As China grapples with the continued slowdown of its economy amid the trade war with the US, an influential member of the ruling Communist Party of China has reminded the CPC of the collapse of the former Soviet Union and warned against repeating mistakes that led to its demise.
"One of the fatal errors (made by the Soviets) is that they followed a political system with highly centralised power. Not every socialist country does that," said Hu Deping, son of late reformist CPC general secretary Hu Yaobang whose death ultimately led to the infamous Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.
"Another (mistake) was their rigid economic system. By the same token, not all socialist countries must practise a planned economy," Hu, who belongs to the liberal group of the CPC, was quoted as saying at a seminar by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.
Significantly in his speech Hu called on the party to "actively explore political reforms" without elaborating, further signifying the rumblings in the party amid the crisis.
Hu, 76, was a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body, until 2013 and is a strong supporter of the private sector and market reform.
The death of his father, a leading liberal figure, in 1989 prompted mass student demonstrations that eventually culminated in the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Hu spoke at a seminar in Beijing hosted by the Hongfan Institute of Legal and Economic Studies, a liberal private think tank made up of former economic and policy advisers and academics.
The collapse of the all-powerful Soviet Communist Party in 1991 figures high in the ideological discourse of the CPC.
President Xi Jinping himself in his speech in 2017 warned the party about the collapse of the Soviet Communist Party as he asked CPC members to draw lessons from it.
Beset with economic slowdown in the last few years and weighed down by rising expectations of the people, the CPC, which is the world's longest ruling Communist Party since 1949, has made the collapse of the Soviet Union a major lesson in all its party schools.
Adding to the woes is the current trade war with the US which is leading to further strains on the export-dependent economy. President Donald Trump is demanding China cut down the USD 375 billion deficit, which if realised will lead to further decline of exports in the world's second largest economy.
It is rare for CPC officials to express their opinion in public but Hu's speech was seen a reflection of growing anxieties in the party, which is poised to celebrate 70th year in power this year.
His speech came as party elites are expected to convene a high-level meeting to discuss the direction of policy ahead of the annual parliamentary sessions in March.
Hu's speech was billed as being on the topic of the private sector and reform, but he used the occasion to discuss the collapse of the Soviet Union and how China could avoid making the same mistakes, the Post report said.
"The history of the 20th century proved that capitalist countries successfully boosted their economic growth by relying on technological advancement and improved efficiency instead of an investment-driven growth model," he said.
"On the contrary, the Soviet Union went down a road that led to a dead end," he said.
China's current trade war with the US has prompted warnings from many observers that it could drag down the world economy and cost both countries dearly.
Hu warned that China must not backtrack on the reform process.
"We must fully understand the direction and specific targets of our reforms, and never walk backwards," Hu said, "We must learn the lessons from the Soviet Union and press on firmly with our (reforms) to the end".
Hu did not give a list of the critical reforms that he had in mind, but in response to a question from the audience said China should "actively explore political reforms" without elaborating further.
Hu also lamented the damage that the collapse of the Soviet Union had done to the Russian people.
"The current gross domestic product of Russia is even less than that of Guangdong province," he said, adding "It makes people feel really sorry that our big brother (USSR) has fallen into such a condition".
Last month a high-profile celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up process saw President Xi Jinping stressing the importance of continuing reform but only under the party's leadership.
"For those that ought to be changed or can be changed, we will change, but for those that shouldn't be changed or cannot be changed, we will firmly not change," Xi had said.
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