The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a democratic life meeting. Xi Jinping presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech.

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a democratic life meeting, emphasizing

Consolidating and deepening the achievements of Party discipline education

Playing a leading and exemplary role in strengthening Party discipline

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held a democratic life meeting from December 26 to 27, 2024, to thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The meeting focused on consolidating and deepening the achievements of Party discipline education, and comprehensively leveraging the Party's disciplinary education, constraints, and incentive mechanisms. The implementation of the Disciplinary Punishment Regulations and the Central Eight-Point Regulations were key aspects of the review. Self-examination, party spirit analysis, criticism, and self-criticism were conducted based on ideological and work realities.

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech.

Before the meeting, relevant parties made careful preparations. Members of the Central Political Bureau held heart-to-heart talks with relevant responsible comrades, listened to opinions and suggestions, and drafted speeches. At the meeting, reports on the Central Political Bureau's implementation of the Central Eight-Point Regulations in 2024 and on the work of rectifying formalism and reducing burdens on the grassroots level in 2024 were heard. Members of the Central Political Bureau delivered speeches one by one, focusing on the meeting's theme and checking against the "Regulations on Disciplinary Punishment of the Communist Party of China," "Several Regulations of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Strengthening and Upholding the Centralized and Unified Leadership of the Party Central Committee," and "Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Central Eight-Point Regulations by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China." They earnestly identified and deeply analyzed issues, spoke frankly and sincerely, creating a serious yet lively atmosphere and achieving the desired results.

The speeches of the Central Political Bureau members focused on five key points: First, unwavering upholding of the authority and centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee; second, unwavering commitment to serving the people and benefiting the people; third, unwavering implementation of the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments; fourth, unwavering commitment to learning, understanding, clarifying, and abiding by Party discipline; and fifth, unwavering fulfillment of the political responsibility of strictly governing the Party.

The meeting emphasized that this year, faced with challenges from the domestic and international situations, the Party Central Committee, uniting and leading the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country, responded calmly and adopted comprehensive measures, successfully completing the main tasks of economic and social development, and taking new and solid steps towards Chinese-style modernization. People's livelihood was effectively guaranteed, social stability was maintained, new achievements were made in promoting socialist democracy and the rule of law, new breakthroughs were made in China's distinctive major-country diplomacy, and the Party's comprehensive and strict governance was advanced. These achievements were hard-won.

The comrades of the Central Political Bureau unanimously agreed that the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core is the fundamental guarantee for all work, ensuring that the ship of Chinese-style modernization sails steadily and far. The entire Party must deeply understand the decisive significance of the "two establishes," enhance the "four consciousnesses," strengthen the "four confidences," achieve the "two safeguards," and unswervingly implement the Party Central Committee's guidelines, policies, and work deployments. Next year is the concluding year of the 14th Five-Year Plan. We must adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee, adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while maintaining stability, fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, solidly promote high-quality development, further comprehensively deepen reforms, expand high-level opening to the outside world, promote sustained economic recovery and improvement, continuously improve people's living standards, maintain social harmony and stability, unswervingly strengthen Party discipline, and achieve high-quality completion of the 14th Five-Year Plan targets, laying a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Xi Jinping commented on and made requirements for each of the Central Political Bureau comrades' self-examination speeches and made a summary. He pointed out that this Central Political Bureau democratic life meeting was very effective, achieving the goals of exchanging ideas, examining problems, and clarifying direction, which will help the Central Political Bureau enhance unity, improve work, and shoulder its responsibilities.

Xi Jinping emphasized that this Party discipline education has effectively addressed issues such as some Party members and cadres not caring about, understanding, or mastering Party rules and regulations, promoting Party organizations and leading bodies at all levels to strictly enforce Party discipline, and promoting the vast number of Party members and cadres to consciously be loyal, clean, and responsible, achieving significant results. The awareness of Party members and cadres regarding discipline and rules and integrity has been significantly enhanced, their intrinsic motivation to take on responsibilities and work has been further stimulated, the strict tone, strict measures, and strict atmosphere have been further strengthened, and the effectiveness of rectifying formalism and reducing burdens on the grassroots level has been further highlighted.

Xi Jinping pointed out that with good Party spirit and strong Party spirit, adherence to Party discipline will be more conscious. Leading cadres should regard the cultivation of Party spirit and the improvement of ideological awareness as lifelong tasks, learning and cultivating their Party spirit throughout their lives. Political cultivation should be placed at the forefront of Party spirit cultivation, drawing nourishment from the Party's innovative theories and making learning, observing, and implementing the Party Constitution, Party rules, and Party discipline an important part of Party spirit cultivation. Comrades of the Central Political Bureau must adhere to the standards of Marxist politicians, take the lead in learning the Party's innovative theories, take the lead in implementing democratic centralism, take the lead in conducting criticism and self-criticism, take the lead in strictly observing the Party's discipline and rules, and take the lead in carrying forward the Party's fine traditions and style, truly achieving unwavering ideals and beliefs, unwavering loyalty to the Party, and selfless dedication to the Party and the people's cause.

Xi Jinping emphasized that Party discipline has both educational and restrictive functions and a protective and incentive role. Party discipline and undertaking work are inherently unified. Discipline not only clarifies the bottom lines and boundaries that cannot be crossed, but also provides a guideline for Party members and cadres to work cleanly and boldly. By observing rules and regulations, one will have ample freedom and broad space to work. Comrades of the Central Political Bureau must set an example and demonstrate, not only becoming models of observing rules and regulations and working, but also establishing a clear direction, supporting and encouraging those who dare to take on responsibilities, and promoting a vibrant situation of boldness and striving for excellence.

Xi Jinping pointed out that Party discipline sets the bottom line and establishes a forbidden zone for the correct exercise of power and the prevention of using power for personal gain, serving as a safety guardrail for Party members and cadres to maintain integrity and honesty. By respecting and observing discipline, one can resist corruption and remain untainted. As long as the soil and conditions for corruption still exist, the anti-corruption struggle will always be on the road. We must be exceptionally clear-headed about the situation of the anti-corruption struggle and exceptionally firm in our attitude; we must never relax or be lenient. The comrades of the Central Political Bureau bear heavy responsibilities and must be even more strict with themselves, being cautious in the use of their power. They must do a good job in Party conduct and integrity in their areas of responsibility or in the localities they govern, resolutely fight against all kinds of unhealthy trends and corrupt phenomena, and strengthen the education and management of their family members and staff.

Xi Jinping emphasized that strictly implementing and upholding Party discipline is the common responsibility of the entire Party. Party committees (Party groups) at all levels must assume their main responsibilities, Party secretaries must fulfill their primary responsibilities, other members of the leading bodies must fulfill their "dual responsibilities," and one level should lead another, promoting continuous new achievements in Party discipline building. Comrades of the Central Political Bureau must effectively shoulder the political responsibility of Party discipline building, promptly and comprehensively understand the situation of discipline building in their areas of responsibility or in the localities they govern, dare to govern and strictly govern problems within their responsibilities, and unswervingly serve as leaders, implementers, and promoters of strengthening Party discipline.

Finally, Xi Jinping emphasized that the tasks of reform, development, and stability will be very arduous next year. Leading cadres at all levels must go deep into the grassroots and among the masses, strengthen investigation and research, understand the urgent needs and concerns of the people, understand the prominent problems that urgently need to be solved at the grassroots level, and conduct targeted research and solutions.

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 27)