International Communist Movement Salon Bulletin 2023 Issue 7: Current Party Politics and Diplomacy in Southeast Asia

On April 12, 2023, the Department of International Communist Movement Studies of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) held a Theme Party Day activity ^[1] and the 7th International Communist Movement Salon. Professor Xu Liping, Director of the Social and Cultural Studies Department of the National Institute of International Strategy and Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at CASS, was invited to deliver a report entitled "Current Party Politics and Diplomacy in Southeast Asia." The seminar was chaired by Professor Pan Jine, Director of the Department of International Communist Movement Studies, and attended by all department personnel.

In the report, Professor Xu Liping provided a detailed overview of the history, culture, and religion of Southeast Asian countries. He systematically introduced the ancient history of these nations and their modern history of suffering under Western colonization, presenting the vibrant historical and contemporary realities of the region. Professor Xu argued that a comprehensive understanding of the history, culture, and religion of Southeast Asian countries is the prerequisite and foundation for studying the development of their party politics, as well as the interactions and cooperation between China and Southeast Asian nations.

Professor Xu introduced four major current models of party political development in Southeast Asia:

First, the Communist Party Governance Model. This model refers to target countries where the Communist Party is the governing party and the sole legal political party, occupying a position of absolute dominance. Examples include Vietnam and Laos.

Second, the Dominant-Party Model. This model refers to target countries where more than one legal party exists, but a single party consistently maintains a dominant position, leading the government or governing alone for long periods. This model reflects a "unipolar self-discipline form" or a "unipolar pluralistic form" of political power structure, and its formation is usually accompanied by the forceful rise of a specific political power bloc. Examples include Singapore and Cambodia.

Third, the Multi-Party Rotation Model. This model refers to target countries where two or more legal parties exist, but no single party can maintain or easily achieve a dominant position; instead, they remain in a long-term state of multi-party alliances and alternating governance. Examples include Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.

Fourth, the Weak Party Role Model. This model refers to target countries where the political activities of parties are restricted or even prohibited, making it difficult for parties to effectively exercise a political role. Its characteristic is that the dominant political power bloc resorts to paths of power coordination and interest distribution outside of party operations, thereby leaving little developmental space for party politics. Examples include Brunei and Myanmar.

In his report, Professor Xu elaborated on the current impact of Southeast Asian party politics on diplomacy from three perspectives: political polarization and "taking sides," electoral politics and pragmatic diplomacy, and identity politics and diplomacy with the Islamic world.

Professor Xu emphasized that while it is not yet possible to judge whether the current world has entered a "post-Cold War era," international conflicts and divisions are more intense than in the past. How to properly handle international issues poses a severe test for China's governance capacity. Both China and Southeast Asian countries should adapt to the times, stand on the side of the general global trend, and cautiously handle differences among various parties on key issues. He argued that, based on the complex and diverse history, varied cultures, and religions of Southeast Asian countries, in order to promote the sustainable and healthy development of relations between China and Southeast Asia, we should build upon a relationship centered on economic cooperation while better coordinating cooperation in multiple fields such as politics, economy, security, and the humanities. Only in this way can the bilateral relationship achieve steady and sustained progress ^[2].

Professor Xu Liping answered questions raised by participants, and the discussion was very lively. Participants expressed that they had listened to an excellent report. Through this Theme Party Day activity, they gained a deep understanding of Southeast Asian party politics and diplomacy, as well as China-ASEAN relations. This broadened their research perspectives on political parties globally and further enriched their understanding of world socialism.