Innholdsfortegnelse for Vol. 61/No. 33 i Beijing Review

Shortly after taking office, Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed that a new type of think tanks with Chinese characteristics be set up in April 2013. Since then, the revamped institutions have reached new heights. In January 2015, China released its first crucial document on the building of think tanks. In May 2016, Xi stressed again the work to set up such think tanks as the basis of a decision-making consultation system. Thanks to Xi’s attention, China’s think tanks have made great headway in recent years, with breakthroughs in both the quantity of think tanks and the quality of their research. They have contributed many suggestions and opinions on China’s politics, economy, society, international exchanges and hot issues. Think tanks are regarded as an important force to promote the system and…

In recent years, China’s think tanks have entered a rapid development era. In some fields and areas, there is a growing think tank mania, which is a relatively new phenomenon in the country, reflecting the urgent need for think tanks in society. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up, which is at a new historical juncture. The economy and society are undergoing transformation, which demands arduous efforts in further reform and opening up. We are facing a series of major issues that require think tanks to research with initiative and bring out valuable suggestions for decision making. The China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD) is based in south China’s Hainan Province and has long been dedicated to studying and researching major strategic issues in…

From July 31 to August 5, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Malaysia and Singapore where he attended a slew of foreign ministers’ meetings alongside counterparts from across the region under the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity. China has always placed ASEAN squarely on the first page of its foreign cooperation agenda, regarding ASEAN as a priority in its foreign policy and a key region for the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, with the two sides having made notable achievements thus far through cooperation. All-round partnership In recent years, mutual political trust has been considerably enhanced, with President Xi Jinping proposing the joint development of the 21st…

On July 31, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee convened a meeting to analyze the current economic situation and set the tone for economic work in the second half of 2018. The Digital Media Center of China International Publishing Group interviewed experts on the key areas covered by the meeting and their outcomes. Edited excerpts of the interviews follow: The meeting pointed out that despite stable growth, the Chinese economy is now facing new challenges and problems and that external circumstances have changed significantly. What are these new challenges and problems? And what are the changes? Xu Hongcai, Deputy Chief Economist of the China Center for International Economic Exchange (CCIEE): As far as the domestic landscape is concerned, China’s economy is now facing great…

Is the ongoing China-U.S. trade war deterring foreign investors from investing in China? This is a question of concern for economists both at home and abroad. Statistics from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange released on July 19 showed that the trade war has not hampered international investing in China, conversely willingness to invest in the country has increased. According to the statistics, Chinese lenders registered net forex purchases of $13.8 billion in the first half of the year, reversing a net sale of $93.8 billion for the same period last year. This shows international investors’ confidence in the development opportunities brought about by China’s continuously expanding opening up. Such confidence is also reflected by the foreign direct investment (FDI) statistics published by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). According to…

DEDICATED ISLAND GUARDIAN Wang Jicai, former head of the militia post on Kaishan Island in east China’s Jiangsu Province, died from sudden illness while on duty on July 27 at the age of 58. President Xi Jinping paid tribute to Wang’s patriotism and dedication for guarding the island post for 32 years. Wang resolutely stuck to his post without any complaints or regrets, composing an extraordinary chapter of a life on an ordinary post, Xi said. For those who dedicate themselves to difficult posts for a long time like Wang, Xi added, organizations at all levels should proactively help them overcome difficulties and care for them more in their thoughts, work and lives. Wang started working on Kaishan Island in 1986 with his wife and they dedicated all their youth…

To build new-type think tanks is an important part of China’s efforts to uplift its soft power and improve the governance system. The development of think tanks in countries around the world implies that the stronger a country’s comprehensive strength, the more prominent its role in the international system will be. In this context, there has been a stronger need for think tanks in China in the past few years, resulting in their faster growth. Chinese think tanks have played prominent roles not only in advising decision-makers, but also in diplomacy. For example, at the Pangoal Institution, we have focused on Sino-U.S. relations, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, and also conducted research on issues like the Belt and Road Initiative and global governance. We have utilized the advantages of non-governmental…

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Over the past four decades, people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have deepened and economic relations have become closer than ever before. Despite the twists and turns in recent years, bilateral political ties are beginning to warm at an important point in history as international relations undergo unprecedented changes, which bring about great opportunities for the future development of the Sino-Japanese relationship. It is thus necessary to reaffirm the importance of China-Japan relations, review and analyze previous experiences and lessons, and look ahead to new prospects for bilateral ties in the future. International order The real significance of any major event in international politics can only be fully comprehended when viewed in the…

China will keep its economy on a stable and healthy development track with a proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy in the second half of 2018, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on July 31. The meeting stressed that China will maintain the basic tone of “seeking progress while maintaining stability” for its economic work and allow the economy to continue to perform within a reasonable range. Efforts should be made to push supply-side structural reform and win the “three tough battles,” according to a statement released after the meeting. China’s economy has maintained steady growth with good momentum in the first half year, according to the statement. However, the economy still faces some new challenges and the external environment has changed…

With the scorching hot summer comes the ratcheting up of the trade war waged by the U.S. against China. The Section 301 investigation, initiated by the U.S. in August 2017, is its excuse for launching the war. To speak out for Chinese enterprises and clarify facts, the Patent Protection Association of China commissioned Wang Zhengzhi and Lian Jie from the Globe-Law Law Firm to participate in a public hearing of the investigation held in mid-May in Washington, D.C. Beijing Review reporters Zhou Xiaoyan and Zhang Shasha recently held an exclusive interview with Wang, a partner of the firm, on the causes of the Section 301 investigation, the results of the hearing and China’s achievements around intellectual property right (IPR) protection. An edited excerpt of the interview follows: Beijing Review: What…

The trade war between China and the United States has been escalating, with the United States announcing 10-percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports on July 10, and the U.S. Trade Representative saying in a statement on August 1 that it was considering increasing the proposed additional duties to 25 percent. China has been forced to take countermeasures in response. On August 3, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced plans to levy additional tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. products in 5,207 categories with four tariff rates ranging from 5 to 25 percent. These tariffs will become effective in the event that the United States further attacks bilateral trade by introducing tariffs on more Chinese products. China’s second round of countermeasures has naturally gained a great deal of…