Recently the spokesman of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China remarked on new developments in relations between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and political parties of other countries. The following are selections from the text.

QUESTION: Please give a brief description of the overall situation of the CPC's foreign affairs.

ANSWER: Foreign affairs have always been an important aspect of the Party's work and an important component of China's overall diplomacy. The Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin stressed at the CPC's 14th National Congress that the CPC attaches great importance to its relations with political parties of foreign countries. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, based on changes in the international situation, major adjustments have been made on the principles of the Party's foreign affairs. Stress has been placed on efforts for a favorable international environment for China's modernization and for making more contributions to the peace and development of the world, calling for friendly relations with no preconditions set on the ideologies of other foreign parties, and seeking common ground while reserving differences. The content and form of cooperation have also expanded from merely political relations to multilateral exchanges including economic and technological cooperation. Thus the Party's contacts and exchanges with various types of foreign parties and organizations have been gradually expanded. The CPC formally set up the four principles for managing its relations with foreign parties: Independence and autonomy, full equality, mutual respect and noninterference in each other's internal affairs, which were stipulated in the Party constitution. As China's construction has achieved great progress, the exchanges between the CPC and various types of foreign parties have increased. At present, the CPC is maintaining contacts in different forms with over 200 political parties of more than 100 countries, which include not only communist parties, but socialist parties, social democratic parties, labor parties and other parties of developed and developing countries. Based on the broad contacts, the CPC has put stress on relations with major parties in each country.

Q: What is your comment on 1993 international situation and the situation of foreign political parties in particular?

A: There were profound worldwide changes in the year 1993. China's relations with foreign countries witnessed new developments while the international environment improved for China.

Along with the profound changes in the world, the changes in many foreign parties were particularly outstanding and had a major impact on the political atmosphere of the countries concerned. Some major parties in Western countries which had been in power for many years lost their position in elections, and some new parties and smaller parties emerged and became stronger. The extreme right and separatist forces in some countries also started to grow. In some countries in East Europe and Central Asia, various political forces continued to divide and reorganize, making the political situation more complicated. Given this turn of events, the CPC's relations with foreign parties changed and developed.

Q: What were the new developments in relations between the CPC and parties of neighboring countries in 1993?

A: In 1993 the CPC's General Secretary Jiang Zemin and other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC's Central Committee met with some important visiting delegations of foreign parties. Hu Jintao, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC's Central Committee, led a delegation of the Party and government to Korea to participate in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Liberation War of the Fatherland. Ding Guangen, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC's Central Committee, led a delegation of the CPC to Vietnam and Laos. In early 1994, Wen Jiabao, alternative member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC's Central Committee, led a delegation of the CPC to India, Bangladesh, and Singapore. These important visits further strengthened the mutual understanding and friendship between the CPC and the ruling parties of these countries and will further push forward the friendly cooperation between Chinese and the people of those countries. While maintaining the existing relations with the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party and Socialist Party, the CPC has also established broad contacts with the Japan New Party and other parties which previously didn't have relations with China. We have also established relations with the Democratic Liberal Party of the Republic of Korea. The CPC's friendly relations with the Mongolian ruling party has also improved. The CPC's contacts with parties in India, and other South and Central Asian countries also increased. The leaders of Bangladesh's ruling party and its largest non-ruling party also visited China in 1993. So far, the CPC has established relations with all ruling and major non-ruling parties in all countries in South Asia.

Q: In addition to the neighboring Asian countries, please describe the CPC's exchanges with parties in Latin America and Africa.

A: The parties of developing countries are widely interested in China's reform and opening to the outside world and its practice in building up socialism with Chinese characteristics, and are willing to develop relations with the CPC. Many party leaders from Latin A merica have visited China. Venezuela's newly elected president, Rafael Caldera, met with the CPC's leaders and gave his speech for his presidential campaign during his visit in Tibet. The leader of the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party visited China and exchanged views with the CPC leaders on the building of the party and the country and problems of common concern. Some important parties and people from Latin American countries which have not established diplomatic relations with China, such as Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, also visited China in 1993. When the delegation of China's National People's Congress visited Paraguay, it also received a warm reception from friends from the political parties which had visited China. Developing relations with both ruling and non-ruling parties of the countries which have no diplomatic relations with China has greatly promoted China's relations with those countries.

The CPC has a long history in developing its relations with parties in Africa. In 1993, it established new contacts with some parties. The CPC has long-lasting and traditional friendly relations with parties and organizations that struggle for racial liberation and oppose the racial apartheid. Along with the development of South Africa's peace process, friendly relations were strengthened. In 1993, major leaders of the African National Congress of South Africa, the South African Communist Party and the Pan-Africanist Congress visited China. The CPC also sent two delegations to South Africa. Meanwhile the CPC also maintains friendly exchanges with ruling parties and important non-ruling parties of other African countries.

Q: It is reported that in recent years, the CPC has strengthened its role in pushing for economic construction through its foreign affairs. What progress was made in this area?

A: It is one of the charaeteristics of the CPC's foreign affairs to set up foreign contracts for related economic departments and regions, to introduce foreign capital, technology and professionals to aid China's socialist modernization. We have already done a lot to promote economic and technological cooperation and have achieved some positive results. At the invitation of related parties and organizations, we have sent several groups and delegations to visit countries to conduct research on specific topics such as the relations between the central and local governments, market economy and macro regulation, and the social security system. This was done in an attempt to promote China's modernization drive.

Q: What about the relations with Western political parties?

A: In 1993 we developed and improved relations with Western parties, and have made new developments in relations with parties in Germany, France, and Britain. Our relations with the Socialist Party International and other international political organizations have also become more active. We held a symposium on the "European Common Market and China" in collaboration with a German research institute subordinate to the North Rhine-Westphalia state, inviting more than 10 related persons from the European Community and North Rhine-Westphalia state to discuss issues concerning China's opportunities and challenges that will come about as a result of the unified European common market, trade protectionism, product quality, technological standardization, and intellectual property rights. The talks promoted mutual understanding and preferential economic and trade cooperation.

Q: What are the prospects for the coming year?

A: It is anticipated that various political forces will continue to divide and reorganize in 1994. The changing world will provide a wider stage for the CPC's foreign affairs. We will continue to insist on the four principles and to establish broader and deeper contacts with various types of parties, to cooperate sincerely with them so as to make a larger contribution to peace and prosperity of the world, and to the progress and development of mankind.

(NO. 8 FEBRUARY 21, 1994)