In this talk I investigate China’s presence abroad from the perspective of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), asking how the Party attempts to prime itself for the challenges posed by China’s globalization and the rising superpower competition with the U.S. The CCP is currently in the throes of redefining itself as not just China’s ruling party, but also as the dominant force of global China. The principal aim of the CCP’s global extension overlaps with and complements the CCP’s strategy of influencing and interfering in the society and politics of other countries, but has different aims. The CCP seeks to expand the reach of its system abroad and the strengthen the cohesion of the Chinese nation also beyond China’s borders. This includes not only strengthening and extending the existing armoury of overseas Chinese and united front work, but also mobilizing the organizational power of the CCP itself to tie party members among Chinese businesspeople, professionals, contract workers and students abroad back into “the system” in China. I argue that the extraterritorial extension of the Party, nation and culture is certainly not innocent and benign, but poses less of an immediate threat than the Party’s attempts at influencing other countries.

Frank Pieke is currently Fellow at Swedish Collegium of Advanced Study, Uppsala. Curriculum vitae