|
|
Since they first came into being in 1679, political parities in
modern sense have to date prevailed the political arena of the
overwhelming majority of countries across the world. Given their
complexity and fluidity in developments, as well as their increasing
liveliness and mounting impact, party politics not only are of
decisive influence to the internal and external policies of various
countries, but also have become an increasingly important factor in
the changes in international relations and the world pattern. The
outgoing year of 2006 has witnessed new changes and developments in
world party politics, which have generated multiplex effects on
regional and global situation. At the turn of the year, staff
correspondent of Party Building Journal had an interview with Ma
Wenpu, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC
Central Committee on this subject.
Q: Would you please give us a brief account of the general
situation and new trend of development of the world party politics
in 2006?
A: Yes, with pleasure. The global situation in 2006 has been calm
and stable in general but not without changes. The trends toward
world multipolarity and economic globalization continued to develop
in depth amid twists and turns, with contradictions and problems of
all kinds abstruse and complicated. In this context, party politics
over the world has become more animated. New significant changes
appeared in the development of political parties though the general
situation remained basically stable. Party politics has become an
increasingly important factor that affects international relations,
rendering an outstanding platform for different political thinkings
as well as different cultures and civilizations to engage and impact
one another.
These changes in party politics have reflected some new tendencies
that deserve our attention. First, it has become a universal
phenomenon that domestic situation and international state of
affairs are getting more interlinked. The variations in the national
political arena of some countries, major powers in particular, are
exerting an ever-increasing impact on the regional and international
situation. Secondly, political parties not only care about economic
and social development in their own countries, but are directing
more attention to some major issues that bear heavily on the global
and regional development. Thirdly, political parties of all
descriptions are better aware of the need to improve party building
and theoretical innovation. Many parties are getting more interested
in bilateral and multilateral inter-party communications as a way to
explore roads of development that fit their respective countries. It
is worth mentioning that the new achievements scored by the
Communist Party of China in building socialism with Chinese
characteristics and in building the Party itself, especially the
whole range of new theoretical attainments of the CPC, put forward
by the leading collective of the CPC Central Committee with Hu
Jintao as the General Secretary, have drawn a great deal of
attention from various political parties across the world and have
become a bright spot in the development of world party politics.
Q: General elections were held in many countries in 2006. Some
were quite intensely contested. What is your observation of these
elections?
A: Globally speaking, 2006 has been a year of voting. Major
elections were held in more than 50 countries, most of which
involved intensive rivalry among contesting political parties. There
were cases where election results were disputed as the incumbent and
the challenging parties ran neck and neck in the polls. It also
happened in some countries that the new elections have produced a
minority government with a majority opposition. In some countries
political parties split and regroup frequently over government
formation, disturbing the shaping of the new government. Through the
elections, new governments came into being with alternated parties
in some countries, while some parties remained in office with
changed leaders in some other countries. In a few cases, elections
even set off social unrest.
Looking at different regions, we can find that party politics and
patterns of political parties in developed countries underwent
certain readjustments, with party struggles in the United States and
Japan intensified and the influence of socialist parties in Europe
on the rise. Most developing countries experienced relatively smooth
development in terms of party politics, with left wing forces in
Latin America keeping on the rise and cross-party ruling coalitions
appearing in quite a number of African countries, showing more
diversified forms of government. In Asia, significant changes were
witnessed in the development of party politics in certain countries,
yet the general situation has on the whole remained stable.
The new developments in party politics as I mentioned above have
not only affected the domestic and foreign policies of the countries
concerned, to the extent of causing political, economic, cultural
and security policy readjustments, but also will trigger off changes
in the political situation of the given regions or beyond.
Q: How was the general situation concerning the communist and left
wing parties in 2006?
A: Since the dramatic changes of the USSR and Eastern Europe, the
ruling parties in extant socialist countries have conducted profound
reflection on the cause of the changes. On the one hand they persist
in the socialist orientation, and on the other hand engage in
theoretical exploration and practical innovation proceeding from the
new historical conditions as well as their own national conditions.
From a global perspective we could see that with painstaking
explorations in the past decade, some communist parties have managed
to tide over the most difficult period and are mostly in stable
situation. They have come into a new phase of exploration in
socialist theory and practice. We are happy to see that in 2006 the
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and the Lao People¨s Revolutionary
Party (LPRP) both scored gratifying achievements in their national
development. The two parties successively held their respective
tenth and eighth congresses in which they summed up their experience
of renovation and opening-up and mapped out their goals and tasks
for economic and social development. They also elected their new
central collective leadership. The two parties laid much stress on
the need to strengthen party building and to enhance their ruling
capacities. The CPV has set party building as the central task for
the newly elected Central Committee. And the LPRP stresses that the
ruling capacity of the Party should be constantly enhanced. Both
parties have their positions further consolidated. At the same time,
other ruling communist parties have also made fresh efforts to carry
out theoretical innovations and to practice new policies. The
communist parties in certain developed countries are enjoying better
environment for existence. Communist forces in the former USSR and
the Eastern European region are recovering, and most of those in
developing countries have gained a foothold and some of them have
even made some progress.
As I have said earlier that in 2006 left wing forces have
maintained their growing momentum in certain parts of the world. In
Latin America, Rafael Correa, the candidate of the Proud and
Sovereign Fatherland Alliance Movement (PAIS) of Ecuador won the
general election and became President of the country; President
Charvez of Venezuelan was reelected; the candidate from the
left-wing Sandinista National Liberation Front Daniel Ortega
acclaimed victory in the national election in Nicaragua and returned
to Presidency after 16 years; the Chilean ruling coalition succeeded
to stay in power through elections; and President Lula of Brazil
also won his reelection ！ all indicating that the left force of
Latin America is on the rise. Meanwhile, socialist parties in some
European countries also won elections one after another,
demonstrating recovery to some extent. Yet on the whole, left wing
forces are still in a phase of growing. That the right outweighs the
left continues to be the feature of the world pattern of political
parties.
Q: You mentioned earlier that political parties in various
countries are getting more interested in multilateral exchanges and
co-operation. Would you explain in more details in this connection?
It became one of the conspicuous features of party politics in the
world in 2006 that political parties with congenial interests and
values stepped up interactions through international conferences and
other forums, with increasing attention to and involvement in
regional and international affairs. At the beginning of the year,
the Socialist International held a council meeting at which it laid
down its work agenda for promoting global governance and setting up
mechanism to cope with global challenges. In September, the 4th
International Conference of Asian Political Parties was successfully
held in ROK, attended by more than 80 political parties from over 30
countries. The conference called for efforts to build a new Asia of
lasting peace and shared prosperity. In November, more than 60 left
wing political parties, including the Communist Parties of Cuba,
Russia and Greece, the Workers Party of Belgium and the Communist
Workers Party of Hungary, met at an international conference in
Portugal for an in-depth discussion on the changes in the
international situation. There were many other similar events in
2006 that involved participation of multiple political parties.
In the contemporary world where global challenges and shared
interests increase day by day and multilateral stages in the
international arena are getting more vibrant, multipartite exchanges
and co-operation among political parties become more meaningful both
as an effective way to enhance each party¨s influence, and as a
venue for in-depth exploration and discussions to address global
issues and to urge their respective governments in the settlement of
various international problems. The CPC holds a positive attitude
towards international co-operation among political parties. In 2006
we dispatched over a dozen Party delegations to multilateral events
of political parties held in different parts of the world, where we
had frank and open communication and in-depth deliberations with
parties from other countries on international and regional issues of
common concern. Parties involved regard such events quite helpful.
Q: The tide of globalization surges forward vigorously, bringing
profound shock to all forces in international politics. What are its
impacts on party politics?
A: Whether a country can fit in with the progress of economic
globalization and win the initiative in the process will not only
determine its domestic economic and social development, the rise and
fall of its comprehensive national strength and its international
status, but will also render a profound impact on the shaping of the
structures of the region and the world at large as well as on the
development trend of international politics. Facing such challenges,
political parties of some countries are confronted with greater
shocks. Party politics is exposed to an all-directional impact. As
far as the numerous developing countries are concerned,
globalization means to some of them unprecedented opportunities for
development. But at the same time, it is uncovering all the
long-accumulated problems and contradictions. Some ruling parties
that are limited by the national conditions and their own capacity
are not adequately capable to effectively cope with the
contradictions and problems. Some newly emerged political forces
ascended to political stardom in leaps and bounds, altering the
political ecology of the related countries. The ruling parties of
developed countries are also confronted with a complicated situation
of intensified economic and social contradictions. Trade
protectionism and xenophobia began to gain ground in certain
countries and there appeared a rising tendency of ＾looking inward￣.
Becoming skeptical about whether the democratic systems long
practiced in their countries can still ensure their security and
stability in the era of globalization, some people shifted their
political trust to forces that have fairly strong tints of extremism
and nationalism, resulting in the rise of such forces. From the
long-term point of view, economic globalization will continue to
exert greater and deeper impact on party politics in various
countries.
To comply with the deep changes brought about by globalization,
major political parties around the world are dedicating themselves
to enhancing their governing capacity in the hope to gain and
consolidate their ruling positions by initiating reforms. They are
also trying hard to search for economic and social development modes
that best suit their national conditions. In this regard, political
parties in different regions and of different types have adopted
various tactics and have achieved different outcomes.
Q: You have mentioned that our Party¨s theoretical innovations
have received much attention from foreign political parties. Would
you please tell us more about it in connection with the CPC¨s
international exchanges in 2006?
A: Throughout the year of 2006, our Party has adhered to the
guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three
Represents, put into effect the scientific thinking on development
in all fields and rallied people of all ethnic groups for the
primary task of the Party, i.e., to develop the nation and to stride
for new achievements in the building of socialism in the economic,
political, cultural and social aspects. Consequently, China¨s
comprehensive strength and international status have been further
improved. Setting special store on the building of its ruling
capacity and the maintaining of advanced nature, the CPC has
achieved new results in theoretical innovation such as the ideas of
putting people first, upholding the scientific thinking of
development, building a socialist harmonious society, building a new
socialist countryside, building an innovation-driven country,
cultivating socialist morals and promoting the building of a
harmonious world. It is fair to say that China under the leadership
of the CPC is becoming a more and more important force in the
maintenance of world peace, prosperity and stability. Being one of
those who work for the external relations of the Party, I have a
keen appreciation of this inference. The positive experience and
theoretical innovations of our Party attract attention and
discussions of parties of all descriptions on both bilateral and
multilateral occasions of inter-party exchanges. An increasing
number of political parties desire to learn more about the essence
of these theoretical innovations and are ready to share with us
their experience and lessons in party building and state-governing.
Inter-party exchanges have not only been an important facilitator of
state-to-state relations, but also become a key channel for
understanding and affecting the changes of party politics as well as
the trend of social and political thinking.
In 2007 the CPC is willing to join hands with other political
parties the world over, through strengthened communication and
co-operation, to advance the all-round development of inter-state
relations, to facilitate the development of world party politics and
international and regional situation towards peace and stability,
and to make greater contributions to promoting the building of a
harmonious world of lasting peace and shared prosperity.
Enditem
|
|