Liao Wenhui: Study and Implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's Strategic Thought on the Party's Self-Revolution, and Solidly Advance the Development of the Disciplinary Inspection and Supervision Cadre Contingent

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has scientifically summarized the hundred-year history of the Party’s struggle and the practical experience of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party in the New Era. He has creatively proposed the major proposition of the Party’s self-revolution, systematically expounded upon its strategic significance, basic connotations, and practical requirements, and profoundly identified the successful path to escaping the historical cycle of rise and fall ^[1] by relying on the Party’s self-revolution, thereby forming the strategic thought on the Party’s self-revolution. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s strategic thought on the Party’s self-revolution is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It represents an original contribution to the Marxist theory of party-building, greatly enriches the theoretical treasury of Party building, and significantly deepens our Party’s systematic understanding of the laws governing what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build it. We must study and comprehend it deeply and implement it conscientiously.

I. Profoundly Grasping General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Strategic Thought on the Party’s Self-Revolution

At the rally celebrating the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed for the first time that the entire Party must use the political courage of self-revolution to focus on resolving the prominent problems existing within the Party itself. Since then, he has provided in-depth expositions on the Party’s self-revolution at many important meetings. At the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "How to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall, order and chaos?" "Through a hundred years of struggle, and especially the new practice since the 18th National Congress, our Party has given a second answer: this is self-revolution." At the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), General Secretary Xi Jinping noted, "For a hundred years, the Party has relied externally on developing people’s democracy and accepting people’s supervision, and internally on comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and advancing self-revolution. It has had the courage to persist in the truth and correct errors, and the courage to turn the blade inward and scrape the poison off the bone ^[2], ensuring the Party’s enduring prosperity and continuous growth." He further stated, "Comprehensively and strictly governing the Party is the great practice of the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era, opening up a new realm for the self-revolution of a century-old major party." At the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping solemnly declared, "The entire Party must keep in mind that comprehensively and strictly governing the Party is a never-ending journey, and the Party’s self-revolution is a never-ending journey." From this, we can see General Secretary Xi Jinping's deep reflections on the major proposition of the Party’s self-revolution, based on a profound summary of the Party’s hundred-year struggle—especially its practice in the New Era—and his deployment requirements for advancing the great self-revolution.

Why must we carry out self-revolution? Since its founding over a century ago, the Communist Party of China has led the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to achieve great successes in socialist revolution, construction, and reform and opening up. Why then must we still emphasize the Party’s self-revolution? First, looking at the realistic background of advancing the new great project of Party building in the New Era, resolving the prominent problems then existing within the Party required the courage and intensity to turn the blade inward and scrape the poison off the bone. In the report to the 20th National Congress, while summarizing the work of the past five years and the great changes of the first decade of the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly identified several worrying and prominent problems that existed within the Party before the 18th National Congress. These included blurred understanding and weak action regarding upholding Party leadership; the weakening, hollowization, and marginalization of the implementation of Party leadership; the shaking of political faith among some Party members and cadres; the persistence of the "Four Winds"—formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance—in some localities and departments despite repeated prohibitions; the relative severity of privileged thinking and phenomena; and shocking cases of corruption. Faced with these prominent problems, the conclusion General Secretary Xi Jinping reached after profound reflection was: "to forge iron, one must be strong oneself" ^[3], and we must advance the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party with the spirit of self-revolution.

Second, considering the complex environment the Party faces and the missions and tasks it shoulders, self-revolution is an inevitable requirement for always maintaining the Party’s advanced nature, purity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness. As the world’s largest Marxist governing party, to consistently win the people’s support and consolidate its position as a long-term governing party, we must always remain sober and determined in solving the unique challenges facing a large party. Through the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party since the 18th National Congress, we have solved many prominent problems within the Party. However, the tests of governance, reform and opening up, the market economy, and the external environment will exist for a long time; likewise, the dangers of a lack of drive, incompetence, detachment from the masses, and passivity and corruption will also exist for a long time. At the Second Plenary Session of the 20th CCDI, General Secretary Xi Jinping provided an in-depth exposition on "Six 'How to Always' ^[4]" regarding the unique challenges facing a century-old party. He pointed out that solving these challenges is a hurdle that must be cleared to realize the Party's missions and tasks on the new journey in the New Era, and a "tough bone" that must be gnawed through for comprehensive and strict Party governance to adapt to new situations and requirements. Facing the noble mission of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization, facing major challenges of high winds and choppy waters—even stormy seas—on the road ahead, and facing the long-existing "Four Tests" and "Four Dangers," solving the unique challenges of a large party will inevitably be a long and arduous process. This dictates that comprehensively and strictly governing the Party is a never-ending journey, and the Party’s self-revolution is a never-ending journey.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the courage for self-revolution is our Party’s most distinctive character and its greatest advantage. The greatness of the Communist Party of China lies not in never making mistakes, but in never "concealing its illness for fear of treatment" ^[5], in daring to face problems directly, and in relying on its own strength to correct errors and solve problems. The Communist Party of China is both a Marxist governing party and a Marxist revolutionary party, possessing thorough revolutionary qualities. The nature and purpose of the Communist Party of China determine that our Party has no special interests of its own; it has never represented the interests of any interest group, any power bloc, or any privileged stratum, but always represents the fundamental interests of the broadest possible range of people. This is the source of courage and the underlying confidence for our Party to dare to engage in self-revolution. The Communist Party of China's steadfast adherence to its original aspiration and founding mission—to seek happiness for the people and rejuvenation for the nation—also endows our Party with the internal drive for self-revolution. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has inherited this unique endowment of our Party. With a strong sense of historical mission and responsibility, it has advanced the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and launched a "combination punch" of self-revolution. This has yielded rich results in theoretical, practical, and institutional innovation in Party governance, significantly enhancing our Party's capacity for self-purification, self-perfection, self-renewal, and self-improvement, becoming the key to leading the great social revolution in the New Era. The historic achievements and changes in the cause of the Party and the state in the New Era fully demonstrate the role of comprehensive and strict Party governance in providing political leadership and political guarantees.

How should the Party's self-revolution be advanced? Since the 18th National Congress, our Party has solidly advanced the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, treated its own building with seriousness, and advanced self-revolution with a scientific attitude and a systematic approach. It has accumulated rich theoretical, practical, and institutional achievements, as well as effective and important experience.

First, we put the Party's political building first as the fundamental building block. We clearly uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, seriousify intra-Party political life, and purify and repair the political ecosystem. We push the entire Party to strengthen the "Four Consciousnesses," ^[6] firm up the "Four Confidences," ^[7] and achieve the "Two Upholds," uniting closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to achieve Party unity and solidarity.

Second, we continuously carry out concentrated education within the Party. We persist in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unify thinking, will, and action. We strengthen education on ideals, convictions, and Party spirit, and utilize the weapons of criticism and self-criticism. We perform well in ideological transformation, spiritual baptism, and soul purification, guiding Party members and cadres to fortify the foundation of faith, replenish "spiritual calcium," ^[8] and stabilize the "ideological helm," keeping the Party's purpose and its original aspiration and founding mission firmly in mind.

Third, we focus on the construction of the organizational system. We rectify weak and disorganized grassroots Party organizations, continuously strengthen the political and organizational functions of Party organizations, and promote progress and excellence across all levels of Party organizations.

Fourth, we began by formulating and implementing the Central Eight-Point Regulations to break through difficulties. With the "spirit of driving a nail," ^[9] we continuously rectify the "Four Winds," resolutely oppose privileged thinking and phenomena, and win the trust and support of the people through a new atmosphere in conduct building.

Fifth, we comprehensively strengthen the Party's discipline building. We sharpen the Party's political discipline and rules, which in turn drives overall strictness in organizational, integrity, mass, work, and life discipline. We use strict discipline to regulate how Party members and cadres perform their duties and exercise power. We conduct regular disciplinary education, urging leading cadres—especially high-ranking ones—to be strict with themselves, take responsibility, and manage their jurisdictions. For any violation of Party discipline, we investigate and handle every case discovered.

Sixth, we persist in the organic integration of the Party’s self-supervision and the people’s supervision. We utilize the role of inspections as a "sharpened sword," focusing on problems and prioritizing the "top leaders" and the "key few" in leadership teams. We keep a close eye on power and responsibility, strengthen supervision and inspection, and focus on discovering problems and urging their rectification. We continuously improve the Party and state supervision systems, achieving full oversight over all public officials, reforming and perfecting dispatched supervision, promoting the integration of various types of supervision, and strengthening the effectiveness of oversight.

Seventh, we persist in institutional Party governance and governing the Party according to regulations. We promote the improvement of the system of intra-Party regulations and strengthen the authoritative and efficient execution mechanism that links Party discipline with national law. We strengthen the restraint and supervision of the exercise of power, weaving a tight "cage" of institutions to restrain power. We strictly enforce institutions to better transform institutional advantages into national governance efficacy.

Eighth, we carry out the anti-corruption struggle with unprecedented intensity. We employ multiple measures to "take down tigers," "swat flies," and "hunt foxes," ^[10] investigating and punishing a large number of corrupt elements. With a zero-tolerance attitude, we punish corruption and evil, more forcefully curbing new cases and more effectively eliminating existing ones. We resolutely investigate corruption where political and economic problems are intertwined, resolutely prevent leading cadres from becoming spokespersons or agents for interest groups and power blocs, and resolutely punish new and hidden forms of corruption, improving our ability to timely discover and effectively handle corruption issues.

II. Earnestly Carrying Out the Education and Rectification of the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Cadre Corps with the Spirit of Self-Revolution, Strengthening Self-Construction, and Better Fulfilling Responsibilities and Missions

The education and rectification of the discipline inspection and supervision cadre corps is a major political task personally initiated and deployed by General Secretary Xi Jinping. It is also an important measure for the national discipline inspection and supervision system to strictly rectify its ranks with a spirit of self-revolution, creating a high-quality "iron army" that is loyal, clean, and responsible, dares to struggle, is good at struggling, and is worthy of the heavy responsibilities of the New Era and the new journey. We must adhere to high standards and strict requirements, earnestly carry out the education and rectification of the discipline inspection cadre corps, and solidly advance its political, ideological, conduct, and disciplinary building. We must sharpen discipline and rules, focus on improving professional standards and the ability to fulfill duties, and fulfill our missions with higher political literacy, better ideological style, excellent capabilities, and good moral character.

Strengthen political tempering to ensure absolute loyalty to the Party. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that discipline inspection and supervision organs are political organs; they must first be politically sound and lead by example in improving political judgment, understanding, and execution. He also required that discipline inspection cadres must have a high level of self-awareness and responsibility for absolute loyalty to the Party, loyalty to the Party's leadership, loyalty to the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission, and loyalty to their own duties. Discipline inspection and supervision organs are the loyal guards of the Party and the people. They shoulder a major mission and responsibility in resolutely upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core status in the Party Central Committee and the Party as a whole, and in resolutely upholding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. They must deepen their political, ideological, theoretical, and emotional identification with the "Two Establishments," become more conscious of strengthening the "Four Consciousnesses," firming up the "Four Confidences," and achieving the "Two Upholds," always maintaining a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in thought, politics, and action. They must resolutely struggle against words and deeds that harm the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, truly loving, worrying for, protecting, and revitalizing the Party.

Strengthen theoretical arming to firm up ideals and convictions. We must utilize the opportunities for study and education provided by the thematic education ^[11] and the education and rectification of the discipline inspection cadre corps. We must persist in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unify thinking, will, and action. We should take the study and implementation of the Party's innovative theories as the primary political task of discipline inspection departments and the central content of the theoretical arming of discipline inspection cadres—studying in a timely, systematic, and in-depth manner, linking it to practice, and studying with faith and action. We must fully grasp and accurately understand the worldview and methodology of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and uphold and apply the positions, viewpoints, and methods running through it. We must place ourselves, our responsibilities, and our work into the study, learning with emotion to cultivate firmer faith, stronger responsibility, and greater capability. We must transform the Party's innovative theories into a powerful force for firming up ideals, tempering Party spirit, guiding practice, and promoting work, better shoulder the missions and tasks entrusted by the Party and the people.

Strengthen the spirit of struggle and improve the ability to struggle. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC that we must "strengthen the cultivation of cadres' spirit and ability to struggle ^[12], focus on enhancing their capacity to prevent risks, meet challenges, and withstand pressure, and encourage them to take the lead in undertaking responsibilities, ensuring they can be relied upon in ordinary times, stand forth at critical moments, and risk everything in times of crisis." This is an inevitable requirement for utilizing the historical experience of the Party's century of struggle on the New Journey, carrying forward the Great Founding Spirit of the Party ^[13], and conducting the Great Struggle ^[14]. As the Party’s "disciplinary force," discipline inspection cadres perform the work of supervision—work that inevitably involves offending people. They must remain steadfast in their responsibilities and struggle against all individuals and actions that undermine the Party's unity and solidarity or damage the Party's advanced nature and purity. The courage and skill to struggle are extremely important character traits. It is necessary to earnestly study and comprehend General Secretary Xi Jinping’s sublime spiritual realm of "I will be selfless and live up to the people’s expectations" ^[15] and his intense sense of mission and responsibility to "offend thousands to avoid failing the 1.4 billion." We must strengthen the cultivation of the spirit and ability to struggle, developing the "stiff spine," "iron shoulders," and "true talent" required for skillful struggle. Through high-standard, high-requirement professional training and continuous on-the-job practical exercise, we must further improve our capacity to perform duties, truly playing the role of a "probe" ^[16] and the role of specialized organs for supervision and discipline enforcement.

Strictly cultivate one’s character and self-discipline to establish a good image. To correct others, one must first correct oneself; discipline inspection cadres must first be tempered and resilient themselves before they can fulfill their duties and perform their work well. In accordance with the deployment requirements of this education and rectification campaign, it is necessary to earnestly carry out self-examination and self-correction. By comparing ourselves against the Party Constitution, Party regulations, Party discipline, and national laws and regulations, we must identify problems and deficiencies in areas such as ideals and convictions, ideological style, taking initiative, and abiding by regulations and discipline. We must strengthen self-supervision and self-constraint, resolutely preventing "darkness under the lamp" ^[17], and effectively forging a "disciplinary iron army" of higher purity and greater substance through iron discipline. The new situations, new tasks, and new requirements place higher demands on discipline inspection cadres to improve their own construction. We must persist in basing our conduct and work on Party spirit, keeping in mind the "Three Musts" ^[18] and practicing the "Three Stricts and Three Steadies" ^[19], always emphasizing the cultivation of character and demanding the highest standards of ourselves. We should serve as models in observing the Party Constitution, regulations, discipline, and national laws, leading by example in style of work and moral character. We must consciously accept supervision to ensure we are truly upright, clean, and firm. We must have the courage for self-revolution, hone our character and integrity, and make due contributions to the in-depth development of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party through excellent work style and proactive actions.

(Author: Deputy Secretary of the Organs Party Committee and Secretary of the Organs Discipline Inspection Committee of Qiushi Magazine)