People's Daily:
The full and rigorous governance over the Party in the new era started with formulating and implementing the central Party leadership's eight-point decisions on improving conduct. What progress has been made and what experience has been gained in improving Party conduct? Next, how to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline by maintaining a resolute stance on rigorous self-discipline?
Xiao Pei:
Following the principle of rigorous self-governance and improving Party conduct, and tightening discipline is a strategic arrangement made by the 20th CPC National Congress. Rigorous self-governance defines the CPC's political life. Yesterday, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his report that the CPC must always stay alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large party like the CPC faces. That requires the Party to maintain a resolute stance on rigorous self-governance and self-discipline. On Dec. 4, 2012, shortly after the 18th CPC National Congress concluded, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee set eight-point decisions to urge all officials to improve conduct and maintain close ties with the people. At the meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the second plenary session of the 18th CCDI that followed, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that Party conduct is of pivotal importance. If unhealthy influence is not rectified resolutely and left unchecked, it would become a wall separating the Party from our people. Officials, especially officials in the CPC Central Committee, should take the lead in improving Party conduct and exercise real and rigorous standards in this regard.
A decade ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the requirement to strictly govern the Party from the level of senior officials and central leaders. With the formulation and implementation of the Party's eight-point frugality code, we have broken ground in comprehensively and strictly governing the Party in the new era. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have investigated and dealt with more than 761,000 cases that violated the eight-point frugality code. General Secretary Xi Jinping figuratively pointed out that the launch of the eight-point frugality code has revived the building of the Party. The code has become an iconic measure to change political ecology and improve social presence, helping us to restrain improper behaviors of officials and wining the hearts of the people.
First, the CPC Central Committee has set an example in adhering to the highest standards of staying true to the original aspiration and upholding the founding mission of the Party, and in sticking to the most rigorous requirements of the implementation rules of the eight-point frugality code. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has held a democratic life meeting every year to check the implementation of the eight-point frugality code and led by example, rigorously governing the "key minority" and senior officials and conducting relevant decrees to the letter. A total of 265 officials registered at and supervised by the CPC Central Committee have been disciplined for violations of the code since the 18th CPC National Congress.
Second, as the old saying goes, "step onto the stone and you should leave your footprint on it; clutch a piece of iron and you should leave your handprint on it," we have taken forceful steps in conducting the eight-point frugality code and delivered tangible results. Over the last decade, starting from cracking down on the use of public funds to pay for moon cakes and other gifts, meals and traveling, we have fixed problems one after another, broken through issues one by one, focused on one node after another, and stuck to the work year after year. The CCDI and the National Supervisory Commission has publicly reported the investigations of violations of the eight-point frugality code for the past 108 consecutive months and exposed typical cases by name.
Third, we have concentrated on addressing the problems of pointless formalities and bureaucratism. We have resolutely corrected the problems of carrying out the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee with excessive rhetoric, loud slogans, and unfulfilled actions, and even running counter to and in contradiction with those decisions and arrangements. We have also dealt with the problems of having too many meetings and inspections and excessively leaving records of work. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, all disciplinary and supervisory organs across China have investigated and dealt with more than 282,000 cases of pointless formalities and bureaucratism.
Four, we have adhered to that our work is in the interests of the people and relies on their strengths. Swarms of "flies" are as harmful as tigers. We have seriously held grassroots officials accountable for their problems of asking for bribes, being cold and harsh to the people, and lack of responsibilities, and their inaction. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, we have investigated and dealt with more than 347,000 cases involving corruption, embezzlement, favoritism, and taking advantage to benefit oneself at the expense of the others. Meanwhile, we have widened the channels of public supervision and launched a snapshot exposure platform of the Four Malfeasances and a one-click report platform to weave an intensive network of public supervision.
Fifth, we have synchronously fostered healthy tendencies while correcting the Four Malfeasances, improving regular and long-term working mechanisms to cultivate a good and kind social atmosphere. The eight-point frugality code has become a "golden card" for all CPC members in the new era.
The CPC Central Committee has always stressed that the eight-point frugality code is not a five-year or 10-year regulation, but an iron rule that will be effective for a long time. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress has made clear the requirement for resolutely implementing the eight-point frugality code and further deepening the correction of the Four Malfeasances in case of relapses, reappearances in invisible deformation, and passive sentiment. We will carry our fine traditions into a new journey and carry forward our good work style in the new era. Thank you.