At a press conference organized by the State Council Information Office on August 19, 2004, Cai Wu, vice minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, announced that the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) will be held in Beijing on September 3.
This is the very first international political party meeting ever sponsored by the CPC in its history. It is a grand gathering for political parties from various Asian countries to share their experience in running the party and state affairs, explore ways of friendly cooperation, formulate strategies of peace and development through joint consultation and promote regional cooperation in Asia.
In recent years, new characteristics have appeared in the world party politics amid profound changes in the international situation. In Asia, they are mainly reflected in the following three aspects: 1) The role and status of political parties in the national political life are increasingly in high profile. 2) The wishes of different political parties to seek common ground while shelving differences for more cooperation are constantly on the rise. 3) The impact of party-to-party exchanges and cooperation on regional and international affairs is felt on a larger scale. Under such background, ICAPP came into being as the times demand and gradually unfolded in the continent where we all live.
Starting from the year 2000, ICAPP is held every two years. Initiated by the Lakas-National Union of Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas—CMD) of the Philippines, the 1st ICAPP was held in September 2000 in Manila. Delegates from 46 political parties of 26 Asian countries attended the Conference. The 2nd ICAPP was held in Bangkok in November 2002, hosted by the Thai Rak Thai Party, the ruling party of Thailand. Delegates from 77 political parties of 35 countries in the Asian-Pacific region attended the Conference. Under the main theme of "Consultation, Cooperation and Seeking Common Development", the Conference plays a unique role in enhancing mutual exchanges, promoting consensus, deepening mutual understanding and trust, improving bilateral relations among Asian countries and propelling Asia's regional cooperation.
The International Conference of Asian Political Parties is an open forum characterized by the fact that it neither classifies the participants along ideological lines nor does it work for alignment among the parties. Transcending ideological differences and based on mutual respect, the participating parties instead of indulging in disputes, work hard to build a bridge of inter-action and friendship between the Asian political parties through in-depth discussions and communications on issues of common concern and multi-lateral dialogues and exchanges. Judging from the actual effects of the previous two conferences, the ICAPP has played an important role in promoting mutual understanding and exchanges among the Asian political parties, reinforcing the development of state-to-state relationship and improving regional cooperation. The Communist Party of China dispatched delegates to both of the two previous conferences who played a positive part in ensuring their success.
Responding to the suggestion of the Standing Committee of the ICAPP and requests from some Asian political parties, the CPC made the decision to host the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties. The Conference will convene from September 3-5, 2004 in Beijing. Top leaders of China’s Parties and State will attend the Conference. Up till August 13, 2004, 82 political parties from 35 countries have decided to send delegates to the Conference. Apart from party presidents, general secretaries and other senior party officials, there will be celebrated statesmen who come in the capacity of heads of state and government or parliamentary speakers. It is estimated that this Conference will very likely exceed the previous two in terms of size.
The theme of this Conference is “Exchange, Cooperation and Development” and the three topics for discussion are, namely, “regional security and multi-lateral cooperation, economic growth and social progress and party building and the national development”. The theme so set by this Conference is not only to maintain a continuation of that of the two previous conferences which was “Consultation, Cooperation and Seeking Common Development”, but also conform to the prevailing trend in Asia for regional cooperation and tally with China’s stands for supporting Asian regional cooperation. The theme is highly appraised by all parties concerned.
The goal of this Conference is to encourage broad and thorough exchange of points of view among the Asian political parties on issues of common concern in order to reach a consensus, that is, a sound, stable and sustainable development of Asian regional cooperation can be promoted through the channel of inter-party cooperation.
The CPC has always attached great importance to external exchanges and cooperation and has maintained close contact with the outside world. Since the initiation of China’s reform and opening up, the CPC has adapted its international approaches to the changing trends of the new era and carried out its exchanges and cooperation with foreign political parties and organizations around such theme of the times as peace and development. In doing so, the CPC has always adhered to the four basic principles governing party-to-party relations, namely, independence, complete equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs in order to seek friendship and cooperation regardless of the ideological differences. Currently, the CPC has established and maintained contacts and exchanges in various forms with more than 400 political parties and organizations in over 140 countries and regions in the world including over 100 political parties and organizations in 34 Asian countries. Exchanges with Asian political parties have been the focus of the CPC’s external work. This kind of exchanges and cooperation have made great contributions to promoting state relations between China and other Asian countries, furthering friendship between the Chinese people and the peoples of other Asian countries as well as enhancing regional cooperation in Asia.
By hosting the 3rd ICAPP, the CPC demonstrates its sincere wish to promote regional cooperation and seek common development in Asia as well as provides an opportunity for other Asian political parties to gain an insight in and understanding of the CPC’s policies and positions, concepts of governance and in particular, China’s foreign policy with its neighboring countries, namely, “Being a good Friend and Partner with the Neighbors”. It also serves as an arena for political figures and party leaders of Asian countries to exchange views and seek common development. Success of the Conference will not only be conducive to pushing forward the understanding and cooperation among Asian political parties and regional cooperation among Asian countries, but also surely be favorable to a healthy, stable and sustainable development of the party and state relations between China and other Asian countries.
Setting great store by the Conference, the CPC has in particular formed an Organizing Committee with Mr. Zeng Qinghong, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice president of China as the Honorary Chairman, Mr. Liu Yunshan, member of the Political Bureau and Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee as its Chairman. Mr. Wang Jiarui, minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee serves as the Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee. The International Department of the CPC Central Committee leads off in the specific preparation and detailed arrangements of the Conference. At present, all preparatory work is being smoothly underway.
The CPC is willing to work in concerted efforts with friends of the participating political parties to present to Asia and the whole world the ICAPP as a regional and multi-lateral party conference that is open, cooperative and constructive and welcomes every participant to contribute on an equal footing.
(China.org.cn August 19, 2004)
