Party Leadership Group of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Opening a New Chapter in the High-Quality Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences with a Strict and Earnest Style
The Party Leadership Group of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS): Opening a New Chapter in the High-Quality Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences Through a Strict and Substantive Style of Work
General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that we must implement the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations with perseverance and the determination to fight both a war of fortification and a war of attrition. We must promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style construction, using an excellent style of work to build consensus, pool strength, and undertake practical work with real results, thereby continuously opening new chapters in the development of our cause. Since the beginning of this year, the Party Leadership Group of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the "Academy Leadership Group") has earnestly studied and implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on strengthening the Party's work style construction. We have systematically and effectively carried out study and education sessions on the in-depth implementation of the central Eight-Point Regulations, achieving positive results in the construction of our academic and institutional style. The Academy Leadership Group regards consolidating and expanding the results of this study and education, and promoting work style construction on a normalized and long-term basis, as a major political task. We highlight political guidance, persist over the long term, enforce strict discipline and rules, and strengthen our sense of mission and responsibility. In doing so, we are building a strong barrier of professional conduct to operate CASS effectively in accordance with the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee.
I. Highlighting political guidance and forging absolute loyalty to the Party through an excellent Party style
The Party’s style of work is its very image; it concerns the support of the people and the very survival of the Party. CASS is a political organ centered on research work; it is a theoretical front for Marxism and possesses distinct political attributes. The Academy Leadership Group takes a clear-cut stand and maintains a firm position, strictly implementing the "First Agenda" system [1]. We earnestly study and grasp the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and instructions. We continue to consolidate and deepen a new pattern of political construction—using the "Three Consensus" to solidify our foundation, the "Three Commitments" to rectify our work style, and the "Three Measures" to guard the bottom line—firmly maintaining our position in the "first square" [2] of practicing the "Two Upholds."
Using the "Three Consensus" to rectify the direction of the Academy. A correct direction is the foundation of the Academy. The Academy Leadership Group gathered the wisdom of all Party members and cadres to form an ideological consensus: "Run CASS well according to the requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee; serving General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee is the sacred duty of CASS; and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the banner and soul of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics in the New Era." These "Three Consensus" are the concrete actions of the Academy Leadership Group to resolutely support the "Two Establishments" and achieve the "Two Upholds." They are the fundamental principles for running the Academy that must be adhered to long-term, polishing the political backdrop of loyalty to the Party.
Using the "Three Commitments" to correct the academic and institutional style. The "Three Commitments" are practical measures by which the Academy Leadership Group leads by example to purify the political ecosystem. The Academy Leadership Group made a solemn pledge to all Party members and cadres: "Unless specially permitted by the organization, members of the Academy Leadership Group shall not participate in the selection of Academic Division Members [3] or professional title evaluations; they shall not publish articles in academic journals within their direct area of oversight; and their personally authored achievements shall not participate in various internal Academy awards." The Academy Leadership Group keeps its word and acts on its promises, actively creating a healthy and upward-moving academic ecosystem. This provides more confidence, integrity, and resolve in promoting the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, setting a benchmark for all subordinate units and receiving unanimous praise from the Academy's personnel.
Using the "Three Measures" to draw bottom lines and red lines. Confining power within the cage of institutions is the basis and prerequisite for nurturing academic ethics. The Academy Leadership Group issued the Implementation Measures for the Responsibility System of Discipline Construction of CASS (Trial) and the “Ten Strict Prohibitions” for CASS Staff Conduct. We collectively signed commitment letters for leading Party cadres to fulfill their responsibilities in discipline construction, using the rigidity of the system to regulate the words and deeds of researchers, allowing Party members and cadres to work with peace of mind and act boldly under the premise of observing discipline.
During the period of study and education, the Academy Leadership Group revised and issued regulations on the in-depth implementation of the central Eight-Point Regulations and their detailed implementation rules. We codified the "Three Threes" into institutional forms, turning commitments into systems and long-term disciplinary rules. The Academy Leadership Group strictly enforces institutional execution, continuously strengthens education on the awareness of being a political organ and the identity of Party members, clarifies political discipline and rules, strictly manages political standards, and resolutely removes "two-faced persons." We push Party members and cadres to translate their loyalty to the Party leader, the Party, the people, and the Party’s philosophy and social science cause into every aspect and the entire process of their work.
II. Persisting over the long term to promote work style construction with a strict tone
Work style construction is always on the road and never has a stop sign; it must be grasped constantly, meticulously, and for the long haul through continuous effort and persisting over the long term. To flourish and develop our country’s philosophy and social sciences, we must resolve the issue of academic style. The Academy Leadership Group regards the study and implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on strengthening work style construction as a mandatory and ongoing course. We lead by example with higher standards and demonstrate leadership with stricter discipline, driving all Party members and cadres to consolidate and expand the results of study and education.
Constantly using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to solidify the soul. We revised and issued the implementation measures for the Rules for the Theoretical Learning Center Groups of Party Committees (Party Leadership Groups) to effectively enhance the relevance and operability of political theory study. By attending meetings as observers and conducting specialized research, we urge subordinate units to ensure their theoretical learning center groups play a leading role. We make good use of authoritative textbooks such as the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. Through the "Three Meetings and One Lesson" [4], youth theory study groups, and theme Party days, we lead cadres to deeply study and grasp the spirit of the General Secretary’s instructions, ensuring they truly understand, internalize, and implement them. Through reading classes, theoretical preaching, and cadre training, we maintain work style construction for newly promoted, young, and key-position cadres, strengthening political guidance for retirees and non-Party personages to ensure the Party’s innovative theories enter their minds and guide their actions.
Constantly strengthening the systematic and academic research and interpretation of the Party’s innovative theories. We unswervingly regard the study, research, and interpretation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our primary political task, theoretical mission, and academic calling. We strive to build a professional theoretical system guided by this Thought. By scientifically grasping the laws of running CASS and the development of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, we accelerate the improvement of organized research mechanisms. We mobilize elite forces, break down disciplinary barriers, and promote cross-institute joint research to produce more research results with ideological penetration.
Constantly promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style construction. We guide Party members and cadres to vigorously carry forward the Marxist academic style of integrating theory with practice. We use an excellent academic style to promote integrity, eliminate unhealthy tendencies, nurture academic character, and defend the dignity of this "Hall of Learning." We regularly organize self-inspections for prominent problems in work style and drive the rectification of these issues. We deepen specialized rectifications for problems such as illegal banqueting and rectify "Four Winds" issues in subordinate enterprises, journals, media, academic societies, and non-entity research centers. We standardize the management of research funds and strengthen the supervision of special forms of power. We urge subordinate units to utilize the institutional achievements of work style construction to ensure it reaches every corner and the grassroots level.
III. Enforcing strict discipline and rules to create a clean and upright hall of theoretical academia
Academic style is the cornerstone of academic development; when the style is upright, academia flourishes. The Academy Leadership Group integrates the strengthening of work style throughout the entire process of managing the Academy and its institutes, guiding all personnel to stick to the bottom line of integrity and self-discipline, forging a good style with iron rules.
Tightening the political responsibility for work style construction. We urge subordinate units to coordinate the implementation of the responsibility systems for Party building, ideological work, and discipline construction. We push research institutes to deeply implement the system of the Director’s responsibility under the leadership of the Party Committee. We guide institutes to formulate rules of procedure for Party Committee meetings and Director’s office meetings. In units with a large number of Party members, we establish a Party Standing Committee system. Through the rigid constraints of the system, we fundamentally break the "mid-level obstruction" [5] problem in institute development. We issued opinions on deepening the reform of the Academic Division Member system, established the Academic Division Member studio system, optimized selection mechanisms, and strengthened daily supervision to ensure they always adhere to the correct political direction, academic orientation, and value orientation. We are building the "Zhihang (Knowledge and Action) Pioneer" Party-building brand to further strengthen grassroots Party work, forming a synergy where high-quality Party building promotes high-quality research.
Strengthening supervision over the "key minority" [6] with iron discipline. Adhering to strict standards, we focus on the education and supervision of the "key minority," such as leaders at the institute and bureau levels, guiding them to fulfill their primary responsibility in governing the Party and their institutes. We reinforce the "do it now and do it well" concept within administrative departments. In areas such as financial reimbursement and professional title evaluation, we continue to optimize and streamline procedures to effectively reduce the administrative burden on researchers, preventing formalism across the entire chain and continuously improving service awareness and management levels. We issued management measures for heads of research offices to effectively strengthen their awareness of discipline and rules, pushing the "one post, two responsibilities" [7] requirement to take root.
Continuing to deepen the correction of style, discipline, and anti-corruption. We seriously investigate and punish violations of the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations, resolutely correcting fallacies such as the "theory that small matters don't matter," the "theory of regional or industrial exceptionalism," and the "theory that anti-corruption hinders development." We continue to strengthen warning education, learning from specific cases to address root causes and prevent work style problems from rebounding. We place academic style and moral construction at the forefront of the quality of our "iron army" of theoretical academia. We regularly hold forums on academic style and ethics, implement Academy-wide initiatives, and carry out normalized education on research integrity. We conduct assessments of administrative style to consolidate the results of work style construction in functional departments.
IV. Strengthening mission and responsibility to promote the high-quality development of philosophy and social sciences
The effectiveness of work style construction must be reflected in taking responsibility and achieving results. Philosophy and social science workers should possess the persistence of "sitting on a cold bench for ten years [8] and never writing an empty line of prose," truly unifying their personal conduct, their actions, and their scholarship. The Academy Leadership Group integrates the consolidation of work style achievements with key tasks such as implementing the Party Central Committee’s major decisions, meeting the requirements of central disciplinary inspections, and deepening institutional reforms, so as to shape the character, build the dignity, and strengthen the foundation of this academic hall.
Further improving the ability to serve General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee. We give full play to the role of research innovation pilot sites, such as the Chinese Academy of History and the Academy of Chinese-path Modernization. We continue to promote organized research, revitalize the Chinese school of philosophy and social sciences, and provide solid academic theoretical support for advancing Chinese-path modernization. We promote exchange and integration between basic and applied disciplines, humanities and social sciences, and social sciences and natural sciences. We cultivate a group of cross-field, cross-disciplinary, and cross-unit research teams and innovative forces, producing valuable and weighty interpretive results. We guide all cadres to base themselves on their posts, implementing major tasks assigned by the Party Central Committee with a rigorous and pragmatic style. We strive to build the research institutes into "Two Towns (Bases) and One Platform"—namely, academic strongholds serving General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee, a flagship array leading the direction of Chinese academic development, and a high-end platform for Chinese academia to "go global" in the New Era.
Accelerating the construction of an independent knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences. We are deeply implementing the research and interpretation projects for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and for Modern Chinese Civilization, as well as the Marxist Theory Research and Construction Project. We focus on building a disciplinary theoretical system with Xi Jinping Thought as the banner and soul. We leverage platforms such as specialized research offices, research centers, and collaborative research bases to coordinate systematic research on the Party’s innovative theories. Based on the reality of Chinese-path modernization, we actively respond to the latest trends of the technological revolution and the changes of the times. We continuously cultivate new academic growth and innovation points, proposing theoretical viewpoints with subjectivity and originality, and launching a series of masterpieces with contemporary height, historical depth, and theoretical thickness.
Striving to forge an "iron army" of theoretical academia that is loyal to the Party and serves the people. We deeply implement the Party’s organizational line for the New Era, adhering to the principle of "loyalty, integrity, and responsibility" as the bellwether for selecting and appointing talent. Following the principle of "consistency between higher and lower levels, past and present, appearance and reality, and words and deeds," we strictly manage the political, moral, capability, style, and integrity standards of cadre selection. We have established a mentor system for young scholars and implemented programs such as the "Qi'u Plan," "Peiyuan Plan," and "Great Wall Scholars Plan" to form a full-cycle talent cultivation system covering all age groups. We promote a culture of identifying, loving, respecting, and utilizing talent, guiding the academic and institutional style with an excellent Party style, and promoting the high-quality development of philosophy and social sciences with a clear and clean environment.