China’s new Communist Party body to drive tech self-reliance is up and running

The reshuffle of state and party institutions, proposed during the annual legislative sessions in March, is aimed at asserting direct party control on a wider range of policy areas.

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The science commission, which will oversee Beijing’s technological self-sufficiency drive, is the final one to be set up under the overhaul plan. It comes as the United States doubles down on its containment of China’s tech sector, including the suspension of hi-tech exports, over what it says are security concerns.

China’s “forceful” government restructuring plan would include the financial and technology sectors, President Xi Jinping had told pro-Communist Party groups ahead of the national legislative sessions in March.

Central authorities had aimed to complete the overhaul on the national level within this year, while local governments had until the end of 2024 to set up corresponding branches.

Deng Yuwen, a former deputy editor of the Study Times, the official newspaper of the Central Party School for cadre-training, said Beijing had obviously made a very “hard push” for the revamp, as most of the work had been completed much ahead of deadline.

“It shows Xi has given lots of personal attention to this overhaul, because this is vital for the regime’s stability given the current geopolitical environment,” Deng said.

“Facing the containment drive from the US, it is only natural for Xi to respond by strengthening the party’s control in finance, technology, and domestic security with the party and his trusted men controlling relevant institutions.”

The new commission will effectively exert more direct party control on the science ministry and other government bodies related to the quest for technological self-reliance – a top priority for China as the US tech war intensifies.

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The first post-reshuffle party body revealed to the public was the Hong Kong and Macau Work Office of the Communist Party Central Committee – Beijing’s revamped top office on Hong Kong affairs – which announced its first meeting on July 11.

Unlike the earlier Hong Kong and Macau Office (HKMAO), which reported to the State Council, or China’s cabinet, the new, higher-level body answers directly to the party’s central leadership.

The Post has reported that the new HKMAO reports to the party’s Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs, a top decision-making group led by executive vice-premier Ding Xuexiang.

Xia Baolong remains as director, with former Henan provincial deputy secretary and security chief Zhou Ji, 59, appointed as executive deputy director.

A senior political researcher at Beijing’s Tsinghua University said Beijing highlighted its Hong Kong and Macau apparatus more because of the “one country, two systems” arrangement for the special administrative regions.

Transparency requirements were “much higher” for the two overseas-facing cities, the researcher said on condition of anonymity, as he did not have official permission to speak to the media.

The overhaul plan presented in March included the setting up of a supervisory Central Finance Commission, expected to be led by Xi, and its general office, likely to be overseen by Vice-Premier He Lifeng. Both would be party bodies directly answering to its top decision-making Central Committee.

A committee was also to be set up to oversee party affairs at all state-owned financial institutions and regulators.

South China Morning Post