CCTV:

We all know that, over the past century, the CPC has always firmly exercised self-supervision and practiced strict self-governance. Especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, major headway has been made in this respect, which won sincere support from the people and drew a lot of attention at home and abroad. Would you please give us an introduction about the achievements that the CPC has made in practicing strict self-governance since the 18th CPC National Congress? Thanks.  

Xiao Pei:

"Heroes are those who know themselves and can surpass themselves." This is a quote from the speech made by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Red Army. Having the courage to carry out self-revolution and exercising strict self-supervision and self-governance is a distinctive characteristic of the Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, one of the major features for the governance of the CPC Central Committee is the comprehensive and strict governance over the Party. China has made historic and pioneering achievements in the comprehensive and strict governance over the Party, which has a far-reaching and profound influence. The Party has emerged stronger from the revolution and has taken on a new look with good conduct. These are demonstrated in four aspects. 

First, we unequivocally adhere to the leadership of the CPC and strengthen Party building. When General Secretary Xi Jinping met domestic and foreign journalists after the 18th CPC National Congress concluded, he said that the desire of people for a better life is the goal of the CPC. There remain aspects that people are not satisfied with, and we must firmly exercise self-supervision and practice strict self-governance. Two years later, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted an inspection tour in Jiangsu province in December 2014. In Shiye town of Zhenjiang city in Jiangsu province, Cui Ronghai, a veteran CPC member told General Secretary Xi Jinping that Xi is the nemesis of corruption and savior of the people. A total of 83 centrally administered officials had been disciplined at that time. General Secretary Xi said that we need to do all we can to truly live up to people's expectations and practice comprehensive and strict governance over the Party. It was during this inspection tour that the strategy of comprehensive and strict governance over the Party was identified and became a part of the four-pronged comprehensive strategy, a part of the comprehensive strategy of the CPC. 

The fundamental purpose of comprehensive and strict governance over the Party is to adhere to and strengthen the Party's leadership, improve Party building, and ensure that the Party is at the core of the strong leadership in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the whole Party worked jointly to fulfill the political duties in exercising self-supervision and practicing self-governance, and resolved problems of Party leadership enervation and weaknesses in Party building and governance as well as slack in discipline. The CPC has reinforced weak links and taken on a new look with good conduct. The Party flag always flutters high on the front line of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, achieving decisive success in eradicating extreme poverty and combating the COVID-19 outbreak. The Party has given full play to its political, organizational, and institutional strengths to win these battles, which demonstrates that the CPC's leadership and the authority of the CPC Central Committee are what the Chinese people can truly depend on. 

Second, we unequivocally step up and give top priority to the Party's political building, and resolutely uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole as well as resolutely uphold the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership (the Two Upholds) with robust oversight. The Party's political building is of fundamental importance to the Party. Meanwhile, the Two Upholds is the top political principle for the CPC. Its purpose is to ensure that the Party's political line is closely followed and that the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee as well as those favorable policies are put in place to benefit people. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC firmly ensures the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Intraparty Political Life Under New Circumstances and the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Internal Oversight, and safeguards all relevant systems under the CPC's centralized and unified leadership. We have enhanced the intraparty political atmosphere, strictly enforced the political discipline and political rules of the CPC, and improved the political ecosystem of the Party. Party members who were easily swayed when facing major issues, who complied in public but opposed in private, and who were slack in implementing the guiding principles of the instructions made by the CPC Central Committee were held accountable. Cases of corruption that involved political and economic issues were severely investigated and prosecuted. We ensure the solidarity and unity of the Party and firmly uphold the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership.

Third, we continue to unswervingly improve Party conduct and Party discipline, and fight against corruption to remove the "virus" that has influenced the healthy growth of the Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have achieved great progress in practicing strict self-governance, securing and consolidating a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption. The reason behind these achievements lies in pushing forward the requirements made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, which is to make sure officials don't dare to, are unable to, or have no desire to commit corruption. We carried out work to address the practice of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance, fought against corruption and opposed acts of privilege seeking, and addressed both the symptoms and root causes of the problems in a systematic manner. This is how we made these achievements. First, we improved Party conduct. After the 18th CPC National Congress, a new generation of CPC central leadership was elected at the First Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held on Nov. 15, 2012. On Dec. 4, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee introduced its eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that the implementation of the eight-point decision aimed to improve Party building. The key is that the CPC Central Committee and the General Secretary should lead by example, and with unremitting efforts, set a good example for Party building while promoting the spirit of perseverance. Problems like using public funds for recreational activities have been resolved step by step, year by year, and in a consistent manner. So far, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC has published reports on addressing the practice of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance, and on violations against the eight-point decision for 93 successive months. We firmly oppose acts of formalism and bureaucratism. Those who failed to implement the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee, who slacked off regarding the instructions of the CPC Central Committee, and who didn't foster a correct view on evaluating their performances, were investigated and held accountable. We worked to ease the burdens at the community level, to see that our people have a greater sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security, and to ensure social fairness and justice with efforts to exercise comprehensive and strict governance over the Party.

To improve Party conduct, we must tighten discipline first. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we have included strengthening Party discipline in an overall plan for Party development. The CPC Central Committee has twice made revisions to the Regulations on CPC Disciplinary Action — after the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and after the 19th CPC National Congress, respectively — establishing a system of Party discipline covering six aspects. We focus on oversight of the "key few" leading officials and make them set examples for the vast majority. We exercise oversight over the Party and govern the Party with strict discipline. In accordance with the strict principles, efforts will be made to identify problems early and correct them while they are nascent. Party officials who trade expensive gifts and unique resources for personal gain will be punished. We strictly regulate the conduct of running businesses and launching enterprises by the spouses and children of Party officials as well as the spouses of their children. We work to remove the mindset and acts of privilege seeking. 

We continue to improve Party conduct and Party discipline and fight against corruption. A sweeping victory in the fight against corruption was secured and fully consolidated. After the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee came down hard on corruption with zero tolerance. With firm determination, the CPC Central Committee caught both "tigers" and "flies," which are two metaphors used respectively to refer to high-ranking and low-ranking officials who have violated law and are found guilty of corruption. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee, since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC has investigated 453 centrally administered officials. Disciplinary actions, including oral warnings, written censures, demotions, and prosecutions, were carried out to punish 8.834 million people. A total of 626,000 violations against the central Party leadership's eight-point decision were investigated nationwide. Approximately 217,000 cases relating to formalism and bureaucratism were investigated, with 322,000 people disciplined. Since the 19th CPC National Congress, more than 390,000 cases relating to the livelihood of the people or infringing upon the interests of the people were filed, and 359,000 people were disciplined. A total of 280,000 cases relating to poverty alleviation were filed, and 188,000 people were disciplined. During the campaign to combat organized crime and root out local mafia, 93,000 cases were investigated and 84,000 people were disciplined. The tremendous efforts that we have made in exercising oversight over the Party and governing the Party, as writer Eryue He said, are unprecedented in the history of China. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we have written a new chapter for anti-corruption in the new era. 

Fourth, we continue to uphold and improve the Party and state oversight system. We carry out punishments for better governance, and the key lies in combating corruption. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, we established an authoritative, efficient oversight system with complete coverage and under the Party's unified command, strengthening the checks and supervision over the exercise of power. With focus on intraparty oversight, we integrated it with oversight in other aspects.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has unswervingly exercised comprehensive and strict governance over the Party, resisted unhealthy practices and negative influences that had lasted for many years, removed problems that had existed for many years, and kept purifying the Party's thinking, organization, conduct, and body. According to a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics at the end of 2020, 95.8% of the Chinese people showed confidence in the comprehensive and strict governance over the Party and the fight against corruption, up by 16.5 percentage points compared with that in 2012. Our Party has developed an effective path to purify, improve, reform, and enhance itself. 

Thanks!

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