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The Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency recently announced the historical resolution adopted by the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The resolution spent a lot of space explaining the achievements of the Communist Party of China under the leadership of Xi Jinping since the 18th National Congress, highlighting the “new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” Major historical events such as “June 4th” did not make different explanations.
Political analysts believe that the focus of the document is to summarize the current Chinese leader’s governance and prepare for his continued and even long-term governance.
This is the third such resolution passed since the founding of the Communist Party of China. The first is the “Resolution on Several Historical Issues” made by Mao Zedong in 1945, and the second is the “Resolution on Several Historical Issues of the Party since the Founding of the People’s Republic” made by Deng Xiaoping in 1981.
The focus is on the present and the future
The full name of the new resolution is “Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party’s Centennial Struggle” (hereinafter referred to as “Resolution”). In this 36,000-word resolution, the content describing the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics since Xi Jinping came to power exceeds 19,000 words, which is more than half of the length.
This part of the content is divided into 13 parts including upholding the party’s overall leadership, administering the party strictly, and administering the country in accordance with the law. Forge ahead and achieve the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The party and the country have made historic achievements and undergone historic changes.”
In the Resolution, Xi Jinping’s name appears 22 times, Mao Zedong’s name appears 18 times, Deng Xiaoping’s name appears 6 times, and the names of Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin appear once each.
However, the “Resolution”‘s explanation of some historical events is not very different from the past.
When describing the “June 4th” Tiananmen Square incident, the “Resolution” still used the term “political turmoil” and “turmoil” in the past.
“Due to the support and incitement of hostile forces against communism and socialism in the world, the global climate and the domestic microclimate led to serious political disturbances in our country at the turn of the spring and summer of 1989. The party and the government rely on the people and have a clear-cut stand against unrest and defending society. The political power of the country has safeguarded the fundamental interests of the people.” The resolution stated.
The “Resolution” also talked about the two issues of “anti-send China” protests that broke out in Hong Kong in 2019 and tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
In Hong Kong, the “Resolution” stated that due to various internal and external complex factors, “anti-China and chaotic Hong Kong” activities were rampant, and the situation in Hong Kong was once a serious situation. The electoral system of the special administrative region, the implementation of the principle of “patriots ruling Hong Kong” and other measures have achieved changes.
“This series of measures to address both symptoms and root causes has pushed the situation in Hong Kong to achieve a major transition from chaos to governance, and laid a solid foundation for advancing the rule of law in Hong Kong and Macao, and promoting the practice of’one country, two systems’ for stability and long-term development.” The resolution said.
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On the Taiwan issue, the “Resolution” stated that resolving the Taiwan issue and realizing the complete reunification of the motherland “is the unswerving historical task of the party, the common aspiration of all Chinese sons and daughters, and the inevitable requirement for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
Analysts who have been observing Chinese politics for a long time pointed out that the narrative of some historical events in this “Resolution” is not much different from the previous ones, because the focus of this report is not on the past, but on the present and the future.
Chinese independent political scholar Chen Daoyin told the BBC Chinese that this document focuses on the historical summary of Xi Jinping’s power in the past 10 years. It’s another century like Mao Zedong.”
“Crowning Power”
Chen Daoyin believes that the last two paragraphs of this “Resolution” are very similar to the first historical resolution.
The last two paragraphs of the “Resolution” stated, “We must persist in educating people with Xi Jinping’s socialist thoughts with Chinese characteristics in the new era.” Around the Party Central Committee, comprehensively implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era”.
The last two paragraphs of the first historical resolution pointed out, “Today, the whole party has unanimously recognized the correctness of Comrade Mao Zedong’s line, and has united under Mao Zedong’s banner with unprecedented unanimity.” “With the Northern Expedition, Under the correct leadership of the Central Committee headed by Comrade Mao Zedong, the Communist Party of China with rich experience in the three revolutionary struggles such as the Agrarian Revolutionary War and the Anti-Japanese War will surely bring the Chinese revolution to a complete victory.”
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“From the last two paragraphs, it can be seen that Xi is going to tie his historical position with Mao Zedong. He is part of the first centenary of the CCP centered on Mao, and he is also part of the second centenary of the CCP in the future. Center.” Chen Daoyin said.
Chen Daoyin also pointed out that this historical resolution was “the party’s highest authority crowned Xi’s power.”
“Even though Xi Jinping’s thoughts are written into the party constitution, and his power and personality cult that can be imagined since the 19th National Congress have been given to him, many of them are a kind of political discipline requirements, and the historical resolution passed by this plenary session is for him. The authority is sealed.” Chen Daoyin said.
Prepare for long-term governance
The Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China also decided that the 20th National Congress will be held in the second half of 2022.
Chen Daoyin believes that the publication of such a document that is extremely important in the history of the CCP at the Sixth Plenary Session of the CPC Central Committee will provide an ideological and theoretical preparation for Xi Jinping to continue to be in power after the 20th National Congress, and even to be in power for a long time.
“With such a preparation, he can carry out specific power operations, including organizational lines, personnel arrangements for cadres, and so on.” He explained.
Chinese independent political scholar Wei Xin (pseudonym) told the BBC Chinese that although the specific text has been adjusted and changed compared with the previous two resolutions, the outside world is more concerned, such as whether the resolution will deny Mao more than the second. The resolutions are a bit less, but none of these are important, he said.
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Wei Xin believes: “The resolution is actually an eclectic thing to determine the historical legitimacy of Xi in the party. This historical legitimacy is actually the most important for the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party. The constitution (determined) and so on, the legitimacy in the history of the party is the most important or the only source of legitimacy for the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.”
He pointed out that legitimacy is actually to break the previous collective leadership and the cadre’s inability to life, break all the taboos, disciplines, and rules established in the Deng Xiaoping era regarding the succession of leaders, so as to prepare for Xi Jinping’s re-election.
Wei Xin also stated that this historical resolution shows that China’s system has completed its transformation, announcing the end of the CCP’s authoritarian rule over the past three decades and establishing a new totalitarian system. As the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Italy Gramsci said in 1936, ” Turn a Leninist party into a modern monarchy”.