Official definition of EVIL ROAD in Hu Jintao's report at 18th Party Congress: the road of capitalism and democratic socialism

At the opening of the 18th CPC National Congress in Beijing on November 8th, Chinese President Hu Jintao said China would neither follow the rigid old path of closed door and ossified politics, nor take to the evil road of changing the flags and banners.

In front of more than 2,000 delegates at the opening of the 18th CPC National Congress in Beijing on November 8, Chinese President Hu Jintao red a lenthy keynote report. While most western media emphasize his call for fighting against corruption and narrowing the rich-poor divide, Chinese media more highlight his crucial dictation on which road China will go along for the future.

During his 2-hour speech, the incumbent Chinese president said, “In over 30 years of continuous and consistent exploration since the Reform and Opening Up, we have been unswervingly upholding the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Neither will we follow the rigid old road of closed door and ossified politics, nor will we take the evil road of changing our flags and banners.”

Hu’s report immediately became headline in Chinese media and his lengthy report has been summarized as “Not follow rigid old road, nor evil road of changing flags and banners” (不走僵化的老路，不走改旗易帜的邪路), or simply “Not old road, nor evil road” (不走老路，不走邪路). Most websites heavily censor comments or simply close the function of commenting to Hu’s report, so the true Chinese reaction to Hu’s statement is largely unknown, but it is believed that Hu’s statement has blown a chilling wind on those Chinese hoping for systemic changes.

But what the rigid old path and evil road are, Hu Jintao did not specify clearly in his report. Although a majority Chinese understand what Evil Road means, no officials or party experts come up to explain what Hu’s OLD ROAD and EVIL ROAD mean until November 11th when the official explanation of Zhang Feng, vice president of Central Socialist Academy of China, made public.

EVIL ROAD refers to the road of capitalism and democratic socialism

On the morning of November 9, the next day of the opening ceremony of 18th Party Congress, Zhang Feng (张峰), vice dean of Central China Socialist Academy, came to online department of People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of CPC, and answered questions of Chinese netizens. During the online discussion themed “Summary of the last decade and the history status of Scientific Development Concept”, Zhang Feng explained what is rigid old road and what is evil road and what road China should go along for the future.

“The so called rigid old road of closed society and ossified politics refers to the traditional political path China went before the opening up policy was carried out in the late 1970s, including the socialist model of Soviet Union” Zhang Feng said.

“And evil path of changing flags and banners refer to two political models: one is giving up the socialist way completely and going the capitalist way; the other one is the democratic socialism practised in some western countries such as in north europe which governed by socialist democratic parties, because their democratic socialist road does not conform to national conditions of China. China can only go the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, which is proved to be correct by the long-term practice and exploration of the party and the Chinese people.” Zhang Feng added.

China will still adopt the current political system of socialism with Chinese characteristics

So it is clear China will neither go Mao’s ultra-leftist way, nor the democratic socialist road, and China can only keep on the current political path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. And responding to the confusion of some Chinese netizens, Zhang Feng also explained what is socialism with Chinese characteristics.

“The definition of socialism with Chinese characteristics is: Under the leadership of Communist Party of China, based on fundamental national conditions, China will concentrate in economic development, adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles (of the socialist road, the people’s democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and Marxism-Leninist and Mao Zedong Thought), preserve in the reform and opening up, emancipate and develop social productivity, build socialist market-oriented economy, socialist democracy, socialist advanced culture, harmonious society, socialist ecological civilization, and enhance the full development of humans, gradually realize common prosperity among all Chinese and a prosperous, democratic, civilized and socialist modern China!”

The 18th Party Congress is widely called the once-in-a-decade power transition of China. The congress will usher in a new set of leaders of the world’s most populous nation. After a decade in power, Hu is expected to hand over the party’s top job to Vice President Xi Jinping.

*Republished with permission from HugChina