CPC publishes 'self-decoding' books for Western audience

NEW YORK -- In an unprecedented move to reach out to the Western audience and help them understand why it remains the single, largest ruling party in a country of 1.3 billion people, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has published a series of five books about itself, the English versions of which were launched here Thursday during BookExpo America (BEA) 2015.

The "China Today: Understanding the CPC" book series, published by the Beijing-based Party Building Books Publishing House, represents the first attempt by the 86-million-member CPC in its 94-year history to convey a "genuine and understandable" image of itself to the outside world.

"We have released this book series to cater to the needs of both the Party itself and the outside world," Zhao Fan, president of the publishing house, told Xinhua at an hour-long ceremony for the English version's launch, held on Thursday afternoon in the China Pavilion of BEA 2015 at New York City's Javits Center. China is the guest of honor for the Global Market Forum of the three-day grand book fair.

"As China is becoming increasingly important on the international arena, most people, including those who once held stereotypes about the CPC, eventually want to know more about the party," Zhao explained.

Displayed neatly in lines on the publisher's display shelves, the five books offer people a rare glimpse into the world's largest ruling political party.

The first book of the series, entitled Exploring The Miracle, explains the gist of the so-called China Miracle, or the country's stunning economic takeoff after just 36 years of reform and opening up. Another three, namely Serving The People, Governing China, and China and The CPC, focus on the fundamental aims of the Party and how it designs its governance structure, strategies and systems.

The last of the series, titled The Good Fight, highlights the anti-corruption campaign which has become one of the top priorities for the Party's current leadership over the past few years. It will probably become the most appealing one to the Western readers, said a publishing house staff who didn't want to be named.

Flipping through pages, it would surprise many to see that these books have almost everything but empty slogans, something quite common in Chinese political publications from the past.

Actually they are full of historical anecdotes, substantial data and figures, as well as stories of Party members loved and followed by the people for their role model behaviors and self- sacrifice spirit, or those hated by the people for power abuse and graft.