General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to thoroughly implement major regional strategies and regional coordinated development strategies to promote complementary advantages and leverage individual strengths. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made systematic arrangements for improving the mechanism for implementing regional coordinated development strategies, proposing to deepen and solidify the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. Embarking on a new journey, Chongqing and Sichuan have firmly seized development opportunities, actively promoted the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, and better played their roles as important growth poles and new sources of power for high-quality development nationwide. The Chuanyu Gaozhu New Area, located at the border of Sichuan and Chongqing, is composed of parts of the administrative regions of Guang'an City in Sichuan and Yubei District in Chongqing, making it the first cross-provincial co-built new area in the country. In the recently completed and operational New Area Government Service Hall, more than 10 service zones feature joint offices from both Sichuan and Chongqing, merging over a hundred services, providing a convenient experience for businesses and residents in the new area to "enter one door and handle affairs for two regions." As of now, the number of enterprises settled in Chuanyu Gaozhu New Area has doubled since its establishment, and an automotive equipment industrial cluster has been initially established, serving as a vivid example of deepening and solidifying the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. Reforms continue to deepen, and development vitality is stronger. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has cared about Sichuan and Chongqing and has given several important instructions on the coordinated development of the two regions. The General Secretary emphasized that the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle is a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee. Chongqing and Sichuan should work closely together, continuously enhance their development capabilities, and jointly sing the "dual-city opera" of the new era in the west. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed to deepen and solidify the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, pointing the direction for further promoting coordinated development between the two regions. The Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle is located at the intersection of the "Belt and Road" Initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, connecting the east and west, and linking the north and south. Currently, cadres and masses in both regions are earnestly studying, implementing, and acting on the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, promoting the high-quality construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. Integrated empowerment for scientific and technological innovation. Sichuan and Chongqing are further accelerating the gathering of strategic scientific and technological forces. Currently, the two regions share over 13,000 sets of large instruments and equipment, have planned and built 11 major national scientific and technological infrastructure projects, and are carrying out 219 original and disruptive technology research projects. The transaction volume of technology contracts registered in Sichuan and Chongqing has exceeded 280 billion yuan. This year, the two regions will continue to work on building innovation platforms, collaborative technological breakthroughs, and sharing innovation achievements. Integrated foundation for industrial development. In the first half of this year, Sichuan and Chongqing implemented 300 co-built major projects, completing investments exceeding 240 billion yuan. Currently, the two regions are focusing on the goal of "jointly building an important advanced manufacturing base nationwide," accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system, and jointly creating four trillion-yuan industrial clusters, including automobiles, electronic information, equipment manufacturing, and distinctive consumer goods. Since the beginning of this year, the scale of automotive industry development in Sichuan and Chongqing has continued to expand. The Chengdu-Chongqing region has become China's third largest automotive industry cluster, boasting 45 vehicle manufacturers and over 1,600 suppliers, with an overall self-sufficiency rate exceeding 80% for parts and components, and automotive output accounting for 11% of the national total. Integrated creation of a better life. Sichuan and Chongqing have launched 311 "Chuan-Yu Express" services, covering employment, social security, medical care, provident funds, and other matters close to people's lives. The processing time for cross-provincial "one-stop" household registration transfers between Sichuan and Chongqing has been reduced to as fast as 10 minutes. More than 70% of public medical institutions at or above Level II in Sichuan and Chongqing have achieved mutual recognition of electronic health cards, and 28,500 designated medical institutions for cross-provincial out-of-area settlement have been opened. Integrated promotion of basic infrastructure. Currently, 6 railway lines have been completed between Sichuan and Chongqing, and 4 high-speed rail lines, including Chengdu-Chongqing Mid-line, Xi'an-Chongqing, and Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou, have been jointly started. There are also 21 completed and under-construction expressways between the two regions. Recently, the Bazhong-Ankang High-speed Railway officially commenced operations, shortening travel times from Bazhong to both Chengdu and Chongqing to just over 2 hours. According to the plan, by 2027, the four "1-hour transportation circles" in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle will be basically completed. To jointly sing the "dual-city opera" of the new era in the west, Chongqing and Sichuan will empower each other and develop in tandem, accelerating the construction of an important economic center, a science and technology innovation center, a new highland for reform and opening up, and a high-quality livable place with national influence.
The State Council and the Central Military Commission recently promulgated the newly revised "Regulations on Soldiers' Pensions and Preferential Treatment" (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations"), which will come into effect on October 1, 2024. The newly revised "Regulations" consist of 6 chapters and 64 articles, with the main revisions being: First, adhering to the Party's leadership, clarifying that the work of soldiers' pensions and preferential treatment adheres to the principles of matching benefits with contributions, emphasizing both spiritual and material aspects, and combining care with services. Second, improving the system and mechanisms to adapt to the new situation and requirements of national defense and army building. Improving the military-civilian衔接机制 for evaluating martyrs, issuing disability pensions, and other tasks. Third, increasing preferential treatment measures and strengthening service guarantees. Stipulating that pension and preferential treatment recipients enjoy social security, basic public services, and corresponding pension and preferential treatment benefits. Increasing care and assistance for special difficulties in pension and preferential treatment recipients. Fourth, optimizing pension and preferential treatment procedures and improving service capabilities and levels. Clarifying the procedures for issuing one-time pensions to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of pension and preferential treatment recipients. Detailing the procedures for evaluating disability levels and adding circumstances for retrospective disability level evaluation.
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed the overall goal of further comprehensively deepening reform, continuing to improve and develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and modernizing the national governance system and governance capacity. How to grasp this overall goal? Today (August 13)'s "Authoritative Interview" features an exclusive interview with Huang Shouhong, Director of the Research Office of the State Council. Huang Shouhong stated that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, comprehensive deepening of reform has achieved extraordinary accomplishments. The overall goal of further comprehensively deepening reform proposed by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, compared with the overall goal proposed by the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee, adds the word "continue" at the beginning, which demonstrates our Party's consistent goal pursuit in reform, its consistent practical requirements, and its firm determination to remain unchanged in its path and unwavering in its aspirations. Huang Shouhong stated that currently, further comprehensive deepening of reform has entered a critical and deep-water period, with only tough challenges remaining, and a large number of new issues needing to be resolved through exploration. At the same time, we face a more complex domestic and international situation, involving more profound adjustments in the interest格局 and changes in the institutional system, so the difficulty and demandingness of advancing reform are unprecedented. The overall goal of further comprehensively deepening reform clarifies phased reform goals up to 2035. The seven focused sub-area reform goals clarify the requirements for completing the reform tasks proposed in the "Decision" by 2029. Huang Shouhong stated that this forms a complete and systematic goal system and a timetable, roadmap, and task list for advancing reform, under the overall goal of comprehensive deepening reform, with a combination of general and specific goals.
Sanming, Fujian, is a key collective forest area in southern China. How can its green mountains and clear waters be transformed into invaluable assets? Sanming's answer is reform. As a comprehensive pilot city for forestry reform and development in China, Sanming has continuously promoted the reform of the collective forest tenure system, exploring and forming a series of innovative experiences, making the path of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" wider and wider. In the Ecological Civilization Exhibition Hall of Changkou Village, Jiangle County, Sanming City, a forestry carbon ticket is neatly displayed on the exhibition stand. This "No. 0000001" forestry carbon ticket, the first of its kind in China, was issued in 2021 by the Sanming City Forestry Bureau to the Changkou Village Committee. A forestry carbon ticket converts the carbon sequestration capacity of trees into emission reductions, which are then issued in the form of a ticket to the tree owner, allowing the carbon sequestration function of trees to be traded as an asset. This carbon ticket sold for 140,000 yuan, and every villager received a dividend. As of now, Sanming City has developed 49 forestry carbon ticket projects, with carbon emission reductions totaling 1.12 million tons. The monetization of ecological products has transformed excellent ecology into real money, and villagers can get rich without cutting down trees, further boosting their enthusiasm for afforestation and forest protection. At the Fujian Shaxian Rural Property Rights Exchange Center, various trading products such as forest rights and forestry carbon tickets are being bid online. Earlier this year, the 20-year management right of a 1035-mu bamboo forest in Heshancun, Fushou Town, Shaxian District, was listed on the rural property rights exchange center, with a starting bid of 600,000 yuan. After multiple rounds of fierce bidding among 9 interested parties, it was successfully traded at a price of 1.03 million yuan, with a premium rate as high as 71.67%. The channels for transforming "lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets" are constantly expanding, attracting more and more people to participate. Premium transactions have significantly increased the value of green mountains and brought more benefits to villagers. As of August 8, 2024, the Fujian Shaxian Rural Property Rights Exchange Center has listed 3,933 targets, with 3,091 transactions completed, totaling 2.11 billion yuan in transaction value, a comprehensive premium rate of 15.77%, and accumulated premium gains and cost savings of 206 million yuan. Ecological beauty and people's prosperity are the starting point and ultimate goal of Sanming's forestry reform. With the continuous deepening of the collective forest tenure system reform, the ecological environmental quality of Sanming continues to improve. By transforming green mountains and lush forests into prosperity for the people, Sanming City has embarked on a green development path that achieves multiple wins in ecological, economic, and social benefits, becoming a vivid practice of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" in the new era.
Since the beginning of this year, China has made all-out efforts to promote the upgrading of the entire chain of rural industries, showing a good momentum in rural industrial revitalization. This year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs launched the action plan for the development of agricultural product processing industry. From January to June, enterprises above designated size in the agricultural product processing industry achieved operating revenue of 8.7 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.1%. Through the implementation of agricultural industrial integration development projects and the establishment of industrial integration development platforms, a cumulative total of 139 industrial clusters with an entire industry chain output value exceeding 10 billion yuan, and over 350 strong agricultural industry towns with an output value exceeding 1 billion yuan, have been cultivated. A cumulative total of more than 90,000 leading agricultural industrialization enterprises at or above the county level have been cultivated nationwide, including 2,285 key national leading enterprises, forming a four-level linkage leading enterprise team at the national, provincial, municipal, and county levels. In addition, rural leisure tourism has developed steadily, with a good start in the first quarter and continuous improvement in the second quarter. As of now, 180 national key leisure agriculture counties and 1,953 beautiful leisure villages in China have been built.
Since the beginning of this year, China's renewable energy development has maintained robust growth, with total installed capacity exceeding 1.6 billion kilowatts, continuously achieving new breakthroughs and providing strong green impetus for China's development. In the Bohai Sea area, a million-kilowatt offshore photovoltaic project recently commenced construction. More than a dozen construction vessels are currently laying over 2 million photovoltaic panels across nearly 20,000 mu of sea surface. Upon completion, the project will realize power generation above the panels and aquaculture below, with an estimated annual power generation of 1.78 billion kilowatt-hours and an annual fishery farming income of over 27 million yuan. In Nagqu, Tibet, on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with an average altitude of over 5,000 meters, the Jicuo 100-megawatt wind power and energy storage integrated project has begun construction. When 18 wind turbines are completed and operational, they are expected to generate approximately 237 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing more reliable clean electricity to northern Tibet. In the first half of this year, renewable energy power generation investment accounted for over 70% of the total power source investment by key surveyed enterprises nationwide. While the scale of renewable energy continues to expand, new technologies and models are constantly emerging, and the construction of China's new power system is accelerating significantly. In Inner Mongolia, the nation's largest wind, solar, and storage integrated demonstration project recently connected to the grid. Relying on integrated smart control technology, it can effectively compensate for the large fluctuations and intermittency of new energy. In Guangdong, Yunnan, and other five southern provinces and regions, the artificial intelligence load forecasting system developed by China Southern Power Grid calculates the power load for the next 10 days for provinces and cities through more than 30 artificial intelligence algorithms, providing accurate forecasts for power dispatch. In the first half of this year, over 80% of the newly added power generation nationwide came from renewable energy. Currently, the share of renewable energy power generation in China has increased from 32% at the end of 2023 to 35.1%. The National Energy Administration stated that in the next step, China will continue to adhere to a combination of centralized and distributed generation, and both onshore and offshore development, to achieve complementary synergy among various renewable energy sources, and accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of energy and electricity.
Various regions are seizing the construction period, accelerating the progress of key engineering projects, ensuring timely completion of critical nodes, and contributing to high-quality development. Transportation infrastructure construction is constantly improving. In Yan'an, Shaanxi, new progress has been made in the construction of the Xi'an-Yan'an High-speed Railway, the first high-speed railway in the old revolutionary base area of northern Shaanxi. The 13.6-kilometer Taikang Tunnel was recently completed, and as a high-risk tunnel along the route, its completion laid the foundation for subsequent ballastless track construction. A batch of water conservancy projects are accelerating. In Guangdong, the national major water conservancy project—the Guangdong Water Resources Allocation Project around Beibu Gulf—is being intensified, with all 17 sections along the entire line accelerating. The project spans over 490 kilometers, connecting 12 reservoirs along the way, benefiting over 18 million people. In Dali, Yunnan, the downstream main tunnel excavation of Banchengshan No. 1 Branch Tunnel, one of the control projects of the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project, has exceeded 3,000 meters. The Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project has a total transmission line length of approximately 664 kilometers and, upon completion, will effectively alleviate the water shortage in central Yunnan, benefiting over 11 million people along the route. In Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the Hangzhou Southwest Drainage Project, a domestic large-scale urban deep tunnel drainage project, is accelerating. It will open a flood diversion channel approximately 55 meters deep and 29 kilometers long, connecting western Hangzhou to the Qiantang River. Major clean energy projects are also under intense construction. In the Talatan Photovoltaic Power Generation Park in Hainan Prefecture, Qinghai, the Gonghe 100-megawatt Tower Concentrated Solar Power Project is accelerating construction. After the project is put into operation, it is expected to generate 230 million kWh of electricity annually, saving approximately 68,100 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 185,400 tons per year. In Gansu, the second batch of new energy projects for the "West-to-East Power Transmission" Huaneng Longdong Energy Base has officially commenced construction. The project adopts a "wind-solar co-located" approach to improve operational reliability through complementary wind and solar energy, and will transmit green energy to Shandong via ultra-high voltage lines. After the project is put into operation, it will generate over 6.8 billion kWh of clean electricity annually, which can meet the annual electricity consumption of approximately 2.26 million households.
Reporters learned today (August 13) from the State Post Bureau that China's express delivery volume has exceeded 100 billion parcels this year, 71 days earlier than in 2023, setting a new historical high for average monthly volume. In Gaobao Village, Longli County, Guizhou, villager Guo Fang received furniture shipped from Foshan, Guangdong, and at the same time, the师傅 (master technician) arranged by the express company arrived for installation. Behind Guo Fang's ability to enjoy express services with just a tap on her finger is China's continuously improving comprehensive multi-dimensional transportation network and county-town-village three-level logistics system. As of now, China's comprehensive multi-dimensional transportation network exceeds 6 million kilometers, and a cumulative total of over 1,200 county-level public postal service centers and over 300,000 village-level postal and logistics integrated service stations have been built. Currently, more than 100 million of the approximately 440 million express parcels circulating daily in China flow through rural areas. The latest data shows that since the beginning of this year, China's express delivery volume has exceeded 100 billion parcels, with an average monthly volume of over 13 billion parcels, setting a new historical high.
Total Social Financing Stock Grew by 8.2% Year-on-Year at End of July. Data released by the People's Bank of China today (August 13) shows that at the end of July, the stock of social financing was 395.72 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.2%, 0.1 percentage point higher than the previous month. Of this, the balance of RMB loans to the real economy was 247.85 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. The financial sector continues to exert efforts to support the real economy. The People's Bank of China Adds 100 Billion Yuan in Relending for Rural and Small Businesses to Support Flood Relief and Disaster Recovery. On the 13th, the People's Bank of China added a 100 billion yuan relending quota for rural and small businesses across 12 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) to support flood control, disaster relief, and post-disaster reconstruction efforts in severely affected areas, and to increase credit support for businesses in affected areas, especially small and micro enterprises, individual businesses, as well as agricultural and breeding enterprises and farmers. The 2024 Shandong Summer "Trade-in" Consumption Season and "Guochao Zhentang Pavilion" Yantai Week Launched. The 2024 Shandong Summer "Trade-in" Consumption Season and "Guochao Zhentang Pavilion" Yantai Week, jointly hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and the People's Government of Shandong Province, was launched yesterday (August 12) in Yantai, Shandong. The event leverages CMG's integrated communication advantages and media platform resources to help Shandong innovate consumption scenarios, stimulate consumer vitality, and promote high-quality economic development. The CMG "Guochao Zhentang Pavilion" Yantai city sub-venue was simultaneously unveiled. China's First 75-Meter Deep-Sea Offshore Wind Power Survey Platform Completes First Survey. Today (August 13), China's independently developed offshore comprehensive exploration platform "Huadongyuan 308" completed its first survey in the Shandong Peninsula offshore wind farm. This is China's first self-elevating offshore comprehensive survey and test platform capable of operating in 75-meter water depths. The platform integrates intelligent drilling, in-situ testing, geotechnical testing, and geophysical surveys, filling a gap in the localization of major deep-sea offshore wind power survey equipment in China. All Three Turbine Runners of Yangqu Hydropower Station Completed Hoisting. Recently, all three turbine runners of the Yangqu Hydropower Station have completed hoisting. The Yangqu Hydropower Station is located in Hainan Prefecture, Qinghai, with a total installed capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts. As an important supporting peak-shaving power source for China's first ±800 kilovolt "Qinghai-Henan DC" ultra-high voltage outbound transmission channel, upon completion, the hydropower station will have an average annual power generation of 4.732 billion kilowatt-hours, saving approximately 1.66 million tons of standard coal annually.
Iranian media reported on the 12th that Iranian President Pezeshkian stated that Iran reserves the right to self-defense and retaliation against Israel regarding the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran. The Israeli Defense Forces issued a statement on the evening of the 12th, saying that the Israeli military is at the highest level of offensive and defensive readiness. Israeli Chief of Staff Halevi approved relevant operational plans on the same day. The White House said on the 12th that Iran and other parties may launch an attack on Israel as early as this week. Palestinian media reported that a large number of Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Palestinian side stated that Israeli provocations could lead to escalation. According to the Palestinian News Agency today (August 13), a large number of Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, causing dissatisfaction among Palestinians. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates issued a statement today, saying that the Israeli provocative acts are illegal and could lead to further escalation of the situation. Previously, several fierce clashes have erupted between Palestine and Israel over the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli forces attacked targets in southern Lebanon; Hezbollah attacked Israeli military bases. Conflicts in the Lebanese-Israeli border region are also ongoing. On the 12th, Israeli forces attacked several targets in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese side stated that the attacks caused large fires and injured three people. Hezbollah stated that its personnel attacked Israeli military bases, spy facilities, and other targets. Given the continued tension in the Middle East, Air France, Lufthansa Group, and others have stated that they will continue to suspend flights to several cities in the Middle East.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting on the situation in Russia's Kursk region on the 12th. He stated that Russia will resolutely respond to a series of provocations by Ukraine in the border areas, and that expelling Ukrainian forces from Russian territory and effectively defending the border areas are the top priorities. Acting Governor of Kursk region, Roman Starovoyt, said at the meeting that Ukrainian attacks on the region have killed 12 people and injured 121. Ukrainian forces currently control 28 settlements in the region, and the whereabouts of about 2,000 local residents are unknown. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated on the 12th that over the past 24 hours, Russian forces repelled 7 Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk direction, thwarting attempts by enemy mobile groups to break through and penetrate Russian territory. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated on the 12th that the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently control approximately 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory, and Ukrainian forces are continuing offensive operations in the Kursk region. The Ukrainian side also stated that Ukrainian forces are continuing to engage with Russian forces in areas such as Kharkiv and Pokrovsk, repelling multiple Russian attacks. IAEA says nuclear safety at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant unaffected. IAEA experts entered the cooling tower of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on the 12th to assess the impact of a fire that occurred the previous day. Experts assessed that the nuclear safety of the power plant was not affected, and there was no sign of increased nuclear radiation levels in the cooling tower area.
China urges West to take responsibility and rectify historical injustices against Africa. The UN Security Council held a high-level meeting on rectifying historical injustices against Africa on the 12th. The Chinese representative emphasized in his speech that to rectify the historical injustices suffered by Africa, it is first necessary to unequivocally oppose the vestiges of colonialism and various hegemonic acts. Western countries should genuinely assume historical responsibility, cease erroneous practices such as external interference, pressure, and sanctions, and return Africa's future to the African people. China is willing to work with Africa to pass on friendship, continue cooperation, and jointly build a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. Wildfires rage in multiple parts of Greece, approaching Athens. Affected by high temperatures and strong winds, wildfires are raging in multiple parts of Greece. Today (August 13), the large fire near the Greek capital Athens is still burning. The fire has caused one death and more than 60 injuries. The fire has also destroyed homes, vehicles, and farmlands in many areas, forcing over 30 regions to evacuate residents. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred in Los Angeles, USA. On the 12th local time, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred in Los Angeles, California, with a focal depth of approximately 12 kilometers. The earthquake was clearly felt in many parts of California, from Los Angeles south to San Diego. In Pasadena, the earthquake caused pipe bursts in the city hall building, leading to the evacuation of approximately 200 employees. According to US media reports on the 12th, the area where this earthquake occurred belongs to one of the most destructive fault systems in the area, and multiple weak or perceptible earthquakes have occurred in this area since June. Japan Meteorological Agency calls on public to remain vigilant for major earthquakes. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated today (August 13) that the public needs to continue to be vigilant about the increased possibility of a "major earthquake" occurring in the Nankai Trough off the Pacific coast of eastern Japan, and called on 707 administrative regions from Ibaraki Prefecture to Okinawa Prefecture to prepare for a possible "major earthquake."
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