Xinhua published a summary of the “Report on the work of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress” that Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) delivered on March 8, during the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 13th NPC. It contained a summary of the “Five Musts” that delegates of the National People’s Congress must observe when they conduct their work. They are:
1) Must uphold the leadership of the central administration in accordance with Comrade Xi Jinping’s authority
2) Must execute Xi’s socialist thought with Chinese Characteristics in the new era
3) Must demonstrate that the people are the masters of the country in their political and social lives
4) Must play an important role in promoting the rule by law
5) Must maintain an unshakeable determination to make timely improvements in the system of the National People’s Congress

Source: Xinhua: March 11, 2018
http://www.xinhuanet.com/video/sjxw/2018-03/11/c_129827424.htm

Radio France Internationale (RFI) recently reported that anonymous sources disclosed that the Chinese Communist Party has started an internal investigation of the Xinhua News Agency, which is the official communications authority for the Chinese government and the Party. The incident that triggered the investigation was that the Xinhua English News Bulletin recently published the constitutional amendment changing the status of the term limits for the President ahead of schedule. The Chinese leadership may have found this leak to be suspicious. The investigation team was composed of members from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Central Propaganda Department of the Communist Party. Sources also indicated that all bureau director levels of Xinhua personnel have been banned from international travel. A few other unexpected incidents of a similar kind occurred last year as well.

Source: RFI Chinese, March 17, 2018
http://bit.ly/2FIjrLx

On March 17, People’s Daily published an opinion piece in which it praised the fact that Xi was appointed as the President of the country as it represents “the wishes of the party, the people, and the nation.” The article called Xi “helmsman” of the nation and “leader” of the Chinese people. The article claimed that the trinity position that Xi holds demonstrates that socialism with Chinese characteristics is a unique political and also a superior system. It asked all nations to unite around Xi’s leadership to achieve the “great victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era.”

Source: People’s Daily, March 17, 2018
http://opinion.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0317/c1003-29873350.html