THE 21st century is an era of big reforms, big developments and big adjustments across the globe with the emergence of big changes. Political parties are becoming more influential with huge significance in the political discourse of different countries. Big and worthy changes have also been recorded to the relationship between China and the world including the relations between Communist Party of China (CPC) and global political parties across the world.
With China’s higher and important position in the international arena, the influence and importance of CPC has been increasing with its political relations globally. The increasing relationship of CPC with global political parties and its achievements has caught the attention of international community with the achievements to it.
Ever since its founding, the CPC began international relations developing 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 gain an extensive support and sympathy for its efforts in forming the domestic and international united fronts and for its final objective of revolutionary victory. Its efforts made a significant contribution to the other nations’ anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist struggles.
After the founding of 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 leading group, with Mao Zedong as a core, attached much importance to party-to-party relations. Their involvement advanced CPC’s theory and principles in the field, and laid a foundation for the contacts with political parties of other countries.
Since the third plenary session of the 11th Party Central Committee, China entered a new period of history, a period of reform, opening up and socialist modern construction. The change of international situation and the focus of domestic work required CPC to adjust its policies and principles in international relations.
On a scientific analysis of international situation, features of change era and the experience and lessons out of the International Communist Movement, CPC’s second generation leading group, with Deng Xiaoping as the core, advanced the thinking for a new party-to-party relations.
The 12th CPC National Congress initiated four principles for them. Guided by the principles, the CPC international relations have developed very fast, very actively and innovatively. In a new historical situation the third generation of the CPC leading group, with Jiang Zemin as the core further enriched the theory in concern and led CPC’s international relations into a new phase.
In the 21st century, under the leadership of the party central committee with Hu Jintao as the General Secretary, the CPC actively promoted the construction of a harmonious world by the theoretical innovation, dialogue and communication with different social systems and ideologies. All this is conducted by surpassing ideological difference and for the overall situation of the China’s development. CPC’s international relations have turned on a new page.
The CPC party-to-party relations , after decades of experience, have formed the following features by a scientific definition on the relations and difference between party to party and state-to-state relations take national interests and good international relationship as the final objective of party-to-party relations, by following historical trend and situational changes take anti-hegemony safeguarding world peace gaining a favourable international environment for China’s opening up , reform and modern construction as important tasks, be active in exchanges and cooperation with political parties and organizations in other countries or regions disregarding their ideological and social differences, continue to add new contents and forms to party-to-party relations, facilitate the exchange of ideas in party and state governance, advance economic, trade, cultural and personal exchanges and bring the role of party relations to a maximum display.
The CPC’s 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 has 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 a peace-loving image.
In the modern era under the visionary leadership of General Secretary of CPC, XI Jinping, the CPC has increased mutual understanding and friendship with political parties in other countries, helped the unity and cooperation of advanced forces 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 advanced causes of mankind.
Right now, China’s socialist modernization is going on smoothly. The CPC inter-party relations work is at a 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 relations with any political party and organization in the world that is willing to establish relations with the CPC and to make bigger contributions for China’s socialist modernization and world peace and stability.
—The author is a media fellow of China International Press and Communication Centre.
Email: [email protected]
views expressed are writer’s own.
