That has produced a state of affairs where no organization is beyond the orbit of the CCP.That has produced a state of affairs where no organization is beyond the orbit of the CCP.
I have previously dubbed this a “
latent network.” Because China is a “rule by law” country rather than “rule of law,” the law itself becomes simply another tool to preserve CCP power. There are no instances of Chinese firms using the law to resist the demands of the CCP in the way that, for instance, Apple defied the FBI in 2015 over encryption; the very idea would be absurd. This distinction is vital to engagement with China. Discard the misguided cultural and historical justifications such as calls to Confucianism or supposed Asian values. At the core of the state there is power, and that power’s name is the party. All sit under that power, including the state itself. This is the party-state
Under Chinese President Xi Jinping, the extent of party control has become more readily apparent—thanks to the placement of party watchdogs directly within nominally private firms, or the humiliating pledges to serve the party that business leaders have been forced to make in public. But much still takes place out of sight, in the realm of purges, threats, and power. A casual glance at a very partial list of billionaires and company leaders who have been arrested, disappeared, or died by suicide over the last few years reveals how fragile even the richest people in China are.
Ultimately, every organization is dependent on the continued patronage of the CCP for its existence. This does not mean that companies are micromanaged by the CCP, but it does lead to second-guessing of CCP desires and, if the situation is serious enough, CCP appropriation of the organizations in question. These unwritten rules apply to organizations and institutions of any meaningful size.
Consider what any country would look like if the higher echelons of a single, tightly organized political party controlled the judiciary, the media, the police force, the armed forces, education, all unions, major companies, and major religious groups. These groups proceed according to their own desires and aims—but recognize their own dependence on the CCP and thus not only bend toward what they believe leaders want but are also pliant when direct demands are made of them. The CCP does not control them directly—but they must do as they are told when told by the party.