Understanding Communist Party of China

The Communist Party of China ("CPC") just did what it has never done before, and it is important to appreciate what happened and why. It happened in New York, at BookExpo America where an unprecedented series of five books, titled Understanding the CPC, was published in English by the CPC's Organization Department. I am not a dispassionate observer: I wrote the Introduction to the books and gave a speech at the book launch.

Many foreigners do not understand the CPC - particularly its historic transformation from a "revolutionary party" seeking power to a ruling party exercising power. The CPC has ruled China since 1949; it has more than 85 million members. Why then is the Party such a mystery? Perhaps remembrances of the collapsed Soviet Communist Party, hidden and sclerotic, or of China during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), fanatical and chaotic? Perhaps the Party's sense of secrecy? Whatever the reasons, the veil should be lifted.

Top leader Xi Jinping says that for China to achieve its goals of building a moderately prosperous society by 2020 and a fully modernized nation by 2050 - which defines the Chinese Dream - the Party must rule China, and rule itself with discipline, dedication and competence. Party effectiveness, Xi said, "should ultimately be measured by the real benefits the people have reaped, by the improvement in their lives and by how well their rights and interests are protected".