Chen Yu: The Eight-Point Regulations as a Small Point of Entry to Leverage a Grand Transformation in Work Styles [1]
Comrades on the Editorial Board:
Not long ago, during inspection tours in Guizhou and Yunnan, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “In recent years, the Eight-Point Regulations [1] have indeed propelled fundamental changes; the atmosphere has been refreshed, and most of the phenomena that were once deeply entrenched and difficult to reverse [2] have disappeared.” As a grassroots deputy to the People's Congress [3], I have personally felt, through my interactions with Party members and cadres and through the public reputation among the masses, that the Eight-Point Regulations have changed China!
For a period before the 18th National Congress [4] of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the atmosphere in some localities and departments was improper. Some leading cadres were obsessed with wining and dining, causing significant public resentment. I once heard complaints from enterprises that some Party members and cadres would “eat, take, block, and demand” [5] or “make final decisions at the dinner table,” which seriously damaged the Party's image and prestige. When the central Eight-Point Regulations were first introduced, many among the masses worried it would be a “passing gust of wind” or like “rain that barely wets the surface” [6], and some Party members and cadres remained indifferent, continuing to go their own way. In response, General Secretary Xi Jinping took a firm stand: “Leading cadres at all levels must set an example and lead by demonstration; what is said must be done, and what is promised must be fulfilled. The comrades of the Central Committee Political Bureau will begin with myself.” By leading from the top, the General Secretary released a clear signal that the central Eight-Point Regulations are iron rules and hard benchmarks, providing a powerful impetus for the entire Party to improve its work style.
A small entry point leverages a great transformation. In the twelve years since the central Eight-Point Regulations were issued, the Party has kept a close watch on every holiday node and rectified every single flaw. From small matters and details like seizing mooncakes, New Year cards, and postcards, to curbing “waste on the tip of the tongue” [7], stopping “corruption on wheels,” and quenching the “perverse winds in private clubs,” and further to rectifying the “mountain of documents and sea of meetings” [8] and “formalism at the fingertips” [9], the Party has tackled specific problems to treat chronic ailments and sweep away long-standing abuses. This transformation of style—cleansing the turbid and elevating the clear [10]—has washed across the length and breadth of the country. The thoughts and actions of Party members and cadres have undergone a metamorphosis from passive compliance to active initiative. Today, most Party members and cadres will weigh their options: Can I eat this meal? Should I drink this liquor? Can I handle this matter? What appears to be just a furrowed brow or a polite refusal reflects a new atmosphere in which the Party’s work style and the conduct of government are continuously improving.
As the space for perverse winds and evil spirits [11] has shrunk, those with responsibility and initiative can better unleash their potential. For example, in recent years, various regions have used the implementation of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations as an entry point to force a shift in government functions, motivate cadres to start businesses and take action, and promote significant improvements in the business environment. In many places, where enterprises in the past had to “run until their legs broke” [12] just to get approvals to start a business, they can now complete the process in a single day. Enterprises no longer need to worry about “approvals based on personal favors” or hidden barriers.
As for the effectiveness of the change in work style, the people have a scale in their hearts [13]. During my visits, I often hear the masses exclaim, “There’s no need to find connections [14] to get things done anymore,” and “Now when cadres come to visit, they bring plans with them; they raise problems on the spot and handle them immediately. We can trust this kind of work style.” A 2024 National Bureau of Statistics survey showed that 94.9% of the surveyed masses expressed approval of the results of implementing the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations. This is a vote of confidence cast by the masses for our Party.
Cultivating work style is a battle of resistance and a war of attrition; we must never relax at any time. We must carry forward the nail-driving spirit [15] and apply continuous effort. Currently, the entire Party is carrying out study and education on the in-depth implementation of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations. Taking this as an opportunity to continuously deepen the cultivation of work style, our Party will surely be better able to stir up a clear breeze and righteous atmosphere, consolidate the heart of the Party and the heart of the people, and lead the people in a spirited advance toward Chinese-path modernization.
Chen Yu, Jiaxing Road Sub-district, Hongkou District, Shanghai Party Member Correspondence Mailbox: abc@qstheory.com Web Editor: Tongxin Source: Qiushi 2025/08