Song Wei, Liu Shuhui, et al.: Studying the "Excerpts from Xi Jinping's Discourses on Strengthening the Party's Style of Work"
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has broken new ground by formulating and implementing the central Eight-Point Regulations. Adhering to a top-down approach where the center leads by example, they have resolved the questions of what to focus on and how to grasp it regarding the construction of Party conduct under new conditions. Recently, the Selected Excerpts from Xi Jinping’s Discourses on Strengthening the Party’s Conduct Construction, edited by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, was published by the Central Literature Publishing House and distributed nationwide. This issue invites three experts and scholars to discuss their insights on studying these selected discourses.
How to accurately grasp the context and structure of the book? Nine Themes Systematically Elaborate on the Purpose, Essence, and Practical Requirements of Conduct Construction Song Wei, Director of the Integrity Research Center and Dean of the School of Marxism, University of Science and Technology Beijing
Selected Excerpts from Xi Jinping’s Discourses on Strengthening the Party’s Conduct Construction includes over 130 important documents—such as reports, speeches, instructions, and prefaces—written by General Secretary Xi Jinping between November 2012 and February 2025. It is divided into nine themes comprising 299 segments of discourse. The book systematically elaborates on the purpose, essence, and practical requirements of strengthening the Party’s conduct construction in the New Era. It serves as an authoritative text for us to comprehensively study, understand, and master the General Secretary's relevant discourses, and provides essential documentary material for the entire Party to carry out study and education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations.
Deeply recognize the extreme importance of the Party’s conduct construction. In themes such as "The Party’s Conduct Relates to the Support of the People and Determines the Success or Failure of the Cause of the Party and State," "Conduct Issues are Essence Issues of Party Spirit," and "The Core of Conduct Issues is the Relationship Between the Party and the Masses," General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly clarifies the relationship between conduct construction and Party building. This allows the entire Party to maintain a clearer understanding of the importance of conduct. The General Secretary points out that if a governing party does not focus on conduct construction and allows unhealthy tendencies to erode the Party's body, it faces the danger of losing the people’s support and its political power. As a Marxist party in long-term governance in China, our Party cannot afford to be negligent regarding conduct issues at any time.
Accurately grasp the breakthrough point for the Party’s conduct construction. In the theme "The Eight-Point Regulations are the Entry Point and the Call to Action for Improving Conduct; They are Long-term, Effective Iron Rules and Hard Benchmarks," General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly discusses the Central Committee's understanding and judgment regarding the proposal and implementation of the Eight-Point Regulations through the lenses of "one chess piece [1] landing to vitalize the whole game of conduct construction," "starting from the Central Politburo and promoting it top-down," and "unswervingly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations." He has put forward clear requirements for the persistent implementation of these regulations. The General Secretary forcefully pointed out that formulating and implementing the Eight-Point Regulations was an act of "establishing trust by moving the pole" [2] for our Party in the New Era, which must be attended to relentlessly and by persisting over the long term.
Comprehensively understand the practical requirements of the Party’s conduct construction. Across four themes—"Continuously Deepening the Rectification of the ‘Four Winds’," "Leading Officials at All Levels Must Lead in Transforming Conduct, Practicing What They Preach and Leading by Example," "Adhering to the Integration of Rectifying Conduct, Disciplining, and Anti-Corruption," and "Making the Party’s Conduct Comprehensively Pure to Drive Social and Folk Customs Upward via Excellent Party Conduct"—General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward clear practical requirements for strengthening conduct construction, providing a guide for action in rectifying the "Four Winds." The General Secretary believes that we must integrate the rectification of conduct, discipline, and anti-corruption, consistently adhering to a strict tone, strict measures, and a strict atmosphere. We must use excellent conduct as a lead, strict discipline as a guarantee, and the punishment of corruption as the clearance of obstacles.
Thoroughly comprehend the direction of advancing the Party’s conduct construction. In the theme "Advancing the Normalization and Long-term Effectiveness of Conduct Construction," General Secretary Xi Jinping puts forward a general deployment for conduct construction from a long-term strategic perspective. He clearly points out that maintaining "flesh-and-blood ties" [3] between the Party and the masses is an eternal task. Since conduct problems are recurrent and stubborn, they cannot be resolved overnight or through a single battle; nor can they be treated like a "passing gust of wind" [4] that stops once it has blown. They must be grasped constantly and over the long term.
Which contents must be "highlighted" for priority study? Original Concepts Provide Scientific Guidance for Conduct Construction in the New Era Liu Shuhui, Researcher at the Institute of Marxism Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
In the New Era, General Secretary Xi Jinping has summarized and refined new experiences in comprehensively and strictly governing the Party since the 18th National Congress. He has delivered a series of important speeches and issued a series of instructions on strengthening the Party's conduct construction, forming Xi Jinping’s important discourses on the subject. He has creatively proposed a series of original concepts: implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations, practicing "Three Stricts and Three Honests" [5], rectifying the "Four Winds," emphasizing the rectification of formalism and bureaucratism, eradicating "special privilege" [6] mentality and behavior, focusing on the "key few," [7] and adhering to a strict tone. These important discourses scientifically construct the theory of Party conduct construction in the New Era, providing scientific guidance and fundamental follows.
After the 18th National Congress, facing various problems and malpractices within the Party, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core decided to break the deadlock by taking the small "entry point" of formulating and implementing the Eight-Point Regulations. This resolved the questions of where to start, what to grasp, and how to grasp Party building under new conditions. The General Secretary emphasized: "The task of improving work conduct is very heavy; the Eight-Point Regulations are an entry point and a call to action." Leading by example, the General Secretary emphasized at a Central Politburo meeting: "If we are a bit less comfortable and a bit less at ease, the people’s comfort level will be a bit better, their satisfaction a bit higher, and their feeling toward us a bit better." Ultimately, "one chess piece landing vitalized the whole game."
Creatively proposing the rectification of the "Four Winds." Proceeding from a problem-oriented approach, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The 'Four Winds' violate our Party's nature and purpose; they are the problems the masses loathe most and react to most strongly, and they are a major source of damage to the relationship between the Party and the masses, and between officials and the masses." He described in detail the essence and harm of formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. Regarding the long-term and arduous nature of rectifying the "Four Winds," the General Secretary has a clear understanding, requiring that we "rectify the 'Four Winds' with the spirit of driving a nail" [8] and emphasizing that "conduct construction is always on the road and must be grasped relentlessly." Simultaneously, strengthening conduct construction requires Party members and officials to resolutely oppose special privilege mentality and phenomena. While presiding over the fifth collective study session of the 18th Central Politburo, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The masses most detest various phenomena of passivity and corruption, and most detest various phenomena of special privilege." He required leading officials to maintain the political character of integrity, and to correctly handle relationships between public and private, gain and loss, righteousness and profit, right and wrong, and "kinship and integrity" [9].
Grasping the "key few" to lead by example and play a demonstrative role. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed that practice since the 18th National Congress proves conduct construction must be led from the top. In the process of promoting conduct construction, he focuses on the demonstrative role of the Central Committee and high-ranking officials. He points out that "he who is good at prohibiting must first prohibit himself and then others" [10], requiring that "leading officials at all levels must lead by example, ensure that what is said is done, and what is promised is fulfilled," clearly stating that "comrades of the Central Politburo shall start with myself." The General Secretary also attaches great importance to the construction of "family traditions" [11], repeatedly enjoining officials: "You must pay attention to this; sometimes things at home can slip by unnoticed. Keep a close watch, nip problems in the bud, and do not shield your own children."
How to read and thoroughly understand the core issues of conduct construction? Winning the Support of the Masses through Good Conduct Shi Jia, Assistant Researcher at the Institute of Contemporary China Studies, CASS
In strengthening and improving the Party’s conduct construction, the core issue is maintaining the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses. Selected Excerpts from Xi Jinping’s Discourses on Strengthening the Party’s Conduct Construction specifically sets up a theme titled "The Core of Conduct Issues is the Relationship Between the Party and the Masses," collecting 33 segments of important discourse from the General Secretary between November 2012 and January 2025. This fully demonstrates General Secretary Xi Jinping’s deep feelings for the people and his strong sense of mission.
Approaching the masses with genuine emotion to maintain flesh-and-blood ties. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "'Every leaf and every branch is a matter of the heart' [12]; if officials do things with emotion, the masses feel it differently." "To implement the Party’s mass line, we must first have feelings for the masses, truly regarding ourselves as one of them and their affairs as our own." The greatest danger for a Marxist party after taking power—especially after long-term governance—is being detached from the masses. To strengthen conduct construction, we must adhere to the Marxist viewpoint on the masses and implement the Party’s mass line. For our Party to achieve long-term governance, it must forever maintain its flesh-and-blood ties with the people, always thinking and working together with them, sharing "wind and rain" as well as "common joys and sorrows."
Serving the masses with practical measures, always keeping them in heart and mind. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Strengthening and improving conduct construction is an effective way to maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses. We must focus on solving the prominent problems the masses react to strongly, and gather the positive energy to promote reform and development through new achievements in conduct construction." "Strengthening and improving conduct construction must result in the improvement of people's lives, the protection of their rights and interests, and ensure that the fruits of development benefit all people more extensively and fairly." The Party's conduct construction always persists around the people-centered development philosophy, striving to solve the interest problems that the masses care about most directly and realistically. We use excellent conduct to coalesce hearts and strength, winning the support of the broad masses.
Sincerely accepting the supervision of the masses and being brave enough to promote the Party’s self-revolution. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must resolutely prevent and correct whatever the masses oppose and detest." "When thinking about problems, making decisions, and handling affairs, we must stand on the side of the masses, understanding their opinions, requirements, criticisms, and suggestions through various channels, and truly work hard to solve their worries, alleviate their grievances, and warm their hearts." Since the 18th National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has firmly grasped the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party from the very beginning. Starting with the Eight-Point Regulations, it has carried out "mass line education and practice activities" [13] throughout the Party, focusing on for-the-people, pragmatic, and integrity-based values. It has concentrated on rectifying the "Four Winds," driving a turn for the better in the conduct of the Party, the government, and society. Conduct construction is always on the road. Only by continuously deepening the Party’s self-revolution and promoting comprehensively and strictly governing the Party in depth can we truly ensure that "power is used for the people, emotions are tied to the people, and interests are sought for the people."