[Epoch Times, February 26, 2022]On February 25, the Politburo of the Communist Party of China held a meeting, and CCTV again reported in text. That afternoon, when Xi Jinping and Putin spoke on the phone, the Politburo probably did not study collectively as usual, nor did it release any pictures or videos. The top Chinese Communist Party should hope to see Russia invade Ukraine to contain the United States and the West, but the report of the Politburo meeting did not reveal the relevant issues, and it was downgraded again.
The Xinhua News Agency reported that the meeting discussed the government work report and reviewed reports related to the inspection work of the central government. Before the Two Sessions of the Communist Party of China, the Politburo will finalize the government work report, first formally summarizing the work in 2021, and then planning the work in 2022. The meeting summed up the work in 2021, saying that 2021 is a “milestone year”, “in the face of complex and severe domestic and foreign situations and many risks and challenges”, “coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development, the main goals of the year. The task was completed well, and the ’14th Five-Year Plan’ achieved a good start”, “and made new major achievements”.
This evaluation has shrunk a lot from before.
On December 6, 2021, the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China held a meeting and concluded that 2021 is a “milestone year”, and said that it “calmly responds to the changes in the century and the epidemic of the century”, and “maintains a global leading position in economic development”.
On the eve of the Chinese New Year on January 30, Xi Jinping also said in his speech at a group meeting of the State Council of the Communist Party of China that in the past year, “economic development and epidemic prevention and control have maintained the world‘s leading position, new steps have been taken in building a new development pattern, and high-quality development has achieved new results… “.
At this Politburo meeting, there was no mention of “maintaining the world‘s leading economic development and epidemic prevention and control”, nor of “new steps in building a new development pattern, and new achievements in high-quality development.”
Of course, the epidemic is not easy to mention. Countries around the world are relaxing epidemic prevention and control measures, but the epidemic in mainland China has never stopped before and after the Winter Olympics. The sharp increase in cases reported in Hong Kong is in great contrast with the regional figures reported in mainland China. The CCP’s “clearing” epidemic prevention has obviously failed, and it is impossible to say that “epidemic prevention and control will maintain the world‘s leading position.”
As for economic development, the CCP’s central bank has continuously stimulated the economy, but with little effect. The outside world is constantly questioning the CCP’s economic data, and it has also continuously lowered its forecast for China’s economic development growth rate. The economy faces more problems in 2022.
The Politburo meeting still regards the 20th National Congress as the primary task in 2022, and continues to say “focus on stabilizing the macroeconomic market” and “maintain the overall social stability”; at the same time, it proposes to “strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of financial work” and “prevent and resolve financial risks”. “, “Maintaining the overall situation of financial stability”; and said that “financial units still have many outstanding problems in implementing the party’s overall leadership, strengthening party building, and comprehensively and strictly governing the party.”
The Xinhua News Agency’s report contained no content about the international situation, but the financial issues highlighted by the Politburo meeting were closely related to the international situation.
Xinhua News Agency reported on the same day, “Biden Announces a New Round of Economic Sanctions Against Russia”, stating that “the targets of this round of sanctions include the Russian bank Sberbank and four other large financial institutions” and that “the above-mentioned four Russian financial institutions will be frozen.” All U.S. assets; restrict Russia’s ability to use dollars, euros, pounds, and yen for commercial transactions; block sources of funding for Russia’s military buildup; impose export controls on Russia in high-tech areas to undermine its competitiveness.”
The top Chinese Communist Party should be very worried that similar US sanctions against the Chinese Communist Party would be devastating. The Chinese economy is obviously much more closely related to globalization. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to attract the energy of the United States and the West, so the CCP expresses its support for Russia, but at the same time is afraid of getting burned.
On February 25, Xi Jinping and Putin had a phone call. Xinhua News Agency only issued a short statement, and did not say that Xi Jinping was in Beijing with Putin. The statement stated that “the two sides focused on exchanging views on the current situation in Ukraine”, but the content was relatively limited, summarizing the situation and position in Ukraine introduced by Putin in only one sentence.
In the statement, Xi Jinping’s remarks were just a few words, saying that “China’s position is determined based on the merits of the Ukraine issue itself”, and he continued to say “abandon the Cold War mentality” and “support Russia and Ukraine to solve the problem through negotiations”; Finally, it said “respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and abide by the purposes of the UN Charter” and “maintain the international system with the United Nations at the core and the international order based on international law”.
Xi’s remarks remained as vague as possible, but revealed support for Russia. As the West imposes sanctions on Russia, the CCP should try to help Russia through the difficulties, saying that it will buy Russian wheat. Such an approach will make the West even more disgusted, and it is not ruled out that the CCP may be included in the sanctions later. The top CCP had to deal with it carefully.
On the same day, Xinhua News Agency also reported that “Russian Defense Ministry: The Russian army has completed the blockade of the Ukrainian capital from the west”, and instead of Russia, it said that “the Russian army will not attack the residential areas of Kiev” and “all measures are being taken to prevent it.” civilian casualties”.
No one can predict the future development of the war and the international situation. The top officials of the CCP are not able to sit on the sidelines, but are also in extreme anxiety. The internal struggle of the CCP over the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has never stopped, and the changes in the external situation are unknown.
The Politburo of the Communist Party of China once again proposed that in 2022 to “stabilize the word” and “stabilize the economic market”, all kinds of concerns were revealed in a low-key manner. The CCP’s high-level internal control has become difficult, and external control is weak. The CCP’s Winter Olympics failed to show its face, but the Xuzhou chain girl incident has attracted more attention; the CCP’s two sessions are imminent, and what variables may appear, the CCP’s top leaders probably have no idea, and continuing to remain invisible may become the new normal.
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Responsible editor: Gao Yi