Editor’s note: "Roots of China's Growth" is a 10-episode series marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which has presided over the country's meteoric rise as a global power. The series focuses on 10 fundamental elements of the strategy that has led to China's transformation from an impoverished nation over the past 100 years. The "leadership model" is the first in the series.
一场灾难发生后，政府反应速度需要有多快？这个数字直接关系到多少民众可以得救，也是一个政府领导力的写照。2008年汶川地震，不到10个小时，已有2万名解放军和武警官兵到达灾区开展救援，另有3.4万名官兵通过空运和铁路赶往四川地震灾区。2020年，新冠疫情肆虐中国武汉，几天内，从各地和军队调集的4.26万名医务人员驰援湖北省。中国速度的背后是什么？全球对于这个问题的答案没有异议，那就是：没有政府强有力的领导力就没有速度。
一场地震发生后，政府反应速度需要有多快？这个速度直接关系到多少民众可以得救，也是一个政府领导力的写照。13年前，在技术远不及当今的中国，这个数字就足以让世界惊叹。How fast can a government respond to an earthquake? The answer not only affects how many lives might be saved, but also speaks to a government's leadership. China's answer to this question, even 13 years ago when the country's technological development was far from where it is today, amazed the world.2008年汶川发生地震。震后10多分钟，军队处置突发事件领导小组办公室立即从北京发出情况通报，解放军应急预案紧急启动。In 2008, a major earthquake jolted Wenchuan, a county of Sichuan Province in southwest China. Around 10 minutes after the disaster hit, China's military emergency response office issued a statement on the situation from Beijing, and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) initiated its emergency response plan.震后第21分钟，成都军区派出查看灾情的４架直升机起飞。驻灾区的成都军区6100名官兵和武警四川总队3000余名官兵紧急出征，采取多种办法南北并进开赴救灾一线。By the 21st minute, the Chengdu Military Command dispatched four helicopters to survey the damage, with 6,100 officers and soldiers from the Chengdu Military Command stationed around the affected area and over 3,000 members of the Sichuan Armed Police Force also deployed to the frontlines.震后不到10个小时，已有2万名解放军和武警官兵到达灾区开展救援，另有3.4万名官兵通过空运和铁路赶往四川地震灾区。 In less than 10 hours, 20,000 PLA troops and armed police were already at disaster sites assisting with relief work. An additional 34,000 officers and soldiers were on their way to provide more support.中国速度的背后是什么？
Intrinsic speed of state responsiveness
虽然一直以来西方对中国有各种偏见和误解，但是对于这个问题的答案应该没有异议：没有政府领导力就没有速度。从“两弹一星”到“嫦娥”探月，从南水北调工程到青藏铁路，从北京奥运会到上海世博会，中国共产党在各个领域都显示了其强大的领导力。
Despite the misunderstandings some Westerners harbor about China, the answer to this question is undeniable: the government's leadership is an absolute source of it. From "Two Bombs, One Satellite" to the Chang'e lunar mission, from the south-to-north water diversion project to the Qinghai-Tibet railway, from the Beijing Olympics to the Shanghai World Expo, the CPC's resounding leadership has radiated across all social sectors.但是，这种领导力绝不是西方想象的中国威权统治。在中国土地上成长起来的党具有领导力基因，这种基因密码决定了中国共产党在驾驭各种不确定性和挑战中可以彰显超强的问题解决能力、共识凝聚力、社会动员力和恢复回旋力。But such leadership is by no means equivalent to what some portray as China's authoritarian rule. Having grown and developed in China, the CPC has leadership in its genes. This is expressed in the Party's capabilities in problem-solving, consensus building and social mobilization, as well as its great resilience amid uncertainties and challenges.中国是世界人口大国，地域差异巨大，民族多样，疆域辽阔，要形成全国一盘棋很不容易。在两千多年的历史上，中国多次经历分裂和动荡，造成了颠覆性的后果。这是中国共产党诞生的历史环境，也是在这种历史环境下，中国共产党经过百年探索建立一个稳定的、有效克服分裂的、具有生命力的政党体系。China is a populous, multi-ethnic country with vast territory, and drastic regional differences that make nationwide solidarity hard to achieve. The past two millennia witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties, secessionism, and civil unrest with disruptive consequences. Born in such a volatile historical environment, the CPC, through a century of exploration and experiment, has established a stable and strong political system that is full of life.A unique governance philosophy在治理超大社会的过程中，中国共产党充分汲取中华文明治国理政的智慧，形成了具有中国特色的领导之道。While managing a mega-society, the CPC draws on the wisdom of the Chinese civilization and has developed a unique leadership philosophy with Chinese characteristics.中国共产党的强大领导力充分体现为凝聚共识的能力。面对突如其来的疫情，中国共产党从全局出发，做出武汉封城的紧急决策。政策出台伊始，有一些群体表示不理解、质疑，甚至表现出恐慌的情绪。但是，中国共产党在中央政府层面及时公布真实和可靠的信息，在地方政府层面组织基层社区人员挨家挨户解决隔离群众的生活问题。这不仅有效遏制了疫情的扩散，也极大地促进了社会稳定。The CPC's leadership is reflected in its consensus-building capability. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPC locked down the city of Wuhan to contain further spread of the virus. In the beginning, this elicited confusion, questions, and even panic from some groups in society. The CPC provided timely updates on the situation through the central government and helped people under lockdown address challenges regarding everyday life – through grassroots community actions mobilized by local governments. Such efforts effectively curbed the spread of the pandemic and fostered social stability.反观一些西方“民主”国家却因为党争不断，社会出现了更严重的分裂。2020年皮尤研究中心的民意调查显示，超过四分之三的受访者认为自己的国家现在比大流行之前更加分裂。作为世界第一大国，美国甚至在“戴口罩”问题上都不能达成共识。On the other hand, some countries were bogged down by deep social divisions, resulting from partisan conflicts. According to a Pew Center poll in 2020, more than three-quarters of respondents believed their countries were more split than before the pandemic.中国共产党的强大领导力充分体现为社会动员力，这保证了中国集中力量办大事的能力。在疫情暴发初期，武汉防疫物资极度匮乏。党中央迅速部署了对口支援机制，19个省份对口支援湖北省除武汉市外的16个市州和县级市。来自解放军和全国各地的330多支医疗队、超过4万名医务人员星夜驰援，自告奋勇走到了最前线。The CPC's leadership is also demonstrated by the Party's social mobilization capability, which enables the government to pool all resources to complete key national undertakings. In the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak, Wuhan was in dire need of pandemic relief supplies. The Central Committee swiftly put in place a supporting mechanism through which 19 provinces provided direct assistance to 16 cities and prefectures outside Wuhan in Hubei Province. More than 330 military and civilian medical teams comprised of more than 40,000 healthcare workers came to Wuhan's rescue and volunteered to work at the frontline.世界卫生组织总干事谭德塞赞叹：“我一生中从未见过这样的动员。中方行动速度之快、规模之大，世所罕见，这是中国制度的优势。”中国速度的背后是“集中力量办大事”的制度优势。"I have never seen, in my life, this kind of mobilization," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom. "China's speed, China's scale, and China's efficiency… is the advantage of China's system."反观某些国家，州政府和联邦政府抢夺医疗物资，围追堵截联邦政府，像匪徒一样抢夺物资，令人不胜唏嘘。In some other countries, however, state governments are adopting different and sometimes contradictory COVID-19 policies, making a coordinated, efficient, and mobilized COVID-19 response unlikely.中国共产党的强大领导力充分体现为快速恢复能力。面对同样的灾难，比拼的是国家快速爬起来恢复的能力。与西方党派恶斗、内部消耗形成强烈对比的是，中国共产党不用担心丢失权力，可以集中精力进行经济复苏。在疫情中，中国共产党不仅立足当下的经济刺激政策，更是注重化危为机，围绕未来十五年制定了长远的经济社会发展战略规划。The CPC's leadership is also fully demonstrated by its resilience. The pandemic has been a test of national resilience. In stark contrast to the U.S. where partisan fights weaken countries from within, the CPC need not worry about power struggles and can therefore concentrate on economic recovery. During the pandemic, the CPC not only worked on short-term economic stimulus, but also charted a strategic blueprint for socio-economic development over the next 15 years as an endeavor to turn crises into opportunities.有学者在对比中美执政绩效时说，中国的政党体系十分稳定。在中国共产党的领导下，国家年均GNP收入连续增长，满足了14亿人口的需要，中国经济强劲复苏。相比之下，美国由于党争很难制定出长远的计划。四年执政之后，美国拜登政府的政策会不会又被推倒重来，能否重建美国的领导能力，还是一个很大的未知数。When comparing the performance of Chinese and American governments, some scholars have noted that China's political party system has been very stable. Under the leadership of the CPC, China's per annum GNP keeps growing, meeting the needs of the country's 1.4 billion people and promoting a robust economic rebound. In the meantime, the U.S. still struggles to produce a long-term plan due to its partisan divisions. Whether or not the Biden administration will be voted out after its first term is uncertain.Debunking the autocracy theory每每提到中国共产党，西方总是将其与“专制”挂钩。但是数据显示，中国的强大领导力有着深厚的民众基础。在疫情这次大考中，普通民众对于政党的看法普遍失望。世界价值观调查针对55个国家的民众进行了调查。在问到“对本国政党是不是有信心？”有 75%的回答显示“完全没有”或者“不太有”。只有在中国、越南、马来西亚的调查，显示对政党“有”和“非常有”信心。For some Westerners, China's government has been a synonym for "autocracy," but data shows that its leadership is deeply rooted in the masses. During the pandemic, many people around the world have been generally disappointed by political parties. A study by The World Values Survey found 75 percent of respondents from 55 countries have little or no confidence in their parties. Only respondents from China, Vietnam, and Malaysia mostly answered: "a great deal" or "quite a lot" in describing their confidence.美国哈佛大学肯尼迪政府学院阿什民主治理与创新中心在2020年发布了一项名为《理解中国共产党韧性：中国民意长期调查》的报告提出，到2016年，中国政府比过去20年中的任何时候都更受欢迎。中国共产党受到了中国绝大多数民众的支持。
In China, public satisfaction with the Chinese government in 2016 was higher than at any time over the previous two decades, according to a report by the Harvard Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation in 2020. The data shows a vast majority of Chinese people support the CPC.政党是国家治理中的关键机构，拥有超强的政治领导力是政党应对危机的关键。如何建设负责任的政党？如何发挥执政精英的作用？如何处理政党与民众的联系？这是全世界政党面临的共同难题。今天的中国，在中国共产党的领导下，充分释放出了中国特色社会主义制度的优势。中国共产党是一个以百年为尺度来思考的世界大党，也为世界政党提升政治领导力贡献了宝贵经验。Political parties are key instruments of state governance. Extraordinary leadership is a political party's most powerful asset in managing crises. How do we build responsible political parties? How should ruling elites play their respected roles? How do we handle the relationship between political parties and the people? These are common challenges facing political parties across the world. Today's China, under the leadership of the CPC, is showing its advantages to the fullest as a socialist country with Chinese characteristics. And the CPC's leadership is the answer.
作者系中共中央党校党的建设教研部副教授郑寰。
The author is Professor Zheng Huan of the Party Development Research Center at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC.