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Xi’s men

The Leading Small Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reform (LSGCDR) met on Friday. Li Keqiang – who was in Australia – was notable for his absence. Li has been absent from several LSGCDR meetings in the past year, which many take as further evidence of his marginalization.

A readout of the meeting was notable because it revealed who is in charge of various initiatives. Of particular note was the fact that Chen Min’er is in charge of poverty alleviation, which is one of Xi’s pet issues. Chen is a long time Xi associate, and worked closely with him in Zhejiang as Xi’s head of propaganda. Chen looks set for a big promotion at the 19th Party Congress; he’s even a dark horse candidate to become Xi’s successor.

Strange times

It was strange enough when Xi positioned himself as the torchbearer for free trade and globalization at Davos in January. His meeting with the Prime Minister of Nepal today was similarly weird: Xi offered RMB 9 million to support Nepal’s local elections. Is China now trying to position itself as the world’s champion for democracy too?

PBSC Week in Review
Xi Jinping

Party General Secretary; PRC President;

Mar 27 Xi met held talks with Micronesian President Peter M. Christian.

Xinhua: “Through cooperation on the Belt and Road, China and Micronesia can achieve win-win results, Xi said during talks with his Micronesian counterpart.”

 

Chairman of Central Military Commission   Xi met with Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Promised to provide Nepal with RMB 9 million in support for local elections.

 

  Mar 25 Xi sent a congratulatory letter of the opening ceremony of the 2017 Boao Forum for Asia.

 

  Mar 24 Xi chaired a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform.

At the meeting, senior officials reported on the progress made in reforms in environmental protection, the judicial system, poverty relief, rural affairs, the Shanghai FTZ, state-owned enterprises and others.

Attendees deliberated on reports on the implementation of reforms concerning schooling in less developed areas, family doctors, the river chief system, giving rural migrant workers urban citizenship, and other issues.

The meeting approved a plan to deepen reform and opening up in Shanghai FTZ and a plan to deepen reform to the reward system in science and technology.

 

  Mar 23 Xi expressed condolences to British Queen Elizabeth II after the attack in London.

 

    Xi sent a congratulatory message to the sixth meeting of the China-Russia inter-party dialogue mechanism and the China-Russia inter-party forum held in Kazan, Russia.

 

  Mar 21 Xi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

Li Keqiang

Premier

Mar 27 Li held talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English.

Signed nine deals including on trade, agriculture, e-commerce, education and environmental protection, among others. State media says they signed a “cooperation deal” on OBOR and that New Zealand is “the first developed country to be a part of the Initiative.”

 

    Li held a press conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English.

 

    Li met with head of the New Zealand Labour Party Andrew Little.

 

    Li sent instructions to the National Land Restoration and Forest Fire Prevention Work Teleconference.

 

  Mar 26 Li traveled to Wellington, New Zealand.

Met by New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English at airport.

 

  Mar 25 Li watched an Australian Rules Football match in Sydney, Australia.

 

    Li met with Australian New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian in Sydney, Australia.

 

    Li attended and spoke at a welcome dinner hosted by overseas Chinese in Sydney, Australia.

 

  Mar 24 Li and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull held the 5th annual China-Australia Prime Ministerial meeting in Canberra, Australia.

They witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents in such fields as the economy and trade, innovation, agriculture, food, intellectual property, security of law enforcement, tourism and education.

 

    Li spoke at and attended the China-Australia Cooperation on Economy and Trade Forum in Sydney, Australia.

Full text of his speech (in Chinese).

    Li attended and spoke at the Australia-China State/Provincial Leaders Forum in Sydney, Australia.

 

    Li and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull held a CEO roundtable luncheon.

 

    Li and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull held a joint press conference.

 

  Mar 23 Li held talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra, Australia.

 

    Li met with Australian Senate President Stephen Parry and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith in Canberra, Australia.

 

    Li met with leader of Australian opposition Labor Party Bill Shorten.

 

    Li met with Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove in Canberra, Australia.

 

    Li expressed condolences to British Prime Minister Theresa May after the terror attack in London.

 

  Mar 22 Li arrived in Canberra, Australia.

 

    Li left Beijing for a state visit to Australia and New Zealand.

 

    Li published an article in Australian newspaper The Australian.

 

  Mar 22-23 Li sent a written instruction to a meeting on spring farming.

 

  Mar 21 Li attended and spoke at a State Council meeting on clean governance.

 

  Mar 20 Li held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

    Li met with overseas representatives at the China Development Forum.

 

  Mar 19 Li congratulated Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on his party’s election victory.

 

Zhang Dejiang

Chair of the National People’s Congress

Mar 21 Zhang met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

 

Yu Zhengsheng

Chair of the Chinese People’s Political

   
Consultative Conference    
Liu Yunshan

Head of Party Secretariat; Head

Mar 24 Liu attended a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform.
of Propaganda Mar 22 Liu inspected the People’s Daily headquarters.

 

Wang Qishan

Secretary of the Central Commission for

Mar 21 Wang attended a State Council meeting on clean governance.

 

Discipline Inspection    
Zhang Gaoli

Executive Vice Premier

Mar 25 Zhang gave the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia.

 

  Mar 24 Zhang met with former Taiwanese Vice President and honorary chairman of the Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation Vincent C. Siew in Bo’ao, China.

 

    Zhang met separately with foreign leaders attending the Boao Forum in Bo’ao, China.

President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina, Micronesian President Peter M. Christian, Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Afghanistan Chairman of the Upper House of Parliament Fazal Hadi Muslimyar, Myanmar Vice President U Myint Swe.

 

    Zhang met with BFA Chairman Yasuo Fukuda, Vice Chairman Zeng Peiyan and other members of the BFA Board of Directors.

 

  Mar 21 Zhang attended a State Council meeting on clean governance.

 

  Mar 19 Zhang attended and spoke at the 2017 China Development Forum opening ceremony.

Full text of his speech (in Chinese).

  

 

About CPW

China 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. You can find out more about Trey and CPW in this interview.

 

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