By: - Professor LI Hongfeng, Dean of the Faculty of African Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University
In collaboration with Mr. Héribert-Label Elisée ADJOVI, Specialist in International and China-Africa Affairs
The Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) reaffirmed the need to unwaveringly advance the Party's comprehensive and rigorous self-governance. It is important to clarify that this approach is not a ready-made model that can be transferred wholesale to other countries. Rather, for political parties in African countries, it offers valuable food for thought and useful references for developing solutions adapted to local African realities and addressing the governance challenges facing the continent.
In many African countries, long-term development visions often encounter limitations due to the insufficient institutional and organizational capacities of ruling parties. The concept of self-reform introduces a different approach: instead of passively waiting for opposition forces or election results to drive change, ruling parties can establish permanent mechanisms to identify and correct their own shortcomings. For African political parties seeking to promote steady development for the benefit of their populations, an important question deserves consideration: how can internal discipline and oversight mechanisms be established to ensure that national development projects are not interrupted whenever leadership changes occur?
The systematic fight against corruption is another issue that deserves attention. Anti-corruption campaigns often focus on a limited number of cases involving senior officials but struggle to maintain momentum once public attention fades. The Fifth Plenary Session of the CPC emphasizes a coordinated approach to combating corruption: relying on sanctions to create a deterrent effect, regulations to constrain the exercise of power, and value-based guidance to foster a culture of integrity. It is necessary to crack down on major corruption while also fighting the "flies" and "termites" — petty corruption at the grassroots level that directly harms ordinary people. This is particularly crucial for infrastructure projects, agricultural assistance programmes and development funds. Without effective oversight, even investments intended to improve people's well-being may fail to reach grassroots communities or benefit the people they are meant to serve.
Strengthening political party organizations and improving their implementation capacity are fundamental to turning plans into reality. Despite ambitious national development plans, concrete policies often remain stalled at the local level due to inadequate coordination within ruling parties, a lack of accountability mechanisms and failure by lower-level authorities to implement directives. The CPC's experience in exercising comprehensive and rigorous self-governance demonstrates that a political organization combining strict discipline with unified objectives can help translate long-term strategies into tangible results. A political party should not serve merely as an electoral instrument; it must also possess the organizational capacity to fulfil its commitments to public well-being over the long term.
At the heart of this governance approach lies the principle of putting the people first. A political party cannot seek citizens' trust only during election periods and solely for the purpose of securing votes. Its legitimacy rests on continuously improving people's well-being, protecting vulnerable groups and demonstrating accountability to the public.
However, some African liberation movements that once enjoyed broad popular support have gradually become disconnected from their grassroots constituencies after coming to power, becoming increasingly aligned with the interests of a small elite. The lesson is clear: a political party must remain rooted in the people and measure the effectiveness of its work by the tangible improvements it brings to people's living conditions.
It should be emphasized that Africa cannot mechanically replicate China's system. The African continent is characterized by considerable diversity in terms of history, ethnic composition, political systems and economic foundations. Therefore, no single governance model can be universally applied. What African leaders and researchers can draw from China's experience includes internal self-correction mechanisms, an institutionalized anti-corruption framework, strict organizational discipline and a consistent commitment to prioritizing people's well-being.
As Africa continues its progress towards the goals set out in Agenda 2063, the search for governance approaches suited to local realities remains ongoing. China's experience shows that sustainable development depends on a political party that is both capable and accountable. Every African country has the right to chart its own path and, while drawing inspiration from experiences around the world, give priority to meeting the expectations and aspirations of its people.