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Speaker:

Mr. Zhai Qing, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and vice minister of the MEE

Chairperson:

Ms. Xing Huina, deputy head of the International Press Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

Date:

Oct. 21, 2022

Xing Huina:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to the fifth press conference held by the Press Center for the 20th CPC National Congress. Today, we have invited Mr. Zhai Qing, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the MEE, vice minister of the MEE and a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress, to brief you on the topic of "building a beautiful China where humanity and nature co-exist in harmony." Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhai Qing for his introduction.

Zhai Qing: 

Thank you, Ms. Xing. Friends from the press, good morning. It is a pleasure to meet you all. On the occasion of the 20th CPC National Congress, it is of great significance to have this opportunity to introduce to you our understanding and implementation of the guiding principles of the congress and Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and building a beautiful China where humanity and nature co-exist in harmony. First of all, on behalf of the MEE, I would like to thank you for your long-term care, understanding and support for China's endeavors in developing an ecological civilization and protecting the environment.

The 20th CPC National Congress is a milestone in the development history of the cause of the Party and the country. The report delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 20th CPC National Congress elaborates on the major theoretical and practical issues in adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and clearly outlines the goals, tasks and major policies for developing the cause of the Party and the country in the years ahead. It is a political declaration and program of action for the Party to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups in building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in an all-round way. The report also provides a comprehensive summary and systemic plan for the development of an ecological civilization, as well as the work in ecological conservation and environmental protection. We will study it conscientiously to gain a thorough understanding, and resolutely put it into action.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping, in light of the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and with the acute insight, judgment and theoretical creativity of a Marxist statesman, thinker and strategist, has vigorously promoted innovation in theory, practice and institution on the development of an ecological civilization, and put forward a series of new concepts, ideas and strategies that embody both Chinese characteristics and the spirit of the times and are intended to lead the progress of human civilization, leading to the creation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization.

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is an innovation of existing theories and crystallization of past practices in the Party's unremitting exploration in advancing ecological conservation; a major outcome of adapting the basic tenets of Marxism to China's practices in pursuing ecological conservation and to its fine traditional ecological culture; a concentrated reflection of the practical and theoretical innovations in national governance by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in the area of ecological development; a shared idea asset of the human society in terms of sustainable development; and the fundamental guide for action for China to advance ecological conservation in the new era.

Over the past decade, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and acting on the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, we have persisted with a holistic and systematic approach to conserving and improving mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland, and desert ecosystems. This has led to historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection that are reflected in the three following "unprecedented" aspects.  

First, we have worked with unprecedented resolve. We have incorporated building a Beautiful China into the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country, advancing ecological conservation into the Five-sphere Integrated Plan, achieving harmony between humanity and nature into the basic policy for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, green development into the new development philosophy, and pollution prevention and control into the "three critical battles." All of these have fully demonstrated the importance of ecological conservation to the cause of the Party and the country, as well as our Party's firm resolve and determination to strengthen ecological protection.

Second, these changes came about through an unprecedented intensity of efforts. We have made all-round efforts in fields of theory, legislation, institution, organization, and conduct and ensured stronger ecological conservation and environmental protection across the board, in all regions, and at all times. We have made systematic plans to reform the system for ecological conservation; vigorously promoted green, circular, and low-carbon development; resolutely fought to win the battle against pollution; stepped up efforts to protect and restore ecosystems; and stayed committed to pursuing a model of sound development featuring improved production, higher living standards, and healthy ecosystems.

Third, we have made unprecedented achievements. Over the past decade, China has sustained an annual average of 6.6% economic growth with an average of 3% annual growth in energy consumption. The average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities at or above the prefecture level has dropped from an annual average of 46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015 to 30 in 2021, making us the country with the fastest improvement in air quality across the world. The proportion of water sections with good-quality surface water has reached 84.9%, close to the level of developed countries. Nationwide, soil pollution risks have been basically brought under control. With the achievements in ecological conservation and environmental protection widely recognized by the international community, China has become an important participant, contributor, and champion in advancing ecological conservation globally.

While fully acknowledging the achievements made in the past five years and the first decade of the new era with regard to China's ecological conservation, General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, elaborated that the Chinese path to modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. He made major arrangements to pursue green development and promote harmony between humanity and nature, charting the course for building a beautiful China. We will fully translate the guiding principles of this congress into action, steadfastly follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and thoroughly study and act on Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization so as to keep breaking new ground in our work in ecological conservation and environmental protection, promote high-quality development and a high standard of living through a high level of ecological conservation and environmental protection, and contribute to building a beautiful China and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. That is all from me. Thank you.

CCTV:

We've seen visible improvements in the environment over the years, with more blue skies, lush mountains, and lucid waters. Our country is more beautiful. Could you elaborate on the achievements in our efforts to build a beautiful China? What measures will be taken to implement the Beautiful China Initiative laid out in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress?

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your questions. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, we will build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful from 2035 through the middle of this century. He also made major arrangements to promote the Beautiful China Initiative. Building a beautiful China is our grand goal in building a modern socialist country in all respects. It meets people's expectations for a beautiful environment and epitomizes our achievements in ecological conservation.

The report to the 18th CPC National Congress called for hard work to build a beautiful country, and the report to the 19th CPC National Congress said by 2035 "there is a fundamental improvement in the environment; the goal of building a Beautiful China is basically attained." General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches much importance to the building of a beautiful China and has made important instructions on multiple occasions. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, the Party has put ecological conservation in a critical place for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and implemented a series of fundamental, ground-breaking, and long-term initiatives, thus achieving remarkable accomplishments in ecological conservation and green development and making great strides in the building of a beautiful China. Our work has mainly been as follows:

First, we have deepened efforts to prevent and control pollution. We have resolutely declared war against pollution; thoroughly implemented three major action plans for preventing and controlling air, water, and soil pollution, also known as the three "ten-point lists"; strived to win a decisive victory in the campaign to make our skies blue, our water clear, and our lands pollution-free; and solved many major ecological and environmental problems affecting people's livelihoods. The average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities at or above prefectural level in 2021 dropped by 34.8% compared with that in 2015. The percentage of days with good air quality was 87.5%. 84.9% of surface water sections monitored by the state showed excellent and good water quality (meeting Grade I to Grade III surface water quality standards), with the proportion of water sections deemed "inferior to Grade V" dropping to 1.2%. We have brought soil pollution risks under effective control, banned "foreign garbage" from entering the country and achieved "zero import" of solid waste. Over the past ten years, we have seen more blue skies, greener water, and cleaner land, constantly improving people's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and ecological security.

Second, we have stepped up efforts to protect and restore ecosystems. We have drawn a "red line" for ecological protection, and established and improved the system for protected areas with national parks as the mainstay. Currently, nature reserves at all levels and of all types account for about 18% of China's land area, including the first batch of five national parks, such as Sanjiangyuan National Park and Giant Panda National Park. We have pursued holistic conservation and systematic management of mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland and desert ecosystems and carried out major projects to protect biodiversity. The wild populations of more than 300 species of rare and endangered wild animals and plants have been restored and increased. For example, a herd of wild elephants hiked northward for months in Yunnan province; the "smiling angel" Yangtze finless porpoises have been spotted more frequently; the flock of Tibetan antelopes keeps growing; and populations of many species of indigenous fish, such as the Baiyangdian bitterling, have been gradually restored, demonstrating that China has achieved tangible results in biodiversity protection. 

Third, we have taken solid strides in green, low-carbon and circular development. We have given full play to the guiding, optimizing, and driving role of ecological and environmental protection, unremittingly promoted economic structural adjustment, and incorporated peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality into our overall plan of ecological progress and economic and social development so as to facilitate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development through the dual synergy of pollution reduction and carbon reduction. Green has gradually become a defining feature of China's high-quality development as the country's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2021 dropped by 34.4% compared with that in 2012, the share of coal in primary energy consumption dropped from 68.5% in 2012 to 56% in 2021, and both the scale of renewable energy development and utilization and the production and sales of new-energy vehicles ranked first in the world.

Over the last decade, the whole Party and the whole country have become more purposeful and active in building a beautiful China and fully implemented the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee. With the green landscape continuously expanding and the urban and rural environments becoming more livable, beautiful scenery of "harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature" has vividly unfolded.

Looking forward, we will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, commit to the building of a beautiful China, and make consistent efforts in all areas of this endeavor. By doing so, new progress in improving ecological quality will be made, more comprehensive and green transformation will be expected in economic and social development, and new breakthroughs will be realized for a modern environmental governance system. We will ramp up efforts to build a beautiful China with "lusher mountains, clearer waters and bluer sky". Thank you.

Guangming Daily:

A study outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization was recently published, triggering widespread discussion among the public. Could you please give us a brief introduction about the key principles and pioneering contributions of the Thought? Last year, a research center of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization was established in July. What achievement has it made so far?

Zhai Qing:

Thanks for your questions. The CPC Central Committee held the National Conference on Eco-environmental Protection in May 2018, formally introducing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, which became the ideological banner to push forward ecological civilization in the new era. In late July, a study outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization jointly compiled by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the MEE was published, providing authoritative and auxiliary materials for deeper learning and understanding of the Thought. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is a comprehensive, well-conceived system of profound theories with strict logic and rich connotations. The system is underpinned by 10 principles that China upholds, including that the Party exercises overall leadership in the building of ecological civilization; civilizations thrive on their natural surroundings; human beings and nature should coexist in harmony; lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets; no welfare is more universally beneficial than a sound natural environment; to promote green growth is a profound revolution in China's development philosophy; we should coordinate the management of mountains, rivers, forests as well as farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts; the strictest regulations and laws must be applied in protecting the environment; we must translate the idea of building a beautiful China into the conscious actions of all people; and the construction of global ecological civilization requires the joint efforts of all. These 10 principles answer a series of major theoretical and practical questions on why, what kind, and how we should build an ecological civilization.

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is highly significant, and its original contributions mainly include the following four respects. First, it adds more depth and makes innovations to our Party's theoretical achievements on ecological civilization, representing a new level of our Party's understanding of ecological civilization; second, it inherits and innovates the Marxist views on nature and ecology, advancing the Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature with the times; third, it absorbs and develops the fine traditional Chinese ecological culture, giving such ancient philosophical thoughts as "harmony between humanity and nature" and "The Way follows nature" new vitality in China in the 21st century; fourth, it pushes the boundaries of global sustainable development experiences and achievements, as an important content and achievement of the Chinese path to modernization and a new model for human progress. 

In May 2021, the CPC Central Committee approved the MEE to establish the center for studying Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, which is an important strategic measure taken by the CPC Central Committee to promote the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization among the whole Party and society. Attaching great importance to the work, the MEE Party Members Group strengthened political guidance, organization, and leadership over it, and established a leading group for setting up and developing the center. Medium and long-term plans and programs have been made, focusing resources on building "three hubs and two platforms," referring to the three hubs of conducting theoretical research of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, studying and publicizing it, and making institutional innovation centering on it and the two platforms for promoting its practice and international communication. Over the past year, we pressed ahead with the theoretical research and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and launched major projects to study and develop Marxist theories. Under the guidance of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, we jointly compiled major theoretical books, including a study guide to foster understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. We have sped up the building of a database of practical cases of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and the building of relevant contact points, and summarized and promoted successful local experiences and practices. We have successfully hosted the symposium on thoroughly studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization for three consecutive years, launched a special publication on its research and practice,and vigorously promoted it on international occasions such as the COP15. All these efforts have contributed to its theoretical interpretation, academic expression, systematic construction, publicity, and international communication. 

Next, the MEE will follow the arrangements of the Party Central Committee and further the research, publicity, and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization so it will become more deeply rooted in people's hearts and further spread to the rest of the world.

Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group: 

We know that the central government environmental inspection, as a sword of environmental protection, has played an important role in solving many related problems over the years. What practical and effective measures have been taken, and what results have been achieved? How will environmental inspections be carried out in the future?

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your question. Central government environmental inspection is a major institutional innovation and reform measure personally planned, deployed, and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping. It is a major achievement and institutional guarantee of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. At every key link and moment of the inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping has steered the direction and led the way forward. He has delivered important speeches and made major instructions on multiple occasions, and has personally reviewed the work arrangement, inspection reports, rectification proposals, and implementation reports, providing guidance and fundamental principles for the inspection work.

Since the beginning of the pilot project at the end of 2015, two rounds of inspections have been completed, covering 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. We also inspected some departments and centrally-administrated enterprises. During the inspections, we adhered to the correct political direction, kept the implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization as a major political task, and took the implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping's instructions as the top priority. Keeping the big picture in mind, we have coordinated economic performance, people's wellbeing, epidemic prevention and control, and ecological protection. We have taken strictness and problem-oriented approaches as the lifelines of inspections, and faced up to problems and took real actions. Moreover, we have taken a calibrated, scientific, and law-based approach to conducting inspections so as to ensure that the results can withstand the test of history and practice.

Over the past few years, inspection work has achieved remarkable results, with "recognition from the central government, praise from the people, support from all social sectors, and having many problems resolved." The remarkable political, economic, environmental, and social effects can be specified in the following aspects:

First, inspection work has promoted the implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Through inspections, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has been carried forward. The general secretary's important instructions on ecological civilization and environmental protection have been resolutely implemented, and the concept of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has become a consensus throughout the Party and society.

Second, the political responsibility for ecological civilization has been made clear. All regions and departments have improved their political stance and regarded inspections as a major political task, a major project for people's wellbeing, and a major development issue. We have ensured that both the Party and government organs are held accountable and taken responsibility for ecological civilization and ecological protection.

Third, a large number of prominent eco-environmental problems have been solved. Inspections focused on prominent conflicts and major problems in the eco-environmental field, and have completed tough tasks and solved complicated problems and a number of long-overdue issues. These problems can be divided into two categories: the first is problems that have been specified individually in the supervision and rectification plans, and the second is environmental complaints raised by the people during the inspection period. Of all the 3,294 tasks specified in the plan for first round of supervision and rectification, nearly 96% have been completed. Nearly 60% of the 1,227 tasks specified in the plan for the first three batches of the second round rectification have been completed, and the fourth to sixth batch of the second round rectification are being carried out in an active and orderly manner. Two rounds of inspections have handled 287,000 complaints of problems related to environmental matters from the people, and 286,000 of them have been completed or have achieved phased completion.

Fourth, the inspections have promoted high-quality economic development. The inspections urged all localities to unswervingly follow the path which gives primary consideration to protecting ecosystems and pursuing green development, to jointly promote high-quality economic development and high-level protection of the ecological environment.

Going forward, we will conscientiously study and understand the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, constantly improve political stances, comprehensively summarize the practical experience of inspections, make systematic plans to carry out the third round of inspections, remain committed, adhere to the strict tone, strive to solve prominent eco-environmental problems, make continued efforts to meet the people's aspiration for a beautiful ecological environment, and contribute to building a beautiful China where there is harmony between humanity and nature. Thank you.

Bloomberg:

Climate change has fueled a substantial increase in severe weather events that have caused droughts and flooding in China and around the world. My question is, will China take more actions to address threats by climate change? And what will these measures be? Thank you.

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your questions. These are very important questions. Climate change is a prominent global challenge at present, which concerns the common interests of the international community. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed that tackling climate change is not something others ask us to do, but something we should do ourselves. It is an inherent requirement of China's sustainable development and a responsibility in further building of a human community with a shared future. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress clearly stated that we should carry out coordinated industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological conservation and climate response, while working actively and prudently toward the goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. We will resolutely implement these measures.

For a long time, China has fully integrated its climate response into the overall strategy for national socio-economic development and has taken the response to climate change as important leverage for promoting ecological progress and achieving high-quality development. Through the implementation of the national strategy to actively respond to climate change, China has taken a series of policy measures such as adjusting its industrial structure, optimizing the energy mix, improving energy efficiency, establishing a market mechanism, and increasing its forest carbon sinks. Positive progress has been made in all these areas. In 2020, China's intensity of carbon emissions dropped by 48.4% compared with 2005, exceeding the goal promised to the international community. In 2021, the proportion of coal in China's total energy consumption dropped to 56.0% from 72.4% in 2005, and the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption reached 16.6%. The installed capacity of renewable power exceeded 1 billion kilowatts, and the installed capacities of wind, photovoltaic, water and biomass power generation ranked first in the world. China is the country with the largest growth of forest resources and the largest area of artificial afforestation in the world, and is the main force in increasing greenery in the world. We have successfully launched the national carbon market with the largest coverage of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, and effectively played the role of market mechanism in controlling greenhouse gas emissions and promoting green and low-carbon transformation. We have implemented a national strategy to adapt to climate change and continued to carry out pilot projects to build adaptive cities. As such, our ability to adapt to climate change continues to improve.

At the same time, we are actively contributing to global climate governance. As the largest developing country in the world, China will achieve the world's biggest reduction in the intensity of carbon emissions, and go from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest time in global history, which fully reflects China's responsibility as a major country. We have adhered to multilateralism, the principle of fair, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, and actively promoted the signing, putting into force and implementation of the Paris Agreement. We have actively carried out South-South cooperation with developing countries in response to climate change, done our best to help developing countries, especially small island countries, African countries and the least developed countries, improve their capacity to cope with climate change and reduce the adverse effects of climate change.

Going forward, China will continue to implement the national strategy of actively responding to climate change, implement the "1+N" policy system for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of key areas, and vigorously promote the synergy of pollution reduction and carbon reduction. We will steadily and orderly promote the national carbon market. We will accelerate efforts to make technological breakthroughs of green and low-carbon technologies and their promotion and application, and promote green and low-carbon ways of production and life.

Meanwhile, we are willing to work with all parties to actively participate in global governance to address climate change, promote the establishment of a fair, reasonable, cooperative and win-win global climate governance system, continue to deepen South-South cooperation on climate change, and contribute China's strength, wisdom and solutions in the response to global climate change. Thank you.

China Environment News:

At the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress, when reviewing the past five years' work and the significant changes in the first decade of the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that China's ecological conservation systems have been improved. In recent years, China has established and implemented a series of systems, such as environmental inspections led by the central government, assessment and accountability systems for ecological conservation, and accountability systems for environmental damage. Ecological and environmental protection systems are being reformed with unprecedented intensity. Could you please brief us on the overall situation of the reform of systems, what progress has been made, and what the plans are for the next step?

Zhai Qing:

Thanks for your questions. Adhering to the strictest system and the strictest rule of law to protect the ecological environment is the core principle of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the development of ecological civilization should focus on institutional building, and environmental protection must rely on institutions and the rule of law.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, the development of the rule of law in China's ecology and environment has achieved remarkable results. Ecological civilization has been included in the Party Constitution and the Constitution, and 25 ecological and environmental laws covering the prevention and control of air, water, soil, solid waste, noise pollution, and the protection of the Yangtze River and wetlands have been formulated and revised. The two very important documents, the guidelines on accelerating ecological advancement and the integrated reform plan for promoting ecological progress, have been promulgated to establish a series of innovative systems. Therefore, the general system of ecological civilization, like the beams and pillars of a house, is now in place. Specifically, there are several features.

First, the regulation system has become stricter and sounder. Over the past decade, a series of major systems have been continuously established and improved, such as systems for environmental inspections led by the central government, red lines for ecological conservation, national parks, region-specific approaches to environmental management, river and lake chiefs, forest chiefs, emissions permit, the centralizing of environmental quality monitoring powers to the central government, the complete prohibition of the import of foreign garbage, the carbon emissions rights trading, upgraded pollutant treatments, and the management of sewage outfalls into rivers and seas and the like. These measures have provided crucial institutional support for ecological conservation and environmental protection.

Second, accountability systems have achieved historic breakthroughs. In terms of ecological conservation and environmental protection, we have constantly improved accountability systems to ensure that both Party committees and governments are held accountable and that officials take responsibility for environmental protection in performing their duties. A list of responsibilities has been issued to relevant departments. We have also required that the management of development, production and industry must be in line with environmental protection. Responsibility systems have also been improved for lifelong accountability for ecological environment damage, audit of natural resource assets at the end of the tenure of leading officials, evaluation and assessment, performance in advancing ecological progress, ecological compensation, and compensation for ecological environment damage. Concerning ecological environment monitoring, we have implemented responsibility systems for assessors and data providers to ensure assessment accuracy and data validity. Moreover, responsibility systems for legal disclosure of eco-credit records for enterprises, among other fields, have also been advanced. Thanks to such measures, a responsibility system led by the Party committees, guided by the government, with enterprises as the main actors, and with the participation of social organizations and the public has taken shape. In this regard, this kind of strict responsibility is unprecedented.

Third, we have further integrated and optimized the functions of departments. At the national level, the MEE has been established to integrate the responsibilities of ecological and environmental protection scattered in various relevant departments and to unify the supervision and law enforcement responsibilities of emissions of environmental pollutants in urban and rural areas. Five links between above and below the ground, onshore and offshore, terrestrial and marine ecology, urban and rural areas, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide have been built up. At the same time, the "four unifications" have been achieved: unified policy planning and standards-setting, unified monitoring and evaluation, unified supervision and law enforcement, and unified inspection and accountability. At the local authority level, institutional reforms have also made positive progress.

In the next step, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, continuing to deepen efforts to reform institutions and mechanisms and insisting on promoting the law-based and institutionalized construction of ecological civilization and environmental protection. We will strive to transform institutional strengths into governance efficacy, in a bid to modernize the ecological environment governance system and the governance capacity at an accelerated pace. Thank you!

Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, especially after the official implementation of the so-called "strictest-ever" environmental protection law, everyone has felt that environmental protection law enforcement has been strengthened and that its "teeth have grown." May I ask Mr. Zhai what work the MEE has done in environmental protection law enforcement? What progress has been made in this regard, and what's the next step?

Zhai Qing:

Thanks for your questions. The law enforcement concerning the ecological environment is the basic work of ecological conservation and environmental protection, which is of great importance. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed on many occasions that "protecting the environment requires the best institutional arrangements and the strictest rule of law" and that we must never be lenient in punishing actions that damage our eco-environment. Over the past 10 years, we have insisted on promoting eco-environmental protection law enforcement with the greatest sense of responsibility, the strictest law enforcement, and the best sense of assistance, showing the morale of the ecological environment law enforcement teams in the new era, and playing an important role in supporting the continuous quality improvement of the ecological environment.

First, the MEE has acted with a great sense of responsibility and mission in the critical battle against pollution. We have closely focused on the key campaigns in pollution prevention and control, adhered to a problem-oriented approach, and followed a principle of addressing the issues through to the end. Once a problem is found, the MEE will make a record and supervise the following implementation and rectification measures, removing the last crucial hurdle for policy implementation.

For example, for five consecutive years since 2017, we have coordinated nearly 50,000 competent people of the ecology and environment sectors and taken more than 1,300 days to carry out 105 rounds of activities focusing on air pollution prevention and control supervision and assistance. These activities have been carried out in key areas such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, its surrounding areas, and the like, one round closely after another. Moreover, during the busy times, we can only rest for a few days each year during the Spring Festival holiday. More than 2.1 million locations have been inspected and over 280,000 air pollution problems have been addressed, effectively advancing the continuous improvement of air quality in key regions.

For another example, since the end of 2018, we have been launching pilots in large-scale investigations of sewage outlets into seas and rivers. Starting from the main flow of the Yangtze River and nine major tributaries, such as the Minjiang River, we have carried out a remote-sensing investigation utilizing drones flying over 2,300 sorties, covering an area of 46,000 square kilometers. Based on remote sensing, we have adopted a thorough-going approach, drafted 4,600 backbone forces nationwide, and grouped them into 1,263 working units. They have traveled more than 180,000 kilometers along the shorelines and identified a variety of 60,292 sewage outlets, 30 times the number that local governments acquired before. To identify these sewage outlets, the working units have overcome difficulties beyond imagination along the shorelines, resorted to some technologies and taken one step to another. As you all know, water pollutants come from outlets. Therefore, it is of great significance and worthwhile for us to identify and regulate these outlets, which will also lay an important foundation for the continuous improvement of the water eco-environment in the future. Currently, investigations are being carried out in the Yellow River basin and other basins.

Second, we have firmly upheld the authority of laws. We have continued to strengthen law enforcement, ensured that laws are obeyed and strictly enforced and lawbreakers are prosecuted, and taken practical measures to ensure that laws and regulations of eco-environmental protection are implemented and deliver results. Here are two groups of data. Since implementing the new environmental protection law in 2015, we have investigated and handled over 170,000 major cases, such as cases involving consecutive daily punishment. Administrative punishments had been imposed on 833,000 environmental issues nationwide during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, a 1.4-fold increase over the 12th Five-Year Plan period.

Meanwhile, we have also improved the mechanism that dovetails administrative law enforcement and criminal justice. We have severely investigated and handled two typical cases of forgery of environmental monitoring data in 2016 and 2018, with 23 people prosecuted for criminal responsibility. It was the first time in environmental protection history that sentences were given due to data forgery. Among the 23 people, sentences were given of up to two years and at least six months, forming a powerful deterrent. While imposing severe punishment on enterprises deliberately violating the laws, we have continued to develop better ways of law enforcement. An oversight model using randomly selected inspectors to inspect randomly selected entities and requiring the prompt release of results has been implemented across the board. Explorations have been made to incorporate over 420,000 enterprises into the positive list for category-based oversight. We have rolled out more off-sight law enforcement to see that law-abiding enterprises are left alone. In addition, in law enforcement, we have widely adopted advanced technology and equipment such as satellite remote sensing, drones, uncrewed ships, and mobile law enforcement facilities, greatly enhancing our teams' capacity to identify problems.

Third, we have made every effort to protect people's environmental rights and interests. We have launched special campaigns to protect centralized drinking-water source areas for four consecutive years. We have addressed 10,363 problems in 2,804 drinking-water source areas and resolved a series of acute issues, strongly safeguarding the environmental safety of drinking water for 770 million people. We have launched special campaigns to control emissions of waste incineration power plants to meet the required standards. All waste incineration power plants are asked to install online monitoring facilities. We also require these power plants to set up a display screen in a prominent place at the gate, demonstrating their emission data. In addition, these power plants should give access to the data to supervisory and regulatory authorities at all levels. The data is subject to real-time monitoring and made public. At the same time, we have worked with relevant departments to make comprehensive policies and measures and urged enterprises to fully implement environmental protection laws and regulations. As things stand now, this special campaign has attained notable results. Over 99% of all waste incineration power plants meet the required standards in terms of five air pollutants emissions and furnace temperatures. We have profoundly changed public opinion on waste incineration enterprises and greatly enhanced the rapid development of the waste incineration industry.

Here are some data. The number of waste incineration plants has increased from 278 in 2017 to 825. Moreover, the number of waste incinerators has risen from 679 in 2017 to 1,826, with an increase of 197% and 169%, respectively. The daily waste disposal amount has increased from 245,000 tonnes to 926,000 tonnes, with an increase of 278%, providing important guarantees for the healthy development of cities.

Fourth, we have made notable progress in building law enforcement teams. Eco-environmental law enforcement teams have been officially listed in the national comprehensive administrative law enforcement ranks and have taken the lead in wearing uniforms. We have launched law enforcement drills for six consecutive years and improved the team's capacity through training and drills. Over the years, more than 80,000 law enforcement officers have fought on the frontline of pollution prevention and control. They have made contributions outside of the spotlight to improve the environment continuously. A group of role models, such as Comrade Chen Ben of the Wenling environmental monitoring team of Zhejiang province, who sacrificed his life at the frontline of law enforcement, have stood out. Many comrades worked over holidays and worked day and night. Some comrades stayed in spots for several nights to identify environmental hazards. With life and sweat, they have practiced the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping to develop an iron army with strong political convictions, professional capacity, impeccable conduct and a strong sense of responsibility, and being able to work under pressure, persevere, and dedicate themselves to the cause of environmental protection.

Going forward, we will firmly carry out strict law enforcement, continue to develop better ways of law enforcement, improve law enforcement efficacy, and forge an iron army for eco-environmental protection to make more remarkable contributions to building a beautiful China. Thank you.

Brazil 247:

When listening to President Xi Jinping's report at the opening session of the 20th Congress, I was particularly impressed by the following remark: (the principle that) lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets must be firmly established and development must be planned considering the harmonious co-existence between man and nature. I come from Latin America, a region that enjoys lucid waters and lush mountains from the Andes region to the Amazon rain forest. What are China's practices in promoting green development that other countries can learn from? Thank you. 

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your question. That is an excellent question. Respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature is essential for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping made promoting harmony between humanity and nature one of the essential requirements of Chinese modernization and emphasized that we must uphold and act on the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and we must maintain harmony between humanity and nature when planning our development.

Promoting green and low-carbon development is fundamental for achieving harmony between humanity and nature. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have fully applied the new development philosophy and firmly promoted green and low-carbon development and green transition in all respects of economic and social development in the process of controlling and preventing pollution and advancing the Beautiful China Initiative. We have mainly taken the following measures.

First, we have made prevention at the source the priority of our work. We have adopted a region-specific approach to environmental management. We have accelerated the application of the outcomes produced by enforcing red lines for ecological conservation, setting the bottom line for environmental quality, imposing a upper limit line on resource utilization, and implementing a list for eco-environmental permits, providing strong support for optimizing the layout of spatial development. We have implemented environmental impact assessments and enforced strict environmental standards for project approval, resolutely stopping the blind development of energy-intensive projects with high emissions and backward production capacity. We have deepened supply-side structural reform and industrial restructuring and shut down outdated production facilities, significantly enhancing the green and low-carbon development of the economy.

Second, we have promoted concerted efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. We have issued and implemented the plan for coordinating the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions. Efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions have been planned and carried out in tandem, so has the performance assessment. In this way, we have promoted the improvement and adjustment of industry structure, energy mix, transportation and land use. We have enabled the implementation of measures and requirements such as enforcing upgrades in industrial enterprises to achieve compliance with higher standards, eliminating coal-fired boilers that do not meet standards and enhancing emission standards for motor vehicles. We have stepped up efforts to promote the research, development and application of green and low-carbon technology and boost the development of energy-saving and environmental protection industries. In 2021, the revenue of the national environmental protection industry reached 2.18 trillion yuan, up by 11.8% year on year.

Third, we have taken active steps to build pacesetters of green development. With a continued focus on ecological conservation and green development, we have supported the effective implementation of major national strategies for promoting regional development, such as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and ecological conservation and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin. Work has been carried forward to build ecological civilization demonstration areas. We have nominated five batches of 362 national model cities and counties of developing ecological civilization. We have established 136 innovation bases for practicing the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, guiding local governments to actively explore a new path for high-quality development that prioritizes eco-environmental protection and green development. 

Fourth, we have made innovations in green and low-carbon development policies. The China Carbon Emission Trade Exchange has started online trading, and in the first compliance cycle period, 2,162 key emission entities in the power generation sector were included, the total market trading volume reached 179 million tonnes, and total turnover was 7.661 billion yuan. We have carried out our work concerning environmental protection tax in an orderly manner and taken concrete actions to support enterprises in energy-saving transformation and the integrated utilization of resources. Since 2018, there has been a tax cut of over 10 billion yuan for enterprises with emissions lower than the standards on the emission of pollutants. We have made significant efforts to develop green finance and promoted innovation in the eco-environmental-oriented development model. So far, we have guided 118 relevant projects to be included in the reserve of projects and made recommendations to some financial institutions. These projects involve a total investment of over 670 billion yuan, with financing needs of 452 billion yuan. By the end of September, they had received credit facilities of 132.99 billion yuan from financial institutions and been granted 30.24 billion yuan in loans.

Next, we will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, carry out coordinated industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological conservation, and climate response, promote concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development, and pursue economic growth, and strive to achieve the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. Thank you.

CRI: 

Mr. Zhai has mentioned "the building of a green homeland," which I believe is a dream shared by all humanity. As a developing country with over 1.4 billion people, China will influence the world with its efforts to promote the development of ecological civilization. In recent years, what has been done by the MEE in working together for global ecological conservation and promote the development of a human community with a shared future? What achievements have been made? In addition, what measures will be taken next?

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your questions. From the perspective of building a human community with a shared future, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed jointly building a clean and beautiful world and promoting sustainable global development. Last year, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forth the Global Development Initiative (GDI), calling for efforts to achieve stronger, greener, and healthier global development, which has provided the fundamental basis and a guide to action for us to actively engage in global environmental governance.

As an important participant, contributor and trailblazer in global ecological conservation, we have been firmly committed to putting multilateralism into action and promoting a fair and equitable system of global environmental governance for win-win cooperation, making contributions to the sustainable development of humanity.

First, we have made positive progress in developing the green Belt and Road. We have proposed and established the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) International Green Development Coalition. We have strengthened policy dialogue, joint research and capacity building with BRI participants, and incorporated the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into the joint development of the BRI. More than 150 cooperation partners from over 40 countries have joined the coalition. We have launched the BRI Big Data Service Platform on Ecological and Environmental Protection, enhancing innovation and exchanges of ecological and environmental protection technologies. We have implemented the Green Silk Road Envoys Program and trained 3,000 (person-time) environmental officials, experts, and scholars from over 120 countries. This aims to build consensus on and form synergy for promoting green development. 

Second, we have deeply engaged in global environmental governance. We have consistently promoted the full and effective implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. General Secretary Xi Jinping has solemnly announced China's goal of striving to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. We have strongly supported the developing countries' green and low-carbon energy transition and promised not to develop new coal-fired power generation projects overseas. We have accepted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and tightened regulations over the emission of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases.

We have actively implemented the Convention on Biological Diversity and its protocol. Over the past decade, the implementation of the goals of biodiversity protection in China has been better than the global average. We successfully held the first session of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15) and issued the Kunming Declaration. President Xi Jinping announced at the meeting that China would take the lead by investing 1.5 billion yuan and establish a Kunming Biodiversity Fund to support biodiversity protection in developing countries. We have actively charted the course for global biodiversity governance by giving a full play to the chairmanship role.

Third, we have carried out bilateral and multilateral environmental cooperation practically. We have established the China-EU High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and actively developed exchange and dialogue mechanisms, including the Environmental Ministers' Meeting of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the ASEAN-China Environment Cooperation Forum. We have strengthened South-to-South cooperation and cooperation with neighboring countries and supported projects and actions in the protection of biodiversity, green economy, the management of chemicals and the implementation of international conventions. As things stand now, these projects and activities have yielded outstanding results. As of June 2022, we have signed 43 cooperative documents on climate change with 38 developing countries. We have helped relevant countries build capacity against climate change by providing them with goods and materials in response to climate change, such as weather satellites, photovoltaic power systems and new energy vehicles.

Next, we will continue to thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and work with all parties to respond to global environmental challenges, contributing China's strengths to building a human community with a shared future. Thank you.

Dazhong Daily:

In our interviews at the community level, we have learned that local governments pay much attention to the building of beautiful rivers and lakes and beautiful bays. I want to ask Mr. Zhai, what are the basic considerations of the MEE about this work? What progress has been made currently? And what will be done next?

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your questions. Beautiful rivers, lakes, and bays embody and are essential carriers of the Beautiful China Initiative in the water and marine eco-environment field. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to building beautiful rivers, lakes, and bays. Concerning that, important arrangements and clear requirements have been made in the outline for the 14th Five-Year Plan. 

The MEE and other departments have resolutely implemented the major decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and clarified the plans for the development of beautiful rivers, lakes and bays for some time to come, which mainly includes the following specific aspects.

First, we have upheld a people-oriented approach to environmental protection and prioritized "beauty." We have focused on the increasing needs of the people for a beautiful environment and put forward the goals for the building of beautiful rivers and lakes, that is, "with rivers and water, fish and grass, and harmony between humanity and water" and goals for the building of beautiful bays featuring "clear water and clean beaches, flocks of fishes and seagulls, and harmony between humanity and sea." In setting the targets, we have aimed to make them concise and clear and the basic requirements explicit with the development of about five target systems to give people a concrete understanding and a direct feeling of the results of the building of beautiful rivers, lakes and bays.

Second, we have made sustained efforts and have been committed to thoroughly implementing the blueprint for building beautiful rivers, lakes, and bays. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, concerning building beautiful rivers and lakes, we have mainly focused on the problems in water ecology and the environment around people and guided all localities to prioritize consolidating foundations and addressing inadequacies, and shoring up points of weakness. Concerning the building of beautiful bays, we have divided about 18,000 kilometers of coastlines into 283 bays and made specific and clear governance goals, tasks, and measures for each of the bays. Through our efforts, by 2025, that is, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we aim to build a group of beautiful rivers, lakes and bays with distinctive features. We will make greater efforts to further advance the development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period and the 16th Five-Year Plan period. By 2035, we strive to build all rivers, lakes, and bays with the right conditions into beautiful rivers, lakes, and bays.

Third, we have strengthened the role of models and leading forces and promoted the creation of synergy for development. Last year, we launched the call for localities nationwide to collect the first groups of excellent cases of 18 beautiful rivers and lakes and eight beautiful bays. Local CPC committees and governments had attached great importance to that, with the active participation of all localities and enthusiastic responses and recognition and praise from the public. Many of our news media made a series of reports and extensive coverages about the excellent cases, promoting the creation of synergy for building beautiful rivers, lakes and bays.

Next, we will thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and continue to advance the building of beautiful rivers, lakes and bays, making new and greater contributions to building a Beautiful China. Thank you.

Jyb.cn:

In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed promoting green and low-carbon ways of production and life. Mr. Zhai, can you tell us what measures will be taken to diversify the ways and forms of engaging the general public, particularly students and their parents, in ecological conservation and environmental protection? How will you generate synergy between government organs, enterprises, social organizations and the public in this regard?

Zhai Qing:

Thank you for your question. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that ecological conservation is a cause jointly contributed to and shared by the people, and advancing the building of a Beautiful China should become a conscious action by the people. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, all localities and departments have proactively fulfilled their due responsibilities since the 18th CPC National Congress. The general social awareness of ecological conservation has been significantly enhanced and the public has exhibited greater initiative in ecological conservation and environmental protection. We have focused our efforts on the following three fronts.

First, we are promoting understanding. We have strengthened efforts in information disclosure by releasing environmental quality information on time, exposing typical environmental violation cases, thus effectively protecting people's right to know about the environment. We have established a common information release mechanism and launched the ministry's new media platform where authoritative, accurate information on ecology and the environment is readily accessible. Focusing on major tasks such as the central inspection of ecological conservation and environmental protection and the critical battle of pollution prevention and treatment, we organized journalists to follow our working staff to the very frontline. We facilitated their reporting to the greatest extent. I think many of the journalists present today had been there with us. We have publicized our major policies and regulations and information on topical issues through press conferences, interviews and expert interpretations, helping the public better grasp the ideas and requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and learn about the measures we have taken and their progress. 

Second, we are building consensus. Every year, we organize various national events to mark World Environment Day, which falls on June 5. This year, in particular, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter on this occasion, raising the sincere expectation that the ecological conservation philosophy is publicized and implemented throughout society, which was well-received among all sectors. After building a Beautiful China was initiated at the 18th CPC National Congress, relevant departments and we promptly launched a campaign themed "Beautiful China, I Can Play My Part" to select role models, including excellent volunteers, to encourage the whole society to participate in the endeavor. 

Third, we are driving action. Together with four other departments, including the General Office of the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress, we released Citizens' Code of Conduct on Ecology and the Environment (Trial), encouraging people to embrace a green lifestyle from 10 aspects, such as paying close attention to ecology and environment, saving energy and resources, practicing green consumption, and choosing low-carbon means of transport. It was dubbed by the media the fourth "10 Articles" in the field of ecology and environment after three similar codes were issued to respectively help protect the air, water and soil. We launched joint actions with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development to make four types of facilities more accessible to the public. They are environmental monitoring facilities, urban sewage treatment facilities, garbage treatment facilities, hazardous waste and electronic waste treatment facilities. Public awareness of environmental science can be raised and these facilities and units can be supervised by the public. So far, 2,100 facilities across the country have been opened to the public, attracting more than 160 million online and offline visits, covering all the cities at or above the prefectural level. We also worked with the General Office of the Central Commission for Guiding Cultural and Ethical Progress to enlist voluntary service in ecology and environment into the work mechanism to promote cultural-ethical advancement in the new era to see that the service is institutionalized, standardized, and regular. 

We will continue promoting the ecological conservation communications and education and intensify efforts to build a national action system to improve ecological and environmental governance. We will also mobilize the whole society on a broader scale to participate in ecological conservation and adopt a green lifestyle, thus consolidating the social foundation for constantly improving our ecology and environment and advancing the building of a Beautiful China. Thank you.  

Xing Huina:

That concludes today's press conference. Thank you all. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Qian, Liu Sitong, Zhou Jing, Li Huiru, Yan Bin, Wang Yanfang, Xu Kailin, Yang Xi, Yuan Fang, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Wang Yiming, Qin Qi, Zhang Junmian, Yan Xiaoqing, Guo Yiming, Ma Yujia, Lin Liyao, Xu Xiaoxuan, Liu Qiang, 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.

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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Ms. Shen Beili, vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)

Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and vice minister of foreign affairs

Chairperson:

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

Date:

Oct. 20, 2022

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. Welcome to the fourth press conference held by the Press Center for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Today, we have invited two delegates to brief you on following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy to break new ground for and forge ahead major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. They will also take your questions. The two delegates are Ms. Shen Beili, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; and Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and vice minister of foreign affairs.

Now, let's give the floor to Ms. Shen Beili for an introduction.

Shen Beili:

Friends from the media, good morning. It is a great pleasure to brief you on the Party's external work in the new era under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of important expositions regarding the Party's external work, which constitute an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. The expositions give definitive answers to a series of major questions of orientational, fundamental and strategic significance in the Party's external work in the new era, thus enabling our Party to open a brand-new horizon in its understanding of the laws that underlie the Party's external work and pointing out a clear direction for and injecting strong impetus into the Party's external work in the new era.

Based on his assessment of the global situation, General Secretary Xi Jinping clarified the historical background for the Party's external work in the new era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, at present, momentous changes of a like not seen in a century are accelerating across the world. Changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding like never before. Meanwhile, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible course and China is moving ever closer to the center of the world stage. These major conclusions provide a solid basis for understanding the new historical context of China's development, the historical changes in the relationship between China and the world and between the CPC and the world as well as the scientific planning and in-depth promotion of the Party's external work. In recent years, we have upheld fundamental principles while trying to break new ground in the Party's external work. We played host to the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting and the CPC and World Political Parties Summit. In his addresses, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave a systematic elaboration on the outlook of contemporary Chinese Communists on the world, on values and on responsibilities, and called on political parties around the world to jointly handle the once-in-a-century changes. In response to the high attention paid to our Party by the world's political parties and the wider international community, we have hosted briefings on the outcomes of the Party's important meetings upon their immediate conclusions. Many foreign political party leaders have said that the CPC's important meetings are "major events that have important bearing on the world and ourselves."

Thinking in big-picture terms, General Secretary Xi Jinping defined the basic identity of the Party's external work in the new era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, the external work of the Party constitutes an important front of our Party, an important component of our country's overall diplomacy and an important manifestation of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. We have worked all-out to provide services for General Secretary Xi Jinping's state visits and support China's hosting of major diplomatic events attended by General Secretary Xi Jinping. We have intensified our efforts to communicate Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We have taken solid measures to safeguard the CPC's position as the governing party and its institutional security. In response to issues involving China's core interests and major concerns, we have kept the Party's external work in alignment with our country's overall diplomacy, leveraged our unique advantages, carried out active countermoves, and joined with political parties, think tanks, and social organizations of other countries to express the voice of justice. Staying true to our political character, we have held events such as the CPC and World Marxist Political Parties Forum, adapted Marxism to the local context and the needs of the times with Marxist parties and progressive forces around the world, and contributed to the global development of socialism. We have developed comprehensive ties with different kinds of political parties and organizations and promoted coordination and cooperation among countries via inter-party consultation and cooperation.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has presented the noble cause for the Party's external work in the new era with a global vision. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, the CPC strives for both the well-being of the Chinese people and human progress. The CPC, together with political parties and organizations around the world, needs to shoulder the responsibility to steer the course, build consensus, promote development, enhance cooperation, improve governance and continuously strengthen the capability to seek happiness for the people. Over the years, we have established joint consultation mechanisms among political parties in countries along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to draw on the complementarity among BRI partners and achieve common prosperity. We have provided COVID-19 prevention and control plans as well as diagnosis and treatment protocols to nearly 400 political parties overseas. We have also offered medical supplies and technical assistance to political parties overseas in need to the full extent of our ability. These political parties all noted that the CPC met their most urgent needs, and that the CPC "is their true friend." We have also held the commemorative event for the International Day of Peace, called for joint efforts to carry out the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and safeguarded world peace and stability.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has shown great foresight and clarified the direction of the Party's external work in the new era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, political parties in various countries should strengthen mutual trust, dialogue and coordination. On the basis of the new type of international relations, political parties must explore the building of a new type of party-to-party relations that seeks to expand common ground while reserving differences and enhances mutual respect and mutual learning. We have been promoting and deepening ties with governing parties of other socialist countries and political parties in neighboring countries, as well as developing and developed countries. We have also established various regional and global platforms to facilitate inter-party dialogues, continuously consolidated and improved the global partnership network of political parties, and contributed to deepening and expanding a global partnership network featuring equality, openness and cooperation. Currently, the CPC maintains various forms of contact with more than 600 political parties and organizations. We have carried out in-depth communication with political parties around the world, shared experience in the governance of the Party and the nation, and jointly improved governance capacity. Many political parties overseas have repeatedly expressed their wish to strengthen communication with the CPC, noting that the practice of the CPC has provided them with valuable experience to learn from.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has made well-conceived efforts and specified the ways and means for the Party's external work in the new era. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, we must set well-conceived goals, make macro layout and take a holistic approach with a capacity for thinking strategically, innovatively and dialectically, so as to improve the coordination, scientific nature and effectiveness of the Party's external work. He also noted that the success of the Party's external work relies on efforts made by all Party members, localities, departments and sectors. Therefore, we must strive for an architecture of great coordination with the Party providing overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Forum on the Party's External Work has been held on a regular basis. By visiting foreign countries and receiving foreign delegations, hosting important international conferences, participating in various bilateral and multilateral exchange events, and promoting inter-party communication and practical cooperation among various levels and sectors, Party organizations in various regions and of various departments have jointly achieved well-coordinated and well-developed progress of the Party's external work.

On the new journey ahead, the Party's external work will continue following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, pressing ahead in the new era and charting new courses in the field. That concludes my introduction. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Next, let's give the floor to Mr. Ma Zhaoxu for his introduction.

Ma Zhaoxu:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. It's a great pleasure to meet you at this press conference held by the Press Center for the 20th CPC National Congress.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress systematically reviews the historic achievements and transformation in the cause of the Party and the country over the past 10 years of the new era, draws up a well-conceived, overarching blueprint for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts, and holds high the banner of promoting world peace and development and building a human community with a shared future. It is inspiring and invigorating.

The report makes important points on China's diplomatic work. It states that the CPC is a party dedicated to pursuing happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, and a party dedicated to human progress and world harmony. China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it is dedicated to promoting the development of a human community with a shared future. The Chinese people are ready to work hand in hand with people across the world to create an even brighter future for humanity.

The past 10 years of this new era has seen China's diplomacy triumph over difficulties and make important headway against a complex and challenging international environment, making achievements that have attracted worldwide attention. This is fundamentally attributable to the strong leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the clear guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, particularly Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has been moving closer to the center of the world stage in an unprecedented way and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has entered an irreversible historical process. At the same time, the world is undergoing accelerating changes unseen in a century and entering a new period of instability and transformation. General Secretary Xi Jinping is a Marxist statesman and strategic thinker with outstanding political wisdom, excellent theoretical foresight and profound global vision. He has a firm grasp of the prevailing trends in domestic and international development, explores deep into humanity's future, and preserves and carries forward the core principles and fine traditions followed by New China in its diplomatic work. Based on this, he has actively broken new ground in major diplomatic theories and practices, putting forward a series of important new thoughts, propositions and initiatives that have distinct Chinese features, reflect the ethos of the times, and lead the trend of human development and progress. This has led to the formation of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the latest theoretical outcome of Marxism of contemporary China in foreign-related work. It embodies the best of Chinese culture and ethos in our times. It is a fundamental philosophy and guide to action for China's diplomacy in the new era. It is scientific, up to date, advanced and action-oriented. It gives insightful answers to a series of key questions in theory and practice, namely, what kind of world and what type of international relations China should promote; what kind of foreign policy best serves China; and how China should conduct diplomacy in the new era. Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy points the direction for China's external work in the new era and contributes Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to solving major global issues and leading changes to the international order and system.

In the past 10 years, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy has guided China's diplomacy to new success. China has taken historic strides in its relations with the world and made historic contributions to the international community. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we have pursued major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on all fronts, promoted the development of a human community with a shared future, and stood firm in protecting international fairness and justice. We have advocated and practiced true multilateralism. We have taken a clear-cut stance against hegemonism and power politics in all their forms, and we have never wavered in our opposition to unilateralism, protectionism and bullying of any kind. We have fostered a new type of international relations, actively participated in the reform and development of the global governance system, and engaged in all-round international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19. All this has seen us win widespread international recognition. China's international influence, appeal and power to shape have risen markedly.

On the new journey, members of China's diplomatic service will rally even more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, particularly Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. We will stay confident, build strength, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground. We will forge ahead with enterprise and fortitude to open up new horizons in conducting major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. We will make further contributions to building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts. Thanks.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Ma. The floor is now open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions. 

Syrian Arab News Agency:

My question is, what has China's diplomacy accomplished over the past decade? How is China's version of major-country diplomacy different from the big countries in the West? What makes it unique? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

I will take your questions. In the past decade of the new era, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has led major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics to forge ahead and overcome difficulties. It has achieved all-around and groundbreaking historic achievements.

First, the Party's centralized and unified leadership over external work has been comprehensively strengthened. The CPC Central Committee has enhanced top-level design and strategic planning for external work. An architecture of great coordination with the Party providing overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides has been consolidated. The external work system and mechanism have also been further improved.

Second, the all-around, multi-level, three-dimensional diplomatic layout has been increasingly improved. In the past decade of the new era, the total number of countries that have established diplomatic relations with China has increased from 172 to 181, and the number of partnerships with countries and regional organizations around the world has increased from 41 to 113. We have promoted the establishment of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. We have proposed that China-U.S. relations should follow the right approach of the three principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. We have advocated the China-EU partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization. In particular, we have consolidated strategic support from neighboring countries, and embraced unity and closer cooperation with other developing countries. 

Third, China's national sovereignty, security and development interests have been vigorously safeguarded. Facing external containment, suppression and unreasonable interference, we have launched a tit-for-tat, firm and powerful struggle, and established diplomatic relations with nine countries that formerly had so-called "diplomatic ties" with the country's Taiwan region. As a result, the one-China principle has become more consolidated within the international community. We have effectively deterred outside interference in Hong Kong affairs. We have also continuously thwarted anti-China forces from attacking and tarnishing China, defending national interests and dignity. 

Fourth, China's international influence, appeal and power to shape have risen markedly. As a staunch supporter of multilateralism, we have participated in global governance with unprecedented breadth, depth and intensity. China has hosted many spectacular diplomatic events and offered solutions which have drawn worldwide attention. China's image as a responsible major country has been increasingly recognized by the international community.

Fifth, China's diplomacy has effectively and efficiently served national economic and social development. China has signed 19 free trade agreements with 26 nations and regions and advanced the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. As many as 149 countries and 32 international organizations have participated in the BRI, with solid progress in many landmark projects, such as the China-Laos Railway and the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway. Great efforts have been made to build a strong defense against possible imported COVID-19 cases. We have held global promotion activities for more than 20 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. We always safeguard the interests of overseas Chinese.

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we have opened up a new path of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Upholding the Party's leadership is the fundamental guidance for China's diplomacy; putting the people first is the source of strength of China's diplomacy; staying independent is a fine tradition of China's diplomacy; maintaining a global vision is the original aspiration of China's diplomacy; pursuing equity and justice is a persistent pursuit of China's diplomacy; and standing up for ourselves is a distinctive character of China's diplomacy. Thank you.

China Daily:

General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that the Party's external work is an important front of the Party, an important component of the overall national diplomacy, and an important manifestation of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. How should we understand these three important aspects?

Shen Beili:

Thank you for your question. The three important aspects pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping are an organic whole, which has provided fundamental principles and guidance for the Party's external work in the new era.

"An important front of the Party" has defined the political nature of the Party's external work. The Party's external work originated from the Party and has thrived and grown stronger along with the Party. The Party's external exchanges carried out under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee directly reflect the Party's will in diplomacy. The priorities of the Party's external work are always safeguarding the Party's governance security and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and fully serving the central undertaking of the Party. "An important component of the overall national diplomacy" has defined the strategic functionality of the Party's external work. The Party's external work focuses on boosting state-to-state relations with party-to-party ties, promoting inter-state cooperation with inter-party consultation and cooperation, and firmly safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests, thus making a unique contribution to the country's overall diplomacy. 

"An important embodiment of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics" clarifies the distinctive advantage of the external work of the CPC. Concerning the Party's external work, we adhere to practicing the Party's original aspiration and mission, exchange experiences in the governance of party and state with political parties around the world and work with them to advance human civilization and progress together. With the overall coordination of the external work, we continue to consolidate a three-pronged system consisting of inter-party diplomacy, public diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, pooling the strength for building a human community with a shared future.

Standing at a new historic starting point, we will continue to thoroughly study and put into practice General Secretary Xi Jinping's major expositions on the Party's external work. We will carry out our work with a focus on the central task of the CPC to contribute to building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts and providing humanity with more and better Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions and greater Chinese strength to help solve its common challenges. Thank you.

CCTV:

We see that leaders of foreign political parties and governments, political organizations, and friendly individuals have recently sent congratulatory messages on the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress. What are their views on the 20th CPC National Congress? What will the International Department of the CPC Central Committee do to present the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress to foreign political parties?

Shen Beili:

Not only is the 20th CPC National Congress a major, important and joyous political event for the CPC and China, but it has also attracted much and persistent attention from the international community. Leaders of foreign political parties and governments and public figures from all sectors of society have sent congratulatory messages to us. They have fully expressed their warm congratulations on the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress, their best wishes for the CPC to lead Chinese people in forging ahead on a new journey, and their sincere anticipation for the CPC to make greater contributions to the cause of human progress. 

From their congratulatory messages, we have seen that they admire General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership of a major party and a major country and hold that General Secretary Xi Jinping has acute insight and a sense of mission for the time. They also hold that he has made extraordinary contributions to the development of China and is leading China to create a future that benefits all humanity. They believe that it has been widely recognized around the world that General Secretary Xi Jinping has made great contributions to developing theories and practices of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era and that the great power of his thought and extraordinary vision is changing the world.

These congratulatory messages highly commend Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a "bright shining light of Chinese wisdom." They believe that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era adapts the basic tenets of Marxism to the features of our time and China's realities, injects vigor and vitality into the development of socialism and brings greater hope and confidence in creating a better future for developing countries.

They applaud the remarkable achievements made by China in the new era. They believe that under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and with the joint efforts of all Party members, leapfrog development has been achieved in areas of the economy, science and technology, national defense, and people's livelihoods and that China is on the path to achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and is moving towards the building of a great modern socialist country in all respects.

They sincerely anticipate that the CPC will make greater contributions to the world at the new historic starting point. They hold that the 20th CPC National Congress will be another important milestone in the CPC's extraordinary and magnificent history and will provide more solid guarantees for future development, the prosperity of China and better lives of the people. They believe that the CPC and China will continue to make more excellent contributions to world peace, progress and prosperity.

After the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress, we will widely present the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress on occasions of bilateral and multilateral inter-party exchange activities, hold high-level multilateral dialogues, organize themed promotional activities for diplomatic envoys and foreign businesspeople in China, and send some delegations to present the guiding principles to foreign political parties. Please stay tuned for relevant activities. Thank you!

Indonesia ANTARA News Agency:

During the past 10 years, President Xi has traveled around the world and visited many countries. This year, the Indonesian G20 presidency carries the spirit of "Recover Together, Recover Stronger." Could you share any information about China's leader Xi Jinping will attend the G20 Summit to be held in Bali next month? 

Ma Zhaoxu:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally promoted head-of-state diplomacy, which by all accounts has been brilliant, setting a clear direction for major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in a world rife with changes and turbulence. 

With the global vision and responsibility as a leader of a major country and a major party and acting in sync with the trends of human development, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of new philosophies, proposals, and initiatives with Chinese characteristics, meeting international expectations and going with the tide of history. The broad blueprint he has drawn for China's partnerships with other countries has provided strategic guidance for us to expand diplomatic development.

With his strategic vision and long-term perspective, as well as profound arrangements, General Secretary Xi Jinping has set an example in person in developing diplomacy. Over the past decade, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited 69 countries on five continents during his 42 trips abroad and received more than 100 heads of state and governments in China, which covered important regions, countries, and international organizations. All these efforts have helped China to forge a more well-rounded and solid global partnership network, won global respect, and attracted global cooperation and friendships. During the Beijing Winter Olympics, General Secretary Xi Jinping held more than 20 bilateral events with visiting foreign leaders, who expressed that communication and interaction with General Secretary Xi Jinping was their greatest gain during their trip. 

Not long ago, during his trip to central Asia, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended 31 events within 48 hours, which strongly advanced relations between China and the relevant countries to a new level. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, General Secretary Xi Jinping has actively carried out "cloud diplomacy." He has made 181 phone calls with foreign leaders and persons in charge of international organizations and participated in 78 major diplomatic activities via video link, injecting great synergy for international cooperation on COVID-19 control. 

General Secretary Xi Jinping has told China's stories in person and made friends all over the world, demonstrating his responsibilities in developing China and promoting human progress; his broad-minded nature, openness, and inclusiveness; his emphasis on friendships, as well as his confidence. Displaying his personal charm as a leader, General Secretary Xi Jinping has improved China's position, influence, and appeal in the international community and played a decisive role in advancing and guiding major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. Taking the opportunity of the 20th CPC National Congress and following the instructions of the General Secretary, we will bring diplomacy with heads of state to new climaxes and write new chapters for Chinese diplomacy. 

The 17th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will be held from November 15 to 16 this year in Bali, Indonesia. The G20 is a premier forum for international economic cooperation. As an important member of the G20, China has consistently taken an active part in international economic cooperation and global economic governance and worked with other parties for the strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy.

We have actively supported Indonesia's G20 presidency and the Bali Summit's theme of "Recover Together, Recover Stronger." We hope that the summit will play a positive and constructive role in strengthening international cooperation against the pandemic, promoting world economic recovery and safeguarding global food and energy security.

As for Chinese leaders' participation in the summit, we will release relevant information in due course. Thank you!

Phoenix TV:

What is China's goal in the world? Recently, there has been some concern that the wider difference between China and the West could divide the world into different camps and endanger the international order. What's your response to these comments?

Ma Zhaoxu:

You asked about China's foreign policy goal. The purpose and goal of China's foreign policy is quite clear, that is, to safeguard world peace, advance common development, and promote the building of a human community with a shared future.

Today, our world, times and history are changing in ways never seen before. The historical trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation is unstoppable. At the same time, human society also faces many unprecedented challenges. Some forces in the world are indeed going against the trend of history and cling to the Cold War mentality and play the zero-sum game. They are keen on seeking exclusive blocs, waging a new "Cold War," drawing ideological lines to stoke block confrontation, and pursuing hegemony, which is the biggest threat to the world order. A divided world serves no one's interests, and block confrontation will only push the world to a dead end.

Building a human community with a shared future is the way forward for all the peoples of the world. China stays committed to building a world of lasting peace through dialogue and consultation, a world of common security for all through collaboration and shared benefits, a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation, an open and inclusive world through exchanges and mutual learning, and a clean and beautiful world through green and low-carbon development. All countries should advocate humanity's common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, respect the diversity of civilizations around the world and jointly tackle global challenges.

China stays committed to taking concrete actions to promote the building of a human community with a shared future. Under the personal guidance and promotion of General Secretary Xi Jinping, substantial progress has been made in all fields and directions in building a human community with a shared future, including across countries and regions and through bilateral to multilateral actions. The significant Belt and Road Initiative proposed by the general secretary has become a popular international public good and international cooperation platform. The Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative put forward by the general secretary injected new impetus into maintaining world peace and promoting common development. China firmly safeguards the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and promotes global governance in a more just and equitable direction.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis further demonstrate the significance of the truth of the vision of building a human community with a shared future. We will firmly stand on the right side of history and the side of the progress of human civilization; remain committed to promoting peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit; promote our own development while firmly safeguarding world peace and development; and better safeguard world peace and development with our own development. Thank you!

CGTN:

Our Party adheres to the four principles of independence, equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs in handling relations with political parties in other countries, while also proposing to explore the establishment of a new type of political party relationship where the parties can seek common ground while setting aside differences, respectfully learning from each other. My question is, how can our Party handle the relationship between "non-interference in each other's internal affairs" and "learning from each other" in external exchanges? Thank you.

Shen Beili:

"Non-interference in each other's internal affairs" and "learning from each other" share dialectical unity, which reflects our Party's consistent position of respecting the diversity of human political civilization and promoting the progress of human political civilization.

"Non-interference in each other's internal affairs" is the consensus of political parties of various countries and the basic norms of international relations and is the premise for different political parties to maintain their independence. Political parties should treat each other equally and respect each other regardless of their history, size, strength, and whether they are in power. "Non-interference in each other's internal affairs" is also the guarantee for the diversified development of human political civilization. Diversity is the basic feature of the world. To promote building a human community with a shared future is not to replace one system with another nor to replace one civilization with another. Choosing what political system and what development path for each country should be left to the political parties and people of that country to decide.

In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that China stands firmly against all forms of hegemonism and power politics, the Cold War mentality, interference in other countries' internal affairs, and double standards. The CPC will not point fingers at the internal affairs of political parties in other countries, nor will it seek to export the Chinese model or require other countries and parties to emulate its practice. At the same time, we will never accept those condescending or sanctimonious preaching or copy the political systems of other countries.

Mutual learning has always been an important driving force for the prosperity and development of human political civilization. As a saying goes, "Jade can be polished by stones from other hills." Political parties of all countries need to seek common ground while reserving differences and learn from each other to advance human civilization. The CPC has always highly valued exchanges and dialogues with political parties of other countries and actively learned from and absorbed all the fine achievements of human civilization. In the new era, we have shared our experience in party and state governance with political parties of other countries through multiple channels, deepened development and cooperation in terms of concepts, policy planning, and governance practices, and promoted common progress among different civilizations through activities such as dialogues on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. Going forward, the CPC, together with foreign political parties, will continue to conduct in-depth exchanges on governance, work to strengthen ourselves, enhance our governance capacity, better deliver benefits to the people, and contribute to the development of human civilization from the perspective of political parties. Thank you.

Global Times, huanqiu.com:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, "fighting" has increasingly become a high-frequency word and also a keyword in China's diplomacy. How does China's diplomacy demonstrate the fighting spirit in terms of safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security, and development interests?

Ma Zhaoxu:

I will answer this question. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress highlighted that as China has entered a period of development in which strategic opportunities, risks, and challenges are concurrent and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising, we must be ready to withstand high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms. We must carry forward our fighting spirit. We must foster a firmer sense of purpose, fortitude, and self-belief in the whole Party and the Chinese people so that we cannot be swayed by fallacies, deterred by intimidation, or cowed by pressure. We must meet obstacles and difficulties head on, ensure both development and security, dig deep to surmount the difficulties and challenges on the road ahead, and harness our indomitable fighting spirit to open up new horizons for our cause.

Safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests is the top priority of China's external work and the sacred mission of China's diplomacy. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have maintained firm strategic resolve, shown a fighting spirit, firmly safeguarded our national dignity and core interests, and kept ourselves well-positioned to pursue development and ensure security.

We have firmly safeguarded the leadership of the CPC and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We have vigorously fought against Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to Taiwan and other spiteful and perverse acts, resolutely opposed any acts seeking "Taiwan independence," firmly curbed external interference, and further consolidated the international consensus of the one-China principle. We have unswervingly implemented the principle of "one country, two systems", assisted the entry into force and implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and precisely countered the unreasonable sanctions imposed by the US and other Western countries. We have exposed lies with facts and the truth and defeated the political scheme of some forces to "use 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 followed a Chinese path of human rights development, and we will never accept being bossed around by those who feel they have the right to overbearingly lecture us and oppose the politicization of human rights issues. At the United Nations, nearly a hundred countries have expressed their support for China's just position and opposition to interference in China's internal affairs on the pretext of human rights. More than 80 countries have opposed politicizing the COVID-19 virus' origin tracing. We have opposed all kinds of unilateral sanctions and maximum-pressure tactics, and will never accept any zero-sum game or the law of the jungle.

Being brave and adept in carrying out our struggle is a fine tradition and a distinctive feature of China's diplomacy. We firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace. We uphold justice in defiance of power politics and resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics. We have an unswerving and rock-solid determination to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. On the new journey, China's diplomacy will continue to carry forward the fighting spirit, improve the ability to fight, and always stand at the forefront of safeguarding national interests and dignity. Thank you!

MASTV:

In the new era, the international community has paid closer attention to our Party's external work. Recently, a South African sinologist published an article stating, "Party-to-Party relations seem to be one of the strongest pillars for China to enhance its bilateral relations and friendship with other parts of the world." How does the Party's external work leverage its features and strengths? Thank you.

Shen Beili:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the personal leadership and promotion of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the Party's external work has leveraged its unique strengths and contributed to new development and cultivating new styles for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

We have given full play to the characteristic of political guidance. Political parties have played important roles in the countries' political life and also have been an important force in promoting human progress. In the external work of the Party, we have been committed to providing political guidance and building consensus. The Party has set up a series of platforms for high-level dialogues with political parties worldwide to discuss the parties' responsibilities for the happiness of the people, share the grand vision of building a human community with a shared future, and build a better world together.

We have given full play to the characteristic of the communication of ideas. The success of the CPC and socialism with Chinese characteristics lies in the fact that Marxism works, especially when it is applied to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and to the needs of our times. It has attracted more and more foreign political parties.

In recent years, we have responded to the expectations of foreign political parties and made a systematic and in-depth introduction of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to them, especially our practices in Party building, economic development, poverty alleviation, and social governance, which have strong resonance among foreign political parties. They have said that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is not only the fundamental guarantee for China's development and progress but also points out the way for the international community to deal with common challenges.

We have given full play to the characteristic of working with a people-centered approach. The Party's foreign exchanges have the following features. The first is extensiveness. We have been committed to reaching out extensively to make as many friends as possible. We have conducted extensive exchanges with political parties, political organizations, and social groups, maintaining contact with not only foreign political parties and dignitaries, but also civil society. In this process, we have presented to people in other countries the stories of how the CPC strives for the happiness of the Chinese people, the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the progress of mankind, and the common good for the world so as to present the image of China as a trustworthy, lovable, and respectable country. 

The second is sincerity. We have adhered to the principle of making friends with sincerity, honesty, and warmth. While making new friends, we have never forgotten old friends, and we have kept close ties with good friends. Moreover, we have given equal treatment to ruling parties and other political parties. Many foreign political parties have expressed that the CPC attaches great importance to friendship, and their exchanges with the CPC are featured with both depth and warmth. 

The third is flexibility. We have upheld the concept of transcending ideological differences and opposing any form of a "new Cold War" and ideological confrontation. We have established and developed relations with all foreign political parties that are willing to have exchanges with our Party, sharing with them flexible topics, regardless of identities and through various forms. With such heartful exchanges, we have constantly improved the effectiveness of exchanges and promoted mutual understanding and affinity among people in different countries. Thank you.

China.org.cn:

As Ms. Shen introduced just now, a sound practice in the foreign affairs work of the Party involves joint efforts of the entire Party as well as all localities and departments. Could you share the experience of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee in pooling such efforts?

Shen Beili:

We have always implemented our work by following the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping to create an architecture of great coordination in conducting the Party's foreign affairs work, with all localities and departments having created synergies to serve the key tasks of the Party and the country. Specific measures are as follows:

First, we have shared experience in pursuing development. Participating in the Party's foreign affairs work in various forms, all localities and departments have introduced China's achievements and shared the country's experience and stories in its socialist modernization drive to the international community, gaining more understanding, support, and companions in the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We have hosted a series of thematic briefings in collaboration with local Party committees and made live global broadcasts of the standing committee meetings of CPC committees at the county level. Political party officials from other countries have been invited to observe on the spot, with many of whom saying that such activities have become a "golden key" for them to get to know the CPC and China. Many leading officials of regions and departments, as well as Party members and officials, have also taken the opportunity of inter-party exchanges to communicate with foreign dignitaries to learn about the governance concept of other countries. These exchanges served our decision-making regarding the development of our country by offering the opportunity for observing and studying the world and learning from other countries' experiences.

Second, we have deepened exchanges to advance development. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, nearly 100 groups of senior officials of the Party committees of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have visited other countries through inter-party channels. In combination with their local industrial development features, they have actively participated in bilateral and multilateral political party dialogues and activities, while at the same time boosting cooperation in economy and trade, investment, science and technology, and many other fields. Such efforts have helped local governments open up to the outside world at a high level and contributed to creating a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development.

Third, we have built platforms to facilitate development. Thanks to close cooperation and mutual support with localities and departments, we have managed to develop a dialogue mechanism between Chinese and foreign political parties. We have developed institutionalized inter-party exchanges and people-to-people exchanges with member countries of international organizations, such as the ASEAN, the SCO, and the BRICS, and organized economic and trade dialogues and activities to support the building of a new development pattern. We have made good use of political party cooperation channels to build a platform for the dialogue of business community so as to support China's opening up and international cooperation. Such endeavors have been regarded as brand activities during our exchanges with countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania, with more than 20 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country actively participating in the promotion of practical cooperation in various fields. We have also held the International Forum on Belt and Road Port Cities and the Belt and Road Forum for Interconnected Land-Sea Development, among others, to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. 

On the new journey of the new era, we will strictly implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress when conducting Party's foreign affairs, continuously expand and deepen new channels and methods for "Party plus" exchanges and cooperation, and further create an all-around international exchange and cooperation form to better serve socialist modernization. Thank you.

Beijing Youth Daily:

Recently, there has been a widely acclaimed movie titled "Home Coming." It was adapted based on the real evacuation operation of a Chinese embassy. After watching it, many netizens said that nowadays diplomats on the front line of evacuations are the next closest to war after soldiers. I would like to ask Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, as a senior diplomat, how do you and your colleagues practice diplomacy for the people? Thank you.

Ma Zhaoxu:

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that we must stay true to our fundamental purpose of wholeheartedly serving the people, ensure that we are acting for the people and relying on the people in everything we do, and breathe the same air as the people, share the same future, and stay truly connected to them. The reason why "Home Coming" has moved so many people, I think, is because it gives vivid expression to the people-centered defining values. The line from in the movie, "The motherland will not give up any of its compatriots — we will bring everyone home," is a true portrayal of diplomacy for the people.

China's diplomacy is the diplomacy of the people. China's diplomatic service has always preserved the nature of people-centered diplomacy, practiced diplomacy for the people, made every effort to do a good job in diplomacy to satisfy the people, and resolutely safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons overseas.

We have always kept in mind the security and well-being of our people overseas. In response to the sudden outbreak of COVID-19, we put the people and their lives above all else, delivering "Spring Festival kits" and "health kits" to our fellow compatriots abroad in more than 170 countries, and assisting more than 4.6 million Chinese citizens living abroad to get vaccinated through the "Spring Sprout" vaccine program. Over the past decade, China has organized and implemented nearly 20 emergency evacuations of Chinese citizens living overseas, and handled more than 500,000 consular protection cases concerning millions of Chinese citizens.

In the wake of the Ukraine crisis, we in the diplomatic service took urgent action in accordance with the deployment of the CPC Central Committee and swiftly evacuated more than 5,200 compatriots from Ukraine safe and sound. Given the current security situation in Ukraine, the Chinese Embassy in Ukraine is organizing the evacuation of Chinese citizens from the country. I would also like to take this opportunity to once again call on Chinese citizens still in Ukraine to enhance their security precautions and preparedness and get in touch with the Chinese Embassy in order to evacuate Ukraine as soon as possible.

In the past 10 years, we have answered more than 2.7 million inquiries of various types on the 12308 hotline of the MFA's Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services. We have further promoted the transformation and upgrading of consular services, significantly reduced the fees for Chinese citizens to apply for consular documents, created a smart consular platform, and innovated convenience-for-people measures such as online passport application, remote online notarization, online appointment, and mobile payment. We are better leveraging the role of data to provide convenience for people. We have improved the functions of the "China Consular Affairs" application, allowing overseas compatriots to contact embassies and consulates abroad with one click.

Up to now, China has reached various visa-free agreements or arrangements with 150 countries, making Chinese passports more powerful and valuable. Sticking to strict COVID-19 prevention and control at home, we have launched a fast-lane arrangement for personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries and issued the Chinese version of an International Travel Health Certificate to facilitate personnel exchanges and help stabilize industrial and supply chains.

China's diplomatic service always goes all out to deliver its duty in ensuring overseas compatriots' long journey home. Serving the people is the abiding mission of Chinese diplomats. We will always put the people in the highest position, have our roots in the people, have the people in mind, and deliver benefits to the people. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will continue to carry forward the diplomatic cause true to the expectations of the people. Thank you!

Chen Wenjun:

Thanks to the two delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress, Ms. Shen Beili and Mr. Ma Zhaoxu. Thank you, journalists, for your participation. Today's press conference is concluded. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Zhu Bochen, Liu Sitong, Gong Yingchun, Zhang Junmian, Liu Jianing, Dong Qingpei, Zhou Jing, Ma Yujia, Yan Bin, Wang Wei, Wang Yanfang, Xu Kailin, Yuan Fang, Zhang Rui, Yan Xiaoqing, Li Huiru, Huang Shan, Wang Yiming, He Shan, 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.

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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Yin Bai, deputy secretary-general of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) 

Ms. He Rong, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Supreme People' s Court (SPC), executive vice president of the SPC, and a grand justice of the first rank

Mr. Tong Jianming, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), first deputy prosecutor general of the SPP, and a grand prosecutor of the first rank

Mr. Xu Ganlu, member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), vice minister of public security, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the National Immigration Administration (NIA), and administrator of the NIA

Ms. Zuo Li, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and vice minister of justice

Chairperson:

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

Date:

Oct. 19, 2022

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning. Welcome to the third press conference held by the Press Center for the 20th CPC National Congress. Today, we have invited five delegates to brief you on following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and advancing the rule of law in China to a higher level. They will also take your questions.

The five delegates are Mr. Yin Bai, deputy secretary-general of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee; Ms. He Rong, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Supreme People's Court (SPC), executive vice president of the SPC, and a grand justice of the first rank; Mr. Tong Jianming, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), first deputy prosecutor general of the SPP, and a grand prosecutor of the first rank; Mr. Xu Ganlu, member of the CPC Committee of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), vice minister of public security, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the National Immigration Administration (NIA), and administrator of the NIA; and Ms. Zuo Li, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and vice minister of justice.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Yin Bai for his introduction.

Yin Bai:

Friends from the media, good morning. I'm very glad to talk with you. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress made major decisions and arrangements on following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law to advance the rule of law in China, which pointed out a clear direction for exercising law-based governance on all fronts and establishing China as a socialist country under the rule of law in the new era.

General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned the "rule of law" or "law-based governance" 23 times in the report delivered at the opening session of the 20th CPC National Congress, reflecting the great importance the Party Central Committee attaches to building the rule of law. Here I will brief you on three aspects.

First, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has made an original contribution to the development of Marxist theory on the rule of law.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, as a Marxist statesman, thinker and strategist, General Secretary Xi Jinping has focused on the comprehensive advancement of law-based governance and proposed a series of creative, strategic and practical ideas and guiding strategies on the rule of law based on his knowledge of the finest legal traditions both at home and abroad, leading to the creation of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law. This is the most important achievement in building the rule of law in China since the 18th CPC National Congress. Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law is the most comprehensive, systematic and science-based set of ideas on the rule of law put forward by our Party in the past century. It is the most original Marxist theory on the rule of law in contemporary China and for the 21st century. It is, therefore, of great significance in building socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.

We can understand the great significance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law from political, theoretical, practical and historical perspectives. The political significance lies in the sound guidance it provides for advancing law-based governance on all fronts in the new era. The theoretical significance lies in the historic advance it represents in adapting Marxist theory on the rule of law to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. The practical significance lies in the historic changes and progress it heralds in advancing law-based governance on all fronts in the new era. And the historical significance lies in the creative transformation and development of China's traditional legal culture.

Second, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has opened new ground for advancing the rule of law in China .

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, we have made five major achievements in building the rule of law in China.

First, efforts have been stepped up to establish China as a socialist country under the rule of law. For the first time, a plenary session of the CPC Central Committee has been held to study and make arrangements on exercising law-based governance on all fronts. The Commission for Law-Based Governance under the CPC Central Committee is now in place, and the first central conference on work related to law-based governance has been held. Sound legislation, strict law enforcement, impartial administration of justice and society-wide observance of the law have injected strong impetus into establishing China as a socialist country under the rule of law.

Second, a comprehensive framework for law-based governance has taken shape . We have formulated the plan for promoting the rule of law in the country, the outline for building a government based on the rule of law and the outline for building a society based on the rule of law . We have pursued coordinated progress in law-based governance, law-based exercise of state power and law-based government administration, and taken integrated steps to build a country, government and society based on the rule of law. The top-level design of law-based governance on all fronts has been improved and become more systematic, holistic and coordinated.

Third, we have accelerated work on developing the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristcs . We have stepped up efforts in developing a complete system of legal norms, an efficient enforcement system, a strict supervision system, a strong legal support system and a refined system of Party regulations. As of the end of September 2022, a total of 293 laws, 598 administrative regulations and over 13,000 local regulations have been in effect. In the past 10 years, 159 central Party regulations have also been formulated or revised.

Fourth, major progress has been made in the reform of the judicial system. The judicial system has undergone historic transformation, systematic reshaping and overall reconstruction. Eighty-five percent of staff in judicial organs are now deployed on the front line handling cases, and the number of cases handled per member of staff has risen by 20%. The clearance rate is up by 18%, and in 98% of first- and second-instance cases, litigants were willing to accept the judgments rendered. The quality and efficiency of judicial performance as well as the credibility of the judicial system have continued to improve.

Fifth, stronger law-based protection of social equity and justice is in place. The law-based protection of equality before the law and the protection of human rights under the rule of law have been improved. Law is enforced in a strict, procedure-based, impartial and civil manner. As a result, the people enjoy a wide range of rights and freedoms and assume their obligations in accordance with the law.

Third, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law has been applied as guidance for building the rule of law in China in the new era.

We should study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, translate Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law into strong motivation and actions supporting comprehensive law-based governance, and strive to build a higher level of rule of law in China. We will mainly focus on four areas:

First, we will improve the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics with the Constitution at its core. The Constitution is the fundamental law and the general charter for governing the country. We should comprehensively strengthen the implementation of the Constitution and the supervision thereof, and effectively safeguard its sanctity and authority. We should take the Constitution as the supreme legal norm, and carry out lawmaking in a well-conceived and democratic way and in accordance with law. We should strengthen legislation in key, emerging and foreign-related fields, integrate core socialist values into legislation, and develop a sound, comprehensive, unified and authoritative socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics.

Second, we will steadily promote law-based government administration. Building a law-based government is the key and primary task in advancing law-based governance. We will deepen the reform of the administrative law enforcement system and improve the administrative decision-making system. We should fully implement the system for listing the powers and obligations of government departments across the board and the criteria for administrative discretion, and strengthen law enforcement capacity and supervision. We should set rules and boundaries for administrative power within the rule of law, and work faster toward building a law-based administrative governance system with clear functions and responsibilities.

Third, we will ensure strict and impartial administration of justice. Equity and justice are at the heart of a judicial system. We will expand comprehensive reform in the judicial system and optimize the distribution of judicial powers. We will accelerate the development of a new mechanism for the operation of judicial powers that is rational and rule-based, with balanced rights and responsibilities. We will improve the checks and balances between the powers of investigation, prosecution, adjudication and enforcement. We will comprehensively strengthen the legal supervision power of the prosecution authorities in the new era, and ensure that all aspects and processes of judicial activities are carried out under effective supervision. We will strive to make people feel a sense of fairness and justice in every judicial case.

Fourth, we will accelerate the building of a law-based society. Only when all people trust and act in accordance with the law can the rule of law permeate the country and social life. We should improve the modern public legal service system, fully implement the eighth Five-Year Plan for Promoting the Rule of Law (2021-2025), and promote the spirit of socialist rule of law. We should give full play to the exemplary role of officials to ensure that upholding, studying, observing and applying the law become the common pursuit and conscious effort of all the people. This will improve the rule of law in social governance in all respects.

That's all for my introduction. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Yin Bai.

Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising questions.

Xinhua News Agency:

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress emphasized that the Party will firmly adhere to the major principle of the people-centered development philosophy. Therefore, my question is, what new measures will the people's courts take to implement judicial justice and ensure justice for the people? Thank you.

He Rong:

I will take this question. First, I'd like to thank you all for your interest and support in our work.

Over the past 10 years, the people's courts have thoroughly implemented Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law to ensure that justice is served in every judicial case. Here are some statistics. The number of cases accepted and heard by the people's courts increased from 14.217 million in 2013 to 33.516 million in 2021. The total value of closed cases reached nearly 50 trillion yuan.  

As Mr. Yin just mentioned, the credibility of the judicial system has continued to improve during this process. We made visible achievements in steadfastly safeguarding national security and social stability, serving high-quality socioeconomic development, guaranteeing people's legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law, strictly following judicial justice, deepening judicial system reform, and strengthening team building in the people's courts.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress stressed that an impartial judiciary is the last line of defense for social fairness and justice. It also made clear arrangements to strictly follow judicial justice. For the next step, the people's courts will continue to implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, make strong efforts and take pragmatic steps to implement the major decisions and arrangements made at the 20th CPC National Congress, firmly adhere to the Party's leadership, follow the people-centered development philosophy, stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and provide strong judicial services for promoting Chinese path to modernization.

Specifically, we will undertake the following works. First, we will firmly safeguard national security and social stability, promote development while ensuring security, punish criminals in accordance with the law, protect the people, bring an end to disputes and solve problems. We will also conscientiously guarantee China's political security, maintain overall social stability, promote social equity and justice and guarantee that people live in prosperity and contentment. 

Second, we will always bear in mind the country's most fundamental interests and serve high-quality socioeconomic development. We will fully, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy and provide targeted services for accelerating the building of a new pattern of development. We will continue to give equal protection to state-owned enterprises, private enterprises, domestic and foreign enterprises, and large, medium-sized, small and micro-sized enterprises. We will strengthen judicial protection for property and intellectual property rights, create a pro-market international business environment based on the rule of law and provide targeted support for China's efforts to stabilize employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and market expectations. We will also guarantee jobs, basic living needs, food and energy, industrial and supply chains, the interests of market players, and the smooth functioning of grassroots government. We will also make substantial efforts to solve administrative disputes and protect the ecological environment through rigorous systematic and stringent laws and regulations. We will take a coordinated approach to the rule of law at home and in matters involving foreign parties and serve the country's opening up at a higher level. We will also serve China's major strategies based on actual conditions to promote high-quality development.

Third, we will protect the legitimate rights and interests of the people in accordance with the law. We will continue to thoroughly implement the Civil Code, fairly hear cases related to people's livelihood in such fields as education, employment, elderly care, housing, and marriage in accordance with the law, and continue to consolidate the achievements in basically resolving difficulties in the execution of court rulings.

Fourth, we will ensure strict and impartial administration of justice . We will continue to correct miscarriages of justice in accordance with the law, promote core socialist values, strengthen the substantive resolution of disputes, and serve steady efforts towards common prosperity. We will willingly accept oversight and implement the whole-process people's democracy.

CCTV:

We have noted that in his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly declared that a comprehensive framework for law-based governance has taken shape in China. What measures has the Ministry of Justice taken to promote law-based governance on all fronts and administration of justice in the new era? How do you evaluate the effects? What are the future considerations? Thank you.

Zuo Li:

Thank you for your question. I will answer it.

In his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that we have intensified efforts to advance socialist rule of law in our country, and a comprehensive framework for law-based governance has taken shape . This is a significant achievement made by the CPC Central Committee in comprehensively promoting law-based governance since the 18th CPC National Congress. While promoting law-based governance in all respects and administration of justice in the new era, we have adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, and focused on the "one coordination and four major functions." The "one coordination" indicates coordinating the law-based governance work across the board. We have promoted the basic completion of the top-level design of the "one plan and two outlines," namely, the plan for promoting the rule of law in China, the outline for building a government based on the rule of law, and the outline for building a society based on the rule of law . The "one plan and two outlines" will comprehensively promote integrated efforts to build a country, a government, and a society based on the rule of law . The "four major functions" point to administrative legislation, administrative law enforcement, the execution of criminal penalties, and public legal services. Focusing on these "four major functions," we will further facilitate new and steady achievements in the work of administration of justice.

To be specific, first, we will accelerate the improvement of the system for law-based administration and make new progress in administrative legislation work. We will make further headway in making laws in a well-conceived and democratic way and in accordance with the law . We have promoted the formulation and revision of a slew of important administrative regulations, including the regulation on optimizing the business environment , and comprehensively carried out tasks of recording and reviewing laws and regulations as well as clearing them up through special plans, providing a strong legal guarantee for the great overall development of the cause of the Party and the country.

Second, we will take practical measures to advance strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil law enforcement and work to open a new chapter in the coordination and supervision work concerning administrative law enforcement. We have been pressing forward with the three administrative law enforcement systems in an all-round manner, namely, the system of public notification for administrative law enforcement, the system of archiving throughout the whole process of administrative law enforcement, and the system of legal review of major law enforcement decisions. We will accelerate building the work system of coordination and supervision for administrative law enforcement at provincial, city, county, and township levels. For the first time, we have unified the standard design of certificates for administrative law enforcement as well as uniforms and logos of six comprehensive administrative law enforcement teams. Campaigns have been carried out to cut down on requirements for administrative certification to ensure greater convenience for the people, with over 21,000 certification requirements canceled. We have strengthened oversight over administrative review. Over the past decade, administrative review organs at various levels have handled over 1.9 million cases, with 13.6% of them being corrected on average, significantly improving law-based government administration.

Third, we will strengthen oversight and management in accordance with the law and work to further improve criminal enforcement work. We have promoted the standardized, procedure- and law-based development of prisons. We have fully screened cases involving commutation, parole and execution of sentences outside prison, improved the system of responsibility for handling cases, imposed rigid constraints on the system, and taken strict measures to punish the violation of laws and disciplines. We have promoted the formulation and implementation of the Community Correction Law and strengthened the oversight and management of community correction to safeguard national security and social stability with all our efforts.

Fourth, we will uphold the rule of law for the people and work to make breakthroughs in public legal services. A public legal service network covering urban and rural areas has been established. There are now over 570,000 physical platforms nationwide, more than 600,000 villages (communities) with legal counselors, and over 2,000 telephone operators working for legal service hotlines. We have fully accomplished the seventh Five-Year Plan for Promoting the Rule of Law (2016-2020) and are now implementing the eighth plan. We expect journalists present today to pay more attention to and work to attract more attention to public legal education, helping to make the rule of law a consensus of the entire society. We have also improved the national unified legal profession qualification system. At the same time, we have ensured lawyers' rights to perform their duties, including the right to participate in litigation, consult copies of case files, and investigate and collect evidence. Moreover, we have developed and strengthened legal service ranks consisting of lawyers, notaries, judicial experts, arbitrators and people's mediators. With these efforts, we will further consolidate the foundations of law-based society.

Next, we will fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and uphold the Party's centralized and unified leadership over the law-based governance on all fronts. We will actively respond to the new expectations and requirements of the people about the rule of law, focus on key areas and links, and perform our duties to safeguard high-quality development with high-quality rule of law. Thank you.

China News Service, Chinanews.com:

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that national security is the bedrock for national rejuvenation and social stability is a prerequisite for building a strong and prosperous China. What will be done by public security organs to maintain social security and stability? Thank you.

Xu Ganlu: 

The question of this journalist from China News Service concerns public security organs' major duties and work. I would be glad to answer it.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, public security organs across the country have followed the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, resolutely implemented a series of important instructions and requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping about public security, and taken solid steps to advance the building of a peaceful China and the rule of law in China. We have taken strict precautions against and cracked down hard on infiltration, subversion, and sabotage activities and taken tough measures against all sorts of illegal and criminal activities infringing on the lives and property safety of the people, effectively safeguarding national security and social stability and ensuring that our people enjoy a peaceful life.

China has one of the lowest homicide rates in the world, with 0.5 cases per 100,000 residents. It is also among the countries with the lowest crime rates and fewest gun- and explosives-related cases. Over the past decade, the indexes concerning the five items, including criminal cases and accidents, have dropped sharply. In 2021, the number of cases involving eight major crimes, including homicides and rapes, dropped 64.4%; and the number of drug-related crimes, robberies, thefts, and traffic accidents with more than three deaths at one accident fell 56.8%, 96.1%, 62.6% and 59.3%, respectively. People's sense of security has been significantly improved. According to the National Bureau of Statistics survey in 2021, the sense of security reached 98.8%, up 11 percentage points from 2012. China has been widely acknowledged as one of the safest countries in the world.

While creating a secure and stable social environment for the sustained and healthy development of the economy, public security organs have adopted a people-centered approach, taking the initiative in reforming services concerning the management of public order, household registration, traffic, and entry and exit. By focusing on the three major credentials that are closely related to people's daily life, namely, ID cards, driving licenses, and entry-exit documents, public security organs have continuously improved procedures and cut down unnecessary requirements. We were among the first to ensure services are accessible online no matter where applicants are. In regard to the 60 administrative items for approving and issuing documents, processing times are all shorter than the limit set by law. A series of policies and measures that benefit people and enterprises have brought great convenience to their study, work, production, and life, significantly boosting investment, trade, and business activities as well as innovation and entrepreneurship. Over the past five years, these measures have saved 220 billion yuan in costs and also saved a lot of time, benefiting hundreds of millions of people.

The miracles of sustained and healthy economic growth and social stability did not fall into our lap automatically, nor were they gained by waiting. Instead, they were earned under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and by the dedicated collective efforts of the Party and the people. Throughout their painstaking struggle, the public security police have made tremendous sacrifices. In the past 10 years, 3,799 police officers laid down their lives, and over 50,000 police officers were injured, which fully demonstrated their political character of being loyal to the Party, serving the people, enforcing the law in an impartial way, and strictly following disciplines. They set examples of being loyal guardians for the Party and the people in the new era.

National security is the bedrock of national rejuvenation, and social stability is a prerequisite for building a strong and prosperous China. This is an important judegement made by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress. Embarking on the new journey in the new era, public security organs will earnestly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and faithfully carry out tasks and duties entrusted by the Party and the people in the new era. Public security organs will remain firm in upholding a holistic approach to national security and fully act on the new decisions and requirements for modernizing the national security system and its capacities. Efforts will be made to fend off and defuse all kinds of risks and potential problems that endanger social security. Public security organs will launch regular crackdowns on organized crimes and root out local criminal gangs. Continuous efforts will be made to counter crimes of strong public concern. Public security organs will focus more on giving a bigger role to the rule of law, science and technology, and public participation. Public security organs will pay more attention to the reform of institutions and mechanisms of the police and our work at the grassroots level. Public security organs will keep public security work more technology-based and innovative with wider public participation. The goals of our work is to make crackdowns on crimes more targeted and regulations more efficient and to provide more high-quality services. In doing so, we will make new contributions to safeguarding national security, social stability, and people's interests.

That's all for my answer.

CNR:

The SPP issued its eighth procuratorial suggestion in the first half of this year to help address major problems regarding the supervision and management of work safety. What progress and achievements have the people's procuratorates made in recent years to promote the rule of law and improve people's sense of gain in this aspect? Thank you. 

Tong Jianming:

Thank you for your concern about and support for the procuratorial work.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important instructions on procuratorial work. Last year, ahead of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, the CPC Central Committee issued a guideline on strengthening legal supervision work of the people's procuratorates in the new era. Procuratorial organs at all levels have adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, and improved the new pattern of the legal supervision featuring four major functions regarding criminal, civil, administrative, and public interest litigations. Progress has been made in reforming the procuratorial work in the new era in terms of its functions, organizations, and mechanisms, playing a positive role in building a law-based country. 

We have attached great importance to the guidance of the rule of law. Since the reform and opening up, the pattern of crimes committed across the country has seen remarkable changes, with a continuous and dramatic decrease in murder, robbery, and other serious violent crimes, while there has been a sharp rise in new types of crimes that endanger economic and social management order such as dangerous driving and telecom fraud. Against this backdrop, procuratorial organs have maintained severe punishment for serious crimes while also making great efforts to combine punishment with clemency in criminal prosecution and conscientiously implementing the criminal justice policy of making "fewer arrests, prudent prosecution, and cautious detention." We have ensured the implementation of the sentence bargaining system to improve social harmony. The percentage of pre-prosecution custody of criminal cases has dropped from 69.7% in 2012 to 28.3% in the first nine months of this year, marking notable judicial progress. We have handled a series of justifiable defense cases, including the Kunshan case, in an objective and justice manner, showing that "the law will prevail over illegal activities" in order to encourage the citizens to help others for a good cause.

We have made great efforts to enhance legal supervision over litigation activities. The SPP has worked with the MPS to establish a mechanism for investigation, supervision, and collaboration, with over 3,600 offices being set up, thereby ensuring effective supervision and better cooperation. From 2013 to September this year, a total of 119,000 protests were filed against criminal, civil, and administrative judgments deemed erroneous. A circuit procuratorial mechanism has been established to improve the supervision over the execution of penalty in prisons. We have also stepped up efforts to strengthen legal supervision over investigations, trials, and execution of penalties. By doing so, we are striving to make the people feel a sense of fairness and justice in every judicial case.

We insist on the active performance of duties to promote litigation source governance. Deeply implementing the idea that advancing the rule of law should not only focus on the end to "cure disease," but also focus on what is in front to "prevent disease" as stressed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the SPP summarized and analyzed judicial data and typical cases, and issued the first eight procuratorial suggestions around campus security, sewer manhole management, cyberspace governance, and workplace safety as mentioned by the reporter just now, promoting the organic combination of governance and punishing crimes, and striving to prevent crimes from occurring at their source.

For the first time in history, the work report to the 20th CPC National Congress specifically emphasized that "Procuratorial organs will step up legal oversight," which represents the Party's trust in and expectation for the procuratorial organs. We will thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, more consciously adhere to 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 the Two Upholds, strengthen and improve legal oversight, and make new contributions to deepening law-based governance in all respects and building a Chinese path to modernization. Thank you.

The Beijing News:

In July 2017, amendments to the civil and administrative procedure laws established the public-interest litigation procuratorial system. Some believe that this system has given new meaning to the "governance of China." How will the procuratorial organs, as representatives of public interest, perform this duty? Thank you.

Tong Jianming:

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Exploring and establishing the system of public-interest litigation by the procuratorial organs was a major decision and arrangement made at the fourth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, and also an important measure in promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that "as representatives of the public interest, prosecutors shoulder important responsibilities ." Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the procuratorial organs, bearing in mind the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, actively and steadily promoted the in-depth development of public-interest litigation. Over the past five years, the procuratorial organs have handled more than 710,000 public-interest litigation cases, with an average of more than 140,000 each year, forming a unique "Chinese solution" for the judicial protection of public interest, which has also attracted extensive attention from the international community.

We have always adhered to the principle of serving the overall situation and providing justice for the people. The SPP has successively arranged special public interest litigation campaigns such as "ensuring the food safety of thousands of households" and "public interest litigation to safeguard a better life," to promote solutions of concern to the people in fields such as ecological environment, food and medicine safety, and workplace safety.

We insist on performing our duties in coordination with jointly protecting the public interest. The SPP clearly put forward the concept of "win-win and all-win," taking the realization of public interest goals before litigation as the best judicial status, and promoting the active performance of duties by administrative departments through consultation and pre-litigation procuratorial suggestions. In the past five years, 98% of procuratorial suggestions in administrative public-interest litigation have been effectively adopted to make rectifications before litigation; for those that the procuratorial suggestions could not be implemented, 35,000 lawsuits were filed, 99.7% of which were supported by the people's courts, and efforts were made to turn these cases into "rule of law examples."

We have earnestly implemented the legislative decisions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and continuously expanded our public-interest litigation efforts in new areas. To meet new demand for public interest protection, China has improved legislation concerning public-interest litigation over the past years. In 2017, China revised the Civil Procedure Law and the Criminal Procedure Law, allowing procuratorial organs to lodge public-interest lawsuits in four fields, including environmental and resource protection, food and drug safety, state-owned property protection, and transfer of the use rights of state-owned land. Since 2018, the NPC Standing Committee has revised and formulated relevant laws, adding eight new fields including the protection of the rights and interests of martyrs, the protection of minors, the protection of honor and reputation of military personnel, workplace safety, personal information protection, anti-monopoly, anti-telecommunication network fraud, and agricultural product quality and safety. Procuratorial organs at all levels have conscientiously performed their responsibilities conferred by law and strengthened judicial protection of public interests in these new areas. The proportion of cases handled in new fields has reached 20.7%.

Efforts to improve the public-interest litigation system were emphasized in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress. We will resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, continue to explore new ways to better perform the procuratorial function of public-interest litigation, and help modernize China's governance system and capabilities. Thank you.

CRNTT:

As we know, protecting intellectual property rights is equal to protecting innovation. Could you please introduce the progress made by the people's courts in the new era in serving innovation-driven development and strengthening judicial protection of intellectual property rights? And what specific plans do you have for the next step?

He Rong:

Thank you.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that it is necessary to strengthen the legal protection of intellectual property rights and speed up efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed on many occasions that innovation is the primary driving force behind development, and protecting intellectual property rights is equal to protecting innovation. Over the past 10 years in the new era, the people's courts have adhered to the protection of intellectual property rights strictly in accordance with the law, and supported innovation-driven development and the country's efforts to build greater scientific and technological strength.

First, the scope and intensity of judicial protection have constantly been increasing. At present, the scope of intellectual property rights trials has covered patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets, integrated circuit layout designs, new plant varieties, geographical indications, and other rights protection, as well as unfair competition, monopolistic behavior regulation, and other related cases. The types of legal disputes are becoming more and more diverse. Since 2013, 2.738 million first-instance intellectual property rights cases have been concluded, with an average annual increase of 24.5%.

Second, the ability and effect of the legal system on stimulating innovation and creativity have become more prominent. We have promulgated judicial interpretations concerning plant variety rights, trade secrets protection, and punitive damages, so as to protect the legitimate rights and interests of inventers and innovators in accordance with the law and to serve China's efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology. We have cracked down on crimes such as counterfeiting and shoddy products and infringement with the aim of promoting independent innovation in the seed industry. We have issued opinions on supporting the building of a unified national market, strengthened judicial practice against monopolies and unfair competition, so as to maintain a fair market order. We have handled cases in which e-commerce platforms obliged businesses not to operate on competing platforms and used big-data analysis to price products to the disadvantage of existing customers in accordance with the law, and constantly strengthened the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment and consumers, to promote the standardized and healthy development of the digital economy and platform economy.

Third, the specialized judicial system and protection mechanism have been further improved. We have given full play to the function of IP court of the SPC, the four IP courts of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hainan Free Trade Port, as well as local IP courts, and advanced the "three-in-one" reform of integrating civil, administrative and criminal trial of IPR cases into one division . Punitive damages have been applied, significantly increasing the cost of infringement. We have strengthened the mechanism that dovetails administrative law enforcement and justice, and improved the level of protection through the whole legal process.

Fourth, the international influence of judicial protection has continued to increase. We have impartially protected the lawful rights and interests of IP right holders both at home and abroad in accordance with the law, fulfilled obligations of international treaties, deepened exchange and cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization and other such entities, and showed China's unequivocal commitment to strict IP protection to the world. Therefore, more and more foreign companies have chosen Chinese courts to resolve IP disputes.

Going forward, we will give full play to the role of courts in accordance with the decisions and plans of the 20th CPC National Congress, and support the implementation of the strategy to invigorate China through science and education. We will continue to strengthen judicial protection of IP in a bid to provide effective judicial services for promoting high-quality development and building up China's strength in science and technology. We will promote and improve IP protection rules in such fields as big data, artificial intelligence, and genetic technology, strengthen the enforcement of laws against monopoly and unfair competition, strengthen the mechanism that dovetails administrative law enforcement and justice, and regulate and guide the healthy development of capital in accordance with the law. In addition, we will ensure an equitable, efficient and sound judicial protection system with scientific governance and clear-cut rights and boundaries, and strengthen the construction of a professional trial system to further deepen international judicial cooperation and exchange, and continuously enhance the fair image and international influence of IP protection in China. Thank you.

Legal Daily:

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress proposes to advance law enforcement to ensure that it is strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil across the board. How will the public security departments integrate the pursuit of fairness and justice into the entire process and all aspects of law enforcement? Thank you.

Xu Ganlu:

Thanks for your question. In the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, new plans and requirements have been put forward for exercising law-based governance on all fronts and advancing the rule of law in China. I would like to introduce the work and future plans of the public security organs in this regard.

Over the past decade, implementing Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and working to meet the general requirements that the law is enforced in a strict, procedure-based, impartial and civil manner, public security organs have continued to advance the work on building public security organs based on the rule of law. Therefore, the role of the rule of law in public security work as well as credibility in law enforcement have been steadily strengthened. Over the past decade, public security organs have actively cooperated with relevant departments in formulating 15 laws and 10 administrative regulations closely related to public security work, such as the Anti-Terrorism Law, the Anti-Organized Crime Law, the Cyber Security Law and the Anti-Telecom and Internet Fraud Law. We have promulgated 22 rules and regulations concerning procedures for public security organs to handle criminal and administrative cases. A series of law enforcement rules, behavior guidelines and operating procedures have been formulated to ensure that the law enforcement powers of public security authorities are correctly exercised in accordance with the rule of law.

While enforcing the law, public security organs have adhered to the rule of law in administration, governance and case handling, improved the way of duty performance and law enforcement, strengthened the supervision and management during the whole process of law enforcement and improved the "five systems." First, we have pushed forward the reform of the system for case acceptance and filing, clarified the time limit for filing cases, and strengthened routine inspection and supervision to solve the problems of delay and misconduct in accepting and filing cases. Second, we have implemented a system of audio and video recording during field law enforcement. Public security police have been equipped with 1.3 million law enforcement recorders to record the entire process of law enforcement activities and ensure they are carried out in accordance with the law. Third, we have rolled out the whole-process supervision system. A total of 3,027 law enforcement and case-handling centers have been built and put into operation in cities and counties, basically covering all the administrative cities (counties). In principle, all criminal cases must be handled at the centers. Fourth, we have deepened the system for transparent law enforcement to make the basis, procedures, progress and results of law enforcement known to the maximum extent and fully protect the people's right to know, supervise and participate. Fifth, we have established a system of accountability during law enforcement. We have implemented the accountability investigation for misconduct during law enforcement and lifelong accountability for case handling. We work to ensure that power comes with responsibility, and that all who abuse power are held accountable.

Over the past decade, we have adhered to the principle of building the police politically with rigorous self-discipline, carried out training and rectification for the police, and addressed problems such as lax and unfair law enforcement. We have carried out extensive police drills and more than 300,000 training courses for the police to enhance their consciousness in aim, the rule of law, human rights and procedures and improve their law enforcement practices. Many "textbook" practices of law enforcement, which have met the requirements that the law must be enforced in a strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil manner, have emerged and are well received by society. Over the past decade, we have made remarkable and fruitful achievements in promoting the rule of law in public security work.

Next, public security organs across the country will thoroughly study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, stay committed to following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, and act on the arrangements and requirements for exercising law-based governance on all fronts and advancing the rule of law in China. We will work to ensure that law enforcement is strict, procedure-based, impartial, and civil across the board. We will strike hard at all acts of infiltration, subversion, and sabotage by hostile forces as well as all types of crimes and illegal behaviors deeply resented by the people in accordance with the law. We will continue to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people in accordance with the law. We will deepen the reform of the law enforcement supervision and management mechanism and the law enforcement responsibility system, further improve the mechanism of law enforcement, and effectively embed the value of fairness and justice in every dimension and phase of law enforcement. This way, we will be able to ensure that the people experience fairness and justice in every case and every matter, and to make new efforts and contributions toward reaching a higher-level rule of law in China. Thank you.

CPPCC Daily, www.rmzxb.com.cn:

Following the implementation of the Yangtze River Protection Law, the draft of a law on the protection of the Yellow River, known as China's "Mother River," has been completed and submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for deliberation. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress stresses making laws in a well-conceived and democratic way and in accordance with the law. My question is, how will you better implement the requirement in administrative legislation? Thanks.

Zuo Li:

Thank you for your question, and thank you all for your attention to administration of justice.

As mentioned by this journalist just now, a draft law on the protection of the Yellow River was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for deliberation by the State Council in October last year. It has been deliberated twice and will soon enter the third review process. In the early stage of our work, we worked with relevant departments of the State Council to conduct in-depth investigation and study and solicit opinions from a wide range of sources. When drafting the law, we earnestly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on the protection of the Yellow River as well as the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council. All these efforts are aimed at providing a strong legal support for ecological protection and high quality development in the Yellow River basin.

Administrative legislation is a significant component of the national legislation. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the State Council has formulated, revised, and repealed 466 administrative regulations, of which 56 were formulated, 46 were revised, another 327 went through package revision, and 37 were repealed. The Report to the 20th CPC National Congress also stressed that we will make further headway in making laws in a well-conceived and democratic way and in accordance with the law. We will fully grasp and put into practice the guiding principles from the Party's 20th National Congress. To ensure and safeguard social fairness and justice, we will ensure high-quality development with high-quality legislation, advance reform across the board, and safeguard overall social stability, and better leverage the rule of law and consider it as a guarantee for consolidating the foundations of the Party's governance, meeting people's expectations and maintaining long-term development.

Looking forward, we will put more emphasis on the following aspects.

First, we will always adhere to the Party's leadership over administrative legislation. We will earnestly study and put into practice General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on legislative work and fully enforce the institutional arrangements concerning the Party's leadership over legislative work. Acting in accordance with the CPC Central Committee's decisions and arrangements, we will expedite the efforts to complete major legislation projects and make sure that administrative legislation is heading in the right political direction.

Second, we will strengthen legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related areas. Staying focused on the overall development of the Party and the nation, we will proactively carry out legislation work in major fields such as national security, sci-tech innovation, public health, biosecurity, ecological civilization, risk prevention, and foreign-related sectors. We will also strengthen legislation to regulate common administrative practices and, in a timely manner, revise or repeal laws, regulations, and institutional arrangements that fail to meet the requirement of reform and development in the new era in a bid to develop sound laws to promote development and secure sound governance.

Third, we will continuously improve the quality and efficiency of administrative legislation. We will focus on practical issues and legislative needs, carry out in-depth investigations and research, fully heed opinions from all sectors, and strive to develop sound solutions and measures which can address practical issues. In the meantime, we will improve a series of systems and mechanisms concerning the approval, drafting, deliberation, coordination, and review of legislation. We will continue administrative legislation in a more refined and targeted manner and make it more systemic, holistic, coordinated, and timely. We will also improve the mechanism of legislation work, enhance coordination on all fronts, and carry out overall planning and implement the formulation, revision, repeal, and interpretation of relevant matching administrative legislation in a holistic manner.  

Fourth, we will proactively respond to people's emerging demands and expectations for legislative work. We will keep learning about people's needs, seeking their advice, and letting them evaluate the effectiveness of our work. We will further improve the community contact point system on administrative legislation, proactively utilize new media means and emerging technologies to expand the channels of public participation in legislation work, and ensure people's right to know, to participate, to express views, and to supervise legislation work. We will continuously improve legal systems, which are necessary to meeting people's growing needs for a better life, and strive to make people feel fairness and justice in every single piece of the legal system. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you to the five Party delegates and friends from the media. Today's press conference is hereby concluded. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Wang Yiming, Wang Qian, Zhou Jing, Li Huiru, Duan Yaying, Ma Yujia, Yan Bin, Wang Wei, Wang Yanfang, Xu Kailin, Yuan Fang, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Cui Can, Zhang Tingting, He Shan, Guo Yiming, Xu Xiaoxuan, Gong Yingchun, Zhu Bochen, Liu Sitong, 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.

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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Xiao Pei, deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and vice chairman of the National Supervisory Commission

Mr. Xu Qifang, deputy director of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee

Mr. Tian Peiyan, deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee

Chairperson:

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

Date:

Oct. 17, 2022

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good afternoon. Welcome to the press conference held by the Press Center for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Today, we have invited three delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress to brief you on exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance and advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era. They are Mr. Xiao Pei, deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the CPC and vice chairman of the National Supervisory Commission; Mr. Xu Qifang, deputy director of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee; and Mr. Tian Peiyan, deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Xiao Pei for his introduction.

Xiao Pei:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, good afternoon. The 20th CPC National Congress opened yesterday, drawing widespread attention both at home and abroad. General Secretary Xi Jinping's report laying out the strategic arrangements for advancing Party building is a reminder of the remarkable journey the Party has been on in exercising full and rigorous self-governance in the new era. Hearing General Secretary Xi's report, we deeply felt the inspiring convictions and a powerful source of strength.

Ten years ago, when General Secretary Xi Jinping met domestic and international journalists upon the conclusion of the 18th CPC National Congress, he stressed that the Party's goal corresponded to the people's aspirations for a better life, and that under the new circumstances, there were many pressing problems within the Party that needed to be resolved, such as corruption, disengagement from the people, pointless formalities and bureaucratism. He urged all Party members to stay on full alert and keep firmly in mind the old adage that it takes a good blacksmith to forge good steel.

Over the past decade, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core exercised full and rigorous Party self-governance as part of its overall strategy, and conducted an unprecedentedly tough fight against corruption with the resolve to "offend a few thousand rather than fail 1.4 billion." With a decade of unswerving efforts, great progress has been made in the full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era. We have transformed lax and weak governance over the Party; prevented the Party from betraying its essence or changing its color due to sprawling corruption, the Four Malfeasances (pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance) and pursuit of privilege; and kept the infiltration and interference from interest groups and establishment groups at bay. We have seized the historical initiative by maintaining close ties with the people and winning their heartfelt support, as well as ensuring the Party's great solidarity and unity, its position at the forefront of the times, and its role in leading the people toward great national rejuvenation.

Exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance is a distinct theme of Party building in the new era. Giving top priority to its political work and upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee as its foremost political principle, the Party has made great efforts to regulate political activities and conduct within the Party and enhance political oversight to ensure that the Party's theories, guidelines, principles and policies as well as the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee achieve the desired results. The Party has started from formulating and implementing the central Party leadership's eight-point decisions on improving conduct, and continued efforts to tackle the Four Malfeasances, thus reversing unhealthy tendencies that had long gone unchecked, remedying deep-seated problems that had plagued the Party for years, and further consolidating the political foundation for the Party's long-term governance.

The CPC has strengthened discipline in the whole Party. Remaining committed to the principle of rigorous self-governance, the Party has enforced rigorous political discipline and rules through genuine, brave and constant efforts. The Party has maintained zero tolerance of corruption and taken coordinated action to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity or desire to become corrupt. We have resolutely investigated corruption cases in which political and economic issues are intertwined and punished corruption that affects people's lives. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the discipline inspection and supervisory organs nationwide have placed 4.648 million cases on file for investigation and prosecution, among which 553 officials registered at and supervised by the CPC Central Committee were investigated and over 25,000 officials at the department or bureau level and over 182,000 officials at the county and director level were punished. An overwhelming victory has been won in the anti-corruption campaign and the success has been consolidated.

A hundred years on from its founding, the CPC, which has undergone revolutionary tempering through full and rigorous Party self-governance in the new era, is still in its prime. It has found self-reform as the second answer to the question of how to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall.

The 20th CPC National Congress has made strategic arrangements on exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance and advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era. We will acquire a deeper understanding of the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations (the affirmation 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 strengthen the Four Consciousnesses (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 adhere to the Four-sphere Confidence (confident in the path, the theory, the system, and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics), and firmly adhere to the Two Upholds (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). We will consciously arm ourselves with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We will uphold and strengthen the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, improve the institutions for carrying out self-reform of the Party, improve Party conduct and enforce rigorous Party discipline, and resolutely make decisive efforts to win the protracted war against corruption. The Party will better steer social transformation by engaging in self-transformation. These are firm guarantees for China's endeavor in building a modern socialist country in all respects. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Xiao Pei. Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Xu Qifang for his introduction.

Xu Qifang:

Friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen, I'm very glad to meet you. Yesterday, the 20th CPC National Congress opened and we heard the report delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping. The report with a distinct theme is profound in thoughts and rich in connotations. It is a political declaration and a guide inspiring the whole Party and all the Chinese people to write a new chapter in building a modern socialist country in all respects. I will brief you on implementing the guiding principles for the Party's organizational work in the new era.

At the national conference on organizational work in July 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping for the first time elaborated on the full content and connotations of the guiding principles for the Party's organizational work, pointing out a clear direction and offering sound guidance for strengthening the Party's organizational building in the new era. The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee as well as local authorities and various departments across the country have studied and implemented the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches as a major political task to ensure the implementation of the guiding principles for the Party's organizational work in the new era.

First, we have upheld and strengthened the Party's overall leadership. With reinforcing the Party's political foundations as the priority, we have strengthened the Four Consciousnesses, bolstered the Four-sphere Confidence, and ensured the Two Upholds with greater initiative, thus remarkably consolidating the Party's core leadership role.

Second, we have armed ourselves with the Party's new theories. We have studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the primary political task, and carried out the campaign to raise the awareness of staying true to the original aspiration and upholding the founding mission of the Party and activities to study the history of the CPC, thus achieving more solid progress in arming ourselves with the Party's new theories.

Third, we have improved the organizational system featuring unimpeded communication and effective policy implementation at all levels. We have focused on building strong primary-level Party organizations, which have performed a decisive role in poverty alleviation, rural revitalization and the COVID-19 response. Party members also played an exemplary and vanguard role in these endeavors.

Fourth, we have cultivated a workforce of high-quality professional officials. We fully implemented the standards of competent officials in the new era, who are expected to be loyal, honest and responsible. We built and improved five systems related to officials, namely, training professional skills, putting people in suitable posts, selection and appointment of officials, rigorous management and positive incentives. We also pushed forward the reform of the categorized management of civil servants. We have thus cultivated officials who are politically committed, meet the requirements of the new era, and are qualified to lead the country's modernization drive.

Fifth, we have implemented the strategy of building a high-quality workforce in the new era. A central conference on talent-related work was held, and more efforts were made to build talent centers and innovation hubs of global importance. We deepened institutional reforms for talent development, carried out key talent projects, and worked to break new ground in talent work in the new era.

Sixth, we have remained committed to institutional, rules-based governance over the Party. We have continuously deepened the institutional reform of Party building, which has contributed to creating sounder, more systematic and standardized Party building.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress has laid out clear requirements for Party building and organizational work. We must make great efforts to understand and implement them, and focus on the following aspects.

First, we will continuously arm ourselves with the Party's new theories, and motivate Party organizations at all levels and Party members and officials to step up their efforts to study Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We will work to ensure that they acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations, and are resolutely committed to the Two Upholds.

Second, we will coordinate learning and collective training on the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress to ensure that Party members and officials follow the guidance of the 20th CPC National Congress through unified thought and action.

Third, we must bear in mind China's fundamental interests, make unremitting efforts to select officials, pool talent and improve work at the primary level, as well as push forward high-quality development of the Party's organizational work in the new era, in order to provide strong organizational support for building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. That is all from me. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Xu Qifang. Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Tian Peiyan for his introduction.

Tian Peiyan:

Friends from the press, good afternoon. Here, I'd like to brief you on the achievements in theoretical innovations in Party building.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has, in light of the new requirements for Party leadership and building based on the development of conditions and tasks, and concentrating on answering the fundamental questions of what kind of long-term governing Marxist party the Party should build itself into and how to build such a party, thoroughly explored the laws on governance by a communist party and its self-building, put forward a series of new concepts, ideas and strategies for governance over the Party, and made significant theoretical achievements and ground-breaking contributions to enriching and developing Marxist party building theory. 

The theoretical achievements are rich in content, and can be summarized as follows. The overall requirements for Party building in the new era have been proposed, clarifying the policies, main tasks, focus, as well as overall plans and goals. The strategy for exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party has been put forward, emphasizing full governance as the foundation, rigorous governance as the pivot and governance itself as the crux to ensure such governance is conducted in a genuine, brave and constant manner. It has been pointed out that self-reform is the second answer to the question of how can the Party escape the historical cycle of rise and fall, and that the Party must boost its ability to purify, improve, renew, and excel itself.

It has been put forth that the Party's leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and constitutes the greatest strength of this system, and that the Party is the highest force for political leadership. It has been proposed that the Party's political building is of fundamental importance to the Party as it determines the direction and efficacy of Party building. It has been set out that the great founding spirit of the Party is the Party's source of strength, and that ideals and convictions are the source of strength, political soul and "spiritual calcium" of Chinese Communists.

Moreover, the guiding principles for Party's organizational work in the new era has been put forward and criteria for judging competent officials have been specified, stressing that the organizational system featuring unimpeded communication and effective policy implementation at all levels should be improved and primary-level Party organizations should be strengthened both politically and organizationally. It has also been set out that the Party's conduct amounts to its image, and, like a barometer, indicates the relationship between the Party, officials and the public, and tells us how the support of the public will shift. As such, unremitting efforts must be made to improve conduct, while the practices of pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance must be resolutely fought against. The fight against corruption is a major political struggle that the Party cannot afford to lose and must never lose. Punishments, deterrents, institutional restraint and efforts to raise political awareness should all be put in place to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity or desire to become corrupt.

Public power, entrusted by the people, is and will always be exercised for public good; Party and state oversight systems should be improved, and checks and scrutiny over the exercise of power should be strengthened. Institutional building and rule-based governance over the Party should be employed as essential tools in its full and rigorous self-governance. A set of institutions that are well conceived, fully built, procedure-based, and functioning efficiently must also be developed. Sound Party building is the highest career accomplishment, and the assumption of responsibilities for exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance must be ensured.

These theoretical achievements have provided the fundamental guidance for exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance, demonstrated strong power of truth and great practical significance when guiding the great new project of Party building, strengthened the overall leadership by the Party, significantly enhanced the Party's ability to provide political leadership, give theoretical guidance, organize the people, and inspire society, addressed the problem of lax and weak self-governance in Party organizations at the root, and made the Party stronger through revolutionary tempering, offering a strong political underpinning to the historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Tian. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlets you represent before raising questions.

Qiushi Journal:

Before the 20th CPC National Congress opened, the Communique of the Seventh Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC stressed once again that all Party members must have a keen understanding of the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations. How should we understand the decisive significance of the Two Affirmations?

Tian Peiyan:

I'll take this question. The Two Affirmations is the major political achievement made by the Party in the new era. It is the decisive factor in achieving historic achievements and bringing about landmark changes in the cause of the Party and the nation.

A robust leadership core and well-conceived theories are the key indicators of a mature Marxist political party. Over the past century, they have guided the CPC to victory and lasting greatness. Historical materialism reveals the principal role of the people in moving history forward, while fully recognizing the important role of elites in the development of history. It holds that every era should have its own outstanding figures. This is because these elites can understand the trends of the times correctly. They develop keen insights about the common aspirations of the people, put forward historic tasks, and clarify the goals to strive for in the future. They also aim high, possess extraordinary political wisdom and a strong sense of historical responsibility, and can effectively mobilize and rely on the people to turn their common aspirations into reality. General Secretary Xi Jinping is such an outstanding figure and a leader of the people with popular confidence in our great era.

Similarly, the well-conceived theoretical guidance of Marxism is the foundation of the Party to stay firm in its beliefs and convictions and seize the historical initiative. Only by treating science with a scientific attitude and pursuing truth with a truth-seeking spirit, adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, continuously responding to the questions concerning China, the world, the people and the times, making correct choices in accordance with China's realities and the expectations of the times, and gaining a well-conceived understanding that conforms to objective laws, can the Party observe, understand, and steer the trends of our times correctly and achieve lasting victory. Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the latest theoretical achievement made by our Party in correctly responding to major questions raised by the times and practices. It is the Marxism of contemporary China and in the 21st century, embodies the essence of the times of Chinese culture and the Chinese spirit, and makes new advances in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times.

Facts speak louder than words. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, in the face of challenging and complex environments both at home and abroad, a stream of major risks and challenges, and arduous tasks in pursuing reform, development and stability, the Party has overcome many remaining difficulties unresolved for a long time. It has achieved many major tasks that concern long-term development, made historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the country, and turned China's national rejuvenation into a historical inevitability. The fundamental reason for these achievements is the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the well-conceived guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

The decisive significance of the Two Affirmations has been reflected in the great changes taking place in a decade of the new era, imprinted in the mind of the Party, the armed forces and Chinese people of all ethnic groups. It will be fully demonstrated in the cause of the Party and the nation on the new journey of the new era. Thank you.

Beijing Youth Daily:

The General Office of the CPC Central Committee has issued a newly-revised regulation on improving the framework of systems for rigorously managing and overseeing leading officials. It points out that the key is to address the demotion issue. Under what circumstances will officials be demoted? In addition, what are the specific measures to promote and demote leading officials?  

Xu Qifang:

Thank you for your questions. The General Office of the CPC Central Committee released the newly-revised regulation on improving the framework of systems for rigorously managing and overseeing leading officials on Sept. 8 this year. This is a major move to practice rigorous self-discipline and governance of the Party and officials in every respect. It is of great significance to further improve the institutional arrangements of selecting and appointing talent, encouraging officials to forge ahead on the new journey to make achievements in the new era.

The regulation clarified seven channels of filtering out the more mediocre officials, including being held accountable for misdeeds, receiving Party and government disciplinary punishment, being subject to the handling of the organization, resigning, being subject to the term of office, retirement, and subject to organizational adjustment for being unfit to serve in their current position. Regarding the adjustment of those unfit to serve in their current position, the regulation listed a total of 15 circumstances, including political integrity, beliefs and convictions, the spirit of struggle, the view of career achievements, the execution of organizational discipline, the willingness to fulfill responsibilities and undertake initiatives, ability and quality, the commitment to their work, and morality and conduct.

The provisions further optimize the investigation and adjustment procedures for officials who are not suited to serving in their current positions, and improve the work involving such adjustments. Key measures include the following six aspects.

The first is to take the annual assessment as an important basis for promoting and demoting leading officials, and to gain an in-depth understanding of their political performance, capabilities, work performance, conduct, and public reputation.

The second is to adhere to assessing officials on the front lines of major tasks and fights, and to distinguish between superiors and inferiors in actual competency tests.

The third is to strengthen comprehensive analysis, make good use of various findings — including officials' performance evaluations, disciplinary inspections, audits, statistics, reports on relevant personal matters, public assessments, and public complaints — and dynamically grasp the actual performance of officials.

The fourth is to strictly fulfill duties. We include the implementation of the provisions in the work of Party committees (leading Party members groups) to fulfill their main responsibility of exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance, deliver an annual report on officials' selection and appointment and receive public assessment, carry out disciplinary inspections, and launch special inspections on the selection and appointment of officials. It is also included in the annual work reports of secretaries of Party committees (leading Party members groups).

The fifth is to establish a documentary reporting system. We require that the relevant situation of the previous year be reported to the authorities at a higher level on an annual basis, and advance the common practice concerning promotions and demotions among leading officials.

The sixth is to raise public awareness and create a social environment and atmosphere of public oversight for the promotion and demotion of officials. Thank you.

China Media Group:

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress that we have launched an unprecedented anti-corruption campaign. How should we view the achievements of the past decade in the fight against corruption?

Xiao Pei:

Corruption is the easiest way to overthrow a government. As such, anti-corruption is the most thorough self-reform. It is an important judgment made in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress that we have launched an unprecedented fight against corruption in the new era, and an overwhelming victory has been achieved during this anti-corruption campaign and consolidated in an all-round way. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, among the 553 officials registered at and supervised by the CPC Central Committee who have been examined and investigated by the CCDI of the CPC and the National Supervisory Commission, there were 49 full members or alternate members of the 18th CPC Central Committee, 12 members of the 18th CCDI, 12 full members or alternate members of the 19th CPC Central Committee, and six members of the 19th CCDI. A total of 207,000 leading officials at all levels have been examined and investigated by the discipline inspection and supervision departments nationwide. Relying on the advantages of our system and the rule of law, the Party has written a new chapter in the history of the fight against corruption with a firm resolve to "root up rotten ones." The anti-corruption campaign has been carried out for 10 years and never stops, just as a blacksmith spends years in honing the perfect blade. The Party has always insisted that all those involved in corruption and embezzlement must be prosecuted and punished, fulfilling General Secretary Xi Jinping's statement after the 18th CPC National Congress that: "Without exception and regardless of how high their position, no one will be immune from investigation, and violators will be heavily punished for any contravention of laws and Party discipline. It is by no means an empty promise."

First, the CPC has strengthened the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over anti-corruption work. The CCDI has been working together with the National Supervisory Commission which was established during the restructuring of the Chinese government. That has helped to reshape the anti-corruption leadership system, the organizational structure, the work force, the responsibility system, and the discipline enforcement mechanism.

Second, the spread of corruption has been decisively stemmed. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, discipline inspection and supervision departments have investigated and prosecuted more than 74,000 people suspected of corruption and bribery. Among them, 48% were involved in corruption for the first time before the 18th CPC National Congress and 11% after the 19th CPC National Congress, which shows that the continuous endeavors to fight corruption have made effective achievements, greatly reducing corruption and curbing its occurrence. Inspired by strict constraints, deterrence and policies, more than 80,000 people have voluntarily turned themselves into the discipline inspection and supervision departments since the 19th CPC National Congress. At the same time, the number of tip-offs and complaint letters has declined for four years in a row, with a drop of 29.9% in 2021 compared with that in 2018.

Third, cracking down on corruption of low-ranking officials which directly affects ordinary people's lives. At the second plenary session of the 18th CCDI held after the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping required that we should target both "tigers" (high-ranking corrupt officials) and "flies" (low-ranking corrupt officials). It won the respect and trust of the Chinese people. Over the past decade of the new era, the Party has always put the people first. We have cracked down on "tigers" and "flies." Moreover, we have firmly tackled the problems that were ignoring the people's interests. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, discipline inspection and supervisory authorities nationwide have investigated and handled over 650,000 cases of corruption and misconduct in areas related to people's livelihoods, such as education, medical care, pensions and social security, law enforcement and the judiciary. It has made the people feel that they have benefited from the Party's efforts to follow the full and rigorous self-governance and to fight against corruption. People's satisfaction has been significantly improved. The CCDI and the National Bureau of Statistics have jointly conducted public opinion surveys for the past 10 years. This year's survey shows that 97.4% of the respondents believe that the full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has been effective, up 22.4 percentage points from 2012. Furthermore, 99% of the respondents believed that the measures taken by the CPC Central Committee to tighten discipline, improve Party conduct and fight corruption reflected the Party's spirit of self-reform.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress points out that full and rigorous self-governance is an unceasing endeavor and that self-reform is a journey to which there is no end. As long as the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption still exist, we must keep sounding the bugle and never rest, not even for a minute, in our fight against corruption. The anti-corruption campaign can only be advanced, not retreated. We will endeavor to win the tough and protracted battle against corruption. Moreover, we will take coordinated action to make officials not dare, not able, and not want to commit corruption. We will improve systems and mechanisms to prevent the spread of corruption so that severe punishment, regulation of the use of power, education and guidance will be coordinated and linked, and we can achieve more institutional results and greater effects in governance. Thank you.

Associated Press of Pakistan: 

The 20th CPC National Congress report said that as the largest Marxist governing party in the world, the CPC must always stay alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large party faces so as to maintain the people's support and consolidate its position as a long-term governing party. What are your comments on this?

Tian Peiyan:

I'll take this question. This is a major conclusion made by General Secretary Xi Jinping based on his profound analysis of the historical position of the Party, the situation and tasks the Party faces, and the development and changes of the Party situation. This reflects the strategic confidence, sobriety and self-awareness for governance over the Party in the new era.

With over 96 million members and over 4.9 million primary-level Party organizations, the CPC is the largest Marxist governing party in the world. To govern such a large party, we must strictly adhere to the high standards of the advanced nature and purity of a Marxist party. The Party is well aware that maintaining the advanced nature and purity of both the Party and its members does not come naturally, and it will not be accomplished overnight and will not be done once and for all. Rather, it is an eternal issue that accompanies the Party's governance and its members. To address this eternal task and ensure that the Party is unified in thought, action and pace, and to ensure that the Party is always full of vitality and always stays at the forefront of the times, we must keep hard work and maintain perseverance and determination. Undoubtedly, this has not been an easy task.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have exercised full and rigorous self-governance and solved many prominent problems within the Party. The Party has become stronger and more powerful through its revolutionary tempering. At the same time, the Party is clearly aware that deep-rooted problems within the Party have not yet been fundamentally resolved, and there is always the possibility that some old issues may rebound, that a slight slack will lead to a resurgence, and that new problems are still emerging. The (four) tests the Party faces in governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment will exist for a long time to come, as will the (four) dangers of a lack of drive, incompetence, disengagement from the people, inaction, and corruption. It is also not an easy task to resolve problems within the Party in a timely manner, to withstand the Four Tests, and prevent the Four Dangers, so as to ensure that the Party never changes its nature and character.

It is based on a clear understanding of the Party's unique difficulties that General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed in his report to the 20th National Congress that full and rigorous self-governance is an unceasing endeavor and that self-reform is a journey to which there is no end. We must never slacken our efforts and never allow ourselves to become weary or beaten. We must persevere with full and rigorous self-governance, continue to advance the great new project of Party building in the new era, and use our own transformation to steer social transformation. This will enable our Party to stay true to its original aspiration and founding mission and remain the strong leadership core in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Thank you.

Phoenix TV:

General Secretary Xi Jinping mentioned in his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, that through painstaking efforts, the Party had found a second answer to the question of how to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall. The answer is self-reform. He also stressed that the systems and regulations for the Party's self-reform should be improved. Why did he make such an emphasis? How will the Party improve the systems and regulations for self-reform?

Tian Peiyan: 

It is an important task that our Party has put forward in the process of exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party and advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era.

Having the courage to perform self-reform is our Party's defining characteristic and distinctive advantage. It was also the key for our Party to remain vibrant and robust after undergoing trials and tribulations over the past century. To inherit, keep and develop the defining character and the distinctive advantage well, we have to give full play to the role of institutions, which can offer actual, overall, stable and long-term effectiveness. Party governance through institutions and rules is the fundamental solution to exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance and the basic way for enforcing Party self-discipline. It also plays an irreplaceable role in safeguarding the unity and solidarity of the Party, supervising and restricting power, regulating party members' words and deeds, and conducting vigorous campaign to regulate political activities and conduct within the Party.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has emphasized developing a system of intraparty regulations and institutions. Among nearly 4,000 intraparty regulations currently in effect, over 70% have been formulated or revised in the past decade. At the ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC on July 1, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced that our Party had formed a relatively complete regulation system. The hard-won achievement is a milestone in Party building, especially in intraparty regulations and institutional development, which marks that we have had comprehensive rules to follow in conducting rigorous Party self-discipline. Our Party has deepened reforms on the discipline inspection and the national supervisory systems, formulated or revised regulations on intraparty scrutiny and punishment for violating Party discipline, and promoted the promulgation of the Supervision Law and the establishment of the National Commission of Supervision so as to supervise everyone working in the public sector who exercises public power. The building of the Party and national supervision system guaranteed that public power is exercised in a fair, law-based, people-oriented and clean manner. 

There is no end to the Party's journey of self-reform and the systems and regulations for the Party's self-reform should advance with the times, reform and innovate. We should follow new requirements of enhancing overall leadership and rigorous self-governance of the Party, fill in the gaps of institutions in a timely way, and improve the quality of intraparty regulations in the formulation process to ensure rules are tenable, adaptable and effective. We must step up record review and sorting out work, safeguard the uniformity and authority of intraparty regulations, and also improve enforcement by giving full play to the roles of prohibition and regulations. We should also enhance the building of a comprehensive, authoritative and effective supervision system under the leadership of the Party. We should focus on intraparty supervision, promote coordination of various kinds of supervision, and make the supervision system with Chinese characteristics more mature, in good shape and serve governance more effectively. Thank you. 

China Discipline Inspection and Supervision Daily, website of CCDI and the National Commission of Supervision:

Over the past years, the regulations and rules on accountability and supervision of officers have been promulgated continuously, including wiping out "naked officials" (who have moved their spouses, children, and assets abroad), strengthening supervision and inspection in official selection and appointment, requiring officials to submit report about relevant personal matters, and restricting officials' spouses, children and their spouses to engage in doing business and running enterprises. Can you elaborate please?

Xu Qifang:

Let me answer your question. General Secretary Xi Jinping reiterated many times that "the key to full and rigorous governance over the Party lies in rigorous governance of its officials" and "the focus of full and rigorous governance over the Party is to strictly manage its officials." Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Organization Department has firmly followed the principle of full and rigorous governance over the Party, applied rigorous standards to officials, and taken rigorous measures to manage officials. In doing so, we have launched a slew of measures on strictly managing and supervising officials. 

First, we have improved the report system with Chinese characteristics on officials' personal matters, including the system in the overall planning of exerting full and rigorous self-governance. With the system serving as an effective tool, we conducted spot checks and verification and raised the rates of spot checks from 3-5% annually to 10% annually. We thoroughly checked all candidates for official selections and carried out full checks on all officials registered at and supervised by the CPC Central Committee before the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress. 

Second, we have regulated business and enterprise-running activities by officials' spouses, children, and their spouses. We started the supervision work in this regard across China in 2015, regulating businesses and enterprises and running activities by more than 4,700 officials' spouses, children, and their spouses. Following the centralized regulation, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued a regulation on the business activities of relatives of officials, establishing and improving a regular and long-term mechanism. The work has proven important in encouraging officials to improve their political conduct, exercise of power, self-governance, and regulate members of their families. It has won wide support from officials and our people. 

Third, in selecting and appointing officials, we have intensified supervision, checks, and rectified problems identified in the inspection process. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, with concerted efforts by the central inspection teams, we have launched full-coverage and special campaigns to inspect selections and the appointment of officials in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and more than 200 central departments. Each year, we assessed work in selecting and appointing officials in provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, as well as central departments and organizations. In 2021, the good ratings for selecting and appointing officials at local governments and departments increased by 23 percentage points compared with that in 2013, showing a good sign of improvement.

Fourth, we have taken a slew of specific measures, making great efforts to solve deeply-rooted issues in selecting, appointing, managing, and supervising officials. Focusing on launching specific initiatives, we have successfully addressed a number of ingrained problems. For example, we launched an initiative to rectify the problems concerning official appointment and institution setup. It refers to the excess of officials in specific positions, the irregular promotion of officials, irregular organizations, the unauthorized promotion of officials or improvement of their treatment, and granting officials unauthorized titles. We initiated a specific campaign to combat "naked officials", having established institutions and rolled out regulations on the management of positions taken by them, specifying restrictions on their promotion and taking certain positions. We took targeted measures against officials' private outbound trips and managed their passports and papers, strictly dealing with irregular behaviors. We conducted a special campaign against the "revolving door" phenomena involving the personnel in financial departments registered at and supervised by the CPC Central Committee as well as their resignations to escape punishment, and irregular job arrangements for relatives in their own work sectors. 

Next, focusing on studying and implementing the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, we will unswervingly implement all decisions on exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance and make further progress in rigorous governance and supervision of officials. Thank you. 

People's Daily: 

The full and rigorous governance over the Party in the new era started with formulating and implementing the central Party leadership's eight-point decisions on improving conduct. What progress has been made and what experience has been gained in improving Party conduct? Next, how to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline by maintaining a resolute stance on rigorous self-discipline?

Xiao Pei:

Following the principle of rigorous self-governance and improving Party conduct, and tightening discipline is a strategic arrangement made by the 20th CPC National Congress. Rigorous self-governance defines the CPC's political life. Yesterday, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his report that the CPC must always stay alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large party like the CPC faces. That requires the Party to maintain a resolute stance on rigorous self-governance and self-discipline. On Dec. 4, 2012, shortly after the 18th CPC National Congress concluded, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee set eight-point decisions to urge all officials to improve conduct and maintain close ties with the people. At the meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the second plenary session of the 18th CCDI that followed, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Party conduct is of pivotal importance. If unhealthy influence is not rectified resolutely and left unchecked, it would become a wall separating the Party from our people. Officials, especially officials in the CPC Central Committee, should take the lead in improving Party conduct and exercise real and rigorous standards in this regard. 

A decade ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the requirement to strictly govern the Party from the level of senior officials and central leaders. With the formulation and implementation of the Party's eight-point frugality code, we have broken ground in comprehensively and strictly governing the Party in the new era. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have investigated and dealt with more than 761,000 cases that violated the eight-point frugality code. General Secretary Xi Jinping figuratively pointed out that the launch of the eight-point frugality code has revived the building of the Party. The code has become an iconic measure to change political ecology and improve social presence, helping us to restrain improper behaviors of officials and wining the hearts of the people.

First, the CPC Central Committee has set an example in adhering to the highest standards of staying true to the original aspiration and upholding the founding mission of the Party, and in sticking to the most rigorous requirements of the implementation rules of the eight-point frugality code. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has held a democratic life meeting every year to check the implementation of the eight-point frugality code and led by example, rigorously governing the "key minority" and senior officials and conducting relevant decrees to the letter. A total of 265 officials registered at and supervised by the CPC Central Committee have been disciplined for violations of the code since the 18th CPC National Congress. 

Second, as the old saying goes, "step onto the stone and you should leave your footprint on it; clutch a piece of iron and you should leave your handprint on it," we have taken forceful steps in conducting the eight-point frugality code and delivered tangible results. Over the last decade, starting from cracking down on the use of public funds to pay for moon cakes and other gifts, meals and traveling, we have fixed problems one after another, broken through issues one by one, focused on one node after another, and stuck to the work year after year. The CCDI and the National Supervisory Commission has publicly reported the investigations of violations of the eight-point frugality code for the past 108 consecutive months and exposed typical cases by name.

Third, we have concentrated on addressing the problems of pointless formalities and bureaucratism. We have resolutely corrected the problems of carrying out the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee with excessive rhetoric, loud slogans, and unfulfilled actions, and even running counter to and in contradiction with those decisions and arrangements. We have also dealt with the problems of having too many meetings and inspections and excessively leaving records of work. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, all disciplinary and supervisory organs across China have investigated and dealt with more than 282,000 cases of pointless formalities and bureaucratism. 

Four, we have adhered to that our work is in the interests of the people and relies on their strengths. Swarms of "flies" are as harmful as tigers. We have seriously held grassroots officials accountable for their problems of asking for bribes, being cold and harsh to the people, and lack of responsibilities, and their inaction. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, we have investigated and dealt with more than 347,000 cases involving corruption, embezzlement, favoritism, and taking advantage to benefit oneself at the expense of the others. Meanwhile, we have widened the channels of public supervision and launched a snapshot exposure platform of the Four Malfeasances and a one-click report platform to weave an intensive network of public supervision.

Fifth, we have synchronously fostered healthy tendencies while correcting the Four Malfeasances, improving regular and long-term working mechanisms to cultivate a good and kind social atmosphere. The eight-point frugality code has become a "golden card" for all CPC members in the new era.

The CPC Central Committee has always stressed that the eight-point frugality code is not a five-year or 10-year regulation, but an iron rule that will be effective for a long time. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress has made clear the requirement for resolutely implementing the eight-point frugality code and further deepening the correction of the Four Malfeasances in case of relapses, reappearances in invisible deformation, and passive sentiment. We will carry our fine traditions into a new journey and carry forward our good work style in the new era. Thank you.

The Paper:

The 19th and 20th CPC national congresses have made important arrangements targeting both those who take bribes and those who offer them, which has drawn extensive attention from society. I would like to ask, what progress has been made regarding this aspect?

Xiao Pei:

Corruption destroyed not only the political ecology but also the environment for economic development. Anti-corruption is conducive to cleansing political ecology as well as to improving the environment for economic development. The 19th and 20th CPC national congresses have made important arrangements targeting both those who take bribes and those who offer them.

The bribers' "preying" on officials to lure them and the bribe acceptors' trading power for money are the important reason for corruption continuing to happen. Only by cutting off the interest chain of "preying" and being willing to be "preyed on" can the soil for corruption be eradicated. The key to the bribery of leaders and officials lies in the rotting of Party character, the change of the original aspiration, and the corrupting of power. We should push forward coordinated action to ensure that officials dare not to, are denied the opportunity to, and have no wish to commit corruption. We will foster a cordial and clean relationship between government and business and make it the norm to target both those who take bribes and those who offer them.

Accepting bribes and offering bribes are two sides of the same story. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, discipline inspection and supervision departments nationwide have investigated and dealt with more than 63,000 bribe givers, and procuratorates nationwide have investigated and dealt with more than 36,000 bribe givers. To push ahead with targeting both those who take bribes and those who offer them, first, we should clarify key points of punishing bribery. We have listed five categories: one, those who have repeatedly offered bribes, offered huge bribes, or offered bribes to many people; two, Party members, officials, and state functionaries who engage in bribery; three, those who have offered bribes in important state work, key projects, and major projects; four, those who have offered bribes to fields like organizational personnel, law enforcement and judiciary, assistance and support for disaster relief, education and medical care; five, those who commit major business bribery.

Second, we need to rigorously investigate and deal with them in accordance with the law. The CCDI and the National Supervisory Commission, together with the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and other relevant departments, formulated the opinions on further targeting both those who take bribes and those who offer them. The Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementation regulations stipulate the punishment methods for bribers and the means to deal with the illegal gains from bribery.

Third, we will explore and implement the management system of the briber list. We will coordinate to use disciplinary, legal, administrative, economic, and other means to restrict the qualifications of enterprises and market access so as to make bribers pay their due prices.

We will further improve the precision and effectiveness of combating bribery in accordance with the arrangements of the 20th CPC National Congress. We will not only make thorough investigations into briberies but also recover the money obtained from briberies. At the same time, we will ensure the legitimate operation of enterprises, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the people involved and relevant enterprises, and achieve the unity of good political, disciplinary and social effects.

Study Times:

In recent years, in such urgent and difficult tasks as poverty alleviation, rural revitalization, epidemic prevention and control, earthquake relief, flood fighting and rescue, primary-level Party organizations in various fields have actively played the role of fighting bastions, organizing Party members to charge ahead who would shout, "I am a Party member, I will go first! I am a Party member, follow me!" How are the Party members able to stand up when facing urgent, difficult, and dangerous tasks?

Xu Qifang:

Thank you for your question. The strength of the Party comes from the organization. The Party's primary-level organizations are like the "nerve endings" of the Party's body and the basis of all the Party's work and combat capability.

A Party branch represents a bastion, and a Party member is a symbol of the Party flag. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has unswervingly promoted the extension of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party to the community level, focused on improving organizational strength, highlighted political functions, promoted the progress of primary-level Party organizations in all fields, which can withstand any tests, and fully played the role of primary-level Party organizations as fighting bastions and the exemplary vanguard role of Party members. The broad masses of Party members braved hardships and dangers, shouldered heavy burdens, and charged ahead at critical moments and in completing major tasks, fully demonstrating the pioneer image of communists in the new era.

For example, we have made in-depth efforts to promote Party building to facilitate fighting against poverty, assigning a total of 255,000 teams to village stations and more than 3 million Party first secretaries and officials in villages to deeply root at the rural primary-level frontline, who led the people to rid themselves of the shackles of poverty and achieve prosperity, declared victory in the critical battle against poverty, and were widely praised by the people.

We regard rural revitalization as a big stage for cultivating and training Party members and officials. We selected excellent and strong leaders for village party organizations, continued to select and assign the Party first secretaries and teams stationed in villages, regularly rectified weak and lax village party organizations, fully mobilized Party members to actively participate in rural revitalization, and converged powerful forces for rural revitalization.

Under the unified leadership and command of the CPC Central Committee, Party organizations at all levels have effectively organized officials and members, as well as the public, to participate in epidemic prevention and control. Party officials form a strong frontline defense to protect lives, playing a mainstay role in the fight against the virus. It is common to hear statements like "I'm a Party member. I'll go first!" and "I'm a Party member. Let me do it!" resound in the frontline of epidemic prevention and control. Motivated by Party members, the public has moved to action and joined hands to fight against the virus.

In earthquake relief and flood fighting, Party organizations at all levels have set up Party member teams to respond to urgent and difficult tasks and clearly defined Party members' responsibilities for specific dam sections and households. Through hard work and dedication, Party members have stayed true to the original aspiration and founding mission in their actions and safeguarded people's lives and property.

The practice has proved that grassroots Party organizations and members are always the nation's most reliable and strongest backbone, whether in everyday life, critical moments or difficult times. This constitutes our Party's political strength, organizational strength and strength in maintaining close ties with the people. These strengths originate from the fact that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core leads by example, mobilizes the whole Party to uphold consensus, keep a firm will, and take coordinated actions. It rallies Party officials, members and the public to forge ahead and contribute to the new journey in the new era. These strengths originate from the fact that Party organizations and Party members at all levels take the initiative to study and understand Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, stand firm in ideals and convictions, strengthen Party consciousness, and preserve the political character of Party members. These strengths also originate from the fact that Party organizations at all levels rigorously carry out regular education and day-to-day management to cultivate Party members inside and out, so that they can play an exemplary role in everyday life, stand out at critical moments and make sacrifices in difficult times. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

The last question, please.

Guangming Daily:

According to the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, the leadership of the Party is comprehensive, systematic and holistic, and must be implemented in a comprehensive, systematic and holistic manner. What are the new connotations and requirements of leadership?

Tian Peiyan:

I will take this question. This is a major political conclusion made by our Party by making a condensed summary of its historical experience and responding to the new requirements of the times.

The leadership of the Party is comprehensive, systematic and holistic. It includes political, ideological, and organizational leadership and leadership in conducting major work. It is embodied in strategic planning, top-level design, and tactical guidance and implementation. It covers all processes and fields of the cause of the Party and the country, and all aspects, including economic, political, cultural, social and ecological development, national defense and the military, national reunification, foreign affairs, and Party building. In terms of the work it involves and the fields it covers, the leadership of the Party is an indivisible, interconnected, and systemic whole, and should any field, aspect, or process be missing or weakened, it would undermine the leadership of the Party and harm the cause of the Party and the country. That said, the Party's leadership must be implemented comprehensively, systematically and holistically.

To uphold the leadership of the Party, we must improve the system of Party leadership in which the Party provides overall leadership and coordinates the efforts of all sides. We must improve the mechanism of implementing the CPC Central Committee's major decisions and plans, ensure that the whole Party is highly aligned with the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in terms of political stance, direction, principle, and path, and ensure the Party's solidarity and unity.

We should step up efforts to ensure that the political responsibility for implementing the Party's leadership is fulfilled. We must leverage the leading role of Party committees (leading Party members groups) at all levels, the exemplary role of officials, the decisive role of grassroots Party organizations, and the exemplary role of Party members to form a strong synergy for implementing the Party's leadership in an all-round, multi-level and multi-dimensional manner. We should uphold law-based, democratic, and sound governance, implement democratic centralism, innovate and improve the way the Party exercises leadership, and be adept at turning the views of the Party into the will of the state through statutory procedures, placing people recommended by Party organizations in leadership positions in bodies of state power through statutory procedures, and ensuring Party leadership over the state and society through the agencies of state power, to safeguard order and efficacy of Party leadership. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

That's all for today's press conference. Thank you to the three delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress and friends from the media.

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Li Huiru, Zhu Bochen, Zhou Jing, Yan Bin, Yan Xiaoqing, Huang Shan, Mi Xingang, Wang Yanfang, Liu Jianing, He Shan, Qin Qi, Zhang Rui, Zhang Jiaqi, Liu Sitong, Ma Yujia, Yan Bin, Wang Wei, 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.

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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Zhao Chenxin, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and vice chairman of the NDRC

Mr. Cong Liang, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the NDRC, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NFSRA), and director of the NFSRA

Mr. Ren Jingdong, member of the Leading Party Members Group of the National Energy Administration (NEA) and deputy director of the NEA

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, person in charge of the Press Center for the 20th CPC National Congress, and deputy head of the International Press Bureau of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

Date:

Oct. 17, 2022

Shou Xiaoli:

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the press conference held by the Press Center for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). This is the first press conference held by the press center.

We have invited three delegates to speak with you about "how China will apply the new development philosophy, foster a new pattern of development, promote high-quality development, and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization." The three delegates are Mr. Zhao Chenxin, a member of the Leading Party Members Group of the NDRC and vice chairman of the NDRC; Mr. Cong Liang, a member of the Leading Party Members Group of the NDRC, secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the NFSRA, and director of the NFSRA; and Mr. Ren Jingdong, a member of the Leading Party Members Group of the NEA and deputy director of the NEA.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Zhao Chenxin for his introduction.

Zhao Chenxin:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning. It is a great pleasure to attend today's press conference with two of my colleagues and speak with you.

Yesterday morning, we were very honored to listen to the important report made by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the opening session of the 20th CPC National Congress. The report profoundly expounded on the work of the past five years and the great changes of the new era in the past decade, and laid out the major policies and action plans for the development of the Party and the country in the future. A large part of the report was about economic work. As participants and witnesses of economic work in the new era, we are aware that since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has solved many tough problems that were long on the agenda but never resolved, and secured many accomplishments of long-term significance, enabling historic achievements and historic changes in the country's economic and social development. 

Numbers speak louder than words. China's GDP increased from 53.9 trillion yuan in 2012 to 114.4 trillion yuan in 2021, and the proportion of the country's economy in the world's economy expanded from 11.3% to 18.5%, an increase of 7.2 percentage points. China's per capita GDP jumped from 39,800 yuan to 81,000 yuan. There are many other vivid figures and facts, as we have previously introduced in the press conference series themed "China in the past decade," so I won't go over those details here.

One never knows how difficult a task is, unless one tries it oneself. The historic leap in China's economic prowess and the extraordinary and remarkable achievements in China's economic development have been achieved against the background of a severe and complex international situation with huge risks and challenges emerging one after another. In our actual work, we are keenly aware that these gains have not come easily and we owe our achievements to the steering of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

There is no end to practice, nor to theoretical innovation. Xi Jinping's economic thought insists on observing, grasping and leading the times with Marxism and has formed a series of theoretical achievements with distinct contemporary and creative characteristics in adapting to the new situation, solving new problems and meeting new challenges. It has made important original contributions to the development of Marxist political economy.

Xi Jinping's economic thought has creatively put forward the overarching theoretical view of strengthening overall CPC leadership in economic work, the people-centered philosophy of development, the new vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development, and the important judgment that China's economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development. It has creatively put forward the important thought of developing and improving the socialist market economy, the major policy of supply-side structural reform, the major strategy of creating a new pattern of development, and the important thought of steering economic globalization in the right direction.

In the practice of economic work, we have inevitably encountered some risks and challenges, which needed to be dealt with in a timely manner. For example, how to ensure national food security, energy and resource security, and the security of important industrial chains and supply chains; how to promote high-quality development; how to deepen the reform of the economic system, as well as issues involving investment, consumption and consumer prices; and how to actively and prudently promote the design of systems, policy formulation and the implementation of plans to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

In the process of meeting challenges, we always keep in mind that General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that our goal should be to ensure that people live better lives. We have adopted various methods to conduct extensive research so as to understand people's aspirations and demands and listen to their suggestions. We continue to seek answers in the direction pointed out in General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches, expositions and instructions. We are keenly aware that Xi Jinping's economic thought has chartered the right course for economic work in the new era and set fundamental guidelines on how to remove impediments and increase impetus to development and how to foster advantages in our development.

Currently, China has achieved its first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and is now marching on a new journey toward its second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects. We are closer than ever before to the goal of national rejuvenation, and more confident and capable of making it a reality. We now feel more confident as we face changes in the world, of our times and of history, along with new strategic opportunities, tasks, stages, requirements and the environment.

With the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the institutional strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics in pooling resources to accomplish major initiatives, the solid material foundation laid down by economic and social development since reform and opening up, especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, and the mighty force of the whole Party, the military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to work together and work hard to forge ahead in the new era, we are confident and committed to realizing the strategic goal of advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, as put forward in the report by the general secretary. 

On the new journey, we will unite more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing both Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defining the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and 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 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. We will firmly grasp the critical period at the beginning of building a modern socialist country in all respects, address unbalanced and inadequate development, and earnestly work hard to remedy deficiencies, strengthen weak links, consolidate the bottom, and leverage strengths. We will act on the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, apply the new development philosophy in full, in the right way and in all fields, accelerate the creation of a new pattern of development, and promote high-quality development. Through our practical actions, we will make new and greater contributions to building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.  

That's all for my introduction. Now, my two colleagues and I would like to answer your questions.

Shou Xiaoli:

The floor is now open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions. Simultaneous interpretation services will be available throughout the press conference. If reporters ask questions in English, the question part will be rendered into Chinese by consecutive interpretation. Now the floor is open.

Farmers' Daily:

Food security is the country's most fundamental interest. General Secretary Xi Jinping has often stressed that we should not be negligent on the issue of food security and should always keep food security at the forefront. My questions are: how is the situation of food safety in our country at present, and will China guarantee that its food supply remains firmly in its own hands?

Cong Liang:

A nation's fate and people's livelihoods are interconnected with food, and food security is an essential foundation of national security. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has ensured adequate food supply for over 1 billion people. It is a top priority in governance. The new food security concept has been put forward, and a national strategy for food security has been established. Thanks to earnest implementation in all regions and of relevant departments throughout the country and the hard work of broad masses of farmers and practitioners, China's ability to safeguard food security has improved steadily. It can be embodied in the following five aspects.

First, grain output rose to a high level. In 2012, China's grain output surpassed the 1.2 trillion jin mark (600 million tonnes) for the first time. It has exceeded 1.3 trillion jin for seven consecutive years since 2015. In 2021, the grain output hit a record high of 1.3657 trillion jin, increasing 141.2 billion jin compared to 2012. The per capita grain supply reached 483.5 kilograms, above the international food security threshold of 400 kilograms, regardless of the replenishment of imports and abundant inventories.

Second, the foundation for grain production was strengthened. China has 1.918 billion mu (about 128 million hectares) of farmland and established 1.058 billion mu of functional areas for grain production and production-protected areas for important agricultural products. Moreover, 900 million mu of high-standard farmland has been upgraded, advances in agricultural science and technology have contributed to 61% of agricultural production, and good crop varieties have basically achieved full coverage.

Third, grain circulation remained efficient and smooth. The national standard grain warehouses have a storage capacity of 700 million tonnes, and their storage condition is generally some of the most advanced in the world. We actively promoted market-based acquisitions with multiple subjects, multiple channels, and high quality and high prices. We also did a good job in policy-based acquisitions and upheld the bottom line that "all grain can be sold." The grain reserve system has been further improved, effectively playing a key role in upholding the bottom line, stabilizing expectations and safeguarding security.

Fourth, food emergency support became more effective. Currently, there are 6,000 emergency processing enterprises, 53,000 emergency supply outlets, 4,199 emergency storage and transportation enterprises and 3,047 emergency distribution centers in the country, enabling us to respond to all kinds of major natural disasters and public emergencies.

Fifth, grain markets generally remain stable. In recent years, affected by multiple factors, the international grain market has fluctuated significantly. However, China's grain markets featured sufficient supply and steady operation. They met the consumption needs of our people, which played an important role in promoting robust economic development, social harmony and stability.

The above five aspects show that the food safety situation in China is good, and its food supply remains firmly in its own hands, with the majority supply provided domestically. In the future, we will have the foundation, the conditions, the ability and the confidence to firmly seize the initiative in food security and make our road to food security with Chinese characteristics broader and broader. Thank you.

Hong Kong Economic Herald:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, regional development strategies and major initiatives have been issued. What has been their effect? Going forward, how will the government further promote the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area?

Zhao Chenxin:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned, deployed and promoted a series of major regional strategies with overall significance, including the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, the building of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin. In addition, a whole series of policies and systems to see the western region develop, northeast China revitalized, the central region rise, and the eastern region spearhead development have been unveiled, guiding China's coordinated regional development to historic achievements and historic changes. Specifically speaking:

First, the major regional development strategies have been advanced orderly. The top-level design of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has been completed, with all areas of work being advanced steadily. Non-capital functions of Beijing have been gradually relieved, and a total of over 400 billion yuan have been invested in the Xiong'an New Area. The annual investment in Beijing's sub-center has reached more than 100 billion yuan. The development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt has upheld the principle of promoting well-coordinated environmental conservation and avoiding excessive development. Efforts have been sped up to deal with major environmental problems. As such, the proportion of water sections in the Yangtze River Economic Belt with good-quality water increased to 92.8%. Integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta has witnessed new momentum. Remarkable progress has been seen in developing a coordinated and innovative industrial system underpinned by the integration of scientific innovation and industrialization. Smooth progress has been made in constructing major open platforms, and new achievements have been made in ecological protection to push the green development of the region. Public services have become significantly accessible and much easier to share. More efforts have been made to accelerate the establishment of the "1+N+X" planning system regarding the ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River basin. The plan outlines have been rolled out and implemented with stepped-up efforts. Sound progress has been achieved in the conservation and utilization of water resources.

Second, the gap has continued to narrow in regional development. The economic growth rate of the central and western regions has been higher than that of the eastern region for many consecutive years. The proportion of GDP of the central and western regions in the national total increased from 21.3% and 19.6% in 2012 to 22% and 21.1% in 2021, respectively. The economic development of the northeastern region has stabilized, and the structural adjustment has steadily advanced. In recent years, the three northeastern provinces have accounted for more than one-fifth of the country's grain output, about one-fourth of the commodity grain volume and about one-third of the grain transfer volume, with their status as China's "big grain barns" more consolidated.

Third, the revitalization of areas with special features has remained an ongoing process. All 128,000 impoverished villages and 832 designated poor counties have gotten rid of poverty; the per capita GDP in 20 key cities located in old revolutionary base areas exceeds 60,000 yuan; the resource output rate in resource-based cities has increased by more than 36%; and prosperity, stability and development in border areas have been boosted.

Regarding the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) you're concerned about, I would like to say notable progress has been made over the past five years. The "1+N" planning policy framework has been established. Great efforts have been exerted to promote the development of major cooperation platforms between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, such as Qianhai in Shenzhen, Hengqin in Zhuhai, Nansha in Guangzhou, and the Lok Ma Chau Loop. Meanwhile, the construction of the GBA into an international science and technology innovation hub is progressing steadily. We have accelerated the modernization of the industrial system and the infrastructure inter-connectivity has been enhanced. We have also deepened the convergence of rules and mechanisms. A high-quality, livable and business-friendly environment has been gradually created, and Hong Kong and Macao residents live more convenient life on the Chinese mainland.

We have always prioritized supporting Hong Kong and Macao and have continued improving the central cities' functions. At the new historical starting point, we will put focus on key areas like science and technology innovation, industrial coordination, and people's well-being improvement in line with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. We will set the pace of the construction of the major cooperation platforms of Qianhai, Hengqin, Nansha and the Lok Ma Chau Loop. We will speed up our efforts to develop the GBA into an international science and technology innovation hub and improve its spatial layout, with a focus on "two corridors" (the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong and the Guangzhou-Zhuhai-Macao science and technology innovation corridors) and "two points" (the Lok Ma Chau Loop, which occupies a strategic location on the border of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and Hengqin, which is next door to Macao). We will promote the integrated development of the GBA in an orderly manner, improve and upgrade the functions of its world-class airport and port clusters, and enhance the development and sharing of public services. In short, we will develop a world-class bay area and build a role model of high-quality development. We will fully support Hong Kong and Macao in participating in the building of the GBA, and consolidating their international competitive advantages, therefore enabling them to gain broader development space and constant impetus for growth from the overall national development. 

Bloomberg News: 

How does the Chinese government plan to reduce its dependence on foreign imports of resources such as iron ore, crude oil, natural gas and soybeans with the aim of becoming a more self-sufficient economy?

Zhao Chenxin:

Thank you for your question, and I will take it. It concerns a very important issue, that is, how to understand creating a new development pattern. Since the Party Central Committee put forward this major strategic plan, we have noticed that there are some misconceptions and misunderstandings. Mr. Sun Yeli, spokesperson for the 20th CPC National Congress, answered a similar question at the press conference the day before yesterday. I would like to take this opportunity to expound on the goals and requirements of creating a new development pattern.

Since 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important expositions on creating a new development pattern on many occasions. We must fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy, promote high-standard opening up, and accelerate efforts to foster a new pattern of development that is focused on the domestic economy and features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows, the general secretary said yesterday in a report at the opening session of the 20th CPC National Congress. Creating a new development pattern is a major decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core on the basis of a thorough analysis of the situation and in line with the changes to China's development stage, development environment, and development conditions, in particular, the changes to China's comparative advantages. It is a systematic and profound transformation that bears on the overall situation. It is also a strategic plan based on the present and with a long-term perspective. It is of great and far-reaching significance for China to achieve higher-quality development that is more efficient, equitable, sustainable, and secure.

Some people at home and abroad said that "taking the domestic circulation as the mainstay" means that China would significantly shrink its opening up to the outside world and even engage in a self-sufficient economy. Such understanding is wrong. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed fostering a new development pattern that has open and dual domestic circulation and international circulation, not a closed single domestic circulation. In the current world, the trend of economic globalization is irreversible, and no country can build itself behind closed doors. China has long been deeply integrated with the global economy and the international system and has a high degree of industrial connection and interdependence with many other countries. The internal and external markets are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Over the past 40-plus years since reform and opening up, we have actively leveraged domestic and overseas markets to create conditions for promoting a market economy, enriching market supplies, driving the transformation and upgrading of the industrial structure, sharpening competitive edges in the international market, and comprehensively enhancing the composite national strength, all of which has effectively improved the quality and allocation of China's production factors and promoted efficiency and quality of the domestic circulation.

For a while, economic globalization has been encountering "headwinds and adverse currents," and some countries want to engage in "decoupling and chain-cutting" in order to build the so-called "small courtyard and high walls." But the world will never return to a state of isolation and division. Opening up and cooperation remain the historical trend, and mutual benefits and win-win results are still what people are longing for. China's economy is a sea, and the world economy is also a sea. The oceans and seas in the world are all connected. We will always stand on the right side of history and will never be hindered by headwinds and turning-back waves. We will hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, actively practice genuine multilateralism, unswervingly expand opening up in an all-around way, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all.

Going forward, we will unswervingly implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, focus on clearing the national economic circulation, and firmly implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand, continue to deepen reform to break and remove institutional barriers, accelerate the establishment of a new open economic system at a higher level, and promote smooth connectivity between domestic and international circulations. Thank you.

Shenzhen Satellite TV:

My question is about energy security. In recent years, some parts of China have been in the grip of electricity and coal shortages, which have affected production and life in these areas to a certain extent. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress stressed that China will work actively and prudently toward the goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. So the dual carbon goals put forward outline higher requirements for the high-quality development of energy, especially taking account into the impact of many factors such as the current tight energy market conditions and the volatile geopolitical situation. How can China's energy production and consumption be more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable and how can we keep firm in our commitment to energy security?

Ren Jingdong:

Good morning, everyone! Energy security is an overall and strategic issue related to the economic and social development of China and is crucial to the prosperity and development of the country, the improvement of people's lives, and the long-term prosperity and stability of society. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the scientific guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping's new energy security strategy of "four revolutions, one cooperation" (promoting the energy consumption revolution, energy supply revolution, energy technology revolution, energy system revolution, and strengthening international cooperation in an all-round way), the multi-driven energy supply system has been gradually perfected, the supply quality and efficiency have been continuously elevated, and the energy self-sufficiency rate has remained above 80%. Hence, China’s energy system has not only withstood severe tests such as the COVID-19 pandemic and major natural disasters but also effectively cope with challenges from international energy price volatility, providing a solid energy guarantee for facilitating high-quality economic and social development.

China is both a major producer and consumer of energy. Ensuring energy security has always been China's primary task in energy work. We will conscientiously study and understand the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress, try to ensure stability of energy supply as our top priority and pursue progress while ensuring stability. We will vigorously enhance China's capacity to ensure resource production and supply and unswervingly deliver good results in our work. We will focus on ensuring energy security in three aspects.

First, we should reinforce and strengthen the foundation. We will base our work on creating diversified domestic supplies to ensure safety, give full play to the role of coal as ballast and the basic adjustment role of coal power, vigorously enhance strength for oil and gas exploration and development, and strive to achieve an annual comprehensive energy production capacity of more than 4.6 billion metric tons of coal equivalent by 2025. At the same time, we need to further establish and improve coal and oil reserve systems, and especially accelerate the construction of reserve depots, LNG terminals, and other facilities, to ensure that the energy supply is elastic within a reasonable range.

Second, we will work to replace fossil fuels with alternative energy sources in an orderly manner. Focusing on long-term development needs, we will build a supply system of wind power, photovoltaic power, hydropower, nuclear power and other clean energies and press ahead with key hydropower and nuclear power projects. We will promote the construction of large-scale wind power and photovoltaic bases, especially in sandy areas, rocky areas and deserts, and develop biomass and geothermal energy, and other renewable energies according to local conditions. This ensures that non-fossil energy will take up 20% and 25% of total energy consumption by 2025 and 2030, respectively.   

Third, we will work on risk control. Considering worst-case scenarios and risks, we will develop our monitoring and warning capacities regarding energy security and build and improve the warning system for coal, oil and gas, and power supply and demand. We will continuously enhance infrastructure construction of emergency power, pipelines, and network connectivity. Different regions and various kinds of energy sources will be better able to support and supplement each other. We will also continue strengthening the energy supply in key regions and periods, raising the ability of emergency response, and disaster rescue and relief. Our goal is to ensure energy security for the production and life of our people. Thank you!

China Media Group:

State reserves are a key material foundation for national governance. Our world today is living through changes unseen in a century with increased instability and uncertainty, posing new risks and challenges for the stability and development of the Chinese economy and society. Faced with such new circumstances, how will China build its strength in state reserves and its ability of emergency response to match its status as a major power, and how will China concretely enhance its capacity to prevent and resolve major risks? 

Cong Liang:

Thank you for your question. An ancient Chinese saying goes like this, "It is a conventional practice for a country to be prepared for an emergency." In recent years, with great care and under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China's state reserves have kept expanding, and the related system and mechanisms continued to be enhanced. The facility network gradually improved, providing a strong material foundation for addressing major risks and challenges and promoting steady economic operation. Faced with new circumstances in the new journey, we will continue to fully implement the important instructions given by General Secretary Xi Jinping, coordinate development and security, and put into effect the holistic approach to national security. We will tackle areas of weakness, solidify the foundation, and leverage our strengths in order to make accelerated efforts to build a state reserve system that matches China's status as a major power. We will continuously improve our preparedness and capacity to prevent and resolve risks and challenges so that we will be armed with stable reserves to address instability and uncertainty in economic and social development. We will work on the following three aspects. 

First, we will improve the system and mechanisms of state reserves. Following the government-led principles of complementarity and leveraging efforts of all parties, we will improve the mechanism that integrates the reserves of central authorities and local governments, the existing reserves and production capacity, and the reserves of the government and enterprises. We will further study and promote the related legislation, ensure that the main parties assume their responsibilities according to their levels and categories, and improve the reserve modes. We will also make innovations in management mechanisms, optimize the procurement, storage, replacement and use system, and raise our modern governance capacity regarding reserves. Following a holistic approach to reserves and emphasizing nationwide coordination, we will improve the mechanism that links reserves at central and local levels and strengthen policy coordination and regional cooperation. We will also give full play to the guiding role of plans, supporting role of projects, and driving role of digital technologies and innovations in order to build an optimized, coordinated, and highly efficient reserve system. 

Second, we will further enhance the strength of our reserves. We will work to ensure national food security, energy security and security in industrial and supply chains. We will earnestly carry out reserve tasks in key materials, including food, energy, important mineral products, and emergency supplies, and further build up state reserves, and optimize its structure in order to ensure sound preparation at regular times and availability in crucial moments. Meanwhile, infrastructure construction on state reserves will also be enhanced, with an emphasis on developing comprehensive functions, building reserve bases, establishing a network of reserves, and introducing intelligent management, to continuously improve the infrastructure network for storing and transporting materials. 

Third, we will give full play to the role of reserves. Bearing in mind both our internal and international imperatives, we will strengthen strategic support, macro regulation, and emergency preparedness, increase our ability to prevent and resolve major risks, and give full play to the role of reserves as an anchor of stability. We will stick to the integration of market efficiency and the government's role, explore ways to improve the market regulation mechanism of state reserves and make more precise efforts to improve the timing, scale and effect of possessing and releasing reserves in order to ensure the supply and stable prices of bulk commodities, and the security and stability of the supply of primary products. Thank you! 

Reuters:

I would like to ask about the economic situation. It's the fourth quarter now, yet we found that China's economic recovery is still weak in gaining momentum. It seems relatively hard to achieve the goal of securing a GDP growth of around 5.5% set at the beginning of the year. Moreover, as China holds its dynamic zero-COVID policy, many analysts have downgraded their prediction for China's GDP growth rate to around 3% in 2022. Could you share your analysis of this year's economic situation? Furthermore, will China introduce more measures to further stabilize the growth after the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress?

Zhao Chenxin:

Thanks for your questions, and thank you for your care and concern about China's economic prospects. I would like to share with you some ideas on several aspects concerning China's economic development.

First, although there have been monthly fluctuations since the beginning of this year, China's economy has continued to recover and grow from an overall perspective. Those fluctuations came under the impact of the external environment, pandemic, extreme weather, and other factors that surpassed expectations and were reflected in March, April, and July in particular. As various work has been steadily promoted to coordinate epidemic prevention and control with socio-economic development in a highly efficient way, a package of policies introduced to stabilize the economy has continued to deliver effects with successive policies being decisively introduced. Through such efforts, major economic indicators, such as those of industries, service sector, investment, and consumption, have continued to recover. Thus, the economy has sustained its recovery and growth momentum on the whole.

Based on the current situation, the economy picked up significantly in the third quarter. From a global perspective, China's economic performance is still outstanding, as its consumer prices have grown modestly. In addition, in sharp contrast to the high global inflation, its employment has been generally stable, and its balance of payments has seen a basic equilibrium with its foreign exchange reserves being maintained at over $3 trillion. Taking multiple economic indicators into overall consideration, China's economic performance remains outstanding.

Second, although China's economy is facing difficulties and challenges, it also sees plenty of opportunities. Due to the impact of situational changes both inside and outside of China, the country's economy is still witnessing some outstanding contradictions and problems in its activities, as well as many difficulties and challenges in its development. However, it is worth mentioning that in the face of the impact of unexpected factors, China's economy has steadily recovered in a relatively short period of time, showing its strong resilience and huge potential. With a population of more than 1.4 billion, the world's largest middle-income group, a super-sized domestic market, as well as a complete industrial system, complete industrial chains, and an increasingly modernized infrastructure system, China's basic conditions have provided great opportunities and an enormous market for the development of various enterprises.

China is currently planning and building large-scale wind power and photovoltaic bases with a total capacity of 450 million kilowatts in sandy areas, rocky areas, and deserts, as well as upgrading projects in key areas in accordance with basic and high-standard energy efficiency benchmark levels. At present, policy-based and developmental financial instruments have effectively supported infrastructure construction in key areas, and increasing support has been provided for upgrading and transforming equipment in weak fields of economic and social development. According to our recent monitoring, the number of orders for major equipment is growing significantly, including those for energy equipment, petrochemical equipment, mining machinery, engineering machinery, numerical control machine tools, industrial robots, and other key equipment. This growth is encouraging as it provides rare opportunities for relevant upstream and downstream enterprises. As time is limited, I can't list these opportunities one by one. In the process of China's steady and healthy economic and social development and in real life in economic terms, development opportunities and various kinds of business opportunities can be found everywhere in China.

The third point, which is also the most important, is that the successful convening of the 20th CPC National Congress has gathered tremendous strength and injected new impetus into China's economic development. We believe that by following the goal and the direction of advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through the Chinese path to modernization as pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping, and as the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress is thoroughly implemented with efficient coordination between epidemic response and socio-economic development continuing to deliver effects and as the effects of macro policies continuing to be released, China's economy will continue to recover and grow with solid progress. Thank you.

CNBC:

The U.S. and European chambers of commerce in China have spoken frequently about how the inability of global executives to enter the country has reduced interest in investment in China and even negatively impacted such investment. Under China's new and current development plan, what is the thought on promoting investment in China and encouraging new projects? Thank you.

Zhao Chenxin:

Since the beginning of this year, China has overcome various difficulties in attracting foreign investment in the context of repeated outbreaks of the pandemic globally, the complex and severe international situation and weak transnational investment. We have made significant achievements in pursuing growth and improving quality while maintaining stability. In the first eight months of 2022, China utilized 892.74 billion yuan of foreign investment, up 16.4% year on year on a comparable basis. Among this, foreign investment in high-tech industries increased by 33.6% year on year, while the eastern, central and western regions rose by 14.3%, 27.6% and 43%, respectively. The industrial structure and regional distribution of foreign investment continued to improve. In general, multinational companies have confidence in investing in China and are optimistic about the Chinese market in the long run.

At present, China's economy is transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development. We are also facing new situations in attracting foreign investment. In accordance with the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, we will work with relevant departments to promote higher-level opening up, put in place more supporting policies to attract foreign investment, and give more play to the positive role of foreign investment in promoting high-quality development as well as in facilitating positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows.

First, we will further encourage foreign investment. Foreign investment will be further expanded after the release of the 2022 edition of the Catalogue of Industries for Foreign Investment. More support will also be given to the areas of the advanced manufacturing sector, modern service industry, high and new technology, energy conservation and environmental protection, as well as the central, western and northeastern regions, thus creating a more favorable policy environment for foreign investment. We will introduce policies and measures focused on ensuring growth, stable performance and better quality of foreign investment in the manufacturing industry. We will make greater efforts to attract more investment in the manufacturing sector, solve the prominent problems facing foreign-invested enterprises, comprehensively strengthen the promotion and services of foreign investment and advance high-quality utilization of foreign investment.

Second, we will accelerate the launching of major foreign-funded projects. We will release the sixth batch of major foreign-funded projects, and provide them with the policy support of the central government in terms of industrial planning, land use, environmental impact assessments and energy consumption. In this way, they will be implemented at an early date. We will coordinate in a timely manner and solve the difficulties faced by foreign-funded projects in investment, production and operation to ensure their smooth implementation.

Third, we will further improve services for foreign-funded enterprises. You mentioned the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) in your question. We will more actively publicize relevant policies and measures to foreign enterprises, so as to build an investment and cooperation platform for enterprises and local governments through various methods. We will continue to improve the business environment, implement the system for foreign investment management based on pre-establishment national treatment and negative list, and work with relevant departments and local authorities to provide greater convenience for global investment exchanges and cooperation on the premise of COVID-19 prevention and control.

Yesterday, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress that we should promote high-standard opening up and steadily expand institutional opening up with regard to rules, regulations, management and standards. We are deeply aware that opening up remains China's fundamental state policy and its hallmark. As for China, we will not change our resolve to open wider at a high standard; we will not change our determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world; and we will not change our commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all. In the future, the door of China will open still wider to the world, and China's development will provide more opportunities for and inject strong impetus into the region and the wider world. We will earnestly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's keynote speeches and instructions, and continue to create a sound policy and institutional environment, thus creating more opportunities and convenience for the development of foreign-funded enterprises. We have many foreign journalists here, and I hope they can understand and help express our wish to welcome enterprises from across the globe to invest and do business in China and continue to share China's development dividend. Thank you.

Economic Daily:

At present, with mounting risks of uncertainty in global food production and supply chains, there are new challenges to ensuring the effective supply of grain and other major agricultural products. While accelerating the construction of a new development pattern, what will be done to ensure food security and respond to external uncertainties with domestic certainties by guaranteeing stable production and a sufficient supply of grain and other important agricultural products?

Cong Liang:

Thank you for your question. General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed on many occasions that feeding the more than 1 billion people is China's fundamental national condition and that we must always give our full attention to the issue of food security in China, not slacking off even a moment. Important arrangements have been made in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress that we must reinforce the foundations for food security on all fronts and ensure that China's total area of farmland does not fall below the redline of 1.8 billion mu (120 million hectares), so that China's food supply remain firmly in its own hands. Focusing on this important arrangement, we will work with all localities and government departments to be prepared for potential dangers and move faster to build a national food security guarantee system at a very high level characterized by quality, efficiency and sustainability. To be specific, measures will be taken in the following five aspects.

First, we will implement a food crop production strategy based on farmland management to strengthen the protection and development of farmland. We will practice the strictest farmland protection system, take more measures that "have teeth" to protect farmland, and ensure that the total area of farmland in China stays above the red line of 120 million hectares. We will keep building high-standard farmland, step up efforts to develop high-efficiency water-saving irrigation, and dig out the potential for increasing new farmland.

Second, we will implement a food crop production strategy based on technological applications to enhance scientific and technological support, such as in the modern seed industry. We will make more efforts to revitalize the seed industry, improving independent scientific and technological capabilities in the seed industry and ensuring that the germplasm resources are self-supporting and that their risks are better controlled. We will enhance the development and application of agricultural machinery and equipment, improve the prevention and control system for crop diseases and pests, and promote R&D of green storage, high-efficiency logistics, processing of grain and edible oil and other technologies so as to keep injecting new impetus into food security.

Third, we will optimize the production layout to strengthen grain production capacity. We will improve laws and regulations to safeguard national food security, fully implement the policies that both Party committees and governments should be held accountable for food security, and carry out a strict assessment of responsibility for farmland protection and food security, ensuring that the major production and marketing areas, as well as production and marketing balancing areas, share the responsibility for safeguarding the food supply. We will redouble our efforts to establish functional areas for grain production and take a combination of measures to stabilize and increase grain output to keep the annual grain output above 1.3 trillion jin (650 million tonnes). We will adopt a holistic approach to food and develop food resources on all fronts and through multiple means. 

Fourth, we will strengthen the regulation over grain collection and storage to achieve a dynamic equilibrium of supply and demand at a higher level. We will enhance food security by coordinating production, purchasing, storage, processing and sales. We will also improve the monitoring and pre-warning system and strengthen targeted regulation to maintain overall stability in the food market. We will improve the food reserve system, keep food reserves at a reasonable level and optimize the structural layout. We will take innovative actions to strengthen supervision and law enforcement, strictly punish food-related corruption and deepen reform of institutions and mechanisms to ensure that the barn of the people is well safeguarded and managed.

Fifth, we will encourage food conservation and reduce losses to promote food conservation, nutrition and health. We will strengthen regulation over the entire chain and promote the application of smart harvesting machinery, green grain storage technology, and moderate processing technique so as to reduce losses and waste to the greatest extent. We will hold themed activities including World Food Day and National Food Security Publicity Week. We will advocate simple, moderate, green and low-carbon ways of life and foster a new atmosphere of cherishing and conserving food and healthy consumption. Moreover, these efforts also need the great support and assistance of our friends from the media. Thank you.

Lianhe Zaobao:

The droughts in August this year caused a severe power shortage in Sichuan, a major hydropower-producing province of China. The public is concerned about the stability and sustainability of clean energy in China. As extreme weather events become more frequent, how will China strike a balance between promoting the energy transition and ensuring the stability of the energy supply? How will it prevent a such case of power shortage from happening again?

Ren Jingdong:

Let me answer this question. This summer's extreme heat as well as extreme droughts gave rise to a power crunch in Sichuan province, a major province for hydroelectric generation. We have been concerned about it. In the face of the disaster, we have stayed committed to the people-centered development philosophy, resolutely implemented the decisions and plans to ensure supply and stabilize price, coordinated resources and forces to ensure steady and full production of effective generating units, and fully tapped the capacity of large power grids to provide inter-provincial support to each other for a secure and stable supply, delivering good results.

Under the new circumstances, we will closely focus on the new tasks and requirements of energy development, implement all decisions and plans, and step up efforts to develop renewable energy while ensuring the supply of conventional energy. We will actively promote green and low-carbon transformation and strive to provide a strong energy guarantee for high-quality economic and social development. Here, I'd like to share with you our work in five areas.

First, we will monitor the energy situation and manage its operation. We will analyze the power supply and demand in peak summer and winter in advance and adopt detailed measures to ensure supply. We will implement a mechanism for coordinating coal production on a daily basis and a mechanism for monitoring prices and inventories across the country and strengthen direct output coordination by key coal enterprises. We will urge all types of power units to operate at full capacity so as to fully tap the capacity of large power grids to provide inter-provincial support to each other. Market means will be used to guide users to avoid peak time.

Second, we will coordinate and ensure fuel supplies for power generation. We will sign the Agreement for Ensuring Coal Security and Supply and ensure its implementation, and provide policy incentives or constraints for the output and transfer of relevant provinces and autonomous regions while strengthening supervision over the implementation of mid- and long-term contracts for thermal coal. At present, coal storage in the country's unified management power plants has remained above 170 million tonnes, roughly double that of the same period last year and the highest level in history.

Third, we will increase coal power capacity. In the first eight months of this year, China produced 2.93 billion tonnes of coal, up 11% year on year. Since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China’s newly-commissioned installed capacity of power has exceeded 270 million kilowatts, supplying over 20 million kilowatts of additional power to central and eastern China.

Fourth, we will promote the high-quality development of the oil and gas industry. We will coordinate the development of production, supply, storage, and sales systems, enhance oil and gas exploration and development, and improve the guarantee system for oil and gas imports. At present, domestic crude oil production has increased for three consecutive years, and natural gas production has increased by more than 10 billion cubic meters for five consecutive years. The reserve capacity of oil and gas has been steadily improved, which has further assured a stable supply in the market.

Fifth, we will step up efforts to develop clean energy. We will steadily boost the construction of large wind power and photovoltaic bases and offshore wind power bases, primarily in sandy areas, rocky areas, and deserts. We will speed up the construction of large hydropower stations in southwestern China, for example, to complete and put into operation the giant hydropower stations including Wudongde and Baihetan. We will develop nuclear power plants along the coast in a safe and orderly manner. We will develop pumped storage power stations, build new-type energy storage power stations, and continue to improve the systemic adjusting capacity.

At present, northern China is entering the winter heating season. We are working with relevant departments to make all preparations and adopt a package of measures to enhance energy supplies. Our goal is to ensure that the people can enjoy a warm winter. We will implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress through actions. Thank you.

China News Service:

The current complex and severe international environment and the spread of COVID-19 have had an impact on global production and trade activities. The restructuring of global industrial chains and supply chains is accelerating, and there is pressure facing the efficient operation of industrial chains and supply chains in some industries in China. What measures will be adopted next to maintain secure and stable industrial chains and supply chains in China?

Zhao Chenxin:

Thank you for your question. The question you raised is very important, and I will answer it. Facing a complicated and challenging domestic and international situation, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all local governments and departments have been earnestly implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, focusing on removing barriers and impediments, boosting the industrial economy and ensuring unimpeded flow in the national economy. These efforts have effectively ensured China's industrial and supply chains maintain safe and stable operations, especially that of certain major industrial and supply chains. To make our industrial and supply chains more resilient and secure, we are working on five priorities, which are as follows: 

First, we are working to enhance our strengths and strengthen weak links. On the one hand, based on our strengths in industrial scale and supporting facilities, and first-mover advantages in certain sectors, we are accelerating the implementation of the five-year action plan for raising the core competitiveness of the manufacturing industry. We are cultivating a host of competitive industries by upgrading and transforming traditional industries and fostering emerging industries, so as to build a competitive edge throughout the industrial chain in major sectors. On the other hand, we are focusing on key areas crucial to the economy, development, people's well-being and strategic security and concentrating on bottlenecks and weak links. In line with relevant incentive mechanisms, such as the open competition mechanism to select the best candidates to undertake key research projects and the "horse racing" mechanism, we are making integrated efforts to make breakthroughs in weak areas, upgrade applications and create a favorable environment, to win the critical battles over core technologies. Efforts have been made to implement projects for upgrading foundational industrial infrastructure and seek breakthroughs in weak links in key and fundamental areas.

Second, we are working to stabilize industrial production. We have strictly implemented the "Nine No" requirements in the COVID-19 response and eliminated actions of arbitrarily shutting down enterprises vital to the industrial chain and people's basic needs. We have taken firm actions to avoid taking an oversimplified or one-size-fits-all approach to the COVID-19 response. We have prevented excessive restrictions to ensure the orderly operation of industrial parks and the normal and stable production and operation of enterprises. Continuous efforts have been made to keep logistics stable and smooth and to ensure a sound supply of energy and raw materials, thus ensuring the smooth operation of key industrial and supply chains.

Third, we are working to improve the layout of industries. We have remained committed to taking a coordinated approach across the country to adjust and improve the layout of industrial and supply chains and make the whole industrial chain more efficient. We have strengthened our abilities to coordinate works concerning major productivities, stepped up planning and policy guiding, and avoided blind investment and redundant construction. We have thoroughly implemented national projects for developing clusters of strategic emerging industries, built a tiered system for developing industrial clusters, and fostered a series of growth engines for strategic emerging industries with unique features, complementarity and reasonable structures.

Fourth, we are deepening opening up and cooperation. We are working to promote the smooth operation of industrial and supply chains for foreign trade and support the development of cross-border e-commerce and overseas warehouses. We are working to ensure the effective utilization of foreign investment, encourage more foreign investment in sectors such as high-end manufacturing and high technologies, and support the innovative development of foreign-funded R&D centers. We are working to advance practical international cooperation, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the high-quality implementation of RCEP. By using various multilateral mechanisms, we are working to build a system for mutually-beneficial international cooperation in industrial and supply chains. Efforts have been made to foster a market- and law-based and internationalized business environment, to boost market dynamism and social creativity. 

Fifth, we are working to strengthen risk prevention. We are working for policies for stabilizing growth to deliver results, especially to step up efforts to ease difficulties for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises and to ensure our policies bear more fruits. We are working to strengthen the building of systems for production, supply, storage, manufacturing and marketing, and to enhance market oversight and ensure the stable supply and prices of commodities and raw materials. Efforts have been made to improve the risk monitoring system for industrial and supply chains and enhance the ability to ensure early detection and targeted and effective treatment of risks. We are working to see all the stakeholders fulfill their responsibilities, ensure the early detection, reporting, assessment and handling of risks, and earnestly maintain the safe and stable operation of major industrial and supply chains. Thank you.

China Education Television:

How will the energy authorities promote green and low-carbon energy development firmly based on the basic national conditions and energy resource endowment to support the realization of the "dual carbon" goals of peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality as scheduled?

Ren Jingdong:

I'm glad to answer the last question. Achieving peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality as scheduled is a major strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. Your question is very important. Are we committed to peak carbon emissions and neutrality based on others' demands? I think the general secretary and the CPC Central Committee have given an answer. Achieving peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality is critical to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and building a community with a shared future for mankind. This is not a task we're asked to fulfill but one we are proactive in delivering. Through energy development, security should be ensured and transformation should be advanced. Under the guidance of the new development philosophy, China's green and low-carbon energy transformation has been accelerating, with the quality and efficiency of development significantly improved. In the past decade, we have supported an average annual economic growth of 6.6% with an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3%, with the energy consumption per unit of GDP decreasing by 26.4%. We have explored a green and low-carbon path to high-quality development that gives priority to ecological conservation. We have seen greater achievement on this path and have become more confident and determined along the way. Due to the time limit, I will briefly introduce three aspects:

First, non-fossil energy has maintained the momentum of leapfrog development. The total installed capacity of renewable power has exceeded 1.1 billion kilowatts, nearly four times the amount of a decade ago, accounting for more than 30% of the world's total. The installed capacities of hydropower, wind power, photovoltaic and biomass power, as well as nuclear power under construction, have maintained the first place in the world. Last year, non-fossil energy consumption accounted for 16.6% of China's energy consumption, up 6.9 percentage points from 2012 and nearly a quarter of the world's total.

Second, remarkable progress has been made in the clean and efficient use of fossil energy. The proportion of coal consumption has dropped to 56%, down 12.5 percentage points from 2012 and down 1.4 percentage points on average annually in the past decade, the fastest decline in history. Projects have been launched to upgrade coal-fired power plants to achieve ultra-low emissions and energy conservation. More than 90% of coal-fired power plants have reached an emission level comparable to that of natural gas power generation. The quality of refined oil products has been continuously upgraded, and the quality of motor gasoline and diesel has been comprehensively raised and met the National-VI emission standards, reaching the world's most advanced level.

Third, scientific and technological innovation is playing a bigger driving role. Several world-leading strategic projects, such as the Baihetan hydropower station and the Hualong One reactor, have been completed and put into operation. A complete industrial chain of equipment manufacturing for clean energy, such as hydropower, nuclear power, wind power and solar power, has been formed. China has also built the world's largest network of electric vehicle charging stations and hydrogen refuelling stations.

Going forward, in accordance with the requirements of the 20th CPC National Congress and based on China's energy resource endowment, we will follow the principle of establishing a new system before abolishing the old one, deepen the energy revolution, accelerate the planning and construction of a new energy system, and unswervingly promote green and low-carbon energy development.

To be specific, our focuses include the following respects. We will strengthen the clean and efficient use of coal and actively upgrade coal-fired power plants to conserve resources, reduce carbon emissions, make operations more flexible, and upgrade heating facilities. We plan to upgrade a total of about 600 million kilowatts during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). We will steadily promote the demonstration and application of CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage) technology. We will vigorously develop non-fossil energy, and energetically promote the high-quality development of wind and solar power. We will advance the construction of major hydropower and nuclear power projects and generate biomass, geothermal, and other renewable energy in light of local conditions. The grid will be developed actively to cope with the development of large-scale centralized new energy and distributed energy in large quantities and in a wide range of areas. We will vigorously promote transforming and upgrading end-use energy consumption, strengthen energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in key energy use areas, actively advance the replacement by electric power, and strive to make electric power account for 30% of energy consumption by end users by 2025.

Finally, while doing our own things well, we should earnestly implement the Global Development Initiative, actively participate in global governance on climate change, constantly advance the global clean energy cooperation partnership, and fully contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

Today's press conference is now concluded. Thanks to the three delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress and our friends from the press. Goodbye.

Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Wang Wei, Lin Liyao, Zhou Jing, Zhang Rui, He Shan, Zhang Lulu, Wang Yanfang, Zhou Jing, Zhang Tingting, Huang Shan, Xu Kailin, Li Huiru, Duan Yaying, Zhang Jiaqi, Ma Yujia, Zhang Junmian, Cui Can, Liu Sitong, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnsten. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.

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Read in Chinese

Speaker:

Mr. Sun Yeli, spokesperson for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) 

Chairperson:

Mr. Liu Siyang

Date:

Oct. 15, 2022

Liu Siyang:

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, good afternoon.

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will open tomorrow. Today we have invited Mr. Sun Yeli, spokesperson for the 20th CPC National Congress, to brief you on the preparations and the agenda of the congress.

Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Sun for his introduction.

Sun Yeli:

Ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends, good afternoon.

The 20th CPC National Congress will open at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing at 10 a.m. tomorrow. The congress will last from Oct. 16 to 22. As the spokesperson for the congress, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the Chinese and foreign reporters who are here to cover the congress.

Entrusted by the congress, I would like to brief you on the situation.

The congress will be a meeting of great importance, held at a critical time as the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups are embarking on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects and to realize the Second Centenary Goal. The congress will hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, uphold Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It will comprehensively review the work over the past five years and the great achievements made and valuable experience accumulated over the period since the start of the new era as the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core united and led the entire Party and the whole nation in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. It will thoroughly analyze the situation both at home and abroad and fully grasp the new requirements for the development of the cause of the Party and the country and new expectations of the people on the new journey in the new era. On this basis, it will formulate programs of action and major policies and make plans and arrangements for the Party and the country's cause from an overall strategic perspective.

The preparatory meeting of the congress was held this afternoon, during which the agenda of the congress was adopted. The main items on the agenda of the congress are as follows: to hear and examine the report of the 19th CPC Central Committee, to examine the work report of the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, to deliberate on and adopt an amendment to the Constitution of the CPC, and to elect the 20th CPC Central Committee and the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

At the preparatory meeting, the list of members of the congress presidium was approved, and the congress will proceed under the leadership of the presidium. A secretariat was set up to handle the affairs of the congress. Comrade Wang Huning was approved as secretary-general of the congress.

After the preparatory meeting, a meeting of the Credentials Committee was held, and the presidium met for the first time. At its meeting, the presidium adopted the working agenda of the congress and created its standing committee.

The preparations for the congress have been completed, and I would like to brief you on them. Preparations for the congress started under the leadership of the Party Central Committee after the Resolution on Convening the 20th CPC National Congress was adopted by the 19th CPC Central Committee at its sixth plenary session in November last year. The preparations focused on the following four areas:

First, drafting the political report to the 20th CPC National Congress. Drafting the report is an important part of the preparations for the congress. The CPC Central Committee attached great importance to the work and set up a group for this purpose. The group was headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping and was comprised of other Party and state leaders, heads of relevant departments and localities, as well as experts and scholars. The group worked under the direct leadership of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee.

To draft the report, the CPC Central Committee organized thorough surveys and studies. It entrusted 54 organs of the CPC Central Committee and the central government with the task of conducting surveys and research on 26 key topics, and 80 reports were submitted. Relevant central departments also solicited opinions online regarding work on the congress, receiving more than 8.542 million comments. All this laid a solid foundation for drafting the report to the congress.

On July 26, at a seminar for officials at the provincial and ministerial level, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech in which he elaborated on major issues to be covered by the report to the congress. He emphasized that rationally defining the goals, tasks, and major policies for the cause of the Party and the country in the next five years or even longer periods to come is crucial to the further development of the Party and the country's cause, to the future of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to the realization of national rejuvenation. He stressed the need to focus on the Party's central tasks on the new journey in the new era and to put forward new ideas, strategies and measures to advance the Five-sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-pronged Comprehensive Strategy in a coordinated way. He called on all of the Chinese people to forge ahead with enterprise and fortitude and work hard together to write a new chapter in building a modern socialist country in all respects.

In drafting the report, democracy was fully practiced and opinions and suggestions from both inside and outside the Party were broadly solicited and incorporated. To facilitate the drafting process, the CPC Central Committee issued a circular to solicit opinions from various sectors on the topics to be included in the report. When the text of the draft report took shape, opinions were sought extensively from more than 4,700 people who had discussions on it. They included members of the 19th CPC Central Committee and the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, delegates to the 19th and 20th CPC national congresses, heads of the Party committees of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, leading Party officials of the Party, government, and military departments at the central level, heads of the Party committees of major units of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force as well as leading Party officials of the people's organizations. General Secretary Xi Jinping chaired five meetings to directly hear opinions and suggestions from various sides. The drafting group also heard opinions of some retired senior Party officials. On Aug. 31, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a meeting to solicit opinions from leaders of other political parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and prominent figures without party affiliation. Many of the opinions sought from both inside and outside the Party were adopted.

During the drafting process, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee both held multiple meetings to deliberate on the draft. On Oct. 12, the 19th CPC Central Committee discussed and approved the text of the report at its seventh plenary session and decided to formally submit it to the 20th CPC National Congress for examination.

Second, making revisions to the Party Constitution. Another important task of the 20th CPC National Congress is to revise the Party Constitution. It has been a common practice for our Party to make revisions to its Constitution at its national congresses in recognition of the Party's latest innovations in theory and the evolution of practice. The current Party Constitution was revised and adopted at the 12th CPC National Congress in 1982. Starting with the 13th CPC National Congress, appropriate revisions have been made to the Party Constitution at successive national Party congresses. Practice shows that making revisions to the Party Constitution in response to new developments and tasks helps all Party members more earnestly study, observe, apply, and uphold the Party Constitution, and enables the Party Constitution to play a better role in guiding and regulating the Party's work and Party building efforts.

When the Party Central Committee solicited opinions in January about the topics to be included in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, many localities and departments proposed that appropriate revisions be made to the Party Constitution at the congress in recognition of the Party's latest innovations in theory and the evolution of practice and in response to the evolving situation and tasks. The Party Central Committee issued a circular in May this year to solicit opinions on revising the Party Constitution from all localities and departments. The consulted localities and departments submitted written reports in which they expressed agreement that appropriate revisions to the Party Constitution should be made at the 20th CPC National Congress. They also made comments and suggestions for revisions in their reports. Some retired senior Party officials and ordinary Party members also wrote to relevant departments of the Party Central Committee to propose that the Party Constitution be revised.

After taking into account the opinions from all sides, the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee met to discuss the matter and decided that appropriate revisions should be made to the Party Constitution and a Party Constitution revision panel should be set up to carry out this work. It was stressed that in revising the Party Constitution, the major theoretical viewpoints and major strategic thinking set down in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress should be incorporated into the Party Constitution. It was also stressed that the revised Party Constitution should fully embody the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times, the new ideas, new thinking, and new strategies on governance the Party Central Committee has developed since the 19th CPC National Congress, and the new experience the Party has gained in its work and Party building, in order to meet the new demands placed on the Party's work and Party building by new developments and tasks.

Acting in accordance with the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, the Party Constitution revision panel conducted an in-depth study of the opinions submitted by all localities and departments and produced a proposal for revisions. The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and the Political Bureau deliberated over the proposal respectively, after which revisions to the Party Constitution were drafted. On Aug. 4, the texts of the draft revised Party Constitution and the draft report to the 20th CPC National Congress were issued to select Party members for consultation. The Party Constitution revision panel then made careful revisions based on opinions from all sides, and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and the Political Bureau held meetings one after the other to review the text of the draft revised Party Constitution. The draft of the revised Party Constitution, which is a product of the collective wisdom of the entire Party, was discussed and approved by the 19th Party Central Committee at its seventh plenary session and will be submitted to the 20th CPC National Congress for deliberation. 

Third, electing delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress. Election of delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress began in November 2021. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to this work. General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over meetings of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee to study related issues. After deliberation, the Circular of the CPC Central Committee concerning the Election of Delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress was adopted, specifying the overall requirements, policies, and rules for the election. During elections, all electoral units acted in accordance with the CPC Central Committee's arrangements and requirements, upheld the Party Constitution as the fundamental guide, kept in mind the Party's nature and purpose, and ensured strong Party leadership throughout the whole election process. They gave full play to the role of democracy within the Party, applied rigorous criteria for candidate eligibility, followed due procedures, observed a strict code of discipline, and formulated plans based on local conditions. These efforts have seen the electoral units doing a good job in organizing elections. All primary-level Party organizations in the electoral units took part in the election with an average participation rate of 99.5% among their Party members.

The 38 electoral units across the country convened their respective Party congresses or conferences of delegates, during which delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress were elected. A total of 2,296 delegates have had their credentials confirmed by the Credentials Committee. They will attend the congress, representing more than 4.9 million primary-level Party organizations and over 96 million Party members.

These elected delegates meet the criteria set by the Party Central Committee, their composition is balanced across every category as required by the Central Committee, and hence they are broadly representative. They are from different sectors including economy, science and technology, national defense, politics and law, education, public communication, culture, public health, sports, and social management; they are from different levels of localities ranging from provinces, cities, counties, towns, townships and subdistricts, to villages and communities; and they come from different types of working units including Party and state organs, enterprises, public institutions, and people's organizations. Representation of people from the frontline of production and work is ensured, with delegates from this group making up 33.6% of the total, which includes 8.4% for workers (including migrant workers from rural areas), 3.7% for farmers, and 11.6% for professional and technical personnel. The number of female delegates increases, with their proportion reaching 27%. The share of ethnic minority delegates remains stable, standing at 11.5%. The composition of the delegates is also balanced in terms of age brackets. Delegates under the age of 55 account for 59.7% of the total, and those under 45 make up 18.9% of the total. The delegates are generally well-educated. Those who have received junior college education or higher take up 95.4%, among whom 36% have a bachelor's degree and 52.7% have a master's or doctor's degree. Some delegates joined the Party during the New-democratic Revolution Period, some in the period of socialist revolution and construction, some in the new period of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization, and others after the 18th CPC National Congress. Those who joined the Party after the launch of reform and opening up account for 96.9% of the total.

As an established practice, the Party Central Committee has decided that some veteran Party members who have left leading positions will attend the congress as special delegates.

Fourth, making preparations for electing a new central committee and a new central commission for discipline inspection. As required by the Party Constitution, a new central committee and a new central commission for discipline inspection will be elected at this congress. To facilitate these elections, the Party Central Committee set up a special working group with General Secretary Xi Jinping as head of its leading team. Under the leadership of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, the group had charge of the recommendation, evaluation, and nomination of candidates for the new central committee and the new central commission for discipline inspection. On the basis of the work of the group, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee convened meetings respectively for discussion, and prepared a proposed list of preliminary candidates for the new central committee and the new central commission for discipline inspection, which will be submitted to the presidium of the 20th CPC National Congress for deliberation.

Upon conclusion of the congress, the 20th Party Central Committee will hold its first plenary session and the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will hold its first full assembly to elect their respective new leading bodies.

After the first plenary session of the 20th Party Central Committee, members of the new Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee will meet Chinese and foreign reporters.

A press center has opened for the 20th CPC National Congress, which will organize press conferences and group interviews and make full use of the internet and other technologies to provide services for reporters and facilitate their reporting on the congress.

Now I will be happy to take questions from you regarding the 20th CPC National Congress. Thank you!

Liu Siyang:

Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.

China Media Group:

At last year's ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping declared to the world that China has completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Has this society met the preset objectives? How do you evaluate it? In addition, at the 19th CPC National Congress, the Party set the goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects through two stages by the middle of the 21st century. What new arrangements will be made at the 20th CPC National Congress to achieve this goal?

Sun Yeli:

Building a moderately prosperous society was a strategic goal put forward by our Party at the beginning of reform and opening up. The term "moderately prosperous," or "Xiaokang" in Chinese, was originally defined as a more comfortable life, neither rich nor poor, with the per capita gross domestic product ranging from $800 to $1,000. 

As China advanced its reform and opening up and continuously accelerated its development, the definition of "Xiaokang" has been further expanded, and our Party has constantly raised new requirements for achieving a moderately prosperous society. The 18th CPC National Congress set the clear goal of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the centenary of the CPC, further outlined what such a society should look like, and put forward new related requirements. 

Thanks to the sustained efforts of generations after generations of Chinese people, particularly the efforts by the whole Party and Chinese people of all ethnic groups under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have been united and overcome obstacles and difficulties, won decisive battles, and finally realized this long-cherished aspiration.

Currently, the moderately prosperous society we have built has far exceeded our expectations at the beginning of reform and opening up, and has met the goals and requirements set forth at the 18th CPC National Congress. It is fair to say that this moderately prosperous society is of high quality. By 2020, for example, our GDP had reached 101.6 trillion yuan and per capita GDP had exceeded $10,000, maintaining the country's status as the world's second largest economy. By 2020, more than 400 million Chinese had joined the middle-income group, and they had become the largest middle-income group with the greatest growth potential in the world. By 2020, the Engel's coefficient of urban and rural residents had dropped to 29.2% and 32.7%, respectively, and people's quality of life had improved significantly.

A moderately prosperous society is not only judged by the economic aggregate, average numbers, or the living conditions of the middle-income group, but judged, first and foremost, by how the living conditions have improved for the impoverished. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has made ending extreme poverty China's benchmark task in achieving moderate prosperity in all respects. On top of the long-term poverty alleviation work in the past, we have launched a critical battle against the remaining most entrenched poverty, and achieved a full victory. By the end of 2020, all the 98.99 million poor rural residents had shaken off poverty, and all the 832 poverty-stricken counties and 128,000 impoverished villages had gotten rid of poverty, which was unprecedented in China's history and constituted a miracle in poverty reduction work through human history as well.

It should also be noted that our moderately prosperous society is one in all respects. Our whole-process people's democracy has continued to develop, people's intellectual and cultural lives have been further enriched, access to basic public services has become much more equal, and breakthroughs have been made in ecological conservation. These accomplishments are concrete and real, and can stand up to scrutiny.

Completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects marks historic achievements and transformations in the cause of the Party and the country and constitutes a new starting point for the cause. Our next goal is to build a great modern socialist country in all respects. The 20th CPC National Congress, built on the 19th CPC National Congress, will broadly envision the two strategic stages in the building of a great modern socialist country in all respects, and focus on setting out the strategic tasks and important measures for the next five years. Looking ahead, we have the confidence, resolve, and capability to achieve the new goals and create greater miracles. Thank you.

Bloomberg:

The rate of economic growth in China has slowed steadily throughout the last decade. Will China target a return to high growth rates in the next five years? And if so, how? Or, has the era of rapid economic growth in China come to an end? Thank you.

Sun Yeli:

The issue of China's economic development is of great concern to many people. Let me first share with you some figures. According to statistics, from 2013 to 2021, China's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 6.6%, higher than the global average of 2.6% and the 3.7% growth rate of developing economies during the same period; contributing over 30% to global growth on average. Given the size of the Chinese economy as the second largest in the world, it has been no easy feat maintaining such a growth rate as it shifts to high-quality development.

Growth rate is an important yardstick of economic performance, but not the only one. Following the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee made the important judgment that the Chinese economy has entered a new normal, moving from high-speed growth to high-quality development. GDP growth rate is no longer the only thing that matters. Instead, we are more focused on fundamentally resolving the issues of longer-term economic development. The past decade has seen China's economic development become more balanced, coordinated and sustainable. The country has scaled new heights in terms of economic, scientific and comprehensive national strength. The economy is moving toward higher quality and efficiency, more equality, and greater sustainability and security.

In addition, factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and international environment have caused downward pressure on China's economy. With a series of effective and robust measures, we have stabilized economy and consolidated its positive trajectory. On the whole, the Chinese economy is doing well among the major economies, and it remains an important anchor of stability and driving force for global growth.

All things considered, China's development still has many favorable conditions. The economy has strong resilience, great potential and good momentum. The fundamentals for its long-term positive growth remain unchanged. Going forward, we will act on the action plans and policies set out at the 20th CPC National Congress, fully, faithfully and comprehensively practice the new development philosophy, accelerate building the new development paradigm, promote high-quality development, and better coordinate development and security. We will continue to deepen supply-side structural reform, boost effective demand, ensure food and energy security and stability of industrial and supply chains. We will work to keep employment stable through policies, secure people's livelihoods, and keep our economy within an appropriate range. Thank you.

People's Daily:

Deepening reform on all fronts has been a hallmark of the new era. The third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee made the overall plans and mobilizations on deepening reform on all fronts. How well has this progressed? Are there any tough challenges remaining? And, in what areas are stronger efforts required?

Sun Yeli:

Indeed, deepening reform on all fronts has been a defining feature of the new era. In his first trip outside Beijing after the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Guangdong province and made clear that China will not stop its pace of reform and opening up.

In 2013, the epoch-making third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee convened. Overall plans were laid out in reforming economic, political, cultural, social and ecological areas, as well as national defense, the military and Party building. Reforms have since moved from trials and breakthroughs in limited areas toward an integrated endeavor promoted across the board.

The past decade has seen over 2,000 reform plans introduced on multiple fronts of economic and social development, covering people's basic living, education, health and elderly care. The reform tasks set out at the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee have been fulfilled according to plan, followed by new ones set forth at the 19th CPC National Congress.

Breakthroughs have been made in major areas and key sectors. For example, systemic and transformative reforms have been made to the Party and government institutions, national defense and armed forces, and Party building. The reform of state-owned enterprises, the reform to protect the property rights of entities under all forms of ownership, as well as the reform of the judicial system, public cultural services, and household registration system have all delivered tangible results and benefits to the people. We launched unprecedented reforms on the system for protecting ecologies and the environment, and made major progress in building a beautiful China.

Through the reform efforts in the new era, basic institutional frameworks have been set up in all sectors. The system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has become more mature and well developed, and China's system and capacity for governance has been continuously modernized. All these have injected new vitality into the cause of the Party and the country.

Reform is an ongoing process that will never stop. We are solemnly aware of the difficulties facing the reform efforts, especially when it comes to promoting high-quality sci-tech self-reliance, establishing a high-standard market system, safeguarding food, energy, and resource security, preventing and defusing risks, and boosting comprehensive green transformation in our society and the economy. We are still facing many deep-seated problems.

We will keep to the right direction of reform, stay resolute, and advance reform with greater political courage and wisdom. Thank you.

CNA (Channel NewsAsia):

It's been almost three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the World Health Organization has said that the end is in sight. China, on its part, has maintained that it will hold unswervingly to its dynamic zero-COVID policy, even as other countries around the world have chosen to open up. Is there concern that China will become isolated especially as the country faces challenges in its economy? What factors will be seen as favorable for China to relax some of its COVID measures and to open up further?

Sun Yeli:

The once-in-a-century pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the economic development and people's lives across the globe. We all long for it to end sooner. As things stand, however, the virus still lingers. That is the reality that we must face.

Since the onset of the epidemic, China has always put protecting the people and human lives above everything else, and prioritized the health and safety of the people. This boils down to the purpose of all of our prevention and control measures.

Dynamic zero-COVID policy is an anti-pandemic principle made in light of China's national realities and the laws of science. The essence is rapid response as well as targeted prevention and control measures, so as to bring outbreaks under control with minimum costs to society and in the shortest possible time, to protect people's health and safety to the greatest extent possible, and to minimize the impact on social and economic development and people's daily lives to the best of our ability.

China has a big population with a great number of elderly people. Development is uneven among regions and medical resources are insufficient on the whole. It is precisely due to the dynamic zero-COVID policy that we have managed to keep infection and fatality rates at an extremely low level. Keeping to this approach with robust efforts to curb the virus, stabilize the economy, and secure development is how we have realized sustained and stable economic and social development. All things considered, China's anti-pandemic measures are the most cost-effective and have worked the best for our country.

In accordance with the general principle of dynamic zero-COVID policy, we continue to improve specific measures on epidemic prevention and control. We have published nine editions of COVID-19 control protocol based on the changing epidemic situation and our growing knowledge about the virus. Our anti-pandemic strategies and measures will become more science-based, targeted, and effective, and our ability to coordinate epidemic prevention and control with socioeconomic development will see further improvement.

We firmly believe that we are seeing the light of dawn on the horizon, and with perseverance, we will prevail over the pandemic. Thank you.

Prensa Latina:

Good afternoon. Yolaidy Martinez from Prensa Latina, Cuba. I have two questions. The first one is how does the CPC assess its interactions with other communist parties in the world along these years? And the second one is which are the plans to develop those relations in the future? Thank you.

Sun Yeli:

The more friends we make, the better. The CPC has long been expanding its international circle of friends through extensive communication with friendly political parties and political forces across the world on the basis of independence, full equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. 

For example, in recent years, we hosted the CPC and World Political Parties Summit and the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, which were attended by more than 500 leaders of political parties and political organizations and over 10,000 representatives of various political parties from more than 160 countries. So far, the CPC has maintained contact in various forms with more than 600 political parties and political organizations from more than 170 countries. Developments in political party relations have boosted the development of inter-country relations and improved the mutual understanding and amity between peoples. 

The journalist is from Cuba. I would like to point out that the CPC always values its interactions with Marxist political parties in other countries. Through theoretical exchanges and policy communication, we explore socialist development paths suited to our own national conditions, and search for ways to adapt Marxism to the times and our varied conditions. 

I would like to stress that the CPC does not draw ideological lines when conducting external work. As long as they show a friendly attitude toward China and are willing to maintain contact with us, the CPC is willing to make friends with all sorts of political parties around the world, no matter their ideology. Thank you.

China Daily:

The CPC Central Committee proposed fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, which has attracted a lot of attention at home and abroad. Outside China, some worry that this will turn into a sole focus on the domestic economy and lead to China increasingly closing its doors to the outside world. What is your view on this? And what are your thoughts on extending efforts in opening-up?  

Sun Yeli:

First, I would like to say that this kind of concern is not necessary. Fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other was a major decision made according to a thorough analysis of the situation and in line with the changes to China's development stage, development environment, and development conditions, in particular, the changes to China's comparative advantages. It will generate lasting momentum for the long-term development of the Chinese economy as well as the steady recovery of the world economy. Fostering the new development paradigm means maintaining an open domestic and international dual circulation, rather than a closed domestic loop. The domestic circulation being the mainstay does not mean shutting out other countries, but rather improving connectivity with the global market by releasing the potential from domestic demand. Pursuing high-level opening-up is an inherent part of the new development paradigm.

In fact, China has been accelerating its opening-up efforts in recent years. For example, we proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and followed up by proactively promoting it. We signed up to and made efforts to implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), while trying to join multiple multilateral economic and trade agreements. China International Import Expo has been held successfully on four occasions to open our markets to the world. We established 21 pilot free trade zones (FTZs). The restrictive measures of negative lists regarding foreign investment access have been cut to 31 items at the national level and 27 items at the FTZ level, while the items related to manufacturing in FTZs have been completely removed. Restrictions regarding the share of foreign ownership in the financial sector have been revoked. Increasingly more areas have been opened to foreign capital. These steps clearly demonstrate that China will not be self-closed and will only continue to further opening-up efforts, not the other way around. 

Opening up is the fundamental national policy of China. No matter how the world changes, China will not shake its resolve and will for opening up. We will unswervingly advance opening up to cover more fields in a broader scope and at a greater depth. Thank you.

Xinhua News Agency:

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has made strong efforts to fight corruption, which has attracted wide attention from both inside and outside the Party and from home and abroad. How would you comment on the effectiveness and current situation of anti-corruption efforts? What new measures will be taken?

Sun Yeli:

Corruption runs completely counter to the nature and purpose of the Party and causes deep resentment among our people. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Party has dared to point a blade toward itself, scrape poison from the bones, and make wrist-breaking self-adjustments, fighting corruption with an unprecedented intensity. The results have been remarkable for all to see. Policy and strategy have been formed to take coordinated action to ensure officials do not dare, are not able, and have no desire to commit corruption. We have blazed a trail of anti-corruption underpinned by advantages of the system and the rule of law.

Deterrence on officials to make them dare not commit corruption is fully felt in combating corruption. The CPC Central Committee allows no safe haven, leaves no ground unturned, and shows no tolerance, and insists on imposing tight constraints, maintaining a tough stance and long-term deterrence, and punishing both those who take bribes and those who offer them. No case of corruption will escape investigation, and no corrupt official will go unpunished. A tough line on corruption has always been maintained. From the 18th CPC National Congress to June this year, disciplinary and supervisory organs across the country have filed, reviewed, and investigated 4.516 million cases and brought 4.439 million offenders to justice.

An institutional cage has been built up to make officials not able to commit corruption. We have formulated and revised the code of conduct for intraparty political life under new circumstances, the code of integrity and self-discipline, as well as regulations on internal scrutiny. We have twice amended regulations of disciplinary punishment and provisions on tours of disciplinary inspection. The supervision law and the law on administrative discipline for public servants have been promulgated and implemented, while the criminal law and criminal procedure law have been revised. All these have formed a relatively complete set of intraparty regulations, and an anti-corruption legal system.

Officials' vigilance has been significantly strengthened so they have no desire to commit acts of corruption. We have persevered in arming the whole Party with the latest development in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. We have forged a whole chain of all-round education on Party spirit, strengthened and reinforced the foundation with Party members' ideals and convictions, and drawn on the excellent traditional culture to maintain and improve integrity and morality. We focused on ensuring honesty education, and promoted Party members and officials to enhance their Party spirit and build a strong line of defense against corruption and moral decline.

Combating corruption bears on winning people's support, which is of paramount political importance. This is a major political battle that the Party cannot and must not lose. An overwhelming victory over corruption has been accomplished and fully reinforced, but the situation remains complex and challenging. Going forward, we will follow the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, be soberly aware that fighting corruption is a never-ending journey, grasp the evolving features and trends of corruption in different stages, focus on key areas and links, and continue to take firm action to "take out tigers," "swat flies," and "hunt down foxes" (Translator's note: Tigers and flies respectively refer to high-ranking and petty officials guilty of corruption, while foxes refer to corrupt officials who have fled abroad.). We will win this critical and lasting battle against corruption. Thank you.

South China Morning Post:

Some are saying that China's restrictions on unregulated expansion of capital, especially supervision on internet platforms, could dampen the confidence of foreign investors and private enterprises. What is your response? What policies and measures will be taken after the 20th CPC National Congress to ease such concerns of foreign investors and private enterprises?

Sun Yeli:

To begin with, one should not see curbing the unregulated capital expansion as conflicting with facilitating sound development of the non-public sector. Capital is an important production factor in the socialist market economy. Over the past 40-plus years of reform and opening up, capital, along with other production factors like land, labor, technologies, and data, have jointly contributed to the development and prosperity of the socialist market economy. Our party fully recognizes the positive role that capital has played in the socialist market economy, and has stressed the importance of having a good understanding of the defining features of capital and the way it works, and preventing its unregulated expansion. That is why we have adopted a "traffic light" approach for capital. In my understanding, it doesn't mean capital is to be rejected by setting up the "traffic light," rather it aims at better maintaining order in the market economy and ensuring healthy development of capital under an institutional framework of laws and regulations. And this, we believe, would not hinder the growth of private economy, but actually be conducive to its growth.

The non-public sector is an important economic basis for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Private entrepreneurs are an important force that the Party must rally and rely on in its long-term governance. Unswervingly consolidating and developing the public sector and unswervingly encouraging, supporting and guiding the development of the non-public sector has become a principal policy of the Party and the country. This has been written into the fundamental strategies in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. This policy is not changing now and will not change in the future.

China is a law-based country. No matter whether it is state-owned or non-public capital, a domestic or foreign investment, they are all protected by the law. We will adequately draw on the good practices of other countries in the world, enhance supervision while boosting development, and continue to improve the market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized business environment.

Please rest assured that China will always be a popular destination for investment. Thank you!

Kyodo News:

The 20th CPC National Congress will set out major principles and policies of the Party and the country. My question is about the Thucydides' trap, a concept we often hear about. It refers to the idea that, historically, emerging countries have always faced resistance from established powers, which results in inevitable conflicts. Now, tensions have been high between China and the U.S. How will China avoid the risks brought by such contentions from now until 2035 or 2049? In other words, does China have the determination to face hindrances on its way forward? 

Sun Yeli: 

The China-U.S. relationship bears on the future of the world. Whether this relationship can be handled well is a momentous question that both countries need to answer. If the most important event in international relations over the past 50 years was the rebuilding and development of China-U.S. relations, which has benefited both countries and the rest of the world, then the most important thing in international relations over the next 50 years will be that the two countries find the right way to get along. The key to doing so is mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, as pointed out by General Secretary Xi Jinping. We believe that the people of the two countries have the wisdom, opportunity, and capability to find such a way of getting along.

We have always had the view that China and the U.S. have more shared interests than differences. A sound and stable China-U.S. relationship serves the shared interests of the two peoples. In fact, China and the U.S. have deeply intertwined interests. Take the economy for example, China-U.S. trade registered a record-high volume of over $750 billion in 2021, up by 28.7% year on year. Trade with China has supported 2.6 million American jobs. Moreover, the world has many challenges that call for us to work together. The international community looks to China and the U.S. to take the lead and shoulder responsibilities as major countries to stabilize bilateral relations and promote global cooperation. 

The Chinese people have been pursuing and cherishing peace, amity, and harmony for more than 5,000 years. China's pursuit of development is to deliver better lives to its people rather than to challenge other countries. We don't believe in the so-called Thucydides' trap, and we reject the notion that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony and oppose a zero-sum mentality. We don't look for trouble, but we aren't afraid of trouble. We don't bully others, but we will not be bullied. China's national rejuvenation is an irreversible trend. No individuals or forces can impede the course of the rejuvenation. Thank you. 

Taiwan United Daily News:

A recently released white paper has a paragraph on "exerting our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification," which adds a line that reads, "Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances." Does this indicate that the mainland has made changes to the means and options for pursuing reunification? How does the mainland perceive and assess the so-called "reunification by non-peaceful means?"

Sun Yeli: 

Peaceful reunification and One country, Two systems are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question. The recently released white paper "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era" reiterates these principles. National reunification by peaceful means best serves the interests of the Chinese nation, including our compatriots in Taiwan. It works best for the long-term stability and development of China, and therefore is our first choice in resolving the Taiwan question. We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification, and create vast space for peaceful reunification.

We make no promise to renounce the use of force, and reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against the interference of external forces and the very small number of "Taiwan independence" separatists and their activities. In no way does it target our Taiwan compatriots. Our ultimate goal is to ensure the prospects of China's peaceful reunification and advance this process. As long as there is a slim chance of peaceful reunification, we will exert our utmost efforts to do so. The use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances.

As we speak, the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces continue to make provocations, and external forces are doubling down on using Taiwan to contain China. All these factors severely undermine the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation and the immediate interests of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, severely jeopardize peace and stability across the Strait, and severely threaten the prospect of peaceful reunification. If left unchecked, they will plunge Taiwan into an abyss and bring disaster to our Taiwan compatriots. Neither individuals nor forces shall underestimate our firm resolve, iron will, and strong capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We hope our Taiwan compatriots are aware that reunification brings benefits, "Taiwan independence" leads to nowhere, and external forces are unreliable. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait shall join hands to oppose "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces and external interference, in a bid to jointly usher in the bright future of peaceful reunification of the motherland. Thank you.

Russian News Agency TASS:

The CPC was established 101 years ago, has governed for 73 years, and has a huge number of members. Does the CPC, as a large political party with a history of over 100 years, feel challenges and pressure? How will it ensure long-term governance?

Sun Yeli:

This indeed is a question that we should always keep in mind. The CPC is a large party with a long history, which has governed for many decades. "How can the CPC avoid the historical cycle of rises and falls" is a question we constantly need to answer. The question was actually raised over 70 years ago. At that time, Comrade Mao Zedong's answer was "let the people supervise the government." Now, based on the Party's centennial struggle, especially the practice in the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has offered us the second answer — self-reform of the Party.

The spirit of self-reform underpins the Party's ability to maintain its youthful vigor. The Party has emerged from a century of vicissitudes with even greater vitality, the secret to which lies in its commitment to upholding truth, righting errors and its courage to confront problems and reform itself. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has upheld and strengthened the Party's overall leadership, exercised effective self-supervision and practiced full and rigorous self-governance. In particular, relentless efforts have been made to address the Four Malfeasances and to fight corruption. A mix of measures for self-reform was adopted to remove factors detrimental to the Party's advanced nature and integrity, and to eliminate any viruses that would erode its health. A set of norms and institutions have been put in place to allow the Party to purify, improve and reform itself, thus effectively preserving its essence, nature and character.

History tells us that one thrives in adversity but perishes in laxity. We will see things from a long-term, strategic perspective, be mindful of potential dangers and confront all kinds of risks and tests. We will remain steadfast in advancing the Party's self-reform and the great new project of Party building in the new era. The goal is to ensure that the Party always serves as the strong leadership core in the course of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Uzbek newspaper Narodnoe Slovo:

The national congress of the CPC will be held soon. At the congress, the main tasks of China for the next five years will be outlined. How will the Belt and Road Initiative develop in the next five years? What will be planned by China?

Sun Yeli:

The Silk Road was opened by our ancestors through great efforts for the purposes of trade and cultural interactions. History inspires the present. Proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the BRI has been warmly received and participated in by the international community. Over the past nine years, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with over 140 countries and more than 30 international organizations. Related ideas and proposals for cooperation have been written into important documents of the U.N. and multiple international organizations. The BRI has become a popular international public good and an important platform for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The BRI follows the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, advancing policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity with partner countries. We have explored new paths for joint development, realized win-win cooperation and contributed a new driving force for global economic growth. By this June, China's trade in goods with BRI partner countries totaled around $12 trillion. A large number of practical cooperation projects have been implemented, contributing to local economic development and improvement of people's livelihoods. More than 100 countries have participated in the first and second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, reaching extensive consensus on jointly building the BRI and global partnerships on connectivity. Together we have drawn the blueprint of cooperation for high-quality development of the BRI and for common prosperity of all countries. 

Standing at the new starting point, we will continue to follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, champion the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, and aim to achieve high-standard, sustainable and people-centered development. We will strive for higher standard cooperation, better deliverables from inputs, higher-quality supply and stronger resilience for development. As such, we will continue to advance the high-quality development of BRI cooperation. Thank you.

Liu Siyang:

Friends from the press, the press conference is now concluded. The Press Center for the 20th CPC National Congress will organize a series of press conferences and group interviews for you all. Thank you, Mr. Sun, and friends from the media. 

Translated and edited by Zhang Liying, Guo Yiming, Wang Wei, Yuan Fang, Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Yiming, Zhang Jiaqi, Li Huiru, Zhu Bochen, Zhou Jing, Liu Sitong, Wang Yanfang, Zhang Rui, Huang Shan, Cui Can, Zhang Junmian, He Shan, Liu Jianing, Daniel Xu, and David Ball. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.