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People's Daily: The 17th National Congress of the CPC has
been the prime event of the year for the Party and the nation, and
has been an outstanding happening in party politics in the world.
What contribution has the Party's diplomatic front made to the
success of the Congress?
Wang Jiarui: The 17th CPC Congress was one of great
importance held at a crucial stage of China's reform and
development. Our main job this year on the diplomatic front has been
focused on the preparation for and publicity of the Congress, and on
the study and implementation of its spirit. In our inter-party
exchanges, we have tried to tell our friends in the international
community through different channels and in different ways about the
latest achievements of our party in theoretical and practical
innovation, such as the Scientific Outlook on Development, and also
about what the Congress was designed for and what it would mean to
China and to the world, enabling foreign political parties and
political leaders to better follow and be better informed about this
Congress. In a bid to facilitate preparation for the Congress and
contribute to the Party's theoretical innovation, we have
strengthened research on experience of foreign political parties in
their self-improvement efforts and in administration of state
affairs, and have closely followed the latest trend of foreign
political thinking and developments of party politics in the world
with a view to providing intellectual support to the leading bodies
of the Party in making decisions from a strategic perspective.
After the successful conclusion of the Congress and as instructed by
the Central Committee, we organized timely briefings to our
international friends. Two members of the Political Bureau of the
CPC Central Committee went on separate tours to the DPRK, Vietnam,
Laos and Cuba, to brief party and state leaders of the four
socialist countries on the outcome of the Congress. In the meantime,
relevant information was provided to other foreign political parties
and political leaders through exchange of visits, and to over 130
foreign diplomatic missions stationed in China through collective
briefing sessions. All these efforts were well received and
commended by the recipients.
People's Daily: Every day during the Congress, People's Daily
published dozens of congratulatory messages from foreign political
parties and political leaders, which gave rise to a flurry of
comments from readers home and abroad. How do you read that?
Wang Jiarui: My department ¨C the International Department of
the CPC Central Committee -- was in charge of receiving and handling
letters and messages of congratulations from foreign political
parties. We could see that this Congress has attracted unprecedented
attention from the international community. Throughout the Congress,
we received altogether more than 640 letters and messages of
congratulations from over 310 foreign political parties and
organizations of over 150 countries, either on the Congress itself
or on the election of the new CPC leadership. In their letters and
messages, many foreign political parties spoke highly of the
achievements that the CPC has scored as a ruling party and expressed
appreciation for its domestic and foreign policies established at
the Congress, saying that they are confident in China's future
development, and are willing to strengthen inter-party relations
with the CPC and continue to share experience in exercising
governance. Through the Congress, the CPC is better known to the
world as a democratic, progressive, open-minded and innovative party
that works for the interests of the public and for the well being of
the people, and our road to socialism with Chinese characteristics
is increasingly acknowledged by the international community.
People's Daily: 2007 is now drawing to an end. What progress
has been made in the Party's external work in this past year amidst
complicated international situation and ever changing political
landscape around the world?
Wang Jiarui: This year, the global situation of political
parties has on the whole remained stable with certain changes taken
place in some parts of the world. Globalization is bringing about
profound transformation in party politics, whose interaction with
international relations is getting more prominent and thus
inter-party exchanges worldwide become more active and deep going.
The external work of the CPC is an integral part
of the Party's all round effort to fulfill its general mission and
an important front of the overall diplomacy of the nation. It is
also a vital field for building up China's soft power. Under the
guidance of the Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as the
general secretary and with personal attention of its leading
members, the Party's external work this year has been carried out
according to the overall diplomatic plan of the country and has
played an important role in consolidating and promoting China's
relations with other countries and in creating a sound external
environment for our nation.
We have added new forms and substance to our relations with ruling
political parties in other socialist countries, and deepened our
traditional friendship with them. Meanwhile, steady progress has
been made in developing relations with political parties in our
neighbours, major countries in particular. About 300 visits have
been conducted between the CPC and foreign parties during the year,
about 1/3 of which were with parties of our neighboring countries,
and many by senior leaders, which have markedly deepened political
mutual trust of both sides. Association with political parties in
developing countries has further consolidated and expanded, with
over 120 visits exchanged, which has effectively enhanced China's
bilateral political, economic and cultural ties with those countries
and has strengthened the strategic foundation of China's foreign
relations. Exchanges and dialogue with mainstream political parties
in developed countries have also continued to deepen, which has
facilitated bilateral relations between China and relevant countries
and helped remove mistrust and misunderstanding of the Western world
toward China. Relations with political parties in major European
countries have been further enhanced with fruitful communications on
governance philosophy and international hotspot issues. In addition,
we have played a more active role in multilateral inter-party
exchanges and have strengthened contacts with international and
regional party organizations. In the past year, CPC representatives
have been sent to attend more than 20 multi-lateral activities of
political parties.
People's Daily: Would you please elaborate on the most
eye-catching achievements that the Party's external work has
registered in this year?
Wang Jiarui: Firstly, new breakthrough was made in mechanism
building for inter-party exchanges. As our Party is growing mature
in its external exchanges, we have made constant efforts to explore
new ways and new forms to engage with foreign political parties and
have gradually formed some effective bilateral exchange mechanisms
that are suitable to both sides, such as the regular engagements
with political parties in Vietnam, Laos, Japan and some other
neighboring countries, major political parties in European countries
and ruling parties in some developing countries as well. Apart from
that, exchange of visits on regular basis, joint-sponsorship of
seminars and monographic study tours etc. have all enriched the
content and consolidated the foundation of inter-party relations.
Secondly, party diplomacy has played a greater role in the overall
diplomatic programme of the nation in more areas. Apart from
propelling state-to-state relations, party diplomacy, with its
special potentials and resources, has also served as a catalyst for
solving sticky problems in foreign relations. Through inter-party
exchanges, we have actively expounded China's principled position on
Taiwan and enabled foreign political parties to keenly understand
this question. We have tried especially to lay bare to foreign
political parties what is behind the Taiwan Authorities' attempts at
holding "Taiwan-Africa Summit" and calling for "referendum on
Taiwan's UN membership", and encouraged political parties and
leaders of certain countries to state their position to adhere to
the One-China principle and to clearly oppose "Taiwan independence".
Besides, we have closely followed the developments of international
hot spot issues, taken timely actions according to the general plans
of the central authorities and played a unique and effective role
for their settlement.
Thirdly, new measures have been taken to promote human-centred party
diplomacy. The essential argument of the Scientific Outlook on
Development is to put people in the first place. In the Party's
external work this year, we have continued to make more friends in
foreign political parties, to foster more sinophile forces in the
world, and have increased initiative and efficiency in building
relations with political personages in other countries by making the
best of "soft diplomacy" and "personal ties". In our association
with foreign parties, we have given a more prominent place to those
parties in government and have paid special attention to exchanges
with young political leaders. Over the year, we have invited more
than 500 young politicians from major foreign political parties to
China, to ensure that our inter-party relations will be carried on
by future generations.
People's Daily: Currently, the entire membership of the CPC
are going all out to study and implement the spirit of the 17th
Congress with an aim to promote sound and rapid development in all
fields. What new plans do you have to promote the Party's external
work in the year to come?
Wang Jiarui: 2008 will mark the 30th
anniversary of the inception of reform and opening-up in China. It
will also be the first year for fully carrying out all the tasks
identified by the 17th Party Congress. Holding high the great banner
of socialism with Chinese Characteristics, following the guidance of
Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents
and thoroughly applying the Scientific Outlook on Development, the
Congress has pointed out the way ahead for future development of the
Party and the nation, and has provided guidance for the Party's
external work in the new era. In the year to come, we will continue
to rally ourselves around the Party Central Committee with Comrade
Hu Jintao as the general secretary and profoundly understand and put
into practice the spirit of the Congress, bear in mind what the
Congress calls for, thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on
Development and take into full consideration our overriding
objectives both at home and in the world. In a view to building up
the Party's capacity for international exchanges, we will look into
our past experience and draw serious lessons that are instructive to
the Party's external work, try and expand the scope of work in party
diplomacy, explore new ways, forms and mechanisms for carrying out
our work under new circumstances, and work hard for real effects so
as to advance the Party's external work to a new stage and make
greater contribution to the great cause of socialism with Chinese
characteristics and to the great new endeavor of party building of
the CPC.
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