THE 21st Century is an era of big development, big reform and big adjustment. Political parties are more influential than ever in the political life of different countries, both to domestic affairs and foreign policies. Big changes have also happened to the relationship between China and the world. With China’s higher position in the international arena, the influence from the Communist Party of China (CPC) has increased. Its relationship with political parties and organizations of different countries has caught the world’s eyes.
Ever since it’s founding, the CPC began international party-to-party contacts. During the new democratic revolution period (1919-1949), by a very flexible and pragmatic diplomatic approach, by close contacts and relations with advanced people and friends of other countries, the CPC managed to give and extensive support and sympathy for its efforts in forming domestic and international united fronts and for its final objective of revolutionary victory. Its efforts made a significant contribution to other nation’s anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist struggle.
Now at the 102nd anniversary of CPC, the international community has been praising the achievements of this party for its contribution in China that especially includes the reforms and opening up policies that laid the solid foundation of today’s prosperous China and tackled the absolute poverty through the poverty alleviation campaign. These achievements are absolutely attributed to the visionary leadership of Communist Party of China in the last few decades. Under the inspiring leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the CPC has modernized the society in terms of social, cultural, economic, defence and in other various sectors and is moving ahead rapidly to achieve the goal of rejuvenation with full zeal and zest.
CPC’s domestic and international achievements and contributions are tremendous. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, as a party in power, CPC’s international relations turned on a new chapter. The first generation of CPC attached much importance to party-to-party relations. Their involvement advanced CPC’s theory and principles in this field and laid a foundation for the contacts with political parties of other countries.
The CPC’s party-to-party relations, after decades of experiences, have formed the following features. Out of historical experience and lessons, take independence, equality, mutual respect and non-interference in other’s internal affairs as fundamental principles, by a scientific definition on the relations and difference between party-to-party and state-to-state relations. The CPC international relations have achieved one success after another, a win-win situation for all the parties involved. The role and advantage of CPC’s inter-party contacts have become more prominent in the state diplomacy, in socialist modern construction and party building.
The relations have not only facilitated the healthy and stable progress of the relations between China and other countries, but also displayed CPC’s open mindedness and peace loving image. Through inter-party contacts the CPC has increased mutual understanding and friendship with political parties in other countries, helped the unity and cooperation of advanced thoughts in the world and displayed a more important role in safeguarding world peace, building a just and new international order. The CPC’s inter-party relations have benefited Chinese people, the progress of other political parties, world peace, development and advanced causes of mankind.
Right now, China’s socialist modernization is going on smoothly. The CPC inter-party relation work is at new starting point. By following its four principles, the CPC will continue to develop inter-party theories, make efforts for new forms and widen the domain of the relations. To deepen the friendship between Chinese nation and other nations, CPC is willing to develop new-type relations with any political party and organization in the world who is willing to establish relations with the CPC and to make a bigger contribution for China’s socialist modernization and world peace and stability.
The CPC has attached much importance to inter-party relations, taking them as a significant part of its cause; the means to consolidate the party’s construction and to elevate the party’s governance ability, an important approach to increase the party’s influence, elevating its international status making the outside world understand CPC better. As party in power of the PRC, the inter-party contacts, an important component in the country’s general diplomacy, have unique advantages and an irreplaceable role in founding and improving state-to-state relations. All generations of CPC leading group have given much attention to the relations and theoretical development.
With their care and involvement, the CPC international relations have progressed significantly. The dialogues between the CPC and foreign party top leaders on significant issues like state relations, world structure, peace and development of mankind, have facilitated mutual understanding and friendship. Their dialogues and exchange of ideas are significant to the development of CPC’s international relations work. Following the achievements and contributions of CPC in developing peace and stability across the globe and party’s inter-party relation work will remain an important part of the state’s general diplomacy in the future.
—The author is a researcher on diplomacy and media fellow of China South Asia and South East Asia Press Centre.
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