A Review of 20th Party Congress of CPC

The 20th National Party Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is being convening in Beijing from 16th October 2022. The party, which was established in 1921, and had celebrated 100th anniversary last year. The history of CPC is full of bravery, sacrifice, patriotism and service to the people. The communist party had launched one of the most sacrificial ‘People’s War’ in the world’s modern history that was fought simultaneously in two fronts against feudal lords and global imperial powers occupied Chinese territories. People’s Republic of China (PRC) was established in 1949 under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the CPC after winning the battles on both the fronts at the cost of 3.7 million lives of revolutionaries and tens of millions injuries. China has achieved a goal of ‘developing China a moderately prosperous society in all respect’ and eradicating absolute poverty by 2021, ten years ahead of the United Nations’ target, on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Communist party of China. The CPC is heading towards ‘making China a modern and affluent socialist country under the leadership of Communist Party of China by 2049-100th anniversary of the establishment of PRC,.

Taiwan issue

The last ruler Chiang Kai-shek was fled away to Taiwan island of China from Chengdu in December 1948 after sequences of defeats from Mao’s Red Guard, the communist revolutionaries. Chiang continued to claim as the legitimate ruler of the China in exile under the patronage of the anti-communist global powers. Taiwan was recognized as the legitimate representative of China until PRC secured its legitimate position in United Nations in 1972 pushing Taiwan out. On this backdrop China considers Taiwan as ‘an inalienable part of China and Taiwan reunification is the task leftover by the history’.

The 20th Party Congress is being held at a time when western alliance is instigating Taiwan independence as a tool to check China’s rise. Fear of direct confrontation between the world’s two super powers is looming large due to the series of provocative acts are being conducted across Taiwan Strait, sophisticated arms and ammunitions are being supplies to Taiwan and high level political visits are being made from western alliance. China has been repeatedly protesting such acts as ‘intrusion in their internal matters’. Efforts of expanding western alliances are intensified and Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet issues are being provoked.  Embargo from western countries against China on trade and advance technology is being expanded. Inciting and alienating developing countries against China are being intensified by the west alliance. Propagandizing negative image of China is being intensified in order to check the China’s continued rise as a global power.

Post covid-19 global order is highly vulnerable. The issue of building robust health facilities and enhancing response capabilities came to the top priority agenda off all. More inward looking policies are being introduced by so called advocate of liberal policies. The mind set of hoarding more than 2 times excess vaccines by the developed world for their people at the cost dying people in the developing world due to the lack of jab of vaccine helped expose the self-serving aptitude of developed world.  Climate change issue is posing serious threat to human civilization that demands global cooperation and collaboration among major global powers but western allies are heading towards confrontation with emerging power China. Russia and Ukraine war since last February has pushed entire globe to a brink of escalating nuclear war. The energy and food crisis, economic downturn and polarization of world all are compounded to pose a serious threat to global peace, security and development. Issues such as fair and equitable distribution of wealth within and across the nations, sustainable development, biosafety and cyber security are challenging human civilization that warrants immediate attention of major global players more than ever in the world’s history. China has been continuously rising despite of all odds and the meeting is being held would definitely apprise the global issues.

Although China is emerging as a global power from rubbles when the CPC took-over the regime in 1949 china is facing challenges such as insufficient  development and development disparity, rising inequalities, sustainability of development, rising debt, environmental issues and external threats. 

Almost 2300 delegates are meeting in Beijing for electing leaders and setting policies once in five years’ time. The party congress will pass resolutions to set major policy guidelines that would exert significant impact to the Chinese economy and life as well as the development prospects, peace and stability across the globe.

Election of Leadership

The delegates would elect 205 members and 174 alternative members in the central committee of CPC, Central Military Commission and members (currently 131 members) of Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection (CCDI)- an anti-corruption body of the Communist Party of China. The CCDI enforces internal rules to discipline the more than 96 million party members and controls corruptions in the party and the government. The central committee would elects the General Secretary; the members of Political Bureau (currently 25 in number) among themselves and the members of the Political Bureau Standing Committee (currently are 7) of the Communist Party as the supreme governance body of China.

It is widely believed that President Xi Jinping will be re-elected as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party for his third term, or will be even titled as the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (‘Lǐngxiù’), a title that has not been used since 1982. As per the practice the secretary general is the first among the members of the standing committee not the boss. But Xi’s position ‘as the core’ in the central leadership has been recognized by the party congress in 2018 and Xi Jinping Though- ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’, was adopted as the party ideology. Therefore, Xi’s election to the Secretary General is not only a continuation of leadership position in the political bureau standing committee as the first among equals but also an Ideologue of socialism and the leadership by policy. Electing secretary general of CPC this time would pave the way for electing him as the president of China for third term by the forthcoming meeting of people’s congress presumably will held in March 2023.

The second role of the party congress is to review the performance of the party committees and set party guidelines, policies and principles that would govern the country ahead. The achievements and policy guidelines

As the ideologue and the core leader Xi delivered one and half hours opening statement given and highlighted the major achievements of 19th CPC central Committee and also set a tone for future policy guidelines that probably will be codified in the resolutions of the 20th party congress at the end.

"We embraced the centenary of the Communist Party of China, we ushered in a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and we eradicated absolute poverty and finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary Goal," said President Xi Jinping in his opening address to the party congress as major achievements of past ten years.  He highlighted the effectiveness of Chinese governance system ‘a Whole-Process People's Democracy’ and historic rise in its economic strength in the past decade’that the GDP has grown to 114 trillion yuan  from 54 trillion yuan.

"From this day onwards, the central task of the CPC will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization," Xi said as setting the missions of the CPC ahead.

Based on the statement it can be inferred that party congress would resolve the continued expansion of China’s influence and representation in global platform by pursuing ‘great country diplomacy’ with more confidence. Xi, in his statement, underscored the ‘continued policy to strive for peaceful reunification of Taiwan with the greatest sincerity and the utmost effort’, but also reserved right to ‘the use of force’ to‘advance the cause of nationa’. He called for the need to ‘deepen up reform and opening up, to promote ecological civilization, to strengthen national security concept and strong military and to implement one country, two systems effectively’.

Global Perspective

China today is the second largest economy next to USA, the largest source of outbound tourists, largest manufacturing hub of the world, the largest trading partner of around 140 countries across the globe, a major source of outbound Foreign Direct Investment and a major financier of developing world globally. The Chinese economy is so inextricably interlinked with global economy that contributes almost one third of the global economic growth. The vitality of Chinese economy is extremely important for global economic recovery still ailing after the COVID-19 pandemic and lately, due to Russia-Ukraine war. Any major economic downturn in China will have a devastating impact to the entire economy of the world. China’s stability and economic advancement is linked to the development endeavors of developing world and is an opportunity for many developing countries including Nepal. Contrary, USA and their allies are enticing China’s development as a threat. The deliberate acts of western alliance to check Chinese pace of development by any means under the leadership of USA may invite head-on collision between the western power and China that directly challenges global peace and stability.

Unprecedented scale of wealth has been accumulated globally during the last seven decades under US led global order but ironically the same world is more vulnerable in terms of security and is unjust in terms of the distribution of wealth. Oxfam Policy Paper, ‘Inequality Kills’ written by Nabil Ahmed, Anna Marriott and their colleagues in 2022 concludes that  “The inequality that exists between countries are tearing our world apart. This is not by chance, but choice: “economic violence” is perpetrated when structural policy choices are made for the richest and most powerful people. Inequality contributes to the death of at least one person every four seconds.” This system is neither just nor inclusive therefore the wealth created by the economic system incentivize to accumulate the vast amount of wealth to pocket of the few privileged at the costs of billions poor. The existing global order under American dictate is not delivering the rightful aspirations of the global south and the system is receding its ability to protect even their own citizens from pandemic and climate change forget about protecting the vulnerable people globally at large. This entire system warrants change but the how and when this change would occur is still unknown.

Chinese communist party is holding party convention in a very crucial moment and may analyze the domestic as well as global issues and challenges and would come forward with the policies that CPC would pursue in order for overpowering those issues and challenges. The party congress can be expected to select a cohort of strong leadership that is principled, visionary, bold and dynamic for properly handing extremely delicate issues in and outside China. A cohesive team at the top on major policy issues is critical. The leader may possess the ability and confidence of rallying support from different section of the society within the country and can gain trust and support of the developing all over the world.

Party congress may appreciate the achievements such as securing first centenary goal of ‘making China a moderately prosperous society in all respect’ (Xiaokang Society); alleviating abject poverty 10 years ahead of UN target and keeping economy agile despite COVID_19 pandemic. The party congress may reaffirm Xi Jinping’s thoughts on global governance such as multilateralism, rule based international system, just and inclusive global order, community of shared future for mankind, win-win cooperation, high quality belt and road cooperation, global peace and stability.

Nepal-China relation

Nepal-China relations have stood strong through thousands of years, enriching social advancement of both sides by enhancing exchanges between the most ancient two civilizations evolved to the either sides of Himalayas. The good neighborly relations between the two nations are growing steadily despite many changes in and outside world during the past 68 years of diplomatic relations. Nepal upholds one china policy and is committed to not allowing anti-China activities in her soil. Similarly, China supports national unity, sovereign equality and territorial integrity of Nepal and development aspirations of Nepal.

China is not only a highly valuable neighbor of Nepal but also is the largest source of investment, second largest source of tourism, second largest trading partner and a major development partner that substantially contributes to Nepal’s development endeavor. Thousands of Nepali people work in China and thousands are studying in several universities. Both the countries have agreed to promote multidimensional connectivity network across the Himalayas. Both are important member of UN system and believe in peaceful coexistence, non-interference, and sovereign independence of a nation. Therefore, any economic, political or foreign policy adopted by China will have significant impact on Nepal. As a close neighbor Nepal is looking forward the continued progress, peace, and stability of China. Nepal also wishes for continued and enhanced level of economic, cultural, and political relations with China. Nepal considers China’s development as an opportunity and aspires to benefit from neighborhood policy to be continued after the 20th party congress. Both the countries and leadership may endeavor to strengthen and develop political mutual trust, respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect each other’s social system and development paths and support each other’s key interests and crucial concerns. Both sides may enhance mutually beneficial cooperation, and contribute for regional peace, stability and prosperity. They may give fresh impetus for speedy implementation of the agreements signed earlier and carry forward ‘strategic partnership of cooperation featuring even lasting friendship for development and prosperity’.

I wish a complete success of 20^th people’s congress for giving fresh impetus to China’s unity, stability and prosperity. May the party congress be successful to adopt foreign policy that enables China to play effective role for world peace, stability and development.

Leela Mani Paudyal is Former Ambassador of Nepal to China.