The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened a meeting on July 25 to discuss and deploy flood prevention, disaster relief, and rescue efforts. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech. The meeting noted that this year, China has experienced unfavorable climate conditions, with numerous and prolonged heavy rainfall events, early and rapid river floods, and some areas repeatedly hit by heavy rains, making the flood prevention and control situation severe and complex. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, Party committees and governments at all levels have acted swiftly and responded with full force. The National Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief, relevant departments and units have fulfilled their duties and cooperated closely. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force, national comprehensive fire rescue teams, and various professional rescue forces have responded promptly and taken the lead. The broad masses of cadres and people have stood together through thick and thin, united as one, jointly building a strong defense line to protect their homes, achieving significant phased results in flood prevention, disaster relief, and rescue. The meeting emphasized that China is currently in the critical period of flood control from late July to early August. Pressure remains high for peak flood control, dike breach prevention, and urban waterlogging drainage in basins such as the Yangtze River. There is a possibility of severe floods in the Yellow River, Huaihe River, Haihe River, and Songliao River basins. With typhoons entering an active period, the flood situation is even more severe and complex. All relevant regions, departments, and units must remain vigilant about flood prevention and control, firmly grasp the initiative in their work, and resolutely win this tough battle against floods. The meeting pointed out that ensuring the safety of people's lives must always be the top priority. It is necessary to further improve monitoring methods, enhance the accuracy of early warnings, strengthen the linkage between early warnings and emergency responses, increase response speed, highlight defense priorities, closely monitor grassroots units, and decisively evacuate people from hazardous areas in advance to minimize casualties. It is crucial to ensure the safety of important dikes, reservoirs, and infrastructure, implement flood control patrol and defense systems, focus on defending vulnerable dike sections, dangerous sections, and problematic reservoirs, intensify efforts to detect and eliminate risks, and resolutely prevent breaches of major river dikes and collapses of large and key medium-sized reservoirs. Flood control projects should be scientifically managed, and preparations for the use of flood detention basins should be meticulously detailed. For important infrastructure such as the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the West-to-East Gas Pipeline Project, highways, and railways, as well as key urban areas like underground spaces, bridges, and tunnels, further investigation of risks and hidden dangers should be conducted, emergency measures should be implemented, and safe operation should be ensured. The meeting stressed the need to fully carry out emergency rescue and disaster relief, strengthening overall planning and pre-positioning. Forces from the PLA, People's Armed Police, fire departments, central enterprises, and other sectors must remain in an emergency state at all times, obey unified command, and ensure rapid deployment and efficient rescue. Disaster relief funds should be allocated and relief materials transported in a timely manner. Insurance claims should be expedited, and affected people should be properly resettled, with their needs for medical care and school enrollment ensured. Damaged infrastructure such as water conservancy, power, transportation, and communication facilities should be repaired promptly, and affected people should be organized and led to restore production and rebuild their homes. Solid work should be done in agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation to minimize agricultural losses and ensure national food security. Care and assistance should be provided to affected people in difficulties to prevent poverty due to disasters. Emergency response capacity building should be strengthened, urban flood control and drainage capacity improved, and shortcomings in flood control projects such as problematic reservoirs, small and medium-sized river dikes, and flood detention basins, as well as farmland drainage, should be addressed. The results of the comprehensive risk survey of natural disasters should be utilized, grassroots emergency foundations and forces strengthened, and the comprehensive disaster reduction capacity of the entire society continuously improved. The meeting demanded that Party committees and governments at all levels seriously implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, earnestly shoulder the political responsibility of promoting development and ensuring safety in their respective areas. The National Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief should strengthen overall coordination, leading cadres at all levels should command from the front, and all relevant parties should cooperate closely to form a synergy. Grassroots Party organizations and the vast number of Party members and cadres should give full play to their roles as fighting fortresses and vanguards, striving for excellence and taking responsibility on the front lines of flood prevention, disaster relief, and rescue, ensuring the safety of people's lives and property with all their might. The meeting also discussed other matters.
In recent days, all localities across the country have been thoroughly studying and implementing the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The vast number of cadres and the public stated that they will rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, actively explore and innovate, stimulate momentum and vitality, and open up broad prospects for Chinese modernization through further comprehensive deepening of reform. The Plenary Session pointed out that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has led the entire Party, the entire army, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to break free from ideological constraints, overcome entrenched vested interests, and resolutely dismantle institutional and mechanism弊端 from all aspects with great historical initiative, immense political courage, and strong sense of responsibility, providing strong institutional guarantees for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieving the Party's first centenary goal. The more than 300 reform measures proposed by the Plenary Session cover all aspects of Chinese modernization and grasp the core and key of the Party and state's development. Everyone stated that they must resolutely align their thoughts and actions with the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, actively take responsibility and action in accordance with their duties and functions, and promote the implementation of the Plenary Session's spirit. Holding high the banner of reform and opening up, they will strive to create a better future. Everyone stated that on the new journey of building a strong country and national rejuvenation, they must comprehensively implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, unite their minds, forge ahead with determination, and write a new chapter in advancing Chinese modernization.
Today's (July 25) *People's Daily* published a commentator's article titled "Focusing More on the Effectiveness of Reform and Ensuring its Implementation with a Nail-Driving Spirit - On Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee."
The Eighth Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee concluded in Beijing on the morning of the 25th. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, presided over the closing meeting and delivered a speech. He stated that the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee fully demonstrated the mission and responsibility of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in holding high the banner of reform and opening up, and its firm determination to open up broad prospects for Chinese modernization through further comprehensive deepening of reform. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with great historical initiative, immense political courage, and strong sense of responsibility, has led China into a magnificent and far-reaching process of comprehensively deepening reform in the new era, creating a new landscape for China's reform and opening up. It is necessary to profoundly understand the decisive significance of "two establishments," enhance "four consciousnesses," strengthen "four self-confidences," and achieve "two safeguards," so as to gather the wisdom and strength of all parties, groups, and people from all ethnic groups and sectors participating in the CPPCC to further comprehensively deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization, and resolutely implement the CPC Central Committee's reform decisions and deployments. Wang Huning stated that thoroughly studying and implementing the spirit of the Plenary Session is a major political task for the entire Party and the entire country for the current and coming period. The CPPCC must comprehensively and accurately study and implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform, profoundly understand and grasp the theme, major principles, major measures, and fundamental guarantees of further comprehensively deepening reform, and consciously unify thoughts, wills, and actions with the spirit of the Plenary Session. It is necessary to make contributing wisdom and strength to further comprehensively deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization the main line of work and the focus of duties, and solidly carry out work to strengthen reform confidence, build reform consensus, and offer more reform insights, so as to better gather popular support and strength for reform. It is necessary to implement important tasks such as improving the system of whole-process people's democracy and improving the mechanism of consultative democracy, and grasp the implementation of reform with a nail-driving spirit. It is also necessary to successfully hold the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the CPPCC and solidly carry out various duties in the second half of the year. Through deliberation and voting, the meeting adopted the decision to remove Wu Yingjie from his posts as a member of the Standing Committee of the 14th CPPCC National Committee and Chairman of the Cultural, Historical, and Learning Committee, and to revoke his membership; it also adopted the decision to revoke Zhang Jianchun's membership in the 14th CPPCC National Committee. After the closing meeting, the Sixth Study Session of the 14th CPPCC Standing Committee was held, and Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng was invited to give a lecture titled "Deepening Education System Reform."
On July 25, Xi Jinping's special representative, Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, led a CPC delegation to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, to express condolences on the passing of Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, and met with Vietnamese President To Lam. The memorial service was held at the Vietnamese National Funeral Home. Nguyen Phu Trong's coffin was placed among flowers, covered with a large Vietnamese national flag, and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Wang Huning, on behalf of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee, and as General Secretary Xi Jinping's special representative, laid a wreath, paused in silent tribute before Nguyen Phu Trong's coffin, bowed three times, conveyed the sincere condolences of General Secretary Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan to Nguyen Phu Trong's widow, Ngo Thi Minh, and signed the condolence book. During his meeting with To Lam, Wang Huning stated that he came here as General Secretary Xi Jinping's special representative and led the CPC delegation to express condolences, once again conveying the profound grief of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee over the passing of Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, and their sincere condolences to the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's family. At this special moment, the Chinese Party and people stand firmly with the Vietnamese Party and people. The Chinese Party and government will, as always, support the Vietnamese Party in leading the Vietnamese people to follow a development path suited to their national conditions, and support the development of Vietnam's Doi Moi (reform) and socialist construction. He expressed confidence that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, the Communist Party of Vietnam will surely inherit and develop Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's thoughts and concepts on Party and state governance, unite and lead the Vietnamese people to successfully complete the goals and tasks set forth by the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and welcome the successful convening of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Wang Huning stated that under the strategic guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, China-Vietnam relations have continuously developed steadily and positively, elevating to a new height of a community with a shared future with strategic significance. China is willing to work with Vietnam to implement the important consensus reached by both sides during General Secretary Xi Jinping's visit to Vietnam last year, and promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future to go deeper, be more solid, and endure. To Lam stated that after Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's passing, the CPC Central Committee immediately sent a condolence message to the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping paid tribute at the Vietnamese Embassy in China, and Comrade Wang Huning, as General Secretary Xi Jinping's special representative, specially came to Vietnam to express condolences. This demonstrates the special sentiment of the Chinese Party, government, and people towards the Vietnamese Party, government, and people. Vietnam is deeply moved and this has further strengthened Vietnam's determination to follow the path of national development established by the older generations of leaders and Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. China is the only country with all priority factors in Vietnam's foreign policy. Vietnam will bear in mind Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's instructions that "the Vietnam-China friendship is deep, comrades and brothers," and will always prioritize developing relations with China in its foreign policy, firmly promoting the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future with strategic significance in accordance with the important consensus reached by Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary Xi Jinping. That evening, Wang Huning also met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front Do Van Chien. Wang Dongfeng and others participated in the above activities.
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made specific arrangements for deepening fiscal and taxation system reforms. What measures will be taken next to solidly advance fiscal and taxation system reforms? Today (July 25)'s "Authoritative Interview" features an exclusive interview with Lan Fo'an, Minister of Finance. Lan Fo'an stated that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has led the entire Party, the entire army, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to navigate treacherous waters and break down barriers, achieving historical changes, systematic restructuring, and overall reconfigurations in many fields. Driven by comprehensive deepening of reform, the quality of China's economic development has continuously improved, laying a more solid foundation for Chinese modernization. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly defined the deepening of fiscal and taxation system reforms. Lan Fo'an stated that to accelerate the establishment and improvement of a fiscal system compatible with Chinese modernization, while comprehensively and systematically advancing it, emphasis should be placed on five aspects: building a high-level socialist market economic system, promoting high-quality development, improving the macroeconomic regulation and control system, adhering to a people-centered approach, and comprehensively promoting the building of a beautiful China. Regarding the improvement of fiscal relations between the central and local governments, Lan Fo'an stated that on one hand, efforts will be made to shift the collection stage of consumption tax backward and steadily delegate it to local governments. On the other hand, the transfer payment system will be improved, and an incentive and restraint mechanism for transfer payments that promotes high-quality development will be established. In addition, the scope of support for special bonds will be reasonably expanded, central government's powers will be appropriately strengthened, and the proportion of central government expenditures will be increased.
The State Council Information Office held a series of press conferences on promoting high-quality development on July 24. A responsible person from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs introduced that since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's agricultural and rural development has maintained a steady and positive trend with improved quality. China's grain output has remained above 1.3 trillion catties for nine consecutive years, and this year's summer grain output set a new historical record. The contribution rate of agricultural scientific and technological progress exceeds 63%, and major staple grains have basically achieved full mechanization. Over 1 billion mu of high-standard farmland have been built, and disaster prevention and resistance capabilities have been significantly enhanced. The construction of livable and amiable villages is steadily advancing. The popularization rate of sanitary toilets in rural areas has reached about 75%, townships and administrative villages with conditions are connected by hardened roads, the rural tap water penetration rate has reached 90%, and the proportion of administrative villages with 5G coverage exceeds 90%. The bottom line of preventing large-scale return to poverty has been firmly held. The total number of employed people who have been lifted out of poverty has remained above 30 million for three consecutive years, and the urban-rural income ratio has narrowed from 2.81 in 2013 to 2.39. The "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee has clarified the key tasks of rural reform. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will, in accordance with the central government's deployment, conscientiously implement the consolidation and improvement of the basic rural operating system, which is the most important rural policy. In the next step, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will continue to guide the orderly transfer of land management rights, improve the agricultural operating system, and improve the agricultural socialized service system to better integrate smallholder farmers into the track of modern agricultural development. It will promote the in-depth and practical study and application of the "Thousands of Villages Demonstration and Ten Thousands of Villages Renovation" project experience, effectively and efficiently advancing comprehensive rural revitalization.
Today (July 25), many parts of China experienced heavy rainfall, and various localities adopted measures and actively responded. Affected by the third typhoon of this year, "Gaemi," Fujian and Zhejiang provinces experienced strong winds and heavy rains today. Putian, Fujian, entered the influence range of the typhoon's 10-level wind circle starting around noon today. Local Party members and cadres strengthened their posts and assembled emergency rescue forces to cope with emergencies. Today, all passenger trains in Fujian Province were suspended, over 500 flights were canceled, and 73 passenger shipping routes were halted. More than 240,000 people have been evacuated across the province. In southern Zhejiang and coastal areas, heavy rains occurred today, with some areas experiencing torrential rains. In Cangnan County, Wenzhou, giant waves of 4 to 6 meters appeared in the nearshore waters. The local authorities strengthened safety management for returning vessels and safety protection for offshore engineering projects. On July 24, the National Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief elevated its emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention for Fujian and Zhejiang provinces from Level IV to Level III. This afternoon, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center issued orange warnings for ocean waves and yellow warnings for storm surges. The Ministry of Water Resources held a consultation today to assess the development trend of "Gaemi," which is expected to affect the Pearl River, Taihu Lake, and Yangtze River basins today and tomorrow, and made targeted arrangements for mountain flood and other disaster prevention. Meanwhile, many areas in North and Northeast China also experienced heavy rainfall. This morning, Liaoning Province began a new round of widespread heavy rainfall. Coupled with previous rainfall, there is a higher risk of floods in small and medium-sized rivers in the Da, Xiao Ling River, Raoyang River, and Yalu River basins. All departments are strengthening dike patrols, risk inspections, and emergency reinforcement work. Starting yesterday afternoon, most areas in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei experienced rainfall. In Beijing's Fangshan and Mentougou districts, more than 14,000 people from risk areas were urgently evacuated. In Tianjin, the maximum hourly rainfall reached 74.3 millimeters, and Jizhou District strengthened patrols and risk elimination at key locations such as mountain flood gullies and reservoir dams. Most areas of Hebei experienced rainfall, and relevant departments in Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, and other places promptly carried out drainage work.
Recently, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee allocated a special fund of 27 million yuan from Party fees managed by the Central Committee to Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces to support flood prevention, disaster relief, and rescue efforts. The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee emphasized that this Party fee must be promptly allocated to the grassroots level, primarily for慰问 (consoling/comforting) grassroots Party members, cadres, and the public who are fighting on the front lines of flood prevention, disaster relief, and rescue, as well as Party members and the public who are facing difficulties in life due to severe damage caused by the disaster, and for repairing damaged grassroots Party education facilities. The relevant provinces should provide matching funds from Party fees managed at their respective levels based on actual conditions, allocate them to the grassroots in a timely manner, and invest them in flood prevention, disaster relief, and rescue work, ensuring that the funds are used for their designated purpose.
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games will take place on the evening of July 26, local time. China Media Group (CMG) has completed all preparations for its broadcasting and reporting work. CMG's three studios in the Paris Olympic International Broadcast Centre and its outdoor studio with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop are already in use. Among them, the outdoor studio, with the Eiffel Tower, a landmark of Paris, as its background, is situated at the primary location, instantly delivering event information and creating an immersive experience for the audience. As the international mainstream media that won the most broadcasting projects for the Paris Olympics, CMG has deployed a team of over 2,000 people for production, broadcasting, technical services, and news reporting. It is responsible for producing international public signals for four major sports and has achieved ultra-high-definition 4K broadcasting production for the first time overseas. It is also undertaking 8K international public signal production for the closing ceremony and track and field events of the Summer Olympics for the first time, making its broadcasting and reporting scale the largest in history. The Chinese, English, French, and other multi-language versions of the "China Media Group Olympic Games Live Broadcast Technology Innovation and Development Report" were simultaneously released in Paris.
300 Billion Yuan Ultra-Long-Term Special National Bonds to Support Equipment Renewal and Trade-in of Consumer Goods The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance officially released a document today (July 25) stating that China will allocate approximately 300 billion yuan in ultra-long-term special national bonds to vigorously support large-scale equipment renewal and trade-in of consumer goods. In terms of equipment renewal, the scope of support will be expanded to include areas such as energy, electricity, and old elevators. Regarding the trade-in of consumer goods, the scope of support will include the replacement and renewal of passenger vehicles by individual consumers, and old house renovations. Six Major Commercial Banks Lower RMB Deposit Rates Starting Today Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications, and Postal Savings Bank of China today (July 25) announced separately that they will lower RMB deposit interest rates, with reductions ranging from 5 to 20 basis points. This interest rate adjustment is conducive to stabilizing banks' funding costs and enhancing the sustainability of financial services to the real economy. Yangtze River Delta Releases New Round of Three-Year Action Plan Today (July 25), the "Yangtze River Delta Regional Integration Development Three-Year Action Plan (2024-2026)" was released. It proposes 165 key tasks across nine aspects, including strengthening cross-regional coordination in scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, and accelerating the improvement of integrated development mechanisms, to promote new major breakthroughs in Yangtze River Delta integrated development.
On July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a speech to the U.S. Congress that Israel would continue its military operations in the Gaza Strip until it destroyed the military capabilities of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and secured the release of Israeli hostages. He also called on the United States to continue providing weapons to Israel. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and dozens of Democratic members of Congress did not attend the speech. On the same day, thousands of people demonstrated outside the Capitol building, calling for an end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries and over 20 arrests.
UN Report: Global Hunger Situation Severe The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and several other agencies jointly released the 2024 "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World" report on July 24. The report indicates that the number of hungry people globally remained stubbornly high for the third consecutive year, with 713 million to 757 million people experiencing food insecurity in 2023. The report attributes the continued deterioration of global food insecurity and malnutrition to adverse factors such as regional conflicts, climate change, and economic downturns, coupled with the high cost of healthy diets, unhealthy food environments, and inequalities. Russian Fighter Jet Intercepts British Aircraft Over Black Sea The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on July 24 that a Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft and two "Typhoon" fighter jets attempted to approach the Russian border over the Black Sea. A Russian Su-27 fighter jet was scrambled to escort them, and the British aircraft turned away and flew out of the airspace near the Russian border.
分享到Twitter: