CPC publishes 'self-decoding' books for Western audience

Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation dedicated to promoting China-U.S. relations, noted that the CPC's decision to open itself up bears significance to both China and the world.

"China is involved in every matter of international importance, yet China is misunderstood in many ways," Kuhn told Xinhua. " People are more knowledgeable about China today but not so knowledgeable about the Party at all, and that's why it is critical for the Party itself to make an outreach to the world in a detailed manner."

While China is eager to cooperate with the rest of the world in promoting world peace and prosperity, it could only happen when the world understands China and the CPC in a proper way, he added.

Ryan Allen, a doctoral fellow with the New York-based Columbia University, said that the launch of the English "Understanding the CPC" series offers an opportunity for the Western audience to understand a political party that led China from dire poverty to economic and political excellence.

"It's always a good thing to offer information for people to read about and analyze (the CPC). It shows the Party is trying to let people understand (itself), including those who might be hostile or not willing to have the reception," Allen told Xinhua. "Now the step has already been made, the Americans have to reach out and take it."

Interestingly, several decades ago when the notorious McCarthyism prevailed in the United States amid the so-called Red Scare, even the mere mentioning of Communism seemed to be a taboo.

"I think foreigners can disagree with the CPC, argue with the CPC, but all who need to understand China must understand the CPC, " said Kuhn.

At Thursday's ceremony, Zhao, the publishing house president, also stressed that the books' compilation and publication would have been impossible without the "strong support and all-round assistance" from various central departments of the CPC, particularly the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee headed by Zhao Leji, which oversees the Party's all personnel and structural affairs.

"In the past the Party seemed to be a sensitive topic to the external world, and it seemed to want to keep everything internal, but a very secretive approach doesn't work in the world today," said Kuhn. "Therefore, China and the Party should be credited, for a beginning of the current outreach and openness."

The 71-year-old expert on China also pointed out that over the past two and a half years under its new central leadership, the CPC has "taken a more aggressive and more open approach," as it has been "strengthened" in terms of anti-corruption, work style and transparency.

"We have seen the Party develop and we have had Party building in different ways that are very important," he elaborated. "So now I think there is confidence (for the Party) to go out into the world. As this process continues, and as China continues to develop, I hope the Party will become more and more confident and more and more open."