The external work of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been a cause that involves the entire Party. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, highlighting his personal commitment and guidance, General Secretary Xi Jinping has given a series of important expositions of major theoretical and practical issues concerning the Party’s external work including its definition, purpose, content and modus operandi. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions of the Party’s external work in particular, and thanks to the generous support of all the localities, departments and institutions, historic achievements have been accomplished in
the Party’s external work featuring high-quality development. The international prestige of General Secretary Xi Jinping, as the leader of a major political party and a major country, has been growing steadily. The international influence of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has incresased markedly. The CPC’s “international circle of friends” has kept expanding. Indeed, a historic shift has taken place in the relationship between the CPC and the world.
I. Working actively in support of the “Two Establishes” with reaffirmed commitment to the “Two Upholds”
The success in hosting a series of major events for world political parties has not only showcased the CPC outlook on the world, on development, on cooperation and on friendship, but also demonstrated the high prestige General Secretary Xi Jinping enjoys worldwide. The CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting in December 2017 was a great success with more than 600 Chinese and international participants representing around 300 political parties and political organisations from over 120 countries. In his keynote address, General Secretary Xi Jinping called for efforts to explore the building of a new type of party-to-party relations that seeks to expand common ground while reserving differences and enhances mutual respect and mutual learning on the basis of a new form of international relations. This High-level Meeting, as the first major multilateral diplomatic event inside China honoured by the attendance of General Secretary Xi Jinping following the conclusion of the 19th CPC National Congress, was also the first time in history for the CPC to engage in high-level dialogue with political parties from countries worldwide with varied ideologies, cultural backgrounds, social systems and development stages. The CPC and World Political Parties Summit held via video link in July 2021 amid the centenary celebrations of the CPC, was another success with 21 addresses delivered by top leaders of world political parties holding concurrent positions as heads of state or heads of government, and other prominent international political leaders. The Summit was attended by leaders of more than 500 political parties and political organisations from over 160 countries and over ten thousand participants representing political parties and other sectors. General Secretary Xi Jinping elaborated on the proposition of the CPC for strengthening cooperation among political parties for the wellbeing of the people, which drew extensive and warm responses both domestically and internationally.
Our work has focused on rendering service to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s engagement at the highest level with other socialist countries including the DPRK, Vietnam, Laos and Cuba. As a result, China’s relations with these socialist countries on both party-to-party and state-to-state fronts have been able to make continued progress under the guidance of supreme party and state leaders. The Action Plan on Building the China-Laos Community with a Shared Future thus became the first bilateral document signed by supreme party and state leaders concerning the building of a human community with a shared future. In support of China’s hosting of major diplomatic events, a series of specialty activities have been organised including the Civil 20, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Political Parties Forum, China-Africa People’s Forum, BRICS Political Parties, Think Tanks and Civil Society Organisations Forum, all of which proved to be explorative successes towards the improvement of cooperation mechanisms and creating gerater synergy.
II. Working creatively to make the CPC stories heard among political parties and the wider international community
In-depth explanation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and greater availability of the CPC stories are essential for the international community, political parties in particular, to better know and understand China and the CPC.
Following the 18th and 19th CPC National Congresses and all in-between Plenary Sessions of the respective CPC Central Committees, thematic briefings and workshops were organised for diplomatic envoys and international business executives based in Beijing. Over 30 Chinese delegations were invited to some 100 countries and regions to explain before more than 500 groups of audience the outcome and implications of the 19th CPC National Congress. In response to the growing interest of other political parties, briefings on the four volumes of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China went into detail in all aspects. Consequently, this set of works has become the reference to consult on the desks of leaders of many political parties, particularly those of developing countries.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, 14 Thematic Briefings have been held on “Stories of the CPC: Practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” with a combined attendence of over 5000 political party leaders. During these briefings, standing committee meetings of CPC committees at county level and villagers’ congresses were live-streamed for viewers around the world. A total of 600 and more international participants have been invited to experience first-hand the standing committee meetings of CPC committees at local level and activities of grassroots party organisations. All these events served to explain in visible formats what Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era entails together with its practical outcomes. The International Seminar on Poverty Eradication and Responsibility of Political Parties received messages of congratulations from General Secretary Xi Jinping and eight other political party leaders who serve concurrently as heads of state. The event afforded some 400 political party representatives and diplomatic envoys from over 100 countries an opportunity to share ideas and experience on the common topic of poverty eradication with a view to promoting future cooperation .
Amid the centenary celebrations of the Communist Party of China, more than 1500 congratulatory messages poured in from over 600 political parties and political organisations, reliving with us the 100-year journey of the CPC. As was observed admiringly in these messages, “The CPC has become the synonym for the power of reason that is capable of bringing stability to this chaotic and turbulent world.”
III. Working resolutely to safeguard China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests
The CPC, in its external interactions, has firmly and forcefully countered the moves by a handful of countries that go against the trend of history. The positions of the Party on questions concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, maritime matters, COVID-19 and human rights have been endorsed by many political parties, think tanks, social organisations and individuals with vision. They have spoken up for us and forged a mighty force of support.
When COVID-19 began to rage across the world, our Party, together with over 240 political parties and international political party organisations from 110-plus countries issued a joint open letter to oppose the politicisation of public health issues. Later more than 300 political parties, social organisations and think tanks from over 100 countries and regions submitted a Joint Statement to the WHO Secretariat, calling for objective, just and science-based global origins tracing of COVID-19. In the joint statement on Making Independent Efforts to Explore the Path Toward Democracy and Working Together to Promote Common Development issued by 355 political parties, social organisations and think tanks from 140 countries and regions, a powerful note of justice was stricken that “democracy is not an exclusive privilege of the few”. A series of events under the umbrella “A Close Look at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022” were held in cooperation with other political parties and social groups to celebrate the grand Games. In the wake of the visit by US Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the Taiwan region of China, more than 500 political parties, think tanks and social organisations from over 150 countries expressed through various means their stance of firmly supporting the One China Principle.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have worked with world political parties to launch a new “political party+” format of interactions by organising dialogues connecting political parties and the business community, Chinese and foreign businesses. Nearly 100 CPC delegations led by heads of CPC local committees have visited other countries to promote practical cooperation with the rest of the world as an effective tool to promote the building of a new development paradigm.
IV. Working steadfastly to strengthen a Global Partnership Network of Political Parties
The CPC has been developing its relations with world political parties in an in-depth and comprehensive manner. It maintains contacts of various forms with over 600 political parties and organisations worldwide. Its solidarity and cooperation with Marxist political parties and progressive forces has been continuously deepened. It has cemented relations with political parties in neighbouring countries, maintained closer communication and cooperation with those in developing countries, improved institutionalized interactions with those in developed countries, and made breakthroughs in exchanges with emerging political parties. Being actively engaged in regional and international multilateral dialogues of political parties, it strives to facilitate the building of a new model of international relations through fostering a new type of party-to-party relations, so as to strengthen the Global Partnership Network of Political Parties for the improvement of the Global Partnership Network as a whole.
Through briefing the major outcomes of our respective National Congresses and Plenary Sessions of the Central Committee, and holding theoretical seminars, the CPC has further developed relations with other socialist countries including the DPRK, Vietnam, the Laos and Cuba. It commemorated the bicentenary of the birth of Karl Marx with other Marxist political parties, and held various activities including the CPC and World Marxist Political Parties Forum to share experience on adapting Marxism to the national conditions and the times of the 21st century. It also established multiple platforms with political parties from other countries including the CPC in Dialogue with Political Parties of Southeast Asian and South Asian Countries, China-Central Asia Political Parties Forum, China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue, Forum of China-Arab States Young Political Leaders, China-Africa Political Parties Theoretical Seminar, China-CELAC Political Parties’ Forum, China-CEE Countries Political Parties Dialogue and China-Pacific Island Countries Political Leadership Dialogue. It is committed to enhancing trust through in-depth party-to-party exchanges for the sound and steady development of state-to-state relations. It has fully leveraged its capacity in organising and mobilising the people to bring into full play the combined impact of political party diplomacy, public diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy. Through holding the Commemorative Event for the International Day of Peace and Dialogue of Exchanges and Mutual Learning Among Civilisations, we have offered guidance to Chinese civil society organisations and think tanks in their extensive exchanges with their foreign counterparts.
V. Working vigorously with CPC vision and strength to promote the building of a human community with a shared future.
The CPC has always placed China’s development within the context of human development and linked its destiny with that of people around the world.
We sent letters to leaders of over 110 political parties, sharing China's practice and experience in COVID-19 prevention and control. We provided COVID-19 therapeutics to nearly 400 political parties of 149 countries and medical supplies and technical aid to foreign political parties and international organisations in need. We co-hosted the Asian Political Parties On-Line Conference: Forging Synergy Against COVID-19 with the Secretariat of the ICAPP Standing Committee, a shining example of world political parties supporting each other to overcome difficulties. In advancing the Silk Road Community Building Initiative, we have facilitated civil society organisations from BRI partner countries in forging nearly 600 pairs of partnerships and conducted over 300 livelihood projects including delivering “health kits”. We have supported the civil society organisations in deepening international anti-pandemic cooperation, taking concrete actions to promote the building of a global community of health for all.
We established the political parties consultation mechanism for Belt and Road cooperation, organised the Belt and Road Forum for Interconnected Land-Sea Development and the Thematic Forum on People-to-People Connectivity of the Belt and Road Forum. We have also improved the Silk Road Think Tank Association and the Silk Road NGO Cooperation Network Forum to pool international consensus on promoting high quality Belt and Road cooperation. We have vigorously promoted the implementation of the GDI and the GSI. By organising the International Civil Society Solidarity Conference on the GDI, we have helped pool consensus on the common values of humanity and jointly building a better world.
On the new journey ahead in the new era, the responsibility of the Party's external work is even greater and its mission more glorious. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will strive to break new ground with greater confidence and resolve to serve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and make new contribution to the advancement of human civilisation!
