China Politics Weekly No. 38- January 19, 2015

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Dear friends and colleagues,

Happy New Year! Curious to know what your favorite Chinese officials have been doing for the past month and a half? All of their activities are documented in the calendar below.

It’s a busy time in China as officials and organizations seek to finish work from the previous year and prepare for the year coming. These preparations will continue until the Spring Festival holidays next month and culminate with the lianghui in early March.

The past few weeks make clear that anti-corruption and Party-building remain at the top of the agenda. In the past week, all top officials attended the CDIC’s fifth plenum, as well as dedicated anti-corruption meetings throughout all major Party and state institutions. Tellingly, the anti-corruption campaign’s newest focus appears to be on those bastions of “vested interests”- the military, security services and SOEs. More high-profile investigations should be expected.

Some argue that the focus on anti-corruption has a negative impact on the economy because it paralyzes risk-averse officials and keeps them from focusing on economic management. This argument misses the point: namely, that economic reforms will not be successful if the Party-state apparatus does not function at a high-level. It is true that in some areas the anti-corruption campaign has negatively affected growth, but these instances should be seen more as teething problems than indications of a fatal flaw.

Reducing corruption ultimately facilitates economic growth by increasing market transparency and competition. Those concerned for the long term health of the Chinese economy should take heart from the fact that the CCP has gotten the sequencing correct. There is still a lot of work to do to carry out the structural reforms that will put the economy on a more sustainable path, but things are definitely moving in the right direction.

This week’s issue should mark the return to a regular publishing schedule for CPW. As always, your comments and feedback are welcome. Old issues are always available at www.chinapoliticsweekly.com. Sign up or unsubscribe by sending an email to info@chinapoliticsweekly.com.

 

PBSC Week in Review
Xi Jinping	Jan 17	Xi sent congratulations to Zhu Lilun on his election as head of Taiwan’s Kuomintang Party.
	Jan 16	Xi chaired a Politburo Standing Committee meeting.Official media rarely announces PBSC meetings. Discussed anti-corruption efforts in NPC, State Council, CPPCC, SPC and SPP.
	Jan 15
		Xi sent instructions to mark the 60th anniversary of China’s nuclear industry.26 nuclear power plants currently under construction.
	Jan 14	Xi met with Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).Beijing wants to host Winter Olympics in 2022.
	Jan 13	Xi spoke at the CDIC’s fifth plenary session.
		Xi appointed three new ambassadors.Yemen, Cameroon and Micronesia.
	Jan 12	Xi addressed a Central Party School seminar for county-level Party chiefs.206 officials attended the seminar. All 2,800+ county-level chiefs to take part in training by 2017.
	Jan 9	Xi attended a ceremony honoring China’s top scientists.
		Xi sent a congratulatory message to Maithripala Sirisena on his election as Sri Lanka’s new president.
	Jan 8	Xi addressed the opening ceremony of the first ministerial meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).Full text of Xi’s speech (in Chinese).
		Xi sent condolences to French President Francois Hollande over the attack on magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.
	Jan 7	Xi met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
		Xi held talks with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa Delgado.
		Xi met with Prime Minister of the Bahamas Perry Christie.
	Jan 6	Xi held talks with Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis.
	Jan 2	Xi sent a congratulatory telegram to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa Delgado on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of China-Ecuador relations.
	Jan 1	Xi sent instructions regarding the stampede in Shanghai that killed 36.
	Dec 31	Xi’s gave his New Year’s address to the country.
		Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchange New Year’s greetings.The bromance continues.
		Xi attended and spoke at a CPPCC tea party to celebrate the New Year.Full text (in Chinese).
	Dec 30	Xi chaired the eighth meeting of the Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.According to statement released after meeting, 80 key tasks identified for 2014 had been “basically finished” and 108 missions assigned to various central departments had been completed.
		Xi attended a New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
		Xi sent condolences to Indonesian President Joko Widodo over the crash of Air Asia flight QZ8501.
	Dec 29	Xi chaired a Politburo meeting.Meeting focused on corruption, as well as consultative socialist democracy and improving guidance of Party-affiliated groups.
	Dec 28	Xi sent instructions to a two-day national meeting on Party building in higher learning institutions.
	Dec 26	Xi met with Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung.
		Xi met with Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On.
	Dec 24	Xi sent instructions to a seminar held to promote the experience of the crew of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy submarine that averted an underwater disaster.
	Dec 23	Xi held talks with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
		Xi met with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
	Dec 20	Xi attended a ceremony to mark the 15th anniversary of the handover of Macau back to China.Full text of his speech (in English). And in Chinese.
		Xi inspected PLA troops in Macau.
		Xi met with central government officials stationed in Macau.
		Xi visited with students at the University of Macau’s Hengqing campus.
		Xi flew back to Beijing.
	Dec 19	Xi spoke at a welcome banquet in Macau.
		Xi met with Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung.
		Xi met with Macau’s chief executive Chui Sai On.
		Xi met with Macau businessman and CPPCC vice chairman He Houhua.
		Xi met with various representatives from Macau.
		Xi flew to Macau to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Macau’s return to China.
	Dec 18	Xi met with Chung Uihwa, speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly.
		Xi approved the appointments of eight ambassadors.
	Dec 17	Xi extended condolences over a terrorist attack on a school in Pakistan.
	Dec 14	Xi continued his inspection tour of Nanjing and Zhenjiang, Jiangsu.
		Xi met with senior officers of the Nanjing Military Area Command.
	Dec 13	Xi spoke at a public memorial service for victims of the Nanjing Massacre.Full text of the speech (in Chinese).
		Xi met with survivors of the Nanjing Massacre.
		Xi went on an inspection tour of Nanjing and Zhenjiang, Jiangsu.
		Xi sent instructions to the National Study Abroad Conference.
	Dec 12	Xi sent instructions to the opening of the first leg of the North-South Water Diversion Project.
	Dec 11	Xi attended and spoke at the Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 5	Xi chaired a Politburo meeting.Focused on economic work for the coming year.
	Dec 4	Xi spoke at a meeting on the armament work of the People’s Liberation Army.
		Xi held talks with President of South Africa Jacob Zuma.Xi said the two countries should be powers that enhance unity and cooperation among developing countries, improve global governance and promote democracy in international relations.
	Dec 3	Xi sent instructions to a symposium held by the Propaganda Department, NPC and the Ministry of Justice on popularizing the Constitution.
		Xi had a telephone conversation with President of the European Council Donald Tusk.
	Dec 2	Xi chaired the seventh meeting of the Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.Meeting discussed administration of rural land and establishing a modern public cultural service system. It also reviewed and adopted pilot plans to set up circuit courts by the Supreme People’s Court and trans-regional courts and procuratorates. The LSG is also drafting a timetable for implementation of reforms announced at the 4th Plenum.
	Dec 1	Xi chaired a symposium for non-Party members to discuss economic work.
Li Keqiang	Jan 16	Attended Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
	Jan 14	Li chaired an executive meeting of the State Council.
		Li chaired a meeting of the State Council Party Committee.
	Jan 13	Attended CDIC plenum.
	Jan 11	Li sent congratulations to Ranil Wickremesinghe on his assumption of Sri Lanka’s premiership.
	Jan 9	Li met with heads of delegations attending the first ministerial meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
		Li spoke at a ceremony honoring China’s scientists.Full text of Li’s speech (in Chinese).
	Jan 8	Li met with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa Delgado.
		Li met with Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis.
		Li met with Prime Minister of the Bahamas Perry Christie.
	Jan 7	Li chaired an executive meeting of the State Council.
	Jan 4-6	Li went on inspection tour to Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong.
	Jan 5	Li sent instructions to a conference on preserving agricultural land.
	Dec 31	Li chaired an executive meeting of the State Council.No better way to spend New Year’s Eve.
		Attended CPPCC’s New Year’s tea party.
	Dec 30	Attended meeting of Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.
		Attended New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
	Dec 26	Li met separately with Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung and Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On.
	Dec 25	Li met with outstanding auditing personnel from around the country.
	Dec 24	Li chaired an executive meeting of the State Council.
		Li had a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Greece Antonis Samaras.
		Li met with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
	Dec 23	Li had a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
	Dec 22-23	Li attended and spoke at the Central Rural Work Conference.
	Dec 22	Li held talks with Prime Minister of Thailand Prayuth Chan-ocha.
	Dec 20	Li attended the Greater Mekong Subregion Summit.
		Li attended the opening ceremony of the Greater Mekong Subregion Summit.Li’s speech (in Chinese).
		Li flew back to Beijing.
	Dec 19	Li arrived in Bangkok, Thailand for the Greater Mekong Subregion Summit.
	Dec 18	Li sent instructions to a State Council conference on the financial guarantee sector.Li called for more policies to develop government-supported financing guarantees and re-guarantee institutions, improvement cooperation mechanisms between banks and guarantee institutions and an increase in financing guarantees for small firms and rural farmers.
		Li met with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic.
		Li attended a ceremony to mark the opening of a Chinese-built bridge crossing the Danube in Belgrade, Serbia.
		Li was made an honorary citizen of Belgrade, Serbia.
	Dec 17	Li held talks with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.
		Li met with Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán and Prime Minister of Macedona Nikola Gruevski.
		Li held a joint press conference with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksander Vucic.
		Li met Prime Minister of Estonia Taavi Rõivas and Prime Minister of Macedonia Nikola Gruevski.
		Li extended condolences over a terrorist attack on a school in Pakistan.
	Dec 16	Li addressed the third leaders’ meeting of China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.Text of the speech (in Chinese).
		Li held a press conference with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic to discuss outcomes of the China-CEE leaders’ meeting.
		Li addressed the Fourth Economic and Trade Forum between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.Text of the speech (in Chinese).
		Li met with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.
		Li met with Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma.
		Li met with Prime Minister of Romania Victor Ponta.
		Li met with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
		Li met with Chairman of the Bosnia-Herzogovina Council of Ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda.
		Li met with Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar.
	Dec 15	Li attended the 13th prime minister’s meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).Li’s speech at the meeting (in Chinese).
		Li met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
		Li met with Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah.
		Li flew to Serbia.
	Dec 14	Li met with President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.
		Li held talks with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov.
		Li held a press conference with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov.
		Li addressed the second meeting of the China-Kazakhstan Entrepreneurs Committee.
		Li left Beijing for Kazakhstan.
	Dec 12	Li chaired an executive meeting of the State Council.Focused on streamlining government and reducing investment approvals; approved three new free trade zones; vowed to tackle improper government accounting practices.
		Li sent instructions to the opening of the first leg of the North-South Water Diversion Project.
	Dec 11	Li attended and spoke at the Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
		Li met with Irish President Michael D. Higgins.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 5	Attended Politburo meeting.
	Dec 4	Li met with members of the 21st Century Committee for China-Japan Friendship.“We should continue to get over political obstacles and promote China-Japan strategic mutual-beneficial ties based on principles of the four China-Japan political documents, and in the spirit of drawing lessons from history and facing up to the future,” said the premier.Interesting editorial in the New York Times by Akio Takahara, professor at the University of Tokyo and Secretary General of the Japanese side of the committee.
		Li met with President of South Africa Jacob Zuma.
	Dec 3	Li chaired an executive meeting of the State Council.Meeting decided to extend tax breaks for rural finance and expand pilot programs for independent innovation.
	Dec 2	Attended meeting of Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.
	Dec 1	Attended symposium for non-Party members to discuss economic work.
Zhang Dejiang	Jan 16	Attended Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
	Jan 15	Zhang chaired and spoke at a meeting of the NPC Standing Committee Party Committee.
	Jan 13	Attended CDIC plenum.
	Jan 8	Zhang met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
		Zhang met with Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis.
	Dec 31	Attended CPPCC’s New Year’s tea party.
	Dec 30	Attended New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
	Dec 28	Zhang spoke at the closing of the NPC Standing Committee’s week-long meeting.
		Zhang presided over an NPC Standing Committee study session on developing the securities market.
		Zhang presided over an NPC Standing Committee meeting.
		Zhang presided over an NPC Standing Committee Chairmen’s meeting.
		Zhang announced the members of the Macau Special Administrative Region Basic Law Commission.
	Dec 27	Zhang participated in discussions of a State Council report on rural development.
		Zhang presided over an NPC Standing Committee Chairmen’s meeting.
	Dec 26	Zhang attended a full meeting of the NPC Standing Committee.
		Zhang chaired a meeting of NPC Standing Committee chairmen.
		Zhang met with Hong Kong Chief Executive C.Y. Leung.
		Zhang met with Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On.
	Dec 24	Zhang met with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
	Dec 23	Zhang attended a full meeting of the NPC Standing Committee.
		Zhang met with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
	Dec 22	Zhang chaired the opening of the 12th meeting of the NPC Standing Committee.
	Dec 17	Zhang held talks with Chung Uihwa, speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly.
	Dec 15	Zhang chaired an NPC Standing Committee chairmen’s meeting.Next Standing Committee meeting will be held Dec. 22-28.
	Dec 13	Zhang presided over a public memorial service for victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
		Zhang met with survivors of the Nanjing Massacre.
	Dec 11	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
		Zhang met with Irish President Michael D. Higgins.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 8	Zhang met with Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On.
	Dec 5	Zhang met with South African President Jacob Zuma.
		Attended Politburo meeting.
	Dec 3	Zhang spoke at a symposium held by the Propaganda Department, NPC and the Ministry of Justice on popularizing the Constitution.
	Dec 2	Attended meeting of Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.
Yu Zhengsheng	Jan 16	Attended Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
	Jan 15	Yu chaired a meeting of the CPPCC Party Committee.
	Jan 13	Attended CDIC plenum.
	Jan 8	Yu chaired a biweekly CPPCC symposium.Meeting focused on management of state-sponsored research labs.
	Jan 7	Yu met with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa Delgado.
	Dec 31	Hosted CPPCC’s New Year’s tea party.
	Dec 30	Attended New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
	Dec 25-27	Yu made an official visit to Vietnam.
	Dec 23	Yu chaired a biweekly CPPCC symposium.Focused on transformation of government functions.
	Dec 19	Yu met with Yohei Kono, former Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives and president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade.
	Dec 15	Yu met with participants of the Symposium Commemorating the 35th Anniversary of the Establishment of China-US Diplomatic Relations.
	Dec 12	Yu chaired a CPPCC chairmen’s meeting.
		Yu chaired a biweekly CPPCC symposium on protecting historic villages.
	Dec 11	Yu met with Cuban Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Leopoldo Cintra Frias.
		Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
		Yu met with Kurbanjan Samat, author of the book I’m from Xinjiang.
	Dec 5	Attended Politburo meeting.
	Dec 1	Attended symposium for non-Party members to discuss economic work.
Liu Yunshan	Jan 16	Attended Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
	Jan 15	Liu attended the graduation ceremony for the Central Party School’s fall term.
	Jan 13	Attended CDIC plenum.
	Jan 12	Liu met with Chairman of the Finnish Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Finnish Finance Minister Antti Rinne.
	Jan 9	Attended a ceremony honoring China’s top scientists.
	Jan 5	Liu attended and spoke at a meeting of top propaganda officials.
	Dec 31	Attended CPPCC’s New Year’s tea party.
	Dec 30	Attended meeting of Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.
		Attended New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
	Dec 19	Liu attended and spoke at a national conference of Organization Department officials.
	Dec 17	Liu attended a ceremony at the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) embassy in China on the third anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il.
		Liu met with delegates to the ASEAN+3 media summit.
	Dec 15	Liu met with American representatives of the US-China Policy Dialogue.Brent Scowcroft, Joseph Nye, Madeleine Albright and Christopher Hill in attendance.
	Dec 11	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 5	Attended Politburo meeting.
	Dec 1	Attended symposium for non-Party members to discuss economic work.
Wang Qishan	Jan 16	Attended Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
	Jan 12-14	CDIC Plenum.
	Jan 13	Wang chaired a plenary session of the CDIC.
		Wang participated in group sessions at the CDIC plenum.
	Dec 31	Attended CPPCC’s New Year’s tea party.
	Dec 30	Attended New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
	Dec 12	Wang met with a delegation from the National Reform Council of Thailand, headed by Teeradej Meepien, former vice president of the Thai Parliament and former Senate speaker.
	Dec 11	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 5	Attended Politburo meeting.
Zhang Gaoli	Jan 16	Attended Politburo Standing Committee meeting.
	Jan 14	Attended executive meeting of State Council.
		Attended State Council Party Committee meeting.
	Jan 13	Attended CDIC plenum.
	Jan 9	Zhang chaired a ceremony honoring China’s top scientists.
	Jan 5	Zhang attended a symposium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of former PLA General Chen Xilian’s birth.
		Zhang sent instructions to a conference on preserving agricultural land.
	Dec 31	Attended CPPCC’s New Year’s tea party.
	Dec 30	Attended meeting of Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.
		Attended New Year gala featuring traditional opera.
	Dec 26	Zhang chaired and spoke at a meeting on the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.
	Dec 22-23	Zhang attended the Central Rural Work Conference.
	Dec 15-16	Zhang went on an inspection tour to Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
	Dec 11	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 10	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 9	Attended Central Economic and Finance Work Conference.
	Dec 8	Zhang presided over and spoke at a meeting of the National Commission on Conservation of Biodiversity.
	Dec 5	Attended Politburo meeting.
	Dec 4	Zhang met with Venezuelan Vice President of Economy and Finance, Rodolfo Marco Torres.
	Dec 2	Attended meeting of Leading Small Group on Comprehensively Deepening Reform.
	Dec 1	Zhang held talks with Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
		Attended symposium for non-Party members to discuss economic work.
		Zhang spoke at the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) Annual General Meeting.

 

About CPWChina Politics Weekly aims to keep business leaders, investors, diplomats, scholars and other China hands up to date on important trends in China. It is produced by Trey McArver, a London-based consultant providing advice and intelligence to firms and investors engaged in China and the region.  Want to help? Please tell us how we can make this newsletter more useful to you. Feedback on both form and content are always welcome, as are suggestions for topics to be covered. Please contact us at info@chinapoliticsweekly.com. We look forward to hearing from you.   Want more? We offer tailored briefings and research reports for senior management who need to know more about China. Our network of analysts and associates have experience across a range of sectors. Please email us to discuss your needs and get a quote.