NEW ERA FOR A POWERFUL CHINA AND NEW JOURNEY OF REFORM: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOCUSING ON TWO SESSIONS IN 2018 FROM FIVE PERSPECTIVES

SUN MING

Director, Center for International Opinions Research, Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies

The term of office shifting National two sessions in 2018, the First Session of the 13thNational People’s Congress (NPC) and the First Session of the National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) were held at a new historical juncture for China’s development. It was described by the international public opinions as “the first two sessions since the 19thCommunist Party of China(CPC) National Congress declaring China’s entry into a new era”,marking “the most important moment for China in 2018” and having extraordinary significance and far-reaching impact. According to the counting of a specialized data bank, during the two sessions period mainstay overseas media published 11085 news reports, doubling the figure for two sessions in 2013,which was also term of office shifting five years before, and the two sessions in 2018 became the one that attracted most attention of overseas media since the 18thCPC National Congress.

Meanwhile, over 300 mainstay overseas media and more than 1000 journalists took an active part in reporting the two sessions of the year, reflecting the increased global influence of China and of its two sessions, happening at a new historical juncture and against the backdrop of the new era. Looking into the future, the international opinions observed that China’s two sessions in 2018 would impact not only the country itself but also necessarily the rest of the world.

LEADER OF MAJOR COUNTRY: PILOTING REALIZATION OF CHINESE DREAM

On the morning of March 17, the First Session of the 13thNPC elected Xi Jinping President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Chairman of its Central Military Commission, a solemn choice made by close to 3000 People’s Deputies on behalf of the people which attracted the attention of the international community. At an important juncture for China to build on the past and prepare for the future, the international opinions in retrospective speak highly of the historical achievements and historical change made by China under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as its core;and looking forward into the future,the international opinions are generally optimistic about the CPC leading the Chinese people to realize the magnificent blueprint drawn by its 19thNational Congress, expecting that China will actively lead the general direction of global governance.

1.Guiding Ideology Leads New Era

The past five years is a truly remarkable five years in the course of China’s development, successfully completing the 12thFive-Year Plan, smoothly launching the 13thFive-Year Plan and announcing that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered into a new era. In the eye of international opinions,the great achievements cannot be separated from the staunch leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core, and neither can they be separated from the forceful guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; The two sessions in 2018 writing into the Constitution of the PRC Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and establishing the guiding status for this important thought by the form of basic law of the country is “entirely logical”.

Spanish website Observatorio de la política China carried an article by a scholar who observed that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a theoretic treasure of the CPC, and that the fact that it has now become the guiding ideology for China’s political and social development can be described as an innovation that rides on the tide of the times. The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the United States quoted a scholar on its website as saying that Xi Jinping’s policy effects are favorable and that his development plan for China’s future is popular among the people.

On March 17, 2018, the fi rst session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) held its fi fth plenary session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi Jinping was elected president of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and chairman of the Central Military Commission of PRC. Xi Jinping was taking an oath of allegiance to the Constitution in the picture. (Photo: Xinhua News Agency)

2.His Passion for the People Helps Raise そeir “Sense of Gaining”

During the period of the two sessions, General Secretary Xi Jinping paid six visits to various delegations in nine days, discussing the affairs of the state with People’s Deputies and Members of CPPCC National Committee serving a new term, elaborating on the new type of party system, the new poverty assistance outlook, the outlook of political performance and on political ecology,and talking about military and civilian fusion, innovation and building a modern economic system. Devoting his energy to development and improvement of living standard, he made several brilliant observations on a better life for the people. Relating to a series of new concepts, new thinking and new strategies and important policy guidelines over the past five years, the international opinions think highly of Xi Jinping’s passion as a leader while appreciating the CPC’s attainments in running the country.

William Jones, the Washington Bureau Chief of Executive Intelligence Review remarked that to end poverty has long been regarded as a major task for humanity, but until recently was seen as a “utopian dream”. With the efforts and achievements made by the Chinese leaders, “that dream is now becoming a reality”. The Nihon Keizai Shinbun of Japan observed that under Xi Jinping’s leadership, China tries to let the people share more equitably the results of development so that they enjoy the “sense of gaining”.

3.New Type of Party System Enlightens the World

As to how should China have maintained long-term stability as a developing country under complicated circumstances, achieving a leap frog development and becoming the carrier of global governance, the world is full of curiosity, hoping to find the key to the secret of China’s success story.

“The system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation led by the CPC is a basic political system of China,” said General Secretary Xi Jinping, “a great political creation of the CPC, the Chinese people, the other democratic parties and non-party personages and a new-type party system growing on the Chinese soil.” During the two sessions in 2018, General Secre-tary Xi Jinping put forward, for the first time, the notion of a new type of party system, which not only answered the question of the world but also become a fashionable topic of the international community, which heatedly discuss and interpret this important notion.

American website Quartz Financial believed that from the 19thCPC National Congress to the CPC in Dialogue with the World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, China has virtually begun a process to internationalize its political system and is ready to extend its leading role to political parties in other countries.

REVISION OF CONSTITUTION: ESCORTING NEW ERA WITH RULE OF LAW IN ALL RESPECTS

The First Session of the 13thNational People’s Congress adopted by vote Amendment to the PRC Constitution,which was a milestone setting moment in the history of China’s constitutional development. Not only did China amend its constitution once more after 14 years, it also did so in a term of office shifting year after 25 years. More importantly, it was for the first time that national leaders took the solemn oath of allegiance to the Constitution under the constitutional oath system, which was taken by overseas media as “the most fundamental political change in China’s constitution since 1982”.

1.Five Stages in Changing Focus of International Media

During China’s two sessions in 2018,amendment to the PRC Constitution was both the focus of proceedings and a key content of the international media’s reporting. Looking back by the timeline, one can find that the attention of the international media to the constitutional amendment was not limited to the two sessions period, but came in five distinctive stages going side by side with important meetings and release of official information, namely, speculating, heated commenting, escalating,soothing and approbating.

Centering on changes and improvement on theoretic, practical and institutional issues such as Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era written into the Constitution, the Constitution establishing the legal status of the state supervision commission system and readjustment on term-limits of the President of the PRC, different views clash with one another in the international media, Chinese elaborations are quoted extensively and the voice of positive affirmation is on the rise. The voice of affirming the constitutional amendment this time around as “progressing with the times and being responsive to the situation”has growing acceptance.

2.Three Views Reflect General International Aきrmation

First, the constitutional amendment is taken for meeting the need of the times and enjoying broad consensus.

On March 7, 2018, Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu and others met the press and took questions on “implementing a rural revitalization strategy and promoting agricultural transformation and upgrading”. Chinese and foreign reporters were raising hands for questions in the picture.

The Indian Express pointed out that the constitutional amendment is determined by China’s development objectives in the new era, both embodying policy continuity and meeting the new needs for development arising from the situation. The Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore believed that the constitutional amendment illustrates that the hitherto unprecedented governance concept,policy measures and concrete results of the CPC since its 18thNational Congress has won trust of more and more people and become more extensively approbated and supported within the Party.

Second, the important significance of the constitutional amendment is underlined, considered as marking a major turning point in the country’s governance and aiming to help achieve the goal of building a strong and prosperous socialist country. Russia Today TV quoted an expert as saying that the constitutional amendment makes clear the line for China’s development,namely, to achieve sustained economic development and build on international political influence.

Third, the constitutional amendment is regarded as driving the reform for future benefit. Chief economist of Greater China, the ANZ Bank came up with the analysis that the constitutional amendment signifies “three helpings”,namely, helping further China’s political stability, helping reduce China’s economic fluctuation and helping advance China’s long-term economic reform.

REFORM ON SUPERVISION SYSTEM:CREATING NEW SITUATION FOR PARTY GOVERNANCE

From the pilot projects in Beijing,Shanxi and Zhejiang to the current establishment of all of the supervision commissions at national, provincial and municipal or country levels, the international opinion had turned its interest in the important initial results of China’s pilot projects in reform on state supervision system into eager anticipations for the two sessions in 2018 to reform on state supervision system in three areas: as basic law of the nation, how should the constitution give legal status to supervision commission as a state institution? As an anti-corruption legislature, what form should the National Supervision Law take? As new national anti-corruption agency with Chinese characteristics, how should the National Supervision Commission hit the ground running?

1.Improving Supervision System Highlights Resolve for Reform and Anti-corruption

“Institutionalizing anti-corruption” is an important connotation that the international opinions have kept “reminding” China of in its process of advancing anti-corruption work over the past few years. The two sessions in 2018 has forcefully responded to the three anticipations by the outside world. Not only has it made a national anti-corruption law, it also responds to the international concerns in an all-round way, bearing important significance.

The international opinions believe that special clauses added to the Constitution not only provide windows for China to advance other reforms but also indicate that anti-corruption work of the CPC will be carried on, underlining that by putting in place supervision commissions, the CPC wishes to effectively solve the problem of intensity in supervising officials at various levels.Kyodo News of Japan had this to say that as the Chinese leaders are committed to increasing the intensity of anticorruption, the new agency National Supervision Commission will integrate anti-corruption functions of all kinds and at all levels into a unified, authoritative and efficient state supervision system under the leadership of the CPC.

2.Putting Anti-Corruption Work under Rule of Law Produces Far-Reaching Impact

To deepen reform on the state supervision system is an important decision and plan for the Party and the Government to enhance self-supervision, a major political structural reform affecting the overall situation and an initiative effort in keeping with the road to supervision with Chinese characteristics.In the eye of the international opinions,the making of National Supervision Law is an important result of reform on supervision system, putting the work of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and anti-corruption under the rule of law.

The Bangkok Post of Thailand pointed out that the Chinese leaders have all along been serious about purifying inner-Party political ecology, which involves the legitimacy of a ruling party.Adrián Korol, director of RAE Argentina remarked that the National Supervision Law will be considered exemplary for meeting, cracking and defeating the issue of corruption, which beyond any doubt will produce important impact.

INSTITUTIONAL REFORM: STIMULATING NEW DRIVING FORCES BY DEEPENING REFORM IN ALL RESPECTS

On February 24, 2018, the meeting of the Political Bureau, the CPC Central Committee decided for the 3rd Plenary Session of the 19thCentral Committee to deliberate the plan for reforming the Party and Government institutions,which resulted in rapid increase in international attention to the subject. The international media keenly sensed that the institutional reform would become a major item on the agenda of two sessions in 2018 and one of the subjects on focus. The scope, intensity and determination of the institutional reform this time around, the important signals and policy direction of the reform, how China would, through the reform, resolve existing barriers and defects with the system of state institutions and how to optimize function and structure and improve efficiency and effectiveness, all this attracted continued attention and interpretation by the international opinions.

1.Important Institutional Reform Marks 40th Anniversary of Reform and Open-up

The institutional reform this time around is the largest on state institutions at least for a decade, and in addition, 2018 has to be the 40thanniversary of reform and open-up. This multidimensional significance does not miss the attention of the foreign media,which come up with frequent, lengthy and profoundly analytical reporting.The international opinions generally consider this round of institutional reform “unprecedented”, which will produce profound impact on advancing China’s modernization of state governance system and governance capacity. Jiji Press of Japan and Russian News Agency TASS believed that China has launched the largest institutional reform on the State Council for years,which will leave the state governance system more flexible and effective.Forbs of the United States pointed out that in search for a magic key to economic prosperity for the 21stcentury,China is moving toward the rule of law.

2.Institutional Reform Lays Foundation for Quality Development

In this round of institutional reform,reorganization of institutions in financial and foreign fields attracts great attention of the international opinions.On the merging and reorganization of financial supervision agencies, the Reuters and the DPA were of the view that streamlining and merging government agencies in charge of supervision will doubtlessly improve effectiveness of institutional supervision on the financial sector so as to enhance capacity against financial risks. The Wall Street Journal of the United States believed that the Chinese Government conducts comprehensive reform on agencies of domestic financial and commercial supervision,which gives a helping hand to battle against risks of banking system and underlying overall economic risks.

On the establishment of functional readjustment of agencies in charge of international exchange on national level, especially the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the State International Development Cooperation Agency and the State Immigration Administration,the Times of London pointed out that the new State International Development Cooperation Agency will further integrate current functions to enhance its capacity in serving the Belt and Road initiative. Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) believed that the newly established agencies mainly serves the integral layout of China’s diplomacy and the expansion of its international influence so as to enhance the Chinese Government’s capacity against new challenges in various fields in the course of the country’s ascendance.

GOVERNMENT WORK REPORT: GUIDING NEW DEVELOPMENT TO COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION OF MODERATELY PROSPEROUS SOCIETY IN ALL RESPECTS

Economic growth target, reform and innovation are the three key words used by the international media in reporting the Government Work Report. New notions such as conducting three critical battles against potential risk, poverty,and pollution, promoting high-quality development, implementing the rural revitalization strategy, advancing real estate tax and raising the personal income tax threshold also have become buzz topics of foreign media. In general,the international opinions recognize the report as “displaying China’s selfconfidence to the outside world” and expect China to implement an open policy “beyond the expectations of the international community”.

1.Policy Measures Draw New Blueprint for People’s “Sense of Happiness”

When forecasting the results of the two sessions, the international media had anticipated that China would introduce a series of concrete policies and measures to safeguard the rights and interests of the people and promote living standard and wellbeing in order to win victory of completing the construction of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, for all of which the Report gave affirmative answers. A number of measures to improve living standard and the resolve to protect ecological environment leave the international community full of expectations for the“sense of happiness” of the Chinese people.

The Nihon Keizai Shinbun of Japan pointed out that the Report indicates that the Chinese Government attaches importance to improving living standard and resolving to narrow the gap between the rich and poor. An article carried by the Bloomberg News believed that it is against the background of China focusing on the three critical battles against potential risk, poverty,and pollution that the country sets new targets of economic growth and fiscal deficit. The New York Times of the United States observed that China faces“critical battles” against economic risks and pollution.

2.Open-UP “Beyond Expectations”Injects New Driving Force to World

The economic, financial and foreign policy signals sent out by the two sessions evoke strong reactions of the international opinions, which fully recognize the Government Work Report as demonstrating China’s strong willingness to be further integrated into the world and to expand open-up.

First, it is hoped that China’s open-up will be “beyond the expectations of the international community”. The Daily Express of the United Kingdom pointed out that China shows its willingness to expand open-up to the outside world and to deepen integration into the world economy. The Lianhe Zaobao of Singapore believed that as the second largest global economy, China will introduce open policies and measures “beyond the expectations of the international community”, which is noteworthy.

Second, it is expected that the Chinese wisdom will become a new driving force for the world. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung of Switzerland held that the Report makes it clear for people how China plans to enter the world arena and that to go with its commitment to peaceful development, China will contribute to reforming on global governance. The Maeil Business Newspaper of South Korea praised the Report for indicating that China is engaged in creating a promising new international order and that in the future the country will become a maker of international rules, including to achieve a Chinese-style globalization by persevering with free trade, reform and open-up.