与时俱进 Keep Up With the Times

An expression that has become popular in official documents and speeches, accentuating¹ the need on the part of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to keep pace with the rapid changes that have taken place in society.

First appearing in former President Jiang Zemin's speech commemorating² the 80th anniversary of the CPC's founding on July 1, 2001, the expression was included as part of the theme for the Party's 16th National Congress in 2002. Under the principle, the Party vowed³ to adapt its ideology⁴ and work in tune⁵ with the latest developments in and out of the country to better serve the people.

信访 Letters and Visits

A special term referring to actions of citizens or institutions to give information, make comments or suggestions and lodge⁶ complaints to the special administrative⁷ department in charge of receiving them through various forms. Letters and visits from the grassroots were lauded⁸ by State leaders as having remarkable⁹ significance in enhancing ties between the government and the people. Individuals and institutions could write letters or pay visits to the relevant department when they have information about or want to complain about the performance of the administrative organization, enterprise or institutions supplying public services as well as about their staff members. Departments receiving letters and visits are required to process the information and complaints according to a State Council regulation first adopted in 1995 and revised in 2005.

星火计划 Spark Program

A State effort to popularize modern technologies in the rural areas to stimulate¹⁰ rural development and raise the farmers' income. Started in 1986, the program offers support to technological¹¹ projects easily applied¹² and developed in rural areas, encourages factories and small businesses to develop these projects with incentives¹³ in several aspects, holds training courses in rural businesses and promotes agricultural technology among farmers. By 2006, local governments invested 14.3 billion yuan while the central government contributed 363.1 billion yuan to the program.

以人为本 Put People First

An idea of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stresses that boosting the people's interests and development are the purpose of the Party as well as the State. Formally raised during the third plenary session of the 16th CPC Central Committee in October 2003, this idea was tagged as the core of the scientific outlook of development by general secretary Hu Jintao in his report on the 17th CPC National Congress in 2007. As a ruling party, the CPC vowed to expand the people's interests, respect the people's position in political life, give play to their creativity and let them share the benefits of development.

两岸直航包机 Direct Chartered Flight Across the Taiwan Straits

Flights between designated airports on the Chinese mainland and Taiwan during major Chinese festivals. Regular flights have been cut off between the two sides since 1949. In 2003, the Taiwan authorities allowed Taiwan airlines to fly Taiwan people living in the mainland with chartered flights from Shanghai for the Spring Festival. As a trust-building step, chartered flights were added in 2006 during three other holidays: Tomb Sweeping¹⁴ Day, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid¹⁵ Autumn Festival. Airlines from both sides were allowed and the flights stopped at four mainland cities and two Taiwan cities. Negotiations¹⁶ are underway to arrange the chartered flights weekly or even more frequently.