What the western media is very good at is to play with words. During his report to the opening session of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping stressed a strong leadership of the party in all aspects of Chinese society. But, in western media reports, it became more about party control.  

Leadership or control – are they the same thing? No. Leadership is that necessary lighthouse and the guiding force people need to move ahead, but control is that omnipresent eye that watches everything and that unwelcome hand that interferes in everything. People call for leadership but resist controls. 

By mixing them up, the western media conveniently stoked worries about the so-called conflicting goals of China: freer markets or more party control. 

I can think of at least three main reasons why these worries are unfounded. 

First, looking back in history, all that China has achieved has been under and precisely because of the strong leadership of the CPC. If the Party had not initiated the reform and opening up, China would have been a completely different place today. 

Secondly, are the Party and market economy enemies of one another? Is a market economy the exclusive hallmark of a capitalist society? For China, the answer is no. What China has been pursuing is a socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics. The market should play a decisive role in allocating resources, but it should not be the only actor. The short-sightedness of chasing maximum returns in free market economies needs be balanced with the long-term well-being of all members of society. The strong leadership of the ruling party is indispensable here. 

Thirdly, a free market is a double-edged sword. We have all witnessed the crises that regularly cripple western economies, and the drastic fluctuations experienced by countries following the western formula. Should China take the same proven risks? No. No. No. A strong ability of the ruling party to keep those risks at bay is probably something western economies should learn to acquire. 

A market economy is not the ultimate goal, but to provide for a better life for the people.  The CPC has been leading Chinese people closer to that goal, creating opportunities for foreign businesses and consumers. If their goal is to achieve win-win with their Chinese counterparts, then there should be no need to worry about a stronger leadership of the CPC. 

This is Liu Xin, getting straight to the point! If you like this piece, do share it.