"It takes a good blacksmith to make good steel."

"It takes a good blacksmith to make good steel."

"It takes a good blacksmith to make good steel." is a popular Chinese adage. It means that only by conducting yourself honorably can you expect others to do the same, or in other words, only a good example can serve as the best sermon. Xi Jinping quoted this saying when he met the press covering the 18th CPC National Congress at the Great Hall of the People on November 15, 2012 to explain the importance of Party building. The newly elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee stressed that as the ruling party, the CPC must take a principled and disciplined approach to Party building, as this is the key to the advancement of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Only with a strong CPC, can there be progress towards our goals, prosperity and stability for our country, and happiness and peace for our people.

“打铁还需自身硬”

“打铁还需自身硬”，是中国流传已久的通俗名句，意思就是要从自己做起，以身作则，言传身教，率先垂范。2012年11月15日，中共中央总书记习近平在人民大会堂同采访十八大的中外记者见面时，提到了这句话。他引用这句中国俗语，意在强调加强中国共产党自身建设的重要性。中国共产党是执政党，把党建设好，是推进中国特色社会主义事业的关键。党坚强有力，事业才能兴旺发达，国家才能繁荣稳定，人民才能幸福安康。