Qu Qingshan: The Historical Logic of the Eight-Point Regulations Transforming China
The Party Central Committee has decided to conduct a Party-wide study and education program on the in-depth implementation of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations from the conclusion of the 2025 National Two Sessions [1] until July. This is a major measure to consolidate and deepen the achievements of the thematic education on Studying and Implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the education on Party discipline. It is a vital step to further advance the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, an inevitable requirement for forging close ties between the Party and the masses and between officials and the masses, and for consolidating the Party’s governing foundation. Furthermore, it serves as a powerful guarantee for advancing Chinese-path modernization, carrying great and far-reaching significance.
I
As is well-known, in the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core began its push for the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party by strengthening the Party’s work style and by formulating and implementing the central Eight-Point Regulations. This move was like "a single stone stirring up a thousand waves." As the saying goes, "once the first piece is placed via the Eight-Point Regulations, the entire game of work-style construction comes alive" [2]. Reviewing this unforgettable journey, one can say it has been full of hardship, courage, and wonders; it has been truly extraordinary and unusual.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, as well as the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. She was born in suffering, grew amidst wind and rain, was reborn through fire, and was tempered into steel through a hundred trials. She was "born for the people and thrives because of the people." Over more than 100 years of struggle, she has become the "Great Savior" of the Chinese people, their most reliable backbone when storms hit, and the strong leadership core for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPC's leading position in China is the choice of history and the people—a truth proven by countless historical facts. Similarly, "to do China's affairs well, the key lies in the Party—specifically, in the Party managing the Party and governing the Party strictly." This, too, is a truth proven by countless historical facts.
The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has comprehensively summarized the historical experience of the rise and fall of various political parties at home and abroad, especially the successful historical experience of our own Party. By deeply exploring the laws of governance for communist parties, the laws of socialist construction, and the laws of the development of human society, they have profoundly realized: "It is not easy for a Marxist party to seize power, and it is even more difficult to consolidate it." The Party’s governing status was not innate; it was the choice of history and the people. Nor is it settled once and for all or immutable. Having it in the past does not mean having it now; having it now does not mean having it forever. How to deeply plant the Party's governing foundation and consolidate its governing status is an eternal question that must be answered well. This is a very important realization, judgment, and conclusion, which is of vital importance to our Party's promotion of the new great project of Party building and the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in the New Era.
For a period before the 18th Party Congress [3], due to various reasons, there was a widespread phenomenon within the Party of the weakening of Party leadership, a lack of Party building, and a "relaxed, soft, and lax" approach to managing and governing the Party. These phenomena involved various forms of work-style problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointedly noted: "Problems in work style are by no means small matters. If we do not resolutely correct unhealthy tendencies and instead allow them to develop, they will act like an invisible wall separating our Party from the masses, and our Party will lose its foundation, its lifeblood, and its strength." "If a governing party does not pay attention to work-style construction and allows malpractices to erode the Party body, it faces the danger of losing the people’s support and its political power."
The "Three Great Styles of Work"—namely, "the style of integrating theory with practice, the style of maintaining close ties with the masses, and the style of self-criticism"—were explicitly summarized and proposed by Comrade Mao Zedong at the 7th Party Congress. They were the fine traditions formed by our Party during the period of the New Democratic Revolution. Comrade Mao Zedong emphasized that these three styles are one of the prominent hallmarks distinguishing us Communists from any other political party.
"Party style" (党风) refers to the Party's conduct—the principles of Party spirit and the requirements of Party discipline manifested in all aspects by Party organizations at all levels and by all Party members. It is the external expression of "Party spirit" (党性). The masses base their understanding, evaluation, and judgment of our Party on the quality of its style. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Work-style issues are, at their root, issues of Party spirit. Style reflects image and quality; it embodies Party spirit, and Party spirit is what plays the decisive role." If the Party's style is poor, its image cannot be good, the relationship between the Party/officials and the masses cannot be good, and the Party’s mass and social foundations will be shaken. As the saying goes, "if the foundation is not solid, the earth will shake and the mountains will sway" [4].
II
Therefore, after the 18th Party Congress, the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party faced the question of "a tiger eating the sky"—where to take the first bite? [5] General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that we should not take a bite here and a bite there, swallowing without chewing. One must take a bite and truly eat and digest that piece. After careful thought and research, the Party Central Committee decisively resolved to start with the formulation and implementation of the central Eight-Point Regulations, beginning with work-style construction—specifically targeting prominent problems such as the Four Winds (formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance). By starting small to see the big picture and using the small to drive the large, the Party solved the problem of what to focus on and how to focus on it regarding work-style construction under new circumstances. Thus, our Party began the prelude to strengthening its work style. The implementation of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations has undergone a historical process: moving from the top down, with the leadership setting the example, extending from the near to the far, from the shallow to the deep, progressing layer by layer, with each link connected, treating both symptoms and root causes, and employing comprehensive governance.
Why, then, should the rectification of the Four Winds be the priority in strengthening the Party's work style? General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "We must resolutely prevent and correct whatever the masses oppose and detest." The Four Winds are precisely the prominent problems the masses react to strongly. "The core of the work-style issue is the relationship between the Party and the masses." "Certain work-style issues that people have become accustomed to are often the very issues that bring fatal destruction to the Party's credibility and image. Work-style issues are by no means small matters; once they become a trend, the harm is immense." General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the greatest danger for a Marxist party after taking power, and especially after holding power for a long time, is being divorced from the masses. Under the conditions of reform and opening up and the development of a socialist market economy, the danger of our Party being divorced from the masses has increased significantly compared to the past. "The Four Winds are merely the symptoms; the root is the deviation from Party spirit and the abandonment of the Party's purpose."
Why must we catch the Four Winds early and when they are small? General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "An ant hole can cause a thousand-mile dike to collapse. An individual’s corruption, degeneration, and violation of the law all begin with small lifestyle issues, eating and drinking issues, and violations of the Eight-Point Regulations." "Many leading officials start by playing 'edge ball' [6] and violating the Eight-Point Regulations, which eventually evolves into major problems." If a small hole is not patched, one will suffer through a large hole.
How do we rectify the Four Winds and catch them early and small? General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The construction of a clean and honest Party style must start with leading officials, and leading officials must start with the central leadership." The Party Central Committee took the lead in setting an example, with leading officials driving the process by demonstration, putting discipline and rules at the forefront, nipping problems in the bud, rectifying one fault after another, breaking through one problem after another, following through on every single matter, and never slackening year after year. We focused on Mid-Autumn Festival, then National Day; we focused on New Year’s Day, then the Spring Festival; we focused on the Spring Festival, then Qingming Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival. From curbing "extravagance in mooncakes" and "corruption on the tip of the tongue" to rectifying "waste at the dining table" and "profligacy on wheels," and further to rectifying "unhealthy tendencies in private clubs" and exceeding standards for office and residential housing—we have persisted over the long term, making this a habit and a new social climate.
General Secretary Xi Jinping also specifically emphasized the need to handle Party spirit, Party style, and Party discipline together, integrating the correction of work styles, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, while deeply advancing the joint investigation and treatment of work-style and corruption issues. This is because unhealthy styles and corruption are two sides of the same coin, sharing the same roots. Unhealthy styles breed and hide corruption, while corrupt behavior encourages and exacerbates unhealthy styles, even giving rise to new work-style problems. Through "joint investigation," we severely punish the interlocking issues of style and corruption; through "joint treatment," we uproot the common causes.
General Secretary Xi Jinping also emphasized the need to promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style construction. We must establish and improve effective and useful systems and mechanisms, promptly elevating effective practices and successful experiences in work-style construction into formal institutions, and strengthening the execution of these systems.
The implementation of the central Eight-Point Regulations and the spirit of their detailed implementation rules has brought about great changes, facilitated a major transformation, and achieved significant results. The changes brought by the Eight-Point Regulations are immense, comprehensive, and profound; the influence they have generated is extensive, lasting, and far-reaching. The Eight-Point Regulations have reshaped the Party’s image, improved the relationship between the Party/officials and the masses, unified the hearts of the Party, the military, and the people, and forged a strong and powerful Communist Party of China. The facts fully prove that the CPC is indeed a great, glorious, and correct Marxist party; a party that dares to uphold the truth, correct errors, and pursue self-revolution; and a party that always represents the fundamental interests of the broadest possible range of the Chinese people, stands at the forefront of the times, and forever deserves the people’s support and trust.
III
The practices of the Eight-Point Regulations must be maintained, their experiences summarized, and their achievements consolidated. There is no "stop button" for implementing the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations and their detailed rules; the construction of the Party's work style is always on the road. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Implementing the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations is a battle of attrition and a protracted war." Work-style issues are recurrent and stubborn; they cannot be resolved overnight or in a single stroke, nor can they be like a "passing gust of wind" that stops after one blow. They must be handled constantly and for the long term. We must show perseverance and tenacity, continuing to work hard on the "constant and long-term," the "strict and practical," and the "deep and meticulous," ensuring they become habits, produce results, and transform into social customs.
At present, the international situation is complex, the "changes unseen in a century" are accelerating, and the domestic tasks of reform, development, and stability are heavy and arduous. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is at a critical period. Facing increasing uncertainties and unpredictable factors, and confronted with various risks, challenges, and even "perilous storms," how should we respond? How can we resist? How can we overcome? A major question concerning the future and destiny of the Party and the country stands before us. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The people are the greatest source of confidence for our Party’s governance, the solid foundation of our Republic, and the fundamental basis for strengthening the Party and rejuvenating the nation." As long as our Party is rooted in the people, thinks with them, stands with them, and works with them—never divorcing itself from the masses under any circumstances—then there are no difficulties we cannot overcome and no dangers we cannot defeat. We will be invincible and remain forever in an impregnable position. We will be able to "tread down the roughness to form a great road, and set off again after fighting the dangers" [7], thereby ensuring that "we sit steadily in the fishing boat despite the rising wind and waves" [8].
While fully affirming the enormous achievements of strengthening the Party's work style and implementing the Eight-Point Regulations, we must also clearly see that many problems still exist in reality. Their prominent manifestations include: some Party members and officials have become lax or feel intimidated by difficulties, believing that because the Eight-Point Regulations have been implemented for over a decade, they can now "take a breather" or "take a rest"; many primary-level Party organizations are not implementing the responsibility system for Party building deeply or practically, resulting in superficial work and "window dressing"; in some regions and departments, the Four Winds have undergone "invisible mutations," changing their forms and methods, requiring greater efforts to prevent them from "rising from the ashes" or rebounding; due to sustained anti-corruption efforts, hedonism and extravagance have been somewhat curbed, yet formalism and bureaucratism remain prominent. In some areas and departments, there are excessive and frequent inspections and evaluations, excessive "leaving of traces" [9], and the "adding of weight at each level" [10]. Easing the burden on the grassroots remains a long and difficult task. Furthermore, a small number of leading officials lack a correct view of political achievements—some still engage in "vanity projects" and "prestige projects" in disguised forms, and worse still, move from work-style issues into outright corruption, ignoring the hardships of the masses, infringing on their interests, seeking personal gain through power, taking bribes, and perverting the law. The existence of these phenomena fully demonstrates that conducting Party-wide study and education on the in-depth implementation of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations is not only timely but absolutely necessary.
The whole Party must improve its political standing and align its thinking and understanding with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. In carrying out this study and education, we must follow the requirements of the Party Central Committee to integrate "study, investigation, and rectification." We must "open the door" to listen to the opinions and suggestions of the masses—studying deeply, investigating accurately, rectifying earnestly, and listening openly. We must persist in the unification of problem-orientation, goal-orientation, and results-orientation. We should deeply study, understand, and practice General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on strengthening the Party's work-style construction, earnestly study the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations and their implementation rules, systematically summarize the remarkable results achieved since the 18th Party Congress, and initiate concentrated rectification of prominent violations. We must use cases where work-style issues led to corruption to strengthen warning education. We should find gaps by benchmarking against Party style requirements, trace roots by comparing against Party spirit requirements, and clarify measures by contrasting against Party discipline requirements. We must emphasize mass participation and accept mass supervision. We must oppose formalism and prevent "performative shows" that are just for appearances. We must prevent and oppose "Low-level Red" and "High-level Black" [11]. We must strengthen institutional construction and improve the various regulations for implementing the central Eight-Point Regulations and their detailed rules.
We firmly believe that as long as the whole Party works hard—especially with leading officials at all levels taking the lead—and with the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee as well as the active participation, strong support, and strict supervision of the people nationwide, this study and education will surely achieve its intended goals and yield its proper results.
The Eight-Point Regulations have profoundly influenced and transformed China; they will continue to do so, and this influence and transformation will be lasting, long-term, and increasingly profound. We are full of expectation and confidence in this regard.
(The author is the President of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee)