UN Summit on Education also listed digital education as an important topic. This is the general development background.
With the scientific revolution and industrial reform, digital and information technology has played a significant role in supporting and promoting economic and social development. General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to education and the Digital China Initiative. I believe digital education is an important component of the Digital China Initiative. In that sense, promoting digital education, advancing the modernization of education, and achieving the aim of building a strong nation in education are of great significance for providing a better education platform for Chinese society and the world, building a learning society, and realizing life-long learning.
We are vigorously advancing the digitalization of education. The MOE has long been promoting the informatization and digitalization of education. One of the highlights of the ministry's work this year has been a significant project to fully launch a national education digitalization strategy to accelerate the digitalization of education. We have focused our efforts on the following aspects.
First, a national big data center for the digitalization of education has been built. It provides public education resources and services for the whole country and the world. In his answer to the question, my colleague emphasized that an important part of our work, such as the national smart education platform launched on March 28, is the development of the National Educational Resource Center. There are 34,000 pieces of resources available on the basic education platform, 1,194 educational resource libraries and 6,628 high-quality online courses on the vocational education platform, and 27,000 courses on the higher education platform which has attracted users from 146 countries and regions across five continents. Therefore, we have integrated the resource development of basic education, vocational education, and higher education and built the national educational resource center by mobilizing quality resources.
Second, the Educational Resource Center has five important functions, including serving students' learning, serving teachers' lesson preparation and teaching, serving school management, serving education research, and serving reform on education in the future. In terms of employment this year as I just introduced, we have expanded and upgraded the "24365" platform into the National Employment Service Platform, offering big data of high-quality educational resources and providing services for the education system and society. The number of job opportunities shared on the platform for college graduates has reached 13.7 million.
With a large number of teachers nationwide, especially teachers for basic education, how can we improve training for teachers? This year we tried to use digital education online to provide basic services for national basic education, especially science education. We have improved training efficiency and provided development opportunities by combining online and offline training. At the same time, in the development of basic education in China, the development of educational resources to promote equity and improve quality can benefit all aspects more conveniently and rapidly through such methods and platforms. The work in this area has been very effective.
Concerning the application of the platform, we have launched pilots in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, with the world's largest digitalization center and service platform for educational resources basically coming into being. We have combined the data center for resources with public services, providing strong support for students' learning, teachers' education and teaching, school's educational management and research on educational reform. This support has enabled us to expand and integrate the basic contents of online learning in digital space based on current classroom teaching and campus education. That has played a significant role in ensuring online learning when schools are closed and pooling quality resources across the country amid COVID-19. I would like to share a figure. As of yesterday, our platform has been visited almost 4 billion times by more than 600 million people. We can say that this digital education platform, which has been launched rapidly on the existing basis to accelerate the development of quality resources, has gone a long way toward advancing the digitalization of education and increasing the influence and voice of China's digital education in the international community.
Next, we will continue strengthening our work on basic, vocational and higher education. In particular, we have delivered good results in higher education. Two days ago, Mr. Wu Yan told me that the total number of learners at xuetang.com was over 100 million. It has become the world's second-largest online education classroom, which proves that our work in this regard has been positive and effective. With the high-level MOOCs going international, we hope to effectively increase education quality in China and promote high-level international cooperation and exchanges.
We will keep improving the National Educational Resource Center and strengthening its capacity to provide better services. For example, through digital education and dynamic interaction, we could keep track of the key and hard parts for the students as a whole in the process of learning and how to effectively help them understand the knowledge, boost their interests in science, and achieve "double improvements" in both their ability and knowledge. Besides, the center supports teachers in educational practices to combine the imparting of knowledge with the all-round development of students more effectively. At the same time, it also enables schools to further improve their educational practices and management abilities. It is also an important platform for us to provide services for society, serving as a crucial part of a learning society and lifelong education. At this time, the classroom has been expanded to society. It is also an important carrier for us to offer Chinese education and other types of education to the international community. Therefore, digital education and digitalization of educational resources are what we will strengthen in the future as they are necessary for developing a digital China. We are willing to work with all sectors of society to promote digitalization and modernization of education and contribute to building a strong nation in education. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you to Mr. Huai and all the other speakers. Here, we would like to wish all the teachers across the country a happy Teachers' Day and wish you all a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance. Today's briefing is concluded. See you!
Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Wang Wei, Qin Qi, Zhang Liying, Zhang Tingting, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Xu Kailin, Liu Qiang, Ma Yujia, Liu Jianing, Yang Xi, Yuan Fang, Li Huiru, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Zhan Chengfu, vice minister of civil affairs
Mr. Li Baojun, spokesperson of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) and director general of the General Office of the MCA
Mr. Liu Xitang, director general of the Department of Social Assistance of the MCA
Mr. Chen Yueliang, director general of the Department of Local Government Development and Community Governance of the MCA
Mr. Li Banghua, senior official of the Department of Elderly Service of the MCA
Chairperson:
Ms. Shou Xiaoli, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 8, 2022
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 28th press conference under the theme of “China in the past decade.” We have invited Mr. Zhan Chengfu, vice minister of civil affairs, to brief you on the country's civil affairs in the new era and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Li Baojun, spokesperson of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) and director general of the General Office of the MCA; Mr. Liu Xitang, director general of the Department of Social Assistance of the MCA; Mr. Chen Yueliang, director general of the Department of Local Government Development and Community Governance of the MCA; and Mr. Li Banghua, a senior official of the Department of Elderly Service of the MCA.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhan Chengfu for his introduction.
Zhan Chengfu:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning. I am very pleased to brief you, along with my colleagues, on the country's civil affairs over the past decade since the 18th CPC National Congress.
As we all know, civil affairs concerns people's livelihood, is critical for the people and is the basic and fundamental work for social development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, civil affairs departments at all levels have followed the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, remained committed to making people's lives better, and made continuous efforts in ensuring basic livelihoods, community-level social governance and basic social services with a focus on poverty alleviation, groups with special needs and people's concerns. Through vital efforts, the past decade has witnessed glorious achievements and landmark development, which can be reflected in the following three aspects.
First, ensuring the basic needs of the people has reached a new level, helping groups with special difficulties enter a moderately prosperous society in all respects along with the rest of the nation.
Over the past decade, the social assistance system with Chinese characteristics has basically taken shape. Every year on average, the system provides support for more than 40 million people on subsistence allowances, nearly 5 million people living in extreme poverty, about 10 million people in need of temporary assistance, and more than 2.3 million times to homeless people and beggars.
We have successfully provided support for those unable to shake off poverty through their own efforts while alleviating poverty, lifting 19.36 million registered poor people out of poverty. At the same time, we have constantly improved the mechanism linking price subsidies with price changes, expanded the scope of the subsistence allowance scheme, and dynamically tracked more than 62 million low-income people to provide them with regular assistance and support. By doing so, we have consolidated and expanded the achievements in providing subsistence allowances for those unable to shake off poverty through their own efforts, and aligned such efforts with endeavors to promote rural revitalization in an effective and orderly manner.
Over the past decade, the standard of ensuring the basic needs of people has been constantly increased. From 2012 to 2021, the average subsistence allowances for urban and rural residents nationwide increased by 1.2 times and 2.1 times, respectively. The basic living standard of people in extreme poverty has been 1.3 times or more the standard of local subsistence allowances. The average monthly allowances for orphans in welfare institutions and families that provide temporary care have reached 1,728 and 1,288 yuan per person, up by 77.9% and 83.1% from 2012, respectively.
Over the past decade, the coverage of ensuring basic livelihood has been constantly expanded. De facto orphans have been covered in a support system. A care and service system for the elderly, women and children left behind in rural areas has been established, and a protection system for minors has been set up. A system has been built to provide living allowances for people with disabilities and difficulties, and nursing subsidies for people with severe disabilities, benefiting nearly 20 million disabled people every year.
Charity has thrived over the past decade. Charitable donations exceeded 200 billion yuan in 2020, and 1.86 trillion yuan of welfare lottery were issued between 2012 and 2021, raising 540.8 billion yuan of public welfare lottery funds in total.
Second, solid progress has been made in community-level social governance, helping sustain long-term social stability.
Over the past decade, the system of community-level self-governance under the leadership of Party organizations has become more mature and stable. The channels of community-level democracy have been constantly expanded, forms increasingly diversified, and efficacy continuously improved, which has played a unique and critical role in developing China's whole-process people's democracy.
We have made continuous innovations in urban and rural community governance and strengthened community services. All urban communities and 79.5% of rural communities have been equipped with comprehensive service facilities. More than 4 million community workers have played an important role in serving the people, especially in preventing and controlling COVID-19 over the past three years.
We have strengthened efforts to improve social organizations and promoted their Party building. We have completed the reform of delinking industry associations and chambers of commerce from government as scheduled, and cracked down on illegal social organizations in accordance with the law, further improving the environment for social organizations. At present, the number of registered social organizations nationwide has reached 900,000, an increase of 1.7 times over 2012.
We have continued to expand the group of professional social workers, with the number of licensed social workers nationwide reaching 737,000, up by nearly nine times over 2012. There are also more than 1.29 million volunteer teams, with 220 million registered volunteers, accounting for 15.9% of the country's total population.
Third, basic social services have developed at a faster pace, contributing to the increasing improvement in people's living standards.
Over the past decade, we have improved and coordinated domestic, community and institutional elderly care services to meet different medical and health care needs. Up to now, there are 360,000 various elderly care service institutions and more than 8.12 million beds across the country, with the number of beds nearly twice that of 2012. We have continued to improve systems for delivering old-age allowances, service subsidies for elderly people, nursing subsidies for elderly people who cannot perform essential self-care, and general subsidies, benefiting nearly 37 million elderly people.
We have abolished marriage registration fees in an all-around way and launched a pilot project for interprovincial marriage registration to contribute to family harmony and happiness.
We have carried out policy upgrading services for funerals and worked hard to address the pressing difficulties and problems of the greatest concern to the people in funeral-related affairs.
We have formulated and promulgated regulations on administrative divisions, revised and issued regulations on geographical names, coordinated and promoted major administrative division adjustments, and provided geographical names to society as one of the public services.
Looking back on the past decade, we are delighted to see encouraging historical changes and sounder prospects for the undertaking of civil affairs, thanks to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
We should acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We should boost our consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We should stay confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We should firmly uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership.
Marching on the new journey in the new era, civil affairs departments at all levels will better perform their responsibilities to ensure people's basic living needs, improve social governance at the primary level, and provide basic social services. We will take stronger measures to work away at issue by issue, year in and year out, to see that our people will always have a strong sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. With such efforts in civil affairs undertakings, we will make new, greater contributions to fully building a modern socialist country and realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
Next, my colleagues and I will answer your questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Shou Xiaoli:
Now, the floor is open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking questions.
CNR:
The Party and the country have always attached great importance to people's basic living needs and social assistance. What achievements has the MCA made in improving the social assistance system and ensuring and improving the basic living of people with difficulties? Going forward, what arrangements will the MCA make?
Zhan Chengfu:
This topic is of great concern to reporters at this press conference and also to the whole society. Today, Mr. Liu Xitang, head of the Department of Social Assistance of the MCA, is here at the conference and I would like to invite him to answer your questions.
Liu Xitang:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the MCA has thoroughly implemented the guiding principles of the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee. The MCA has also worked with relevant departments to comprehensively implement various social assistance policies and made historic achievements.
First, a basic social assistance system with Chinese characteristics has been established. The system's main provisions are basic living assistance, special assistance, and emergency social relief assistance, supplemented by public participation. It covers all assistance forces by integrating urban and rural endeavors in a tiered, classified, comprehensive and highly efficient manner. The two basic living assistance systems, which target people living on subsistence allowances or in extreme poverty, have matured. Special assistance systems covering medical, education, housing, employment and disaster relief, have offered timely help to people in need. Emergency social relief assistance such as temporary assistance and assistance for beggars and the homeless have also aided people in temporary difficulties. It can be said that the living difficulties of both urban and rural residents can all be addressed by corresponding systems.
Second, an institutional guarantee has been offered to ensure that all members of disadvantaged groups have their basic living needs met. The subsistence allowance system we are familiar with is the primary institutional arrangement to provide for the basic needs of people of disadvantaged groups. The subsistence allowance system has become more mature, standardized, inclusive and considerate in determining eligibility, income accounting, business process, fund distribution and dynamic management. For instance, the subsistence allowance scheme has expanded its scope to include people with serious illness or severe disability from families just outside the margin of eligibility. It has also added regulations on employment cost deduction and allowed a "grace period" for previously impoverished people. The extreme poverty relief system has integrated another two assistance systems into a basic living assistance system which runs in parallel with the subsistence allowance system. The two assistance systems mentioned above include one for helping urban residents who are incapable of work, have no source of income, and have no legal supporters, and another for assisting rural residents with guarantees for food, clothing, medical care, housing and burial expenses. The temporary assistance system has focused on addressing the urgent needs of people in difficulties, providing solutions to emergencies and pressing problems that affect people's basic living. In 2021, more than 46.8 million people living with difficulties were included in the subsistence allowance or extreme poverty relief system, and 11.986 million people received temporary assistance throughout the year. These figures are dynamic and change from year to year.
Third, social assistance has achieved leapfrog growth. In addition to the changes in the subsistence allowances over the past decade introduced by Mr. Zhan, I would like to sketch another piece of data. Over the past 10 years, governments at all levels have spent 2.04 trillion yuan on basic living allowances and subsidies, effectively guaranteeing the basic needs of people of disadvantaged groups. Subsistence and other allowances were given out in full and in a timely manner.
Fourth, it has played an essential role in winning the battle against poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. When we fought against poverty, 19.36 million registered impoverished people received subsistence allowances or extreme poverty aid, accounting for 19.6% of the population lifted out of poverty. After winning the battle against poverty, we continued to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation. We provided 2.77 million people with subsistence allowances and extreme poverty aid, including those who have just emerged from poverty but whose position is far from secure, those on the verge of poverty who can easily fall back, and those experiencing difficulties in meeting their basic needs due to sudden events.
Fifth, we have implemented dynamic monitoring of the low-income population. The MCA has established a national low-income population dynamic monitoring platform, which collects basic information on more than 62 million low-income people, or about 4.4% of the country's total population. At the same time, with relevant departments, we have improved the tiered and classified aid mechanism and carried out targeted assistance to ensure that various aid policies are focused and timely.
Next, following the requirements of system integration, coordination and ensuring efficiency, we will continue to deepen the reform of the social assistance system, expand the application of the dynamic monitoring information platform for low-income populations, innovate and optimize assistance services, and further foster a “safety net” meeting people's basic living needs. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CCTV:
Improving the social welfare system with a focus on the elderly, children and people with disabilities, is crucial for the well-being of society. Over the years, what progress has been made by the MCA in this regard?
Zhan Chengfu:
Social welfare and building the social welfare system are issues of great concern to society. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the MCA has done much work in this regard. Next, I would like to invite Mr. Li Baojun, MCA spokesperson and director of the general office of the MCA, to give you a detailed introduction.
Li Baojun:
Thanks for this reporter's question. Social welfare is an important institutional arrangement to improve people's well-being. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has given important instructions on many occasions. He has stressed acting on the people-centered philosophy of development, speeding up the improvement of the care and service system for the elderly, improving the social welfare system for the persons with disabilities and orphans, and addressing weaknesses in social welfare in rural areas. Civil affairs departments at all levels have conscientiously implemented the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and deployment of the Party Central Committee and promoted the development of social welfare to a new level.
First, we have continued to improve the welfare of the elderly. Old-age allowances, service subsidies for the elderly with financial difficulties, and nursing subsidies for the elderly people with disabilities are ensured at the provincial level nationwide, now benefiting 30.695 million, 4.479 million and 789,000 seniors, respectively. Moreover, 702,000 seniors have received comprehensive subsidies. Greater efforts have been made to ensure the basic needs of poor elderly people, and we have promptly brought the poor population of advanced age and incapacitated seniors in rural areas within the scope of subsistence allowances. Up to now, 14.2 million elderly people have received urban and rural subsistence allowances and 3.717 million elderly people have received extreme poverty aid, which ensures the support and assistance to everyone who needs it. We have deepened the reform of public care institutions for the elderly, vigorously developed at-home and community-based elderly care, and focused on providing services for economically disadvantaged elderly people, and those with disabilities . We have established and improved the system to support and care for the elderly left behind by their families in the countryside after their grown-up children have moved to the cities in search of employment. We have strengthened care for the elderly living alone and left behind in rural areas and helped them lead happy lives in old age.
Second, we have deepened and expanded the welfare of children. We have gradually improved the basic living standards of orphans. Up to now, 169,000 orphans have been raised across the country, and the monthly allowance for orphans in welfare institutions and families that provide temporary care totals 1,728 yuan and 1,288 yuan per person, respectively, an increase of 77.9% and 83.1%, respectively over 2012. The Tomorrow Plan for Rehabilitation of Orphans with Disabilities has been launched, benefiting nearly 223,000 orphans. A program to support school education for orphans enabled more than 80,000 people to realize their dreams of receiving a university education. Efforts have been made to nurture orphans better. We have formulated and implemented the Measures on the Management of Child Welfare Institutions and promoted the optimization, innovation, transformation and high-quality development of child welfare institutions. We have actively explored expanding the scope of protection, bringing 340,000 de facto orphans into the coverage of state support and including rural left-behind children and children in need into the system of care and services. Up to now, there are 55,000 child welfare supervisors and 667,000 child welfare directors across the country to provide children with regular care services.
Third, the welfare of people with disabilities has been improved. The subsidy system to provide for the living expenses of disabled people in need and to pay the nursing costs of people with severe disabilities has been established. The dynamic mechanism of adjusting standards for subsidies has been developed, and all the services can be accessed on an inter-provincial basis and via the internet. So far, these two subsidies have benefited 11.81 million disabled people in need and 15.32 million people with severe disabilities. The development of the industry of rehabilitation assistive devices has been accelerated. We have piloted comprehensive innovation in the industry of rehabilitation assistive devices and community-based lease services. From 2012 to 2021, a total of 143,000 pieces of rehabilitation assistive devices were distributed to disabled people in welfare institutions in the central and western regions through the launch of the “Fukang Project.” The construction of welfare institutions for mental patients has been strengthened, and a total of 6.9 billion yuan has been allocated to build, renovate, and expand mental health welfare institutions. We have promoted community-based rehabilitation services for people with mental illnesses through services purchased by the government and guided the places where the conditions permit to provide centralized or commercial nursing care services for disabled people in need and people with severe disabilities, increasing the sense of fulfillment and happiness of disabled people and their families.
Next, the departments of civil affairs will fully grasp and put into practice the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, continue to improve systems, strengthen services, and raise the standards of our work, and develop a social welfare system compatible with economic and social development so as to provide strong support for groups with special difficulties to share the fruits of reform and development and achieve common prosperity.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China News Service:
Social groups and charities are important forces different from the market and government. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, social organizations and charities have thrived and played an active role in poverty alleviation, prevention and control of the pandemic, and emergency rescue and disaster relief. Can you introduce more about that? Thank you.
Zhan Chengfu:
I will take this question.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, social groups and charities in China have made historic achievements and undergone historic changes, which can be mainly demonstrated in the following aspects.
First, the Party's overall leadership over social groups and charities has been strengthened. Over the past decade, the function of the Party organization in social groups has been further clarified, and the working institutions and mechanisms of Party building have been improved. By the end of last year, there were a total of 171,000 community-level Party organizations in social groups. Upholding the Party's leadership and the Core Socialist Values have been generally incorporated into the charters of social groups. It has become commonplace for the heads of social groups and the heads of party organizations to enter each other's organizations and take rotating posts.
Second, the environment for the development of social groups and charities has been continuously optimized. Over the past decade, China has formulated laws and regulations such as the Charity Law, the Civil Code, and the Regulation on Volunteer Services. Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Social Groups, Regulations on Administration of Foundations, Provisional Regulations on the Registration and Administration of Non-Governmental Nonprofit Units are being revised and improved. The government has continued to improve a series of policies regarding the qualification of the tax-exempt status of nonprofit organizations, pre-tax deduction for charitable donations, donation of equity shares to public welfare organizations, tax exemption for membership fees of social groups, and the use of donation bills. The central government has allocated special funds to support social groups to carry out social services for many years. The State Council has clearly stipulated that opinions of industry associations and chambers of commerce should be fully solicited when formulating administrative regulations and normative documents of government. All these have contributed to fostering a sound environment for social groups to survive and thrive, especially charity organizations.
Third, social groups and charities have been rejuvenated with vigor and vitality. Over the past decade, 729 national industry associations and chambers of commerce and 69,699 local industry associations and chambers of commerce have been delinked from administrative organs. We have developed a large number of community-based social groups featuring direct participation of ordinary people. Internet-based charity has been thriving, with an annual growth rate of over 20% in donations raised online.
Fourth, the stage for social groups and charities to play their roles has become broader. The past decade has witnessed the most rapid development of social groups. At present, social groups registered have reached 900,000, which is 20,000 times the number in the early days of the founding of the PRC and 150 times that in the early days of reform and opening up if we compare the data. There are over 10,000 charity organizations registered in China at present. In 2020, charitable donations in China exceeded 200 billion yuan, an increase of 155% from 2012. Especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, social groups and charities of all types have been widely engaged in poverty alleviation. They have implemented over 92,000 poverty relief projects according to primary statistics and guided the investment of 124.5 billion yuan from all kinds of funds. Social groups have taken actions to maintain the market order for fair competition, participating in the formulation of 2,499 national standards and 364 international standards. At current, private nonprofit elderly care institutions account for 44.7% of the elderly care institutions nationwide. That number is large, and the multi-level and multi-faceted needs of the people have been effectively met.
In the final analysis, over the past decade, achievements in the development of social groups and charities can be attributed to the successful development of a path with Chinese characteristics for the growth of social organizations. We will continue to go down this path and we believe that the path will be wider and wider. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People.cn:
In recent years, the MCA has planned and implemented plenty of reforms and innovative measures, such as marriage registration service provided on a cross-provincial basis and reforms of wedding customs, which have won great popularity. My question is, since the 18th CPC National Congress, what breakthroughs have been made in furthering reforms by the MCA. Thanks.
Zhan Chengfu:
Thank you for your question. The reform of wedding customs has attracted attention from the whole society. I am in charge of this area of work, and will give some additional details.
Getting married should be a wonderful and happy thing, but in some places, it becomes a burden on individuals because of some issues and unhealthy phenomena such as high-price betrothal gifts for brides, high-profile weddings, vulgarly teasing the bride and bridegroom, and presenting a gift of a large amount of money for a wedding. A joyful occasion becomes vexatious. People expect that we can retrieve the unhealthy situation and change malpractice in wedding customs. Since 2018, the MCA has put the reform of wedding customs high on the agenda, and in April and September 2021, respectively, set up 32 reform pilot zones in two batches throughout the country. Some local pilot zones have also been set up in provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, according to actual conditions. So far, the following aspects have taken effect.
First, we have controlled undesirable customs such as high-price betrothal gifts. In some pilot zones, publicity has been intensified to enhance the public's awareness of the hazards of unhealthy customs, such as high-price betrothal presents and high-profile weddings. Particular cases have been used to explain the related laws and regulations. In some pilot zones, relevant rules and regulations have been rolled out. In some pilot zones, mass weddings play a demonstrative role. In other pilot zones, high-price betrothal gifts are regulated through formulating codes of conduct for rual and urban residents.
Second, we have advocated for healthy and harmonious family traditions. Many pilot zones have adopted various approaches to pass on and spread good family education and family tradition for people to follow.
Third, we have strengthened marriage and family counseling services. I want to inform you of some data. At present, more than 75% of county-level marriage registration offices have set up marriage counseling rooms. With the support of administrative bodies, counseling services can make marriages more harmonious and satisfying.
So far, the reforms in various pilot zones have been effective and received positive comments from the society. Unhealthy customs such as high-price betrothal gifts and high-profile weddings have been effectively reined in. From the perspective of civil affairs, there is a lot marriage-related work to do. For instance, we have pushed marriage registration services forward in recent years, providing them on a cross-provincial basis and piloting the measures in seven provinces, and receiving positive reviews from the public. In the next phase, we will expand the scope of this reform to benefit more people. We will intensify efforts to build more marriage registration facilities and infrastructure, advance the level of digitalization for marriage registrations, and convert all marriage registration information taken since the founding of the People's Republic of China to digital records. The scope of pilot reforms will continue to expand. We will speed up the process and enable the results of marriage registration reforms to benefit more people.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Li Baojun:
There is something else I wanted to add. The reforms boost the quality development of civil affairs initiatives in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that reforms should be furthered comprehensively, collaboratively, and efficiently, giving top priority to the reforms enabling people to enjoy a stronger sense of gain. In addition, the civil affairs authorities are required to continue reform and innovation and better perform duties. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, civil affairs authorities at all levels have put into effect the important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on deepening reform in all respects, thoroughly implement the decisions and plans made by the Party Central Committee , and continue to integrate improving institutional top-level design with solving the pressing difficulties and problems that are of the greatest concern to the people. Notable results have been achieved in the following three aspects.
First, we have set up a pertinent institutional framework to guide civil affairs work. The past decade has seen China's National People's Congress (NPC) and its Standing Committee formulate or revise nine laws in the area of civil affairs, including the Charity Law. The State Council formulated and revised seven sets of administrative regulations in the area. The number of documents that were submitted to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council for approval reached 13 and 19, respectively. More than 100 documents have been formulated by reforming and innovating values, and seven cross-department joint conference mechanisms have been established. We have made efforts to improve social assistance, building a system that coordinates urban and rural resources and provides subsistence allowances, assistance and support for severely impoverished people, disaster relief, medical assistance, education assistance, housing assistance, employment assistance, and temporary assistance, while being supplemented by public participation. Moreover, we have improved the top-level design to promote the modernization of community-level governance system and capabilities, strengthen government service capabilities at town and township levels, and reform and refine the systems for regulating social organizations. We have promoted the establishment of a system providing basic elderly care services for all senior citizens. Relevant laws and regulations have been formulated and improved for regulating administrative division and geographical names. Institutions and laws relating to the development of civil affairs initiatives have been improved in the new era under the leadership of the CPC.
Second, we have followed the problem-oriented approach to address people's concerns in a timely manner. Over the past 10 years, by focusing on people's major concerns, we have carried out over 10 special campaigns such as improving the service in nursing homes around the country, cracking down on fraud in elderly care, undertaking an overhaul on illegal social organizations, addressing the imposition of arbitrary charges by associations and business chambers, regulating rural subsistence allowances, and addressing problems in funeral services. We have followed the principle of addressing overall problems while focusing on certain areas, and mobilized efforts to solve problems that harmed people's interests. With focus on the universal, fundamental, and deep-seated problems, we have adhered to the principle of addressing both their symptoms and root causes, and accelerated the building of major regulatory systems that could help strengthen the weaknesses, fill gaps, and step up oversight, so that various policy measures can bring benefits to the people.
Third, we have adhered to the innovation-driven approach to constantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our services. Just now, Mr. Zhan introduced the reform in marriage customs. Over the past 10 years, we have also launched a series of pilot reform programs in terms of community governance services, home-based and community-based elderly care services, and rehabilitative and assistive equipment sectors. In addition, we have comprehensively promoted the development of community workers' stations in townships, continuously optimized the "internet + civil affairs services," guided local authorities to deepen their reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, improve regulation, and strengthen services in civil affairs, and explored the implementation of innovative reforms such as decentralizing the power of verification and confirmation of the subsistence allowances, and implementing temporary relief measures directly offered by the place where emergencies occur. We have also strengthened the application of new technologies and new means to comprehensively improve civil administration and to ensure that people can enjoy tangible benefits of our civil services.
Looking forward, we will continue to uphold Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, conscientiously implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on civil affairs, follow the people-centered philosophy, continuously deepen innovative reforms to better fulfill our missions and tasks in civil affairs on the new journey, advance the high-quality development of our civil affairs work, and make new contributions to the building of a modern socialist country in all respects. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Beijing Youth Daily:
General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached much importance to the prosperity and stability at the grassroots level. Over the past 10 years, what progress has the MCA achieved in consolidating local government development and making innovations in the governance of urban and rural communities.
Chen Yueliang:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached much importance to community-level governance. We have made historic achievements in consolidating local government development as well as improving community governance. Community-level democracy continues to advance, and people's sense of achievement, happiness, and security are gradually improving, which helps consolidate the foundation of the CPC governance. It also demonstrates the advantages of our system and the effectiveness of the governance.
First, the Party's leadership is on a more solid footing. The CPC Central Committee has introduced and amended a series of rules and regulations to improve the community-level governance system that is under the full leadership of the Party. We have established a simplified and effective management system under which Party committees exercise leadership and the Party and the government enhance coordination. Up to 95.6% of villages and 93.9% of communities are headed by the same person who serves both the director and the Party secretary of the village or community, up 29.5 and 30.2 percentage points compared to the previous term, with the Party's banner flying high at the community level.
Second, the system of community-level self-governance is more mature. Village committees and neighborhood committees have been given special legal person status, and the term of office of village and neighborhood committees has been extended from three years to five years. Community-level democracy has expanded, ensuring the people's right to engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management, and oversight. "People's wide participation in their own affairs" has become a distinct feature of the times in which people are the masters of their own country.
Third, the system for community-level self-governance has improved. We have introduced a series of policies to consolidate the modernization of community-level governance. These policies are effective and operable, demonstrating the CPC Central Committee's clear orientation to strengthen the role of communities. The policies have also become pillars of the community-level governance system in the new era.
Fourth, our services have improved. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the coverage of comprehensive service facilities has increased from 82% to 100% in urban communities and from 31.8% to 79.5% in rural communities, up 18 and 47.7 percentage points, respectively. These services have provided more convenience to the public. A sample survey showed that public satisfaction has increased to 87.6%.
Fifth, community-level governance plays a more important role in society. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council continue to delegate powers to lower-level governments, empower them, and reduce their pressure; improve the community-level governance system which combines self-governance, the rule of law, and the rule of virtue; promote urban and rural communities to assume the primary task of social governance; and create a virtuous cycle featuring the unified leadership of the Party, and the benign interaction between government governance, social regulation, and residents' self-governance in the new era. In the fight against poverty, the rural communities tasked with poverty elimination have implemented the Party's policies for the benefit of people, and united and led the people to boost the production and improve their lives. A total of 35,000 communities whose residents were relocated from inhospitable areas have enhanced their capacity of governance, helping over 9.6 million people live a better life. During the country's COVID-19 prevention and control, more than 4 million urban and rural community workers have dedicated themselves to the epidemic response frontline, making communities a bastion of defense against the virus.
Sixth, the team structure has been optimized. Competent officials have been selected to form teams for Party branch committees and residents committees at villages and communities, and the occupational system has been established and improved. The proportion of directors of residents committees at villages and communities with junior college education or above accounted for 46.4% and 82.6%, respectively. Young age, high education, and strong ability have become the background features of urban and rural community workers in the new era. Eight of the 29 comrades awarded the July 1 Medal by the CPC Central Committee have worked in villages or communities for a long time.
Looking back at the past 10 years, the grassroots foundation was very important for China to achieve sustained and rapid economic development and long-term social stability. We are guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on grassroots governance to ensure the correct political direction of grassroots governance. We have the strong leadership of the CPC to ensure that grassroots governance is always stable and far-reaching. We continually improve the grassroots mass autonomy system, mobilize the enthusiasm of the broad masses of the people to the greatest extent, and ensure that the people are the masters of the country. We unswervingly build a solid foundation for urban and rural communities, and always focus on the core work and serve the overall situation.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Red Star News:
We found that pension frauds are seriously threatening the happiness of the elderly in their later years, so a special campaign was launched to crack down on pension frauds across the country. Could you brief us on the progress of the MCA in rectifying frauds in the field of elderly care services, and in what areas will it continue to make efforts in the next step? Thanks.
Zhan Chengfu:
Thank you for your question. This question is indeed very important, and this work is a key task that our ministry has been focusing on in recent years and has made numerous achievements. Li Banghua, deputy director of endowment services, is an expert in this field. He's here now, so please let him make some professional elaborations.
Li Banghua:
In recent years, some criminals have carried out fraud under the guise of "elderly care," causing economic losses and mental pains to the elderly, and the people's complaints were very strong. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core pays special attention to the elderly, emphasizing the need to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the elderly and resolutely punish the behaviors of defrauding the elderly in accordance with laws and regulations. In April this year, with the approval of the CPC Central Committee and led by the Peaceful China initiative coordination team, 12 departments jointly launched a nationwide special campaign to crack down on pension fraud, and the MCA is one of them. The MCA is mainly responsible for rectifying fraud-related problems and hidden dangers in the field of elderly care services. At present, the special campaign has been implemented for nearly half a year, and good progress has been made.
First, a comprehensive publicity campaign was launched. In accordance with the general requirements to make efforts in the three fields of publicity and education, crackdowns in accordance with the law, and rectification and regulation, we have launched a complaint and reporting platform, issued a batch of policy guidance books, published a batch of typical cases, and carried out a series of special news reports. Targeting the methods and characteristics of fraud in the field of elderly care services, we have extensively carried out policy publicity and common-sense education on deception and fraud prevention. We conducted publicity and mobilization work, from household to household, from community to community, and placed publicity materials on walls, in the media, and on the internet. It should be said that we have sounded the clarion call to combat fraud in elderly care services. Many local civil affairs departments and elderly care service institutions have also widely mobilized elderly people to participate in fraud prevention publicity, which has enhanced the ability of the elderly to recognize and prevent fraud.
Second, we carried out comprehensive research and investigations. As of the end of August, civil affairs departments at all levels across the country have carried out at least two rounds of surveys. A total of 270,000 elderly care service institutions and venues have been investigated, and 950 institutions and venues with hidden dangers have been identified. Why do we use the word “venue” here? Because there are 576 illegal institutions that are not registered but are engaged in the operation of elderly care services or carry out activities in the name of elderly care services.
Third, we have carried out comprehensive rectification. According to the levels of hidden dangers, civil affairs departments at all levels have established a "red, orange, and yellow" risk and hidden danger management and control list, clarified the timetable and roadmap, and carried out concentrated rectifications in accordance with the requirements of "one case, one policy." At present, of the 950 institutions and venues with hidden risks, a total of 510 have been banned and shut down, 81 have seen cases filed, 48 have been adjudicated, and 91 have been handed over to relevant departments for disposal. The rest are also under screening and investigation. It should be said that the existing hidden risks of fraud in the field of elderly care services are being resolved in an orderly manner.
Going forward, the MCA will further promote this work in accordance with the deployments of the office of special national campaign against pension fraud. On the one hand, we will speed up the clearance of existing risks, and on the other hand, we will strengthen the establishment of rules and regulations to effectively curb incremental risks. In establishing a long-term mechanism, there are also two aspects of the work: first, we will establish a normalized supervision mechanism, strengthen early warning monitoring and coordinated disposal; second, we will focus on prominent risks and hidden dangers, and work with relevant departments to study and standardize the relevant measures of prepayment for elderly care institutions, protect people's pension money, and make elderly care services safer and more secure. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CRNTT:
Recently, the MCA, together with relevant departments, has issued a series of measures aimed at making up for the shortcomings of community governance and services, promoting college graduates to seek employment and entrepreneurship at communities, and ensuring community prevention and control of COVID-19. May I ask how to promote the mutual facilitation of these three goals in practice? What are the main directions for the next step?
General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to community work. At every local inspection visit, he would go to villages or communities and give important instructions. This year, the MCA has reported to the CPC Central Committee to issue the Opinions on Regulating the Work of Affairs, Mechanism Brands, and Certification Requirements of Village-level Organizations. Together with relevant departments, the MCA has issued policies and guidelines to further promote the construction of smart communities and taken strong steps to help the employment of college graduates in urban and rural communities in 2022, improve comprehensive service functions at the village level, do a good job in setting up special posts, and formulating guidelines for volunteer work in terms of community epidemic prevention and control. Through these solid measures, the important instructions given by General Secretary Xi Jinping have been implemented steadfastly in guiding all localities to reinforce points of weakness in community governance and services, in building a strong community defensive line against pandemic, and in guiding college graduates to find employment and start businesses at the community level. Since urban and rural community governance is a systematic project, we will work in concert to step up the connection and mutual promotion between the three goals in the following four aspects.
The first is to stick to regular epidemic prevention and control measures to foster a sound environment. We will accelerate the full coverage of the public health committee mechanism under the urban residents committees and villagers committees, improve the community COVID-19 prevention and control network, and build phase-based community pandemic prevention and control teams in order to strengthen related workforce and emergency capacity building. We will improve the working mechanism involving the switch between emergencies and regular operations, actively mobilize community volunteers to fight against COVID-19, and consolidate the defense line, involving all of society to help contain the virus.
The second is to build professional teams to pursue development. We will standardize the annual recruitment process of community workers to ensure the quality of community workers from the very beginning and encourage college graduates to work in the communities or start businesses there. We will improve the incentive system for community workers and study policies and measures for community team-building exercises together with relevant departments. We will improve the community worker vocational system, establish a post-based remuneration system, enhance the dynamic adjustment mechanism, and increase community worker capabilities and training systems to continuously enhance the professional level of community workers.
The third is to strengthen weak links by improving village-level comprehensive service capabilities. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, great progress has been made in the construction of the rural community service system. However, rural areas still lag behind in this regard. We will focus on issues of the utmost and immediate concern to the people's well-being and improve the service capabilities of villages, further improve the functions of basic public service needs, promote equal access to basic public services, enrich and diversify the supply of services concerning daily life, so as to secure people's basic living needs in rural areas, meet the new needs of villagers' daily lives, and boost rural revitalization and common prosperity.
The fourth is to improve efficiency through information technology. We will accelerate the construction of smart communities and create a new model of community governance services based on digitalization and intelligence. We should strengthen the construction and transformation of smart community infrastructure, focus on building a smart community comprehensive information platform, expand smart community governance scenarios, and map out the building of a community of digital life. We will also promote the application of big data in the communities, streamline and consolidate community data recording, and make full use of big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other information technology methods to integrate various service resources in the communities as well as help community epidemic prevention and control and community governance services.
We have also seen that the modernization of urban and rural primary-level governance has always been progressing. In the next step, together with relevant departments, we will continue to channel resources, management, and services down to the community level and continuously promote the modernization of primary-level governance systems and governance capabilities to empower, improve quality, ease burdens, and increase efficiency for communities. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
The General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the Opinions on Reforming and Improving the Social Assistance System in 2020. What achievements have been made in this regard since then? What measures have been taken due to the impact of COVID-19? What considerations will come next? Thank you.
Liu Xitang:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, two regulations have significantly impacted the development of social assistance. One is the Interim Measures for Social Assistance, promulgated and implemented in 2014. The other is the Opinions on Reforming and Improving the Social Assistance System, issued by the General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council in 2020. Since then, the MCA, together with other departments, has implemented the requirements for reforming and improving relevant systems and achieved good results, which greatly enhanced the inclusiveness, accessibility, convenience and accuracy of social assistance.
First, policies and systems have become more rational. Accordingly, we have adjusted and optimized the social assistance policies on subsistence allowances, extreme poverty aid and temporary assistance. The scope of the subsistence allowance scheme was expanded to include individuals with serious illness or severe disability from families just outside the margin of eligibility. The subsistence allowance system covers both households and individuals that need help, providing more people-oriented services. We have relaxed the criteria of extreme poverty and standardized the methods to identify people who are incapable of working. The eligible age of minors covered by the relief scheme for severely impoverished people has been extended from 16 to 18. Moreover, we have implemented the temporary assistance system that allows us to provide assistance first with a small amount, highlighting the function of emergency assistance.
Second, a comprehensive assistance system has basically taken shape. Now, social assistance does not depend on the MCA alone, but is coordinately implemented by all departments. We provide comprehensive assistance of different types at different levels in both urban and rural areas. We have classified the social assistance community into three circles: recipients of subsistence allowances and extreme poverty aid in the core circle, people just outside the margin of eligibility for subsistence allowances and those with basic expenditure difficulties in the second circle, and people who face temporary difficulties in the third circle. We have made multi-pronged efforts with medical care, education, housing, employment and other special social assistance policies. We have established an inter-ministerial joint conference system for national social assistance, set up a coordination mechanism in the county level led by leading government officials to ensure the basic livelihoods of local people living in poverty, and strengthened the coordination of social assistance resources.
Third, the means of verifying the financial conditions of families applying for social assistance is now more scientific. We have adjusted and optimized the method of identifying household income and property, further improved the mechanism for checking the financial conditions of families receiving social assistance, and relaxed the frequency of reviewing the financial conditions of those receiving social assistance.
Fourth, social assistance services have become more convenient and efficient. We have delegated powers to review and approve applications for subsistence allowances and extreme poverty aid to sub-districts and townships, and established a comprehensive service mechanism where applications are processed at a one-stop service counter and coordinated across all departments. We have also allocated temporary assistance reserve funds to sub-districts and townships, required civil affairs departments at all levels to set up hotlines for social assistance services, and established a mechanism to proactively identify those eligible people who are incapable of applying for social assistance by themselves. More and more regions are providing specific services, like allowing people to apply for subsistence allowances directly on their cellphones. These changes have helped to make our social assistance policies more accessible to people in need.
You also mentioned the issue of ensuring the basic needs of people in difficulty during the epidemic. In response to that, the MCA, together with other departments, has implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, adjusted policies in a timely manner, and issued several emergency response measures. For example, we granted a lump sum of one-time temporary assistance for people facing difficulties but without unemployment insurance. We provided one-time living allowances to people in need, including subsistence allowance recipients and people with special difficulties. We instituted a mechanism to increase social security assistance and benefit payments in step with price rises, expanded assistance coverage for the current period, and lowered the eligibility requirements. Moreover, we provided temporary assistance to people with urgent or special needs that do not hold local residency. All these measures have achieved excellent results in ensuring the basic needs of those struggling due to COVID-19.
Social assistance is the basic system for ensuring people's basic well-being, promoting social equity and maintaining social stability. Going forward, the MCA will fully enforce the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, continue to deepen the reform of the social assistance system, and improve the mechanism to accurately identify people in need. We will innovate and optimize assistance services to make social assistance more law-based, specialized, information-based, and targeted. We will strive to bring a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security to people in difficulty.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Tianmu News:
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that it is a matter of social harmony and stability to ensure care, support, recreation, and security for the elderly. What measures has the MCA adopted to improve the elderly care system since the 18th CPC National Congress? What are the subsequent arrangements? Thank you.
Zhan Chengfu:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the MCA has made great efforts to improve the elderly care service system. We have cracked down on fraud cases related to elder care, and established and improved the elderly care service system, ensuring that the seniors really get to know the accesses and places to obtain such services. I'd like to invite Mr. Li to make a detailed introduction.
Li Banghua:
Thank you for your questions. Mr. Zhan has made a brief introduction to the measures that we've adopted. The elderly care issue is something people are really concerned about, as we all have older adults as family members, and everyone gets old. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made an important deployment to boost the elderly care service sector and establish an elderly care service system with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important instructions on the work regarding elderly care services on various occasions. Recently, General Secretary Xi Jinping made some important instructions on the aging issue and elderly care services during his inspection in Liaoning province. The MCA, working with the relevant departments, has ramped up efforts to implement the deployments and promote the progress of the elderly care service system with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Remarkable achievements have been made in the following five aspects:
First, the institutional framework for elderly care services has been constantly improved. Over the past decade, the Standing Committee of the NPC has amended the Law on Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly three times, with the issue regarding elderly care services being part of it every time. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have released more than 10 sets of policies to promote elderly care services. The MCA has worked with relevant departments to roll out over 90 sets of institutions and set up more than 50 sets of national and industry standards. The elderly care service system has become a crucial part of the national strategy to address an aging population.
Second, the basic elderly care service system has been continually improved. A total of 14.2 million elderly people have been covered by the subsistence allowances system, and over 3.7 million old adults have received extreme poverty aid. The subsidy system for the poor population of advanced age and incapacitated seniors has been put in place at the provincial level, benefiting nearly 37 million people. We have also stepped up efforts to develop a system to support and care for left-behind elderly people in rural areas.
Third, the supply of elderly care services has increased. There are nearly 360,000 eldercare institutions and facilities across the country, offering over 8.1 million beds, which is almost twice as many as that in 2012. A series of preferential and supporting policies have been released to ensure the supply of the elderly care service, such as land use, tax cuts, and fiscal subsidies. We have made the elderly care services market more market-based. As such, the supply of elderly care services has become diversified.
Fourth, home- and community-based elderly care has witnessed rapid progress. There are 320,000 community-based elderly care service institutions and facilities nationwide, accounting for 88.9% of the country's total number of elderly care service institutions and facilities. New forms of services regarding home- and community-based elderly care have emerged, such as home adaptations, home care beds, regular visiting activities, "time bank," and elderly-targeted restaurants.
Fifth, the quality of the elderly care services has continuously improved. The MCA has worked with relevant departments to launch a four-year special campaign to improve the quality of the elderly care services nationwide, addressing more than 420,000 hidden dangers. We have conducted a series of major projects to begin renovations of the institutions offering extreme poverty aid and ensure that the elderly care institutions will meet all fire safety standards. Thereby, the elderly care services have seen notable progress.
Going forward, the MCA will continue to implement the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council so as to step up efforts in the following four aspects. First, we will promote the legislation for the elderly services to improve the institutional framework of the elderly care services. Second, we will improve the basic elderly care service system to foster a new development paradigm for elderly care services. Third, we will accelerate the development of long-term care services so as to further optimize the supply of services for the old-aged people. Fourth, we will ensure both development and security, and reinforce supervision over elderly care services in a comprehensive manner. All these efforts serve the same purpose, which is to enable elderly people to live happy lives.
Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the press. That's all for today's press conference.
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Zhou Jing, Wang Yanfang, Wang Yiming, Duan Yaying, Liu Sitong, Guo Yiming, Wang Wei, Zhang Rui, Yan Bin, Li Huiru, Dong Qingpei, Gong Yingchun, Yuan Fang, Xu Kailin, 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.
Speakers:
Ma Feixiong, vice minister of veterans affairs
Liang Jingge, director general of the Department of Ideology and Rights Protection, Ministry of Veterans Affairs (MVA)
Yu Jingsen, director general of the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship,MVA
Cao Jun, director general of the Department of Support and Preferential Treatment, MVA
Li Jingxian, official of the Department of Commendation and Commemoration, MVA
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Aug. 26, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 25th press conference under the theme of “China in the past decade.” We have invited Mr. Ma Feixiong, vice minister of veterans affairs, to brief you on the measures and achievements of veterans affairs in the new era. Also joining us today are Mr. Liang Jingge, director general of the Department of Ideology and Rights Protection, Ministry of Veterans Affairs (MVA); Mr. Yu Jingsen, director general of the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship, MVA; Mr. Cao Jun, director general of the Department of Support and Preferential Treatment, MVA; and Mr. Li Jingxian, an official from the Department of Commendation and Commemoration, MVA. They will take your questions.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Ma Feixiong for his introduction.
Ma Feixiong:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning. Welcome to this press conference. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you for your interest in and support for the developments in veterans affairs.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress , the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to veterans affairs. General Secretary Xi Jinping, keeping in mind the overall cause of the Party and the country, has personally devised the establishment of a veterans administration and support institution, and made a series of important statements on veterans affairs, pointed out the direction and provided fundamental guidance for dealing with veterans affairs in the new era. The 19th CPC National Congress made the major decision to establish an administration and support institution for veterans. On April 16, 2018, the MVA was officially established. For more than four years, we have committed ourselves to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and thoroughly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on veterans affairs. We have constantly tried to develop a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We have always been increasing our consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We have remained confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and consistently upheld Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and upheld the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We have resolutely implemented the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and improved and firmly implemented policies and mechanisms to ensure that the military profession and veterans are respected by the whole of society. As a result, new developments have been secured in veterans affairs, and veterans' sense of gain, happiness and honor has been continuously enhanced.
First, the Party's leadership has been strengthened across the board. The central government has introduced opinions on improving the administration of veterans affairs in the new era and a plan featuring policies and systems for reforming veterans affairs, and issued the 14th Five-Year Plan for Services and Support for Veterans and the Opinions on Strengthening Commendation of Martyrs in the New Era , providing top-level design and institutional arrangements for veterans affairs in the new era. Party committees at and above the county level have all set up leading organs for veterans affairs, and the operating mechanisms have been improved, comprehensively enhancing the Party's leadership over veterans affairs.
Second, various related systems have been established and improved. Administrative organizations for veterans affairs at and above the county level have been established across the country. There are now more than 600,000 veterans service centers and stations covering six levels from the state to the villages and communities. More than 4,000 relevant public institutions and over 700 social organizations have been transferred, taken charge of and set up. An organization and management system under the Party's leadership where administrative organs, service systems and private entities all make contributions has basically taken shape. We have established and improved the mechanism for the military and civilians to work together as one office while maintaining their separate identities, and promoted the inclusion of veterans affairs into the assessment of local Party and government officials. The working system of military and civilian coordination and cooperation has been gradually improved. China's first special law regarding veterans, The Veterans Law, came into force on Jan. 1, 2021, introducing hundreds of supporting policies covering such fields as ideology, resettlement and employment, preferential treatment and commendation, and service guarantee. A policy and institution system that both respects veterans and guarantees services and management for them has been basically formed.
Ma Feixiong:
Third, notable achievements have been secured in resettlement and employment of veterans. We have deepened the reform of the veterans resettlement system, innovatively organized direct and targeted resettlement of military officers transferred to civilian jobs, and improved the mechanism for fair and transparent resettlement, constantly improving the quality of resettlement. Over the past four-plus years, more than 1.85 million veterans have been resettled, and more than 80% of demobilized military officers have landed a job in Party and government organs and public institutions administered according to civil servants' standards. We have established a system for veterans to receive monthly demobilization payments, implemented the mechanism of immediate resettlement upon demobilization, and accelerated the resettlement of retired military personnel as well as military personnel with injuries, diseases and disabilities. In order to secure more adequate and high-quality employment for veterans, policy documents including the Opinions on Encouraging Outstanding Veterans to Teach in Primary and Secondary Schools have been issued, helping 2.26 million veterans find jobs and start their own businesses.
Fourth, services have been continuously guaranteed and improved. Subsidies and living allowances for entitled groups have been raised year after year. Unified supplementary payment of basic old-age insurance has been organized for some veterans, with 2.85 million veterans benefiting from the policy. Supplementary payment of medical insurance is now processed regularly. Basic information on veterans and other entitled groups nationwide has been collected and registration is completed on a regular basis. The application and issuance of preferential treatment cards for veterans and other entitled groups has been comprehensively launched. Universities for retired military officers have been established, and online platforms providing convenient services for them have been put into place. A new occupation of “veterans affairs officer” has been created to improve professional services. Campaigns have been launched and funds supporting veterans have been deployed to help veterans address their problems and difficulties.
Fifth, we have built an environment where the public values retired soldiers' contributions. We have held the National Conference on the Work of Veteran Affairs and ceremonies that honor cities, organizations, and individuals for their outstanding contributions to veteran affairs. General Secretary Xi Jinping met with representatives on those occasions twice, which greatly motivated the veterans and those working in veteran affairs. We extensively promoted the stories of model veterans like Zhang Fuqing, organized a series of activities to encourage veterans to follow the Party's leadership, and created the veteran-themed drama "Heart of a Soldier." Moreover, we organized a campaign for the public to learn from outstanding veterans and individuals who gave immense support to the military. We have consolidated the common consensus that retired soldiers and military personnel are respected, and their contributions are valued by establishing and improving the systematic routine. Our work includes holding farewell activities for recruits when they leave for the army, decorating a plate of glory in the family with military personnel, sending congratulatory letters to the family of a soldier who is rewarded in the army, and holding welcome activities for military personnel after service in their hometowns. We also include the names of the soldiers and their contributions to the local chronicles. Since 2014, China has brought back the remains of 825 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs from the Republic of Korea (ROK) in over eight consecutive years. We have carried out activities to encourage government and public support for the military and preferential treatment for families of service personnel and martyrs in the border and coastal defense forces. We have made changes to the military-civilian dual list system to make administrative procedures easier and consolidate the unity of the military, the government, and the people.
These achievements are attributed to the outstanding leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core and the science-based guidelines of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Looking forward, we will continue to follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, bear in mind the country's most fundamental interests, and stay true to our founding mission. We will focus on serving socio-economic development, national defense, and military building and write a new chapter for the high-quality development of work related to veteran affairs. We will strive to provide better services for retired military personnel and other entitled groups. This will pave the way for a successful 20th National Party Congress.
This is the end of my introduction. Next, my colleagues and I would like to answer your questions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Ma. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.
China Central Television:
What steps has the MVA taken to ensure ex-service personnel have a role in human resource management? Are there any future plans? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thanks for your question. This has long been one of our work priorities. Let me elaborate on this.
Retired military personnel, who have undergone strict training in the army, are mostly equipped with well-rounded qualifications. They are major human resources contributing to developing a modern socialist country. Over the past four years, the MVA has been conscientiously following the guidelines of General Secretary Xi Jinping and encouraging veterans to play their due roles through various measures. First, we have strengthened theoretical and political guidance. We have constantly carried out a series of campaigns to encourage veterans to follow the Party's leadership, organized education campaigns for veterans, selected and honored model veterans, organized campaigns to learn from outstanding veterans, issued privilege cards to entitled groups, held burial ceremonies for remains of CPV martyrs from the ROK, and encouraged ex-service personnel to pass on the revolutionary traditions and the exemplary conduct of the Chinese military and make new contributions in the new era. Second, centered on the requirements of the "six stabilities" and "six guarantees" by the CPC Central Committee, we encourage ex-service personnel to contribute their share to economic development. We have helped settle down 1.85 million ex-service members, helped 2.26 million veterans to find a job or start a business, encouraged 3.5 million ex-service members who became small business owners and played their role as market entities, and initiated over 10,000 startup and innovation projects for veterans. These efforts have helped stabilize the economy and energize the market. Third, revolving around the modernization of China's governance system and capacity, we have encouraged veterans to engage in rural revitalization efforts and to participate in the work of the village committee and Party committee in accordance with the laws and regulations. Over 270,000 ex-service personnel have become members of village and Party committees to serve the people better. We have also organized over 247,000 volunteer service teams consisting of veterans and recruited over 3.5 million veteran volunteers that work on the frontlines of Covid-19 response, as well as disaster rescue and relief. We also selected excellent ex-service members to work as primary and secondary school teachers, police officers or auxiliary officers, and community workers to serve the people and society.
For the next step, we will make good use of the veterans in the workforce, give them their role to play, and encourage them to become a determined force that follows the leadership of the Party, contributes to socio-economic development, and becomes a backup force for national defense and military building, as well as a major volunteer force for emergency rescue and relief, so as to better serve the modernization of the socialist country. Thank you!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Review:
The service guarantee system now basically covers all retired military personnel. Are there any plans to improve this service guarantee system? How will "veteran service officers" play their role in guaranteeing the service of veterans?
Ma Feixiong:
Thanks for your question. The veterans' service guarantee system is one of the three priorities of our work. By asking this question, I can see that you have a good understanding of veteran affairs. The guarantee system is constantly improving. I would like to ask my colleague Liang Jingge, director general of the Department of Ideology and Rights Protection at the MVA, to answer your questions.
Liang Jingge:
With our continuous efforts over more than three years, almost all the ex-service members have been covered by the veteran service and support system. As such, we will adhere to the working philosophy of "delivering timely services and ensuring better guarantees" to push forward the veteran service and support system to a higher level. First, we will consolidate the foundation of veteran service institutions in five aspects, including the establishment of institutions, permanent staffing, regular staff members, sufficient funds, and guaranteed support. We will further implement the important guiding principle of General Secretary Xi Jinping by working in line with the requirements for the five aspects that serve all veterans and verify the construction and running status of veteran service centers and stations at all levels in a comprehensive way to keep advancing our work. Second, we will strengthen our team capacity building. We will take action to improve veteran service centers and station teams' capacity and quality, guiding and helping their staff members to strengthen their vocational study and improve their ability to perform their duties. Third, we will upgrade our service modes. To show our respect to veterans, we have pushed forward service modes such as agent service, one-stop service, internet plus service, and service without the need for a second trip. More than 600,000 veteran service institutions can now be reached on Amap and Baidu Map navigation apps, which offers veterans more convenient high-quality, and efficient services. Fourth, we will strengthen vocational construction. We will study and formulate the national vocational skill standards for personnel who manage veteran affairs, do a good job in compiling teaching materials, and develop question banks and other supporting work. On the basis of carrying out pilot schemes, we will gradually expand training to the whole system so as to build a professional team which has excellent vocational skills, is familiar with specialized knowledge and competent in practical tasks.
Veteran affairs officer is a new profession established for the first time in China and designed to provide services and guarantees for ex-servicemen. The setting of this profession is of great significance for improving the construction of a quality and efficient veteran service and support system and also promote the long-term and sound development of our cause. It will substantially raise the social awareness, recognition, and credibility of veteran affairs officers, support them to enhance their confidence and sense of professional belonging, and play a role in stabilizing and expanding our team. Meanwhile, going forward, we will establish a working mechanism of normalized training and scientific assessment procedures, open up the channel of career development for relevant personnel, and make our services and support work more professional and standardized. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
Preferential treatment certificates are a symbol of honor for all veterans. Can you give an introduction to the current certification's application and issuance process? What preferential treatment can certificate holders enjoy? What plans will be made in the future to expand current preferential treatment programs? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your questions. Preferential treatment certificates are closely connected with all the ex-service members and other entitled groups, and, as you mentioned, the certificate is a symbol of honor for all veterans. I would like to invite Mr. Cao to answer your questions.
Cao Jun:
Thank you for your questions. Last December, the MVA officially started work on the application and issuance of preferential treatment certificates. This work has attracted much attention and is one of the key tasks of the MVA. Veteran affairs departments at all levels throughout the country have actively pushed ahead with relevant work in accordance with the deployment and requirements. At present, the work on the application and issuance of preferential treatment certificates is stable and orderly. As of 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, a total of 8.56 million preferential treatment certificates have been issued. By the end of the year, we will make efforts to issue certificates for all existing applicants.
The preferential treatment for certificate holders mainly refers to preferential social treatment, and can be summarized in three aspects. First, equal importance has been attached to preferential treatment in both the spiritual and material levels. The issuance of the certificate is an important measure to improve the honor system of the entitled groups and highlight the praise and encouragement for the holders. At the same time, we are also constantly improving the value of the certificate to let its holder access practical preferential treatment. For instance, holders can be guaranteed preferential access to services in some areas, such as, in particular, the courtesy broadcast in passenger cabins of China United Airlines, discounts in fueling cars at petrol stations under the China National Petroleum Corporation, and in delivering mail via SF Express, among others. Second, preferential treatment at the national and local levels have been coordinated. At the national level, 20 government organs, including the MVA, have issued opinions on strengthening the work on preferential treatment, clarifying almost 100 preferential treatment services in eight aspects that can be accessed by certificate holders. The preferential treatment at the national level is mainly reflected in spiritual praise and motivation. In accordance with the unified arrangement and deployment of the state, and in combination with the local economic and social development level, local departments have also issued a list of preferential treatment categories for certificate holders. Third, preferential treatment guaranteed by the government and provided by society have been coordinated. Joint efforts from both the government and the community are needed in offering abundant preferential treatment services for the entitled groups. So far, some enterprises in finance, communications, transportation, cultural tourism, express delivery, and some other fields have provided preferential treatment services for certificate holders. We hope that more social organizations and enterprises will join the practices to provide preferential treatment.
Going forward, we will expand and improve preferential treatment programs in four aspects. First, we will expand the scope of its application. We will continue to intensify our efforts to enrich the usage of the certificate. Second, we will coordinate extensive connectivity. Local departments and institutions are encouraged to open their preferential treatment services to certificate holders across the country so that preferential treatment programs across the country can be widely connected. Third, we will build platforms. We will build unified preferential treatment service platforms to both facilitate people from all walks of life to provide preferential treatment for certificate holders and help them get a better understanding and grant them access to various kinds of preferential treatment services. Fourth, we will digitalize the certificate. We will promote efforts to digitize the preferential treatment certificate and develop digital versions to help the holders enjoy preferential treatment conveniently. We believe that with strong support from the government and the active involvement of society, the certificate will become more and more useful and easier to use. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
What are the highlights and achievements in employment and entrepreneurship of veterans? And what are the next arrangements in promoting high-quality and stable employment for them? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your questions. As we know, employment is the cornerstone of people's well-being. The issue that you are concerned about is also a concern of veterans, and the focus of the MVA. As such, when the MVA was established, the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship was specially set up. Now, I'd like to invite Mr. Yu Jingsen, director general of the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship, to answer your questions.
Yu Jingsen:
First of all, I would like to thank all media reporters, especially all of you here, for your concern and care for the employment and entrepreneurship work of veterans. I will answer your questions from the following three aspects.
The first is to establish and improve a sound policy support system centering on serving key national development strategies. We have worked with other relevant departments and issued a series of policy documents to guide veterans to work for rural revitalization, in economic development zones and contribute to the development of private enterprises. So far, more than 400,000 veterans have returned to their hometowns and set up businesses, with some of them even becoming entrepreneurial “leaders” in getting rich.
The second is to directly provide high-quality job opportunities to maintain a stable economy and employment, and meet basic living needs. Firstly, we cooperated with enterprises. Veterans affairs departments at all levels signed contracts with 13,000 enterprises, provided more than 1 million jobs, and helped around 300,000 people find employment. Secondly, we cooperated with all sectors of society to guide veterans to find employment in suitable fields and key industries, in positions such as primary and secondary school teachers, police officers and auxiliary police officers. In addition, 3,000 to 4,000 of them are recruited in emergency management and fire and rescue services and more than 3,000 veterans are hired as shipping seamen each year. The scale of recruitment has also been increased, and more than 20,000 job fairs have been held in various regions, providing 12 million jobs and helping 2.26 million veterans get employment.
The third is to create a favorable environment to support job creation through business startups. We will guide veterans to make good use of existing policies, and support and promote the development of enterprises that are run by veterans and create more jobs. To date, more than 3 million self-employed individuals and enterprises have created more than 4 million jobs for veterans. The national-level Veterans Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition saw the participation of more than 50,000 veterans with 13,000 high-quality startup projects. In addition, every year in the People's Daily, we publish the Honor Roll of Employment Cooperation Enterprises and the Honor Roll of Entrepreneurship That Creates Jobs. With the joint efforts and support of society, an atmosphere in which agencies, enterprises and institutions at all levels across the country give priority to the employment of veterans under the same conditions has taken shape.
Next, we will further improve the empowerment level of education and training programs for veterans, and fill the policy gap to support veterans in entrepreneurship and innovation and step up effective measures for self-employed individuals and employment assistance. We will continue to strengthen cooperation between industries and enterprises and encourage recruitment activities. We will also give full support to the development of enterprises run by veterans and broaden employment channels.
That's all from me. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Beijing Radio & Television Station:
Caring for and respecting veterans is the shared responsibility of the whole society, and easing their difficulties is also a key task. What kind of work has been carried out to care for veterans in difficulty? What are the relevant arrangements going forward? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your questions. I will have Mr. Liang Jingge take your question.
Liang Jingge:
When it comes to people's livelihoods, every little detail matters. Among all the veterans, there are a few who do have difficulty in work and life due to various reasons. Since the establishment of the MVA, we have acted with firm resolve to implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on caring for veterans, and established a support and assistance work system for veterans in difficulties that is led by the MVA with proactive cooperation from relevant functional departments and public participation.
The first is to develop a clear picture of the number of veterans in difficulty to implement targeted assistance and relief. Together with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, we drew back the veil on the number of veterans in difficulty across the country, and created the assistance service system to implement dynamic management and targeted assistance. At important points throughout the year, we will pay visits to veterans to see what they need. Over the past four years, a total of 6.5 billion yuan has been invested into our work, and more than 31 million veterans have been visited and helped.
The second is to strengthen top-level design and improve our policy and regulation system. We have released documents on assisting veterans, ensuring their basic livelihood and judicial assistance together with the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, to leverage relevant departments' functional advantages and open up a "green lane" to address veterans' needs. So far, we have issued nearly 41 million yuan in judicial assistance funding for veterans, service members and their families.
The third is to create strong synergy and support to further step up social participation. We cooperated with relevant social organizations to launch public interest activities under the theme of "Warming Veterans with Care and Help," in which we have invested more than 30 million yuan and carried out activities to address veterans' urgent needs including their elderly health care and the issues of schooling and medical assistance for their children, which have produced positive social effects. We also guided 20 provinces to set up care funds (associations) for veterans, and a total of 9 billion yuan has been collected.
Next, we will continue to carry out the special action of "Warming Veterans and Addressing Their Urgent Needs" together with the China Charity Federation and other units, so as to benefit more veterans in difficulty. We will continue to improve the assistance service system, provide care through routine visits and guide social organizations to play an active role in order to effectively build a tightly woven system to meet veterans' basic needs. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Changjiang Daily:
Since the establishment of the MVA, what has been done to promote the education and training of veterans and boost the employment of veterans who involved in enrollment expansion programs of vocational colleges? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your question. Mr. Yu will answer your question.
Yu Jingsen:
Thank you for your concern. As we know, service members are devoted to protecting our country while most young people study at school or prepare to enter higher school. Therefore, they need to improve their educational background and vocational skills after they retire from military service. I will answer the question from the following five aspects:
First, we have strengthened the top-level design. We worked with education, finance, and social security departments to roll out more than 10 policy documents related to education (receiving higher education) and training, reconstructing the whole education and training system.
Second, we organize adaptive training. Veterans face a significant change after they retire from military service. How to adapt themselves to the social situation as quickly as possible is a challenge. We have promoted adaptive training across the country since 2019, specifying the training's content, timetables, and forms. More than 520,000 veterans have improved their social adaptability through training.
Third, we focus on improving their educational background. We worked with the Ministry of Education to boost enrollment expansion of self-employed veterans for higher vocational colleges. More than 1 million ex-service members who graduated from high school studied at a full-time junior college without being asked to take literacy exams. Moreover, 180,000 went back to school, and 20,000 became graduate students. We conducted tuition reduction or exemption for undergraduates, junior college students and postgraduates. National grant programs for undergraduates and junior college students have covered all full-time students who retired from military service.
Fourth, we improve their vocational skills. We have strengthened the management of training institutions, establishing a management system featuring provincial unified planning and municipal leadership. We require counties to be held responsible for work assigned by the provincial and municipal governments, releasing name lists of training institutions, assessing performance at regular intervals, and expanding training programs to encourage ex-service members to participate in programs to improve their vocational skills and satisfy their growing diversified training demand with high quality. Our training programs have covered a total of 820,000 people.
Enrollment expansion of higher vocational colleges and employment, which the reporter mentioned, is also a hot issue of the year. The first batch of ex-service members who participated in enrollment expansion programs of vocational colleges will graduate this year, and the number of graduates is expected to reach 300,000. To ensure their employment, we worked with the Ministry of Education to coordinate deployment and arrangements and promote full and stable employment. The preliminary statistics showed that the initial employment rate for graduates from vocational colleges stood at over 80 percent.
That's all for my answer, thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Daily:
As we all know, the transfer and resettlement of veterans are very important. What progress and achievements have been made in this regard in recent years? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your question. Resettlement of veterans is regular work. Where there are armed forces, there is retirement. Where there is retirement, there is resettlement. I am happy to give you some information about this.
The resettlement of veterans is a global problem. We can demonstrate our efforts by rising to challenges. Since the establishment of the MVA, we have always followed the guidelines of serving the economy and the society, serving the construction of national defense and the armed forces, adhering to the principle of appropriate resettlement, reasonable use, tapping the full potential of talents and making sure that everyone enjoys his place. We will focus on the target of high-quality development, improve policies and measures, enhance working mechanisms, and improve our services, so as to well resettle veterans.
First, we have continued to improve the resettlement system. We established a resettlement system that featured monthly retirement payments and rolled out measures for implementation. We started a training resettlement scheme for professional talents of veterans, improved the system for choosing jobs based on service contribution, promoted the system to encourage veterans to work at the grassroots level, and standardized transfer and resettlement procedures to improve the resettlement system.
Second, the quality of resettlement has improved steadily. We carried out a series of measures, collecting reasonable positions, making scientific resettlement plans, intensifying our efforts in training, making more significant efforts to better match talents with positions, and doing everything possible to motivate employers to improve the quality of resettlement effectively.
For more than four years, we have successfully resettled 330,000 ex-service members, who were employed by Party and government institutions at all levels, people's organizations, public institutions and state-owned enterprises. Their satisfaction with the resettlement work has been increasing year by year.
Third, special campaigns have progressed smoothly. We focus on serving for and promoting military reforms and overcoming difficulties. We resettled many ex-service members during military reforms and took concrete steps to address permanent residency of military personnel and resettlement of ex-firemen. We also focus on serving for war preparedness and combat capabilities and follow the principle of taking special measures in special situations. We have quickened our steps to resettle military personnel who have been put on rest for a long time and retired soldiers who are sick and disabled. We focus on resolving the pressing difficulties and problems of veterans. We completed the work of supplementary payment of basic old-age insurance of some ex-servicemen, covering 2.853 million ex-service members. The management of basic old-age insurance is now conducted regularly. All these measures and work have convincingly shown the care of the Party and governments for ex-service members.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Youth Daily:
Revolutionary resources serve as vivid teaching materials for all Party officials and members to stand firm in their ideals and convictions and strengthen the Party spirit. What has the MVA done to make good use of revolutionary cultural resources, pass down revolutionary traditions, and sustain revolutionary heritage? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thanks to the reporter for their question. It is one of the important functions of the Department of Commendation and Commemoration of the MVA to make good use of revolutionary cultural resources, pass down revolutionary traditions, and sustain revolutionary heritage. We will have Mr. Li Jingxian from the Department of Commendation and Commemoration answer this question.
Li Jingxian:
Thanks to the reporter for their question. The MVA has resolutely implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the use of revolutionary cultural resources and commendation and commemoration of martyrs. We have guarded memorial facilities for martyrs, held the ground for education on the history of revolution, vigorously publicized and promoted the deeds and spirit of the heroes and martyrs, passed down revolutionary traditions and sustained revolutionary heritage, gathered mental strength, and nurtured the root and soul of the nation, and taken concrete steps to promote innovative development in the commendation and commemoration of martyrs.
First, the policy and regulation system has been further improved. We have promoted the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, the General office of the State Council, and the General office of the Central Military Commission to issue overall work plans on planning, construction, renovation, management, and maintenance of memorial facilities for martyrs and the opinions on strengthening commendation and commemoration of martyrs in the new era. Our work has incorporated the protection of heroes and martyrs into the support system of Party and state awards and honors. We have rolled out measures for protecting overseas memorial facilities for martyrs and revised the measures for protection and management of memorial facilities for martyrs. We have cooperated with relevant departments to establish a joint mechanism for protecting heroes and martyrs and have issued a series of guidelines on protecting, managing, and utilizing memorial facilities for martyrs.
Second, remarkable progress has been made in the quality improvement and renovation of memorial facilities for martyrs. We have actively collected and verified information for the use of memorial facilities for martyrs, realizing dynamic information management of 760,000 martyrs' tombs nationwide. We have joined with the National Development and Reform Commission to roll out a project to provide adequate social service facilities during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, with a focus on supporting the upgrading and renovation of national- and provincial-level memorial facilities for martyrs. We have worked with relevant departments to launch renovation projects on memorial facilities for martyrs at the county level and below, renovating 220,000 memorial facilities for martyrs nationwide and combining standardized renovation with effective management and protection. We have signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the National Cultural Heritage Administration, strengthening the preservation and utilization of revolutionary cultural resources.
Third, education on the history of the revolution has fully played its role. We have organized publicity and education events, such as the ones themed "Heroes and Martyrs in the Centenary of the CPC" and "Red September." We have issued the third batch of national-level directories of memorial facilities and historical sites for memorizing the war against the Japanese aggression and martyrs and groups of heroes famous for fighting the war against the Japanese aggression. We have held solemn repatriation and burial ceremonies for the remains of CPV martyrs from the ROK and the burial ceremony of remains of the Red Army martyrs in the Battle of the Xiangjiang. Together with relevant military and local civilian institutions, we have held exhibitions commemorating the 70th anniversary of the CPV entering the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. Moreover, we have compiled the deeds of famous Chinese heroes and martyrs and promoted such materials to be displayed at the Museum of the CPC. We have, working with relevant departments, directed all local governments to make good use of memorial facilities for martyrs in the Party history learning and education and created several excellent works, including one titled "I Live in Your Memory." We have continued to launch themed events to commemorate heroes and martyrs online, and organized groups of Chinese youth cadres and other delegations to visit the DPRK for tomb-sweeping and exchanges. We have directed local governments to hold solemn public commemorative events for martyrs and award ceremonies for certificates of martyr on China's Martyrs' Day. We have actively collected and conserved relics of martyrs, their family letters, and historical materials and strengthened efforts to train research fellows and narrators in memorial facilities for heroes and martyrs. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People.cn:
Can you brief us on the arrangements of the handover, repatriation, and burial ceremonies of the ninth batch of remains of the CPV martyrs from the ROK and the latest progress on identifying family members of martyrs? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thanks to the reporter for their question. As you know, a total of eight batches of the remains of the CPV martyrs from the ROK have been returned and buried home over the past eight consecutive years. The repatriation and burial ceremonies were grand and solemn, attracting worldwide attention. We will have Mr. Li Jingxian from the Department of Commendation and Commemoration discuss the arrangements of the ninth batch.
Li Jingxian:
According to the consensus and the work plan reached by China and the ROK, the repatriation and burial ceremonies of the ninth batch of remains of the CPV martyrs from the ROK will be held from Sept. 14 to 17. The remains will be placed into coffins at a ceremony on Sept. 15 in Incheon, the ROK. The handover and repatriation ceremonies will be held on Sept. 16 at the Incheon International Airport in the ROK and the Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, Liaoning province of China, respectively. The burial ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 17 at Shenyang's CPV martyrs' cemetery. To fully demonstrate respect for CPV martyrs and vigorously promote the spirit of the heroes and martyrs, the MVA, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant units, will continue to hold the handover and repatriation ceremonies of the ninth batch of remains of the CPV martyrs from the ROK. China's repatriation delegation is planned to be led by a comrade in charge of the MVA and consist of members of the Publicity Department and the International Department of the Central Committee of the CPC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission. They will go to the ROK to carry out the handover and escort the remains of the CPV martyrs back to China. The leading official of the MVA will go to Shenyang to preside over the repatriation ceremony, attend the burial ceremony and deliver a eulogy. This year will mark the 20th CPC National Congress and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the ROK. To fully demonstrate the country's respect and care, the arrangements for the handover, repatriation, and burial ceremonies of the ninth batch of the remains of the CPV martyrs from the ROK will be further optimized. The detailed arrangements are under discussion with the relevant units.
Regarding the progress of searching for relatives of martyrs, the MVA has fully implemented the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, optimized the government service platform to help find relatives of martyrs, and actively promoted the work in this regard. As of now, we have found relatives for more than 2,700 martyrs. We have also completed the process of DNA extraction and identification of the remains of 825 CPV martyrs returned by the ROK. At the same time, combined with the relics of martyrs, military history, and information on the excavation of the remains of CPV martyrs, we sorted out the list of suspected relatives of some martyrs, identified 10 returned martyrs, and found their families, naming previously unknown martyrs, and returning them to their hometowns. Now, we have started the collection and identification of DNA from a new group of martyrs' families. For the next step, we will compare that DNA with the remains of martyrs and actively promote related work in a steady manner.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Tianmu News:
The medical rehabilitation of disabled revolutionary servicemen and ex-servicemen has always been a great concern to all. Could you please give us a brief introduction to the current construction, reform, and development of hospitals for entitled groups? Thank you.
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your question. Hospitals for entitled groups are an important front for providing services to veterans and other entitled groups. Their development and reform are now at a critical stage. We will have Mr. Cao Jun, the director general of the Department of Support and Preferential Treatment of the MVA, to answer your question.
Cao Jun:
Thank you for your question as well as the public concern about the hospitals for entitled groups. The public may not yet be very familiar with the new concept of "hospitals for entitled groups." As a matter of fact, as Mr. Ma briefly mentioned just now, hospitals for entitled groups are an important part of troops preparing for war, warm homes for disabled servicemen and other entitled groups to enjoy medical care, rehabilitation, and support services, and an important platform for spreading care and love for revolutionary heroes. In October 1935, the first hospital for entitled groups was established in Yan'an, the holy land of our Party's revolution. Since then, these types of hospitals have made outstanding contributions to serving disabled revolutionary soldiers in different historical periods of China's revolution, construction, and reform. With continuous economic and social development, especially rapid development of national health care, problems such as outdated infrastructure, poor management systems, lack of internal vitality, and the poor planning and layout of hospitals for entitled groups have become increasingly prominent. The construction and service level of hospitals for entitled groups can no longer fully meet the needs of the situation and tasks, as well as the expectations of entitled groups including disabled veterans.
We must go ahead with reform in order to promote the high-quality development of hospitals for entitled groups. It can be summarized as the following four aspects: "positioning, layout, integration, and livening up." The "positioning" stresses that the hospitals for entitled groups are welfare public medical institutions with special missions, mainly providing medical services for entitled groups represented by disabled veterans. Their main duty must be fulfilled with high standards and to the letter. The "layout" requires us to consider the needs of war, needs of entitled groups, and public health resources distribution in a comprehensive way. In principle, we should build three provincial hospitals for entitled groups in each province and a number of regional ones across the country in accordance with the standards of tertiary hospitals. The provincial and regional hospitals for entitled groups should play an exemplary role and help other such hospitals so that we can establish a medical system for entitled groups which is well laid out. The "integration" means that the hospitals for entitled groups should be integrated into the medical and health care service system, be included in regional planning and the construction of medical alliances, enjoy the same preferential policies as other public hospitals, and also provide medical services for our society, so that we can promote the integrated development of hospitals for entitled groups and local medical service systems. "Livening up" indicates that we should strengthen Party building, management, personnel salary, performance evaluation, and other aspects so as to activate the internal driving forces of the hospitals for entitled groups, enhance their capacity for independent development, and improve their capabilities.
It is a fine tradition of the Party and the state to show their great love for revolutionary heroes. It is the main duty of hospitals for entitled groups to serve disabled soldiers and other entitled groups. Being a soldier is a special profession. As the old saying goes, "On the day of taking orders, they will forget their homes; when facing the battles, they will forget their families; when the drum beats, they will forget themselves." Being a soldier means dedication and sacrifice. I hope that governments at all levels, all localities, and all sectors of society will care for, support, and help the construction and development of hospitals for entitled groups, striving to make them stronger and better. In doing so, we will ensure medical service guarantees for military officers and soldiers, and they will definitely devote themselves to building a strong military without hesitation.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Legal Daily:
What changes has the Veterans Support Law brought about more than one year after its implementation? What policies and regulations will be rolled out next to facilitate its enforcement?
Ma Feixiong:
Thank you for your questions. As I said a moment ago, the Veterans Support Law is China's first special law regarding veterans, so we can all imagine its significance.
Regarding your question, I would say that it is no easy job to pass a law, and it is even more important to implement it well. The Veterans Support Law has brought about many changes more than one year after its enforcement. First, the atmosphere for studying and respecting the law has become stronger. By compiling tutorials, organizing thematic training, and making short videos, we have promoted the law extensively and continually, focusing on its background, great significance, core content, and practical requirements. Now, the capability of the people in our system to administer according to law has improved markedly, and the legal awareness of veterans has also constantly increased. Second, supporting policies and regulations have been gradually improved. Progress has been made in the formulation and revision of the regulation on the resettlement of veterans, the regulation on the compensation and preferential treatment of military personnel, and the regulation on tributes to families of martyrs. We have also adopted measures on serving and managing retired military officials who now receive benefits from the government, measures on compensating disabled veterans, measures on managing special care hospitals, measures on managing glory hospitals, and measures on protecting and managing memorial facilities for martyrs. Third, solid progress has been made in implementing the law and relevant policies. We have launched an initiative called the "Year of Law and Policy Implementation." Under the initiative, we have worked to see that veterans benefit from relevant policies by promoting coordination at the ministerial, provincial, city, and county levels, urging implementation, breaking down tasks in a detailed manner, promoting the fulfillment of responsibilities at different levels, and tackling the bottlenecks and pains in policy implementation. Fourth, the level of service has kept rising. Among the measures already taken, pensions are given out monthly; the mechanism for fair and transparent resettlement of retired military personnel has been improved, and direct settlement has been introduced; multiple measures have been adopted to help veterans get employment or start a business; subsidies for entitled groups have been increased for many years in a row; the mechanisms for helping those in difficulty and providing legal aid and judicial assistance have been improved to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of veterans according to law.
Going forward, we will continue to study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and the important expositions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on veteran affairs. We will focus on issues that the CPC Central Committee is concerned about, veterans care much about, and those that need urgent attention. We will build a tightly woven system of laws, regulations, and policies, and move faster and with greater force to abolish outdated ones, fix deficiencies, fill gaps and implement existing laws. Specifically, we will focus on three areas of effort. First, we will step up to formulate the regulation on the resettlement of veterans, revise the regulation on the compensation and preferential treatment of military personnel and the regulation on tributes to families of martyrs, and conduct research on the formulation of regulation on the employment and entrepreneurship of veterans. Second, we will improve rules and regulations on various aspects of veteran support, including ones to strengthen their political awareness, facilitate their transfer and resettlement, support their employment and entrepreneurship, ensure their compensation and preferential treatment, and offer tributes to the families of martyrs. Third, we will instruct local veteran services to roll out rules and regulations that suit local conditions. With these efforts, we aim to build a policy system featuring unimpeded communication at all levels, coordination between different departments, policy consistency, and comprehensive support. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you to all speakers and friends from the media. That's all for today's press conference. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Guo Yiming, Liu Qiang, Yang Xi, Zhou Jing, Huang Shan, Zhang Rui, Ma Yujia, Yan Bin, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, Liu Sitong, Qin Qi, Wang Wei, Yuan Fang, 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.
Speakers:
Mr. Li Bin, vice minister of the National Health Commission (NHC)
Mr. Qin Huaijin, vice commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Mr. Chang Jile, vice administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration
Mr. Zhu Hongbiao, senior official of the Department of Healthcare Reform, NHC
Mr. Wang Haidong, senior official of the Department of Aging and Health, NHC
Mr. Du Xixue, senior official of the Department of Population Surveillance and Family Development, NHC
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Sept. 7, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 27th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We are delighted to have invited Mr. Li Bin, vice minister of the NHC; Mr. Qin Huaijin, vice commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine; and Mr. Chang Jile, vice administrator of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, to brief you on achievements in the development of China's public health since the 18th CPC National Congress. Also joining us today are Mr. Zhu Hongbiao, senior official of the Department of Healthcare Reform, NHC; Mr. Wang Haidong, senior official of the Department of Aging and Health, NHC; and Mr. Du Xixue, senior official of the Department of Population Surveillance and Family Development, NHC.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Li Bin for his introduction.
Li Bin:
Friends from the press, good afternoon. I would like to express my thanks to you for your interest in and support for the health care sector.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The most important indicator of modernization is people's health, which is the basis for people's happy life." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has prioritized people's health and assigned it a strategic position. "Putting people and their lives first" has been the CPC's governance philosophy. We have made guidelines for health care-related work in the new era, made building a healthy China and actively responding to an aging population as national strategies, and continuously deepened the reform of the medical and health system. We have embarked on a path to reform and advance the health care sector with Chinese characteristics.
The past decade has seen the Healthy China strategy fully implemented and people's health fully guaranteed. The Law on the Promotion of Basic Medical and Health Care was formulated and revised; the outline of Healthy China 2030 was formulated and implemented and the Healthy China initiative was carried out; the Health Care Program for Poverty Alleviation has helped nearly 10 million families who had returned to poverty due to illness to escape poverty; the patriotic health campaigns have been integrated into all aspects of social health governance; civilized, healthy and green lifestyles are increasingly popular; and people's awareness of good health has been significantly improved.
The past decade has seen the balanced long-term population growth and the improved health of the elderly and children. The childbirth policy has been refined. Policies allowing couples to have two children if either parent is an only child, allowing couples to have two children, and then allowing couples to have three children have been successively implemented. The government has scrapped many restrictions and will no longer issue fines for couples who violate the family planning law by having more children than they are allowed. Meanwhile, a series of supporting policies were launched. We have implemented the national strategy for addressing population aging, improved integrated medical and elderly care services, and actively promoted the building of an elderly-friendly society. The ability to ensure the safety of mothers and infants has been significantly improved. China's infant mortality rate and mortality rate of children under 5 years old are far lower than the average level of middle- and high-income countries. The core health indicators of mothers and infants have been further improved.
The past decade has seen the deepened reform of the medical and health system and gradual resolution of the problems of access to and affordability of medical services. The practice of hospitals subsidizing their medical services with medication sales has been brought to an end. The focus was changed from "treating disease" to "improving health." The experience of Sanming city's medical reform has been promoted. The three-level network of medical and health services covering urban and rural areas has been continuously improved, and 90% of families can reach their nearest medical institution within 15 minutes. The number of medications on the National Essential Medicines List has increased to 685. The number of people covered by basic medical insurance exceeded 1.36 billion, and the proportion of health care expenses borne by individuals dropped to 27.7%.
The past decade has seen the consolidated public health protection network and the effective prevention and control of infectious diseases, chronic diseases, occupational diseases and endemic diseases. Malaria has been eliminated in China, the target of curbing hepatitis B has been achieved, and the spread of AIDS is under effective control. The rate of premature deaths from major chronic diseases is lower than the global average. The higher prevalence of major occupational diseases such as pneumoconiosis has started to be curbed. The schistosomiasis epidemic has fallen to the lowest level in history, and the goals of the three-year campaign on preventing and curing endemic diseases have been achieved as scheduled. In the face of COVID-19, the most serious infectious disease pandemic in the world in a century, China is adhering to the general strategy of "preventing inbound infections and domestic resurgence" and a dynamic zero-COVID policy. We have been constantly adjusting prevention and control measures according to the situation, protecting the lives and health of the people to the greatest extent and coordinating the prevention and control of the epidemic and economic and social development. We have withstood the severe test and fully demonstrated China's spirit, strength and sense of responsibility.
The past decade has seen an increasingly higher overall quality of healthcare workers and enhanced medical technology capacity and quality. By 2021, there were nearly 14 million health professionals in China, with an increasing number of capable personnel with talents of all kinds, 72% of whom were technical personnel working on the ground. We have worked to build a high-quality and efficient medical services system, set up national and regional medical centers, advanced the construction of healthcare consortiums in urban areas and at the county level, and deepened the reform of the medical and health care systems at the county level. Now 50% of county hospitals are capable of performing complicated surgeries. We have worked to meet the goal of treating severe and critical illnesses within all provincial-level regions, common ailments treated at the city or county hospitals and mild diseases treated at nearby medical institutions in towns and villages. The annual average medical diagnosis and treatment per person and the hospitalization rate gradually reached or approached the average level of developed countries.
The past decade has seen the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through innovation, with more people having more convenient access to TCM services and confidently using related medicines. We have stepped up to build a high-quality and efficient TCM services system. The capacity of the community-level TCM services has made notable improvements. The TCM services are increasingly equitable, accessible and convenient. We have actively introduced TCM to the rest of the world. As a result, TCM is now available in 196 countries and regions.
The past decade has seen the rapid development of medical science and technology, with China participating in global health governance at a deeper level and in a broader scope. A special program has contributed to developing China's new medicine R&D, from making generic versions to creating new medicines. Another program has raised the abilities for comprehensive prevention and control, handling emergencies and scientific research when responding to new and sudden outbreaks of infectious diseases swiftly and effectively. We have participated in global health governance at a deeper level, taking concrete steps to push forward health cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, continuously providing medical assistance to foreign countries and showcasing China's sense of responsibility in building a global community of health during the battles against the Ebola epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In general, China has made unprecedented progress in healthcare over the past decade. Moreover, people are increasingly feeling the benefits of the country's progress. The average life expectancy in China rose from 74.8 years to 78.2 years, a historic improvement. The core health indicators of the Chinese rank among the highest of the middle- and high-income countries. People's right to health is guaranteed, highlighting the people-centered development philosophy adopted by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.
We will continue to improve national health policy and ensure the delivery of comprehensive lifecycle health services for our people, cementing the foundation of health for the second centenary goal.
Now, my colleagues and I are ready to take your questions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Li. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.
CCTV:
The Healthy China initiative, as a national strategy, is closely related to enabling people to feel more satisfied, happy and secure. The Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035 has declared that China will become a powerful country in terms of health by 2035. How has the work progressed to advance the Healthy China initiative? What progress has been made in achieving phased goals? What benefits have people enjoyed during the process? Thank you.
Li Bin:
I'll answer your questions. The Healthy China initiative has received a lot of attention. We have advanced the relevant work from the following aspects.
The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance and given top priority to improving people's health, making the major policy decision to carry out the Healthy China initiative and committed to making China a powerful country in terms of health by 2035.
We have thoughtfully implemented the policy decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and worked with other related departments in adopting multiple measures and focusing on their implementation. The primary goals of the Healthy China initiative in 2022 were achieved ahead of schedule, and efforts to build a Healthy China are now off to a good start and advancing smoothly.
First, a health-conscious approach has been promoted in all policy decisions, establishing a framework that integrates health considerations into policymaking. We established a committee to advance the Healthy China initiative and an expert advisory committee. We have explored the establishment of a health impact assessment mechanism and formed a work pattern featuring coordination among various departments and at the provincial, city and county levels.
Second, we have focused on popularizing health knowledge to more families and built two pools and one mechanism step by step to comprehensively spread health science. Two pools include an expert pool and a resource pool for health science popularization at the national level, and the mechanism is tasked with publicizing and spreading health knowledge by all media.
Third, we have attached importance to the full life cycle and greatly improved our capacity to protect health. The average basic public health service subsidy has been raised to 84 yuan per person. We have provided health management services for patients with hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, and other priority diseases, and for target groups such as kids aged 0-6, pregnant women, and seniors aged over 65. Solid progress has been made in comprehensively preventing and controlling myopia among kids and teenagers, and gradual improvement has been seen in students' physical health. Serious diseases have been effectively prevented, and the premature mortality due to major chronic diseases is lower than the average global level.
Fourth, people's life has become healthier, and the environment where we work and live has continued to be better. Healthy living has become a new fashion, and 25.4% of residents have had basic health awareness. The area of sports venues has been increasing, and 37.2% of residents have been taking part in regular exercise. The living environment in urban areas has improved notably, and the proportion of days with good air quality in a year has continued to increase. The sanitary conditions in rural areas have taken on a brand-new look, and tap water and sanitary toilets have become more accessible to rural residents.
Fifth, all people across the country have been encouraged to be involved in the Healthy China initiative, and we have seen an increasingly denser atmosphere of people making fitness activities part of their life. The initiative has strategically themed on achieving health for all with joint contribution and shared benefits, advocated that "everyone is the first person responsible for his/her health," helping form a sound social environment where all are pursuing and maintaining their health. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Youth Daily:
Medical reform is a difficult problem around the world. What measures has the NHC taken to promote in-depth medical reform? What achievements have been made? And what inspiration has been gained? Thank you.
Zhu Hongbiao:
Thank you for your care and attention to medical reform. Just as you said, medical reform is a difficult problem around the world, and in particular, it is even more difficult, arduous, and complicated for China, a major developing country with a population of more than 1.4 billion, to implement medical reform. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, in accordance with the CPC Central Committee and the State Council's top-level design on in-depth medical reform, we have focused on pilot demonstration programs, key and difficult issues, overall coordination, supervision, and evaluation. We have summarized and popularized medical reform experience in typical areas represented by Sanming city, pushed ahead with medical reform to deliver more solid outcomes, and strived to solve the problem of difficult access to medical treatment. Thanks to these efforts, we have obtained great efforts in medical reform.
First, it has become easier for people to access medical treatment. We have launched 12 national medical centers of different academic categories, 50 state-level regional medical centers, and 15,000 healthcare consortiums of various forms, channeling quality medical resources to lower levels. In 2021, the number of patients taking interprovincial medical treatment, which is related to the specialties of the first group of state-level regional medical centers, dropped by 9.3% compared with 2019. Medical treatment procedures have become more reasonable.
Second, the problem of expensive access to medical treatment has been better dealt with. All public hospitals are now required to stop profiting from higher-priced medicine and consumables, and our capacity to ensure access to basic medical resources has steadily improved. We have pressed ahead with bulk government purchases for medicines and medical consumables and put them into use. The price of seven batches of medicines from bulk government purchases dropped by over 50% on average, the price of two batches of consumables from government bulk procurement dropped by over 80% on average, and the medicine price fixed through negotiations and bargaining dropped by over 50% on average.
Third, we have put more emphasis on health-centered reform. With the guidance of the concept of developing comprehensive health care services, we have attached greater importance to prevention during the implementation of the Healthy China initiative, and the concept of "everyone is the first person responsible for his/her health" has become more acceptable. We have strengthened the prevention and treatment of major diseases and also the health management of chronic diseases, reformed and improved the disease prevention and control system, given play to the unique strength of TCM, and developed integrated medical and elderly care services. With such efforts, China's health care has seen continuous innovation in the way it develops and in the modes we work with.
During our practice of in-depth medical reform, we have recognized that we must uphold the Party leadership, take a health-centered approach, and provide non-for-profit healthcare. We must also apply a systematic approach to promote coordination and ensure the effectiveness of all medical reform policies.
Going forward, we will develop based on China's realities and give full play to its institutional strengths, continuing to look for a Chinese solution to the global problem of medical reform. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
China has adjusted and refined childbirth policies several times in the past 10 years. How is China's demographic development now? What will be done to support long-term balanced demographic development? Thank you.
Du Xixue:
Let me answer this question. Demographic?development is one of China's most fundamental interests. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has gradually adjusted childbirth policies and promoted balanced demographic development from the strategic perspective of realizing national rejuvenation in light of China's demographic changes. The two-child policy for couples in which one partner is an only child, the universal two-child policy, the three-child policy and supporting measures were implemented step by step, which delivered new results. The policies increased the proportion of newborns who were second or third children from 35% to more than 55%. The gender ratio at birth also became more balanced. Healthy childbirth and child-rearing have been promoted, which has ensured the safety of mothers and infants. Universal childcare services are complete with improved policies, regulations, standards and service systems. Supportive measures have been improved to relieve families' burden of childbirth and child-rearing.
Profound changes have occurred in China's demographic structure in the new era, with a substantial slowdown in population growth, a declining fertility rate and an aging population. We will accelerate the introduction of policies to support childbirth and provide universal childcare services to satisfy people's expectations and eliminate their worries by integrating marriage, birth, child-rearing and child-education services. In doing so, China will release its potential for childbirth and realize strategic demographic goals. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Macau Monthly:
Chinese herbs are the material foundation for inheriting TCM, and the vehicle for leveraging advantages of TCM. In the past 10 years, how has Chinese medicine developed in China? What are the plans for the future? Thank you.
Li Bin:
TCM matters a lot. Let us invite Mr. Qin Huaijin, vice-commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to answer your questions.
Qin Huaijin:
Thank you for your questions. The past decade was the best period for the development of TCM since the founding of the People's Republic of China. As you mentioned, Chinese herbs lay the material foundation for TCM's inheritance and innovative development. With the coordinated efforts of relevant departments, Chinese herbs have seen sound momentum in industrial development, quality improvement, and technological innovation.
First, the Chinese herb industry has experienced rapid development. National key laboratories, the National Engineering Research Center and other national platforms have deepened cooperation involving industries, universities and research institutes. The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly launched a campaign to standardize traditional Chinese herbs and improve quality supervision across the whole production chain. Currently, the industrial system based on agriculture and connected by commerce with the industry as the mainstay has been improved, showing strong impetus. According to statistics from the national medicinal sector, the revenue of the Chinese herbs industry registered 700 billion yuan in 2021, up from 515.6 billion yuan in 2012.
Second, the quality of Chinese herbs has improved. The fourth national census on Chinese herbs presented a clear picture of Chinese herbs resources. Breakthroughs have been made in research on homegrown herbs and alternatives, with ecological planting in full swing. The herb tracing system has been more comprehensively applied. Several departments jointly issued a plan to construct production bases of fine medicinal material and a guideline for the quality review of herb production. They also stepped up management at the source. The drug spot check report in 2021 showed that 98% of prepared TCM samples were up to standard.
The third is the continuous deepening of scientific and technological innovation of TCM. The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Ministry of Science and Technology and other national departments have continued to increase spending on science and technology in this regard, and strengthened research into genuine medicinal materials, TCM processing, quality assurance, and new drug research and development. We have been actively cooperating with the National Medical Products Administration to reform and improve the TCM evaluation and approval system that conforms to the TCM laws, and to establish a "three-in-one" evidence-based review system of TCM theory, human experience and clinical trials, and have further stimulated the vitality of scientific and technological innovation in TCM.
Next, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine will conscientiously implement the requirements of the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the deployment of the major project for the development of TCM, and strengthen cooperation with relevant departments. Focusing on the complete process of TCM cultivation, research and development, production and use, we will give full play to the leading role of scientific and technological support, promote improvements in the quality of TCM and deepen evidence-based research so as to better demonstrate the clinical value of TCM and meet the people's medication needs. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Straits Times:
Given that it has been nearly three years since the pandemic started, is the country's current dynamic zero-COVID policy at odds with economic growth? How long more can we expect zero dynamic to continue? And furthermore, since over 90% of the Chinese population is now vaccinated, can we expect a timeline for the country to move towards living with the virus we've been going through? Thank you.
Chang Jile:
Thank you very much for your questions. The dynamic zero-COVID policy involves focusing on identifying problems early and correcting them while they are nascent. We need to improve abilities in COVID-19 prevention, control and early detection to promptly handle any infections, so that any cases can be found and addressed immediately, with the lowest social cost to bring the disease under control in the shortest possible time.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized targeted control, striving to achieve the greatest prevention and control effect for the lowest cost, and minimize the impact of the epidemic on economic and social development. This is also a consistent requirement of the central government. When evaluating the cost of policies and measures in fighting COVID-19, we should calculate it in big-picture terms. The country as a whole should be considered as a large economic account, a large social account, a large people's livelihood account, and a large health account. China's philosophy toward the COVID-19 pandemic control has always been putting the people and their lives first. The purpose of the prevention and control measures is to minimize the pandemic's impact on the economy and society. Of course, these measures will inevitably cause some inconvenience to people's daily life and work. However, the coordinated nationwide adoption of localized, strict prevention and control measures in areas where the epidemic occurs has ensured the normal life and work of most areas and people in China, and the stability of the supply chains. If we look at it in big-picture terms, our prevention and control measures are most economical and effective.
We are faced with a pandemic unseen in a century, with the current global COVID-19 situation still at a high level and a virus that is constantly mutating. Our understanding of the virus and the disease is still deepening, and there are still many uncertainties. The risks and threats posed by the pandemic still exist. Therefore, we must deal with the short-term and long-term, local and overall relationships, with unswerving strategic focus and continuously optimize prevention and control policies and measures as circumstances and conditions change, so as to take well-coordinated steps to respond to COVID-19 and pursue economic and social development in a more efficient way. These are the basic requirements of the scientific spirit and a science-based approach and also the realistic choices to follow the laws of science. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_National Business Daily:
Over the past decade, China's public health system has withstood the challenges of major infectious diseases, including H7N9 avian flu, avian influenza, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. What progress has been made regarding China's health emergency response capacity after rising to public health emergencies so often? Thank you.
Chang Jile:
Thank you. Health emergency response capacity is the embodiment of comprehensive health strength. Over the past decade, relevant departments and local governments have worked together to develop a health emergency response system and core capacity. We have continuously strengthened and improved health emergency management, and comprehensively enhanced the capacity and level of the health emergency response system, which has also played an essential role in maintaining global public health security.
First, China's health emergency response system has taken shape. After many years of unremitting efforts, the legal and management systems of health emergency response have been established, with health emergency response capacity significantly improved. Moreover, China achieved the capacity-building goal required in the International Health Regulations (2005) as scheduled in 2014.
Second, the core capacity of health emergency response has reached an advanced international level. China has built the world's most extensive online direct reporting system for infectious diseases and public health emergencies. The average reporting time for public health emergencies is less than four hours. China is now capable of detecting more than 300 pathogens within 72 hours. A risk assessment system for public health emergencies has been built. Moreover, 59 national health emergency teams in four categories have been set up nationwide.
Third, prevention, control and response to public health emergencies have been carried out scientifically and efficiently. Centering on sources of infection, routes of transmission and susceptible populations, we have strengthened prevention and early warning measures and improved rapid response capacity to ensure effective handling of the incidents. Thanks to these efforts, the total number of public health emergencies and deaths has dropped. Severe and major epidemics have been brought under effective control. In particular, the highly pathogenic avian influenza you just mentioned, including the emerging infectious diseases H7N9 and imported epidemics like MERS, have been successfully dealt with. We have made international contributions to the prevention and control of Ebola hemorrhagic fever and secured major strategic achievements in preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
We will continue to focus on the response to COVID-19, coordinate the prevention and control of multiple diseases and emergency medical relief, and further improve our emergency response capacity to better protect people's health and make greater contributions to building a global community of health for all. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_21st Century Business Herald:
Communities are the primary level where medical and health needs must be satisfied. Health institutions at the community level are critical to solving the most pressing difficulties and problems that greatly concern people when they seek medical services. Over the years, what achievements has China secured in community-level healthcare services? Thank you.
Zhu Hongbiao:
Thank you for your question. Enhancing medical services at the community level is always the top priority of health work. In recent years, the capacity for disease prevention, treatment and health management at the community level has been continuously improved.
First, the medical and health network has covered all communities, with more accessible services. By the end of last year, China had nearly 980,000 community-level medical and health institutions, including 35,000 township health centers, 599,000 village clinics, and 36,000 community health service centers and stations.
Second, the service capacity has been continuously enhanced, gaining increasing recognition from residents. The standards for service capacity have been set and infrastructure has been improved. In 2021, community-level medical and health institutions recorded 4.25 billion medical visits, accounting for 50.2% of the national total.
Third, the number of community-level health workers has increased substantially, with the structure constantly refined. Over the past decade, the total number of staff in community-level medical and health institutions has risen from 3.44 million to 4.43 million. The proportion of licensed and assistant doctors among village doctors has risen from 18.5% to 41.5%. Steady progress has been made in contracted family doctor services, contacts and communication between doctors and patients have been strengthened, and health education and guidance have been enhanced.
Fourth, basic public health services have been improved and expanded with fairer access. Per capita subsidy for basic public health services has risen from 25 yuan in 2012 to 84 yuan now. The services undertaken by community-level institutes have expanded from 10 to 12 categories. We now receive over one billion medial visits annually from patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, TB, and other major diseases, as well as members of key groups as children aged 0-6, pregnant women, and those aged 65 and above. Such services have helped improve the health of urban and rural residents. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
The health of women and children is a major public concern. Could you introduce the measures for ensuring their health over the past decade? What is your next plan under the new birth policy, which has created higher demands in this regard?
Du Xixue:
Thank you for your questions. Maternal mortality, infant mortality, and the under-five mortality rates are key indicators for maternal and child health. They reflect a country or region's health service development and their social-economic development. In 2021, China's maternal mortality was 16.1 per 100,000, infant mortality 5 per 1,000, and under-five mortality 7.1 per 1,000, down 34.3%, 51.5%, and 46.2% respectively from the 2012 level.
Globally, among middle- and high-income countries, China's maternal mortality is far below the median 43 per 100,000, and its infant mortality and under-5 mortality are also lower than the average 9 per 1,000 and 11 per 1,000. With indicators for maternal and child health leading among middle- and high-income countries, China has been ranked among WHO's 10 high-performing countries for maternal and child health.
China's future plan for promoting high-quality maternal and child health services can be concluded as "two improvements," "two eliminations," and "one promotion." "Two improvements" refers to the improvement of the program for ensuring the safety of mothers and infants and the improvement of the program for ensuring the health of children; "two eliminations" refers to the action plans to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis B and eliminate cervical cancer at a faster pace; "one promotion" refers to the action plan to promote breastfeeding for better physical growth and a greater mother-infant bond. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
China is already an aging society. Heath demands will inevitably increase with the degree of aging. What will be the plans and measures in response? Thank you.
Wang Haidong:
Thank you for your attention to the aging issue. Every family has an old member and everyone will turn old. An active response to the issue concerns national development and the wellbeing of hundreds of millions of citizens. The aging issue in China has several distinct characteristics: the aging population is big, the process of aging is rapid, and the differences among urban and rural areas and among regions are great, so we face a heavy task in response. The 14th Five-Year Plan period, in particular, will be critical, as China will transit from a mildly aging society to a moderately aging one in this period. The NHC, also the National Working Commission on Aging, will continue to earnestly implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on the aging issue and put in place General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on the issue. We will carry out the national response strategy and promote positive views on aging and healthy aging in socio-economic development. A social security system, an old-age care system, and a health support system will be built for senior citizens. Preferential policies will be put in place for them, their legitimate rights and interests will be safeguarded, China's fine tradition of filial piety will be promoted, and the positive role of old people will be brought into play. These efforts will help to ensure that old citizens enjoy the fruit of reform and development and live a healthy and happy life.
Healthy aging is the most cost-saving and efficient method to deal with the issue of population aging. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), we will focus on the following areas in accordance with the requirements of the 14th Five-Year Plan for healthy aging.
First, we will provide better preventive care for the elderly. We will continue to carry out the Healthy China initiative, especially the health promotion plan for the elderly, and constantly improve their health literacy. We will also carry out four major campaigns on oral health, nutrition improvement, dementia prevention and treatment, and psychological care for the elderly, aiming to make them feel motivated to stay healthy so that they will be less likely to fall ill, get sick later than expected, and be free from serious illnesses.
Second, we will guarantee medical services for the elderly. We will continue to promote the establishment of geriatric medicine departments in general hospitals at or above the secondary level, with the proportion reaching over 60% by 2025. At the same time, we will accelerate the construction of rehabilitation hospitals, nursing hospitals, and elderly-friendly medical institutions, implement various measures to provide convenient medical care services for the elderly, and bring tangible benefits to them.
Third, we will deliver long-term care services for the elderly with disabilities. There are 40 million disabled and partially disabled seniors who are in urgent need of care in our country. Therefore, we should conduct health assessments for the elderly with disabilities and provide them with a whole chain of long-term care services from professional institutions and home-based communities. Notably, we will deliver medical services to communities and homes to effectively ease the burden on the families with disabled seniors and the burden on society as a whole.
Fourth, we will deepen the integration of medical and old-age services, which has gained great popularity among the elderly. For the next step, we will continue to promote the integration of elderly care service resources and medical resources, further expand the supply of integrated medical and old-age services, improve their quality, enlarge the team to provide such services, and establish an integrated health care system for the elderly featuring cooperation among homes, communities, and institutions and the integration of medical and health care.
Fifth, we will expand efforts to ensure health care for the elderly. We will strengthen the development of geriatric health disciplines, cultivate a relevant talent team, improve standards and specifications in this field, and advance the scientific and technological development and industrial development of geriatric health.
To sum up, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), we will be committed to establishing and improving a comprehensive and coherent elderly health services system covering both urban and rural areas and including health education, preventive health care, disease diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation nursing, long-term care, and hospice care, so as to effectively enhance the sense of health gain among the elderly. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Tianmu News:
It's known to all that the grassroots have strong demands for TCM. Regarding the "last mile" in delivering TCM services, what "prescriptions" do you have to better serve the people at the grassroots level?
Qin Huaijin:
Thank you for your question. As you mentioned, since TCM services are simple, easy, cheap and effective, they have been well received at the grassroots level. Over the past few years, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine?has made it a top priority to strengthen the capacity of community-level TCM services, continuously promoted the implementation of projects to improve the capacity of community-level TCM services, and adopted various measures to bring quality TCM services to the people at the grassroots level.
First, we have constantly improved the grassroots TCM services network. Since 2012, the central government budget has supported the construction of 36,700 TCM clinics. As of the end of 2020, 85.38% of community health services centers and 80.14% of township health centers across the country have set up TCM clinics. And 99% of community health services centers, 98% of township health centers, 90.6% of community health services stations, and 74.5% of village clinics have TCM service capabilities.
Second, we have continually strengthened building grassroots TCM talent teams. Through targeted training, TCM general practitioner training, the establishment of inheritance studios for well-known and veteran grassroots TCM experts, and smooth grassroots talent career development channels, we have expanded the supply of grassroots talents, encouraged talents to work at the grassroots level, and improved the development environment for grassroots talents. By the end of 2020, there were an average of 0.66 general TCM practitioners per 10,000 residents in urban and rural areas, while 82.4% of community health services stations and 58.92% of village clinics were equipped with at least one doctor who can provide TCM services.
Third, we have widely promoted applicable TCM techniques, also known as TCM therapies, at the grassroots level. Relying on existing TCM medical institutions, all localities have strengthened their capacity for promoting applicable TCM techniques at the grassroots level. A total of 32 provincial-level bases and more than 1,820 county-level bases have been established for the promotion of applicable TCM techniques. By the end of 2020, 86.04% of community health services centers and 81.03% of township health centers were able to provide more than six types of TCM techniques and therapies.
Fourth, we have carried out paired TCM assistance between urban and rural areas. We have coordinated 403 Grade-III hospitals to assist 699 county-level TCM hospitals and continually improved the service capabilities of county-level TCM hospitals by means of stationed on-site assistance, personnel training, and technical guidance.
Going forward, we will conscientiously implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, further leverage the unique advantages of TCM, strengthen building a grassroots talent pool, continuously improve service capabilities, and play a more important role in accelerating the construction of a healthy China and serving the health of the people. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Beijing News:
We recently read the performance evaluation and monitoring of Grade-III public hospitals issued by the NHC. The data shows that most hospitals have improved, and the gap between regions is narrowing. However, the allocation of resources is still unbalanced and insufficient. What measures has the Chinese government taken to optimize the distribution of medical resources in recent years? Thank you.
Zhu Hongbiao:
Thank you for your question. Promoting the expansion and balanced distribution of high-quality medical resources is a powerful means to solve the problems of insufficient total medical resources and uneven regional distribution. Over the past 10 years, the NHC has further promoted the development of a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, taking multiple measures to promote building a new pattern of orderly medical diagnosis and treatment.
First, we have increased government financial investment and increased the total amount of medical resources. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China allocated 108.96 billion yuan in subsidies to improve capabilities in providing medical services and support. We arranged to invest 72.2 billion yuan in the program to ensure a healthy population and 14.58 billion yuan in the program for public health in terms of disease prevention and control and treatment capacity building in order to strengthen the construction of medical institutions, with a focus on county hospitals. The doctor-visiting rate for common diseases and frequently-occurring diseases in counties exceeded 90%. Compared with 2011, the number of medical institutions nationwide has increased by 8%, the number of beds has increased by 83%, and the number of health personnel has increased by 62%.
Second, we have promoted the expansion and balanced regional distribution of high-quality medical resources. We have started the construction of national medical centers and the country's regional medical centers. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, about 120 provincial-level regional medical centers will be built to improve the diagnosis and treatment level of relevant hospital departments in areas where high-quality medical resources are relatively weak, narrow the gap with the advanced national level, and greatly reduce the number of people seeking medical care across provinces and regions.
Third, we have built a hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, with a focus on the development of partnerships between medical institutions. We have successively organized pilot projects with a hierarchical approach to diagnosis and treatment in four municipalities and 317 prefecture-level cities, carried out pilot projects for the development of partnerships between medical institutions in 118 cities in 32 provinces, and begun pilot partnerships between medical institutions in 827 counties. In 2021, the number of flexible inter-hospital patient transfers reached 28.8 million, and the structure of flexible inter-hospital patient transfers has been significantly optimized. Accomplishments have been achieved in building the hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, and the rational distribution of medical resources and the synergy of services have been further enhanced. Thank you!
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Beijing Youth Daily:
In 2021, China secured a complete victory in the fight against poverty. In his introduction, Mr. Li mentioned China's efforts to reduce poverty by improving healthcare services for the poor, a key measure to win the battle against poverty. What specific measures have been taken to prevent people from falling into or relapsing into poverty due to illness? Thank you.
Li Bin:
Thank you. I will go into detail on this issue.
The health system has taken extensive actions to launch the Health Care Program for Poverty Alleviation, guaranteed access to basic medical services for all the rural poor, and helped nearly 10 million households falling into or relapsing into poverty because of illness to shake off poverty, making great contributions to winning the battle against poverty.
First, we have completely remedied the shortfall in medical institutions and workers at the village and township level. We have set the goal and standards of guaranteeing basic medical services. By taking measures such as making medical workers managed by county-level medical institutions work for township-level medical institutions and medical workers employed by county-level medical institutions work for village-level medical institutions, providing mobile medical services at the village level, and stationing medical workers at village-level medical institutions, we have brought about a historic resolution to the problem of some areas lacking medical institutions and doctors at the community level, basically realizing the equitable access to basic medical and health services for rural people.
Second, great improvement has been made in the service capacity of county-level hospitals in areas that have been lifted out of poverty. We have focused on the capacity building of county-level hospitals in our work and organized 1,007 Grade-III urban hospitals to pair up with 1,172 county-level hospitals in 832 counties that have been lifted out of poverty. We have ensured that there is at least one public hospital in each county lifted out of poverty and at least one hospital at Grade II or above in 98% of the counties lifted out of poverty. The gap in the capacity of medical services between urban and rural areas continues to narrow down.
Third, we have tailored measures to households, individuals, and illnesses. We have organized and mobilized over 800,000 community-level medical workers nationwide, got a clear picture of the conditions of the impoverished people with illnesses, and established a dynamic management system for a national health care program for poverty alleviation. We have adopted a category-based approach to medical treatment of poor patients to see that the measures are applied to individuals and targeted to illnesses. By the end of 2020, over 20 million people have received medical treatment.
Fourth, we have made historic progress in the prevention and control of key diseases in key areas. We have prioritized prevention and launched programs for the prevention and treatment of major infectious diseases and endemic diseases, with effective control of the major diseases that have long affected people's health, such as HIV, echinococcosis, and endemic diseases.
Getting out of poverty is not the end but the beginning of a new life and a new journey. We will make comprehensive moves in advancing the development of a healthy countryside, ensure that people do not slip back into poverty in large numbers, and that all people have access to medical and health services at the village and township level, and enhance rural medical and health services so as to improve the health of the rural people. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Science and Technology Daily:
In the fight against COVID-19, vaccines have been developed from five technological routes, which has not only allowed the Chinese people to use their own vaccines but also provided vaccines as global public goods. What kind of "hard power" has been enhanced by anti-COVID scientific research? And what role has it played in the prevention and control of the pandemic? Thank you.
Li Bin:
Thank you. Since 2008, the NHC has taken the lead in initiating two major science and technology programs for research and development (R&D) of new medicines and the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Tapping into the advantages of the system of pooling national resources and strengths, we have organized national research teams to work together, and made a series of major achievements and breakthroughs in the field of public health. In recent years, through the implementation of the program for R&D of new medicines, the number of Class One new medicines approved for market launch reached 80, 16 times the number before the launch of the program, promoting a leapfrogging development where R&D of new medicines in China have developed from "imitation" to "innovation" and the pharmaceutical industry has grown from "big" to "strong." Through the implementation of the program for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, China has made remarkable progress in major infectious diseases diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and research, thus responding to emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks in an active and effective way.
During the fight against COVID-19, just within a week's time, we identified the novel coronavirus, isolated the coronavirus strain, determined the genome sequence, and shared it with the world, which was spoken highly of by the WHO for "identifying the pathogen in a record-short time." Within two weeks after the outbreak of COVID-19, we promptly developed the high-sensitive and specific novel coronavirus nucleic acid testing technology, playing a crucial role in the early diagnosis and screening of positive COVID-19 cases. We organized top research teams to work on the research and development of vaccines, and initiated the world's first technical standards for high biosafety risk vaccine production workshop, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent safe mass production of billions of COVID-19 vaccines. We organized the preclinical study of medicines and antibody screening, and fast-tracked clinical trials and market approval, promoting the successful launch of neutralizing antibodies, chemical drugs, and traditional Chinese medicines. Medical scientists and researchers have been fighting on the front line of the prevention and control of the pandemic, demonstrating the good spirit of the professional teams of medical science, technology, and education.
We will continue to implement the Healthy China initiative, the strategy for invigorating China through science and education, and the innovation-driven development strategy, and work relentlessly on making breakthroughs in key technologies and scientific puzzles, to provide strong sci-tech support for the development of public health. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
OK. Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the media. Today's briefing is hereby concluded. See you!
Translated and edited by Wang Yanfang, Huang Shan, Yan Bin, Zhou Jing, Qin Qi, Wang Wei, Zhang Rui, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Liu Qiang, He Shan, Liu Jianing, Ma Yujia, Yuan Fang, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Yang Xi,Xu Xiaoxuan, Li Huiru, 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.
Speakers:
Zhou Xuewen, vice minister of emergency management
Song Yuanming, vice minister of emergency management
Qiong Se, member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) and head of the Fire and Rescue Department of the MEM
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Aug. 30, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 26th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade" to brief you on the reform and development of emergency management in the new era. Joining us today are Mr. Zhou Xuewen, vice minister of emergency management; Mr. Song Yuanming, vice minister of emergency management; and Mr. Qiong Se, a member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) and head of the MEM's Fire and Rescue Department.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhou Xuewen for his introduction.
Zhou Xuewen:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning. I am very pleased to meet you. First, on behalf of the MEM, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you for your interest in and support for the development in emergency management.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to emergency management, and General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important remarks and major decisions in this regard. In particular, while deepening the reform of the Party and state institutions in 2018, the CPC Central Committee decided to establish the MEM and a national comprehensive fire and rescue team , leading to systematic and holistic reconstruction of as well as historic achievements and transformation in China's emergency management system. The following four achievements are especially remarkable:
First, an emergency management system with Chinese features has been basically established. We have upheld and strengthened the Party's overall leadership over emergency management, enhanced comprehensive and whole-process emergency management as well as optimized management of forces and resources, basically forming a versatile, responsive emergency management system with Chinese characteristics featuring unified command and coordination across different levels. We have given play to comprehensive strengths of emergency management departments and professional strengths of relevant departments, and strengthened the integration of centralized and decentralized management, coordination of prevention and rescue as well as cooperation across different levels. Various working mechanisms have been established to improve the effectiveness of emergency management, such as joint risk consultation and evaluation, integration of prevention, rescue and relief efforts, as well as streamlined and efficient emergency command. For example, from 2018 to 2021, the average annual number of people killed and missing in natural disasters across the country dropped by 51.6% from that of the previous five years, with the new systems and mechanisms playing an important role.
Second, capacity for comprehensive emergency management has been improved across the board. In accordance with the goals and requirements of unified leadership, power being commensurate with responsibility, and remaining authoritative and efficient, we have comprehensively enhanced the emergency response capacity in such areas as emergency teams, command platforms, material support and information technology assistance. The national comprehensive fire and rescue team has accelerated its transformation and upgrading to respond to all kinds of disasters and to coordinate various emergency forces and resources. It has created more than 3,500 new professional teams to fight diverse disasters including earthquakes as well as water and mountain-related disasters, developed and equipped themselves with advanced technologies and equipment, and enhanced their modern and comprehensive rescue capacities. By actively promoting the construction of an emergency command system, we have basically established the national emergency command headquarters, and fully built an emergency command information network covering the four levels of ministry, province, city and county as well as the top-down emergency command platform system. As a result, direct command and dispatch via video link on the spot is now possible whenever a major disaster or emergency occurs. We have continued to modernize emergency management through information technology, built emergency resource management platforms, and comprehensively monitored coal mines, hazardous chemicals and other major sources of danger through the internet, accelerating the efforts to boost the role of big data in ensuring safety.
Third, prevention and control of major safety risks has been effectively intensified. We have devoted time and energy in ordinary times and enhanced checks and inspections closer to the sources to root out potential incidents. In terms of disaster prevention, reduction and relief, we have implemented nine key projects for natural disaster prevention and control in a coordinated manner. For example , we have organized the first national comprehensive survey of natural disaster risks, implemented a project to reinforce housing in earthquake-prone areas, and built and renovated a number of forest firebreaks, isolation zones, landing fields and reservoirs, enhancing the disaster prevention and control capacity. In response to the challenges brought by the increasing number of more extreme weather disasters, we have considered the worst-case scenarios, strengthened the coordination between early warning and emergency response, and established a "call and response" early warning mechanism that can reach those in charge at the primary level. By doing so, we can evacuate people under threat in advance, and at the same time guide the public to prepare for disaster prevention and risk aversion. In terms of workplace safety, we have held fast to the safety redline and established a long-term mechanism for regular and strict management. We have issued regulations on workplace safety accountability for local Party and government leaders, formulated and implemented 15 tough measures for workplace safety, and improved the oversight mechanism for new business forms and models. We have vigorously promoted reform of workplace safety law enforcement, and launched a special three-year campaign for workplace safety rectification and other special rectification campaigns in key industries and areas, so as to address both the symptoms and root causes, and fundamentally raise the safety level.
Fourth, we have effectively dealt with a series of major disasters and accidents. We have always stayed ready as emergency personnel, and strengthened emergency preparedness in an all-round manner from emergency planning to force prepositioning and other aspects, so as to rush to the frontline at critical times. In the past, fire rescue teams were required to board vehicles in one minute and reach their destination in five minutes. Now, advance risk assessment and force prepositioning have not only increased the efficiency of the rescue work, but also made it more targeted and effective. In cases of serious and major disasters or accidents that are complicated and highly hazardous, heads of the MEM must go straight to the scene to guide the rescue efforts. Since its establishment, the MEM has organized 997 emergency consultations, launched 330 emergency responses and dispatched 414 emergency working groups. Through these efforts, we have effectively addressed a series of severe and major disasters and accidents, including barrier lakes in the Jinsha River and the Yarlung Zangbo River, severe floods that hit the Yangtze River region in 2020 , earthquakes that struck Yangbi Yi autonomous county of Yunnan province and Maduo county of Qinghai province, forest fires in Nyingchi of Tibet autonomous region, a chemical plant explosion in Xiangshui county of Jiangsu province, a hotel collapse in Quanzhou city of Fujian province, the Hushan gold mine explosion in Qixia city of Shandong province, and the collapse of a self-built residential building in Changsha city of Hunan province. These efforts have minimized the loss of life and property.
Over the past decade, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, emergency management has seen remarkable achievements. Workplace accidents and their deaths in 2021 decreased by 56.8% and 45.9% from 2012, and annual accidents have declined for 10 years in a row. From 2013 to 2021, the annual average deaths and missing people, collapsing houses, and the proportion of direct economic losses in GDP from natural disasters fell 87.2%, 87.4%, and 61.7%, respectively, from the 2000-2012 level.
However, we know clearly that emergency management still faces a long and arduous journey ahead. Natural disasters are still frequent, and some are serious; difficulties in ensuring workplace safety are hard to overcome; risks and hidden dangers are various. In the future, the emergency management system will unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and put the people and their lives first. We will continue to push ahead with reforms, prevent and control major risks to the best of our ability, and modernize the emergency management system and capacity at a faster pace, all in a bid to create a safe environment for China's journey toward building a modern socialist country in all respects and set the stage for the 20th National Congress of the CPC with concrete actions.
Now, my colleagues and I would like to take your questions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Zhou. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.
CCTV:
In 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping instructed that in addressing natural disasters, prevention should come first and be complete with disaster resistance and relief, routine disaster mitigation should work well with disaster relief in abnormal cases, and three shifts must be achieved from prioritizing disaster relief to disaster prevention, from responding to different kinds of disasters separately to comprehensively mitigating disasters, and from reducing disaster losses to lowering disaster risks. These instructions have provided the fundamental principles for disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief. How have the instructions been implemented? What results have been achieved?
Zhou Xuewen:
Thank you for your questions. General Secretary Xi Jinping made the instructions when he inspected Tangshan city, Hebei province, in July 2016, clarifying the direction and fundamental principles for disaster prevention and mitigation. The emergency management system has carried out an in-depth study of the instructions and firmly implemented them. The results are obvious: Disaster is now being forestalled at an earlier stage; the foundation for disaster mitigation is more solid; the mechanisms for disaster relief are more responsive. Specifically, there are three "new".
First, we have established new mechanisms to integrate disaster prevention, resistance, and relief. We have further reformed the mechanisms for disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, clarified the prevention and relief responsibilities among relevant departments, and worked hard to achieve the greatest synergy possible. We have set up mechanisms for the joint study of risks, disaster information access and sharing, unified command and scheduling, and disaster early warning among relevant departments. A flat emergency organization structure has been formed, in which officials lead on their post, people are stationed 24 hours a day for important positions, and the whole emergency management system remains highly responsive to safeguarding the lives and property of the people.
Second, disaster prevention has reached a new level. We have carried out the first national survey on the comprehensive risks of natural disasters to learn about hidden risks and the state of prevention facilities, and accelerated efforts to address the deficiencies in disaster prevention and mitigation. A number of key initiatives have been launched, including ones to reinforce houses in earthquake-prone areas, improve water conservancy against floods and droughts, and relocate people at times of geological disasters. Our capacity to guard against natural disasters has improved remarkably. For example, the houses brought down by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Menyuan county, Qinghai province, in 2022 was only 5% of those brought down by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that jolted the same area in 2016. The effects in housing reinforcement against earthquakes are obvious.
Third, we have made new breakthroughs in our comprehensive support capacity. Investment in science and technology, materials, and equipment for disaster prevention, mitigation and relief has been gradually increased, and our support capacity has been notably strengthened. A total of six state-level regional emergency response and rescue centers have begun construction, forming a coordinated nationwide arrangement that can ensure rapid deployment for the needs of nearby areas. We have completed the task of increasing the storage of central emergency supplies worth nearly three billion yuan, further enhancing the capacity to respond to the peak demand in a major disaster. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) emergency response communication, large drainage vehicles, underwater robots and several other pieces of heavy equipment have been installed in succession, significantly improving the level of modern technical equipment.
According to our statistics, from 2018 to 2021, the country's annual average number of disaster-related deaths and missing people, the number of collapsed houses, and the annual average proportion of direct economic losses in GDP dropped by 51.6%, 73% and 44%, respectively, compared with the average during the five years ahead of reforms. Our system and mechanism reforms for disaster prevention, mitigation and relief have taken effect. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
In recent years, China's production safety has been kept stable and continued to become better. However, serious and major accidents sometimes occur, making people feel less secure. Under such circumstances, could you please provide the measures and arrangements that the MEM has taken to prevent serious and major workplace accidents? Thank you.
Song Yuanming:
As you mentioned, a serious accident usually involves 10 or more deaths, while a major accident refers to an accident leaving 30 or more people dead. A serious or major accident will surely weaken people's sense of security. Hence, it is a major task for the MEM to prevent such accidents, and we have constantly attached great importance to this major task. In the past decade, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the number of serious and major accidents dropped to 17 in 2021 from 59 in 2012, or 1.4 per month from five per month on average, registering a decrease of 71%. In particular, since the MEM was established in 2018, we have set a record for the longest duration without serious or major accidents since the founding of the PRC, which is 29 months. Since the beginning of this year, there have been five serious and major accidents up to now, dropping by seven or 58% compared with the same period of last year. We have made our continuous efforts mainly in the following four aspects.
The four aspects can be summarized as a red line, a responsibility system, a series of special campaigns, and a new capacity level.
First, we have made great efforts to publicize and safeguard "a red line." Early in June 2013, the general secretary clearly pointed out that "we can never pursue development at the cost of people's lives. This is a red line that cannot be overstepped." He also emphasized that the idea must be followed clearly, adamantly and resolutely. His instructions have become major standards for our efforts to coordinate development and safety. Over the past years, we have firmly held to this red line and adopted various methods to widely publicize the principle, leading to the formation of an environment focusing on workplace safety while pursuing development.
Second, we have made great efforts to push ahead with establishing a responsibility system, which includes three aspects. The first focuses on local Party and government leadership's responsibility, ensuring that both Party committees and governments assume responsibility as required by the general secretary. For instance, the State Council has carried out a workplace safety assessment on provincial governments for six consecutive years, and implemented one-vote-veto practice for provinces where major accidents happened. The second focuses on the regulatory responsibility of government departments. This will ensure that the requirement of being responsible for both industrial development and workplace safety can be implemented. The third is the primary responsibility of enterprises. These three responsibilities have constituted a set of responsibility systems for workplace safety.
Third, we have taken decisive actions to implement a series of special campaigns to ensure workplace safety. We have carried out special campaigns to eliminate major potential dangers that easily lead to a large number of deaths and injuries. This is an effective method with Chinese characteristics that integrates administrative, economic, legal, sci-tech tools as well as industrial structure adjustments. For example, we have launched a three-year-long special campaign to treat hidden dangers in hazardous chemicals, mines, fire safety, traffic and transportation, fishing vessels, and industrial parks. Meanwhile, we have promptly studied and judged new risks that emerged from some new situations and business forms. We have promoted special actions regulating self-built houses for commercial purposes, gas, electric bicycles, electrochemical energy storage and offshore wind power, among other fields.
Fourth, we have made great efforts to improve our capacity and level of the rule of law in production safety. In the past decade, we have made amendments twice to the Law on Workplace Safety , promulgated the 11th amendment to the Criminal Law, and constantly adjusted and revised the Criteria for Determining Major Hidden Dangers in different industries to make the laws and regulations more stringent and precise. At the same time, we have also accelerated the reform of comprehensive administrative law enforcement for emergency management, and vigorously enhanced the authority and professionalism of workplace safety law enforcement teams. We have also strengthened law enforcement inspections, and stepped up efforts to crack down on violations. At the same time, we have established a reporting system, encouraged and rewarded whistleblowers, seriously investigated and handled accidents, and further enhanced the deterrence of workplace safety law enforcement.
Next, we will continue to focus on preventing major and severe accidents. We will coordinate economic development, epidemic prevention and control, and work safety, and take concrete actions to welcome the 20th CPC National Congress. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People's Daily:
Fire safety involves thousands of families and concerns everyone in all industries. What specific achievements have been made in fire control work to serve economic and social development and safeguard people's lives and property? Thank you.
Qiong Se:
Thank you for your question. Fire safety is an important part of social governance and emergency management. In the past decade, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all localities and departments have conscientiously implemented the concept of safe development. They have insisted on putting the people and their lives first, actively promoted the modernization of the management system and capacity in fire safety, and played an essential role in preventing fires and reducing fire hazards, protecting citizens' lives and property, and maintaining public security. The main achievements are as follows:
First, the fire safety responsibility system has been continuously improved. Party committees and governments at all levels have followed the requirement that "both Party officials and government officials take responsibility, and each and every official is responsible for fire safety" as well as the requirement that "whoever is responsible for the management of industries, business, and production and operation must also assume responsibility for workplace safety," and acted quickly to research and resolve major issues concerning fire safety. Annual government fire safety work assessments have been launched. Meanwhile, with industry associations promoting standardized management and enterprises and public institutions establishing and improving their own independent management mechanisms, we have formed a new pattern of fire safety work on a society-wide basis.
Second, significant progress has been made in building a legal system for fire safety. We have implemented the strategic plan of comprehensively advancing the rule of law. The central government released the opinions on reform of fire control law enforcement. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has twice amended the fire safety law and conducted inspections on law enforcement. It has also promulgated 71 local laws, 152 government regulations and 10 sectoral regulations, and 524 national industry standards, providing legal support for fire safety work.
Third, remarkable results have been achieved in preventing and tackling fire risks. We focused on high-risk areas such as high-rise buildings, large commercial complexes, and petrochemical enterprises. We paid close attention to new types of businesses such as electrochemical energy storage, electric bicycles and after-school training, and conducted precise assessments, law enforcement and governance. National authorities have overseen more than 200 major and regional fire risks, and localities have supervised the rectification of over 85.22 million fire risks.
Fourth, firefighting and rescue capabilities have been greatly improved. The number of fire and rescue stations across the country increased from 5,256 to 7,969. The number of fire engines increased from 47,000 to 111,000, and the number of municipal fire extinguishers rose from 1.058 million to 2.018 million. Forest and aviation firefighting forces has covered 21 provinces. In particular, after establishing a national comprehensive fire and rescue team, the fire service has undertaken the responsibilities of firefighting and comprehensive rescue following the law, effectively responding to a series of major disasters and accidents.
Fifth, a society-wide fire safety foundation has been effectively consolidated. All cities, counties, and key towns across the country have formulated and implemented fire safety plans. Primary-level fire safety has been integrated into grid management. Social services concerning fire safety have flourished, and there has been extensive fire safety publicity. The public's awareness of fire safety has been significantly enhanced. There are now over 100,000 registered firefighting engineers and 1.4 million people with special firefighting skills. Moreover, 14,000 new fire stations have been set up in towns and subdistricts across the country.
With China's economic size having more than doubled and urban built-up areas having expanded by 30% during the past 10 years, we have maintained the general stability and improved the performance of firefighting, especially in the prevention and control of fires that cause casualties. According to statistical analysis, the number of fires with three to nine fatalities dropped from an average of 87.7 cases annually in the last decade to 71.1 cases in this decade, a decrease of 18.9%. The number of fires with more than nine fatalities decreased from 4.9 per year in the last decade to three, a drop of 38.8%.
All these achievements are attributed to the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, as well as the joint efforts of the whole society. We will stay committed to coordinating development and security, taking prevention as a priority and combining prevention with fire rescue. We will continuously strengthen and improve fire prevention work, sparing no effort to protect people's lives and property so as to provide strong safeguards in terms of firefighting for achieving high-quality development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
This year, many places across China have suffered from floods and droughts to varying degrees. What is the overall situation of flood control and drought relief and what are the next steps? Also, after the institutional reform, what changes have taken place in flood control and drought relief? What results have been achieved? Thank you.
Zhou Xuewen:
Thank you for your questions. This year we have seen an early start to the flood season, with many numbered floods (floods of a certain large scale), severe regional disasters, and prolonged high temperatures and droughts. The flood and drought disasters can mainly be characterized by four aspects:
First, north and south China have seen more rainfall than the central region. The average precipitation nationwide is slightly lower than in previous years, but the rainfall in most of the north as well as south China has increased by 10%-100% compared with the same period in ordinary years, and the Yangtze River Basin, as well as Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region have experienced 10%-50% less precipitation.
Second, there have been many numbered large-scale river floods in China. A total of 586 rivers across China experienced floods that exceeded warning water levels. A total of 10 numbered large-scale floods hit China's major rivers. As you may recall, two large-scale floods hit the Pearl River Basin, with the Beijiang River experiencing a catastrophic flood. And the main stream of the Liaohe River suffered its biggest flood since 1995.
Third, we have seen more severe regional flood and waterlog disasters. Provinces such as Guangdong and Liaoning were severely affected, and provinces including Sichuan and Qinghai suffered from major mountain torrents. Since the beginning of this year, 171 people have either died or gone missing due to flood and waterlog disasters, and the number of collapsed buildings has reached 27,000, decreases of 60% and 71.7% respectively compared with the average during the same period in the recent five years.
Fourth, we have seen longer periods of high temperatures and droughts. Since July, the Yangtze River Basin has experienced its severest high-temperatures and heatwaves since 1961. The quickly deteriorating droughts in Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei and Hunan have impacted domestic water use, agricultural production and electric power supply.
According to forecasts by meteorological departments, this fall, that is, from September to November, there will be more precipitation in northern, southwestern, central and southern China and the fall rain in western China will start earlier and be generally stronger. The fall rain in western China has already started. The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin may continue to suffer droughts that started in summer, and we should not be optimistic about the flood control and drought relief situation. We will go all out to continue the flood control and drought relief work in the post-flood season with a sense of responsibility to always be alert and vigilant.
Since the institutional reform, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the MEM have been conscientiously implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on flood prevention, drought relief and disaster relief, focusing on improving the long-term mechanism for flood prevention and drought relief, and continuing to strengthen capacity building for disaster prevention and mitigation.
First, a work paradigm combining integrated and separated efforts and coordinating prevention and rescue has be formed. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has been giving full play to its leading role in steering and coordinating the work, the MEM has been leveraging its comprehensive strength, and relevant departments have also utilized their professional advantages in this regard. We have basically established a mechanism with inter-departmental coordination and central-local and military-civilian cooperation, so that the advantages of the emergency management system reform have become more evident.
Second, the responsibility system of joint management by Party and government bodies and delegated responsibilities has be improved. Local Party committees and government institutions have shouldered the main responsibility of disaster prevention and relief, with strengthened implementation of the responsibilities of higher-level administrators, persons with delegated responsibilities, and actual point persons for risk identification and prevention. And this responsibility system extends to villages and communities at the very end.
Third, the working mechanism has been improved with a focus on preventive and preemptive measures. We have strengthened the joint analysis and assessment on disaster risks between departments, and established an early warning and "call and response" mechanism directly reaching the person responsible at the grassroots level. Heavy rainfall often occurs in the middle of the night or in the early morning when most people are asleep. If warnings by meteorological departments are sent via cell phone text message or WeChat, they may not be received or heard. This requires the meteorological departments to issue a high-level warning, and to wake up those responsible at all levels, especially those at the grassroots level, as soon as possible. So, we called for the establishment of this "call and response" mechanism, which entails a wake-up call and a response to it. Under this mechanism, we start emergency response upon receiving meteorological warnings, dispatching task force for emergency rescue and disaster relief at an earlier time.
Fourth, a system mainly consisting of professionals and complemented with social participation has be strengthened. An emergency rescue and disaster relief system has been initially established. In this system, the national comprehensive firefighting and rescue task force is the main force, and the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police will take on the difficult tasks, with collaboration by professional rescue teams of relevant departments and central stated owned enterprises and other forces of the society. We have been equipped with advanced and applicable rescue equipment. In disaster response, we act quickly and in an orderly manner with science-based and efficient measures.
Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we have pooled strengths from all fronts and coped with a series of major disasters in recent years. As institutional reforms enter their fourth year, the annual average number of deaths and disappearances, and houses collapsed due to floods has plummeted by 30% and 55%, respectively, compared with the average number over the five years before the reforms began. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CNR:
A prolonged heat wave and droughts have been lingering in the Sichuan Basin and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River since July, and have impacted production and life in these areas. What is the overall drought situation, and how will it go? What measures have the National Flood Control and Drought Relief Command Headquarters and the MEM taken to deal with it? Thank you.
Zhou Xuewen:
Thank you for your question. Southern China has been hit by a rare and continued heat wave and drought since July, with the Yangtze River basin suffering severely. According to analysis, the main features of the disaster are as follows:
First, the number of days with high temperatures is unprecedentedly high. On average, 32.5 days of high temperatures have been reported in the Yangtze River basin since July, a record high since China established its complete meteorological records system in 1961. More than 35 days of high temperatures have been registered in most parts of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, eastern Sichuan, as well as the city of Chongqing.
Second, precipitation is unprecedentedly low. The average precipitation has stood at 160.3 mm in the Yangtze River basin since July, a significant 50.4% drop from previous levels and the lowest since 1961.
Third, the amount of water inflow is abnormally low. Since July, the flow of the mainstream and tributaries of the Yangtze River has been 20-80% less than in previous years, and the flow of its upper and middle reaches has hit a record low since 1949. The water levels of the mainstream of the Yangtze River, the Dongting Lake, and the Poyang Lake are five to eight meters lower than in previous years, the lowest on record.
Fourth, the heat wave and drought are causing serious damage, affecting 37.85 million people since July, among whom 4.28 million require assistance with basic needs. And around 4,045,000 hectares of crops were badly hit. The immediate economic loss they have caused has reached 31.5 billion yuan, a substantial increase from the records in the past five years.
The heat wave is about to last until August 31, as per the meteorological departments. While the rainfalls in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Chongqing, and Hubei have been increasing in recent days, we are highly alert to possible floods, fearing that the prolonged drought could be followed by torrential rains.
It is predicted that precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will remain low in autumn. The drought could last from summer to autumn and will pose a severe challenge to our drought relief efforts. The Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the MEM have implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on floods prevention, drought relief and disaster relief, and advanced our disaster mitigation work in accordance with the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
First, we strengthened coordination. We coordinated with departments of meteorology, water resources, and agriculture and rural affairs on a daily basis to jointly analyze the trend of the drought situation and provide organizational guidance for drought areas. They are advised to enhance accountability, make emergency plans, and get materials and measures in place in order to be well-prepared for a serious and prolonged drought.
Second, we launched emergency drought response promptly. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has launched level-IV emergency response in 10 provinces in a timely manner, and the National Disaster Reduction Committee and the MEM activated a level-IV response for drought. Multiple working groups were sent to drought-hit areas to assist in water supply and drought relief.
Third, we took various measures to support local disaster relief. The Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the MEM deployed the national comprehensive fire and rescue services to deliver water to drought-hit areas. The water supply in some rural areas was dependent upon small reservoirs and rivers in the mountain. But the continued drought has dried all of these water sources. Drinking water safety must be guaranteed for those suffering water shortages. We also coordinated with the Ministry of Finance and allocated 700 million yuan of central funds for natural disaster relief in advance. We worked together with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration to allocate the central drought relief materials and equipment to fully support local governments' drought mitigation efforts. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
Some accidents happened because enterprises did not fulfill their due duties. What measures has the MEM taken to make sure enterprises perform their duties as the major body of accountability for workplace safety? Thank you.
Song Yuanming:
Thank you for your question. Enterprises are the last and most important link of the responsibility chain for workplace safety. Either the leadership responsibilities of local governments and Party committees or the oversight responsibilities of competent departments will ultimately be reflected in enterprises' fulfilling their primary responsibilities. General Secretary Xi Jinping once said that whether or not to take concrete and serious measures will make a difference in terms of workplace safety. The general guideline for the work of the MEM is to pinpoint problems and conduct effective supervision.
As for pinpointing problems, we mainly adopt measures to address the weak points of enterprises' production factors and to improve the four factors' overall quality.
First, improving personnel quality. Together with the Ministry of Human Resources, we launched an action plan to improve the safety skills of staff in high-risk industries. One of the 15 hard measures issued by the Workplace Safety Committee of the State Council is to strengthen safety management in the fields of labor dispatch and flexible employment. We also launched a strike on training programs held just for show and cooperated with the Ministry of Public Security on a counterfeit certificate crackdown.
Second, improving enterprises' technical equipment. We regularly issue a list of outdated technical equipment and technology that should be phased out, and encourage traditional enterprises to be digitalized and smart. Take the coal industry, one of the traditional industries, for example: its smart transformation has been quite successful. Meanwhile, enterprises will also receive severe punishments for a lack of safety investment.
Third, improving enterprises' safety management. We ask enterprises to establish special safety management teams and optimize relevant regulations. We also help them to build an advanced, standardized management system to ensure workplace safety. Management practices that violate the law, such as subcontract and affiliate or lending qualifications, will be punished.
Fourth, improving safety awareness of business leaders who play a critical role. It is stipulated by the law that the legal representatives and actual controllers of enterprises are the "first to be held accountable" for workplace safety. They must fulfill the seven responsibilities specified in the Law on Workplace Safety. The theme of this year's "Workplace Safety Month" is abiding by the Law on Workplace Safety and fulfilling the responsibilities of the "first to be held accountable," which is also one of the 15 hard measures adopted by the Workplace Safety Committee of the State Council.
As for effective supervision, we have been following the regularity that the precision and intensity of safety supervision is proportionate to how enterprises fulfill their primary responsibilities in this respect. That's to say, the more precise and more intense the supervision is, the better enterprises implement their responsibilities. Otherwise, it would be totally the opposite.
To achieve effective supervision, we have been committed to the following three aspects: First, being committed to precise supervision. We have been targeting the major risks of key enterprises in key industries and objecting to bluff or one-size-fits-all supervision. Second, being committed to strict and standard law enforcement. We have employed the methods of investigation, tip-off, exposure to the public, law enforcement, accountability, admonition, notification, and supervision, as well as warning education. We are also resolutely against loose or non-standard law enforcement. Third, being committed to enthusiastic services. We have been providing on-site expertise service, offering assistance to key regions, and rallying central financial support. Through government service procurement, we have launched a campaign to promote workplace safety standardization, and enterprises that meet the standards will receive positive incentives, boosting their personnel's sense of dignity, accomplishment, and happiness.
In the future, the MEM will continue its efforts to supervise enterprises' fulfilling their primary responsibilities and provide high-quality safety services for their high-quality development. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
Since the emergency management reform was introduced, the functions of the nation's comprehensive fire and rescue services have been expanded to cover all kinds of disasters. Can you tell us more about the characteristics of this function transformation? Thank you.
Qiong Se:
Thank you for your question. Our functions have been significantly expanded since the reform started. Our main duty used to be fire rescue in urban and rural areas, as well as extinguishing forest and grassland fires and saving people's lives. Now we are tasked with comprehensively responding to all forms of disasters. The total alarms we received have increased from 1.173 million in 2018 to 1.963 million in 2021, up 67.3 percent. The main characteristics are as follows:
First, putting the people and their lives first. We always heed the call of the Party and the people and fight in fields where the people need us most. Bearing the people's interests in mind, we are committed to putting their lives and safety front and center and implementing it in earnest. Since 2018, about 808,000 people have been rescued from various disasters and accidents and 2.2 million have been evacuated.
Second, being combat-oriented. To better exercise our functions, we have optimized our teams and equipment systems and organized about 3,500 professional rescue teams that are adapted to multiple scenarios such as high buildings, the chemical industry, earthquakes, mountains, bodies of water, and freezing hazards. Around 9,800 special firefighting vehicles and fireboats, 2.96 million personal protective equipment, and 1.64 million emergency rescue equipment were newly added, and another 160 warehouses were built for disaster relief material reserves.
Third, maintaining a combat readiness. To build up first-class fighting capacity, we have been in a state of preparedness around the clock and are on high alert and ready for a quick response. We have actively organized exercises involving all personnel and held a ministerial-provincial earthquake relief drill named "Mission of Emergency Rescue" for two consecutive years, aiming to improve our professional response and enhance our capacity to deal with major earthquakes and catastrophes.
Fourth, upholding scientific command. We have improved the authoritative and efficient national emergency response command and joint coordination mechanism and framed an "all-in-one map" featuring smart command over fire and rescue efforts. We have organized 12 large-scale and trans-regional reinforcements and pooled strengths to coordinate and cope with major disasters and accidents such as the floods that ravaged northern and southern China in 2020, the torrential rain that caused havoc in Zhengzhou on July 20, 2021, and the collapse of a self-built building in Changsha on April 29, 2022, as well as the recent forest fires raging in Chongqing, fully demonstrating the new advantages of our new system of emergency management and fire rescue.
The practice has demonstrated that decisions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee on reforming emergency management and the national comprehensive firefighting and rescue team are very wise. We will faithfully implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, keep in mind his expectations, and resolutely ensure that we are ready for and can win in any task, saving people from disasters, assisting them when they are in danger, and giving them strength. We will always fight in places where the people need us most and be the loyal guards of the Party and the people forever. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Red Star News:
Major emergencies are highly complicated and cross-regional. At the rescue scene of various major emergencies, we often see various rescue forces working together. Since its establishment, what has been done by the MEM to coordinate emergency force building and emergency command and dispatch? Thank you.
Qiong Se:
Thank you for your question. Coordinating emergency force building and emergency command and dispatch is an important task for reforming the emergency management system and advancing the modernization of the emergency management system and its capacity. In recent years, we have continuously strengthened emergency force building and optimized emergency command and dispatch based on the tasks that require our rescue to cover a full range of disasters and integrate all the forces and resources.
In coordinating the building of emergency forces, we have prioritized the following three aspects. First, we have given priority to the leading role of the system. We have advanced the development of the emergency rescue force system with Chinese characteristics. Our system uses the national comprehensive firefighting and rescue team as the major force in coordination with professional rescue teams in industries and sectors. Meanwhile, we use the military emergency forces as our fast-response force with social forces as auxiliary. Second, we have given priority to the scientific layout of emergency forces. We have focused on developing a comprehensive national firefighting and rescue team, set up six regional emergency rescue centers at national levels, and coordinated the building of emergency rescue forces such as aviation rescue forces and natural disasters rescue forces. Third, we have given our priority to the community level. We have extended the reach of emergency forces to communities, villages, and enterprises and built miniature fire stations and emergency rescue stations in key areas and places to improve self-rescue capability and the level of emergency disposal at early stages.
In coordinating emergency command and dispatch, our work has mainly focused on strengthening the following three aspects. First, we have strengthened the unified command and improved the military-civilian, inter-departmental and inter-regional joint response mechanisms so as to ensure that rescue operations are carried out in a well-coordinated way. Second, we have strengthened on-site command. We have promoted the construction of commanding institutions at the site of disasters and accidents, improved the model of on-site command of operations, and actively developed an on-site coordination mechanism engaging various emergency forces in rescue operations to keep the rescue scene well-regulated and orderly. Third, we have strengthened professional command. We have given full play to the role of experts, strengthened consultation and analysis, and made decisions and command in a scientific way, with an effort to save lives as much as possible and reduce the losses caused by disasters to a minimum so as to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of rescue. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China News Service:
We have noticed that in the past two years, the MEM has intensified its efforts to combat counterfeiting in certificates for special operations and protect the rights and interests of special operation personnel. Can you elaborate on that?
Song Yuanming:
Thank you for your question. There are ten types of special operation personnel, such as electricians, electric welders, and people work high above the ground. They are a very important group in enterprises. The operations they engage in are relatively high-risk and prone to accidents. Therefore, the law clearly stipulates that special operation personnel must undergo special training, pass an examination, and be certified to work. Currently, there are over 17 million special operation personnel nationwide, with an annual increase of about two million people. However, in recent years, we have found that some criminals, driven by interests, counterfeit the government website of the MEM, forge and buy and sell fake certificates, make false publicity, and induce practitioners to be deceived. Some practitioners have been deceived by false websites or advertisements claiming that they will get a pass in the exam and got fake certificates, which seriously violated the legitimate rights and interests of the practitioners and also caused some people without basic security skills to engage in high-risk operations, leaving major potential dangers to workplace safety of enterprises. To deal with these problems, we have mainly focused on strengthening supervision and providing warm services to safeguard the rights and interests of people.
First, we have worked on combating fake certificates. The MEM and the Ministry of Public Security have launched a special program on combating counterfeiting government websites and forging and selling fake certificates. Over the past year, emergency management departments at all levels have guided enterprises to conduct self-examination and self-rectification. About 31.78 million certificates have been verified through the national unified certificate inquiry platform. We have carried out inspections of compliance with laws on more than 300,000 enterprises and investigated and punished 9,855 persons working without certificates and 1,343 persons with fake certificates. We have found some clues through investigating fake certificates and handed them to public security departments timely, with 313 clues having been handled. At the same time, public security organs at all levels have acted firmly and swiftly. They have solved 154 cases of producing and selling fake certificates, arrested 899 criminal suspects, busted 44 gangs, shut down 461 counterfeit websites, seized over 100,000 fake certificates and seals, and identified 270,000 fake certificates by sorting out background data of counterfeit websites. All of these efforts have formed a powerful deterrent. Currently, the two departments have established a regular working mechanism for combating counterfeits. All counterfeits will be investigated and punished promptly and decisively once spotted.
Second, we have offered thoughtful services. We have provided cross-provincial services for special work personnel. Through technological means, we have realized cross-regional and cross-level sharing of internal data. Practitioners can take exams and apply for certificates and recertification at the place of their household registration or work. That is to say, for special work personnel, they don't always have to return to the place of their household registration to apply for certificates. They can apply for recertification and exams in cities above the prefecture level where they work, with data sharing allowing them to get things done with greater ease. In addition, we have promoted electronic certificates. Electronic certificates have the same legal validity as paper certificates. Special work personnel can download electronic certificates for free anytime and anywhere from the MEM's website. People no longer have to worry about certificates getting lost or being seized by enterprises. So far, we have issued 13.64 million new electronic certificates. We have also established a national unified certificate inquiry platform on the website of the MEM. Through the platform, we can quickly verify the authenticity of the certificate. Those that cannot be found on the platform are fake ones. Meanwhile, basic information on examination institutions and tutoring institutions in various places has been posted on the platform, so that practitioners can choose to take exams nearby and avoid being deceived by false promotions.
Next, we will act upon the requirements of reforms to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services, and continue to optimize services to provide convenience for special work personnel. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_21st Century Business Herald:
China is one of the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters in the world. Since its establishment, what preparations have the MEM made in response to major and catastrophic disasters? Thank you.
Zhou Xuewen:
Thank you for your question. It is a basic reality that China has a large variety of natural disasters, distributed over a wide area and with high frequency, causing heavy losses. Since its establishment, the MEM has fully implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on disaster prevention, mitigation and rescue, put people and their lives first, always been alert to the worst possible scenarios, adopted proactive strategies and strived for the best results, and always focused on emergency preparedness for major and catastrophic disasters. To be specific, we have strengthened preparedness in the following five aspects to achieve "five improvements."
First, we have strengthened emergency preparedness in mechanisms, improving the overall capacity for emergency response with unimpeded communication at all levels and coordination and interconnection among all parties. The comprehensive strengths of the MEM's departments and the professional advantages of relevant departments have been given full play. Joint mechanisms in military-civilian coordination, emergency transportation, and aviation rescue have been established. The systems for exchanging information, sharing resources, jointly constructing forces, and jointly supporting operations have been improved. A joint emergency response setup with distinctive focus, mutual complementarity and mutual support has been developed, effectively boosting the overall synergy of unified planning, integrated operation and joint actions.
Second, we have strengthened preparedness in contingency plans, improving emergency response awareness based on contingency plans. We have actively adapted to a new round of reforms to the emergency management system, and promoted the development of an emergency planning system. Over 650 special and departmental contingency plans at national and provincial levels have been issued and the revision of contingency plans at municipal and county level has been fully carried out. At the same time, we have strengthened the dynamic management, examination, evaluation, publicity and interpretation of the contingency plans, and given full play to their leading role in guiding emergency preparedness and directing rescue operations when disasters occur, which has effectively raised the awareness of emergency response based on contingency plans at all levels.
Third, we have strengthened preparedness in emergency forces, improving the emergency rescue operations featuring pre-positioned arrangements and tiered combination of forces. We have analyzed trends based on disaster risks and consulted with relevant departments at the beginning of each year to discuss and plan for preparedness in emergency forces in response to major and catastrophic disasters. We have coordinated and deployed firefighting, military, professional and social emergency forces in accordance with regions and categories and clarified the composition of forces, tasks, professional combination and delivery batches, which has effectively improved the capabilities of rapid response and efficient rescue. At the same time, we accelerated the development and deployment of advanced rescue equipment. We have built and installed large-scale marine engineering rescue ships on the Yangtze and Huai rivers. In particular, the dynamic pontoon bridge that played an important role in the flood disaster relief in Xinxiang, Henan province, was called the "rescue aircraft carrier" by netizens.
Fourth, we have strengthened preparedness in capabilities, improving the emergency rescue operation methods featuring efficient coordination and targeted rescue. We have taken emergency drills as the platform, carried out trainings in realistic and difficult conditions with strict standards, and practiced command, coordination, operational methods and support, so as to test contingency plans, strengthen teams and improve capacities. In the past two years, the MEM, together with Sichuan and Gansu provinces, jointly held two large-scale realistic earthquake relief drills. The participating teams were tested under real environments and complex conditions. Emergency drills have also been carried out in various localities on a regular basis, which has effectively improved the rescue capabilities of multi-disaster response, multi-force combination and multi-technology integration.
Fifth, we have strengthened preparedness in emergency supplies, improving emergency support capabilities featuring joint reserve and supply and joint deployment and support. We have strengthened the reserves of emergency supplies in accordance with local conditions so as to respond to major and catastrophic disasters and have optimized the variety, scale, distribution and standards of reserve supplies. We have improved the deployment of supplies by means of a national emergency resource management platform, coordinated with logistics enterprises to improve the emergency logistics support system, effectively enhancing the emergency supply support capabilities with rational layout, efficient deployment and rapid arrival. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
If you have no more questions, today's briefing is hereby concluded. Thank you to all the speakers and friends from media. Thank you.
Translated and edited by Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Wei, Zhou Jing, Huang Shan, Yan Xiaoqing, Yan Bin, Liu Sitong, Liu Qiang, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, He Shan, Yuan Fang, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
Speakers:
Niu Yibing, deputy director of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, vice minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and spokesperson of the CAC
Yang Shuzhen, director general of the Policy Research Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Zhang Yongjun, director general of the Comprehensive Cyberspace Governance Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Sun Weimin, director general of the Cybersecurity Coordination Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Wang Song, director general of the Informatization Development Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Qi Xiaoxia, director general of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Zhang Yong, senior official of the Cyber Communication Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission
Chairperson:
Shou Xiaoli, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Aug. 19, 2022
Shou Xiaoli:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 22nd press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We have invited Mr. Niu Yibing, deputy director of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, vice minister and spokesperson of the CAC, to brief you on the achievements in building China's strength in cyberspace in the new era and take your questions. Also joining us today are Mr. Yang Shuzhen, director general of the Policy Research Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission; Mr. Zhang Yongjun, director general of the Comprehensive Cyberspace Governance Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission; Ms. Sun Weimin, director general of the Cybersecurity Coordination Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission; Mr. Wang Song, director general of the Informatization Development Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission; Ms. Qi Xiaoxia, director general of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission; and Mr. Zhang Yong, senior official of the Cyber Communication Bureau of the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Niu for his introduction.
Niu Yibing:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning. It's a great pleasure to attend this press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." Thank you for your long-standing interest in and support for the work on cybersecurity and information technology application. Now, my colleagues and I will brief you on the achievements in building China's strength in cyberspace in the new era and take your questions.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has actively followed the development trend of the information revolution, coordinated the work on cybersecurity and information technology application with great attention, and realized historic achievements and transformations in this field. General Secretary Xi Jinping has charted the course and put forward a series of groundbreaking new ideas, visions and strategies, thus forming the important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace with rich and sophisticated connotations. Under the guidance of the thought, China, a country with an extensive cyber presence, is making big strides toward becoming a leader in cyberspace. This progress is reflected in the following 10 aspects.
First, the Party's centralized and unified leadership on cyber-related work has been enhanced. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken the Party's leadership on cyber-related work as an essential political principle, reformed and improved the leadership for internet management, and established the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission. Provincial, prefectural and municipal Party committees across the country have set up cyberspace affairs commissions, thus forming a three-level system for work on cyberspace affairs. Relevant documents have been issued, including opinions on strengthening cybersecurity and information technology application and the 14th five-year plan for cyberspace administration, to better implement the systems of responsibility for ideological work and cybersecurity, and ensure the Party's leadership on cyber-related work.
Second, mainstream values and positive energy have become more dominant in cyberspace. We have publicized the Party's innovation theory, promoted the spread of positive energy, organized publicity activities on major themes, and strengthened and improved international communication in cyberspace. We have carried out over 100 themed publicity activities each year with various highlights and held "China's positive energy" and "Five 100" presentations of excellent publicity works to boost the prevalence of positive energy in cyberspace. We have improved the online risk prevention mechanism to ensure ideological and political security in cyberspace.
Third, the system for integrated internet management has been improved. We have issued opinions on accelerating the establishment of a system for integrated internet management to promote preemptive and coordinated cyberspace governance. Since the launch of the "Clear and Bright" campaign, we have carried out more than 30 campaigns to address prominent issues such as undesirable fan culture, problems regarding internet accounts and online abuse, removing over 20 billion illegal and unhealthy pieces of information and nearly 1.4 billion accounts. We have issued opinions on improving ethical standards and advancing civility in cyberspace, launched the China Internet Civilization Conference, encouraged good netizenship, strengthened integrity in cyberspace, and worked to ensure a clean and healthy cyberspace.
Fourth, the building of cyber infrastructure has accelerated. China tops the world in the number of internet users and country code top-level domains. The country ranks second in the overall level of internet development. From 2012 to 2021, the number of internet users in China grew from 564 million to over 1.03 billion, and internet coverage rate increased from 42.1% to 73%. We have built the world's largest 5G and fiber optic networks with around 1.85 million 5G base stations and 455 million 5G mobile users. Fiber optic networks have been established in almost all prefecture-level cities, and all administrative villages and villages that have been lifted out of poverty have now been connected to broadband. Notable progress has been made in the deployment of the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)-based network, and China has the world's second largest number of IPv6 addresses. The country is stepping up its development of high-speed, ubiquitous, intelligent, convenient, green, low-carbon, secure and controllable information infrastructure with an integrated space-ground network and integrated interconnection.
Fifth, the digital economy has been gaining momentum. China has ranked second for several years in the market size of its digital economy, which increased from 11 trillion yuan in 2012 to 45.5 trillion yuan in 2021. The digital economy as a share of its GDP grew from 21.6% to 39.8%. The country's scale of e-commerce and mobile payment transactions are the largest in the world. The foundation for the development of digital industries has become more solid and the digitalization of traditional industries has been accelerated. In addition, we have held the Digital China Summit for five consecutive years.
Sixth, breakthroughs have been made in innovation in core information technologies. China has maintained its advantages in high performance computing, achieved leadership in 5G technology, industry and applications, and constructed the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System global network. The country has improved its chip development capabilities and the performance of domestic computer operating systems, and made positive progress in research on big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. In 2021, China filed over 30,000 patent applications in the cyber and information sector via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), accounting for more than one-third of the global total.
Seventh, outstanding achievements have been made in using information to benefit the people and make their lives more convenient. Information-related services have been expanded, with internet-aided education and medical services further promoted. Great outcomes have been achieved in the fight against the pandemic through digital technologies. The campaigns to build digital government and digital villages have been accelerated. Over 1 billion people have signed up to China's integrated administrative affairs service platform, which enables people to handle such affairs entirely online and are not restricted by their location.
Eighth, we have strengthened the cybersecurity system and our capabilities in this regard. We have built and improved the cybersecurity protection system, enhanced protection of key information infrastructure, and strengthened data security management and personal information protection. The cybersecurity review has been carried out in an orderly manner. We have developed the academic discipline and talents regarding cybersecurity. The China Cybersecurity Week has been held for eight years in a row. We are also committed to the idea of cybersecurity for the people and by the people, significantly increasing society's awareness and capacities in protecting cybersecurity.
Ninth, we have expedited our efforts to promote the rule of law in cyberspace. We have promoted the promulgation of over 100 related law and rules, including the Cybersecurity Law, Data Security Law, and Personal Information Protection Law. The Cyberspace Law Enforcement and Supervision Bureau has been set up to strengthen enforcement in cyberspace. Violations of laws and regulations have been rigorously dealt with. In the first half of this year, we summoned 3,491 websites and platforms for regulatory talks in accordance with the law, punished and fined 283 websites, suspended the operation or update of 419 websites, and taken down 177 mobile applications. Working along with telecommunication authorities, we have also dealt with 12,292 illegal websites, either canceling their permits or records, or shutting them down. In July, we imposed a fine of 8.206 billion yuan on Didi Global Inc, based on the findings of the company's violations of laws and rules.
Tenth, international cooperation regarding cyberspace has expanded. We have held the World Internet Conference (WIC) for eight years straight, set up a WIC-related international organization, and put forward a concept paper and initiative for building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. The cyberspace governance ideas and suggestions proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping are gradually becoming international consensus.
In the new era, we will follow General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace, and march forward with bravery to write a new chapter in the great cause of cyberspace work in order to provide strong services, support, and guarantee for achieving the second centenary goal. Thank you all.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you for your introduction, Mr. Niu. Now is the Q&A session. Please identify your news outlet before raising questions. Now the floor is open.
China News Service:
We can see from your introduction just now that significant achievements have been made in building China's strength in cyberspace since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Can you please decode what's behind all these achievements? What are the plans for the future? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you for your questions. I hope my answer can be something of a "decode."
Reflecting on China's cyberspace development in the new era, our most prominent and deepest feeling is that the rapid development, tremendous changes, and remarkable achievements, in the final analysis, are a result of the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, as well as a result of the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace. As the core of the CPC and its Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping led and promoted China's cyberspace development, pointing the way forward and providing the fundamental principles for our work.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have strengthened our work in cyberspace through practice and made innovations while keeping to the right path, thus achieving hard-won and precious experience. The experience is demonstrated in the following aspects: We must uphold the principle of the Party overseeing the internet and keep strengthening the Party's overall leadership over cyberspace work; we must follow the guidance of important ideas and thoughts, using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace, to lead our cyberspace work; our work must be people-centered, so that the people can have a better sense of gain, happiness and security; we must be committed to reform and innovation, continuously exploring ways of cyberspace governance with Chinese characteristics; we must stick to coordination and negotiation, in order to boost cohesion to build China's strength in cyberspace; we must also be committed to opening up and cooperation, in order to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) and beyond, we will summarize and utilize the experience gained since the 18th CPC National Congress, so that they will be reflected and made full use of in our cybersecurity and informatization work. Following the requirements of developing strong technology, content, and talent pool, building a solid base and having a better say in related international affairs, we will strive to make key breakthroughs in major areas in order to achieve a great rise in cyberspace development. We will also cement our comprehensive strength in cyberspace so that a pattern of cyberspace work supporting the construction of a great modern socialist country will take initial shape. The internet will have more positive energy, a healthier cyber ecology, an improved industrial system, and become more civilized. Our capabilities of guaranteeing cybersecurity, making independent innovations, and achieving industrial development in cyberspace will be markedly strengthened. Our comprehensive strength in information infrastructure will reach an advanced level globally, and our governance capabilities of digital government and digital society will see all-around improvement. China will have a notably stronger international presence in cyberspace, and significant progress will be made in building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Yicai:
The digital economy provides a new driving force for global economic development. A report issued at the 5th Digital China Summit showed that the scale of China's digital economy remained the second largest worldwide, totaling $7.1 trillion in 2021. Can you please tell us the achievements that were made in building a digital China? What will we do to seize the development opportunities of the digital economy? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you. Mr. Wang Song from the Informatization Development Bureau will answer your questions.
Wang Song:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has systematically planned, coordinated, and promoted the construction of Digital China, achieving remarkable results.
First, digital infrastructure has seen leapfrog development. Mobile communication technology has evolved from 3G and 4G to 5G. China's 4G base stations account for more than half of the world's total, and our 5G base stations have reached 1.854 million, with the number of 5G users exceeding 450 million. Fiber-optic networks were established in all prefecture-level cities. All administrative villages have access to broadband networks. China now ranks second in the world regarding computing power, and active IPv6 users reach nearly 700 million.
Second, the release of the value of data resources has accelerated. From 2017 to 2021, China's data output increased from 2.3 zettabytes (ZB) to 6.6ZB, ranking second worldwide. Moreover, the scale of the big data industry rose from 470 billion yuan to 1.3 trillion yuan, and the practical data sets of provincial public data sharing platforms reached nearly 250,000.
Third, the scale of China's digital economy leads the world. The scale of China's digital economy in 2021 was more than four times that of 2012, accounting for 39.8% of GDP. Furthermore, the revenues of the large electronic information manufacturing industry and software businesses were 1.7 times and 3.8 times that of 2012. Digital transformation accelerates in various fields, providing strong support for improving the quality and efficiency of the real economy.
Fourth, the efficiency of digital government services is significantly improved. China's e-government online service index jumped to ninth place in the world. It has become a standard practice for governments at various levels to provide services via mobile phone applications. Positive progress has been made in making government services accessible through a single portal and on an inter-provincial basis, and digital anti-epidemic measures have accelerated the exchange and sharing of data. The widespread use of health codes has reached an unprecedented level, and their security and stability have been greatly improved. Since the beginning of this year, the bearing capacity of health code systems across the country has increased sevenfold on average.
Fifth, the general use of digital services for public benefit has accelerated. The population of netizens in China has increased from 560 million to 1.032 billion, and internet usage has reached 73%. We have established the world's largest online education platform and a national unified medical insurance information platform, and telemedicine covers more than 90% of our counties and districts. The internet-empowered poverty alleviation efforts have helped win the battle against absolute poverty. The building of digital villages has been steadily advanced, so urban and rural residents could share the fruits of digital development. This is the status quo of the Digital China initiative.
Coming to your question on digital economy. The world is experiencing changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century. China's economic development is facing the triple pressures of shrinking demand, disrupted supply, and weakening expectations. New and higher requirements have been put forward to accelerate the digital economy's development. The digital economy involves many aspects. We will strengthen the systems thinking in promoting the Digital China initiative. We will speed up the breakthrough of core technologies in the information field, advance the construction of new infrastructure, consolidate the foundation for the development of the digital economy, and establish and improve the data resource system. Moreover, we will enhance the momentum of the digital economy, advance the digital transformation in industries through innovation, boost the development of digital initiatives in key fields, and lift the core competitiveness of China's digital economy. We will continuously improve the governance system for the digital economy, and ramp up cybersecurity and digital security barriers to promote the regulated and orderly development of the digital economy. We will take an active part in international cooperation on the digital economy and build a community with a shared future in the cyberspace domain to benefit the people of all countries. Thanks.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Bloomberg:
Question from Bloomberg. Two questions, actually. So the first one is regarding companies that manage data and who are seeking overseas IPOs. I wonder if you could tell us some of the latest details, for example, how many such applications has the CAC processed? And how are those reviews conducted? Are they, for example, conducted under a tiered approval system according to the sensitivity of the level of a company's data, as reported by some media? The second question is about Didi. Its app hasn't resumed yet and that has led to some speculation that there might be more regulatory requirements pending or more regulatory actions pending. Can you share the latest progress in the case? And does the $1.2 billion fine you mentioned mean that your probe has finished? Is it concluded? And can Didi expect to soon get back to signing up new users and pursuing its expansion plans? Thank you very much.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you for your question. Indeed, your question is of very high interest and targeted. I'd like to refer this question to Ms. Sun Weimin.
Sun Weimin:
First of all, I will answer the first question. In alliance with the requirements of the Cybersecurity Law, the Data Security Law, the Personal Information Protection Law, and other laws and regulations, the CAC, together with relevant departments, revised the Methods on Cybersecurity Review, which began to be formally implemented on Feb. 15 this year. The revised methods require that any online platform operators' data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be reviewed. Moreover, it stipulates that online platform operators having personal information of more than 1 million users must declare to the Cyberspace Security Review Office for review when seeking for overseas listing. According to the methods, the authorities will review online platform operators pursuing overseas listing, assessing risks of critical data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, damaged, illegally used, and illegally exiting the country that may be brought about by listing overseas. They will also review risks to key information infrastructure, critical data, important data or a large amount of personal information being influenced, controlled, and maliciously used by foreign governments. Finally, they review the risks of online information security and other factors. We always support domestic enterprises that rationally use overseas capital markets for financing and development in accordance with laws and regulations. Opening-up is a fundamental state policy of China and a distinctive feature of contemporary China. The country will not change its resolve to open wider at a high standard, to share development opportunities with the rest of the world, and to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial to all. This is my answer to your first question.
Second question. In July last year, to prevent national data security risks, safeguard national security, and guarantee the public interest, the Cyberspace Security Review Office conducted a cybersecurity review on Didi Chuxing in accordance with the National Security Law, the Cybersecurity Law, and the Methods on Cybersecurity Review. Next, the CAC will guide and urge Didi to rectify and eliminate potential security risks appropriately. We will strengthen law enforcement in cybersecurity, data security, and personal information protection. We will deal with illegal acts that endanger national cybersecurity and data security and infringe on citizens' personal information in accordance with laws. We will safeguard national cybersecurity, data security, and the public interest, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of the people. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Media Group:
"Xi Jinping: Building China's Strength in Cyberspace" was published last year. The book reflects General Secretary Xi Jinping's rumination on building China's strength in cyberspace, puts forward precise requirements, and makes significant deployments. Could you share your understanding of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought in this regard based on the specific practices in cyberspace and information technology in the new era? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you. As I said just now, the historic achievements and changes secured in cyberspace and information technology are, in the final analysis, attributed to the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace.
Now, Mr. Yang Shuzhen will answer your question.
Yang Shuzhen:
Your question is significant, and I would like to answer it.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new concepts, ideas, and strategies on cybersecurity and IT, forming the critical thought on building China's strength in cyberspace. In my opinion, the thought has five distinctive features.
First, it is in keeping with the times. Nowadays, the great, strategic rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the changes in the world unseen in a century, and the tide of the information revolution are embracing a historic convergence. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace is a major part of the cyberspace chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a scientific summary and theoretical sublimation of the way of governance with Chinese characteristics and a guideline for the thoughts and actions that leads China's cyberspace and IT development. It has increasingly shown its strong power of truth in practice.
Second, it is practical. The important thought was developed through General Secretary Xi Jinping's local and central leadership practice over the long term. As early as working in Zhengding county, Hebei province, the general secretary pointed out that science and technology are key, while information is the soul. At that time, China had not yet entered the internet era, but he predicted the development trend of the future "smart century" with great foresight. While working in Fujian province, he creatively put forward the important strategic plan of building "digital Fujian," which has now become a source of ideas and practice in building digital China. During his work in Zhejiang province, he actively promoted the construction of "Digital Zhejiang." As a result, Zhejiang's IT development now leads the country. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace has been put forward clearly, leading to historic achievements and changes in China's cyberspace and IT sectors. China is striding forward from a big player in cyberspace to a strong player in cyberspace.
Third, it is creative. General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought on building China's strength in cyberspace proposes a series of original ideas and scientific conclusions. It clarifies the important position, strategic objectives, principles and requirements, international propositions, and basic methods of building a strong cyberspace player in the overall cause of the Party and the country, forming a scientific system with rich contents and complete structures.
Fourth, it is people-oriented. General Secretary Xi Jinping underscored that the internet and IT development should prioritize the people so they can have a greater sense of gain, happiness, and security in IT development.
Fifth, it is internationally minded. The four principles of global internet development and governance and five proposals on building a cyberspace community with a shared future pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping are an essential part of his thought on building a community with a shared future for mankind. The principles and proposals are guidelines, point to international cyberspace security and development direction, and provide a practical path, which has won positive response and wide praise from the vast majority of countries worldwide.
Through preliminary study and research, we have deeply realized that General Secretary Xi Jinping has a profound and clear understanding, long-term and in-depth thinking, and a scientific and systematic description of internet development. This reflects the profound insight and comprehensive grasp of the trend of the times and development by a leader of a major party and a major country. It shows a strong sense of vigilance and historical responsibility for our Party to stand the governance test, improve the governance capacity, and fulfill the governance mission; and also demonstrates the broad vision and mind to seek peace and development for the world as well as civilization and progress for mankind. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Reuters:
The first question, to promote the building China's strength in cyberspace, what significant adjustments and supervision improvements will relevant authorities make in platform review? The second question, given the strategy of building China's strength in cyberspace proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, enhancing cybersecurity is the top priority. Thus, what technologies will relevant departments apply to improve China's early warning and monitoring capacity regarding internet early warning and monitoring to enhance cybersecurity? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thanks to this foreign friend from Reuters. The well-regulated, healthy, and sustainable development of internet companies has long been a common concern both at home and abroad. Just as you mentioned in your questions, cybersecurity has been the top priority of our cyberspace affairs. I will answer these two questions.
In recent years, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and relevant departments have improved the means and efficiency of supervision and issued a series of policies and regulations to ensure the healthy and sustainable development of internet companies. These effective measures have further clarified rules, drawn a clear bottom line, and brought better order to the industry. They have set up red and green lights for the development of enterprises, restraining violations of regulations among internet companies, filling the vacuum of supervision, and defusing potential risks for the development of enterprises. These measures will help deepen the reform of internet companies, strengthen their management, and regulate their operations, so that they can grow in a more healthy, orderly, and sustainable way.
As the working body of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission is the functional department to coordinate the development of China's cyber and information sector. It is always our important mission to promote the healthy and sustainable development of internet companies. We will, together with relevant departments, earnestly study and implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee, work unswervingly both to consolidate and develop the public sector and to encourage, support, and guide development of the non-public sector, further the implementation of policies to ensure fair competition, continue to foster a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment, and continue to concern ourselves with and support the healthy growth of internet companies in terms of both scale and strength. We will strengthen communication between government and business, step up planning and coordination of preferential policies for enterprises, strengthen the publicity of policies and the guidance on public communication, further improve mechanisms for communication with enterprises, and provide strong support for enterprises to participate in major events and projects outlined in our 14th five-year plan. We will promote the development of enterprises while strengthening supervision and regulation, provide policy guidance while managing enterprises in accordance with the law, and give equal emphasis to both social benefits and economic returns. We will explore innovative standards and models of supervision, enhance cybersecurity for enterprises, foster a new type of cordial and clean relationship between government and business, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of internet companies and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law, and take concrete measures to foster a strong, healthy and uplifting atmosphere for entrepreneurship.
As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, without cybersecurity, there would be no national security, and no stable economic and social development, and the interests of the people could hardly get protected. Cyberspace departments nationwide have been working on making parallel progress in development and security, improving the system and capacity for safeguarding cybersecurity, and greatly strengthening the whole of society's awareness of cybersecurity and protection capabilities. The foundation for the work on cybersecurity has been continuously stepped up; the national cybersecurity emergency response system has been improved; the overall capabilities for network security situational awareness, case analysis, origin tracing, and emergency response have been enhanced; and a sound environment for cybersecurity featuring multi-party participation, mutual complementarity, and integrated development has been created. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People.cn:
General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that promoting positive energy is the primary guiding principle for the integrated development of media, which should be well regulated and made good use of. What progress and achievements have been made in promoting positive energy? What will be done next to strengthen the development of online content to offer more high-quality "online feasts" to the people? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thanks to the reporter from People.cn. People.cn is an online media sponsored by People's Daily. Next, we will have Mr. Zhang Yong, deputy director general and first-level inspector of the Cyber Communication Bureau, answer your questions.
Zhang Yong:
Thank you for your attention to the development of online content. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed that online public communication should be the top priority of our publicity and ideological work. In accordance with the unified arrangement of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, cyberspace departments nationwide have taken online publicity of General Secretary Xi Jinping and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the top priority, coordinated online communication resources, increased supply of high-quality content, and launched a large number of phenomenal new media works such as "Watching the Main Peak in the Majestic Mountains" and "Holding Mother's Hand," demonstrating the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the leader of the major political party and major country in a comprehensive and multifaceted way and making the Party's theoretical innovations more accessible to the general public.
We have been committed to making innovation on the basis of what has worked in the past and pursuing progress while ensuring stability. Focusing on major themes, we have earnestly carried out online publicity and set the agenda on major issues. We have proactively promoted in-depth integrated development of media, and accelerated constructing a landscape of mainstream tone in public communication, which integrates online and offline communication and coordinates domestic and international communication, in an effort to gain the upper hand in the guidance on public communication, ideological guidance, cultural inheritance, and serving the people. Focusing on major themes, including celebrating the centenary of the Communist Party of China, ecological conservation, poverty alleviation, rural vitalization, and combating COVID-19, we have launched a series of themed online publicity events, such as the event titled "The CPC bears its eternal great cause in mind, and the centenary only ushers in the prime of life," fully demonstrating our achievements in economic and social development, and creating an unstoppable force to enable us to forge ahead on the new journey and make still greater contributions in the new era. To improve online international communication and accelerate the construction of China's own discourse and narrative, we have launched online international communication events such as "A Date with China" and "DAKA China," in an effort to better tell China's stories and the CPC's stories and strengthen the attraction of Chinese culture, the affinity with China's image and the persuasiveness of Chinese discourse, enabling a far and widespread Chinese voice.
Next, our main task concerning online positive publicity and guidance on online public communication will be setting the stage for the 20th CPC National Congress and publicizing and implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. We will understand the laws underlying online communication in a scientific way, and constantly promote innovation in work concepts, methods and means, carriers and channels, and institutions and mechanisms. We will continue to deepen online learning, publicity, and education of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen the position of the mainstream tone in online public communication, and cultivate positive and healthy online culture. We will enhance and improve our online international communication work, strengthen the penetration, guidance, influence, and credibility of the mainstream tone in online public communication, making the Party's voice always the strongest in cyberspace and setting the stage for the 20th CPC National Congress with concrete actions. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Phoenix TV:
How has the CAC explored and innovated internet management and governance since the 18th CPC National Congress? In addition, what problems and challenges still exist? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you. As the reporter said, we, as cyberspace administration workers, have been exploring how to manage and govern the internet and deal with the new issues and challenges internet management and governance face. Let me answer your questions.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that maintaining the initiative in the realm of ideology in cyberspace is to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and state power. The national cyberspace administration system regards cyberspace ideological work as the top priority of ideological work. Our work strengthens the Party's overall leadership over cyberspace ideological work and effectively enhances the sense of responsibility, mission, and urgency in fulfilling duties. We strictly implement the responsibility system for cyberspace ideological work and vigorously maintain ideological and political security.
Facing the new issues and challenges brought by the internet to ideological work, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core which sees it from the perspective of carrying out a great struggle with many new historical characteristics, emphasized that "the online public opinion work should be taken as the top priority of publicity and ideological work." The national cyberspace administration system insists that promoting positive energy is the primary guiding principle for the integrated development of media, which should be well regulated and made good use of, to firmly grasp the initiative of cyberspace ideological work.
First, we ensure we fulfill our responsibility. We formulated and implemented the implementation guidelines on Party committee (Party group) cyberspace ideological work responsibilities and the implementation plans for Party committee (Party group) cyberspace security work responsibilities, so as to ensure the Party's governance of the internet through concrete actions.
Second, we have held our ground. We have strengthened risk awareness and bottom-line thinking, established and improved working mechanisms, prudently monitored and responded to various sudden and sensitive public opinions, strongly refuted historical nihilism and other wrong ideas and viewpoints, and resolutely cleaned up all kinds of harmful information such as rumors and slanderous remarks, and audio and video of violent terrorist activities. We have strengthened the work of online reporting and built a unified rumor-refuting internet platform in China.
Third, we have strengthened governance. We have improved the system for integrated internet management which covers the leadership's management, positive energy dissemination, content management and control, social collaboration, law-based internet governance, and cyberspace governance by technology, to realize integrated online and offline governance.
Fourth, we strictly enforced the law. We have actively explored the cyberspace law enforcement system and mechanism that meet the needs of internet development, punished illegal activities such as violations of personal information security per the law, protected the rights and interests of the people, and safeguarded social interests.
In the next step, we will continue to deepen the exploration and innovation in comprehensive internet management. First, we will further strengthen the Party's leadership over the work of cyberspace ideology, strengthen top-level design, and build a cyberspace ideology work pattern featuring rational division of work, smooth coordination and joint management and governance so that we can take good care of the direction, the battlefront, and the team. Second, we will vigorously enhance the comprehensive internet governance capability. We will accelerate the construction of the integrated internet management system, give full play to its leading role in the management and governance of the internet, and provide strong support for creating a sound cyberspace ecology, building a clean and healthy cyberspace, and building China's strength in cyberspace. Third, we will ensure the platforms' primary responsibility is fulfilled. We will start with improving the laws and regulations, focusing on key areas and links, clarifying the boundary of an enterprise's primary responsibility, and ensuring enterprises shoulder due responsibilities for their information content management. Fourth, we will speed up increasing the level of rule of law in cyberspace, continue increasing cyberspace law enforcement's strength, and resolutely investigate and deal with various cases that violate laws and regulations. Moreover, we will effectively improve the efficiency of cyberspace management and governance and then transform the internet, the biggest variable element, into the biggest boost for the development of the Party and the country. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Shou Xiaoli:
The last two questions, please.
Jiemian News:
In recent years, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and other departments have focused on dealing with problems affecting sound online environment, such as vulgar pornography, chaos in the digital fandom circles, and cyber violence, which gained support from many internet users. May I ask what the cyberspace administration department has done to foster a sound online environment? What's the plan for the next step? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you. I mentioned in the introduction that the "Clear and Bright" campaign by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission has carried out more than 30 special rectification actions, and we have cleaned up a lot of illegal and harmful information and accounts. I would like to ask Mr. Zhang Yongjun to answer your questions in detail.
Zhang Yongjun:
I can answer the questions. Cyber ecological governance has always been an important part of cyberspace management and governance. In recent years, under the great attention and strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission has aimed to improve the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security in cyberspace. We have solidly carried out cyber ecological governance work, mainly in three aspects.
First, we emphasize establishing rules and regulations to tighten the institutional cage of ecological governance. With the implementation of the Regulations on the Ecological Governance of Network Information Content in 2020, we officially opened the prelude to comprehensively and profoundly managing the cyber ecology. We have successively issued circulars to rectify the fandom circle's chaos and standardize entertainers' online information, significantly reducing the room for irrational fanatic acts. We have formulated and revised regulations on user accounts, public accounts, and applications, to strengthen the supervision of the whole process and all elements. Moreover, we have published documents on subjects such as livestreaming marketing and livestreaming rewards, and refined the standards of conduct. At the same time, we issued relevant opinions on ensuring the primary responsibility of websites and platforms is fulfilled, and clarified the substance and tasks of the primary responsibility. The introduction of these documents has laid an excellent institutional foundation for cyber ecological governance. Of course, we have issued more documents than these, but I will not mention them all here one by one.
Second, we will strengthen routine supervision, prevent and deal with various kinds of ecological problems, urge platforms to improve community rules and firmly guard the first pass to ecological governance. Meanwhile, we will focus on key platforms, key website pages and important links, strengthen inspection in areas where most problems occur and have great impact, and deal with problems in a timely manner. We will focus on key issues and continue to crack down on deep-rooted problems. We will conduct strict investigation into and publicly expose platforms that have the most concentrated problems and fail to carry out rectification, so as to generate sufficient deterrence among participants. We will get to the root of problems and identify the causes and profit chains behind disorder online, striving to solve problems at the source.
Third, we will conduct special campaigns and resolutely crack down on prominent improper online behavior. The "Clear and Bright" campaign has produced notable results over the last few years and become a byword for purifying the online environment. Every year, we have addressed issues related to the online environment of public concern, including by following leads provided by many journalists in this room, conducted extensive research into identifying key targets for crackdowns and carried out multiple special campaigns targeting various kinds of problems online such as undesirable fan culture, fake view data, unhealthy short video content, cyberviolence and the protection of minors. We conducted more than 10 campaigns in 2021, removed over 22 million pieces of illegal information, punished 1.34 billion accounts, removed 2,160 mobile applications, and closed over 3,200 websites. During the process of network ecological governance, many network platforms have actively cooperated with us, worked proactively and made constant efforts, so as to jointly improve the network ecological environment. It is clear that our cyber ecological governance work has achieved notable progress in recent years. However, it also goes without saying that there are still some problems. Therefore, going forward, we will focus on prominent issues of great concern to the public, adhere to a problem-orientated and result-oriented working approach, constantly explore new methods, and continuously promote network ecological governance, in a bid to create a clean and healthy cyberspace for the many netizens in China. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
My question is about building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. What efforts and achievements have the CAC made in this aspect? With the establishment of the WIC organization in July, could you please give us a preview of the WIC's development direction and vision? Thank you.
Niu Yibing:
Thank you for your questions. We have already held the WIC for eight years in a row. As you mentioned, we also established an international organization of the WIC last month. I would like to invite Ms. Qi Xiaoxia to answer your questions.
Qi Xiaoxia:
Thank you for your questions. I'm delighted to answer them.
As we all know, the concept of a community with a shared future in cyberspace was put forward for the first time by President Xi Jinping in his opening speech at the Second WIC in December, 2015. Under the leadership of the widely recognized concept across the international community, we have enhanced the awareness of a community with a shared future and conducted our work from the following four aspects:
First, we have built a community of shared development. We have actively facilitated the construction of global information infrastructure and strived to build a digital development environment featuring openness, fairness, justice and non-discrimination. We have comprehensively implemented the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap and the Putrajaya Vision 2040, promoted the launch of the G20 Hangzhou Summit, put digital economy high on the agenda for the first time, and adopted the G20 Digital Economy Development and Cooperation Initiative. We have also jointly launched the Belt and Road digital economy international cooperation initiative with relevant countries.
Second, we have built a community of shared security. We have signed memorandums of cooperation on cybersecurity with the relevant authorities of Indonesia, Thailand and other countries, and established cooperative partnerships with 274 cybersecurity emergency response organizations in 81 countries and regions.
Third, we have built a community of shared responsibility. We have promoted international governance of cyberspace under the framework of the United Nations (U.N.) and deeply engaged in related activities such as the U.N. Internet Governance Forum. We have also conducted international exchanges and cooperation on cyberspace including hosting the China-U.K. Internet Roundtable and the China-Germany internet economic dialogue. We have also held the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum, released the initiative of building a China-Africa community with a shared future in cyberspace and put forward the China-Africa Partnership Plan on Digital Innovation.
Fourth, we have built a community of shared interests. We have worked with the international community to jointly bridge the digital divide, helped developing countries to improve their level of access and contributed to poverty eradication in the Asia-Pacific region by hosting APEC. We have jointly released reports with UNICEF, and conducted international cooperation on cybersecurity for minors. We have continued to make positive contributions to the implementation of the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Regarding the international organization, as Mr. Niu mentioned earlier, the founding of the international organization on the basis of the successful hosting of eight successive WICs is an important step to keeping abreast of trends of the information age and will deepen international exchanges and cooperation in cyberspace. As we have all noticed, President Xi Jinping expressed his hope that the WIC will encourage extensive consultation through dialogue and exchanges, promote the sharing of benefits through practical cooperation and contribute solutions and strength to the development and governance of the global internet in his letter congratulating the establishment of the international organization on July 12. The letter pointed out the direction and mapped out the vision for the future development of international organization. I would like to emphasize that the international organization of the WIC was started in China, belongs to the world, and acts as a shared platform for the international internet family. China, as the host country, is ready to provide continuous support and convenience for the high-level operation of the international organization. Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you Mr. Niu, and thank you to all of the speakers and friends from the media. Today's briefing is now concluded. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Zhang Lulu, Zhang Rui, Yan Bin, Liu Qiang, Xu Xiaoxuan, Xu Kailin, Wang Wei, Huang Shan, Qin Qi, Zhou Jing, Wang Qian, Zhang Liying, Li Huiru, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
Speakers:
Li Zhong, vice minister of human resources and social security
Zhang Ying, director-general of the Department of Employment Promotion, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS)
Qi Tao, senior official of the Department of Old-age Insurance, MOHRSS
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Date:
Aug. 25, 2022
Chen Wenjun:
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 24th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We have invited Mr. Li Zhong, vice minister of MOHRSS, to brief you on the progress and achievements of China's employment and social security in the new era, and to take your questions. Also joining us today are Ms. Zhang Ying, director-general of the Department of Employment Promotion, MOHRSS, and Mr. Qi Tao, a senior official from the Department of Old-age Insurance, MOHRSS.
First, let's give the floor to Mr. Li Zhong for his introduction.
Li Zhong:
Friends from the media, hello. I am very pleased to attend today's press conference. Here, I'd like to express my gratitude to you for your interest in and support for the developments in China's employment and social security.
During the past decade of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the people-centered development philosophy and prioritized delivering a better life to the people. In alliance with the overall work of the Party and the country as well as the new situation, new tasks and new requirements of the country's development, the CPC Central Committee has consistently sought truth from facts and done everything within its capacity. Following the ideas of holding on to the bottom line, highlighting priorities, improving institutions and guiding expectations, it has shored up the weak links in securing people's wellbeing, and ensured that public services are inclusive, meet essential needs and ensure basic living standards for people in difficulty, so that people can have a fuller, safer and more sustainable sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to employment and social security work, underscoring that employment is the foundation of and pivotal to people's wellbeing, and social security is critical to good governance and the stability of the country. We will work to create fuller employment with higher quality, and make improvements to achieve a sustainable, multi-level social security system which covers the country's entire population, coordinates the needs of urban and rural areas, and is fair and unified. All regions and departments have been resolute in implementing and promoting the great, historic achievements in the country's employment and social security. This has effectively improved people's lives, strongly supported steady economic growth as well as social harmony and stability, and paved the way for achieving the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule.
Over the past decade, employment has remained generally stable and China, a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion, has achieved relatively full employment. The employment-first strategy has been fully implemented and the proactive employment policy has been constantly enriched and developed, with the guiding role of the employment-first concept significantly strengthened. Urban employment has expanded remarkably, with more than 13 million new urban jobs created annually. Historic changes have taken place in the urban and rural employment landscape, with urban workers accounting for more than 60% in 2021, up 13.8 percentage points from 2012. The employment structure has been constantly improved, and the tertiary industry has provided more jobs, seeing an increase from 36% of all jobs in 2012 to 48% in 2021. The unemployment level has remained low, and the surveyed urban unemployment rate has been generally lower than the expected target for control. Employment of key groups such as college graduates, rural migrant workers and people who have difficulty finding employment has been stable, and the number of migrant workers who have been lifted out of poverty has remained above 30 million. The legitimate rights and interests of workers have been effectively safeguarded, and labor relations have been generally harmonious and stable. The vocational skills of the workforce have been continuously upgraded, and the cultivation of skilled personnel has been consistently enhanced. A comprehensive public employment service system has basically taken shape. Recruitment campaigns such as the "Spring Breeze Action" and "Online Recruitment Providing More Than 10 Million Jobs in 100 Days" have yielded remarkable results, and the human resources service industry has grown in scale.
Over the past decade, China's social security system has entered the fast lane and become the largest in the world, with distinctive Chinese characteristics and comprehensive functions thanks to unremitting efforts. Focusing on helping those most in need, building a tightly woven safety net and establishing necessary institutions, we have advanced the development of sustainable, multi-level social security which will cover the entire population and meet basic living needs, with major breakthroughs being made in institutional reform and social security coverage being continuously expanded. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance, unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance increased from 790 million, 150 million and 190 million in 2012, to 1.04 billion, 230 million and 290 million, respectively, in June 2022, with an additional 250 million people covered by old-age insurance alone over the past decade. China's ability to provide social security has continued to increase. The accumulative surplus of social security funds for old-age insurance, unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance has reached 6.9 trillion yuan, with annual revenue and expenditure exceeding 13 trillion yuan and market-based investment and operation funds exceeding 8 trillion yuan. We have kept the alliance of social security level with economic growth, and steadily increased social security benefits. A five-level administration and service network for handling social security has been basically formed to record, guarantee and serve people's whole life. The national social security public service platform has been put into operation, with the administration and services becoming visibly more regulated, standardized and advanced in applying information technology.
All these accomplishments should be attributed to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the scientific guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, we should continue the Chinese mode of modernization and make strides toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Rallying closer around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will ground our efforts in the new development stage. We will follow the new development philosophy, foster a new development paradigm and strive to achieve fuller and higher-quality employment while pursuing overall high-quality development. A tiered social security system will be built comprehensively to promote social fairness, justice, and well-rounded human development, enabling all our people to take concrete steps toward common prosperity.
Now, my colleagues and I are ready to take questions from our media friends.
Chen Wenjun:
Thank you, Mr. Li. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CCTV:
We noticed that sustained progress had been made regarding employment and social security over the past 10 years, and people's well-being has been significantly enhanced. Can you share with us your thoughts on the years of endeavor? Moreover, is there any experience or practice that should continue for a long time? Thank you.
Li Zhong:
Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to guaranteeing and improving people's well-being and put forward a series of new thoughts, new views, and new judgments, charting the course and providing fundamental guidance for enhancing people's well-being in the new era. We have studied thoroughly and unswervingly put them into practice. The regularities and practices we will continue to observe and develop are as follows:
First, we will continue upholding the Party's overall leadership, the fundamental political guarantee for our work. Taking a holistic approach to promoting the cause of the Party and the country, our Party has strengthened its organizational leadership and pooled strengths from various fronts to implement the employment-first strategy, all in a bid to make social security fairer and more sustainable. While coping with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and China-U.S. economic and trade frictions in recent years, the Party has made stabilizing and ensuring employment a top priority in our efforts to ensure stability on six key fronts and security in six key areas and successfully sustained overall stable employment. All facts demonstrate that only through strengthening the Party's overall leadership and resolutely implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee can concrete steps be taken to improve people's well-being.
Second, we will continue taking the people-centered approach, which is both the principle and purpose of our work. Employment and social security work involve the most pressing, most immediate issues that concern the people. Our Party remains committed to the belief that development is for the people, and the people should pursue it and share its fruits. Our efforts to stabilize and expand employment and improve the social security system have laid a solid foundation for the people's pursuit of a better life. It fully demonstrates that only through observing the people-centered development philosophy, considering the people's feelings, and ensuring the people are universally benefited can the people's actual demands be better responded to and their sense of gain, happiness, and security be further enhanced.
Third, we will continue doing everything within our capacity, which is an important principle for doing a good job. Fully demonstrating the spirit of seeking truth from facts and proceeding from reality is a principle based on a thorough understanding of our country's prevailing reality and development phase. Our Party, committed to safeguarding and improving people's well-being through development, has set development as the foundation and prerequisite for solving employment problems. We will not do anything beyond the current development phase or our financial strength. Instead, we will gradually improve social security as the economy develops. Only through proceeding from national realities, observing regularities, doing everything within our capacity and paying attention to stability, consistency, and accumulation, can the work of employment and social security develop steadily long into the future.
Fourth, we will continue following the guidelines for the work related to people's well-being, that is, to meet people's basic needs, prioritize key areas, improve institutions, and guide public expectations. Composed with an integrated mechanism, the four aspects complement and mutually reinforce each other. Prioritizing meeting people's basic needs, our Party has made concerted efforts to ensure that public services are inclusive, essential needs are met, and guaranteed basic living standards for people in difficulty. More attention will be given to key groups, prominent problems, and critical links to improve employment and social security through making major breakthroughs. We will continue to uphold institutional guidance, advance reform and innovation with the times, and make our institutions more mature and stable. Balancing between ideals and realities, needs and possibilities, as well as immediate gains and long-term interests, we will try to create an environment that encourages a public expectation that advocates hard work in pursuing a better life.
Both in the immediate future and for some time to come, the pressure on aggregate job creation and related structural issues will continue unabated. Social security coverage still needs to be expanded, and it remains a long-term major strategic task to realize fuller, higher-quality employment and improve the tiered social security system. We will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deepen our understanding of the regularities governing employment and social security, and carry forward our experience and effective practices to promote the sound and sustained development of employment and social security. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Jiemian News:
Employment is pivotal to people's well-being as it concerns the lives of every household. What has the general employment situation been like since the 18th National Congress of the CPC? What kinds of measures will be taken to achieve fuller and higher-quality employment? Thank you.
Li Zhong:
I just mentioned that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has highly valued employment since the 18th CPC National Congress and made it a top priority to ensure stability on six key fronts and security in six key areas. The employment-first policy has been strengthened, and historic achievements have been made in the past decade. The overall employment situation has been stable over the years, and our country, with a population of over 1.4 billion, has achieved relatively full employment.
First, urban employment has continued to increase. More than 13 million urban jobs have been created annually, with the accumulative number in the decade reaching 130 million. The surveyed unemployment rate is generally lower than the expected control target.
Second, the employment structure has been optimized. Historic changes have taken place in urban and rural employment structures. In 2021, 62.7% of employed people worked in urban areas. The tertiary industry has become the most significant job provider, and the inverted pyramid employment structure has gradually developed.
Third, the quality of employment has steadily improved. Salaries have increased, with employees' wages in urban entities in 2021 doubling those in 2012. Social insurance coverage has been expanded, and the rights and interests of workers in flexible employment have been further protected.
Fourth, the employment for key groups has been stable. Over the past decade, the overall employment of more than 80 million college graduates has remained steady. The total number of migrant workers has risen to 290 million, and the number of workers lifted out of poverty has remained above 30 million. Appropriate arrangements have been made for workers displaced due to overcapacity cuts and fishermen relinquishing their nets due to the fishing ban. Moreover, the employment of people unemployed or having difficulty finding jobs has been kept stable, not only serving and safeguarding reform and development but also ensuring that people's basic living needs are met.
Fifth, the supporting system has been steadily improved. The employment-first policy has been implemented innovatively and elevated to the status of a macro policy. The policy tools for reducing businesses' burdens and stabilizing and expanding employment have been enriched and improved. The lifelong vocational skills training system was initially set up, and the total number of skilled workers has increased to more than 200 million. The comprehensive public employment service system has been improved, providing employment and business startup services and support for tens of millions of employers and workers every year.
With the joint efforts of all parties, China's employment has maintained long-term stability, providing solid support for better livelihoods, economic development, and social harmony and stability. At the same time, as a developing country with the world's largest population, China has been facing long-standing pressure on aggregate job creation, more pronounced structural problems, and mounting instability and uncertainties. Therefore, employment still faces significant challenges.
Next, we will firmly implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, put into practice the people-centered development philosophy, continue strengthening the employment-first policy, and strive to achieve higher-quality and fuller employment. Specifically, we will give our priorities to "five focuses." First, we will focus on stabilizing and expanding employment. We will take employment as the priority in economic and social development, create synergy to stabilize employment through the coordinated use of fiscal, monetary, and industry policies, and support market entities to stabilize and expand employment. Second, we will focus on leveraging the role of business startups in boosting employment. We will keep optimizing the environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, provide more assistance to startups, improve employment and social insurance policies, and support the healthy development of flexible employment. Third, we will focus on ensuring employment for key groups. We will focus on key groups such as college graduates, migrant workers, and people having difficulty finding jobs. We will offer help according to defined categories, take targeted measures, and build a diversified assistance system. Fourth, we will focus on enhancing the quality of employment training services. We will improve the employment and unemployment service management system, launch large-scale vocational skills training, and make training services more targeted and effective. Fifth, we will focus on protecting workers' legitimate rights and interests. We will carry out demonstration programs to ensure harmonious labor relations, consolidate our gains in eradicating wage arrears, strengthen regulation on human resource markets, and create a sound employment environment. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Red Star News:
This year the youth unemployment rate has remained high, and the number of college graduates reached another record high. The employment of young people has attracted wide public attention. What has the MOHRSS done to promote the employment of college graduates and other young people? What are the subsequent arrangements and plans? Thank you.
Zhang Ying:
Thank you for your questions. The employment of young people such as college graduates bears on people's well-being, economic development, and future of the country. Over the past decade, the total number of college graduates in China has continued to increase, with the employment rate of this group of people remaining relatively high, and employment situation generally stable. Meanwhile, the employment of college graduates faces both pressures from aggregate job creation and structural problems. Significantly since the beginning of this year, due to sporadic cases of COVID-19 in some areas, demands in job markets have decreased, some recruiting and job hunting events have been canceled or delayed, and some young people have encountered new difficulties in job hunting. This matter is very important to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The plan on boosting employment for the 14th Five-Year Plan period has a particular chapter concerning youth employment. The General Office of the State Council has issued opinions on supporting the employment and entrepreneurship of college graduates and other young people. A series of targeted policies and measures have been launched to help them find jobs and start businesses through every feasible means. The MOHRSS will implement these policies and prioritize the employment of college graduates and other young people. Centering around the employment service campaign, we will strengthen policy support, services, assistance to those in need, and the protection of rights and interests, and boost employment and business startups through multiple channels. The steps can be summarized as "four strengthening measures and one simplifying measure."
First, policy support will be strengthened. We will offer subsidies for ensuring and expanding employment and for paying into the country's social insurance pool, in a bid to encourage enterprises to hire more. We will implement policies such as tuition compensation and higher salaries for college graduates working in less-developed and remote areas and carry out programs for them to work in rural areas in the fields of agriculture, education, medical care and poverty alleviation, so as to provide more jobs at grassroots level. We will provide policies such as secured loans, tax and fee reductions, and social insurance payment subsidies to support business startups and flexible employment.
Second, strengthen the organization of employment. We will continue to establish employment service platforms for college graduates and host a large number of online and offline job fairs. We will continue to provide career guidance, job recommendations, training, and internship opportunities for youth, including college graduates. Additionally, we will organize apprentice training and training related to new careers for those who need to increase their experience and skills.
Third, help those in difficulties. We will continue to launch paired assistance for those unemployed graduates and provide individual solutions and preferential policies such as priority in job recommendations, internships, and training. For those unemployed for a long time, we will establish a special plan to provide practical guidance and differentiated guidance so that they can find work quickly.
Fourth, strength rights protection. We will continue to maintain market order by investigating and sanctioning employment discrimination, irregular intermediaries, and false employment. Report and complaint channels will continue to be smoothed to protect college graduates' lawful rights and interests.
Fifth, streamline employment procedures. We will continue the policy to cancel the signature and stamp procedure required from public employment service institutions on employment protocols and graduates' registration with public institutions. We will continue to facilitate the job hunting and employment of college graduates by prolonging periods for mailing personal files and permanent residency registration and by promoting universal recognition of health checkup results.
In general, the MOHRSS will spare no effort to support and help the youth, including college graduates, to get employment or start a business. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_21st Century Business Herald:
The payment of pensions has been a focus of attention among citizens. How is the basic old-age insurance funds for enterprise employees doing? Additionally, you established a national planning system for old-age insurance this year and readjusted the basic pension payment for retirees. How will this and unexpected factors such as the pandemic affect pension payment on time and in full? Thank you.
Qi Tao:
The pension concerns the life of hundreds of millions of retired people. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, according to the general arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, we increased the basic pension several times. Despite downward pressure on the economy and the impact of the pandemic in 2022, we increased the basic pension payment by 4% and paid extra pensions. The old-age insurance undertakings have developed at a fast pace with a more stable system and a more sustainable fund after more than 30 years of reform and development, particularly since the 18th CPC National Congress, which laid a solid material foundation for the pension payment on time and in full.
Whether pensions can be paid on time and in full depends on the following aspects.
First, balance. The income of enterprise employees' basic old-age insurance funds in 2021 was 4.4 trillion yuan, and the payment 4.1 trillion yuan. That is to say, the fund was balanced with a certain amount of surplus. The fund has been in smooth operation since 2022.
Second, cross-provincial adjustment. In January, the national planning system of basic old-age insurance was launched, providing greater support to provinces facing difficulties in funds. A total of 124 billion yuan was transferred in the first half year of 2022, which assisted the pension payment in those provinces.
Third, surplus. We are capable of securing pension payments with a 5.1-trillion-yuan surplus of basic old-age insurance funds for enterprise employees.
Fourth, subsidized revenues. 650 billion yuan in central government funding was channeled into enterprises employees' basic pension fund this year, continuing to provide greater help. Western areas and old industrial bases are the priorities of support. In addition to national planning, local mechanisms were established to provide financial subsidies.
Fifth, long-term reserve pension. The national social security fund has 2.6 trillion yuan as a strategic reserve, and the central government has replenished social security funds with 1.68 trillion yuan in state-owned assets.
By taking a chain of comprehensive measures, we will continue to reform and improve the old-age insurance system to be fairer and more sustainable, thus ensuring the pension payment in due time and in the full amount. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Yicai:
A series of social security policies were introduced in recent years, which greatly relieved the burden on businesses. This year, a range of policies related to social insurance was rolled out to ease enterprises' difficulties. How have their effects been? Thank you.
Qi Tao:
In recent years, the CPC Central Committee lowered seven times social insurance premium rates so that the general premium rate of five social insurances declined from 41% to 33.95%, and enterprises' social insurance contributions from 30% to 23.45%. These measures substantially reduced enterprises' social insurance fees. In the face of the pandemic in 2020, the CPC Central Committee released policies that provided an unprecedented temporary reduction or remitting to enterprises' social insurance costs and cut their contribution by 1.54 trillion yuan in the year. All of these helped enterprises to stay afloat during difficult times.
This year, according to the plans of the CPC Central Committee, a package of favorable policies related to social insurance was implemented in a bid to stabilize the economy, ensure employment, and improve people's livelihoods. First, we prolonged the policies to reduce premiums of unemployment and work-related injury insurance, which saved enterprises' costs by 100 billion yuan in the first seven months. Second, we allowed deferred payments of old-age, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance on a time-limited basis. The policy covered enterprises from five industries in severe difficulties, including catering, retail, tourism, and transportation, and 17 industries in difficulties, including equipment manufacturing and automobile manufacturing, and all micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the self-employed facing temporary troubles in areas hit hard by the pandemic. From the end of April to July, a total of 49.4 billion yuan in social insurance premiums were deferred, benefiting more than 600,000 businesses. Third, we increased the proportion of unemployment insurance premium refunds for MSMEs that stabilized employment from 60% to 90% and large enterprises from 30% to 50%. In the first seven months, a total of 39.7 billion yuan was refunded to 6.67 million enterprises. Fourth, we initiated unemployment insurance subsidies to support enterprises in middle- and high-risk areas and in five industries facing severe difficulties to stabilize and expand employment. During the first three months of the policy, 2.91 million enterprises received a total subsidy of 13.5 billion yuan.
Next, we will seriously implement various social security relief policies, closely follow the implementation of policies for the deferred payment of social insurance premiums in various places, and promptly study and solve new situations and problems encountered during the implementation process. We will further execute the quick action to implement the policies, realize the "apply and you can enjoy" policy for delayed payment of social insurance premiums, actively promote "need not to apply and you can enjoy" policy for refunding unemployment insurance premiums for enterprises that make no cuts or minimal cuts to staff numbers and for job retention subsidies, and accelerate releasing policy dividends for reducing burdens and stabilizing jobs. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
The speed of aging in China is accelerating, and the issue of elderly care has attracted more and more attention. In terms of developing a multi-level and multi-pillar elderly care system, what has the MOHRSS done in the past 10 years? What are the next measures? Thank you.
Li Zhong:
The old-age pension insurance you are concerned about is an important part of the social security system. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's social security system has undergone its greatest reforms and the fastest development. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, while focusing on enhancing fairness, adapting to mobility, and ensuring sustainability, we have made overall coordination efforts to promote the construction of a social security system that covers the entire population, integrates urban and rural areas, and is fair, unified, and sustainable. These achievements have attracted worldwide attention.
First, breakthroughs were made in the construction of the institutional system. During this period, we carried out the top-level design of old-age pension insurance and issued an overall plan for the reform of the pension insurance system. We unified the pension insurance system for urban and rural residents, forming two basic pension insurance system platforms for urban workers and urban and rural residents. We implemented the reform of government office and public institution pension schemes and brought the schemes into line with enterprise schemes. We issued basic pension insurance fund investment management measures and carried out market-oriented investment operations. We have established a central regulation system for enterprise pension insurance funds and fully realized the provincial-level overall planning of pension insurance. At present, we are speeding up the implementation of the overall national pooling of pension insurance. We have established an occupational annuity system and introduced a personal pension system, filling the gap in the multi-level and multi-pillar pension system.
Second, the coverage continued to expand. Focusing on the goal of covering all the people with social security, we have implemented a coverage plan for all the people and precisely promoted key groups of people to participate. From 2012 to the end of June 2022, the number of people under the basic old-age pension insurance system has increased from 790 million to 1.04 billion, and the number of people covered by old-age pension insurance has increased by 250 million in the past decade.
Third, the level of benefits has been steadily improved. Taking into account factors such as price changes, employee wage growth, fund affordability, and financial conditions, we have continuously adjusted the basic pensions for retirees from enterprises, government offices, and institutions since 2012 and established and improved a mechanism for determining and rationally adjusting basic pension benefits. Since 2014, we have raised the national basic old-age pension standard of basic pension insurance for urban and rural residents four times.
Fourth, the management service level has been significantly improved. With pension insurance at its core, social security records, guarantees, and serves a lifetime of a person. We have further standardized and normalized IT-based constructions of management services, and it is more convenient and efficient for people to process social security affairs at nearby places, online, and in a quick manner. As of the end of June 2022, the number of social security card holders exceeds 1.36 billion, of whom more than 575 million are holders of electronic social security cards. The cumulative number of visits to the national social insurance public service platform has exceeded 3.6 billion, which effectively ensures easier access to cross-provincial services through a single portal.
Fifth, its role as a "shock absorber" for economic operations is prominent. In 2020, in order to effectively respond to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented an unprecedented policy of "fee cut, exemption, delay, reduction, refund, and subsidy." We have reduced the burden on enterprises by 1.54 trillion yuan in three social insurances, including pension insurance. This year, we have further introduced a relief policy to help enterprises, which will allow them to postpone their payment for contributions to the three social insurances, including pension insurance, as a temporary measure. These policies are of higher value, can benefit more people and businesses, and are widely recognized by enterprises and people from all walks of life.
Next, we will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, follow the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on the top-level design of pension insurance, and actively adapt to the situations and requirements of the aging population, new urbanization, and diversification of employment methods. We will continue to push forward the major reform of the social security system and continuously expand the coverage of social security, especially to include more people in flexible employment into the scope of social security. We will actively promote the rule of law in social security and pay more attention to the safety of social security funds as well as protecting and increasing their value. We will strive to improve the level of detail of social security management and the level of high-quality services and solidly promote a fairer and more sustainable social security system. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed on more than one occasion that the fellow citizens who still live in hardship remain most dearly attached to his heart. What specific measures has the MOHRSS taken to help people in need to find jobs? Thank you.
Li Zhong:
Helping the people in need to find employment is related to the well-being and the basic living needs of the Chinese people. As you said, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that those fellow citizens who still live in hardship remained most dearly attached to his heart. He pointed out that we should pay close attention to people in straitened circumstances, extend care to them with respect and love, and do our best to solve their problems. All regions and all relevant government departments have earnestly enforced the instructions and made every effort to help those in difficulty to gain employment. Here is a set of data: Over the past 10 years, with help, a total of 55.01 million unemployed people and 17.68 million people in difficulty have found work. At the same time, some people in difficulty have heavy family burdens, low skill levels and weak market competitiveness, all of which makes it relatively difficult for them to find employment. Therefore, it is the unshirkable responsibility of government departments to help them find jobs. The MOHRSS will work with relevant departments to consistently increase employment assistance and improve the mechanism to strengthen efforts to help people in need find employment.
First, improve the standing book documenting information relating to employment assistance to bring qualified people in difficulty into the scope of employment assistance in a timely manner. At present, people with difficulty to find jobs in different provinces mainly include people of higher age, people with disabilities, people who live on subsistence allowance or have been unemployed for more than one year, as well as people who find it difficult to secure work due to reasons such as land loss.
Second, strengthen policy support so as to provide strong support for people in difficulty to find employment, start businesses and improve their abilities. We reduce taxes and fees and subsidize social insurance contributions for enterprises that employ people in difficulty. Support such as guaranteed loans and interest discounts are given to people in need who are engaged in self-employment and social insurance payment subsidies are given to those in flexible employment. Vocational training subsidies, vocational skills assessment subsidies and living subsidies are given to those who participate in vocational skills training.
Third, strengthen service guarantees. We adhere to the combination of daily assistance and concentrated assistance, and established a working mechanism featuring target identification, dynamic management, classified assistance and return visits to provide tailored one-to-one assistance for those in need. At the same time, we also continue to hold monthlong employment assistance activities over the New Year's Day and Spring Festival holidays, focusing on helping people in need find a job.
Fourth, strengthen efforts to ensure basic livelihood. For those who are having difficulty finding work through market channels, public service positions such as in security, cleaning and gardening are provided.
Recently, in response to some urgent problems affecting people with employment difficulties, we have cooperated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China Disabled Persons' Federation to organize an employment assistance activity under the theme "heart-warming" to resolve employment difficulties to help the long-term unemployed, graduates from families in financial difficulty, people with disabilities and people in urgent need of employment to provide them with job positions, services, policies and warmth. The activity was launched in early August this year, and we have so far visited more than 570,000 people in need and helped more than 200,000 people find jobs. I would like to take this opportunity to invite people from all parts of society to pay active attention to and participate in this activity, and give more support in employment assistance to help those in need ease their temporary difficulties. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China News Service:
Employment has played an important role in winning the battle against poverty, and we should continue to leverage its positive role in consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation and pushing forward rural revitalization. What specific measures will we take in the next step?
Zhang Ying:
Thank you for your question. When one member of a family gets a job, the whole family will get rid of poverty, so increasing employment is the most effective and direct way to shake off poverty and a basic measure to consolidate the achievements of poverty alleviation. In the battle against poverty, the MOHRSS and other relevant departments have made every effort to increase the income of the poor labor force by facilitating their employment as migrant workers and employment nearby with strengthened employment services, vocational training, and rights protection. The number of poor people getting employed as migrant workers increased from 12.27 million in 2015 to 32.43 million in 2020, and more than two-thirds of registered poor people got out of poverty mainly by working as migrant workers and engaging in local industries. Since the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, we have stepped up our efforts, increasing the number of people out of poverty employed as migrant workers to 32.23 million in the first half of this year. At the same time, some people who have been lifted out of poverty do not have stable jobs, and thus, there is still the difficult task of stabilizing their employment. We will resolutely implement the requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council that poverty alleviation responsibilities, assistance, policies, and supervision be continued so as to ensure overall stability in employment for people who have been lifted out of poverty and help consolidate and enrich the achievements of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. The main policies and measures are as follows.
First, we have worked hard to guide the migrant workers to flow in an orderly manner. We have improved mechanisms, including the labor collaboration between the eastern and western regions, made the labor flow more organized, and helped those out of poverty who are willing to work outside their hometowns do so. For those who need to go out together for work, locality-to-locality transportation services have been provided based on actual conditions.
Second, we have worked hard to stabilize employment. We have promoted the implementation of policies for stabilizing employment, such as postponing the payment of social insurance premiums and refunding unemployment insurance premiums for companies that make no cuts or minimal cuts to staff numbers, and strengthened follow-up services, stabilizing employment of people out of poverty. At the same time, we have provided services, including vocational guidance, job referral, and skills training in a timely manner and given priority to helping these people in need get transferred to new jobs or get employed.
Third, we have worked hard to develop nearby channels. In line with the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy and urbanization, we have boosted industrial development, developed workshops that provide employment assistance, encouraged people to return or go to villages to start businesses, supported flexible employment, and made good use of rural public welfare posts, continuously increasing nearby and local job opportunities.
Fourth, we have worked hard to ensure employment in key areas. We have increased funding, project, and policy support and organized regular recruitment activities in key counties to receive assistance in pursuing rural revitalization and in relocation areas for people from inhospitable areas, and sent targeted job information to these areas, ensuring that employment in key areas is no lower than the overall level. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
Recently, there has been significant attention paid to discrimination against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the job market. How does the MOHRSS respond to it? How should the rights of people who have recovered from COVID-19 be protected? Thank you.
Li Zhong:
Resolutely preventing and addressing discrimination in employment is an important measure to stabilize employment. The MOHRSS has paid great attention to, and taken swift actions against, employment discrimination some time ago against people who have recovered from COVID-19. We have taken a series of measures and specially issued a notice. I will invite Ms. Zhang to share more.
Zhang Ying:
Thank you for your question and your attention to this issue. Resolutely preventing and stopping discrimination in employment is an important part of the work to stabilize employment and a necessary requirement for maintaining social fairness and justice. Recently, some companies and organizations in some localities have abused tools for testing result queries, such as health codes, and discriminated against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in employment, seriously infringing on their equal rights to employment.
The MOHRSS has paid great attention to these issues and acted quickly. We and the National Health Commission issued an emergency notice on July 29 to resolutely regulate against employment discrimination against people who have recovered from COVID-19, making detailed regulations and work arrangements to prohibit the discrimination. Specifically, it can be summarized as one "no … may" and four "it is prohibited."
The "no … may" refers to that no organization or individual may unlawfully query COVID-19 nucleic acid test results unless it is out of epidemic prevention and control needs and the period for querying the test information is set in a scientific and reasonable manner.
The four "it is prohibited" refers to that it is prohibited to publish recruitment containing discriminative content against people who have recovered from COVID-19; it is prohibited to refuse to recruit people who have recovered from COVID-19 for the reason that they were tested COVID-19 positive; it is prohibited to discriminate against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in hiring and working; it is prohibited to arbitrarily fire or dismiss people who have recovered from COVID-19 in violation of the law.
For employers and human resources service agencies violating the above provisions, human resources, social security, and health departments at all levels will take effective measures such as administrative inquiry, public exposure, and administrative punishment, and will deal with any violation resolutely.
On Aug. 10, the MOHRSS and the Supreme People's Court issued a notice on strengthening administrative and judicial collaboration to safeguard equal rights of people who have recovered from COVID-19 to employment, requiring strengthening the handling of employment discrimination cases, accepting relevant litigation in accordance with the law, reasonably allocating burdens of proof, and improving the efficiency of judicial protection in the process of filing, handling, and settling.
We will continue to work hard to ensure equal rights of people to employment. Thank you.
Chen Wenjun:
That's all for today's press conference. Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the press. Goodbye!
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Ma Yujia, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Yuan Fang, Liu Jianing, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Yan Bin, Li Huiru, Zhang Jiaqi, Huang Shan, 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.
Speakers:
Rao Quan, vice minister of culture and tourism
Zhou Hanping, senior official of the Department of Art, Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT)
Chen Binbin, senior official of the Department of Public Services, MCT
Wang Chenyang, director-general of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, MCT
Miao Muyang, director-general of the Department of Industrial Development, MCT
Jin Ruiguo, director-general of the Department of Policies, Laws and Regulations, National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA)
Chairperson:
Xing Huina, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee
Date:
Aug. 24, 2022
Xing Huina:
Friends from the media, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 23rd press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade" to brief you on the high-quality development of culture and tourism in the new era, and to take your questions. Today, we are joined by Mr. Rao Quan, vice minister of culture and tourism; Ms. Zhou Hanping, a senior official from the Department of Art, MCT; Mr. Chen Binbin, a senior official from the Department of Public Services, MCT; Mr. Wang Chenyang, director-general of the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage, MCT; Mr. Miao Muyang, director-general of the Department of Industrial Development, MCT; and Mr. Jin Ruiguo, director-general of the Department of Policies, Laws and Regulations, NCHA.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Rao Quan for his introduction.
Rao Quan:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. I'd like to express my gratitude to you for your interest in and support for the development of culture and tourism. I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to brief you on developments in culture, tourism and cultural relics.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the development of culture and tourism. With great care for the field, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions and instructions, bringing about historic achievements and transformations in culture and tourism. Over the past decade, keeping in mind the missions and tasks of holding high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, uniting the people, cultivating the younger generation, boosting culture and presenting a good image, we have continuously developed tourism through culture and displayed cultural developments through tourism. We have promoted the prosperous development of cultural undertakings and cultural and tourism industries, leading to new landscapes in this regard. Culture has played a visible role in nurturing spirit and empowerment, and tourism has played a salient role in benefiting the people and driving economic growth. The influence of Chinese culture has continued to rise, which has laid a solid foundation for accelerating the development of a great socialist culture in China and creating new splendor for Chinese culture.
First, artistic creation has continued to flourish to meet people's cultural needs, and at the same time provide them with a stronger source of inspiration. We have continued to improve the work mechanism with creation as the core task and performances as the key link, implemented projects to support national fine stage art creations and art production series for a new era, and actively built an artistic creation system for a new era. Major cultural and artistic performances and productions including "The Great Journey," "Strive Forward, Sons and Daughters of the Chinese Nation" and "Our Four Decades" have conveyed the mainstream of the times and written a splendid chapter of the new era. We have enhanced support via the China National Arts Fund and given play to the driving role of various cultural and artistic awards, performances and exhibitions. We have organized and broadcast performances, integrating both online and offline channels. As a result, many outstanding works have continued to emerge and have gained wider popularity. The dance drama "The Eternal Wave," the poetic dance "The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting," the opera "Yimeng Mountain," the drama "Gu Wenchang" and other cultural and artistic works have been widely praised, and we are constantly making strides toward the "artistic summit."
Second, the modern public cultural service system has been steadily improved to promote spiritual enrichment for all. The Law on Guaranteeing Public Cultural Services', Law on Public Libraries, Regulations on Museums, and National Standards for Guiding Basic Public Cultural Services were promulgated successively, effectively protecting the public's basic cultural rights and interests. We have actively built a public cultural service network covering six levels from the state to villages and communities. By the end of 2021, China had 3,215 public libraries, 3,316 cultural centers, 40,200 cultural stations and 575,400 comprehensive cultural service centers at the village level. All public libraries, cultural centers and stations, art galleries and 91% of museums are free to visit. Projects benefiting the people, such as "Bringing Opera to the Countryside," have been further conducted, and brand cultural activities like "Village Spring Festival Gala" have been widely carried out, making people's cultural lives richer and more colorful. The construction of a smart library system and online, digital public culture has been accelerated, and new public cultural spaces are constantly emerging. People have access to cultural services online at their fingertips, which has made public cultural services more convenient and more targeted.
Third, industrial development has gained momentum, and innovation and creativity have been booming. The culture and tourism industry system has been gradually improved, with the system of standards constantly being refined and industrial scale consistently growing. In 2019, the added value of culture and related industries reached 4.44 trillion yuan, and that of tourism and related industries reached 4.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 4.5% and 4.56% of GDP, respectively. The digital culture industry has developed rapidly, and new business forms including online exhibitions, online broadcasting, internet livestreaming and immersive experiences have emerged at a faster pace. Mass tourism and smart tourism have continued to develop. Self-drive tours, camping tours, ice and snow tours, health care tours and marine tours have been leading new trends in leisure and vacation. Cultural creativity, intangible cultural heritage workshops and rural tourism have continued boosting rural revitalization. Visits to historical sites with revolutionary legacies and tourism-related artistic performances have flourished, and culture and tourism have become more integrated. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the culture and tourism industries have been seriously impacted. We have made practical efforts to ease the difficulties of enterprises, who have also proactively sought to save themselves rather than "lying flat," which has boosted the confidence of the culture and tourism industries and promoted their steady development.
Fourth, we have achieved remarkable results in protecting, inheriting and carrying forward our cultural heritage, and promoted the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. We have gradually become clear about the status quo of cultural heritage resources. By the end of 2021, we had 108 million pieces or sets of state-owned movable cultural relics, 767,000 immovable cultural relics, 5,058 cultural relic units under key national protection, and 6,183 museums on record. By the end of 2021, we had more than 100,000 representative items of intangible cultural heritage at all levels, including 1,557 at the national level. There were more than 90,000 representative inheritors at various levels, including 3,062 at the national level. We had 13,026 national rare ancient books and 203 ancient book units under key national protection. We had 56 world heritage sites, ranking second in the world; and we had 42 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List and Register, ranking first in the world. We have fully rolled out projects exploring the origin of Chinese civilization, protecting cultural relics, as well as protecting and utilizing cultural relics with revolutionary legacies. We have carried out the major "Archaeology in China" project and implemented plans to protect ancient Chinese books and revitalize traditional Chinese crafts. Steady progress has been made in the construction of national cultural parks for the Great Wall, Grand Canal, Red Army's Long March, Yellow River and Yangtze River. The recovery and return of cultural relics lost overseas has yielded fruitful results, with more than 1,800 pieces or sets of lost cultural relics returning to the motherland. Cultural heritage has been further brought to life, with enthusiasm for archaeology, museums, intangible cultural heritage and ancient books thriving. Chinese styles have become new fashion trends among young people.
Fifth, we have carried out in-depth exchanges and cooperation with other countries, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and the cultural and tourism fields have further opened to the outside world. An all-around, multi-level and wide-ranging international exchange and cooperation pattern in the cultural and tourism sector has been gradually established. We have hosted a series of major cultural events that coincided with the head-of-state diplomacy and several major diplomatic events such as the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. We have also sped up the efforts to build Chinese cultural centers overseas. We have set up overseas cultural and tourism agencies in 93 countries and signed inter-governmental cultural and tourism cooperation treaties with 157 countries. We have taken an active part in the development of international rules on this front. The system for international trade in culture has gradually improved, and core cultural products and services have been introduced to the outside world, with their export growing rapidly. The culture year and tourism year (festival), as well as some signature events such as "Happy Spring Festival" and "Beautiful China," have great influence and have greatly contributed to the image of China as a trustworthy, lovable, and admirable country. We have also made great efforts to promote culture and tourism in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan and launched a series of cultural and artistic events with patriotic themes to increase cohesion and mutual understanding among the Chinese people.
These achievements are attributed to the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, as well as the concerted efforts of people working in the culture and tourism field. We will continue to learn important statements made by General Secretary Xi Jinping related to culture and tourism, follow the new development philosophy in the new development stage, serve and integrate into the new development paradigm, and promote the high-quality development of culture and tourism to further contribute to developing a strong socialist culture in China.
Now, my colleagues and I are ready to answer your questions.
Xing Huina:
Thank you, Mr. Rao, for your introduction. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Central Television:
In recent years, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have consistently deepened reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, improve regulation, and strengthen services and coordinated the efforts in the reform of the government review and approval system as well as the business system. In terms of the cultural and tourism field, what has been done to deepen the reform to streamline administration, delegate powers, improve regulation and strengthen services to energize market entities and build a market-based and law-based international business environment? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Thanks for your question. I'll take this question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the decision and deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we have deepened these reforms in the culture and tourism sector. By giving play to the roles of both the government and the market, we have taken a series of reform measures to separate permits and certificates from business licenses, accelerate the building of the system for ongoing and ex-post oversight to energize the culture and tourism market, speed up the transformation and upgrade of market entities and promote order and prosperity of the market system. By the end of 2021, there were 191,000 cultural companies nationwide, which employed 1,511,400 people. There were 16,000 art troupes, up by 123.2% compared with 2012. They gave 2,325,000 performances last year, attracting a total of 930 million audience members; the online music market was valued at 62.69 billion yuan ($9.15 billion), or 13.8 times that of 2012; there were 42,000 travel agencies throughout the country last year, compared to 25,000 in 2012. Our work is mainly as follows:
First, intensify efforts to streamline administration and delegate powers. We have delegated the approval of commercial Internet cultural organizations and foreign-related commercial performances to the provincial cultural and tourism administrative departments and delegate the approval of travel agencies invested and established by Hong Kong and Macao companies in the pilot free trade zones to the administrative departments of the free trade zones to provide convenience for companies to go through procedures nearby. Moreover, we have also canceled several administrative approval items like the temporary tour guide.
Second, comprehensively improve the service related to business approval. We have lifted the restrictions on foreign investment in internet services venues, entertainment venues, performance brokerage agencies, and performance companies. In areas such as the pilot free trade zones, notification commitments are implemented for the establishment of travel agencies. The time it takes for approval of the import and export of fine art has been reduced from 20 working days to no more than 13 working days; we have also streamlined the approval procedures for cross-regional performance tours to relieve pressure on companies. We have established a national cultural market technology supervision and service platform and the national service platform for tourism oversight and introduced online approval of all procedures related to access management.
Third, introduce a new model of oversight. We have established and improved the new regulatory mechanism featuring the random selection of both inspectors and inspection targets, the prompt release of results, and the Internet Plus Oversight initiative, focusing on key targets and credit supervision. We have introduced the tourism service quality supervision policy, published the culture and tourism market credit management regulation, and launched special campaigns to regulate the cultural and entertainment sector and address unreasonable low-cost travel to promote the high-quality and diversified development of the cultural and tourism market. With the emergence of new business modes like online tourism, tourist accommodation, online performances, and script entertainment, we have introduced the provisional regulations on the management of online tourism business and strengthened the management of script entertainment venues, drawing a red line to promote the sustainable development of the industry.
Moreover, we have continued to deepen the reform on law enforcement of the cultural market and integrated and organized a comprehensive law enforcement team that fulfills their duties in six sectors, including culture, cultural relics, publications, radio and television, movies, and tourism under the deployment of the central government. As we continue to improve the system and strengthen team building, our law enforcement, with the aid of new internet technologies, has become more standardized and professional. To make our law enforcement more effective and efficient, we have firmly followed a people-centered principle, conscientiously fulfilling the law enforcement and supervision duties, ensuring that law enforcement is strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil, carrying out special campaigns to address the problems and guarantee epidemic prevention and control, workplace safety, and market order. These efforts are aimed at ensuring stability in the culture and tourism market.
That's all for my answer to your questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Southern Metropolis Daily:
The development of the cultural and tourism industry is closely related to people's well-being. What has the MCT done to promote the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry, and what progress has the ministry made in this respect? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
The development of the cultural and tourism industries has drawn wide attention. Let's invite Mr. Miao Muyang from the Industrial Development Department of the MCT to answer this question.
Miao Muyang:
Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's cultural and tourism industries have been a new driver and engine for economic development. They have played an essential role in promoting transformation, upgrading, high-quality national economy development, and meeting people's needs for a better life. The cultural and tourism industries have flourished in the past decade.
First, the industries have grown with a larger number of market entities. As Mr. Rao introduced just now, the value added by China's cultural and related industries and by the tourism and associated industries in 2019 were 4,436.3 billion yuan and 4,498.9 billion yuan, respectively, accounting for 4.5% and 4.56% of GDP, respectively. The number of China's cultural firms above the designated size grew from 36,000 to 65,000 in the past decade. Their total annual revenue more than doubled from 5.6 trillion yuan to 11.9 trillion yuan. By the end of 2021, China had 42,000 travel agencies, 14,000 A-level scenic spots, and 8,771 star-rated hotels. The cultural and tourism industries have been strong drivers of economic development.
Second, the supply of products has diversified as industrial integration has stimulated consumption. Digital technologies, including 5G, big data, AR/VR, artificial intelligence, and ultra-high definition, have seen more comprehensive applications in the cultural and tourism industries. New forms such as online broadcasting, digital art, and immersive experiences have developed at a fast pace. Several digital artworks with distinctive Chinese features, such as "Big Fish and Begonia" and "Dancing into Spring," have sprouted up. Strong impetus has been injected into the integrated development of the cultural and tourism industries, related products and markets, resulting in booming development of tourism performance, red tourism, village tourism, and cultural heritage tourism. A total of 15 cities were listed as national model cities for cultural and tourism consumption, 115 cities as national pilot cities for culture and tourism consumption, and 243 zones as national night culture and tourism consumption clusters. A promising future has been entailed by the integration of cultural and tourism industries.
Third, industrial investment and financing systems have been improved with fruitful results in foreign trade. As the industry has seen a great variety of investors, the total investment has expanded with more robust support from policy-related and developmental financial instruments. Policy tools such as cooperation between government and social capital and special local government bonds have been popularized and effectively applied in the cultural and tourism sectors. The import and export of cultural products has maintained a surplus for many years, and the inbound and outbound tourism has seen great development. China's volume in foreign cultural trade exceeded $200 billion for the first time of then 2021. Many excellent cultural and tourism firms have gone global as platforms such as cultural and tourism industrial expos are playing a more prominent role and the construction of national bases for international cultural trade is being advanced.
Fourth, more policies for easing the difficulties of businesses have been carried out to shield the industries from the impact of the pandemic. The MCT and relevant departments released Several Policies on Promoting the Recovery and Development of Service Industries in Difficulty and other policies to provide financial support in this regard and promoted the detailed implementation of policies on cutting taxes and fees and stabilizing employment. By doing so, the cultural and tourism firms' sense of gain has been more substantial. The cultural and tourism markets have recovered safely as opening policies of cultural and tourism sites were adjusted according to local conditions in epidemic prevention and control. the application range of the circuit-breaker mechanism for cross-provincial trips has been adjusted precisely to county level. Since the second half of 2022, the cultural and tourism markets have gained robust momentum to recover, demonstrating firms' resilience and the great efforts made by relevant personnel.
That's all for my answer. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_National Business Daily:
In recent years, visiting museums and cultural relics has become a trend among Chinese people, which reflects China's development in the sector of cultural relics. What achievements have been made in utilizing and protecting cultural relics in the past decade? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Work related to cultural relics has received public attention in recent years. Let's invite Mr. Jin Ruiguo from the NCHA to answer this question.
Jin Ruiguo:
Thank you for your question and your attention to cultural and museum undertakings. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached unprecedented importance to the protection and utilization of cultural relics and the preservation and inheritance of cultural heritage. The work related to cultural relics has realized historical achievements under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, with coordination among departments, efforts from local governments, broad participation of the society, and hard work from the personnel in the field of cultural relics.
First, people have gained a better awareness of protecting cultural relics. Philosophies have taken roots in people's minds, such as the primary role of protection, cultural relics protection counting as good political performance, and bringing cultural relics to life. The 19th CPC National Congress and the fifth and sixth plenary sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee all made general plans to utilize and protect cultural relics, and the CPC Central Committee rolled out six relevant documents. For the first time, a national plan for the preservation of cultural relics and related technological innovation during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) has been issued. A total of 27 provincial governments have included cultural relics safety into their work assessment systems.
Second, efforts have been intensified to preserve cultural relics, which have been better protected. We conducted the country's' first census on moveable cultural artifacts and a survey about grotto temples. We released 5,058 major historical and cultural sites protected at the national level in two batches. The number of historical and cultural sites protected at the national, provincial, and municipal and county levels increased by 115%, 58%, and 88%, respectively. Major projects were finished to protect historical and cultural sites, including the Great Wall, the Grand Canal, the Silk Road, and traditional villages. With precaution and systematical protection, tens of thousands of cultural relics preserved by museums and unearthed were rescued and repaired. The long-term mechanism to ensure the safety of cultural relics has been improved as progress was made in cracking down on crimes and violations of laws related to cultural relics and fire prevention. In general, the safety of cultural relics has been better ensured.
Third, the reform of cultural relics museums has continued to advance, and their influence has greatly improved. A modern museum system with abundant genres, diverse subjects, and equal inclusive benefits has basically been formed. There are 6,183 registered museums nationwide, 91% of which are free of charge, and there's been an increase of 144% in annual exhibition, and a 119% increase in the number of visitors. Exhibitions such as "The Splendor of Asia," "The Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties," "Pursuing Eternity," and "The Making of Zhongguo" have become social and cultural hot topics. TV programs such as "National Treasure," "Every Treasure Tells a Story," "Chinese Archaeology Assembly," and "Gu Yun Xin Sheng (Ancient Rhymes' New Sound)" have ignited big and small screens. Visiting museums has become a new trend in society. The protection and utilization project for revolutionary cultural relics has been implemented in depth, helping poverty alleviation, revitalization of the old revolutionary base areas, and education on the history of Party, the country, the reform and opening up, and socialist development. The Museum of the Communist Party of China and the Memorial Hall for the CPC's Early Revolutionary Activities in Beijing were completed and opened. The NCHA supports and guides the private collection of cultural relics and optimizes inbound and outbound cultural relics supervision and cultural relics identification consulting services. To date, there are 56 World Heritage Sites in China. Sino-foreign joint archaeology is gradually increasing. Cross-border cultural relics protection cooperation has been solidly carried out. The exhibitions of inbound and outbound cultural relics are diverse, colorful, and splendid. There are frequent highlights in the recovery and return of lost cultural relics, with more than 1,800 pieces (sets) of lost cultural relics having been returned to the motherland from overseas. Cultural relics have become a "golden business card" for promoting exchange and mutual learning among civilizations.
Fourth, the management capacity of cultural relics has been continuously enhanced, and the management level has been continuously improved. The State Council promulgated the Museum Regulations and revised the Regulations Concerning the Protection and Management of Underwater Cultural Relics, while localities have issued more than 200 local regulations on the protection of cultural relics and 113 national and industrial standards in the field of cultural relic protection have also been issued and implemented. The scientific and technological innovation capability for cultural relics has been significantly improved. The technical level of protection of ancient murals, painted pottery cultural relics, water-saturated lacquer woodware, and the environmental monitoring and regulation of the preservation of cultural relics in museum collections have entered the world's top class. The system for cultivating cultural relics and museum talents has become more complete. Cultural relics and archaeology institutions are generally strengthened, and archaeological field allowances will be significantly increased.
Recently, the national conference on cultural heritage and relics was held in Beijing, putting forward the cultural relics work principle in the new era, which is "make protection the top priority, strengthen management, explore the value, make effective use, and make cultural relics come alive," and making clear the goals and tasks. Next, we will thoroughly study and implement the principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions and instructions on cultural relics work, and implement the deployment of the national conference on cultural heritage and relics. Through vigorous and determined endeavors, we will work hard to promote the cultural relics cause to foster a new pattern and reach a new level, so that cultural relics and cultural heritages will bloom with new brilliance in the new era. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Changjiang Daily:
In recent years, the tourism demands of the people have become more and more strong, and China's tourism industry has developed vigorously, with more and more products, more and more forms of business, and more and more comprehensive benefits. I would like to ask what new features and highlights have been shown in the development of China's tourism industry in the past decade? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Thank you for your question, I will answer it. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have thoroughly implemented the principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions and promoted tourism to become an important indicator for improving people's living standards, an important vehicle for inheriting and enhancing Chinese culture, an important driving force for boosting economic growth, an important field for practicing the philosophy of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and an important channel for strengthening foreign exchanges and cooperation and enhancing China's cultural soft power. Here I will elaborate on three highlights:
The first is rural tourism. In the past decade, the supply of rural tourism products has been continuously optimized, the infrastructure has been continuously improved, the service quality has been continuously enhanced, and the interest linkage mechanism with farmers as the main body has been continuously perfected. The comprehensive benefits of rural tourism in socio-economic development are constantly shown outstandingly. We have innovatively rolled out 1,299 key villages and towns for rural tourism across the country, created a number of essential rural tourism routes nationwide with rich connotations and distinctive themes, carried out the work to bring creativity to the countryside, and cultivated rural tourism cluster areas. Rural tourism has increasingly become a good way for people to experience idyllic scenery and heartwarming nostalgia, a new field to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and a new force for rural revitalization. According to estimates, in 2019, the number of rural tourism visits in China exceeded 3 billion. A number of impoverished villages, such as Shibadong Village in Hunan province and Huamao Village in Zunyi, Guizhou province, have achieved poverty alleviation and increased employment and income through tourism. Yucun Village in Zhejiang province and Xidi Village in Anhui province were selected by the UNWTO into the list of the best tourism villages in the world, becoming bright business cards showing the beautiful image of China.
The second is red tourism. In the past 10 years, the number of China's red tourism classic scenic spots has expanded from 100 to 300. They have formed a red tourism classic scenic spot system that comprehensively reflects the achievements of the period of the new-democratic revolution, the period of socialist revolution and construction, the period of reform and opening up and socialist modernization, and the period of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era. We have introduced the 100 "excellent red tourism routes" to mark the centenary of CPC's founding. The red resources scattered across the vast land of China are being transformed into red scenic spots that can both entertain and educate the tourists, become an effective vehicle for Party members to carry out Party history study and education and strengthen Party spirit cultivation, and become a vivid classroom for officials and the common people, especially young people, to inherit the red gene and accept the cleansing of the red spirit. In recent years, the average annual growth rate of tourist visits for red tourism has exceeded 11%, reaching 1.41 billion visits in 2019.
The third is leisure tourism. In the past decade, we have actively adapted to the diverse needs of tourists and promoted the improvement of quality, efficiency, and transformation and upgrading of tourist attractions. The number of national 5A-level tourist attractions has increased from 144 in 2012 to 306 in 2021, and the proportion of medium and high-level scenic spots has increased significantly. We have innovatively rolled out 671 tourist resorts above the provincial level and more than 300 tourist and leisure streets and blocks above the provincial level, shaping various types of leisure products such as cultural tourism, eco-tourism, health tourism, industrial tourism, sports tourism, ski resorts tourism, and more to continuously meet the diversified and personalized leisure and vacation demands of the people.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Beijing Radio and Television Station:
General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that it would be best if a book or piece of art achieves not only success in being thoughtful and artistic but also success in the market. We have noticed the launch of a number of excellent plays in recent years which delivered both good social benefits and economic returns. Could you share achievements in this regard? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
This is a question about literary and art creation. I'd like to invite Ms. Zhou Hanping from the art department to take it.
Zhou Hanping:
Thank you for your attention and concern for stage art. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, acting upon the important remarks of General Secretary Xi Jinping on literature and art, we have put people at the center of all our work. We have set art creation and performance as the central task, and improved the mechanism for art creation and distribution to guide literature and art troupes to adopt innovative business practices, expand the market and launch good works that people could love. Achievements can be concluded in the following three aspects:
First, excellent works have come forth in large numbers, which depict the greatness of the new journey in the new era and nourish people's aesthetics and values. Embarking on the new journey in the new era, we have actively guided literary and artists to give an all-dimensional and panoramic presentation of the new ethos of the new era and set the satisfaction of the people as the highest criterion for art creation. A number of select artworks that meet people's intellectual and cultural needs and develop their outlooks have been produced. In addition to such major performances as "The Great Journey," we have also staged a number of other excellent plays. Among them, dance drama "The Eternal Wave" has been staged for 414 performances; "Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting" was performed 147 times in just one year; many other excellent works were also well received by audiences, such as opera performances "Yimeng Mountain" and "Ma Xiangyang Goes to Work in the Countryside," theater plays "Gu Wenchang" and "Liu Qing," Peking opera film "The Red Army Stories," and Guangxi's Cai Diao opera "Liu Sanjie (New)." These performances have generated both social benefits and economic returns.
Second, we have carried forward and promoted the fine traditional culture of China through innovative art creation in the new era. Regarding the fine traditional culture of China as the source of art creation, we have produced a number of works deeply rooted in traditional culture. By integrating traditional elements with modern ones, and innovatively using new technologies and means to inspire originality and creativity, increase cultural connotations, and express thoughts and feelings, the fine traditional culture of China has continued to shimmer with charm in the new times. From the lasting popularity of the Kunqu opera show "The Peony Pavilion" and the film adaptation of the Cantonese opera show "The Legend of White Snake" to the growing appeal of the China Opera Gala (Kunshan), more and more excellent artworks with Chinese aesthetics, characteristics, and styles have become the trend of the times and smash hits in the market. Literary and artistic creation in the new era has shown greater depth and potential.
Third, we have further reformed state-owned literature and art troupes so they can launch more good works, cultivate more talents and generate more returns. Acting upon the Opinions on Further Reforming State-owned Literature and Art Troupes of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, we have worked to set up a sustainable development mechanism to ensure the production of a great variety of plays and the cultivation of talents from generation to generation. We have encouraged literature and art troupes to embrace the market by staging more performances. According to a sampling survey among 400 art troupes in 2021, they staged over 60,000 performances and earned close to five billion yuan amid routine pandemic prevention and control. We have also made online presentations of offline art performances a regular practice to allow more people to enjoy art. For example, we presented the Spring Festival Special Edition of Art China to netizens through such online platforms as "Voice of Culture and Tourism" and "Art of China" and won wide applause from the public.
I will stop here. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Beijing News:
We have noticed that products of intangible cultural heritage have begun to enter people's lives in large numbers in recent years, and public knowledge and understanding of intangible cultural heritage has increased. What achievements has China made in promoting and protecting intangible cultural heritages since the 18th CPC National Congress? How do these achievements contribute to the inheritance and promotion of the fine traditional culture of China? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Just as you said, intangible cultural heritage is more and more becoming a part of modern life and glowing with new vitality. I'd like to invite Mr. Wang Chenyang from the department of intangible cultural heritage to answer your questions.
Wang Chenyang:
Thank you for your questions. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritages. It has adopted a series of major plans and practical measures to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of intangible cultural heritage so they will shine with greater charm in the new era.
First, preserving intangible cultural heritage has become an important aspect of retaining China's cultural roots and carrying forward the Chinese civilization. So far, over 100,000 representative projects of intangible cultural heritage have been launched at all levels, among which 1,557 are state-level ones. The number of representative inheritors at all levels has reached over 90,000, 3,062 of whom are state-level ones. And 23 state-level cultural ecology protection areas have been set up to carry out various initiatives, including ones to document intangible cultural heritages, renovate traditional crafts, cultivate inheritors, and inherit and develop folk art forms. So far, over 100,000 inheritors have been trained, and the momentum for inheriting intangible cultural heritages has been constantly boosted.
Second, intangible cultural heritage has become an important source for the Chinese nation in bolstering cultural confidence and forging a strong sense of community. A variety of intangible cultural heritage activities are held on traditional festivals and Cultural and Natural Heritage Day in various places, and have created a stronger sense of passion among the whole of society for our fine traditional Chinese culture. The 24 solar terms performed at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics showed to the world the cultural heritage and cultural confidence of the Chinese nation. All of our 56 ethnic groups have items incorporated into the country's representative list of national intangible cultural heritage, and the fine traditional cultures of different ethnic groups communicate with, appreciate, and respect each other under the framework of intangible cultural heritage protection. Intangible cultural heritage has become a carrier and bond for promoting interaction, exchange and integration between all ethnic groups and forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people.
Third, intangible cultural heritage has become an important force to promote high-quality economic and social development, so as to meet people's needs for a better life. We have promoted the revitalization and development of traditional craftsmanship, and enriched the categories of traditional handicraft, significantly improving the quality of products and largely extending their applications into new areas of modern life. In order to boost targeted poverty alleviation and rural revitalization through intangible cultural heritage, more than 2,500 intangible cultural heritage workshops have been established in various places, which facilitated local economic development. Intangible cultural heritage projects related to family education and family tradition, as well as village-level regulations, have played an important role in nurturing good folk customs and fostering the culture of community.
Fourth, intangible cultural heritage has become an important part of displaying China's image and spreading China's voice. To date, 42 intangible cultural heritage items in China have been included on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage lists, ranking first in the world, contributing our share to global cultural diversity. The joint-applications for Urtiin duu or "long song" and the Wangchuan ceremony and related practices have become important manifestations of promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Other items such as acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine, Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa and taijiquan have provided Chinese wisdom for solving human health problems.
Going forward, we will stick to the principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's major expositions and instructions on the protection of intangible cultural heritage. We will innovate while following fine traditions to find the connection between traditional culture and modern life, and we will revitalize our fine traditional Chinese culture with the spirit of the times to continuously satisfy people's ever-growing needs for a better life. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China Daily:
Extensive and in-depth exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations are of great significance in building a community with a shared future for mankind. In the past 10 years, what work has been done and what achievements have been made in promoting exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and other civilizations? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward major initiatives such as promoting people-to-people exchanges through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and implementing the Asia tourism promotion plan on the international stage. He also put forward important measures such as hosing the China-France Culture and Tourism Year and China-South Korea Year of Cultural Exchanges. He attended important activities including the China-Egypt Cultural Year and the BRICS cultural festival, and inaugurated China Cultural Centers in countries such as Pakistan, Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam. He sent messages of congratulations to the BRI-themed 2021 Great Wall International Folk Culture and Arts Festival and the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Tota Italia: Origins of a Nation" and other activities. Under his planning, arrangements and promotion, exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese civilization and other civilizations have been thriving.
First, we contributed Chinese wisdom to international cultural governance. We continued to deepen our cooperation with UNESCO and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). As I said, China ranks first in the world in terms of the total number of items included on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage lists, and the Chinese language has become an official language of the UNWTO. International culture and tourism rules are becoming fairer, more just, diverse and open. In 2021, Yucun village in Zhejiang province and Xidi in Anhui province were included among the first group of Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO. The notion that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets has reached consensus in the development of world tourism. The training of culture and tourism human resources is in full swing, and Chinese experience and approaches have served as useful references for developing countries in their cultural development.
Second, we have expressed China's cultural proposals to the world through cultural exchanges. We have promoted the continuous development of 16 multilateral exchange and cooperation mechanisms and 25 bilateral ones, such as the Meeting of BRICS Culture Ministers. We have actively carried out cultural and tourism exchanges with countries with newly-established diplomatic relations, such as Panama, establishing a global network for inter-governmental cooperation. Brand events such as "East Asian Capital of Culture" have deepened inter-city cultural exchanges. Events we hosted, such as the "Meet in Beijing" International Art Festival, have showcased the development of Chinese culture globally. The total number of Chinese cultural centers and tourism offices overseas has reached 45 and 20, respectively. Every year they work together to organize events such as "Mid-Autumn Festival: A Moon-moment to Remember" and "Visiting China Online," serving as an essential window for demonstrating the unique charm of Chinese culture in an all-around way. We have built Hong Kong Palace Museum, launched the "National Art Troupe (Macau) Performance Season," and organized "Joint Love for the Chinese Nation" exchange activities, jointly promoting Chinese culture with Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Third, we have shared cultural achievements with people worldwide through cultural exchanges. We have proactively promoted Belt and Road cultural exchanges and cooperation and established alliances for Silk Road, international theaters, museums, art festivals, libraries, and art galleries, with 539 member units. "Happy Chinese New Year" events have been held for years, with about 2,000 events held in over 130 countries each year, and have become an essential bridge for sharing traditional Chinese festivals with people worldwide. Events such as "Beautiful China" and "Discover China Cultural Tour" have been carried out, attracting more and more foreign tourists to experience the unique charm of Chinese culture.
That's all for my introduction.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_The Poster News APP:
China's urbanization has been developing rapidly since the 18th CPC National Congress. What achievements have been made in the integrated development of urban and rural public cultural services during this process? What role has it played in strengthening people's sense of gain from culture? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Public cultural services are closely related to people's lives. Mr. Chen Binbin from the Public Service Department will answer this question.
Chen Binbin:
Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have implemented in full the guiding principles embodied in General Secretary Xi Jinping's speeches concerning public culture and followed the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council. We have redoubled our efforts to promote the integrated development of urban and rural public cultural services, focusing on providing standardized essential public cultural services for urban and rural residents. As a result, equal access to essential public cultural services has significantly improved. People's sense of gain from culture is becoming increasingly more robust, which can be demonstrated in the following four aspects:
First, the institutional system has been refined. Over the last decade, we have rolled out and implemented two laws and one standard. The two laws refer to the Law on the Protection of Public Cultural Services and the Law on Public Libraries. The one standard refers to the national standards to guide the provision of basic public cultural services. At the same time, we have seen that the 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have worked out standards for providing basic public cultural services. Moreover, 333 prefecture-level cities and 2,846 counties have issued catalogs of essential public cultural services, and the Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of Public Cultural Services has been promulgated. These laws, standards, and policies ensure that we can support the integrated development of public cultural services in both urban and rural areas.
Second, the system of facilities has been improved. Over the decade, the facilities network for public cultural services at the grassroots level has been expanded and improved through deepening reforms. We have advanced the development of facilities for public cultural services at the grassroots level by establishing county-level cultural centers and adopting the central-branch system for libraries. Ten years ago, we mainly relied on the system of service facilities, comprising over 6,000 cultural centers and libraries. Today, we have developed a facilities network for public cultural services at the grassroots level, including 95,000 libraries and service station branches. We have also made good use of social resources to push for the building of new public cultural spaces such as the "City Study Room" and "Cultural Station," which reached 18,000 spaces recently and are growing rapidly. These cultural facilities and spaces are built close to people's' homes. They are accessible and usable and greatly facilitate the cultural lives of the people, improving the convenience and effectiveness of public cultural services.
Third, people have enjoyed a greater variety of cultural activities. With the improvement of living standards, people have increasingly stronger needs for cultural life and activities. To meet these needs, we have actively launched mass cultural activities. developing such brand activities as the "Village Gala" in rural areas, "singing together," and the "square dance," with the number of participants continuing to hit new records. For example, over 118 million people participated in the national "Village Gala" demonstration activity held in 2022. When people engage in cultural activities, they are not only willing to be spectators but also willing to be actors or creators. Therefore, people have become the real subject of culture. We have enhanced the development of mass cultural groups. According to the latest data, the number of such groups has exceeded 450,000, up 50% from 2021.
Fourth, cultural resources have been made available at the primary level. Over the past decade, we have promoted the extension of quality cultural resources from cities to rural areas through standardization and cultural projects and made leapfrog progress in developing public cultural systems in poor areas, border areas with mainly ethnic minority populations, and old revolutionary base areas. For example, we have implemented a cultural talent support program in the above-mentioned areas. Over the past decade, we have dispatched a total of 169,000 cultural workers to primary-level cultural institutions and trained more than 15,000 cultural workers there. As operas are very popular in the rural areas, we have implemented a program to bring more operas to the countryside in recent years. Under the program, 78,000 opera performances are staged in 13,000 towns and townships in the central and western regions each year. Over the past decade, we have also carried out the digital library project and a cultural information resource sharing project, sending a large amount of quality digital resources to the primary level. Now, all the libraries in prefecture-level cities and 99% of county-level libraries across China, even in the most remote places, can provide digital resources amounting to 145 TB, including 300,000 e-books, over 7,700 types of periodicals, and 200,000 types of audio media.
Going forward, we will continue to promote quality development and provide higher quality, more efficient, fairer, and more sustainable public cultural services to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of all people. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
In recent years, major archaeological discoveries such as those at the Sanxingdui Ruins site, the mausoleum of Emperor Wendi of the Western Han Dynasty, and the Piluo Paleolithic site have attracted much attention. What measures have been taken to facilitate archaeological research, preserve and sustain Chinese civilization, and bolster confidence in our own culture? What achievements have been made in this regard? Thank you.
Rao Quan:
Your questions are about a current hot topic. Let's invite Mr. Jin Ruiguo from the NCHA to answer the questions.
Jin Ruiguo:
Thank you for the questions. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important expositions and instructions on archaeological work on various occasions. He emphasized that great importance should be attached to archaeological work to deepen historical research on Chinese civilization and that the CPC and Chinese society as a whole should enhance historical consciousness, bolster confidence in the Chinese culture, work hard to build a modern socialist country in all respects, and realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Over the past decade, under the guidance of the decisions and plans made by the central authorities, we have achieved fruitful outcomes in projects that explore the origin of Chinese civilization and archaeology in China, carried out more than 8,800 archaeological excavation programs, made major archaeological discoveries at the Liangzhu relic site, the Taosi relics site, the Shimao ruins, the Erlitou relics site, the Yinxu site, and the Sanxingdui Ruins site, steadily promoted frontier and underwater archaeology, witnessed the rapid development of scientific archaeology, public archaeology, and archaeology involving foreign parties, and obtained evidence for millions of years of human history, 10,000 years of cultural history, and more than 5,000 years of civilization history. All these have provided a rich historical and cultural source of strength for social development.
Going forward, we will continue to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions and instructions on archaeological work, explore the unknown, reveal the origins, strive to develop archaeology with Chinese characteristics, style, and values, and better understand the time-honored and profound Chinese civilization.
The first is deepening archaeological research. We will continue to push forward projects that explore the origin of Chinese civilization and archaeology in China, promote academic research on the origins of mankind, agriculture, and civilization as well as the formation and development of a unified multi-ethnic state, and showcase the origins, historical context, and splendid achievements of Chinese civilization, as well as its major contributions to human civilization.
The second is strengthening scientific and technological support. We will promote the joint research of archaeology and history, humanities and natural sciences, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, accelerate the establishment of key national laboratories in the field of cultural relics, and build a national science and technology innovation center for cultural heritage. We will implement a national plan to cultivate archaeological talent and promote the development of world-class archaeological institutions.
The third is improving interpretation and publicity. We will make full use of new media, new technologies, and new means to strengthen the research and interpretation of cultural relics, historic sites and ruins, organize activities to publicize the outcomes of the project that explores archaeology in China, and jointly produce and broadcast TV programs such as "Exploring Ancient China" with relevant media outlets to showcase the long history and great creations of Chinese civilization, and educate and guide officials and the public, especially young people, to better understand and identify with Chinese civilization, and become more proud, confident, and assured in their identity as Chinese people. Thank you.
Xing Huina:
Today's press conference is now concluded. Thank you to Mr. Rao and all the other speakers. Thank you to friends from the media. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Guo Yiming, Yang Xi, Liu Jianing, Huang Shan, Zhang Rui, Ma Yujia, Yuan Fang, Yan Bin, Xu Kailin, Zhang Liying, Liu Qiang, Liu Sitong, Li Huiru, 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.
Speakers:
Zhao Yong, vice minister of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission
Hua Yanlong, director general of the Bureau of Ethnic Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee
Zhang Mou, director general of the Bureau of Policies and Regulations of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission
Guo Jianmin, director general of the Bureau of Culture and Publicity of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission
Chairperson:
Xing Huina, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee
Date:
Aug. 17, 2022
Xing Huina:
Friends from the press, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 20th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade" to brief you on the achievements and measures on ethnic unity and progress in the new era. Joining us today are Mr. Zhao Yong, vice minister of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission; Mr. Hua Yanlong, director general of the Bureau of Ethnic Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee; Mr. Zhang Mou, director general of the Bureau of Policies and Regulations of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission; and Mr. Guo Jianmin, director general of the Bureau of Culture and Publicity of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission.
Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhao for his introduction.
Zhao Yong:
Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. First, on behalf of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, I would like to express my thanks for your interest in the work related to Chinese ethnic unity and progress. Before your questions, please allow me to briefly introduce the development of Chinese ethnic unity and progress in the past decade.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made overall planning of and promoted the Party's ethnic work in the new era from the strategic perspective of adhering to and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, focused on forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and made historic achievements in advancing ethnic unity and progress. These achievements can be summarized from the following five aspects:
First, establishing the new thought. With the broad vision and great wisdom of a Marxist statesman, thinker and strategist, General Secretary Xi Jinping has adapted the Marxist ethnic theory to China's realities and fine traditional Chinese culture, put forward a series of new thoughts, philosophies and strategies, and formed his important thought on strengthening and improving ethnic work. The thought systematically explains the strategic importance, historical position, main focus, important tasks, work paradigm, rules and methods of ethnic work, and gives scientific answers to major theoretical and practical problems of how to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and pool strength to realize national rejuvenation. It profoundly expounds the rules underlying the formation and development of the Chinese national community, and reveals the bright prospects of the Chinese nation striving for a more widely recognized and united community with a shared future. With its theoretical and practical guidance and its positive global influence, the thought sets a clear direction and provides a fundamental guideline for the Party's ethnic work in the new era.
Second, identifying the new focus. Forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people has been taken as the main task of the Party's ethnic work in the new era. It is the guiding principle and fundamental guideline for formulating policies and plans, a core philosophy integrated into all aspects of the work, and a fundamental criterion and an important aspect in assessing the work. The main task has made our ethnic work focus more on enhancing common ground and building the Chinese national community, and progressed the work to a new stage.
Third, taking on a new look. In the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally conducted ethnic work, made multiple visits to ethnic minority areas, and reiterated that no ethnic group should be left behind in the country's fight against poverty, in its building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and in its drive toward modernization. Under the care and strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all 31.21 million people in ethnic minority areas have been lifted out of poverty. The whole nation, ethnic minority areas included, has achieved a victory in the poverty alleviation fight, and built a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The ethnic minority groups, the places where they live, and ethnic relations have all taken on a new look. Some ethnic groups, who entered the socialist society directly from "primitive society," has once again realized the leapfrog development from poverty to moderate prosperity. We have made many investigations in ethnic minority areas, and seen how people now drink sweet tap water rather than bitter cellar water, and live in new brick houses rather than mud-built dwellings. Expressways and high-speed railways are accessible, children go to nearby schools, and residents have easy access to medical services. People there all wear big smiles and are grateful to the general secretary and the CPC.
Fourth, pooling new strength. In the past decade, people of all ethnic groups went through the hard work of alleviating poverty and building a moderately prosperous society, enjoyed strategic achievements made in epidemic control, and celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the centenary of the CPC's founding. We have realized that the national rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an irresistible trend. All of these have inspired the patriotism of all ethnic groups and the confidence and sense of pride of all Chinese people, and intensified a strong sense of community among them. The support among all ethnic groups for the country, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics has reached an unprecedentedly high level. This can be vividly described with the phrase, "The Chinese people are a family jointly realizing the Chinese Dream."
Fifth, forming a new paradigm. Ethnic work is related to all aspects of society. The CPC Central Committee has integrated ethnic work into the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. It has formed a paradigm where ethnic work is carried out under the unified leadership of the Party Committee and managed by the government according to law, with the United Front Work Department responsible for the coordination work, ethnic work departments performing their duties, various departments making joint efforts, and the whole of society participating. Under this paradigm, local Party committees have included ethnic work in the system of responsibility for Party building and ideological work, and in political inspections, disciplinary inspections and government performance assessments, thus forming a strong synergy on this front. In doing so, we have ensured that people of all ethnic groups are participants, contributors, beneficiaries and judges of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and provided a solid political guarantee for the high-quality development of the Party's ethnic work in the new era.
Over the past decade, we have made historic achievements and seen historical changes in ethnic unity and progress, thanks to the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping at the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party, and the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. On the new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects, we will faithfully implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, enhance the building of the Chinese national community, promote the high-quality development of the Party's ethnic work in the new era, and contribute to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
That is all for my introduction. Now, we are ready to answer your questions.
Xing Huina:
Thank you, Mr. Zhao for your introduction. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising your questions.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_CCTV:
Most countries in the world are multi-ethnic and different countries have different ways of dealing with ethnic affairs. As a unified multi-ethnic country with 56 ethnic groups and a population of more than 1.4 billion, China has followed the policies of ethnic equality, ethnic unity, regional ethnic autonomy, and common prosperity and development of all ethnic groups. What's your opinion on China's path for handling ethnic affairs?
Zhao Yong:
Thank you for your question. You have a rather systematic view on this issue, and you raised a good question. Looking back on the Party's century-long journey, the most outstanding achievement of our work on ethnic affairs is that we have found the right path for managing ethnic affairs with Chinese characteristics. The great practice after the 18th CPC National Congress has enriched and expanded this path. The Chinese characteristics of this path are reflected in several aspects:
The first characteristic is the leadership of the CPC. The CPC is the backbone of the people of all ethnic groups in China. The leadership of the CPC is the essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the fundamental guarantee for doing well in our work on ethnic affairs. The practice has proved that only the leadership of the CPC can bring all ethnic groups together and take all ethnic groups toward common prosperity and development.
The second characteristic is equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups in China are equal regardless of population, history, or stage of development. This equality is genuine, comprehensive, and complete. The legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups are fully guaranteed, and the human rights situation of ethnic minorities in China is at its best in history.
The third characteristic is the system of regional ethnic autonomy. It is a basic political system of China and an incredible creation of the CPC. Moreover, this system not only fundamentally safeguards national unity and ethnic solidarity, but also dramatically mobilizes the enthusiasm and creativity of ethnic autonomous regions to develop their motherland and hometowns.
The fourth characteristic is the Chinese national community. This path is built on the Chinese national community, which has been formed and developed for over 5,000 years. The relationship between the Chinese nation and ethnic groups is between a big family and family members. The relationship among ethnic groups is among family members of one big family. We need to not only ensure all ethnic groups' development, but also build and develop the community as a big family.
The fifth characteristic is pursuing common prosperity and development. The goal followed by this path is to deliver a better life for all ethnic groups.The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is not a reappearance of any dynasty in history. Instead, it encourages the 56 ethnic groups to move towards socialist modernization together, create a bright future for the Chinese nation and enjoy the great glory of national rejuvenation together. The practice has proved that this path is a road of equality to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups, a road of unity to promote exchanges and communication among all ethnic groups, and a road toward prosperity that helps all ethnic groups develop together. Ultimately, it is a path of rejuvenation for the Chinese nation toward a community of shared future with greater recognition and cohesion. We will unswervingly follow this path.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_N Video from Southern Metropolis Daily:
The CPC Central Committee stressed that it is necessary to promote cultural inheritance, protection, and innovation of all ethnic groups while enhancing their identity with the Chinese culture. What has been done in this regard over the past decade? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
I will invite Guo Jianmin, director general of the Bureau of Culture and Publicity of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, to take this question.
Guo Jianmin:
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important proposals and instructions on adhering to Chinese culture, bolstering confidence in Chinese culture, fostering shared cultural identity, and promoting the inheritance, protection, and innovation of the cultures of all ethnic groups in China. He has made specific deployments at important conferences including the central conference on ethnic affairs and attended significant cultural events, such as the National Ethnic Minority Arts Festival. During his visits in ethnic minority areas, he has been concerned about developing many ethnic and cultural projects, such as Miao embroidery, the Lunar March 3 Festival, and the Manas opera, which greatly inspired and encouraged the people of all ethnic groups. Government departments at all levels have earnestly implemented the decisions of the CPC Central Committee. With the main task of fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, we have revised and enacted laws and regulations, such as the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics and the Law on Guaranteeing Public Cultural Services, and formulated policy plans for cultural development during the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plan periods. A series of major cultural projects have been conducted, including the inheritance and development of fine traditional Chinese culture, the inheritance of revolutionary tradition, and those to benefit the public. A series of major cultural activities have been held, including the National Ethnic Minority Arts Festival, the National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, and the Steed Award for ethnic minority writers. We have actively built unique platforms for festivals and folk customs, exhibitions and performances, and cultural tourism. We have made solid progress in inheriting, protecting, and innovating the cultures of all ethnic groups. People of all ethnic groups in China have become more passionate about, prouder of, and more confident in Chinese culture, and the "five identities" have been greatly enhanced.
In 2019, more than 10,000 athletes, coaches, and referees of all ethnic groups attended the 11th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities. Most of them were farmers, herders, students, and workers, and for many of them, it was the first time they had left home, walked out of the mountains, and come into big cities. Athletes from different ethnic groups participated in the same competitions, such as dragon boat racing and top-spinning. Many excellent elements of traditional Chinese culture were displayed at the opening and closing ceremonies, such as Tai Chi and Kam Grand Choir. Young people of all ethnic groups participated in the activities and enjoyed the beautiful scenery during the performance gala. Therefore, the people of all ethnic groups praised the Games as a grand mass participation sports event promoting exchanges and interaction among all ethnic groups, and a demonstration of the solidarity of the Chinese nation. Thanks.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Cover News:
Ethnic minority areas used to be the difficulty and priority of poverty alleviation. Can you talk about what historic changes have been brought about by poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity? What initiatives will be taken to promote all ethnic groups to achieve modernization together? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
Thank you for your attention to development and reform in ethnic minority areas. Just as you have mentioned, poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity have brought historic changes to ethnic minority areas, which can be concluded in the following aspects:
First, the living standards of people of all ethnic groups have been greatly improved. Through poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity, people of all ethnic groups have more stable jobs and more satisfactory incomes. And they enjoy better public health services and better living environments. Over the decade, in ethnic minority areas, the average annual growth of per capita disposable income of urban residents is 7.7%, with that of rural residents being 10.2%. Poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity have enabled countless people to change fate, realize dreams, and achieve happiness. Now the average life expectancy in ethnic minority areas has increased significantly, with the average life expectancy in Tibet having increased by a full four years over the decade.
Second, great changes have taken place in the mindsets of people of all ethnic groups. Some people used to wait for external assistance in the past, but now they are motivated to rely on their own efforts to strive for prosperity. Some people used to make a living only by farming, but now they leave their hometown and seek jobs elsewhere. Changes in mindsets have profoundly changed people's lifestyles and their way of production. They now have access to flush toilets and the internet. And farming has been mostly mechanized. It can be said that now people of all ethnic groups are more confident and more motivated.
Third, the momentum of development in ethnic minority areas has been greatly enhanced. In the process of eliminating poverty and achieving moderate prosperity, a great number of infrastructures have been built, with an increase of 15,800 kilometers of railway in the five autonomous regions of Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Tibet, Ningxia and Xinjiang and the three provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan and Qinghai over the decade, which was beyond imagination in the past. With a group of industrial parks built and a number of industrial projects developed, the basis for sustained growth has become increasingly stronger. I visited Jingning She autonomous county of Zhejiang province, and learned that it is relatively backward in Zhejiang. They built an "enclave" industrial park next to Lishui. The tax revenues generated by the industrial park last year accounted for 36% of the tax revenues of the whole county, and the industrial park contributed to nearly half of the whole county's value added of industrial enterprises above designated size. With the development of the "enclave" industrial park, they have pioneered a path of development by drawing on the resources of others. Much of the south Xinjiang used to be sandy and rocky areas. Now by developing modern agriculture, planting, and breeding industry, it has become famous nationwide for producing fruits. I also saw that in the old town of Kashi, some people have led a happy life by developing tourism depending on buildings with Uygur characteristics.
Fourth, the foundation for the Party's governance in ethnic minority areas has become more solid. Last year, I visited Pumajiangtang Township, Shannan City, Tibet, a township with the highest altitude in China. The local people told me that the township used to be inaccessible and people led a very hard life. They lived in adobe houses. What I saw in my visit this time were brand-new residential buildings and clean roads. People's houses were fully-equipped with furniture and were very neat. They have all lived a happy life. There was one household posting a couplet on the door, saying that just as we should never forget the people who dig the well for us to drink water, we should also never forget the CPC for lifting us out of poverty. I believe that the couplet expresses their aspirations. Poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity have greatly enhanced the authority of the Party among the people, and built closer relations between the Party and the people and between officials and the people, making the public, social, and political foundation for the Party's governance more solid.
Fifth, socialist ethnic relations have been strengthened. Now the people of all ethnic groups assist, admire, and support each other. Such stories can be found everywhere. Many cities have residents of all 56 ethnic groups, and there are an increasing number of families consisting of members from different ethnic groups. In Xinjiang, 1.1 million officials have paired up with over 1.6 million households of ethnic minority groups as "relatives," writing the touching stories of the Chinse nation uniting as a big family in the new era.
The Chinese nation units as a big family, and all family members must live better lives. Next, we will act upon the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and promote ethnic minority areas in the new development stage to follow the new development philosophy and integrate into the new development paradigm. We will focus on three key areas of development of industries, infrastructure, and ecological shields to achieve high-quality development in ethnic minority areas and further refine the differentiated policies in support of regional development to advance rural revitalization in ethnic minority areas. Among the 160 key counties to receive assistance in pursuing rural revitalization, 114 are in ethnic autonomous areas. We will fully carry out the action plan to bring prosperity to border areas and their residents. In particular, we will ensure that all the reforms and development demonstrate a sense of community among the Chinese people. How to implement it? When selecting a project, we should not only focus on its contribution to economic growth but also on its contribution to increasing jobs and improving the people's wellbeing and on whether it is conducive to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. When assessing the feasibility of the project, we should take whether it is conducive to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people as an important criterion. When implementing the project, we should provide jobs for local people of all ethnic groups as much as possible to promote exchanges, interactions, and integration among ethnic groups. When evaluating the project, we should focus not only on financial returns and ecological benefits but also if it contributes to forging a sense of community among the Chinese people. In short, concrete and effective measures should be taken to promote all ethnic groups to achieve socialist modernization together. In the past, the toughest mission in poverty alleviation and pursuit of moderate prosperity was in ethnic minority areas. Now the toughest mission of realizing modernization is also in ethnic minority areas. We are confident and capable of cracking this "hardest nut."
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Lianhe Zaobao:
In recent years, China has been promoting the use of standard Chinese in ethnic minority areas such as Xinjiang and Tibet. Some people believe that this might be detrimental to the development of ethnic minority languages and cultures. What's your response to that? How does China protect ethnic minority languages and cultures? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
Thank you for your attention to Xinjiang, Tibet, and ethnic minority areas in general. I have noticed that some Western media have made a lot of interpretations over a period of time, some of which may not know the facts, but it is also possible that some of them may have ulterior motives. In fact, China's Constitution and Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language explicitly stipulate the legal status of popularizing modern standard Chinese and protecting the rights of ethnic minorities to learn and use their own languages. While popularizing standard Chinese in accordance with the law, the Chinese government fully respects and protects the freedom of ethnic minorities to use their own languages, creating conditions for them to learn and use their own languages. In terms of learning, we have set courses of standard spoken and written Chinese in primary and middle schools. At the same time, we also set courses of spoken and written languages of ethnic minorities, especially in ethnic autonomous areas. And it is generally the case in areas where ethnic minority populations are concentrated. Ethnic minority people who want to learn their own languages all have the chance to learn and use their own languages. For those who have left school and entered society but have not yet been proficient in standard Chinese, we also offered training on standard spoken and written Chinese language for them and at the same time, guarantee their rights to learn their own languages. We have also created conditions in ethnic minority people's political and social life as well as in the field of press and publishing. Take political life as an example, documents issued during China's NPC and CPPCC sessions are available in ethnic minority languages. In judicial work, we have also provided conditions for ethnic minority people to use their own languages in litigation. Places such as Xinjiang and Tibet have set up radio and television stations in ethnic minority languages and issued a variety of periodicals in ethnic minority languages to facilitate the lives of ethnic minority people. Ethnic minority people can also freely access information, study, and communicate on the internet in their own languages.
And as for how to protect the languages and cultures of ethnic minorities, I think supporting their use is the best method of protection. At the same time, we have also noticed that there are 53 ethnic minorities in our country with their own languages, except the Hui and Manchu ethnic groups who use the Chinese language, and 22 ethnic groups have 28 written languages. So, we are also using modern means to protect such languages and specially designed the Chinese Language Resources Database to collect, compile, develop and utilize these languages. In short, there is absolutely no obstacle for ethnic minorities in learning and using their own languages in their work and lives. And there is absolutely no such thing as the "cultural genocide" smear used by some Western media.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_People's Daily:
The central conference on ethnic affairs emphasized that we must adhere to a correct historical view of the Chinese nation. As a unified multi-ethnic country, China has a history of integration of various ethnic groups. How should we understand the correct historical view of the Chinese nation and how do we establish such a view? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
Let me give the floor to Mr. Hua Yanlong, director general of the Bureau of Ethnic Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.
Hua Yanlong:
Thank you. The central conference on ethnic affairs held in 2021 emphasized that we must adhere to a correct historical view of the Chinese nation and enhance the Chinese people's sense of identity and pride. China is a unified multi-ethnic country with the pluralistic unity of the Chinese nation as a distinctive feature. Chinese history is filled with the integration of various ethnic groups into a diverse and unified Chinese nation, and has been jointly created, developed and consolidated by all its ethnic groups. At the national conference commending model units and individuals for contributing to ethnic unity and progress held in 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the important concept of "four commons,"which profoundly elaborated the connotation of the correct historical view of the Chinese nation, that is: China's vast territory is jointly developed by all its ethnic groups; China's long history is jointly written by all ethnic groups; the splendid Chinese culture is jointly created by all ethnic groups, and the great national spirit is jointly nurtured by all ethnic groups. To establish a correct historical view of the Chinese nation involves educating and guiding all ethnic groups to thoroughly understand the origins and historical context of the Chinese civilization, the diversity and unity of the Chinese nation and civilization, the splendid achievements of Chinese civilization, and its major contributions to human civilization. In terms of establishing a correct historical view of the Chinese nation, several key initiatives are underway:
The first is strengthening the compilation of historical materials. This involves further exploring and utilizing historical facts, archaeological objects and cultural relics related to exchanges between various ethnic groups in order to improve the historical narrative of the Chinese nation.
The second is strengthening academic research. We have strengthened the joint research of archaeology and history, humanities and natural sciences respectively in a multi-disciplinary and multi-perspective way to answer major questions related to such areas as the origins, formation and development of the Chinese civilization and laid the theoretical foundation for establishing a correct historical view of the Chinese nation.
The third is strengthening publicity and education.We have incorporated the latest achievements that reflect a correct historical view of the Chinese nation into teaching materials, classrooms and people's lives, and planted the seeds of patriotism in the depths of every child's heart. Various forms of publicity and educational activities have been carried out based on our natural and cultural landscapes, national festivals, and education bases for patriotism and ethnic unity and progress, so that a correct historical view of the Chinese nation can be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Xinhua News Agency:
You just mentioned that "forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people" is the key work of the Party in the new era, and all the work must focus on it. In the past decade, what work have you done regarding this aspect, and what's your plan for the future? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
Thanks for your concern on this issue. The fundamental requirement for forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is that people of all ethnic groups should foster the following concept: we share a common future, a common stake, and the same destiny, and the rough times and the smooth with each other. Forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is necessary for realizing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, safeguarding the fundamental interests of all ethnic groups, consolidating and developing socialist ethnic relations, and starting a new chapter of the Party's work on ethnic groups in the new era.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have carried out concrete work to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and achieved positive results. Our work mainly focused on the following aspects:
First, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is guided by ideological work. We have consistently armed officials and led the people with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, guided the people of all ethnic groups to take it as their duty to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and earnestly fulfilled the obligation of safeguarding ethnic unity enshrined in the Constitution to contribute to building the community among the Chinese people.
Second, a strong community among the Chinese people is integrated into education. We have combined the sense of community among the Chinese people with national education, officials education, and social education. In terms of national education, we have introduced the concept of a sense of community among the Chinese people into textbooks, classrooms, and evaluation systems. Many schools are now doing such work. In officials education, we have introduced the sense of community among the Chinese people into learning content of central Party leadership groups at all levels and in training courses of the Party schools and administrative institutes. Regarding social education, we are communicating and guiding 1.4 billion people to let them know the following lessons. The "one community" refers to the community among the Chinese people; the "two visions" are to create a better future for the Chinese nation and share the great glory of national rejuvenation; the "three awareness" means national awareness, civic awareness, and awareness of the rule of law; the "four sharing" means to share a common future, a common stake, and the same destiny, and share the rough times and the smooth: the "five identifications" mean the identifications of the motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the Communist Party of China, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Third, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is nourished by culture. To enhance the identification of Chinese culture, which is the most fundamental identification among people of all ethnic groups, we have created and established a series of Chinese cultural symbols shared by all ethnic groups, published a suite of popular literary and art works of Chinese cultural connotations, carried out a bunch of colorful cultural activities of Chinese cultural connotation, and popularized and promoted Mandarin.
Fourth, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is embodied in development. Just now, I mentioned that we had adopted a series of differentiated support policies, made good use of minority development funds, launched many industrial projects for high-quality development, and further promoted the action plan to boost development in the border regions to benefit the people living there. By doing so, people of all ethnic groups shared achievements of reform and development and realized that only when the country was strong and the Chinese nation was well could we live a good life.
Fifth, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is enhanced through communication. We have removed all obstacles to the exchanges and integration of all ethnic groups and promoted the orderly movement of all ethnic groups between urban and rural areas and different regions. In the past decade, the depth and breadth of exchanges, communication, and integration among all ethnic groups have never been greater. Through interwoven development, people of all ethnic groups have strengthened their sense of community; we depend closely on each other.
Sixth, the rule of law guarantees a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. We have written the "Chinese nation" into the Constitution, written "forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people" into the new revision of the laws of the local people's congress and government at all levels, and promoted seven provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities to formulate rules for national unity and progress. We also improved preferential policies for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in the university entrance examination. Through these efforts, forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people has been gradually brought into the track of the rule of law.
Seventh, a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is fulfilled during opening up. We have used various forms to tell the story of China and the Chinese nation to the world, participated in international dialogue and exchanges on human rights and promoted building a community with a shared future for mankind through building the community among the Chinese people. During my trip to Taijiang county, Guizhou province, not long ago, I met Pan Yuzhen, a 76-year-old inheritor of Miao embroidery. She has visited more than a dozen foreign countries, and traveled to the U.S. 10 times. Once, she performed Miao embroidery and sang Miao songs at the square in front of the White House, attracting tens of thousands of local people to watch. Thanks to her performance, the beauty of Miao embroidery and the beauty of Chinese culture is presented to the world, as well as the unique charm of an increasingly open China and an increasingly prosperous community among the Chinese people.
Of course, forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people is a long and historical process, which asks us all to make strenuous efforts together. Next, we will focus on the major strategic task of forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, continue to take problem-oriented approaches, keep to the right path and make innovations, and pursue progress while ensuring stability. Through these efforts, we will establish a sense of cultural belonging for the Chinese nation, propel people of all ethnic groups to socialist modernization, promote exchanges, communication, and integration among all ethnic groups, and improve the management system and capability of addressing ethnic affairs to a modernized level. We will take tangible, sensible, and practical measures to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. More concrete means will be introduced, and more projects will be launched to generate a strong sense of community among the Chinese. The sense of participation and fulfillment will be enhanced among people of all ethnic groups. The results of our practical work will be reflected in strengthening a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and improving the cohesion of the Chinese nation. Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Beijing Radio & Television Station:
In recent years, preferential policies for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in university entrance examinations have been abolished in some regions. What adjustments have been made on this issue nationwide? What's the general idea for improving ethnic policies in our country? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
Mr. Zhang will answer your question.
Zhang Mou:
Thanks for your questions. Since the resumption of university entrance examinations in 1977, China introduced preferential policies for some students to get additional exam scores. To provide better education, ethnic minority students living in less developed areas where education is relatively weak can get additional scores in China's university entrance examination. Recently, we adjusted and reformed the policy mainly for two reasons. On the one hand, equalization of basic education across the country has been significantly improved, which has constantly optimized educational resources enjoyed by ethnic minority students. On the other hand, it's no longer precise to implement preferential policies for all ethnic minority students within several provinces. Therefore, this round of reform is to accurately determine the areas, groups, and conditions of preferential policies to make the policy effectively benefit those students who need help. Reform programs have been carried out based on local differential conditions, including the following cases. First, some provinces with relatively balanced educational resources abolished the policy for ethnic minority students to get additional scores in university entrance examinations. Second, some provinces only add additional scores for those ethnic minorities examinees who transferred to local high schools from the border, mountainous, pastoral areas, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. Third, some provinces add additional scores only for ethnic minority students living in compact communities but no longer for those living in diaspora areas. Fourth, some provinces implement such policies for designated regions, where examinees of all ethnic groups can get additional scores, whether Han or ethnic minorities. In addition, additional scores have been reduced in those provinces still implementing such preferential policies.
Next, we will focus closely on forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, and improve ethnic work in the direction of enhancing commonality, so as to achieve the dialectical unity of commonality and difference, and organically combine ethnic and regional factors to adjust and improve the relevant ethnic policies step by step. Specifically, we have three principles which we follow in this regard:
First, insist ona fact-based approach, continuing to do what is correct and adjusting what is outdated. Facts have proved that our Party's ethnic theories and policies are good and effective, and must always be adhered to. At the same time, adjustments should be made to keep pace with the ever-changing society since the social conditions on which some specific policies and measures are based and the social problems needing to be solved have changed over time.
Second, adhere to fairness and justice to better tailor ethnic policies to different regions. It is necessary to formulate and implement differentiated regional supporting policies and to focus more on specific regions, special problems and special matters to minimize disparities in public services between different ethnic groups within the same region.
Third, adhere to the law-based governance of ethnic affairs. We will promote effective and qualified policies to be made into laws and regulations and firmly implement the principle of equality of all people before the law to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups and to safeguard ethnic unity with the law.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_China News Service:
At present, the populations of ethnic minorities from China's western region to its central and eastern regions are increasing, and contact between the people of various ethnic groups is becoming more and more frequent. What has China done to promote exchanges and interactions between its various ethnic groups in recent years? What achievements have been made? And what measures will be taken going forward? Thank you.
Zhao Yong:
Thanks for your question. I felt the same way. The breadth and depth of exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups in the past decade are unprecedented. Of the 125 million ethnic minority population, the migrant population exceeds 37 million. The migrant population of ethnic minorities in Guangdong province alone has reached nearly 3.7 million, more than double the number a decade ago, and the trend is continuing. Someone vividly describes this phenomenon: the Sichuan spicy hot pot is enjoyed by people even in the border area, and the Xinjiang kebab is seen all around the country. We have taken a series of measures in communication and exchanges to meet this trend. First, we made policies to boost exchanges, interactions, and integration among ethnic groups, including the collaboration between eastern and western regions in offering paired assistance and facilitating ethnic minorities to go into the city. Second, we have improved service and management for the migrant populations of ethnic minorities. As ethnic minorities flow into the city, they may encounter problems like language barriers and a lack of skills. They may also fail to adapt to the urban life. We have included them into the urban public service system so that they can enjoy the same treatment as other urban dwellers, and provided various public services to meet their needs. Third, we firmly oppose and have corrected discriminatory practices for certain ethnic minorities in certain areas. After our concerted efforts, the discrimination against ethnic minorities has been effectively addressed to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the ethnic minorities. This, of course, will be an ongoing effort. Fourth, we have explored new ways to promote exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups. We have launched three programs. The first is an exchange program for youth of different ethnic groups, which encourages young people in border areas to attend winter and summer camps in inland cities, and encourages youth in inland cities to visit border areas to conduct exchanges, so as to enhance young people's sense of identity. The second is the development program among different ethnic groups, which promotes people in the border region to start a business or find jobs in the eastern and central parts of the country and vice versa. Many people have left the remote areas in the border regions to find employment and settle down in big cities. The third is the tourism program that facilitates mutual understanding and people's sense of community. The three programs are jointly implemented by the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Nearly 10,000 youth from ethnic minorities visited inland cities in the exchange program this summer. By the end of the year, over 30,000 youth from ethnic minorities will have completed this exchange program. This will be a long-term project. Through the project, we understand that only by promoting exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups can we forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. And only by forging a strong sense of community can we further promote exchanges, interactions, and integration among different ethnic groups.
For the next step, we will continue with the three programs, attach more importance to the integration of different ethnic groups and elevate our work in promoting exchanges, interaction, and integration to a new level. We will do the following work to promote integration. First, spatial integration. We will further promote the two-way flow of people of all ethnic groups between urban and rural areas and regions on a larger scale, and encourage people of all ethnic groups to attend the same classes, work on the same production lines, eat in the same cafeterias, and live in the same buildings. Second, economic integration. We will promote the integrated development of the eastern, central, and western regions, and promote the benign interaction between urban and rural areas. In the process of interactive development, we will ensure that the people of all ethnic groups can work in the same industrial parks, in the same enterprises, and share the fruits of development in the same industrial chains so as to form a community of shared interests. Third, cultural integration. We will pass on and protect the cultural heritage of different ethnic groups and make innovations to let them thrive. Each ethnic group should treasure its own distinct heritages, appreciate other cultures and promote shared prosperity. Through cultural integration, people of different ethnic groups can form a community of shared culture in which they can sing the same song and perform the same play. Fourth, social integration. We will further build an environment in which people of ethnic groups are like sisters and brothers and create an integrated demographic structure so that they can start a business in every part of the country and feel at home wherever they go. Fifth, emotional integration. We will encourage people to travel all around the country, exchange with people of different ethnic groups so that they can become friendly neighbors, friends, and even build families together.
Thank you.
_ueditor_page_break_tag_Tianmu News:
Relations between different ethnic groups in a multi-ethnic country are critical to the well-being of everyone. We understand that the National Ethnic Affairs Commission is actively promoting the campaign to promote ethnic unity and progress. Since 2012, the commission has named a total of 1,524 demonstration areas and organizations that can set an example in promoting ethnic unity and progress. Could you elaborate on the progress in this campaign and your future plans?
Zhao Yong:
Thanks for your question. As you just mentioned, there are many good examples in promoting ethnic unity and progress. Our efforts to promote ethnic unity and progress started just after the founding of the People's Republic of China and thrived after the reform and opening up. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, it has embraced innovative development and made major breakthroughs. I think our progress in this front can be summarized in the following aspects.
First, the campaign has become part of the efforts for people of all ethnic groups to fulfill their duties in safeguarding ethnic unity. The Constitution stipulates that everyone has the responsibility to safeguard ethnic unity, and our efforts on this front have built a good platform for them to fulfill their responsibilities. Our campaign has expanded to enterprises, villages, government organizations, communities, and even religious venues. No matter where we go, there are activities and organizations that promote ethnic unity and progress. Therefore, people can take part in such activities for ethnic unity and progress.
Second, the campaign has become a platform to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people. We have amended the index system for promoting ethnic unity and progress so that we can review the strategic tasks of forging a sense of community among the Chinese people based on several indicators. They work as a guideline to support our efforts to forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people.
Third, the campaign has facilitated socioeconomic development. Different localities have incorporated the campaign into socioeconomic development and created the "campaign plus" model, such as the "campaign plus poverty alleviation," "campaign plus collaboration of eastern and western region," "campaign plus industrial development," and "campaign plus community governance." These models have promoted economic development, industrial upgrading, improvements to people's lives, and have helped solve many practical problems. It is fair to say that the campaign has contributed to both ethnic unity and development.
We will follow the principles of the Central Conference on Ethnic Affairs and intensify and upgrade our campaign efforts. By upgrading our campaign to a new level, we will attach more importance to forging a strong sense of community among the Chinese people and make it the guiding principle and the evaluation standard in our work. Moreover, we will explore new forms to promote ethnic unity and progress based on the characteristics of different industries and sectors and the conditions of different localities. Last but not least, our work will cover the eastern, central, and western parts of the country, as well as the urban and rural areas. We will also promote the campaign both online and offline, and attach equal importance to policy guidance and legal support. We will strive to attract more people to take part in our efforts for ethnic unity and progress, forge a strong sense of community among the Chinese people, strengthen a community of shared future for the Chinese nation, and contribute our due share to building a modern socialist country in all respects and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Thank you.
Xing Huina:
Today's press conference is hereby concluded. Thanks to all the speakers and journalists.
Translated and edited by Liu Jianing, Wang Wei, Yan Xiaoqing, Zhang Liying, Yan Bin, Lin Liyao, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Ma Yujia, Guo Yiming, Yuan Fang, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, David Ball, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
Speakers:
Chen Xu, deputy director of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee
Zou Jiayi, deputy secretary general of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)
Zhang Jing'an, vice chairman of the Committee on Proposals of the CPPCC National Committee
Sang Fuhua, head of the Bureau of Non-CPC Political Parties Work of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee
Chairperson:
Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the P