Vol. XLI No. 50 December 10, 2017
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Communist Party of China Organises International Meeting of Political Parties

Sitaram Yechury

BETWEEN November 30 and December 3, 2017, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) organised an international meeting under the title “CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting”. Nearly 600 delegates from over 200 political parties across the spectrum from – ruling  parties to opposition Communist parties – representing more than 120 countries participated in this event. 

The programme began with plenary sessions at the beginning and end. In between, five thematic discussions were held:

1)    The first was on “Thematic conference on the decisions of the 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China”, where leaders explained their major decisions concerning the CPC and the world in the new era. This was followed by an interesting discussion with the participants asking a large number of questions and clarifications on CPC’s stand and positions on various issues.

2)    The second was on the theme, “Building Stronger Political Parties: Challenges and Prospects”.

3)    The third was on “Striving for Better Development of Countries: National Practice and Experience of Political Parties”.

4)    The fourth was on “Jointly Pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative: Role of Political Parties”.

5)    And, the fifth was on “Steering the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: Role and Responsibilities of Political Parties”.

Many leaders of the States and governments attended this event.  The opening plenary was addressed, amongst others, by prime minister of Cambodia and president of Cambodian People’s Party Hun Sen, Aung San Suu Kyi, state councellor of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the deputy prime minister of Ethiopia, the deputy secretary of the United Russia Party and the treasurer of the US Republican National Committee.

From India, the general secretaries of the CPI(M) and the CPI were invited.  The CPI(M) delegation led by Sitaram Yechury included Central Committee members Badal Saroj (secretary of Madhya Pradesh state committee) and Awadhesh Kumar (secretary of Bihar state committee). 

The overall theme for this High-Level Dialogue was, “Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind and a Beautiful World”.  The CPC declared that this dialogue would continue to discuss and evaluate various facets of such a shared future.  The CPC’s opinion was to evaluate the experience of the political parties and their expectations.  “How will the world evolve?  Where is the mankind heading for?  These questions have a bearing on the immediate interests of each and every one of us.  To build a community of shared future and a beautiful world is the common aspiration of all peoples in the `global village’.

“As the fountainhead of national policies and pacesetter of public opinion, political parties play an important role of political guidance on building a community of shared future and a beautiful world.  The Communist Party of China with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core actively proposes the building of a community of shared future for mankind and a new type of international relationship based on cooperation and mutual benefits.”

The CPI(M) delegation’s participation in this dialogue and its reflections on the proceedings will appear in the forthcoming issues.