On 8th December 2017, the National Language Resource Monitoring Centre of China announced the “Top Ten Chinese Media Buzzwords 2017.”
Top ten buzzwords of the year are: 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), New Era, Sharing, Xiongan New Area, BRICS, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Community of Shared Future for Mankind, Tianzhou - 1, Roll up Our Sleeves and Work Harder, and Remain True to Our Original Aspiration and Keep Our Mission Firmly in Mind.
Language is used to describe and record the world and language itself is deeply imprinted with traces of the changing world. Such traces record the things that people are concerned about in real time. The 10 buzzwords were selected to reflect memorable events, stories, and changes to the world and times.
Based on the national language resource monitoring corpus, the top ten buzzwords were decided by adopting linguistic information processing technology integrating manual monitoring and screening in the latter phase. The corpus resources include the entire text of 15 domestic newspapers from 1st January to late November 2017. These newspapers include official government newspapers, local metropolitan newspapers, and daily evening newspapers accounting for nearly five billion characters, representing the focus points and linguistic characteristics of mainstream Chinese media.
19th National Congress of the CPC
The 19th National Congress of the CPC was held in Beijing from 18-24th October 2017. The theme of the Congress is Remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and work tirelessly to realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. The 19th National Congress of the CPC is a meeting of great importance taking place during a decisive stage of building a moderately prosperous society in China and at a time when socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era.
New Era
On 18th October 2017, Comrade Xi Jinping delivered a report entitled Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and Strive for the Great Success of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, in which he pointed out that “socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era.” This is a scientific judgement based on the overall vision of the development of the CPC and the Chinese state following nearly 40 years of development since reform and opening up. It also recognises the historic achievements and reforms made in the five years since the 18th National Congress. This new era will be an era of building on past successes to further advance our cause, and of continuing in a new historical context to strive for the success of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Sharing
Sharing is the core concept of the shared economy, which stresses right of use instead of right of possession. The shared economy refers to the kind of economic phenomenon of sharing unused resources with others through social platforms in order to get income. In 2016, the emergence of shared bicycles introduced people to the concept of sharing. In 2017, the shared economy thrived in more industries on an increasingly large scale. Shared bicycles, cars, umbrellas, and phone chargers are all examples of “sharing".
Xiongan New Area
On 1st April 2017, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued a notice announcing that China will establish Xiongan New Area in Baoding city, Hebei province. This is historic strategic choice made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. Xiongnan New Area is a new area of national significance similar to Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area. The establishment of Xiongan New Area will be of great and far-reaching historic significance in phasing out non-capital functions from Beijing, exploring a new model of optimised development in densely-populated areas, restructuring the urban layout in the Bejing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and cultivating new innovation-driven mechanisms.
BRICS
BRICS is an acronym for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Since 2006, cooperation among BRICS has entered its second “golden decade.” On 1st January 2017, China officially succeeded the BRICS chair state. From 3rd-5th September, 2017, the 9th BRICS Summit was held in Xiamen, with the theme of “A Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future.” Chairman Xi Jinping posed four expectations at the summit: 1) Deepen pragmatic cooperation to advance joint development, 2) Strengthen global governance and deal with challenges in joint efforts, 3) Carry out cultural exchanges and consolidate the basis of public opinion, and 4) Facilitate mechanism construction and build wider partnerships.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI development has entered a new stage after years of evolution. In order to seize the advantage of AI development and make China an innovative technology power, on 20th July 2017, the State Council issued the Development Plan for New Generation AI. The Plan puts forward the guiding thoughts, strategic objectives, key tasks, and guarantees of AI development up to the year 2030 and has laid an important foundation for further promoting AI development in China.
Community of Shared Future for Mankind
The concept of “Community of Shared Future for Mankind” advocates taking reasonable care of other countries’ benefits while seeking benefit for oneself. On 18th October 2017, in his 19th National Congress report Comrade Xi Jinping proposed that we should follow a path of peaceful development and work to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The construction of a “Community of Shared Future for Mankind” derives from the everlasting “Compassionate and Benevolent” characteristics of Chinese cultures and works as a “Chinese Plan” contributed by Chinese leaders based on their accurate understanding and mastery of the world. It also reveals the lively practice of “Major Country Diplomacy” with Chinese characteristics. The sense of “Community of Shared Future for Mankind” surpasses the boundaries of race, culture, nation, and ideologies, offering a brand new perspective of contemplating the future of mankind and a rational and feasible action plan for advancing the peaceful development of the world.
Tianzhou 1
Tianzhou 1, China’s first cargo spacecraft, was lifted into space atop a Long March 7 carrier rocket at 7:41 pm on 20th April 2017 from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province. The spacecraft and Tiangong 2 space lab completed their first in-orbit refuelling on 27th April, marking the completion of China’s first space lab mission. The Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft developed by China Academy of Space Technology, is capable of fast-docking with Tiangong 2 space lab and conducting in-orbit refuelling, as well as carrying out space science experiments and testing. Tianzhou 1 also marks the success of China’s space lab work.
Roll up our sleeves and work harder
“Roll up our sleeves and work harder” was part of the 2017 new year congratulatory remarks given by Chairman Xi Jinping. “As long as we 1.3 billion people sailing in the same boat, as long as our Party sides with the people forever, as long as we roll up our sleeves and work harder, we certainly will finish the Long March of our generation.”
Remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind
The theme of the Congress is: Remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and work tirelessly to realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. We can interpret this as meaning that you should never forget why you started and you can accomplish your mission. The original aspiration and the mission of Chinese Communists is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. This original aspiration, this mission, is what inspires Chinese Communists to keep advancing.
Reprinted from the website of Ministry of Education
Written by National Language Resource Monitoring Centre