CHINA CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY WORLD STUDIES

China’s New Reforms: the Role of the Party

——The Party and the World Dialogue 2014

Sept 3^rd-5^th, 2014, Beijing·China

The Draft Agenda

The year of 2014 marks the beginning of the implementation of the comprehensive reform plans. The world is watching closely whether China is able to translate its ambitious plan of new reforms into reality. As the ruling party in China, the Communist Party of China (CPC) not only initiates and designs the new-reform blueprint, but also leads and navigates the whole process.

To understand China’s reforms, one must first understand the CPC; to know the future of China’s reforms, one must first know the role of the CPC. To satisfy intense interest in and enhance understanding of the CPC, China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS) and China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) are to jointly hold “The Party and the World Dialogue 2014” on the theme of “China’s New Reforms: the Role of the Party”.

The Party and the World Dialogue 2014 focuses on China’s new round of reforms. Topics for discussions cover the background, decision-making process, guiding thinking of and approaches to the reforms. The Dialogue will gather senior central and local officials of the Party, renowned Chinese and international scholars and experts on the Party and China. The organizers seek to promote through this dialogue candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges between Chinese and international academia and the Party’s leadership, decision-makers and reform-practitioners at various levels. In this way, the role of the Party in the new round of reforms may be viewed in a more objective and comprehensive manner, and insights on prospects and impact of China’s reform tend to be more accurate and thorough.

September 3^rd

07:40            Registration

08:15-8:50    Opening Ceremony (simultaneous interpretation) 

Keynote Speech

                  Mr. Wang Jiarui, Vice-chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC and Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee

Two foreign guest speakers

8:50-11:30    Plenary Session (simultaneous interpretation)  

In 2013, 35 years after the introduction of reform and opening up at the third plenum of the 11^th CPC Central Committee, the 18^th CPC Central Committee launched a new round of comprehensive reforms at its third plenum. What are the backgrounds and the Party’s considerations behind this initiative? How are the decisions and plans made? How shall the new reforms be implemented at central, provincial, district and other local levels? What are the latest developments, problems and challenges? How shall the Party secure success of reforms through its own capacity building? What is the Party’s take on external impacts China’s reforms might generate? In this session, people directly involved in the decision-making and drafting process of the reform plans as well as heads of reform leadership groups at central and local levels shall share authoritative information, air personal views and discuss these questions candidly.

8:50-9:50    Speeches by 6-8 Senior Officials of CPC

9:50-11:30    Q&A

11:30-13:30     Lunch

13:30-18:30  Panel Discussions (simultaneous interpretation)

Panel I  Particularities vs. Commonalities

Reform is a much-talked about topic across the world. In Panel I, CPC officials and Chinese and foreign experts will conduct open and insightful exchanges concerning the following questions: What are the particularities and commonalities of reform tasks for China? How does the CPC as the ruling party in China view the difficulties and challenges in reforms? What are the problems confronting the Party when it leads and carries out the new reforms, and what measures have been put in place accordingly? How to view and evaluate China’s comprehensive reform plans now in full swing against the global backdrop?

Panel II  Consensus upon Plurality

Reform is an intractable problem across the world. In Panel II, CPC officials and Chinese and foreign experts will conduct open and insightful exchanges concerning the following questions: How to view plurality and complexity in today’s China? How does the CPC as the ruling party in China coordinate various interests and build consensus on reforms? What measures have been adopted to smooth over conflicts of interest and obstacles? What institutional and systemic reforms have been conducted to break down barriers of entrenched interests? How will the Party strike a delicate balance between rapid development strides and social stability in the reform process? How to ensure that reforms bring stronger social consensus and solidarity rather than stoke conflicts or even division?

Panel III  Competition without Zero-sum Outcome

The world today is a global village. In Panel III, CPC officials and Chinese and foreign experts will conduct open and insightful exchanges concerning the following questions: What are the major bearings of China’s reforms on the international landscape and regional developments? How does the Party view and manage the spillover effect of reforms? How to expand opening up and cooperation so as to establish international partnerships during the process? Reform is the flagship sailing China towards the realization of the Chinese Dream. While pursuing its dream, how is China to reposition itself in the world, engage in healthy competition and achieve common development together with other countries?

19:30-21:30 Roundtable Discussion (off-the-record; optional)

Topic 1  China’s Reforms: Risks and Challenges

The reform blueprint drawn up by the Party has been widely applauded. Yet, it has to undergo tests and challenges before yielding fruits. We welcome your insights on: How to secure fulfillment of reform targets? What potential traps and actual risks on the path forward deserve high attention and forestalling prevention? What previous lessons can be drawn upon? How to encourage other countries to get involved and share opportunities brought by China’s reforms? How to seek mutual benefit and win-win outcome with them instead of falling victim to cutthroat competition?

Topic 2  The Party: Communication and Understanding

China’s reforms are strongest cases in point to prove that the Party serves as the spine of the country’s overall development. Unfortunately, this fact is hardly known to the outside world and misunderstandings ensue, which undoubtedly undermines international cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. We welcome your suggestions on: How should the Party grow more open and present itself to the world? What exchanges and interactions are needed for enhancing mutual understanding between the two? How can scholars and think tanks get involved and play their due role?

September 4^th

10:00-12:00    Meeting and discussions with a high-level CPC official

Afternoon:Visiting Activities

September 5^th

08:30-11:30    Reform and Development: Responsibility and Role of the Ruling Parties–Wrap-up and Closing Ceremony

08:00-09:00    Briefings by respective panels

              (1 speaker/panel, 8-10min each)

09:00-10:10    Remarks and Comments by Representatives

    Ruling parties across the world share tasks of reform and development and face increasingly diverse demands and growing expectations of the people. Though confronted with similar tasks and challenges, they turn to different thinking and measures. How should a ruling party strike a delicate balance among reform, development and stability? How should it build social consensus and cement social solidarity while adjusting interest distribution? What role should ruling parties play in promoting reform and boosting development? What are the commonalities and particularities of their roles? What are the standards for an eligible ruling party? Following the discussions about China’s reform cases on September 3^rd, we look forward to more in-depth ideas and discussions in the global context.

10:10-11:20    Free discussions

11:20-11:30    Closing remarks

11:30-13:00  Meeting with the media (Invited participants) 

Afternoon  Research Tour out of Beijing

Locality: Shandong Province

Notes: Agenda may be subject to minor adjustments. We will keep you posted of the latest developments.