Elite-level Chinese Domestic Politics and the Issue of Japan

The Structure of Chinese Political Institutions Chinese Communist Party (CCP) People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Institution of the State National People’s Congress (NPC) People’s Political Consultative Conference (PPCC)

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Has had no supreme leader since the death of Deng Xiaoping Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) is made up of seven men which form a collective leadership

Current Politburo Standing Committee

People’s Liberation Army Not a national army belonging to the state, but an armed wing of the CCP People’s Armed Police and other internal security forces People’s Liberation Army

Institution of the State Entrusted to implement policies and day-to-day administration of the country Headed by the State Council, including State’s ministries and commissions and layers of “people’s governments” Hierarchy of the State

National People’s Congress In theory is supposed to oversee the State Council, the Presidency, the Supreme People’s Court, the public prosecutors’ office and the military NPC

Organization of the National People’s Congress (NPC)

People’s Political Consultative Committee Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee Eight minority political parties known as the “democratic parties”

CCP Control: People’s Liberation Army Heavy emphasis on political indoctrination “Loyalty to the Party” above all else General Political Department (GDP) Almost all PLA officers are Party members Only two uniformed officers serve on the Politburo and none on the Politburo Standing Committee

CCP Control: National People’s Congress NPC supposed to be highest organ of state power but… Is controlled by the CCP and is unable to exercise much oversight of the institutions officially under its supervision

CCP Control: People’s Political Consultative Conference Party and State are supposed to “consult” with the PPCC on policy issues All members of the “democratic parties” pledge loyalty to the CCP and accept its leadership

Problems and Difficulties: Competition Fierce competition at every level of the system The Politburo Standing Committee, the 25 member Politburo, among ministries, between ministries and provincial governments, among provinces, among headquarters of departments and service branches of the military

Problems and Difficulties: Stove-piping Individual ministries and other hierarchies share information up and down the chain of command but not horizontally with each other Leading Small Groups unwillingness to get involved in the forcing of day-to-day coordination of the agencies they oversee

Problems and Difficulties: Unproductive Competition Overlapping of jurisdictions between different government entities Government restructuring in March 2013 Still problems exist (ex. State Oceanic Administration)

Problems and Difficulties: Bureaucratic Rank System identifies relative importance of people, official agencies, state-owned corporations, geographic units (even academics) Major reason behind difficulty in inter-agency coordination and frequently undermines lines of authority

Domestic Politics and Japan Resisting Japan is a major theme in CCP leadership legitimacy since it was formed in 1921 Originally used by the Guomindang (GMD) party, but later this was turned against them by the CCP Theme in Chinese politics: using resistance against Japan to bolster popular sentiment, legitimize CCP rule, and to get rid of rivals

Domestic Politics and Japan Using traumatic events to sway popular sentiment Ability to reign in anti-Japanese propaganda when foreign policy required Using to remove political rivals Liu Shaoqi Hu Yaobang Liu Shaoqi Hu Yaobang