Chen Xiaodong Is as Much an Ambassador for the Chinese Communist Party as He Is for the Chinese Government

China’s new ambassador to South Africa, Chen Xiaodong, led a webinar discussion this week that highlighted the dual role that Chinese envoys play abroad: to represent both the Chinese state and the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They’re not the same thing.

In Chinese politics, the state is subservient to the party — a very different dynamic than in most other countries, where political parties are secondary to the government.

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by Eric Olander

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