Li Qiang's Work Report: One Number and Several New Terms Stand Out

Chinese Premier Li Qiang's Profile Photo. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

[People News] In March 2025, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held its annual "Two Sessions" – the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Although Premier Li Qiang had already been stripped of the opportunity to hold a press conference, he was still allowed to deliver the government work report. As usual, the report was filled with bureaucratic jargon and party rhetoric, making it lengthy and dull. Many delegates were seen covering their mouths, bowing their heads, yawning, or even dozing off during the speech.

However, a few figures and newly coined terms in Li Qiang's report sparked heated discussions. In the report, Li Qiang announced this year’s planned budget: a 7.2% increase in military spending and a 5% GDP growth target. Both numbers are seen as unreliable—the former being understated, and the latter exaggerated.

For two consecutive years, military spending has increased by 7.2%, bringing the CCP's defense budget to 1.78 trillion yuan (approximately 245.65 billion USD). China's military spending is second only to the United States but is growing at a faster rate. The U.S. defense budget for 2024 increased by 3%, a year marked by high military aid to Ukraine. However, many observers believe that China's official military expenditure figures significantly understate the actual amount. Large portions, such as weapons development and procurement costs, are often hidden and unreported.

As for the 5% economic growth target, external analysts widely see it as an overstatement. In recent years, massive business closures, widespread unemployment, and the withdrawal of foreign investment and enterprises have led to a visible economic downturn in China. The so-called 5% GDP growth is merely an official CCP announcement. The same happened with last year's 5% and the previous year's 5.2% targets—these numbers are declared first and "achieved" later through state-controlled statistics.

While exaggerated GDP figures and manipulated military spending numbers are nothing new, one figure in Li Qiang's report truly stood out—20 yuan (approx. 2.80 USD). This refers to the increase in the minimum basic pension for urban and rural residents by 20 yuan. The moment this number was announced, public outcry erupted. Netizens mocked: "20 yuan? Such a tiny amount, and they have the audacity to include it in the government work report?" Others criticized it as an insult to elderly Chinese citizens and an insult to the intelligence of the people. Many viewed it as a slap in the face to Xi Jinping’s claims of "comprehensive poverty alleviation and a moderately prosperous society."

Indeed, compared to China's astronomical spending on domestic security (stability maintenance) and military expenditures, a mere 20-yuan pension increase is pitifully small and grossly disproportionate. Ancient wisdom says, "Such a trivial matter, not worth mentioning." Yet, Li Qiang solemnly read it out in the grand Great Hall of the People, turning it into another classic case of dark humor in the Xi Jinping era.

Additionally, Li Qiang’s report introduced several "eye-catching" new terms, including: "Gazelle Enterprises" (瞪羚企業); "New Offshore Trade" (新型離岸貿易); "Zero-Based Budgeting Reform Pilot" (零基預算改革試點); "Embodied Intelligence" (具身智能). Some of these terms are believed to be copied from Silicon Valley terminology. For example, in Silicon Valley, "gazelle enterprises" refer to startups that show stable growth trends.

However, in Chinese, these new terms confuse ordinary people and easily lead to misinterpretations. Some online reactions include: "Gazelle enterprises" – Does this mean startled, wide-eyed antelopes? "New offshore trade" – Does this refer to the shell companies set up by CCP elites overseas for money laundering and wealth transfer? "Zero-based budgeting reform pilot" – Does this imply resetting everything to zero and starting over? "Embodied intelligence" – Does this refer to China's advanced surveillance technologies, such as facial recognition, fingerprint tracking, and RFID cards used for full-scale population monitoring?

In reality, these endless new terms are reminiscent of historical deception tactics. They mirror the fraudulent "New Policies" during Wang Mang’s usurpation and the dystopian language in George Orwell’s 1984—where the regime constantly invents new vocabulary to enforce authoritarian rule. They also align with the strategies of CCP theorist Wang Huning, who advocates making simple issues seem overly complex. The underlying message? Make the public feel governance is too sophisticated to question, forcing them into passive obedience.

(Adapted from Radio Free Asia)