By RF MONIKA SINGH
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18 November, 2020
Role of United Front Work Department (UFWD) Under Xi Jinping- An analysis
1. Introduction. The UFWD, an agency reporting directly to the Party’s Central Committee, controls various non-communist groups and carries out ideological homogenisation within the country and influence operations inside and outside China. The UFWD directs “overseas Chinese work,” by co-opting ethnic Chinese individuals and communities living outside China and also targets friendly foreign actors through UFWD affiliated organisations. It recruits leaders of ethnic minority groups, religious movements, educational institutions, diaspora, social and political groups. Its primary mandate include Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang and religious affairs.
2. Enhanced Role of UFWD Under XJP. Referring to UFWD as the “magic weapon” XJP has made it a powerful set up, expanded its reach by enhanced institutional support, increased budget (allocated USD 2.6 billion in 2019) and personnel strength (more than 600 senior bureaucrats and half a dozen Ministers). Xi himself heads the central “Leading Small Group” for united front work set up in 2015, which brought together dozens of agencies to inspect and improve united front work across the country. The UFWD also promotes Xi Jinping Thought, which aims to assert greater Party control over all aspects of society, economy and politics and revising the reform initiated under Deng Xiaoping.
3. Co-option of Private Sector Under UFWD. As per a September 2020 document titled, “Opinions Concerning Strengthening New Era United Front Work in the Private Economy”, the UFWD’s mandate has now expanded to co-opt private enterprises in furthering China’s national interests by mandating study of Xi Jinping’s Thought and policies. The external objective is to discipline and align the overseas Chinese business activities to new economic and national goals of China. For example, Chinese company Yatai International Holdings Group generated some controversy after it appropriated the BRI label for its “Shwe Kokko New City” project in Myanmar.
4. Structure of UFWD. Three new bureaus have been added under XJP to enhance the role of UFWD. The Four organizations, called the Inner Circle of the united front system are Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission (ERAC), Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Offices (FOCAO) and Federations of Industry and Commerce (FIC). Smaller organizations, such as Federations of Overseas Returnees, Schools of Socialism, and Confucius Institutes are also part of the united front system. The Buddhist Association of China (BAC) and the Asia-Pacific Exchange and Co-operation Foundation (APECF) are examples of front organisations engaged in implementing UFWD’s agenda in South Asia. Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), is actively working in the region.
5. Objectives of UFWD.
a) To co-opt people outside the party, foster loyalty, eliminate alternate power centres.
b) To check unsupervised religious activities which was seen as a threat to Party's ideology.
c) To mobilise people's opinion inside Taiwan and cultivate Taiwan citizens to push its reunification agenda and undermine any dissent activities by Taiwan government and other forces.
d) Use overseas Chinese to counter anti-China propaganda in foreign countries. Encourage diaspora to participate in the politics of adopted countries to influence their policies on issues of interest to China.
e) To mobilise overseas Tibetan, Uyghur, Hong Kong and Taiwanese people to promote China’s global narrative, counter voices unfavorable to the CPC, and harass or undermine groups critical of Beijing’s policies.
f) The overseas Chinese businesses could be used to nudge host country partner businesses to push their government to adopt pro-China policies, not take anti-China stand on Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Religious policy of China etc.
6. Tools and Operation of UFWD in Foreign Countries. UFWD targets the Chinese students/communities, Chinese diaspora, media, academia, overseas Chinese businesses, Chinese Cultural Associations in foreign countries to carry out its influence operations as well as foreigners who could help spread Chinese propaganda on issues of interests to UFWD. It is worth noting that 191 out of the top 500 private enterprises in China are involved in the BRI, which implies that they could potentially be used by UFWD to fulfill its agenda.
(The views expressed in this article are that of the author and do not reflect the official views.)
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i Alexander Bowe, ‘China’s Overseas United Front Work’, August 24, 2018. Available at https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/Research/China's%20Overseas%20United%20Front%20Work%20-%20Background%20and%20Implications%20for%20US_final_0.pdf\
ii Manish Shukla, ‘Rise of United Front in China: A super agency supervising Chinese intelligence and external affairs’, Jan 01, 2021. Available at https://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-rise-of-united-front-in-china-super-agency-supervising-chinese-intelligence-and-external-affairs-2865406
iii JAYADEVA RANADE, ‘Beware of Xi's secret army’, January 22, 2021. Available at https://www.rediff.com/news/column/jayadeva-ranade-beware-of-xis-secret-army/20210122.htm
iv Ryan Fedasiuk, ‘Putting Money in the Party’s Mouth: How China Mobilizes Funding for United Front Work’, September 16, 2020. Available at https://jamestown.org/program/putting-money-in-the-partys-mouth-how-china-mobilizes-funding-for-united-front-work/
v JAYADEVA RANADE, ‘Beware of Xi's secret army’, January 22, 2021. Available at https://www.rediff.com/news/column/jayadeva-ranade-beware-of-xis-secret-army/20210122.htm
vi John Dotson, ‘The CCP’s New Directives for United Front Work in Private Enterprise’ September 28, 2020. Available at https://jamestown.org/program/the-ccps-new-directives-for-united-front-work-in-private-enterprises/
vii ANI, ‘Contradicting China, developer says city project on Myanmar-Thailand border part of BRI’ Sept 02, 2020. Available at https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/contradicting-china-developer-says-city-project-on-myanmar-thailand-border-part-of-bri20200902135926/
viii Alexander Bowe, ‘China’s Overseas United Front Work’, August 24, 2018. Available at https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/Research/China's%20Overseas%20United%20Front%20Work%20-%20Background%20and%20Implications%20for%20US_final_0.pdf
ix Rob Schmitz, ‘Australia And New Zealand Are Ground Zero For Chinese Influence’, October 2, 2018. Available at https://www.npr.org/2018/10/02/627249909/australia-and-new-zealand-are-ground-zero-for-chinese-influence
x Shikha Aggarwal, ‘China’s propaganda machine in South Asia’ March 8, 2021. Available at https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/united-front-work-communist-party-china-south-asia-7218597/lite/?__twitter_impression=true