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Conference (2015), and the National Propaganda Work Conference (2013 and 2018). When Xi does not give the keynote speech, the Politburo member in charge of that domain gives it. By contrast, the keynote speech at the National Overseas Chinese Conference in 2017 was given by Yang Jiechi, who was at that time a state councilor responsible for foreign affairs.
e The Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference is held at irregular intervals (2006, 2014, and 2018) to review Chinese foreign policy and announce new initiatives and objectives. It is attended by key ministers, ambassadors, senior military
officers, and local officials responsible for foreign affairs.
e The Central United Front Work Conference, which used to be called the National United Front Work Conference, is also convened at irregular intervals (2000, 2006, and 2015). Both national and local officials responsible for religious, ethnic, and
overseas Chinese affairs participate.
e Prior to 2013, the External Propaganda Work Conference was convened annually. But starting after that year, this conference has become part of the annual National Propaganda Work Conference. Officials in the propaganda sector from all over
China attend these conferences.
e The National Overseas Chinese Work Conference was held roughly every six years (2005, 2011, and 2017). Only national and local officials responsible for overseas Chinese affairs participate.
Hierarchy and Division of Labor
The CCP-affiliated organizations in our diagram that are involved in making policies concerned with Chinese influence activities abroad enjoy higher political status than those that execute these policies. What makes the Chinese system notable is the division of labor, the specialization of its bureaucracies, and the staffing of these bureaucracies with well-trained and experienced professionals. Besides engaging their counterparts overseas, these bureaucracies either oversee or directly conduct influence operations in their areas of specialization. While there exists no single organization overseeing the entirety of China’s influence activities abroad (although if any one does have such sweeping purview, it is the Foreign Affairs Commission),
in the implementation of policies aimed to expand Chinese influence abroad, there
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