Wu Qiang: Understanding the Study and Education on Establishing and Practicing a Correct Outlook on Political Performance from Three Dimensions
The perspective on political achievements is a concentrated reflection of Party spirit and principles. Currently, the entire Party is carrying out a study and education program on establishing and practicing a correct perspective on political achievements. Clarifying the theoretical, historical, and practical logic of this study and education program will help us strengthen our understanding of why it is being conducted and how to conduct it effectively.
From a theoretical dimension, the question of the perspective on political achievements is a fundamental issue.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "The question of the perspective on political achievements is a fundamental issue; it concerns the Party's commitment to serving the public interest and exercising governance for the people." This sentence fully reflects the importance of Party members and cadres establishing and practicing a correct perspective on political achievements for the development of the cause of the Party and the state. What kind of perspective on political achievements should Communists establish? This relates to the nature and purpose of the Party and its foundation of governance, as well as the progress of Chinese-path modernization.
The Communist perspective on political achievements is rooted in the Party's nature and purpose. The question of the Party's nature is the primary issue in the Marxist theory of Party building. What kind of perspective on political achievements a political party advocates is ultimately determined by the nature of that party. The perspective on political achievements held by bourgeois parties inevitably points toward the maximization of bourgeois interests. There is a phenomenon that provokes deep thought: when major natural disasters occur in the United States, the U.S. government's disaster relief operations are always very slow, yet they often immediately deploy soldiers and National Guard members to maintain order and protect the luxury mansions, banks, and enterprises of the wealthy, while ordinary people may remain homeless for months. In sharp contrast to Western countries, our Party and government attach great importance to disaster prevention and relief. Facing natural disasters, on the one hand, we formulate and implement a comprehensive and scientific defense system, emphasizing that "it is better to have ten empty preparations than one failed defense" [1]; on the other hand, rescue operations are carried out immediately after the disaster, with Party members and cadres always rushing to the front lines. We are able to do this because the Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, and at the same time, the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. The nature of the Communist Party of China determines that the Party has no special interests of its own other than the interests of the working class and the broadest masses of the people. The perspective on political achievements advocated by the Party is to build a Party for the public and create benefits for the people.
In establishing and practicing a correct perspective on political achievements, Party spirit plays the decisive role. What is Party spirit? General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In the final analysis, Party spirit is a matter of standpoint. Whether Communists are thinking about problems, conducting research, making decisions, or handling affairs, they must stand on the side of the Party and the people, and must not put personal interests first. This is the principle of Party spirit for Communists." Only by having a strong Party spirit and casting aside selfish motives can one ensure that the perspective on political achievements does not deviate. Whether a Party member's Party spirit is strong is reflected in whether their words and deeds are consistent with the Party's nature and purpose, and whether they can maintain a high degree of unity with the Party Central Committee. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "Unity of action, unity of opinion, and collectivism—this is Party spirit." Therefore, to establish and practice a correct perspective on political achievements, one must keep in mind the Party's nature and purpose, and deeply realize the decisive significance of the Two Establishments and resolutely achieve the Two Upholds.
The perspective on political achievements concerns the Party's foundation of governance. It is a reflection of the perspective on power. The power in the hands of leading cadres and the positions they hold are bestowed by the Party and the people and are to be used to seek benefits for the people. The support and backing of the people are the most solid foundation for the Party's governance. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "The country is the people, and the people are the country. Fighting to win the country and defending it is a matter of winning and keeping the people's hearts." Whenever the Party maintains a flesh-and-blood bond with the masses, its foundation of governance is as solid as a rock; whenever it becomes divorced from the masses or harms their interests, its foundation of governance will be eroded. This year marks the 103rd anniversary [2] of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and it is also the 33rd anniversary [3] of the demise of the CPSU and the collapse of the Soviet Union. There is a question worth reflecting on: Why did the CPSU, which had nearly 2000 million members, lose power overnight and collapse? One important reason was that it became divorced from the masses, and a privileged stratum [4] formed within it; its perspective on political achievements no longer contained the content of creating benefits for the people, and it was bound to be abandoned by the people. Today, our solid development of study and education on establishing and practicing a correct perspective on political achievements is intended to solve the questions of "for whom achievements are established, what kind of achievements are established, and by what means achievements are established." This promotes the strengthening of the sense of purpose among Party members and cadres, ensuring they "benefit the locality during their tenure" and deeply rooting the mass foundation of the Party's governance.
The perspective on political achievements is linked to the perspective on development. Whatever perspective on development one holds determines the perspective on political achievements; conversely, the kind of perspective on political achievements established will guide the perspective on development. The perspective on development emphasizes sticking to the people-centered development philosophy; correspondingly, the perspective on political achievements emphasizes that creating benefits for the people is the greatest political achievement. Both the perspective on political achievements and the perspective on development belong to the superstructure and are determined by the economic base or the relations of production. There is a fundamental difference between these perspectives under socialist relations of production and those under capitalist relations of production. For example, although it is generally true that the more developed a country’s economy, the more it focuses on environmental protection, why did the highly developed United States withdraw from the Paris Agreement and refuse to take responsibility for emission reductions? Why does China, though its economy is not as developed as that of the U.S., attach such high importance to green development? The fundamental reason is that the perspective on political achievements and development held by U.S. political parties and the government serves the interests of big capital. Although emission reduction benefits the global population and the American people, it is not conducive to capital obtaining maximum profits. Our country is a socialist country, and the perspective on political achievements and development advocated by our Party is consistent with the interests of the people. A correct perspective on political achievements means producing results for the people. For a long period in the past, the principal contradiction in our society was the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing material and cultural needs and backward social production. The key to resolving this contradiction was to solve the problem of insufficient material supply, and the rate of economic growth became an important indicator for governments at all levels to measure the political achievements of cadres. Entering the New Era, the masses have not only put forward higher requirements for material and cultural life, but also have growing demands for democracy, the rule of law, fairness, justice, security, and the environment. The principal contradiction in our society has evolved into the contradiction between the people’s ever-growing need for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed the New Development Philosophy, which meant a major adjustment in our perspective on development: we no longer simply "judge heroes by the GDP growth rate" but focus on high-quality development. This also reflects a major change in our Party's perspective on political achievements, where promoting green development, coordinated development, and common prosperity have become important components. However, the core of the perspective on political achievements has never changed: it remains placing the people above all else and creating benefits for the people.
From a historical dimension, carrying out study and education is an important way for the Party to promote self-revolution.
China has a history of civilization spanning over 5,000 years, which is a precious wealth left to us by our ancestors. When we reflect on many issues, we can gain enlightenment from history, and the same is true for thinking about the perspective on political achievements today.
Looking at ancient Chinese history, the decline and fall of the Qin and Sui dynasties are worth reflecting upon. Both dynasties were very important, ending hundreds of years of war and division in China and establishing unified dynasties, but they were both short-lived, with one lasting just over a decade and the other over thirty years. The two emperors who must take primary responsibility for the short lives of these dynasties, Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Yang of Sui, both had grand ambitions and were very active in territorial expansion, institutional improvement, and transportation construction. They unified the script, standardized the gauge of wheel tracks, unified weights and measures, implemented the system of commanderies and counties, built the Great Wall, established the imperial examination system, opened the Grand Canal, and expanded into the Western Regions… It can be said that Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Yang of Sui had "brilliant" political achievements, but why did their dynasties perish so quickly? Seen today, the short lives of the Qin and Sui dynasties were closely related to the problems in the "perspective on political achievements" of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Yang of Sui. In the eyes of these two emperors, there was only the "Great Empire" and no "life or death of the common people." While simultaneously constructing multiple "mega-projects," they repeatedly launched foreign wars and extensively conscripted corvée labor and military service. The burden on the people exceeded the limit, leaving them no choice but to "rise with bamboo poles as spears" [5] and overthrow the tyranny.
Many ancient Chinese thinkers recognized the power of the people. The classic works of Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, and Taoism all contain people-centered thought [6]. For example, Confucius’s "governing by virtue," Mencius’s "the people are more important than the ruler," Xunzi’s "the ruler is the boat and the people are the water," the Guanzi’s "the way to govern a country must begin with enriching the people," and Mozi’s "universal love" and "non-aggression." Most of these thinkers' works were written for rulers; in today's terms, they all suggested that rulers adopt a perspective on political achievements rooted in people-centered thought. People-centered thought was also incorporated into policy agendas in some dynasties and played a positive role. The strength of the Han and Tang dynasties was largely due to the policy of "light corvée and low taxes" [7] adopted after their founding, allowing the people to "rest and recuperate." However, in essence, feudal rulers only used people-centered thought as a tool to "control the people" or "herd the people"; in their hearts, they would never truly agree that the people were more important than the ruler.
Putting the people first and taking a people-oriented approach requires a basis in a socialist system where the people are the masters of the country. This was obviously impossible to truly achieve in a feudal society. However, people-centered thought is highly compatible with the Marxist standpoint of the people; it is a precious wealth left to us by our ancestors and an important part of fine traditional Chinese culture. Today, our excavation and elaboration of the contemporary value of people-centered thought helps to cultivate a correct perspective on political achievements.
It must also be seen that the century-long history of the Party is magnificent, writing a great legend of generations of Chinese Communists uniting and leading the Chinese people to forge ahead, providing rich nourishment for us to establish and practice a correct perspective on political achievements.
From the day of its birth, our Party engraved the word "People" on its banner and took up the two great historical tasks: the first was to strive for national independence and people's liberation, and the second was to realize national prosperity and people's happiness. It can be seen that at the beginning of the Party's founding, the Communist perspective on political achievements had a solid core. Through the New Democratic Revolution and the socialist revolution, our Party led the people to "overthrow the three great mountains" [8], establish the New China, and set up the socialist system, realizing the status of the people as masters of the country. Completing the first task was the greatest political achievement our Party made during the New Democratic Revolution and the socialist revolution period. After the establishment of the socialist system, our Party strove to complete the second historical task. To this end, our Party has led the people across the country in many efforts and explorations, achieving historical successes, and announced the comprehensive completion of a moderately prosperous society in all respects on the occasion of the centenary of the founding of the Party. In this process, a series of shining names—Jiao Yulu, Gu Wenchang, Yang Shanzhou, Kong Fansen, Li Baoguo, Huang Wenxiu…—have interpreted for us what a correct perspective on political achievements is. Currently, we are on a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist powerful country. Through hard work, we aim to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035 and build a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, so that all Chinese people will live a happier life. Looking back at more than a hundred years of Party history, our Party has consistently advocated a perspective on political achievements aimed at creating benefits for the people.
Unifying the will of the entire Party through concentrated study and education is an important experience of our Party. An important reason why the Communist Party of China has been able to achieve such great results over more than a hundred years is the importance it attaches to conducting concentrated study and education. In the history of the Party, the Yan’an Rectification Movement carried out during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the first time concentrated study and education were conducted throughout the Party. This was a great creation by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core, and it has great and far-reaching significance for Party building. The Yan’an Rectification Movement was both a universal and profound education in Marxist ideological theory and a great movement of ideological emancipation that broke through the long-standing dogmatism within the Party. It not only eliminated the influence of subjectivism, sectarianism, and stereotyped Party writing [9], but also fundamentally settled the accounts regarding the various historical errors since the founding of the Party and established the ideological line of seeking truth from facts. Through the Yan’an Rectification Movement, our Party became a completely independent and politically mature party, laying an important ideological and political foundation for the convening of the Seventh National Congress of the Party, as well as for the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the New Democratic Revolution. After the founding of New China, our Party carried out several more Party consolidation and rectification movements, as well as the "Three Stresses" [10] education, the educational activities to maintain the advanced nature of Party members, and the activities to deeply study and implement the Scientific Outlook on Development. These played a positive role in unifying thinking, rectifying work styles, strengthening discipline, and purifying the organization.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, concentrated study and education have become an important way for our Party to promote self-revolution. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has successively deployed and carried out...
The eight periods of intensive intra-Party study and education [11]—namely, the Educational Practice Activity of the Party’s Mass Line, the "Three Stricts and Three Honests" [12] special education, the "Two Studies, One Action" [13] study and education, the "Remaining True to our Original Aspiration and Founding Mission" theme education, the Party History study and education, the theme education on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Party Discipline study and education, and the study and education on deeply implementing the spirit of the central Eight-Point Regulations—demonstrate a consistent lineage while each remaining highly targeted. On one hand, they share a unified purpose: to educate and guide the entire Party to keep in mind the fundamental questions of what the Communist Party of China is and what it aims to do, and to always maintain the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the people. Each iteration has consolidated and expanded upon the achievements of previous study and education efforts. On the other hand, each period of study and education has had its own particular focus based on different temporal nodes or primary tasks. For example, the Educational Practice Activity of the Party’s Mass Line was launched in the second year after the 18th CPC National Congress; a major goal was to ensure that all Party members kept in mind and strictly observed the fundamental tenet of serving the people whole-heartedly, using an excellent conduct style to tightly unite the people and strive toward the goals and tasks set by the 18th National Congress. To take another example, the Party History study and education was conducted at the significant moment of celebrating the Party’s centenary and at the critical historical intersection of the "Two Centenary Goals" [14], pushing the whole Party to study and summarize Party history effectively, to inherit and carry forward the Party’s successful experiences, and to embark on the new journey with a high-spirited posture. The study and education on establishing and practicing a correct conception of political achievement launched this year is similarly characterized by strong practical relevance.
From the dimension of practice, we must use study and education to promote a strong start for the "15th Five-Year Plan" [15]. On January 20th of this year, at the opening ceremony of a study session for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial levels (省部级主要领导干部) on studying and implementing the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly elucidated the far-reaching considerations for establishing and practicing a correct conception of political achievement on the new journey: "The opening year of the '15th Five-Year Plan,' whether in terms of formulating plans or deploying implementation, requires a correct conception of political achievement. Leadership teams at the provincial, municipal, county, and township levels will successive undergo term reshuffles (换届); emphasizing the conception of political achievement is thus very targeted." This speech clearly explains the practical relevance of this study and education. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee mapped out the grand blueprint for China's economic and social development during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, pointing the way toward achieving decisive progress in basically realizing socialist modernization. The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a key phase for consolidating the foundation and exerting full force to basically realize socialist modernization; conducting study and education in its opening year is precisely the right time.
The essence of governance lies in implementation. Completing the goals and tasks of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period requires all regions and departments to resolutely and powerfully implement the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, ensuring that the "15th Five-Year Plan" is grounded without deviation or distortion, and effectively turning the established action programs, strategic goals, and work blueprints into reality. Leading officials must focus on integrating the actual conditions of their own regions and departments, exploring effective methods to achieve economic and social development goals and tasks according to local conditions (因地制宜). They must prevent "discounting" (打折扣) or "flexible interpretations" (搞变通) of policies, while also avoiding the mechanical application and rote execution of instructions. This year marks the reshuffle year for leadership teams at the provincial, municipal, county, and township levels. We must prevent leading officials from ignoring difficult problems in their work before the reshuffle and "shirking responsibility onto their successors" (向后任甩锅); we must also prevent some leading officials from only accepting power without accepting the burden after taking office, or "new officials ignoring the debts of their predecessors" (新官不理旧账); even more, we must prevent each new generation of leadership from "starting a separate stove and running a separate set" [16]. Only if leading officials establish the concept that "success does not have to happen during my term, but I must contribute to its ultimate success" (功成不必在我、功成必定有我) and persist in genuine work and solid action (真抓实干) can they achieve practical results.
Only when leading officials have a correct conception of political achievement can they execute the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments without distortion. In reality, cases where leading officials’ conceptions of political achievement deviate are not uncommon. For instance, some officials, in order to gain capital for promotion, value visible achievements over latent ones (重显绩轻潜绩) and "face" over substance (重面子轻里子), even going as far as faking data to create a bubble of political achievement. Some are overly ambitious for greatness and quick success (好大喜功、急功近利), making "head-patting decisions" [17] that are divorced from reality to build "image projects" (形象工程) and "vanity projects" (政绩工程), leading to projects that fail as soon as they start or are abandoned as soon as they are built. Some, when doing things for the people, only look at the immediate needs of the masses without considering the "sequelae," resulting in "solving one problem while leaving ten regrets." Others, to cater to superiors and please leaders, are keen on creating projects within the leader's "field of vision," fearing not the dissatisfaction of the masses but rather the lack of attention from the leader. Still others, to leave a name for themselves or build monuments to their own memory, enjoy "putting on a show" (做秀) and are keen on "creating momentum for a moment" rather than "benefitting a locality for a lifetime," and so on. The existence of these problems seriously damages the Party's image and the relationship between the Party and the masses, as well as between officials and the masses, and affects the implementation and effectiveness of reform, development, and stability tasks.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "At every major turning point, facing new situations and new tasks, our Party always calls upon all comrades to strengthen their study; and every such upsurge in study has been able to promote the realization of great development and progress in the cause of the Party and the people." The study and education on establishing and practicing a correct conception of political achievement is precisely carried out at an important temporal node in advancing Chinese-path modernization, targeting the prominent problems of deviation in the conception of political achievement among some leading officials. Through study and education, we must resolve the questions of for whom we create achievements, what kind of achievements we create, and how we create them, thereby strengthening the impetus for promoting high-quality development. Party members and officials must profoundly understand, accurately grasp, and fully implement the general requirements of "founding the Party for the public, benefiting the people, making scientific decisions, and doing genuine work with solid action" (立党为公、为民造福、科学决策、真抓实干). They must immerse themselves and their work in this process (把自己摆进去，把工作摆进去), correct deviations in their conception of political achievement through study and education, and more resolutely and powerfully implement the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, creating political achievements that can stand the test of practice, the people, and history.
Source: Economic Daily (April 7, 2026) Editor: Hui Hui