Dear Delegates,

Welcome to UPMUNC LVIII! My name is Cindy and I have the honour of serving as your chair for the 2024 Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). On behalf of myself and our entire staff, I want to extend our excitement as we prepare to embark on a weekend of high-stakes debate, creative problem-solving, and political maneuvering.

This committee will place you inside the CCP’s most powerful decision-making body at a time of immense uncertainty. It is 2024, the Covid-19 pandemic lies behind us, and yet China faces new waves of instability. The nation is wrestling with a collapsing housing market, mounting debt, and questions about the sustainability of its economic model. At the same time, Xi Jinping’s ongoing purge of political rivals has heightened internal rivalries, while whispers of corruption and foreign influence test the Party’s unity. This crisis will test your ability to step into complex characters with layered motives and hidden pasts. Who are you really? What drives your decisions, what secrets do you carry, and what do you know about those around you? The answers, delegates, are entirely in your hands.

Going on to a little bit about me, I’m a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences originally from Australia, studying Economics and Urban Studies. I’m involved in INTERCOL, the University of Pennsylvania’s collegiate Model UN team. Beyond MUN, I like (attempting to) paint and do arts and crafts. I’m an avid skier and love spending time outdoors going to the beach or embarking on a hike. I’m also big on exploring, whether that’s traveling or finding the best coffee spots in Philly!

If you have any questions about the committee or the background guide, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Lisel at any time. We’re excited to see how you bring your characters to life this November!

Cindy Chen

Cindyy16@sas.upenn.edu