CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping leaves at the closing of the National People's Congress session on March 11. At the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (ⓒReuters)
China's Ministry of State Security has announced a new campaign against "Five-Antis," including "anti-espionage" and "anti-separatism." That immediately brings to mind the "Three-Anti" (1951) and "Five-Anti" campaigns (1952) that swept China under the dictator Mao Zedong. These sanfan, wufan social reformation movements were launched shortly after the founding of the People's Republic of China to wipe out all thinking that was considered an obstacle to the establishment of socialism.
The current regime headed by Xi Jinping, is faced with vexing domestic and external problems. As it stands, there is a slumping economy and protracted confrontation with the United States. To retain power, it appears determined to restore the strongarmed dictatorship style of the Mao era.
The new "Five-Anti" struggle campaign was launched on April 29 with a front-page essay carried in the Study Times (Xuexi Shibao), an official publication of the Party School of the Chinese Communist Party aimed at the training of Party cadres. Entitled "Unwavering Safeguarding of National Security," it was authored by Chen Yixin, Minister of State Security (MSS).
In his essay, Chen lauds CCP General Secretary Xi's "Socialist Thought with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era." He also calls for a thoroughgoing implementation of the "Five-Antis struggle campaign" to "construct a formidable national security wall."
'Impregnable Great Wall'
The new "Five-Antis" are: "anti-regime change," "anti-hegemony," "anti-separatism," "anti-terror" and "anti-espionage."
"Anti-regime change" is explained in terms of building an "Impregnable Great Wall" against the outside world to control anti-China forces. Meanwhile, domestically it calls for eradicating from Chinese soil anything that might impact political security. Chen declares absolutely that China's Internet and schools will be protected from incorrect ideological trends.
In the essay section covering "anti-espionage," Chen vows that the 2023 "revised anti-espionage law" will be thoroughly implemented.
He added, "We must adopt a resolute stance and dig out the "nails" (that become an obstacle to the State)." He also mentioned the need to continue the anti-espionage campaign and promote systems for reporting to the authorities.
Mao's Purge of Counterrevolutionaries
The new "Five-Antis" campaign is an obvious nod to the "Three-Anti" and "Five-Anti" campaigns of the early 1950s.
After the founding of the PRC, Kuomintang remnants and various other forces of resistance remained opposed to the new CCP regime. Bureaucratic fraud and corruption among capitalist elements were also rampant. To deal with these problems, the CCP launched the "Three-Anti" campaign to wipe out corruption, waste, and bureaucratism. And in the "Five-Anti" campaign, it targeted "bribery, tax evasion, theft of State property, cheating on government contracts and divulging State economic intelligence."
As a result of these reform movements, the ideology of the old society was wiped out and domestic control was strengthened. Meanwhile, capitalists were clearly subordinated to the Party and the State. Thus, the foundations for socialism were consolidated.
However, during these campaigns, many people were arrested, tortured, and even executed. Among them were "counterrevolutionaries" who had expressed dissatisfaction with the Party. There is no denying that excesses during these campaigns caused social chaos and invited economic stagnation. It is also widely believed that they generated severe tensions in Chinese society.
Expanded Authority for the MSS
Xi Jinping began his third term as undisputed leader of the CCP in 2022. Ever since, the regime has stepped up discipline inspections within the Party. Likewise, it has clamped down on domestic opposition and turned the screws on foreigners and companies by making use of anti-espionage legislation and other laws.
Individuals viewed as possible threats to the State have been tightly monitored and managed in the name of "national security." In his essay, Chen signaled his intent to indefatigably continue pursuing this line.
Dr Xiaogang Lai is an adjunct assistant professor at Queen's University in Canada. He discussed the topic with the US government-operated Voice of America. He pointed out that the announcement of the "new Five-Antis" presaged a "return to the era of Mao Zedong."
Since the start of Xi's tenure, the Chinese economy has stagnated. At the same time, Western countries have begun "decoupling" from the Chinese economy. Moreover, other problems have arisen to plague China. According to Dr Lai, Xi might have no option but to return to the dictatorial system of the Mao era. As is well known, when in power Mao launched any number of political movements designed to consolidate his authority.
Lai also points out that in days past the CCP considered secret police organizations such as the Cheka in the Soviet Union, the forerunner of the KGB, to be a crucial tool for maintaining a dictatorial system.
The MSS has been expanding its authority, especially since the start of Xi's third term. Now, among other things, it is calling for average Chinese citizens to become involved in anti-espionage activities.
This only further increases concern of a "return" to the Mao era, when informing and purges were prevalent in China.
