CPC extends presence within foreign enterprises(2)

Role of Party committees

The rapid development of Party branches in foreign enterprises started in 2001, when then president Jiang Zemin announced at the celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the CPC that people working in all kinds of enterprises, whether they were SOEs, foreign enterprises or private-owned enterprises, were all "contributors to the socialist construction," Zhang Dong, director of the Party committee office at the Beijing Investment Promotion Bureau (BIPB), told the Global Times.

In 1991, there were 12 foreign enterprises that had Party organizations under the auspices of the BIPB. By the end of June, 366 foreign enterprises had formed Party branches in Beijing, with 3,288 Party members.

"The important role of Party branches in foreign enterprises is acting as a bridge that brings national policies into companies, which help companies become familiar with the latest situations in the country and make strategies accordingly," Zhang said.

In Shanghai, the Shanghai Foreign Service Co. (SFSC), which  serves 25,000 enterprises, has now set up 486 Party branches in foreign enterprises, now consisting of 10,000 Party members.

Yu Fuzhong, the director of the Party committee office of the SFSC, told the Global Times that the establishment of Party branches is not only to maintain political stability, but is also an important method for cultivating Party members into becoming high-quality talent for companies. When asked whether there had been frictions between the Party branches and these foreign companies, most branch secretaries preferred to emphasize their successful cooperation.

The SFSC promotes Party activities in various ways, including inviting experts to deliver lectures on the latest situations, publishing news reports every month, organizing charity activities regularly and setting up an online community for Party members.

Party members in most foreign enterprises often take part in charitable activities oriented toward environmental causes, which serves the dual purpose of assisting the environment and helping to earn the trust of foreign managers.

Ford China has set up an annual fund of 1.5 million yuan ($ 235,500) to reward the contributors to environmental causes, while Party members at ANZ China regularly devote school supplies to the students at primary schools for children of migrant workers.

Shen Qinyi, Party branch secretary at the Parametric Technology Corporation of China (PTC China), organizes English and information technology classes for children and senior residents of Shanghai communities on weekends every month.

New forms of Party activities are being carried out at Party branches. Shen started a Sina Weibo for their Party branch called "PTC Red House," which publishes the latest news from their Party branch, introducing Party members on their honor board while providing study and communication opportunities for members who have no enough time for meetings.