Chongqing – Governments around the world face common challenges: strengthening discipline, fighting corruption and rebuilding public trust. Spanish international relations scholar Rafael Martín Rodríguez highlighted these shared concerns in a recent interview with Bridging News, drawing parallels with China's latest governance priorities.

The Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), held in Beijing from October 26 to 29, adopted a resolution on major issues concerning the continued advancement of full and rigorous Party self-governance. The meeting underscored the importance of strengthening the Party's political leadership, improving internal oversight, enforcing discipline, and deepening the fight against corruption.

For Rodríguez, professor of international relations and representative of the University of Granada in China, the meeting should be understood in the context of both China's domestic priorities and an increasingly uncertain international environment.

He said the session continued the broad direction established at the 20th CPC National Congress, including advancing Chinese modernization, deepening reform, safeguarding national security and improving people's living standards. But he singled out stronger Party discipline and organizational cohesion as particularly important. He views the emphasis on Party self-governance as part of a broader effort to strengthen institutional capacity and ensure that governance priorities are effectively implemented at different levels.

Rafael Martín Rodríguez is a professor of international relations and a representative of the University of Granada in China. (Photo/Rafael Martín Rodríguez)

Anti-corruption requires accountability and incentives for integrity

Rodríguez identified the relationship between disciplinary accountability and positive incentives as one of the notable aspects of China's approach to combating corruption. While anti-corruption efforts often center on investigating and punishing misconduct, he argued that effective governance should also recognize officials who perform their duties with integrity. 

His observation reflects a broader governance question: how to maintain strict oversight while encouraging public officials to take responsibility and act proactively.

In his view, the CPC has continued to emphasize both the enforcement of discipline and the need to encourage officials to assume responsibility and deliver results. The challenge is to establish an institutional environment in which accountability and initiative reinforce rather than undermine each other.

Rodríguez also highlighted the importance of strengthening communication between government institutions and the public, particularly younger generations. He noted that economic pressures, changing social expectations and public concerns make responsiveness and transparency increasingly important for maintaining public confidence.

He added that governments in some Western countries are also working to address declining public trust and engagement. In different national contexts, these challenges underscore the importance of making public institutions more responsive to citizens' needs and better equipped to address practical concerns.

Understanding China's governance beyond simplified perceptions

Rodríguez identified limited understanding of China's political and administrative structure as a major obstacle to more informed international discussion of the country.

China's governance system encompasses multiple levels of administration, including the central government, provincial and local authorities, as well as various ministries and institutions. Their respective responsibilities and interactions cannot be fully understood through simplified descriptions of the political system, he said.

Drawing on his academic experience, Rodríguez said his students are often surprised by the complexity of China's governance structure when introduced to its different administrative levels and institutional relationships. He added that the same principle applies to international research: analysis of China should be grounded in a closer examination of its institutions and policy practices rather than preconceived assumptions.

Furthermore, the plenary session offers an opportunity to examine China's governance priorities through issues with wider international relevance. Anti-corruption, public accountability, and the relationship between governments and citizens are challenges shared by countries with different political systems and institutional traditions.

For Rodríguez, these common concerns provide a basis for constructive international exchange. Comparing how different countries address similar governance challenges can broaden understanding and create opportunities for mutual learning. A more nuanced understanding of China, he concluded, depends on examining how its institutions operate in practice and placing its governance experience within its broader historical and social context.