Scientifically grasp the major issues about the party's self-revolution

The courage to carry out self-reform is the most distinctive character and the greatest strength of our Party. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has demonstrated unprecedented courage and resolve in exercising full and rigorous self-governance. In the process, it has gained extensive practical experience and deepened its understanding of the laws governing self-reform. The CPC has introduced a series of new, original, and landmark ideas, thoughts, and strategies, and developed Xi Jinping Thought on Party Self-Reform, which has guided this century-old Party in breaking new ground in self-reform.

Why does our Party need to carry out self-reform?

President Xi Jinping pointed out that self-reform is about "replenishing the body with calcium, strengthening the bones, removing toxins, eradicating germs, cutting off rotten flesh, removing what is harmful, and growing what is new, constantly clearing viruses that erode the Party’s health, and improving immunity to prevent the fate of a person perishing and his work ending after his death." He emphasized the need to "use the Party’s self-reform to lead the great social revolution." These important remarks by President Xi profoundly elucidate the essence of self-reform and clarify why our Party must continuously advance this practice.

Self-revolution is an inevitable requirement for maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity. The advanced nature and purity are the essential attributes of a Marxist party, but these are not naturally formed nor are they permanent; they are forged through continuous self-revolution. Marx and Engels pointed out, "The class that overthrows the ruling class can only rid itself of all the old filth and be competent in rebuilding society through revolution." Lenin believed, "The vanguard must not be afraid of self-education and self-reform, must not be afraid to openly admit its lack of cultivation and capability," and "must not be afraid to admit its mistakes and make repeated efforts to correct them, thus we will reach the summit." Comrade Mao Zedong once reminded the entire Party with a vivid metaphor: "A house should be cleaned regularly, or it will accumulate dust; a face should be washed regularly, or it will become dusty. The thoughts of our comrades and the work of our Party can also get dusty and should be cleaned and washed." Our Party does not live in a vacuum; there are always factors that weaken the Party's advanced nature and harm its purity, and viruses that erode the Party's health are everywhere. We must face and resolve the contradictions and problems within the Party with the spirit of self-revolution. In the course of over a hundred years of struggle, the Party has led the people to achieve one great success after another, overcome one difficulty after another, and remains vigorous despite numerous trials, winning the support and endorsement of the people. This is because the Party dares to face its own problems, is brave in self-revolution, always maintains its advanced nature and purity, continuously enhances its creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness, and forever preserves the true character of a Marxist party. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, facing major risks and challenges and prominent problems within the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has turned the blade inward, treated severe illnesses with strong medicine, and governed chaos with strict laws. The comprehensive strict governance of the Party has achieved remarkable results, making the Party stronger and more powerful through revolutionary forging, significantly enhancing the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal. At the same time, our Party is clearly aware that some deep-seated problems within the Party have not been fundamentally resolved, the possibility of some old problems rebounding always exists, and new problems are constantly emerging. The "four major tests" and "four dangers" that the Party faces will persist for a long time. Under new historical conditions, to preserve the true character of the Party as a Marxist party, the key still lies with our Party itself. Only by carrying out the great self-revolution of the Party to the end, continuously removing impurities, eliminating viruses, and preventing pollution, can we preserve the Party's advanced nature and purity, ensuring that the Party never changes its quality, color, or taste.

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Self-reform is essential for the Party to steer the great social revolution. The fundamental purpose of our Party in promoting self-reform is to better steer the great social revolution. At its founding, the Communist Party of China solemnly declared in its program that “the fundamental political aim of the Party is to carry out social revolution.” To achieve the ultimate victory of a social revolution usually requires a long historical process. To ensure that the Party remains a strong leading force in this process, Communists must always uphold lofty revolutionary ideals, maintain strong revolutionary commitment, and cultivate excellent conduct and competence. In other words, the Party must never slacken its efforts in self-reform. Looking back on the Party’s journey, we can see that it has always advanced thorough self-reform while promoting social revolution, giving full play to the guiding role of self-reform in the great social revolution and facilitating the great social revolution’s continued success. Socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era is the achievement of the great social revolution led by our Party and also a continuation of this endeavor. With a profound understanding of the dialectical relationship between the Party’s self-reform and the social revolution it leads—how they complement and reinforce each other—President Xi Jinping has emphasized, “To advance the great social revolution of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, our Party must have the courage to carry out self-reform and build itself into a stronger and more robust party.” At present, China is advancing the great endeavor to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and realize national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. The social revolution led by the Party has embarked on a new journey. This is a pioneering endeavor without parallel in history. Along the way, we will inevitably encounter a large number of new issues that have never been seen before, face various difficulties and obstacles, and undergo major tests, some of which may involve high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms. From an international perspective, once-in-a-century changes are accelerating across the world. Unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism are markedly increasing, while regional conflicts and turbulence occur frequently and global challenges are intensifying. From a domestic perspective, many deep-seated problems in reform, development, and stability cannot be avoided or circumvented. China’s development has entered a period in which strategic opportunities, risks, and challenges are concurrent and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are increasing. Only by examining itself in the context of the requirements of the evolving era, alerting itself with a strong sense of peril, and tempering itself through self-reform can our Party continuously improve its leadership capacity and governance capability. In this way, it will be able to stay ahead of the curve as the world undergoes profound changes, serve as the backbone of the Chinese people in dealing with domestic and international risks and challenges, and remain a strong leadership core in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Only in this way can the Party better advance the great social revolution.

Self-reform is an essential requirement for getting out of the historical cycle of rise and fall. From the feudal dynasties that declined after reaching their peak to the peasant uprisings that failed after initial successes, and to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and other ruling parties in Eastern Europe, President Xi Jinping has conducted in-depth analysis of the historical patterns of order and chaos, prosperity and decline, both in ancient and modern times and in China and other countries. He pointed out profoundly that a common and extremely important cause for these events was the failure to resolve their own problems. How can we escape the historical cycle of rise and fall? Our Party has been searching for an answer to this question. Comrade Mao Zedong gave the first answer: to subject ourselves to supervision by the people. Through our endeavors over the past century, especially the new practices adopted since the 18th National Congress, our Party has given the second answer: self-reform. Over the past century, by developing people’s democracy and accepting public oversight and by exercising full and rigorous self-governance and carrying out self-reform, our Party has been able to face up to its problems, rectify them, and uphold the truth. This has enabled the Party to maintain its vigor and vitality and to keep growing stronger. As President Xi said, “As long as a Marxist party that is in power does not let itself go, the socialist country will not meet with a major problem, and we will be able to get out of the historical cycle of rise and fall.” Through revolution, construction, and reform, our Party has grown from one that led the people in the fight to seize political power across the country to one that has led them in exercising state power and that has long remained the ruling party. Given our glorious history and great achievements, some Party members may, in the glow of our accomplishments, overlook our shortcomings and weaknesses and find it difficult to reform ourselves, even though we are capable of reforming others. A fortress is most easily captured from within. There is no external force that can bring down our powerful Party; the only thing that can do so is corruption and degeneration within the Party. As the CPC has set its sights on securing the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics and realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, it must stay sober-minded and firm on the journey to address the tests it faces. It must temper itself through self-reform and promptly address any issues that could undermine the foundations of its governance, so as to ensure its long-term governance and its permanent vitality.

Why Our Party Can Undertake Self-Reform

Self-revolution is akin to performing surgery on oneself with a scalpel, an extremely painful and arduous process. Across the globe, no political party has approached its own development with the same level of seriousness and dedication as the Communist Party of China, nor has any party so consciously and systematically advanced self-revolution with a scientific attitude. Many long-established and major parties around the world have attempted to reform themselves, but they either failed to see their efforts through to the end or lost their way during the process, even leading to their downfall. Why has the Communist Party of China been able to consistently uphold and successfully advance its self-revolution?

Having no special interests of its own is the source of the courage and strength of our Party for self-reform. As President Xi Jinping has pointed out, “The reason why our Party has the courage to reform itself is that it has no special interests of its own other than the interests of the country, the nation, and the people.” From the day it was founded, the Communist Party of China has made seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and mission, and has always represented the fundamental interests of the greatest majority of the people. Only by refraining from pursuing private interests can we work for the fundamental and overall interests of the people, examine ourselves in the spirit of remorseless self-reform, regularly review our conduct, and address our failings. Only in this way can we avoid covering up or ignoring our shortcomings and mistakes, and have the courage to correct them. Only in this way can we resist the corrosive influence of all interest, power, and privileged groups, and deal with those within the Party who have been co-opted by them. Only in this way can we win the people’s trust and support, and benefit from their help in addressing our failings as we work tirelessly with them in pursuit of our common goal.

Disciplinary inspection and supervision commissions at all levels are closely monitoring the implementation of agricultural support policies and the distribution of agricultural subsidies. They are organizing disciplinary inspection and supervision officials to go deep into rural households and fields, listening to the voices and opinions of the people, and collecting problem clues.

Our Party has accumulated a wealth of experience in self-revolution through long-term historical practice. The greatness of our Party lies not in the absence of mistakes, but in the courage to face problems head-on and to undertake self-revolution without shying away from addressing our shortcomings. For instance, ideologically, we have adhered to the truth and corrected errors, including rectifying Chen Duxiu's rightist opportunist mistakes after the failure of the Great Revolution, correcting the "leftist" adventurist and "leftist" blind action mistakes during the Agrarian Revolutionary War, and thoroughly rectifying errors during the Yan'an period.