By P.K.Balachandran
Colombo, December 31: China has opted for a highly centralised decision-making system in foreign policy matters that is based on President Xi Jinping’s “Thought on Diplomacy” and also his concept of “governance with Chinese characteristics”.
The decision to do so was taken at the “Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs” held in Beijing on December 27 and 28.
While it is clear that it will put the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the present helmsman Xi Jinping in a commanding and unassailable position in foreign policy decision-making, the details have not been spelt out.
Be that as it may, Xi, who is General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), President of the People’s Republic of China and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an “important” address at the conference, the Chinese official media reported.
Xi presented a systematic review of the historic achievements of “diplomacy with Chinese characteristics” and gave an exposition on the international environment. He also enunciated “comprehensive plans for China’s external work for the present and coming periods,” an official communique on the conference said.
It further said that the path pursued so far was based on Xi’s “Thought on Diplomacy” and that it had “opened new vistas in the theory and practice of China’s diplomacy and provided the fundamental guidelines for advancing diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.”
By following Xi’s thoughts, China had showcased a distinct Chinese style and ethos and “established the image of a confident, self-reliant, open and inclusive major country with a global vision,” the communique said.
Under this rubric, China’s diplomacy advocated the building of “a community with a shared future for mankind, pointing the right direction for human society leading to common development, lasting peace and security, and mutual learning between civilizations.”
The communique claimed that China has “expanded a comprehensive strategic layout, and formed a wide-ranging, high-quality global network of partnerships.”
China’s high-quality Belt and Road cooperation had become “the world’s most broad-based and largest platform for international cooperation.
While doing all that, China had safeguarded its security, sovereignty, and development interests “with a firm will and an indomitable fighting spirit,” the communique said.
Further, China had taken “an active part in global governance, and shown the way in reforming the international system.”
And last but not the least China had “strengthened the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and brought about greater coordination in China’s external work,” the communique said.
Diplomacy with Chinese characteristics had gained much more strategic autonomy and initiative. China also became a “responsible major country with enhanced international influence, stronger capacity to steer new endeavours, and greater moral appeal.”
The conference resolved that on major issues concerning the future of humanity and the direction of the world, China must take a “clear and firm position, hold the international moral high ground, and unite and rally the overwhelming majority in our world.”
“It is imperative to shoulder responsibility as China is a major country. We need to advocate the spirit of independence, champion peaceful development, and promote global stability and prosperity,” the conference resolved.
Calling for a proactive policy, the conference said that Chinese diplomats have to have “a correct understanding of history and of the big picture” and “seize the initiative.”
Chinese diplomats must have balanced approach, the conference urged and said: “We need to follow the fine tradition and fundamental direction of China’s diplomacy, and at the same time work progressively for innovation in both theory and practice.”
Calling for a bold approach to the challenge from the existing powers, the conference said: “ It is imperative to carry forward our fighting spirit. We must reject all acts of power politics and bullying, and vigorously defend our national interests and dignity.”
According to the communique, the strength of Chinese diplomacy rests on its institutions, chief of which is the centralized leadership.
“It is imperative to leverage our institutional strengths. Under the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, all regions and all departments must coordinate with each other and build strong synergy.”
On the nature of the world and the trajectory of change, the communique said that the “world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation and yet the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change.”
On China’s outlook for the future, the communique said that the country will “ foster new dynamics in the relations with the world, and raise its international influence, appeal and power to shape events to a new level.”
In this, China’s initiatives like the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Security Initiative (GDI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), will play a major role.
China’s goal is to “bring countries together to meet challenges and achieve prosperity for all, and usher in a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world,” the communique said.
The conference called for an “equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization”. It rejected “hegemonism and power politics”.
It called for support to the “purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter” and to the “universally recognized, basic norms governing international relations”.
The conference called for an “inclusive economic globalization to meet the common needs of all countries, especially the developing countries, and properly addresses the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources.”
The conference resolutely opposed attempts to roll back globalization and bring back unilateralism and protectionism. It called for the promotion of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. As part of this, it called for solutions to the structural problems hindering the healthy development of the world economy.
Economic globalization, it said, must be “more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all,” the conference said.
Further on the approach, the conference said: “We need to identify the strategic tasks of Chinese diplomacy in a more multi-dimensional and comprehensive manner. We need to act with a stronger sense of historical responsibility and a more vibrant spirit of innovation to make new headway in our major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.”
However, the central point of the conference was to make it clear that China’s external work shall be guided by Xi Jinping’s “Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era” and his “Thought on Diplomacy” in particular.
It was stressed that diplomats “must unswervingly uphold the CPC central leadership’s ultimate authority over foreign affairs, conscientiously uphold the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and further strengthen the systems and institutions for the CPC’s leadership over external work.”
“All localities and departments should keep in mind the big picture and coordinate with each other to implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee on our external work in both letter and spirit,” the conference said.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, Zhiqun Zhu, an International Relations Professor at the Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, said the exercise was part of the Communist Party’s “efforts to further centralise decision making, to highlight Xi’s contribution to China’s diplomacy in the new era, and to elevate Xi’s political status to the level of Mao”.
Zhu further said that it was clear that Xi would call the shots on all important matters, raising some concerns about whether the party had completely departed from “collective” leadership.
“The party’s total control over foreign affairs leaves professional diplomats with little room to manoeuvre,” Zhu said.
But Su Hao, a diplomacy expert at China Foreign Affairs University, which is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry, had a more charitable view of the exercise. He said that the centralized approach eminently suited the changing international environment.
Su told Shenzhen TV that the world is no longer dominated by the West, developing countries like China have risen in power, and there is multi-polarity. In this scenario, China has to have a suitable system to play a decisive role.
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