中国社会民主党

 

 

2006年五月下旬，由中国社会民主党主席刘国凯、秘书长刘因全、国际联络部长周延风组成的中国社会民主党代表团分别访问了瑞典、荷兰、法国的社会民主主义政党。这次访问具有开创性质，是中国社会民主主义者第一次与欧洲社会民主主义者直接接触。它标志着中国的社会民主主义运动已开始汇聚于世界社会民主主义潮流之中。它成为这个潮流的一部分，壮大了这个潮流，也将从这个潮流吸取力量。

 

一、

 

五月二十二日上午十时，中国社会民主党代表团到达瑞典社会民主党总部。瑞典社会民主党国际联络部长安琳德、党的竞选事务负责人英格玛和主管党内教育的负责人桑德格云会见了中国社会民主党代表团。瑞典社会民主党党员、中国社会民主党瑞典联络员陈世忠先生陪同会见。

会见开始时，中国社会民主党主席刘国凯首先作简短的英文发言(原文附后)，然后双方进行内容广泛的交谈。刘国凯、刘因全以汉语表述。安琳德等以英语表述。周延风担任中英翻译，并在翻译过程中补充自己的意见。(此后与其他欧洲党的交流会谈中均如此)

安琳德首先表示想了解一下中国社会民主党的概况。对此，刘因全介绍了中国社会民主党组建的过程，目前的组织状况。他尤其着重说明的是，由于在中国国内存在着中国共产党对民主志士的高压和迫害，中国社会民主党的组织只能秘密存在。已有一些秘密党部被中共政治警察破坏，成员被拘捕审讯，其中最严酷的是中国社会民主党北京党部成员、中国社会民主党中央委员会委员、中央理论研究室主任王小宁被判处10年徒刑。

刘国凯着重谈到社会民主主义在中国面临的困境。他说这困境由多方面的挤压造成。在中国国内的所谓知识精英中一度流行“新权威主义”、“新保守主义”。这些“主义”实质上曲折地为中共专制主义张目。在国外的异议团体中流行着自由主义，夸大社会民主主义在追求社会公正的过程中对经济发展的抑制作用。一些对社会民主主义理论缺乏了解的善良人们以为社会民主主义与中共的“社会主义”大同小异，而对它采取疑虑态度。对社会民主主义最大的挤压来自中国共产党。中国共产党对咒骂资本主义和吹捧资本主义都抱以无所谓的态度。这是因为共产党前三十几年一直在咒骂资本主义，近十几年却又在实行最不人道的早期资本主义。而社会民主主义是一面照妖镜。它能照出中国共产党对人类社会主义理想的背叛、歪曲和篡改，所以中国共产党对社会民主主义的理念和实践，以及西北欧诸国社会民主主义政党所取得的巨大成就讳莫如深。它深恐中国人民了解到这些后会加深对中国共产党反动本质的认识，因此，中国共产党欣赏“新权威主义”的流行；许可“自由主义”的流传；而全力打压社会民主主义的传播。

安琳德说现在欧洲各社会民主主义政党大多与中国共产党保持有联系，而我们瑞典社会民主党坚持不与中国共产党发生联系。你们对此有什么看法？

中国社会民主党代表团三成员几乎异口同声地说：对此表示由衷的钦佩。

安琳德接着说：欧洲许多社会民主主义政党与中国共产党保持联系并非认不清中国共产党的本质。在这方面，它们与瑞典社会民主党是没有区别的。只是它们认为与中国共产党保持联系有促使它发生变革的作用。对前苏共就是这样。

对此，刘国凯说：中国社会民主党并不反对欧洲某些社会民主党的这一做法。或许它会在某些具体事情上产生某些作用。但是如果以为这些联系能促使中国共产党发生根本性的变革则是不现实的。中国社会民主党代表团三成员对此都阐述了自己的意见。意见可归纳为以下四个方面。

1、前苏联从根本上来说是一个欧洲国家。中国是纯粹的亚洲国家。从地缘政治来看，欧洲近代、现代民主理念对前苏联社会的影响渗透远比对中国强得多。

2、只经过几年国内战争的苏共政权所造就的“革命功臣”阶层远小于经过二十几年国内战争的中共政权所造就的“革命功臣”阶层。这个阶层是中共专制政权强大深厚的社会根基。

3、经过赫鲁晓夫公开、深刻的“非斯大林化”运动，苏共在精神上、组织上都有极大削弱。而邓小平尽管内心对毛泽东极为怨恨，但他从稳定共产党政权的大局着眼，非但拒绝公开的“非毛化”，而且继续肯定毛的功绩和地位。

4、苏共没有着力于接班人的传承，致使具有民主思想的戈尔巴乔夫能破土而出。而中国共产党则极为注重选拔、培养它的“革命接班人”。只有经过重重识别、筛选，被确认为对中国共产党的政治专制主义忠心不二的人，才有可能被选拔到领导职位上。现任中共总书记胡锦涛竟然在中共高层内部会议上说：“不要以为北朝鲜、古巴在经济上搞得不大好，其实在政治上它们一直是正确的。”胡锦涛讲出如此荒谬的话，正从反面证明了邓小平选拔“革命接班人”的成功。

根据这些分析，中国社会民主党代表团认为，中国共产党即使有一天发生根本变革，那一定是在强大的正义压力下，而不是在温和的建议下。因此，希望欧洲诸社会民主主义政党能给予中国共产党以强大的正义压力。

安琳德提出疑问：中国的经济有着20年的高速发展，对此，欧洲许多社会民主主义政党都感到困惑。你们对此作何解释？

中国社会民主党代表团三成员对此的解答综合为如下三个方面。

1、中国共产党历来实行黑箱作业。它公布的数字带有极大的虚假成分。外界永远无法得到真实的数据。

2、中国的“经济奇迹”以巨大的资源消耗为代价。有统计数字说，中国创造出同量的产值，其资源消耗是世界平均值的三倍。中国共产党竭泽而鱼的经济政策正在对有限的地球资源造成灾难性的后果。

3、中国共产党的所谓“经济奇迹”在中国造成了极其严重的贫富悬殊、两极分化。中国共产党的官僚和与这些官僚密切勾结的经济暴发户攫取了大量的财富，而广大底层民众则生活在贫困之中。东南沿海城市里的高楼大厦与中西部农村的破败凋敝充分说明中国共产党“经济奇迹”的虚假和灾难。

在中国社会民主党谈到有加入社会党国际的愿望时，安琳德坦率地说：现在社会党国际已有166个成员党，还有许多党在申请加入之中。社会党国际对成员党有明确的要求。一是其组织规模须达到一定的程度，二是不处于流亡状态。故此，你们的组织目前不具备加入社会党国际的资格。

中午十二时半，安琳德邀请中国社会民主党代表团共进午餐。午餐后，安琳德另有事务要去办。在她将要离去时，中国社会民主党代表团向她赠送了刘国凯的几本著述和中国社会民主党的党旗。代表团向她解释了这有五种颜色组成的党旗的涵义。天蓝色象征自由；纯白色象征平等公正；草绿色象征繁荣；土黄色象征民主；红色象征博爱。中国社会民主党代表团说：这是中国社会民主党自制的第一面党旗。赠送给瑞典社会民主党是为了表示对瑞典社会民主党所给予支持的感谢。今后，当千万面中国社会民主党的党旗在中国各处飘扬时，我们都不会忘记，第一面党旗保存在瑞典社会民主党党部里。

接着，瑞典社会民主党中央竞选委员会的负责人英格玛向中国社会民主党代表团介绍了瑞典社会民主党执政十二年来的路线、方针、政策，讲解了今年竞选的策略。然后瑞典社会民主党党内教育部门的负责人桑德格云介绍了瑞典社会民主党组织发展和党内教育、党员培训等方面的做法和经验，并询问了中国社会民主党在这方面的做法。中国社会民主党如实介绍了有关情况。

刘国凯和刘因全说：中国社会民主党在2000年成立后就创办了中国社会民主党网站，一度发展为有影响力的民主阵地。网站多次被中共网特破坏，又努力恢复起来。2003年我们创办了美国国际出版社，出版了一批呼喊民主、传播社会民主主义的书籍。2005年，我党的教育部长蔡登文创办了<时仲论坛>双周报。发行量达13000份。其中有专门的“社会民主论坛”版面。由中国社会民主党美西党部主任、著名民主诗人蒋品超担任主编，专门传播社会民主主义理念。创办这些网站、报纸和出版书籍所用的资金都是我们辛勤劳动的工薪收入。中国社会民主党没有向任何政府或民间基金会申请过一分钱，也没有接受任何人的捐款。我们决心依靠自己的力量实现我们的理想和目标。我们虽然艰苦，但充满信心，并感到其乐无穷。瑞典社会民主党党内教育部门的负责人桑德格云听了极表惊讶和钦佩。她并向中国社会民主党代表团赠送了瑞典社会民主党的党徽。

中国社会民主党代表团对瑞典社会民主党的访问在友好愉快的气氛中结束。

 

二、

 

中国社会民主党原已与英国工党联系上。英国工党国际联络部表示愿意会见中国社会民主党代表团。中国社会民主党代表团三成员虽赴美多年，但为不被中国共产党指为没有资格过问中国政治事务的外籍人，遂刻意保持中国国籍。由于英国在申根协定之外，经与英国驻瑞典大使馆联系，代表团三成员均未能取得进入英国的签证。在这种情况下，中国社会民主党代表团临时决定南下访问丹麦社会民主党和荷兰工党。

五月二十五日，中国社会民主党代表团到达丹麦首都哥本哈根。但时值丹麦全国庆祝二战解放节。一直要放假到下星期一(二十九日)，中国社会民主党代表团只得继续南下荷兰首都阿姆斯特丹。五月二十六日到达阿姆斯特丹。荷兰与丹麦一样庆祝节日放假到下星期一。中国社会民主党代表团决定把原定二十八日到达巴黎，以在二十九日访问法国社会党的计划延后一天，以挤出时间在二十九号访问荷兰工党。

 

三、

 

五月二十九日，中国社会民主党代表团访问荷兰工党。由于事先并没有预约，荷兰工党国际联络部的负责人均有事务外出不在。但荷兰工党秘书处得知中国社会民主党代表团远道而来，遂临时寻找能抽得出空来会见中国社会民主党代表团的荷兰工党人士。荷兰工党国际问题顾问、荷兰工党籍议员惹吾腾和在原有的两次预定事务之间，利用午间(上午十一时五十分至下午一时) 会见了中国社会民主党代表团。

惹吾腾询问了中国社会民主党的一般情况，代表团作了回答。惹吾腾再请代表团谈谈中国国内的政治经济情况，我们对中国各种现实作了综合概述。

惹吾腾对中国的现实情况十分了解。他们说：我们很清楚，现在中国共产党在中国国内所实行的是把资本主义里最坏的和社会主义中最坏的加在一起的最坏的东西。我们完全了解，中国某些大城市里这些年建起的许多高楼大厦并不能说明中国的经济有多么好。因为中国工人农民的生活并没有得到相应的提高。与过去相比，工人农民与政府官员和社会上层人士的生活差距拉得更大了。我们还知道，中国共产党对欧洲民主国家采取着最狡猾的手段。它利用中国的广大市场来拉拢欧洲国家的企业界，再利用企业界去影响民主政府的外交政策。力图以经济利益作筹码，使欧洲国家不批评或少批评中国共产党对民主人权的压制。譬如我们荷兰的大企业“菲利普”公司在中国投资赚钱，对荷兰的经济有一定的拉动作用。中国共产党就利用这种经济关系来制约荷兰政府和民间对它专制主义的批评。

对你们的正义斗争我们荷兰工党是支持的。但这支持主要是在道义上。尤其我们荷兰是小国。我们也面临国内许多问题。右翼政党挑战我们。我们的党虽然是荷兰第一大党，但由于右翼三个党联合在一起，使我们失去了全国的执政权。虽然我们工党在首都阿姆斯特丹的选战仍然取得胜利，但亦使我们不得不更策略地处理各方面的事务。前不久，阿姆斯特丹组织了一个企业界代表团访问中国。中国的官员对他们说：中国将建三十二个这样的大学城，可给一个你们投资。那些荷兰企业家眼睛都发光了。但我们荷兰工党籍的阿姆斯特丹市长内心却十分痛苦不安。他不能阻止那些企业家跟中国官员签约，但他知道这些经济事务一方面是给中国共产党的政府输血，另一方面使荷兰各界在对中国共产党专政主义作批评时更受牵制了。

中国社会民主党代表团对此表示谅解。而且对那位市长表示钦佩。虽然他没能阻止那些签约，但只要他内心有这样的反应，就说明他的良知。只有社会民主党人才会有这样的良知。如果是那些右翼政党的市长就不会有这样的心理活动了。

惹吾腾向我们提出这样一个问题，在中国国内由于有中国共产党的政治高压，一般民众都不敢去争取民主人权是可理解的。可是为什么到了国外他们还是这样呢？这些年荷兰也来了不少中国人。他们都很勤劳。生活也越过越好。前些时，我们工党给他们开了个大型聚会。会上有各种文艺表演，大家都玩得很开心。到后来我们趁此机会增加了一个内容，就是希望他们在荷兰创立好生活的同时也关注一下中国民主人权的进步。想不到他们说，我们不谈这些，不谈政治。只谈把日子过好。这使我们很尴尬、很失望。你们说说，为什么会这样？

代表团回答说：这可归纳为这样几个原因。1、八十年代以前，中国共产党是对社会采取全面的政治高压。八十年代的所谓改革开放之后，中国共产党改变了策略。它一方面对敢于批评它的人继续采取政治高压，另一方面诱使人们想方设法去赚钱享受，不关心社会公理正义，不批评、、不反对中共的政治专制主义。共产党官员的贪污腐化给全社会作了极其恶劣的示范。经过这么多年的毒化。中国社会的政治冷漠感泛滥，拜金主义盛行，道德品质大幅度滑坡。这种情况也必然带到海外的华人群体中。2、海外华人虽远离中国共产党统治，但除非他不回国，否则，如果他在国外参加批评中国共产党的政治活动，回国就会有麻烦。就算不回国，国内亲友也会受到牵连。而如果在国外仍然处处表示出拥护共产党，那么就会受到优待，甚至回国做生意都会得到某些方便。共产党正是用这种胡萝卜加大棒的两手来控制海外华人。3、中国共产党还会派特务到海外华人社区活动。在海外华人社区里有利于中国共产党的言行中起领头作用。

经过中国社会民主党代表团三成员这样的解释，惹吾腾表示明白了其中的缘由。

中国社会民主党代表团还谈到国内成员所受到的压制，尤其是中央委员王小宁被判10年徒刑。而国外成员也是在十分艰难的状况下坚持工作。一方面要做工维持生活，一方面用业余时间和工薪收入去支持民主活动。像我们这次组团访问欧洲，就是要暂时离开工作，工薪扣了，又自己承担一切开支。想不到欧洲物价比美国贵那么多。为担心超支回不了美国，我们这些天为节约开支常以清水面包充饥。晚上只租到两张床的房间，两人睡床。轮流一人睡地板。有时还被大雨淋得浑身透湿。

惹吾腾说；你们的事迹使我们感动。看到你们，使我们想到我们欧洲社会民主党人的先辈。他们那时就是这样艰难走过来的。

中国社会民主党代表团三成员听了，极受感动，极受鼓舞。我们从他们这句话感受到真挚的社会民主党同志之情。感受到社会民主主义的国际主义精神。这个感情、这个精神超越国界；超越民族。我们想，从前有一句话是“全世界无产者联合起来”。在新时代，口号应是“全世界社会民主主义者联合起来”。他们的话成为鞭策我们在这条艰难的道路上坚持跋涉的动力。

惹吾腾下面还有预约的事务，要结束交谈了。中国社会民主党代表团向他们赠送了刘国凯撰写的<历史潮流-社会民主主义>。合影留念，挥手告别。

与这两位年青的荷兰工党籍议员的谈话气氛尤其轻松热烈。而且他们讲话多于我们讲话，这使我们得以了解到许多情况。他们的直率谈吐和敏捷的思维以及友善的神情都给中国社会民主党代表团留下深刻的印象。

 

四、

 

五月三十日凌晨，中国社会民主党代表团抵达巴黎。稍作睡眠已天亮。起床后先忙着到火车站购买回柏林的火车票，然后到处找法国社会党总部。至下午三时许才找到。法国社会党秘书长玛日策会见了中国社会民主党代表团。

玛日策首先亲切友好地询问中国社会民主党代表团已经去了哪些地方，会见了哪些党。刘国凯把一路来的情况向他简扼地作了介绍。并说到法国是此行最后一站。能在最后几乎要失望的时刻找到法国社会党总部，顺利地会见到法国党的同志，感到十分庆幸。

刘国凯接着说：我们中国社会民主党人对社会民主主义有着坚定的信念。我们深知萌发于十九世纪中叶、成熟于二十世纪中叶的社会民主主义是人道主义精神、社会正义和历史智慧的结晶。它最能给社会带来自由、公正、繁荣。当今，政治专制、贫富悬殊、社会公正荡然无存的中国社会极需要以社会民主主义去匡正。我们中国社会民主党组织代表团访问欧洲，是因为欧洲是社会民主主义的发源和成熟地。我们决心使中国的社会民主主义运动汇聚到世界社会民主主义运动的潮流之中。我们希望向欧洲的社会民主主义者学习，取得经验。也希望在我们艰难的奋斗中得到欧洲社会民主主义政党的支持。

关于支持，代表团三成员都着重指出。我们希望得到的是道义上的支持。我们并不寻求物质上、金钱上的支持。固然，社会民主主义运动的许多具体工作需要物质和金钱去支撑，但我们决心以自己的力量去实行。

玛日策询问了中国社会民主党组织的状况。这显然是各欧洲社会民主主义政党都关心的事项。

刘因全介绍了中国社会民主党的组织状况和困难处境。他说中国社会民主党在中国大陆之外建立了美东、美西、香港、台湾、日本党部。欧洲党部也即将建立。由于中国人由来以久的政治冷漠感；由于中国共产党政治特务在海外华人社会的渗透和破坏；由于海外政治异议阵营中广泛存在着自由主义，排斥社会民主主义；还由于我们都只能以自己有限的工薪收入，在业余事迹里从事社会民主主义事业，故中国社会民主党跟海外其他异议政治团体一样，其组织发展规模都有限。

刘国凯补充说明中国社会民主党在中国大陆内部的情况。他说中国社会民主党几年来已通过种种途径在国内建立了许多秘密党部。中国共产党对中国社会民主党的组织不遗余力地进行破坏打击。广东、深圳、福建等省的党部都被破坏，领导人被关押审讯。由于被捕者最终没有判刑，我们在海外就保持缄默，以免他们遭到更严酷的迫害。但最近我们获知中国社会民主党中央委员、理论研究室主任王小宁早于2003年已被秘密逮捕判处十年徒刑，这使我们警觉到，还有许多近年来与海外总部失去联络的国内某些秘密党部的领导人是否也像王小宁那样已被秘密党部判刑。现在我们谨向欧洲各社会民主主义政党发出呼吁，请你们对此给予关注和援助。

关于援助，刘国凯继续作了更具体的说明。他说。我们中国社会民主党希望得到欧洲各社会民主主义政党道义上的援助，譬如在王小宁被判重刑的事件上，我们希望欧洲各社会民主主义政党能施加正义压力使王小宁早日得到释放。如果你们的党与中国共产党有联系，而且是执政党，希望你们通过政府和党的两条途径施加影响。如果你们的党是执政党但没有与中国共产党发生党的联系，或者你们的党不是执政党但与中国共产党有党的联系，那么希望你们通过政府或党的某一条途径施加影响。如果你们的党既不是执政党，又与中国共产党没有党的联系，那么也希望通过其他种种途径施加影响。

对此，玛日策作了很明确的回应。他说：我们愿意给你们道义上的支持。但这支持需要以具体的项目来体现。王小宁被判十年重刑就是一个具体项目。拿着那迭厚厚的中文材料说：你们最好再整理出一份简单扼要的法文或英文材料。我们在充分了解情况后再考虑怎样做。

得到如此明确的答复，中国社会民主党代表团三成员都十分欣慰。在轻松亲切的气氛中，代表团谈到今天寻找法国社会党总部的困难。周延风说；我们一路问人，都以法语回答我们，而且都说不知道。甚至警察局的警官都说不知道。这倒真令人感到有点意外。刘国凯说对于寻找你们法国社会党总部的困难，我们不但没有怨言，而且从中感受到民主政治的精神。法国社会党总部是这样一幢普通的建筑，其所在地又不为一般市民所知，这说明了在民主制度下党政是完全分离的。而在中国，由于党政合一。中国共产党铁定垄断政治权力，它在各地的党部大楼都建得高大辉煌，每个城市的市民没有不知道省委、市委在哪里的。

由于中国社会民主党代表团系迟到访问。玛日策是挤出时间予以会见。四点半玛日策另有工作安排必须离去。会见将结束时，中国社会民主党赠送给玛日策一本<历史潮流-社会民主主义>，并希望法国社会党能组织力量将它翻译成法文和英文。会见在十分亲切融洽的气氛中结束，合影告别。

 

中国社会民主党第一次访问欧洲，虽有缺憾之处，如未能赴伦敦会见英国工党，但总的来说，效果是积极的。它让欧洲的社会民主主义政党开始知道，社会民主主义的理念和组织在世界上人口最多的国家里--中国--不再是空白。中国的社会民主主义者已行动起来，投入艰苦的奋斗。中国的社会民主主义运动已汇聚在世界社会民主主义潮流之中。中国社会民主党代表团在欧洲这十多天里几近寻道取经者的颠簸奔走，体现了中国社会民主党人坚定的信念和百折不绕的意志。这信念和意志必将迎来社会民主主义的朝阳在东亚大地上升起。

 

2006年6月15日

 

The Journal of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party Delegation Visiting European Socialist Democratic Parties

 

In the second half of May 2006, a three-member delegation of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party (CSDP) led by the chairman Liu Guokai visited the Socialist Democratic Parties of Sweden, Holland, and France. These were ground-breaking visits as the Chinese socialist democrats met their much more established European counterparts for the first time. It symbolizes the Chinese socialist democracy movement has begun to converge into the historic tide of the worldwide socialist democracy movement, further strengthening the global movement with the infusion of fresh elements, perspectives and aspirations, and drawing from it traditions, convictions, and moral support.

 

I.      Stockholm, Sweden

-- The engagement approach or not, the Chinese Communist Party’s revolutionary leadership rules on, and it does not want the real social democracy to take root in China.

 

On the morning of May 22, 2006 at 10 a.m. the CSDP delegation arrived at the headquarters of the Swedish Social Democratic Party (SSDP). Mr. Liu Guokai was joined by Mr. Liu Yinquan, the secretary general, and Mr. Zhou Yanfeng, the director of international communications. The delegation was welcomed by Ms. Ann Linde, the SSDP’s international secretary, Mr. Ingemar Bengtsson, the SSDP’s Speechwriter responsible for election affairs, and Ms. Anny Snadgren, in charge of internal Party’s training. Mr. Chen Shizhong, a Swedish Social Democrat and a local contact person of the CSDP also attended the meeting.

 

After Mr. Liu Guokai opened the meeting with a brief speech in English, the participants started their conversation and exchange covering a wide range of subjects. Messrs. Liu Guokai and Liu Yinquan spoke in Chinese, and Ms. Linde spoke in English, while Mr. Zhou Yanfeng was the translator, who also added his own opinions after his translation. (This method was used in all subsequent meetings and conversations with other Parties in Europe).

 

At first, Ms. Linde wanted to learn briefly some general information about the CSDP.  Mr. Liu Yinquan presented an introduction about the formation and organization of the CSDP and our current status. He especially emphasized that given the unrelenting repression and persecution towards all democratic activists and dissidents within China, the CSDP’s party organization apparatus can only exist and operate underground. Even though we have been extremely careful and vigilant, some of our secret Party offices were uncovered and destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party’s State Security police, our members were detained and questioned, while others arrested and sentenced. The most serious case of persecution that has come to light is Mr. Wang Xiaoning. A member of the CSDP’s Beijing party branch, a CSDP’s Central Committee Member and the Executive Director of the Central Office of Political Theory and Policy Studies, Mr. Wang Xiaoning was arrested in September 2002 and summarily sentenced to 10 years in prison in September 2003.

 

Mr. Liu Guokai specifically talked about the problems facing social democracy in China. The difficulties come from many fronts. In China, the so called intelligentsia, which lacks independence and is given a comfortable lifestyle by the government, pontificates such theories as “New Authoritarianism” and “Neo-conservatism” which dictates that stability without which the continued growth and prosperity cannot be sustained in a populous developing country like China trumps everything else, that to have stability we must have status quo, that China needs the Chinese Communist Party to continue its absolute control to ensure status quo, and that only the Communist Party has the ability and wherewithal to govern China.  Of course this is circular logic at its best, and a naked academic justification to glorify the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party. Because China under the Communist Party’s reign has become a very populous and still developing country, China needs the Communist Party to continue its totalitarian regime or China would be beset by chaos and risk losing prosperity.

 

While the State-sponsored intellectuals glorify the CCP’s dictatorship, the Chinese dissident groups abroad expound liberalism that exaggerates the limitation effects that social democracy would have on economy in reaching social fairness. Some people unfamiliar with the principals and theories of social democracy mistakenly believe that social democracy is same as the Chinese Communist Party’s brand of “socialism,” and become skeptics of social democracy.

 

The biggest attack and suppression of social democratic theory of course comes from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP carries a nonchalant attitude toward capitalism, whether one is attacking or glorifying capitalism. This is so because for the first thirty plus years of its rule, the CCP condemned capitalism for all of its sins and inhumanity in preaching communism was the salvation for the Chinese people; however, for the past more than 10 years, the CCP has been implementing the early stage and most inhuman form of capitalism. And social democracy is exactly the mirror that reveals the truth and all the ugliness of the evil. It exposes the betrayal, lies, and deceits in the CCP’s brand of so-called “socialism.” Thus, the CCP is very much fearful of the principles and practices of social democracy, as well as the monumental accomplishment and success of social democracy in Western European countries, which is a taboo that cannot be broached in China at all. Self-conscious and driven by instincts of self-preservation, the CCP recognizes that it cannot explain away the real and huge success of social democratic parties in western and northwestern European countries, and is constantly worried that once Chinese people learn of the truth, the people will come to realize what the CCP really is, a fraud and an anti-people evil regime. Therefore, the CCP hypes “New Authoritarianism,” allows “liberalism” and “capitalism” to spread, but abhors the real social democracy and strives to kill it at its bud at all costs.

 

Ms. Linde said that while currently most of the social democratic parties in Europe have contact with the Chinese Communist Party, the Swedish Social Democratic Party has insisted not to have contact with the CCP. Ms. Linde asked: “how do you all feel about this?”

 

All three delegates said almost simultaneously that they had a lot of respect for that.

 

Ms. Linde explained that although those social democratic parties in Europe who have contacts with the CCP recognize what the CCP is, just as the Swedish does, they have adopted the engagement approach to the CCP in the belief that if they maintain a relationship with the CCP, it would help its transformation, as was the case for the formal Soviet Union.

 

Regarding this, Mr. Liu Guokai said that the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party does not oppose the engagement approach. Under the right circumstances, this approach would have some effect on a particular matter. However, it would be quixotic to use this approach to help change the Chinese Communist Party fundamentally. The three delegates expressed their own opinions regarding this subject, which can be summarized as follows:

 

1.     The former Soviet Union was basically an European country. China is purely an Asian country in the Far East. Geopolitically, the influence of modern Europe and modern democratic principals has been much more pervasive and stronger on the Soviet Union than on China.

 

2.     The Soviet Communist Party’s revolutionary leadership who fought for only a few years of the civil war before coming to power was so much smaller than that of the Chinese Communist Party that fought for more than 20 years before finally taking over China in 1949. Consequently, the Soviet Communist revolutionary’s iron reign was that much shorter than the Chinese.  The more than two decades of “revolution” cemented an entire class of “revolutionary heroes,” with its Communist “founding fathers” leadership atop, and provided the enduring, strong and fully vested political, social and economic foundation for the CCP’s dictatorship over China. For example, the Soviet revolutionary leadership lasted from Lenin in 1917 to Stalin in 1953, a little more than three decades. In contrast, Mao Zedong was the paramount leader from 1949 through 1976; after Mao died in 1976, Deng Xiaoping, a teenager when the Communist revolution started and a junior member of the Communist revolutionary leadership, took over until early 1990’s; and Jiang Zemin, the “core of the third-generation” until 2003, brandished his revolutionary pedigree by claiming to be an adopted son of a revolutionary martyr.

 

3.     Through the very public and thorough “De-Stanlinization Movement” by Khrushchev, the Soviet Communist Party was weakened in its spirit and organizational structure. On the other hand, Deng Xiaoping, who had been persecuted by Mao, swallowed his hatred towards Mao.  Rather than de-deifying Mao to denounce Mao, Deng continued to hoist the Mao’s banner and praised Mao’s achievement and significance for Deng saw the overriding need to stabilize the political leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and continue the CCP’s regime.

 

4.     The Soviet Communist Party didn’t have a well thought-out and charted succession plan. Stalin’s untimely death led to the emergence of Khrushchev. The lack of focus to groom a hard-line successor in the tradition of the Soviet revolutionary resulted in Gorbachev ushering democratic reforms. Unlike the Soviet counterparts, the Chinese Communist Party focused on breeding, selecting and cultivating its “revolutionary successor”. Those who have been recognized, tested, and filtered up through many layers, as absolutely faithful to the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party are finally anointed to be in the leadership. Ever conscious of Khrushchev and Gorbachev, Deng was so determined not to repeat the mistakes of the Soviet Communist Party that Deng ousted Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, two successors hand-picked by Deng. And the result? Hu Jingtao, the so-called “fourth-generation” leadership as Secretary General of the Party stated unequivocally in an internal senior leadership meeting of the Chinese Communist Party: “Don’t think the economy of North Korea and Cuba is not good, in fact they’ve been politically correct all these time.”  Hu Jingtao’s pathetic and ridiculous utterances, music to Deng’s ears, have proved Hu firmly holds the mantle of the “revolutionary successor” of the CCP. So, the son of the Communist Party’s revolutionary leadership rules on.

Based on this brief analysis, the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party’s delegates believe that even if one day the Chinese Communist Party carries out serious and fundamental reform, it must be so because the Communist Party is forced to make reform under overwhelming pressure and outcry for justice, but not because it wants to heed suggestions and recommendations. Therefore, we hope that the social democratic parties in Europe could exert pressure on the Chinese Communist Party.

 

Ms. Linde raised a question about the fast-growing economy of China over the last 20 years. “Many social democratic parties in Europe feel very confused about it,” Ms. Linde asked. “How do you explain this?”

 

The delegates responded in the following three points.

1.     The Chinese Communist Party always operates inside a black box. The published spectacular achievements are fraught with numbers without disclosing the metrics by which the numbers are computed, and data that can’t be independently verified by the outside world.

 

2.     The “economic miracle” of China is achieved by paying the price of enormous consumption of natural resources. According to statistics, for China to produce goods of equivalent value, China consumes three times as much resource as the world’s average. The drying-up-the-pond-to-fish economic policy of the Chinese Communist Party is causing disastrous results to the very limited world resources, such as rapid deforestation, loss of agrarian lands and desertification, environmental pollutions and global warming.

 

3.     The so called “economic miracle” has created social stratification and extreme polarization of the haves and the have-nots. The bureaucrats of the Chinese Communist Party and the business people who have paid into this political patronage develop a mutually and extremely profitable party-capitalist network, leaving most of the people at the bottom of the society mired in perpetual poverty. The tall buildings in the southeast coastal cities in sharp contrast to the broken down, hapless poor villages in the midwest and throughout the vast inlands of China sufficiently explains the disastrous mirage of the “economic miracle” achieved by the Chinese Communist Party.

When the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party talked about its intention of joining the Socialist International, Mr. Linde responded frankly that there are 166 members in the Socialist International, and many more parties are still in the process of applying. The International has a set of very clear requirements for its membership parties, including 1) its organization must reach to a certain size; and 2) the membership party shall not be in exile. Therefore, your organization is currently not qualified to join the Socialist International.

 

Around 12:30 p.m. Ms. Linde invited the delegates to have lunch together. After lunch, Ms. Linde left to keep her afternoon appointment. Before her departure, the delegate presented to her several books by Mr. Liu Guokai and the flag of the Chinese Social Democratic Party. The delegates explained the significance of the five colors of the stripes on the flag: sky blue symbolizing freedom; pure white fairness and justice; grass green prosperity; earth yellow democracy; and red compassion. The delegates said that this is the first party flag made by the CSDP ourselves. We gave this flag to the Swedish Social Democratic Party to express our appreciation for the support by the Swedish Social Democratic Party. In the future, when hundreds and thousands of flags of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party are flying all over China, we will not forget that the first flag is kept with the Swedish Social Democratic Party.

 

Mr. Ingemar Bengtsson, in charge of the Swedish Social Democratic Party Central Election Committee, talked to the delegates about the party platforms, policies and legislation of the Swedish SDP for the past twelve years that the party has been the ruling party, as well as the strategy for the upcoming election this year.

 

Mr. Bengtsson’s presentation was followed by Ms. Anny Sandgren, responsible for party’s internal training, introduced the delegates to the methods and experiences of organizational development and internal party education and party member training of the Swedish SDP. Ms. Sandgren also asked about the same thing of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party. Messrs Liu Guokai and Liu Yinquan provided the following information.

 

Having established the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party in 2000 in New York, we created the official website of the CSDP, and it immediately became an influential democratic forum. The website was repeatedly destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party’s State Security, and we have put it back up again. In 2003, we created the U.S. International Publishing Company and published a set of books that calls for democracy in general and social democracy in particular. In 2005, Mr. Cai Dengwen, our party’s Secretary of Education, created the biweekly periodic newspaper The Forum on Contemporary Events.  Its circulation has reached 13,000. In The Forum, a special editorial page known as the “social democracy forum” edited by Mr. Jiang Pingchao, the director of the U.S. western branch of the CSDP and famous democratic poet. He has written about social democratic theories on this page. All of us have born the expenses to create the website, publish the newspapers and books with savings from our hard-earned salary. We have decided to be self-reliant to achieve our goals and dreams. The Chinese Socialist Democratic Party has not applied for funding with any government or private foundation or donations by non-party members. Although the process is very hard, we are full of confidence and relish in our struggle to establish socialist democracy in China one day.

 

Ms. Sandgren was surprised and impressed by the delegates’ determination and the CSDP’s self-reliance. Ms. Sandgren presented to the delegates the party emblem of the Swedish Social Democratic Party. The Chinese Socialist Democratic Party’s first visit to the Swedish Social Democrat Party was concluded in a cordial and friendly atmosphere.

 

II.    The Interlude in Denmark

-- No Schengen Agreement, no visas to London, and national celebration of the WWII victory.

 

The Chinese Socialist Democratic Party had previously contacted the British Labor Party and arranged a meeting in London. Although the three delegates have been in the U.S. for many years, they conscientiously maintain their Chinese citizenship so that the Chinese Communist government cannot call them foreigners who have no right to interfere with the domestic affairs in China. Since the Great Britain is not a signer to the Schengen Agreement, the delegates could not obtain visas to London with their People’s Republic of China passports. Under such circumstances, the delegates decided to go south and visit the Social Democratic Party of Denmark and the Workers Party of Holland.

 

On May 25, 2006, the delegates arrived at Copenhagen, Demark. However, it was during the national holiday of Denmark to celebrate liberation and the victory of WWII, and their holiday would last to the following Monday, May 29, 2006.

 

The delegates continued their journey south to Amsterdam, Netherlands. They arrived at Amsterdam on the same day of May 25, 2006, only to find Holland was also in national holiday until Monday. The delegates decided that they would postpone its original plan of arriving at Paris on May 28, 2006 to visit the French Socialist Party on May 29, 2006; instead, the delegates would wait out the weekend in Amsterdam and visit the Workers Party on May 29, 2006.

III.  Amsterdam, Netherlands

-- The worst possible cross of the worst of capitalism with the worst of socialism, brought about a precipitous moral decay in the Chinese society; the collective moral conscience has been dying a slow agonizing death.

 

On May 29, 2006, the delegates of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party visited Holland’s Workers Party. Because we came without an appointment, staff at the international department of Workers Party was out. However, when the Secretary Office of Workers Party learned that we had come from a long way away, they went looking for their members and arranged them to meet with the delegates. Messrs. Thijis Reuten and Sander van Dijik, both young Worker Party legislators in their 30s, squeezed out their noon time from 11:50 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. before their next scheduled appointment and graciously agreed to meet the delegates.

 

Mr. Reuten asked about the general situation of the CSDP, and the delegates answered as we did at the Swedish meeting. Mr. Reuten then asked the delegates to talk about the political and economic situation in China. We provided a summary as before.

 

The Workers Party members have an excellent comprehension of the real situation in China. They said: we understand what the Chinese Communist Party China is doing today is a worst possible cross of the worst of capitalism with the worst of socialism. We know very well that those high-rises in some of the big cities do not equate to a sound economy because the living standards of the workers and formers have not improved correspondently. Compare to the past, the gap of living level between workers, formers and official members of the government and the upper-class of the society has gotten wider and deeper. We also know that the Chinese Communist Party has been most cunning in its dealings with the democratic countries in Europe, in that the CCP dangles the big market in China to attract and win over the business community in European countries, and then influence the foreign relations policy with these governments through the new-found business allies. Indeed, the CCP has mastered the art in leveraging China’s market and investment opportunities as a bargaining chip to blunt the criticism by the European governments on such issues as human rights violations and persecution. For example, Phillips, Holland’s big international company, has invested heavily in China, and it is also beneficial the economy in Holland. The Chinese Communist Party has not hesitated to using this economic relationship to try to curb the criticism of its totalitarianism from both the Holland government and the civilian community.

 

They continued: “We the Workers Party certainly support your fight for justice and democracy, and it will be moral support primarily, because Holland is a small country and Workers Party face constant challenge from the right-wing parties. Although Workers Party is the biggest political party in the government, the three right-wing parties in a coalition have the majority and become the ruling parties in Holland. Thus, after Workers Party has won the election in the capital Amsterdam, we have to be very deliberate in handling every aspect of our businesses more strategically. Not long ago, Amsterdam organized a business delegation on an exploratory trip to China. The Chinese officials, playing a gracious and generous host, told them that China would build third-two university campuses and that we would give you one project to invest and undertake. The eyes of those business leaders sparkled with anticipation, while the feelings of our Amsterdam mayor, a Workers Party member, were decidedly conflicted, painful and anxious. He could not stop those businessmen from signing contracts with the Chinese officials, but he knew all well that these business deals would give the Chinese Communist Party another shot in the arm, and at the same time, the deals would further constrain the people of Holland and the government from criticizing the totalitarian regime of the CCP.

 

The delegates appreciated this very telling story and had nothing but respect to the Amsterdam mayor. Precisely because Holland is a democracy, the mayor of the country’s capital cannot tell the business people what contracts to sign or not to sign. But the mayor’s integrity and admirable qualities shine through his conscience, a conscience that social democrats would share. We can only wonder if a right-wing mayor would have the same reactions.

 

Mr. Reuten raised another issue concerning the Chinese people in Holland. Given the ruthless political persecution by the Chinese Communist Party in China, it is understandable that people are generally afraid of fighting for civil rights. But would the Chinese people continue to be apathetic and stay mum even when they are abroad in democratic countries?  For example, over the years, many Chinese people have come to Holland. By their diligence and intelligence, their lives are getting better and better. Sometime ago, our Workers Party sponsored a big gathering for them. There were all kinds of shows and entertainment, and everyone was enjoying a great deal of fun. Later on, we decided to add a program, with the hope that they would care about the progress of human rights in China at the same time they were leading a better life in Holland. To our surprise and disappointment, these people said, “let us just talk about how to have a better life, but about human rights, no politics.”

 

“Why are they like this?” Mr. Reuten asked.

 

The answer lies in the precipitous moral decay brought on by the two-decades of rampant corruption bred from the Chinese Communist Party’s so-called economic reforms and and the fear instilled in the Chinese people’s psyche by the CCP.

 

1.     Before the 1980s, the Chinese Communist Party ruled with an iron fist and maintained a high political pressure in controlling all aspects of the society. Since the economic reforms in the 1980s, the CCP has fine-tuned its strategy a little bit. It still rules with an iron fist, with its trademark ruthless political persecution that puts away those who dare to criticize the government; on the other hand, it seduces people with the opportunity to make some money, much the same way the CCP officials seduce the Holland business leaders. The CCP wants the people to think and only think about all kinds of ways to earn money for enjoyment, not to care about the social right and justice, not to criticize and object the CCP’s dictatorship in any aspect. The capitalistic market with no rule of law and checks and balances is the perfect breeding ground of corruption, where the CCP’s officials in total control of the country’s banking and financial resources, natural resources, and all kinds of building and construction projects, see to it they and those in their political web profit handsomely. The higher rank the official, the more power he has, and the bigger the corruption. This top-down corruption by the Party officials set a very bad example to the whole society. These 20 plus years of non-stop and escalating corruption has poisoned the society, and the collective moral conscience has been dying a slow agonizing death. As a result, people fall victims to mammonism, increasingly politically apathetic. Naturally, the Chinese people who go abroad carry with them this attitude.

 

2.     Even though the Chinese aboard are far away from the Chinese Communist Party, they cannot really stay away from the CCP’s control unless they plan on not going back to China. One would still have trouble in China if he joins overseas political activity to criticize the CCP. Even if he is not going back to China, his relatives in China would get punished for his involvement. On the other hand, if one shows support overseas for the Chinese Communist Party, the CCP agents overseas would take notice, and one would stand to receive preferential treatment in business dealings when he comes back to China. The CCP has used this carrot-stick approach to perfection in maintaining a tight control of the overseas Chinese.

 

3.     The CCP also sends undercover agents to the social activities in the overseas Chinese communities. These agents lead in speaking up in favor of the CCP to influence the people.

 

After the explanations by the delegates, Mr. Reuten indicated that he would understand the misgivings and hesitancy by the Chinese people in Holland.

 

The delegates also talked about the persecution of our fellow members in China, especially the case of Mr. Wang Xiaoning, who was sentenced to a 10-year jail term in September 2003. The members overseas are also working under very difficult circumstances, working long hours to maintain a livelihood on one hand and using up free time and savings to continue the democratic activities one another. For example, we organized this delegation to visit Europe this time, and the delegates asked for a temporary leave of absence from their employment. In addition to the loss of salary, we have to pay for all the expenses of this entire trip ourselves. We did not know that the commodity prices in Europe are much higher than in America. Under budgeted, we scrambled to save expenses in whatever way we could. For the past couple of days, we just broke bread and washed it down with water when we were hungry. We rented just one double room, where two people slept on the bed, with the third on the floor, we rotated through the bed-floor sleeping arrangement. To save money, we took a bus, instead of train, and got soaked while waiting at the bus stop.

 

Mr. Reuten said: I am touched by what you have been through. You remind me very much of the predecessors of our social democratic parties in Europe. They went through a very difficult and trying time like you.

Mr. Reuten’s heart-felt words resonated with the delegates. Encouraged and touched, we felt camaraderie of social democrats and transcendent spirit of social democracy that transcends countries and ethnicities. We recall a slogan of the past, “the Proletariat of the world united together.” In this new era, the rallying cry should be “the social democrats of the world united together.” Social democrats in solidarity are the driving force that motivates us to keep marching on this difficult path.

 

Before Mr. Reuten left for his afternoon appointment, the delegates presented to them The Historic Tide – Social Democracy, a volume by Mr. Liu Guokai. They took picture together and bid farewell.

 

The conversation with the two young Workers Party members was relaxed, lively and ardent. They spoke more than we did and helped us understand the dynamics of the CCP in relationship with the European democracies. Their frank talking and quick thinking, coupled with their friendly, easy-going demeanor, have left the delegates a deep impression.

 

IV.  Paris, France.

-- a specific instance is required to show moral support, for example, winning the release of Mr. Wang Xiaoning, sentenced to 10-year in jail in September 2003

 

On midnight of May 30, 2006, the delegates arrived at Paris. After a little sleeping, the day was getting bright, and they got up. First, they went to the train station to purchase one-way tickets back to Berlin, and then they started looking for the headquarters of the French Socialist Party everywhere. Not until 3pm did they find it. Mr. Maurice Braud, secretary general of the French Socialist Party welcomed the delegations.

 

First Mr. Braud kindly asked where the delegates had been and what parties they had met.

 

Mr. Liu Guokai briefed Mr. Braud on the trip so far, and France would be the last stop. Mr. Liu explained that we were frantically looking for the French Socialist Party’s headquarters to no avail. With the clock ticking away, we felt extremely lucky that we finally made it here.

 

Mr. Liu Guokai continued to say: “Our members of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party share a strong belief in social democracy. We know full well that the social democracy, originated in mid-nineteenth century and mature in mid twentieth century, has combined the best of humanitarianism, social justice, and historical wisdom. It can best bring liberty, justice and prosperity to a society. Today’s China ruled by an unflinching dictatorship, divided by class polarization, and stripped of social justice and moral conscience needs social democracy. We have organized this delegation to visit Europe because Europe is home to social democracy. By merging the social democracy movement for China into the world-wide social democracy movement, we hope to learn from the experiences of the European social democrats. We also hope to have your support in our undoubtedly difficult and long struggle.

 

About the support, the delegates emphasized that we asked for moral support, not material or monetary support. Of course, every activity in this social democracy movement would require money and logistics, but we are determined to carry out with our own resources.

 

Mr. Braud asked about the organization of the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party, a topic of interest to all European social democratic parties.

 

Mr. Liu Yinquan recapped the status of the party’s organization as before. He added that in addition to the party branches within mainland China, we have established branches in New York, California, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. We are planning to establish an European branch. However, we face difficulties from many fronts in building up our overseas organization. The Chinese people are politically apathetic, the political operatives of the Chinese Communist Party have infiltrated into the overseas Chinese communities to deter people from criticizing the Chinese government, the overseas dissident and pro-democracy groups are more inclined with liberalism but averse to social democracy, and our resources and time are limited in dedicating ourselves to the cause of social democracy. Thus, like many other overseas democratic groups, our organizational development has seen steady but limited.

 

Mr. Liu Guokai further explained the situation of the party’s organization in China. The party has built a lot of underground branches by various mechanisms since 2000. The Chinese Communist Party’s State Security has not left a stone unturned in rooting out our organization. The branches in Guangdong, Shenzhen and Fujian Provinces have been uncovered, and the leaders detained and questioned. Because they were not sentenced, we have kept our silence lest they would receive more severe punishment. However, only recently did we find out that Mr. Wang Xiaoning, a member of the Beijing branch, a party’s central committee member, and executive director of Political Theory and Policy Studies, was secretly arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison. This warns us that other leaders with whom we have lost contact over the past several years have suffered a similar fate as Mr. Wang Xiaoning. Now we appeal to every social democracy party in Europe that you look into these political persecutions and pressure the Chinese Communist Party to release these people of conscience.

 

About the assistance, Mr. Liu Guokai gave a more specific statement. The Chinese Socialist Democratic Party wishes that the European social democratic parties provide moral support and exert pressure on the Chinese Communist Party. For example, the political persecution of Mr. Wang Xiaoning, we hope that every social democratic party in Europe would apply pressure to have Mr. Wang released. If your party has a relationship with the CCP, and your party is the ruling party, we hope that both your government and your party exert pressure to bring about the release. If your party is the ruling party without a relationship with the CCP, or your party is not the ruling party but has a relationship with the CCP, we ask that either your government or your party exert influence on the CCP. If your party is not the ruling party and has no relationship with the CCP, we ask that you use whatever mean you see fit to exert the influence.

 

In a very clear response, Mr. Braud said: “we are willing to give you the moral support, and such support will be demonstrated in specific instances or projects. The political persecution of Mr. Wang sentenced to 10-year in jail is a specific instance we could take a long look at.” Holding the thick Chinese material, Mr. Braud said: “you’d better produce a brief and concise material in French or English to us to consider more carefully.”

 

In hearing such a clear answer, the delegates were encouraged. In a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the delegates talked about how difficult it was when they looked for the headquarters of the French Socialist Party earlier today. Mr. Zhou Yanfeng said that we asked people along the way, they answered us in French, all saying they did not know. Even the police officers said they did not know. This was totally unexpected.

 

Mr. Liu Guokai said that about the difficulty in locating your headquarters, not only did we not have any complain, but also we have learned the democratic spirit in person. The headquarters of the French Socialist Party is such a common obscure building that a common Parisian does not know about its location. It means the political parties and government are completely separate in a democracy. In China, in stark contrast, the Chinese Communist Party is the government, and the CCP controls all the political power. Its buildings are tall and magnificent in every city and locale, and the people know where the CCP’s provincial and city headquarters are.

 

Because the delegations had arrived late for the meeting, Mr. Braud rescheduled his date book to meet with the delegation. At 4:30 p.m., Mr. Braud had to leave for his other appointment. At the conclusion of the meeting, the delegates presented to Mr. Braud the book The Historical Tide – Social Democracy by Mr. Liu Guokai, and hoped the French Socialist Party could organize some resources to translate it to French or English. We took pictures and waived goodbye to each other.

 

This is the first time the Chinese Socialist Democratic Party visited Europe. Even though we did not obtain visas to London to meet the Labor Party and could not schedule a meeting with the Germany Social Democratic Party, the result as a whole is positive. Our visit helps the social democratic parties in Europe appreciate that China, the most populated country in the world, is no longer void of the real social democracy in its concept and organization. The Chinese social democrats, within and without China, have been organized in the long arduous struggle to realize social democracy in China, and our movement has become a part of the worldwide social democracy movement.

 

The Chinese Socialist Democratic Party’s delegates backpacking their way to meet the social democratic parties in Europe demonstrate their resourcefulness, determination, and sheer will. It is with the same kind of will and conviction that one day we will bring about the dawn of social democracy in China.

 

 

Date:         New York, NY

June 30, 2006

 

The Chinese Socialist Democratic Party

International Communications