Rural work conference; US DoD report on PLA; China-India border talks; TikTok; TP-Link; Chinese version of economics

Summary of today’s Essential Eight:

1. Annual Central Rural Work Conference meets - The December 19 People’s Daily editorial (社论) on the conference summed up the key points: “In comprehensively building a modern socialist country, the most arduous and heavy tasks remain in rural areas. Next year marks the final year of the "14th Five-Year Plan." Doing good "san nong 三农" [Bill: Three Rural Issues: Agriculture, Rural Areas and Rural Residents/farmers] work next year is of great significance for high-quality completion of the "14th Five-Year Plan" objectives and solid advancement of Chinese modernization. Currently, the adverse impacts from changes in the external environment are deepening, and our economy still faces many difficulties and challenges. The more complex the economic situation, the more we must stabilize "san nong…Agricultural stability secures the state, and grain security safeguards all under heaven. From deeply advancing large-scale grain and oil crop yield improvement ac…