The Impact of the CCP Party Congress on US-China Military Competition

Choo Jae Woo

(jwc@khu.ac.kr)

Professor,

Kyung Hee University

English Abstract

Introduction

The political purposes of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (‘Party Congress’) held every five years, are as follows. ⓵Look back on the party’s progress during the last five years and introduce the policy objectives of the next five years and the party’s proposed plan. ⓶Make changes in the top leadership including the Standing Committee of the Politburo. When the General Secretary is serving consecutive terms, leadership change is limited to lower levels. ⓷Go through the approval process for constitution amendments.

The currently amended party constitution contains three notable amendments that hold historical significance for the CCP. ⓵Xi Jinping Thought was elevated to the status held by Mao, Marx, and Lenin’s ideology. ⓶It contains justifications for Xi Jinping’s leadership and status. They are called the ‘Two Establishes’ and ‘Two Safeguards.’

Implications for China’s Defense Policy

Accomplishment of the ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military’ was clearly stated. The Xi Jinping Thought on strengthening the military aims to strengthen the construction of the PLA. To do so, the current amendment emphasized ‘political training,’ ‘military reform,’ ‘science and technology,’ and ‘military rule of law’ as the PLA’s functions.

Furthermore, the military’s role and mission were defined as ‘maintaining absolute loyalty to the Party’ and ‘fighting and winning wars, with excellent dignity.’

The Party Congress stressed the causes and the direction of the CCP’s military reform, emphasizing reform and innovation within the military’s system and institutions. It is focused on preparing for future warfare and regional conflicts.

Impact on the US-China Military Competition

Military competition between the US and China is evitable and will continue. The US has already declared the end of the Post-Cold War era and the start of the new era of great power competition in its NSS, The NSS named the next ten years ‘a decisive decade’ during which the US will attain its strategic interests.

Military competition with the US is unavoidable given China’s pursuit of socialist modernization of its military. The CCP’s rejection of Taiwan’s independence for the first time in a Party Congress supersedes its meaning of territorial sovereignty.

South Korea’s Response Strategy

The evident US-China military competition will intensify the strategic competition around Taiwan. Accordingly, South Korea’s diplomatic response strategy should take unprecedented forms. ⓵Security should be included as a main goal of diplomacy. The diplomatic capacity of South Korea’s military should be included in the nation’s diplomacy. ⓶Proactive diplomacy by the military is necessary to secure national interests through the ROK-US alliance. ⓷South Korea’s military interests should be utilized as tools in securing national interests in other areas. Military diplomacy may be able suppress Chinese retaliation while protecting South Korea’s economic and diplomatic interests.