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China Positions as Force for Stability 03/12 06:08
While much of the world's attention is on the Iran war, that hasn't stopped
China from moving ahead with national priorities with global repercussions.
BEIJING (AP) -- While much of the world's attention is on the Iran war, that
hasn't stopped China from moving ahead with national priorities with global
repercussions.
Not that China doesn't care about the war and its impact on energy supplies
and geopolitics. But for the world's second largest economy, its growing
rivalry with the United States revolves around a different battle: the
development of the cutting-edge technologies shaping the 21st century.
That message came through in a five-year plan formally endorsed Thursday by
the National People's Congress at the end of its annual meeting, the nation's
biggest political event of the year. If anything, China is doubling down on a
push to transform its economy and be at the forefront of technology. State
media described China's determination to stay the course on economic
development as a force for stability in an uncertain world.
"A stable and developing China injects more stability and certainty into a
world fraught with change and turbulence," the official People's Daily
newspaper said in a front-page column on Wednesday. Other state-media echoed
that view.
The commentaries and official statements didn't mention U.S. President
Donald Trump, whose tariffs and use of military force from Venezuela to Iran
are shaking up the global order that has governed international relations in
the post-World War II era. China publicly defends that system, while calling
for making it more equitable to reflect the interests of developing countries
as well as rich ones.
Trump is due to visit Beijing in three weeks to hold talks with his
counterpart, Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The National People's Congress also rubber-stamped three laws, including one
governing ethnic minorities, at its closing session. The votes are ceremonial
and nearly unanimous, designed to show unity behind the ruling Communist
Party's vision for the nation. The five-year plan was approved with 2,758 votes
in favor, one against, and two abstentions.
"We are forging ahead at full speed in building a great country," Foreign
Minister Wang Yi said at an annual news conference during the Congress.
Banking on tech for growth
Many economists believe that China needs to do more to put more money into
the hands of consumers to boost domestic spending and reduce its dependence on
export-led growth.
China's leaders agree in concept, but the five-year plan puts technology
front and center, confirming it remains the top priority. Analysts expect any
steps to boost consumption to happen only gradually, such as expanding social
security and health care benefits, while government funds are poured into
artificial intelligence, robotics and other areas.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5%
for 2026 at the start of the Congress, a level that gives the government more
leeway to focus on the longer-term goals of the five-year plan rather than
meeting a higher target this year.
Staying conservative on climate
The five-year plan doesn't pledge to reduce carbon emissions overall, but
only to reduce "emissions intensity" -- how much pollutants are emitted
relative to the size of the economy. That means emissions could still grow as
the economy does.
The target for a reduction in intensity was set at 17%, a level that could
allow emissions to rise 3% or more, analysts said. "International good practice
is to move away from intensity targets towards absolute emission reduction
targets," said Niklas Hohne of the NewClimate Institute in Germany.
China has a history of setting conservative targets and its rapid expansion
in solar and other clean energies may drive emissions down anyway. The country
is the world's No. 1 emitter of greenhouse gases, but leaders have long argued
that the size of its population and economy must be considered when evaluating
its pollution levels.
Regulating ethnic groups
A sweeping ethnic minorities law endorsed by the Congress solidifies what
critics say is a government policy of assimilation, emphasizing the creation of
"a common consciousness of the Chinese nation."
The government said it is meant to foster a stronger sense of community and
shared economic development among its ethnic groups. The law encapsulates an
approach under Xi that has promoted unity over ethnic cultures and their
languages.
"It puts a death nail in the party's original promise of meaningful
autonomy," said James Leibold, a professor at Australia's LaTrobe University
who has studied China's changing policies towards its ethnic minorities.
Seeking a "right to rest" for workers
Formal proposals and other suggestions to reduce work hours in a variety of
ways were among those that got the most attention on social media during this
year's Congress.
Many focused on a "right to rest," including calls to give employees the
right not to respond to work messages after hours. Many Chinese workers get
only five days of paid vacation a year. Yu Miaojie, an economist and deputy to
the Congress, proposed raising the minimum statutory annual leave from five to
10 days.
The popularity of the proposals reflects concern about the intense workplace
competition in China. Giving workers more leisure time is also seen as a way to
boost consumption by giving them more free time to spend.
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