China Asserts Supremacy of its Ideology for Global Domination

World is at crossroads. Nations are trying to assert their power. The Middle Kingdom making no secret of its global power ambitions is unleashing its hegemony. Accumulating the much-needed financial heft, China has stormed into the top slot. Tripling its wealth in the past two decades, China has overtaken the US as the richest country in terms of net worth.

Aside its rise as an economic superpower, China aspired to position its ideology as supreme to the contemporary world. Leading and dominating this ideological battle has been integral to China’s ambitions. Pivoting its growth on all aspects ranging from trade, investment, infrastructure, space, science &technology, AI and semi-conductors, China harboured the long cherished dream of dominating the world.

Plethora of events in the recent past- ruthless incursions into Taiwanese airspace, salami slicing across the LAC, coercive agreements with Bhutan, relentless intimidation in the South China sea, and the Land Boundary Law have been nothing but the manifestations of entrenched expansionist leitmotif of the Middle Kingdom. Along the unabashed hegemonic overdrive, China is now edifying its domestic defences and establishment imbuing overdoses of ideological insemination.

The sixth plenum of 19^th Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held from Nov 8^th to 11^th has indeed, served the purpose of enrooting and affirming support to the guiding ideology. During the five year period of each central committee, traditionally seven plenums are held. The 1^st and 2^nd discuss party and state posts, 3^rd and 4^th discuss major political matters dealing agriculture, reform and law. 5^th plenum is dedicated for draft of five year plan, 6^th for ideology and party building, 7^th is for preparing for party Congress¹. In line with the tradition, the 6^th plenum focused on ideology and party building and concomitantly asserting faith in the leadership of general secretary of CCP and President of China.  

The sixth plenum is considered important since it sets ideological agenda. Indeed, the manifesto of sixth plenum of 2011 and 2016 have presciently laid out the manifestations of Xi era. The 2011 plenum firmly outlined strengthening of ideology and imposition of strict controls on education, culture, internet, literature religion and society¹. Accordingly, in his first term Xi religiously implemented the manifesto of sixth plenum. The 2016, plenum was centered on ‘Guidelines on Intra-party political line’ and ‘Rules of intra-party supervision’. In line with guidelines of the plenum resolution, the regime unleashed a series of political and rectification campaigns.

Sixth plenum has thus been very important. Since the announcement of plenum, Chinese observers focused on the close similarities with 2021 plenum to 1945 and 1981 resolutions that underpinned the pre-eminent status of the great helmsman Mao Zedong and the reformist Deng Xiaoping. The 2021 plenum has passed a resolution on the history of CCP, the third such occasion in the past 100 years that culminated in positioning Xi alongside the other two pre-eminent leaders.

Earlier in 2016, Xi was designated as ‘leadership core of the party’ and with ‘Xi Jinping thought’ being inscribed into the state constitution in 2018, Xi’s stature was elevated to that of the pre-eminent leaders Mao and Deng. While officially Xi is considered as the Core Leader on par with Mao, the founder of PRC, this plenum has officially reiterated its stance.

Being an opaque administration, the plenums and its official statement are closely watched to understand the future course the CCP is likely to charter. The 2021 plenum passed a resolution titled- ‘Resolution of the CCP Central Committee on the Major Achievements of Historical Experience of the Party’s Centuries of Struggle’ and officially expressed faith in the core leadership.  

Though there wasn’t any explicit mention of extension of Xi’s term beyond 2022, by doing away with succession plans and term limits in 2018, the fait accompli is Xi’s continuation in power as the President.

The import of the Xi’s consolidation can be gauged by his stern warning to the US President over the Taiwan issue. At a time when the US is scrambling to evolve a robust China policy, having strengthened its internal and external defenses, Beijing is dictating terms to the US. On Taiwan, President Biden said, US is committed to “one China policy” and that Washington “strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across Taiwan Straits”. This ambiguous posturing devoid of incisiveness was in sharp contrast to Beijing’s warning which stated that any support to Taiwan from the US would be “like playing with fire”². The virtual summit, held shortly after the sixth plenum reflected the renewed confidence of Xi, head of everything in China.

Notably, the 2021 resolution has been forward looking devoid of any intent to learn from past mistakes which has been the biggest takeaway from the Mao’s 1945 resolution. In cahoots with Xi’s policy of “historical nilihism” of deliberately expunging the inconvenient truths of Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, the brain child of CCP, the plenum backed and praised the efforts of CCP. It pondered on the need to act with great resolve and stronger sense of purpose staying true to the party’s foundation mission. It insisted on staying committed to communist ideals and socialistic convictions to make the country prosperous, strong and bring happiness to the people.

Precisely, the 100 years of CCP was divided into three eras- Mao credited for ushering PRC into new era, Deng for the reform era and Xi for third age of ‘Chinese Marxism’. China has adopted Soviet Union’s ideology of Marxism-Leninism. Drawing lessons from the collapse of Soviet Union, China which has attained its objective of relative prosperity is now on a mission mode to reimplant the ideological moorings among the citizens.  

Xi’s push for “common prosperity”, the basic tenet of the Mao ideology and sharp escalation of official crackdown on excesses in industries has been an attempt to assert socialism with Chinese characteristics. Upholding socialism has become the mainstay of CCP. Mirroring this new course, the 2021 plenum hailed Mao’s power of ‘adapting Marxism to Chinese context’, Deng’s ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’, Jiang Zemin’s ‘theory of three represents’, Hu Jintao’s ‘scientific outlook on development’ and Xi Jinping’s ‘thought on socialism with Chinese characteristic for new era’. The resolution called for the full implementation of Xi’s thought for driving the ‘historic process of national rejuvenation’.

Central Committee stated that “with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has demonstrated great historical initiative, tremendous political courage and a powerful sense of mission” and commended him for the “unified leadership for advancing our great struggle, great project, great cause and great dream”³.

Upholding the One-China Principle and 1992 consensus, the Central Committee opposed “Taiwan independence”. The plenum recognized the promotion of national reunification promotion through the “one country two systems” policy.  It expressed satisfaction over China’s increasing international influence, appeal and power. Stating that “the party has proved to be great, glorious and correct”, the CCP has unequivocally attributed the rapid strides of China to this ideology.

Unapologetic about the ideology that led to killing of 40 million people, the 2021 plenum decided to meet for 20^th National Congress at Beijing in the second half of 2022 and signed off with a big and bold message- “We must use Marxist positions, viewpoints, and methods to observe, understand and steer the trends of the times, and constantly deepen our understanding of the laws underlying governance by a communist party, the building of socialism, and the development of human society”.

The west aided China’s rise premised on a delusion of prosperous societies becoming open. Thriving on a heady ideological sinew of national rejuvenation, avenging century of humiliation, one China policy, nine dashed line, China is rearing to realise the second centenary goal of reunification of Taiwan with mainland. 

Having failed to impose checks on its unabashed expansionist adventures, the world in general and its neighbouring country India must up its guard against the bully.

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