The International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, commonly known as Zhonglianbu (中聯部), was established in 1951 as a functional department responsible for the Chinese Communist Party’s external work. Operating under the direct leadership of the Party Central Committee, the department has continuously expanded its scope around different Party central tasks, contributing to Party building, reform and opening-up, and overall diplomacy. Since the 18th Party Congress, the department has implemented Xi Jinping’s important thoughts on Party external work. It currently maintains relationships with more than 600 political parties and political organizations from over 160 countries and regions through high-level exchanges, forum dialogues, and working visits. The department focuses on four key areas: serving overall diplomatic layout, conducting research on international situations, building personal networks combining party and government officials, and promoting China’s image by introducing the Party’s governing philosophy. The department has cultivated a culture of “loyalty, dedication, pragmatism, and pioneering.”