On the morning of October 22, the central study group of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee held an expanded study session. Le Yucheng, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, was invited to give a lecture on the domestic and international imperatives, and particularly on the profound global changes unseen in a century. Cai Qi, Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, Li Wei, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, and Ji Lin, Chairman of the CPPCC Beijing Municipal Committee attended the study session.

In his lecture, Le Yucheng expounded on domestic and international imperatives, the current international situation, the challenges and opportunities faced by China, and the country's mission and responsibility.

Cai Qi pointed out the overarching strategy of national rejuvenation and the profound global changes unseen in a century are two significant judgments made by the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, which are based on the general trends in the world. They precisely define the era we are in and China's position in the world, and underline the fact that working towards national rejuvenation will be a long process amid the changes in the international landscape. This fact should be the starting point of our judgment on the situation and plan for future work. In Beijing, the capital city of China, we must always keep the domestic and international imperatives in mind, raise our awareness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We should plan and advance all areas of work from a long-term perspective, grasp the trend of the times, and redouble our efforts to serve the overall work of the Party and government, and meet the needs of our citizens for a better life.

Cai Qi stressed the importance of learning and the need to keep in mind the domestic and international imperatives and take actions accordingly. He noted that we should delve into Xi Jinping: The Governance of China (Volume 3) and other latest study resources as well as the General Secretary's speeches regarding Beijing, translate what we have learned into action, improve our acuity in identifying, responding to, and seeking changes, and heighten our sense of responsibility, mission, and urgency. What we think and do should always serve the overall work of the Party and the government. In addition, we should bear in mind the duty of the capital city, properly coordinate its dual roles as the capital and a metropolis, strengthen its core functions as the “four centers”, namely, the national center for politics, culture, international exchanges, and scientific and technological innovation, and improve our abilities to deliver “four services”. We will meticulously devise work plans according to the 14th Five-Year Plan so as to better fulfill the duty of the capital city, he added.

Cai Qi also called for efforts to shape a new development pattern. To that end, the city needs to boost scientific and technological innovation, make full use of the platforms of Zhongguancun Science City, Huairou Science City, Beijing Future Science Park, the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area plus the Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone, and strengthen basic research and development of key and core technologies to build itself into a world-leading scientific and technological innovation center. It will take full advantage of the policies for the development of a national integrated demonstration zone for greater openness in the service sector and the Beijing Pilot Free Trade Zone, and develop the China International Fair for Trade in Services, ZGC Forum, and Financial Street Forum into opening-up platforms with international influence. It will promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, encourage businesses along the innovation chain, supply chain, and industry chain to locate their operations in Tianjin and Hebei, and make the region a new growth pole of high-quality development. In addition, the city will enhance its motivation and abilities, dialectically gauge and analyze the situations at home and abroad, think about worst-case scenarios and risks, and get prepared to forestall risks and turn crises into opportunities.

(Reporters: Qi Mengzhu & Liu Feifei)