CPC branches link foreign firms, country

The establishment of Party branches in foreign-funded companies in China has recently attracted attention from Western media. These media outlets interpreted the move as the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) “penetration” into foreign companies, and highlighted the foreign managers’ concerns that the Party branch may affect the company’s decision-making process or establish another power center.

The reports clearly demonstrate the long-time prejudices some Westerners hold against the CPC. They set CPC’s grass-roots activities against foreign companies operations in China as a matter of a course, an epitome of their outdated mentality of opposing the other due to differences in governance systems.

China is under the leadership of the CPC. The establishment of Party branches is not targeting foreign companies, but the implementation of the Party’s organizational principle in society. Foreign enterprises need to learn about and adapt to China’s national conditions, which will be beneficial for their long-term healthy development.

The CPC and government officials have reiterated that the Party organizations will not interfere with the normal business activities or policy-making of foreign firms. There has been no conflict between the Party units and senior executives on business management so far, and Western media failed to give one single example of the Party organizations affecting the actual operations of the foreign enterprises.

In fact, CPC members, normally advanced elements in their field, have the political consciousness to obey Party discipline and the goodwill to promote the enterprises’ development. The Party branches have contributed to linking the companies and the government, addressing labor disputes and coordinating the interests of all sides.

China’s opening to the outside world is a process of the CPC, the government and of society positively facing unfamiliarity. Foreign enterprises should also take a positive attitude when they do business in China. A running-in period is needed during the process, which requires efforts by both sides, rather than one side adapting or making concessions to the other.

The CPC has given corresponding instructions about Party building in State-owned and non-public enterprises. This means foreign companies will also be taken into full consideration. The CPC and the government anticipate the healthy development of foreign enterprises.

There’s no need to suspect the CPC’s motives in developing branches in foreign firms. It’s our intention to see that unity can be reached between the CPC’s organizational building and the prosperity of foreign firms in China.

In fact, Party units make it more convenient for foreign firms to deeply understand China’s new policies and societal changes, and provide more channels for them to communicate.

Some Western media outlets, with ingrained Western values, are very willing to sow dissent between foreign companies and the Chinese government and the CPC. Most foreign enterprises are prepared to familiarize themselves with China, but some Western institutions expect them to transform China.

Integration, rather than “Westernization,” is the essence of globalization, which is believed to be learned and accepted by more and more Westerners.