Preface: Solving the Puzzles about the CPC

The international community now views China and the Communist Party of China (CPC) with increasing respect because of a series of important and symbolic events – from the "truly exceptional" Beijing Olympic Games and the 2010 Shanghai World Exposition that attracted world attention to the fast economic growth obtained even against the backdrop of the international financial crisis. "China Model," "China Road" and "China Experience" have become hot topics of discussion both at home and abroad. Insightful people are pondering how the CPC could score such brilliant achievements, and how such a party can still be full of vigor and vitality 90 years after it was founded and 60 years after it gained power.

I have been frequently asked to answer the above questions over the past few years during my communication with foreign parties in power. The more I mull over these questions, the more and deeper understanding I have of the CPC. I felt it necessary to write a book about the relevant issues and our preliminary conclusions, so as to help readers both in China and other countries further understand the CPC.

At a celebration for the publication of China Through the Ages: From Confucius to Deng, my suggestion was warmly supported by Mr. Lin Liangqi, the initiator of the above book and former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China International Publishing Group, Ms. Zhang Hai'ou, Editor-in-Chief of New World Press, Ms. Li Shujuan, Director of the English Editorial Department of New World Press and some of my colleagues. That was the origin of this book.

After thinking over the topics for some time, I drafted an outline for the book, and after many rounds of discussion, we decided to answer the following questions:

1. Why was the CPC capable of establishing a new China?

In modern times, striving to save the Chinese nation when its very existence was at stake, numerous people with lofty ideals worked arduously at considerable sacrifice but did not succeed. Why could the CPC lead the Chinese people to establish a new China and realize the independence and emancipation of the Chinese nation?

2. How was the CPC able to clear up the mess left behind by the KMT?

When the Kuomintang (KMT) fled the mainland of China in 1949 it took with it the country's foreign exchange reserves in gold and silver accumulated over the years, and left behind a national economy severely damaged by the turmoil of war. At that time many people doubted the capacity of the CPC to rule China. However, in just three years the CPC rebuilt China's national economy to the highest level before 1949. How could it do this?

3. How did the CPC keep the people's support despite its mistakes?

After the CPC became the national power holder it scored a series of achievements. However, it also committed mistakes such as the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution. How could it win the people's support and continue in power even with those serious mistakes?

4. How did the CPC maintain power when the Eastern Bloc Communist Parties fell?

At the end of the 1980s and in the early 1990s, the communist parties in the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries lost their status as ruling parties one after another. Some Western political celebrities believed that the CPC would follow suit, but they were soon disappointed to find that the status of the CPC as a ruling party is as stable as Mount Tai. Why was the situation so different in China? What's the difference between the CPC and the communist parties of the former Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries?

5. How could the CPC solve the problem of feeding 1.3 billion people?

A renowned scholar in the West once asked who could feed the Chinese people, a question having no small impact on the world. However, in just a few years facts proved that the scholar was over-anxious. China not only feeds its own people but also contributes greatly to solving the problem of grain supply worldwide. How could the CPC score such an achievement?

6. How could the CPC develop China into the world's second-largest economy?

China's economy was almost on the brink of collapse before the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy. However, in a little more than 30 years China has developed into the world's second-largest economy. What method did the CPC adopt to create such a wonder in the history of the world economy?

7. How could the CPC integrate socialism with the market economy?

The planned economy is a basic characteristic of socialism, while the market economy is a patent of capitalism. How could the CPC establish a socialist market economy system and bring vitality to China's development?

8. How could a system of multi-party cooperation under the CPC's leadership be implemented?

The political party system China has adopted is marked by multi-party cooperation under the leadership of the CPC. Such a system is unique in the world. How could the CPC establish and practice such a system, and why can other parties accept the leadership of the CPC?

9. Why could prosperity and stability be maintained in Hong Kong and Macao?

It was predicted that Hong Kong would collapse after China resumed sovereignty over it. However, Hong Kong's capitalist economy is even more prosperous than ever, since its return over a decade ago. After China resumed its sovereignty over Macao, the gambling industry in Macao continued to boom, and Macao began the successful transformation of its economic pattern. How could the CPC achieve success in implementing its policy of "one country, two systems"?

10. Why does the relationship across the Taiwan Straits keep making progress?

Due to historical reasons, the mainland and Taiwan were antagonistic towards each other for decades. However, in recent years, with more and more communication between the Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, there have been fewer and fewer misunderstandings, and the mainland and Taiwan are increasingly inseparable. How could the CPC's policy toward Taiwan increasingly win the understanding and recognition of the people in Taiwan?

11. How could China win the support of so many developing countries?

China experiences setbacks from time to time in its communication with some developed Western countries due to the differences between them in terms of ideology and social systems. However, China maintains close relations with most developing countries. How could the CPC and Chinese government win the understanding and support of most developing countries?

12. How could the CPC conduct the earthquake relief work effectively and host the Beijing Olympic Games successfully?

In 2008 two events in China amazed the whole world: One was the highly-efficient earthquake relief work and the other the truly exceptional Beijing Olympic Games. How could the CPC achieve such successes, and what advantages in terms of its system does China enjoy?

13. How can the CPC properly manage a party with nearly 80 million members?

The CPC has nearly 80 million members, more than the population of a small or medium-sized country. With what method does the CPC manage such a big party, and enable it to maintain cohesion and executive power, and go from strength to strength?

Concluding remarks: Can the CPC cope with the challenges successfully?

The CPC has achieved much success in the past, yet it is faced with formidable challenges at present and in the future. Is the CPC soberly aware of these challenges, and does it have the ability to cope with them?

In the writing of this book we tried to answer the above questions through outlining the history of the CPC, or, in the words of Mr. Lin Liangqi, "to convey the idea through telling the stories" and "let others make comments on the CPC." It is in this way that our book can become readable and convincing. Therefore, the book is not a theoretical work in the traditional sense, nor an ordinary book on the history of the CPC, but an attempt to combine both organically. It is hoped that this book will increase the readers' understanding of the CPC through reviewing the history, achievements and experience of the Party in revolution and ruling the country.

The difficulty in writing this book was beyond our imagination. Although most of the authors are professional research fellows specializing in the history of the CPC, there existed quite a lot of difficulties when they tried to explain the reasons for the success of the CPC in a clear way. Despite our hard work, insufficiencies and problems might still exist in our book. Readers' criticisms and comments are sincerely welcome.

In the writing of the book, Mr. Lin Liangqi gave his instructions, and polished and finalized the manuscript. Ms. Zhang Hai'ou and Ms. Li Shujuan gave warm support and organized special seminars. They also leveraged their resources to solicit suggestions and advice from experts both at home and abroad. My colleagues Liu Baodong (who wrote the first and second chapters), Li Qinggang (who wrote the third, fourth and eighth chapters), Shen Chuanliang (who wrote the fifth, sixth, seventh, twelfth and thirteenth chapters, and the concluding remarks), Wang Qifeng (who wrote the ninth and tenth chapters) and doctoral candidate Yuan Jing (who wrote the eleventh chapter) undertook the writing tasks. Their efforts are sincerely appreciated.

Xie Chuntao

January 2011