Reforming Communist Party of China for new era

China is transforming from a quiet listener to eloquently vocal, passive to proactive, follower to leader, world factory to world laboratory and peripheral state to centerpiece of global system. Though the transformation was going on at good pace, General Secretary Xi Jinping has accelerated it. As General Secretary, he unswervingly advocated and led the transformation. General Secretary Xi and Communist Party of China (CPC) at 20th National Congress concluded that the first phase of transformation, Go Global, has been completed. Now it’s time to embark on the journey of national rejuvenation.

CPC is cognizant of the fact that the dynamics of new journey would be more complex fraught with challenges as well as opportunities, stressing the need for a new set of capabilities to look beyond the horizons. The CPC will have to deliver common prosperity to retain and strengthen support of people.

Before reforming the CPC, Xi studied the downfall of Russian communist party and concluded that the reforms should not weaken the CPC, rather they should strengthen the CPC, the pre-requisite of which is strengthening people’s trust and unwavering support to the leadership. Therefore, he drew a roadmap of reforms and started implementing it gradually.

First, he introduced an indiscriminate, comprehensive anti-corruption campaign, considering it a prerequisite to dispense justice, ensure prosperity of people at all levels, and realise the “China Dream”. He eliminated the big fish (central party leaders, top state officials) — as well as the flies (lower party and state officials). President Xi also focused on corruption in military and local party members. He brought many army officers to justice, even he did not spare top leadership of the military. Simultaneously, he approved policies to strengthen party discipline to eliminate institutionalised corruption. President Xi has introduced measures to eradicate four work styles-formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance, which are toxic for democratic centralism, as opted by China.

The new resolution approved by CPC at 20th National Congress promised the people to step up the anti-corruption campaign. CPC also urged the members to follow the self-reform agenda. CPC will also ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to become corrupt.

Second, President Xi initiated work to strengthen ideological discourse. He termed ideology the bedrock of the CPC. He is ardent believer of comprehensive understanding and strong commitment to communist ideology and socialism with Chinese characteristics. He deemed it a required step to keep CPC intact and functional. He learned from USSR fall that among other reasons, the weak adherence to ideology contributed to the fall of USSR. Thus, CPC should learn from this and erect institutes and create mechanisms to mainstream discourse on ideology. It is essential to create self-confidence among members and youth. Education ministry of China is also taking serious steps to equip young generation with ideology. Now schools are teaching President Xi’s ideology to infuse the spirit of socialism with Chinese characteristics among kids and youth.

Third, the CPC realised that its members of CPC must have new set of capacities and capabilities to comprehend the China dream and play a meaning role to realise it. For example, China wants to become hub of innovation and a leading player to set new global standards in the fields of technology. To achieve that goal, China would need minds, who can comprehend these fields. Hence, CPC started to encourage professionals to join the party. Now, according to Party statistics, percentage of professional members increased from 38.6% in 2011 to 53.3% in 2021.

Fourth, in recent years, returning Chinese expatriates were also encouraged to join party and play an effective role as they have international exposure and understand the delicacies of global system. CPC also inducted many foreign returnee in the all powerful Central Committee (CC) of CPC and number increased with every national congress over the last two decades (6.2% 16th CC, 10.5% 17th CC, 14.6% 18th CC, 20.5% 19th CC).

A brief look at the biographies of those inducted in the party indicate that the preferred areas of expertise were science, technology, economy, education, ideology, philosophy, culture, and understanding of changing global dynamics.

In conclusion, the CPC is preparing itself to assume the new role in new era. The reforms have promoted culture of values, merit, efficiency, and professionalism, and have gone on to strengthening people’s trust in the CPC.