CHINA: THE NEW FOREIGN POLICY TEAM

FOCUS OF CHINA’S FOREIGN POLICY

Jabin T Jacob

The New Indian Express, March 25, 2013

The first annual session of the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) in China has just ended with the ‘election’ of Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang as President and Premier respectively and approval of a new cabinet of ministers. Despite the NPC’s largely rubber-stamp role — candidates approved by Congress were pre-selected by the Chinese Communist Party — the first sitting of the NPC was important because, among other things, it announced the line-up of China’s new foreign policy team.

It is important to note that major foreign and security policy initiatives are the preserve not of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) as part of the Chinese government but of the Communist Party. As General Secretary, Xi Jinping directs foreign policy through a body which comprises representatives not only from the MFA but also from the military and the departments and ministries handling national security and foreign trade.

What then are foreign policy implications of this leadership transition in China?

First of all, Xi might wield considerably more influence in foreign and security policies than Hu Jintao. For one, as the scion of a prominent Communist Party family, he has long-standing personal links with many of China’s present crop of leaders — both civilian and military — who are similarly the children of former senior Party officials. These bonds, particularly in the PLA, have ensured that Xi has the strong backing of the armed forces, considerably strengthening his foreign policy hand.

For another, by securing the appointment of a Vice-President, Li Yuanchao, who is not a member of the Party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee — in effect, the collective of seven people that rules China — the Presidency again has relatively more influence in foreign policy than was the case in the Hu Jintao regime.

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