VOL. XXX No. 3 March 2018 Rs. 20.00 Ambassador Luo Zhaohui and his wife Counselor Jiang Ambassador Luo Zhaohui and his wife Counselor Jiang Yili met with Mr. V. Narayanasamy, Chief Minister of Yili met with Ms. Kiran Bedi, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. Puducherry. Ambassador Luo Zhaohui and his wife Counselor Jiang Ambassador Luo Zhaohui and his wife Counselor Jiang Yili had dinner with some Ambassadors to India and their Yili met with Mr. Syed Ahmed Bukhari and his family, the spouses. Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid. Ambassador Luo Zhaohui and his wife Counselor Jiang Ambassador Luo Zhaohui and his wife Counselor Jiang Yili attended the Symposium in Memory of Professor Xu Yili visited the Fo Guang Shan Educational and Cultural Fancheng. Centre. NPC & CPPCC Annual Sessions 2018 1. Xi Jinping Unanimously Elected Chinese President, CMC Chairman 4 2. Newly-elected President Xi Steers China Toward Prosperity 5 3. Li Keqiang Endorsed as Chinese Premier 9 4. Premier Li Keqiang Meets the Press 10 5. China’s National Legislature Concludes Annual Session 22 6. China’s Top Political Advisory Body Concludes Annual Session 23 7. China’s Massive Cabinet Restructuring Plan Adopted 26 8. Landmark Two Sessions Set Course for “New Era” 28 External Affairs 1. Xi Jinping Holds Telephone Talks with President Vladimir Putin 30 of Russia 2. Xi Jinping Holds Telephone Talks at Request with Chancellor Angela 31 Merkel of Germany 3. Xi Jinping Holds Talks with King Tupou VI of Tonga 32 4. Leaders of Various Countries Warmly Congratulate Xi Jinping on his 34 Election as President of China 5. Li Keqiang Meets with King Tupou VI of Tonga 36 6. Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets the Press 38 7. Wang Yi Holds Talks with Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano 48 of the Philippines China India Relations 1. Xi Jinping Holds Telephone Talks at Request with Prime Minister Narendra 50 Modi of India 2. Yang Jiechi Meets with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale of India 51 3. Wang Yi Meets with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale of India 51 4. Chinese FM Calls for Mutual Trust with India 52 5. Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou Holds Consultation with Foreign Secretary 53 Vijay Gokhale of India 6. Remarks by Ambassador Luo Zhaohui at the Symposium in Memory of 53 Professor Xu Fancheng 7. China-India Border Affairs Meeting Held in New Delhi 57 8. China Trade Group Visits India to Boost Trade, Pragmatic Cooperation 57 Culture & Life 1. Spring Scenery Across China 58 2. Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition Held in China’s Guangxi 62 3. Blacknecked Cranes Attracted to Napahai Nature Reserve in SW China’s Yunnan 63 1. Tibet Focuses on High-quality Development that is Beneficial to People’s 64 Livelihood 2. Voices of CPPCC Members from Tibet 66 3. Tibet Designates Grain Growing Areas to Ensure Output 67 4. Lhasa Rolls out 128 New Energy Buses 68 5. Visit of World’s First Tibetan-language Search Engine Breaks 300 Million 70 6. Education Has Changed not only my Own Life: Kelsang Dekyi 70 7. A Day in Lhasa 72 Book Review - Xi Jinping - The Governance of China-II 73 CRI-CIBN 74 NPC & CPPCC Annual Sessions 2018 NPC & CPPCC Annual Sessions 2018 XI JINPING UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED CHINESE PRESIDENT, CMC CHAIRMAN the voters responded by standing up and clapping vigorously. Li Keqiang and Zhang Dejiang, who stood beside Xi, shook hands with him and expressed congratulations. Xi was also elected chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by a unanimous vote. Right after the election, Xi took a public oath of allegiance to the Constitution. “I pledge to be allegiant to the Constitution of the PRC, safeguard the Constitution’s authority, fulfill my legal obligations, be loyal to the countr y and the people, be committed and honest in my duty, accept the people’s supervision and work for a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful,” he said. This was the first time for a Chinese president to take such an oath upon assuming office. Last October, Xi was elected general secretary of the Central Xi Jinping takes a public oath of allegiance to the Constitution in the Great Hall Committee of the Communist Party of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 17, 2018. Xi was elected Chinese of China (CPC) and appointed CMC president and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China earlier Saturday at the ongoing first session of the 13th chairman of the CPC at the first National People’s Congress, the national legislature. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. Beijing March 17 (Xinhua) — Xi T h u n d e r o u s a p p l a u s e Jinping was elected Chinese president reverberated in the Great Hall of the He was first elected general by a unanimous vote Saturday People when the election result was secretary of the CPC Central morning at the ongoing session of the announced. Committee in late 2012, and Chinese 13th National People’s Congress president and CMC chairman of the (NPC). Xi, 64, stood up and bowed, while PRC in March 2013. 4 News From China March 2018 NPC & CPPCC Annual Sessions 2018 In the president’s first five-year to future development: working to our nation’s leader and the army’s tenure, China has made historic b a s i c a l l y r e a l i z e s o c i a l i s t commander,” she said. achievements and undergone historic modernization from 2020 to 2035; changes — Having “stood up” and developing China into a great modern Also on Saturday, lawmakers “grown rich,” China is “becoming socialist country from 2035 to the elected Li Zhanshu as chairman of strong.” middle of the century. the 13th NPC Standing Committee and Wang Qishan as vice president of Xi told the Party’s 19th National “I am so lucky to be part of such China. Congress in the opening speech that a great age led by a great man,” said socialism with Chinese characteristics Yu Zhigang, an NPC deputy. “The A total of 14 vice chairpersons had entered “a new era.” unanimous vote showed that as our and a secretary-general were also leader Xi has our full support and elected for the 13th NPC Standing At the Party congress, Xi Jinping t r u s t a n d b e a r s o u r h i g h Committee. Thought on Socialism with Chinese expectation.” Characteristics for a New Era was They all took oath of allegiance written into the CPC Constitution, Gesang Zhoigar, an NPC deputy to the Constitution. and into the country’s Constitution on from Tibet Autonomous Region, was March 11, making it the guiding also deeply touched by the election. Lawmakers also adopted an principle of China. “Being one of more than 3 million institutional restructuring plan of the people from Tibet, I have strong trust State Council. He laid out a two-step approach in Comrade Xi, the whole Party’s core, NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT XI STEERS CHINA TOWARD PROSPERITY News From China March 2018 5 NPC & CPPCC Annual Sessions 2018 Beijing, March 18 (Xinhua) — As strive for great rejuvenation of the percent of economic growth last ceremonial music echoed throughout Chinese nation. year, up from 54.9 percent five years the Great Hall of the People, Xi ago. The share of service sector has Jinping took his place on the podium. “In face of the mighty trend of climbed to 51.6 percent from 45.3 the times and earnest expectations of percent. The music stopped as he reached the people for a better life, we cannot a large red-bound copy of the have the slightest complacency, or get People live a more comfortable country’s Constitution. the slightest slack at work,” he said life. More than 68 million people back then. escaped poverty. Personal income The 64-year-old, in a dark suit, increased by 7.4 percent annually on p l a ced h i s l ef t h a n d o n th e C h i n a h a s m a d e h i s t o r i c average. Life expectancy reaches 76.7 Constitution, raised his right hand to achievements under Xi’s leadership. years, leading developing countries. his temple and made a fist of The unanimous vote shows the strong solidarity. support he enjoys among the people. The environment improves as strict rules on water, soil and air “I pledge my allegiance to the Nearly five months ago, Xi was pollution control have been Constitution,” Xi began. re-elected general secretary of the enforced. A remarkable change: over Communist Party of China (CPC) the five years, the number of heavily- “ [ T o ] s a f e g u a r d t h e Central Committee. The Party’s 19th polluted days in major cities was Constitution’s authority, fulfill my National Congress enshrined in the halved. legal obligations, be loyal to the CPC Constitution Xi Jinping country and the people, be committed Thought on Socialism with Chinese Xi made this happen through and honest in my duty, accept the Characteristics for a New Era. reform. He is regarded as the chief people’s supervision and work hard architect. In the five years, more than for a great modern socialist country The thought was added into the 1,500 reform measures were issued, t h a t i s p r o s p e r o u s, s t r o n g , country’s Constitution at the 13th affecting economic, political, social, democratic, culturally advanced, NPC session as a guiding principle of cultural, environmental fields, harmonious and beautiful.” t h e s t a t e.