Xinhua Insight: CPC draws governance wisdom from tradition

While leading China's reform, opening up and modernization drive, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, with Xi Jinping as general secretary, has drawn on the wisdom from the nation's millenniums-old culture.

While presiding over a high-level meeting in February 2014, Xi, also president of China, stressed that traditional Chinese culture was the root of socialist core values.

He has also voiced his respect of Confucius and placed a lot of emphasis on tradition as the country's cultural soft power on multiple occasions.

In September 2014, China commemorated the 2,565th anniversary of the birth of Confucius, during which Xi said traditional Chinese culture had the power to enlighten the people's understanding of the world, and improve governance.

"Confucianism, along with other philosophies and cultures that have taken shape and grown within China [...] nourished the flourishing Chinese nation," he said.

Observers believe that the CPC leadership is taking on the responsibility of continuing the legacy of China's culture. By developing it with the concept of socialism with Chinese characteristics and integrating it to shape the nation's ethos, it is integral to the formulation of the Party's governance concepts and policies.

Mou Zhongjian, vice president of the International Confucian Association, believes that the community of common destiny, which Xi and many leaders and scholars frequently refer to, is a deep-rooted idea in Chinese culture that has always viewed all people around the world as one family.

"Knowledge of history and contemporary achievements nurture the vision of a community of common destiny," Mou said.

Also, with an understanding of the underlying aspirations for peace and harmony in Chinese culture, Xi has explicitly dismissed the "China threat" rhetoric, pledging that China will never pursue hegemony as its rises.

Moreover, continuing the belief that the entire world should share in prosperity, China has provided opportunities to other countries for common development.

The current Belt and Road initiative, which has its roots in the ancient Silk Road trade route, was born of the concepts of sharing and caring.

"You can take a ride on our express train or even hitchhike, all are welcome," Xi once said during a visit to Mongolia.

When addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in January, Xi repeated this stance, stressing that the door of China's opening up will never shut and China welcomes all countries to ride on its development.

This willingness to share is also enshrined in China's new development concepts, which are innovation, coordination, green development, opening up and sharing.

Ancient Chinese proverbs and epigrams are often quoted by Xi and other senior Chinese leaders to caution officials against extravagance and hedonism and warn them to stay free from corruption and to be diligent.

These time-honored wisdoms are also used to express the CPC's resolve to enforce its code of conduct, fight corruption and highlight the importance of being close to the general public.

When watching Xi's New Year speech for 2015, Yu Jianfu, a professor with the Chinese Academy of Governance, noticed an ancient Chinese classic, compiled during the Tang Dynasty (618--907), on governance, in pride of place in the president's office.

"It shows that Chinese leaders continue to acknowledge the value of tradition in the modern world," Yu said. Endi