Research On The Evolution Of The Internationl United Front Thought Of The Communist Party Of China(1949-2020)

The development of China is in the historical period of the "Two Century Goals".The world is experiencing big changes that have not been seen in a century.Western countries led by the United States ganged up and tried to apply pressure on China with the"Cold War Alliance" and be against us.How should China respond to such great changes in the world?Is the international united front a feasible strategic choice to respond to the alliance of western countries led by the United States?This paper focuses on studying the evolution process and development law of the international united front thought of the CPC since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 until 2020.With "confrontation-oriented alliance" and"non-confrontation alliance" as analyzing tools,while clarifying the developmental process of the thought and its themes in different historical periods,the paper tries to answer:First,why has the CPC,which has long considered the united front a vital weapon,no more emphasized the "internationalist duties of the proletariat" since the 1990s and called for building an international united front?Does this mean the CPC has given up the idea of the united front in dealing with international affairs?Second,in the face of the complicated and severe international situation,will the CPC really abandoned the weapon of the united front as it is striving to realize the great renewal of the Chinese nation and build a community with a shared future for humanity?These questions lead to one proposition:The united front is always an effective weapon of the Communist Party of China when dealing with domestic affairs and international affairs.However,the form of the united front is not always the same.It constantly evolves with the change of the theme of the times,the priority work,and the starting point of diplomacy.The proposition is based on observation of the evolution of the CPC's international united front since the founding of the People's Republic of China.Prior to the opening-up policy in China,the CPC had long made building an international united front against imperialism and hegemony a vital strategy.The Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee In 1978,marked China entered a new period.In this context,the Party's international united front strategy made major adjustments to conform to the changes of domestic and international situations:The overarching goal of building an international united front shifted to making as many friends as possible,and China has no longer publicly called for building an international united front,established alliances with any other major countries or determined relations with other nations based on whether they hold the same social system or ideological lines,but stays ready to interact with and make friends with any country.Since the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012,the Party leadership has stressed building a community with a shared future for mankind through win-win cooperation.The concept is a sinicized expression of the "integrated union of free men" in the new era.In case that "the united front thought has always been a significant strategy for the CPC to handle international affairs," what remains unchanged as the theme and realization pattern of the international united front have both changed?The Party's international united front strategy is subject to and serves its fundamental principles,guidelines and policies.In the final analysis,the ultimate goal is to safeguard national sovereignty,security and development interests and realize communism by motivating as many countries as possible to sympathize,understand and support China's cause and carry out a friendly exchange with China and making as few countries as possible be hostile to and oppose us.The essential goal has never changed and will never change;the only things that changed are its forms of expression and realization.Confrontation-oriented "alliance" based on the division between enemy and friend is a form of expression and realization of the united front;meanwhile,non-confrontation "partnership" is another form of expression and realization of the united front.In this sense,the united front has always been a key strategy for the CPC to deal with international affairs.The fact that can serve as evidence for this proposition is New China's diplomatic practice since its founding in 1949.Prior to the beginning of China's reform and opening up,both the "one-sided" strategic guideline and the "one line"and "one line" and "one vast stretch" strategies were based on the division between enemy and friend,namely united forces on the same side to oppose the other side.The strategic thinking of "two intermediary zones" and the strategic layout of "division of three worlds" are both rooted in the understanding of allies.It is doubtless that China's diplomatic practice during the period showed an obvious feature of the united front.The dispute started in the new period of reform and opening up.After its 199214th Congress,the CPC has no longer publicly called for building an international united front.Does this mean the Party discarded the weapon of the united front in handling international affairs?The answer is no.Under the new circumstances of the times,the CPC Central Committee changed its view that the danger of war was imminent,and then changed the "one line" strategy by making "two major shifts."Behind the "two major shifts" were two reasons:one was the formation of the "Big Triangle" comprised of China,the US and the Soviet Union,which meant the three countries reached a certain level of equilibrium,thus reducing the possibilities of big wars;the other was the rise of the third technological revolution significantly changing the focus of international competition,especially competition between major countries.This resulted in the focus of international competition shifting from short-term economic and military advantage to long-term technological strength and overall national strength.Moreover,China was still poor and backward at that time and thus couldn't make great contributions to proletarian internationalism.After the 1992 14th Congress,the Party's second-generation collective leadership with Deng Xiaoping at the core no longer called for building an international united front publicly.In fact,since the 12th CPC National Congress,China has no more allied with any certain country or country bloc to oppose an imaginary enemy in its diplomatic practice,but tends to develop friendly relations with all countries.Building friendships with as many countries as possible is conducive not only to safeguard China's national sovereignty,security and development interests,but also to fulfilling the CPC's historic missions.Afterward,construction of partnership,a new form of united front invented by the Party's third-generation with Jiang Zemin as the core,and the vision to build a harmonious world and call on all countries to unite to share opportunities and overcome challenges together proposed by the CPC Central Committee with Hu Jintao as the general secretary both embodied this thought.The 18th CPC National Congress opened a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and forged the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core.The new central collective leadership put forward the vision to build an international united front with a community with a shared future for humanity as the fundamental goal.The new united front aims to unite with all developing countries to jointly build an open,inclusive,clean,and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace,universal security,and common prosperity.With the Belt and Road Initiative as the way of cooperation,it demonstrates China's care for the interests of its partners and its vision to achieve common development.With partnership as the organizational form,it aims to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind by creating partnerships at various levels.Starting from the basic proposition,this paper summarizes three lessons and enlightenment:First,the theme of the international united front changes in tandem with the theme of the times.The international united front is a fruit of certain historical conditions,so its theme needs to conform to the background of the times and the basic trends of historical development.Therefore,to determine the theme of the international united front in new historical conditions,we must hold a foothold on the development of the world's fundamental situations in the new historical context and let it reflect the features of our times.To be specific,we must better respond to the "profound changes unseen in a century," safeguard sovereignty,security and development interests.Promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity;Second,the focus of the international united front should shift alongside the focus of the Party's work.Currently,the focus of the Party's work has shifted to economic development.Based on this focus of work,the international united front needs to make contributions to accelerating development.Of course,it does not mean China's own development,but the common development of all countries.This is a necessary requirement of the CPC as a proletarian political party;Third,the fundamental goal of the international united front needs to change in tandem with the strategic goal of the Party.Since the 14th Congress,the Party's strategic goal has been clarified as safeguarding national interests.Thus,the fundamental goal of the international united front should also prioritize national interests.However,as China has accomplished a transformation from standing up,getting rich to becoming strong,the CPC-led socialist regime keeps its original aspiration in mind and has begun to attach increasing importance to fulfilling its international obligations while prioritizing its national interests.The aforesaid three lessons can be summarized into one sentence:building an international united front is necessary and requisite for advancing the cause of the Party and the country as socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era.The CPC is a political party committed to seeking happiness for the Chinese people and pursuing the progress of the whole of mankind.From the past to the present and then to the future,the united front,as an important strategy and tactic for the proletariat to realize their own liberation and the liberation of all mankind,has long been a powerful weapon for the CPC to win victory in revolution,socialist development and reform,promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity and create a bright future for mankind.