A powerful Trident in the Political System of China

Commentary

What explains the emphasis on discipline, performance-based governance and integrity within the Communist Party of China and the country’s political system?

And why does this approach differ from Western political systems?

David W. Ferguson, an honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press and recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award and the First Orchid Awards, shares his reflections on China’s approach to Party building and governance.

Running the Party with strict discipline is one of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s most important priorities, as evidenced by the fact that it is one of the four prongs of the “Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy,” which ranks high in the hierarchy of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

It is closely associated with Party Building, another consistent theme of President Xi’s speeches.

Party building is a neat expression, but it is a difficult concept to explain to Western audiences for several reasons.

When I am speaking or writing about it, I generally provide a lengthier explanation first: Party building means strengthening the Party’s structures and processes and upgrading the quality of the membership, particularly those who serve or will serve as officials.

One reason Party building is so important – and why it is difficult for Westerners to understand the idea – is that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Western political parties play very different roles in their respective political systems.

A Western party’s principal interest lies in securing power for itself by winning votes and elections, and that is where its focus lies.

While senior party representatives at both the local and the national levels may have nominal responsibility for a portfolio or a local authority department, in reality, they are figureheads with no active role in their department’s work.

In contrast, the CPC is actively involved in governance at every level from the village to the State; therefore, it requires a vast army of people who deeply understand the principles and practices of governance and are fully committed to serving the people.

The same contrast applies to the process of selecting politicians to serve in important government roles.

In the UK, for example, government ministers are rarely (one could almost say never) chosen on the basis of qualifications, merit, or experience.

They are chosen based on loyalty to the party, specifically loyalty to the current leadership.

In contrast, in China, the road to high office is a long and hard one that requires delivering real, meaningful results at every step along the way.

High-speed rail captures this phenomenon to perfection.

In China, almost 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail have been added to the network since 2009.

In the UK, over exactly the same period of time, 55 billion (about US$67 billion) pounds has been spent on a single project – the HS2 rail project – and not a single centimeter of track has been laid.

HS2 has witnessed the arrival and departure of no fewer than 10 transport ministers.

The longest period of office was less than four years; the shortest was seven weeks.

Not a single one of them had any training, experience, or qualifications in matters of transport, far less in the complexities of modern high-speed rail.

To enable China’s officials to achieve excellence in governance and high performance, extensive training is required. But this training cannot be treated as a one-off or even an occasional action.

In today’s ever-changing world, experienced officials will constantly face new challenges.

Meanwhile, a younger generation of officials is constantly emerging, taking the first steps on their career paths.

Therefore, the need for training is constantly growing; hence, the importance of the current campaign to ensure that all officials understand what good governance means and deliver results accordingly.

But in China, it is not enough for officials to deliver results.

They must also always act with integrity, and this provides a third contrast to Western politics.

I referred above to China’s high-speed rail program.

No one could describe it as anything other than an outstanding success.

And yet two former transport ministers and one senior engineer have been prosecuted and convicted for corruption.

In the UK, no politician or official will ever be held accountable for squandering 55 billion pounds and delivering nothing in return.

David Ferguson explains ‘The Governance of China’ series

This explains President Xi’s relentless focus on the anti-corruption campaign. It is the third prong of a trident:

1. Understand what good performance means

2. Deliver real results

3. Do this while always acting with integrity

This trident encapsulates the power of China’s political system and its commitment to serving the people wholeheartedly.

The Author, David W Ferguson, is an honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press and recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award and the First Orchid Awards.