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China’s Communist Party
ChinaPolitics

Mystery around China’s new science and tech body a sign of secrecy to come, analysts say

  • Communist Party commission to take over planning and policy for sensitive sectors, but debut is hushed and members not yet known
  • Analysts say rivalry with US, espionage fears and possible military links could explain Beijing’s reticence about powerful group and science strategy

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Jane Caiin Beijing,William Zhengin Hong KongandEcho Xie

The founding of China’s new top science and technology planner – a Communist Party body at the core of Beijing’s technology competition with Washington – went quietly.

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It was not publicly known that the Central Science and Technology Commission, a new party organ stemming from a sweeping institutional revamp, had been set up or held its first meeting until a brief mention by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) on its website in July.
The science and tech policy planner is the final body to be established under a far-reaching overhaul plan targeting a handful of government and party organs announced in March, with a focus on expanding the party’s direct control over policy priorities.

While the other new groups debuted with official media coverage, the commission’s first meeting went unreported. MOST said it held a study session on July 10 to carry through the “spirit” of the commission meeting, but it gave few details beyond that.

It remains a mystery who headed or attended the meeting, and no details have been revealed about when or where it took place or what was discussed.

The secrecy surrounding the commission is likely to continue, according to observers, who said they expect Beijing to keep quiet about future science and technology strategies amid growing geopolitical tensions and an intensifying tech rivalry with the US.
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Analysts pointed to a wide range of factors behind Beijing’s secrecy, including worries about policy pressure from Washington, fears about espionage and potential links between the commission and the People’s Liberation Army.

Beijing aims to survive challenges stemming from a “complicated international environment” through strategic programmes in tech and science fields such as deep space exploration. Photo: Handout
Beijing aims to survive challenges stemming from a “complicated international environment” through strategic programmes in tech and science fields such as deep space exploration. Photo: Handout
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