[Epoch Times News on August 1, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Zhang Ting comprehensive report) In China, many people join the party simply because they are forced by their families or because they want to gain a foothold in China’s highly competitive job market. They may not themselves be fanatics of the party’s ideology. But Xi Jinping is trying to change this situation, asking party members to strengthen theoretical study and build loyalty to the party.
Experts warn that such forced indoctrination of the party theory will not only not build loyalty, it may also be counterproductive.
CNN published a long article on July 31 stating that Xi Jinping now pays more attention to the quality of party members rather than quantity. He demanded absolute loyalty from party members, launched an ideological movement to strengthen their beliefs, and suppressed internal dissent. Party members are subject to stricter regulations-since Xi Jinping came to power, millions of cadres have been investigated for violating regulations.
The report took Kelly Hu’s process of joining the party as an example. Hu’s journey into the party began in September 2019, when she wrote a five-page handwritten application letter detailing the reasons why she wanted to join the party and how her behavior was consistent with her ideology. She started attending party lectures and was asked to submit handwritten notes to ensure that she was attentively listening. She spends half an hour every day watching the “Learning Power” application. The app teaches Xi Jinping’s ideology. If you play word games, “learning to make the country strong” means “learning from Xi Jinping and making the country strong.” CNN said that this is a sign that Xi Jinping is increasing the cult of personality.
Every few months, Hu submits a handwritten self-reflection report on how she serves the people and improves herself. At the same time, members of the local branch censored her through her teachers, classmates, and even people she was not familiar with.
Nonsense, this process has changed her. She spent a lot of time participating in activities organized by the local party.
Bruce Dickson, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University and an expert on CCP issues, said that ten years ago, ordinary party members had only the most basic requirements, such as attending a meeting a year and paying party dues. Now, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, it is expected that party members will participate in more meetings and volunteer work. Dixon said that one of his friends is a party member, and he said they must study every new speech by Xi Jinping.
Dixon said that in the past five years, fewer and fewer people have joined the party, perhaps because the interest in joining the party has decreased, or the CCP’s level of scrutiny of potential applicants has increased.
Nis Grunberg, a senior analyst at the Mercator China Institute who studies the national party and government, agrees with this statement. He said the party wants “true believers” and is trying to eliminate all those who use it to gain power.
Since coming to power, Xi Jinping has doubled down on party building and strengthened the once-quiet grassroots party organization cells in the company and local communities.
The Chinese are in trouble when they join the party overseas
Julian Li joined the party at the age of 18. He told CNN that it was not because he was particularly interested in becoming a party member or working for the government, but to please his father. He didn’t even write the application letter himself-his father’s secretary prepared the materials for him.
In order to protect his family, Li asked not to use his real name.
Dixon believes that Lee’s parents hope that party membership will help him in his career. This is a fairly common reason for Chinese people to join the party.
Dixon said that in state-owned enterprises, party members usually hold authoritative positions.
Lee is now working in finance in London. He said that his party membership had nothing to do with the difficulty of moving to the UK.
He said that when he applies for a British visa, he needs to declare whether he is a party member and whether he has handled any confidential information in China.
He said: “I found it very troublesome.” He added that he was very annoyed that he could not take extra steps because he held a party membership that he didn’t want in the first place.
In foreign countries, Communist status is often unpopular. When a public figure is found to be a party member, it will be seen as a cause for concern. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) issued a policy notice in October last year, expressly stressing that applications for immigration status adjustment by Communist Party members or other totalitarian political parties or members of their affiliated organizations will not be accepted. The US State Department confirmed in December last year that it imposed new restrictions on visas for Chinese Communist Party members to travel to the United States. According to the new regulations, non-immigrant visas (B1/B2) for CCP members and their immediate family members will be reduced from ten years to one month, and they will be single entry visas.
The US authorities said they imposed travel restrictions to “protect the United States from the party’s vicious influence.” The recent US accusations of espionage activities involving Chinese Communist Party officials and researchers associated with the Chinese Communist Party’s military have exacerbated these concerns.
Xi Jinping requires party members to be absolutely loyal to make CCP members a target of suspicion in foreign countries, because they are required-at least officially required-to always stand on the side of the party and serve the party’s interests.
Dixon: CCP’s forced study of party members may backfire
Experts say that if the party wants to continue to attract talent, the obligations of party members must not exceed the benefits.
Dixon said that if party members must spend a few hours a week studying party theory, this seems to be an “untimely practice”, and some may decide that it is not worth it.
“It takes up more of their time, which is very frustrating,” he said.
According to CNN, Xi Jinping’s strict rules on existing party members and those who have been allowed to join may not continue, but will only be implemented before the party’s centennial anniversary on July 1.
“This seems to be incompatible with the current situation,” Dixon said. “Xi Jinping is trying to make all party members become loyal party members, and it is not clear whether this will be successful because people’s lives are very busy.”
Dixon emphasized that if people are forced to instill a convention, “not only will it not build loyalty, but it will also build resentment. So it can easily backfire.”
“If the best and smartest people do not want to join the party, they (the CCP) may have to re-evaluate this emphasis on loyalty.”
Dixon also said that although the issue of cleaning up inactive members was discussed in the early days of Xi Jinping’s presidency, the idea was abandoned after it became clear how many people might quit.
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
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