China Daily:
Just now, Mr. Yang said that the anti-corruption campaign has built a crushing tide. My question is: What will be done in the next step to achieve a sweeping victory?
Yang Xiaodu:
Thanks for your question. I just introduced what we have done since the 18th CPC National Congress. Thanks to these efforts, the anti-corruption campaign has built a crushing tide. Removing all forms of corruption is recognized as a tough job worldwide. As long as there are officials, there will be corrupt individuals lurking among them.
The CPC is a ruling party that always places people's interests first, so the constraints on corrupt behavior should be a longstanding endeavor that requires our full attention.
We will continue to ensure that the Party exercises effective self-supervision and practices strict self-governance in every respect so that every Party member and organization can fully follow the Party Constitution and disciplinary codes.
We will sustain the rigorous momentum that was defined by General Secretary Xi Jinping in his report yesterday. His remark that the resolve to stamp out corruption is as firm as a rock won thunderous applause. It clearly shows our resolve to maintain the drive against graft with tightened rules.
At the same time, we need to improve our systems and institutions so officials dare not be corrupt; and we need to strengthen the cage of institutions so they're unable to be corrupt. We need to continue to learn from mistakes to prevent recurrence and treating the illness to save the patient. We must educate our officials to strengthen their political consciousness so that they will transition from a fear of reprisal and inability to commit corruption to a disinterest in committing corruption. When the majority of our Party members and officials make this transition, we will be getting closer and closer to securing a sweeping victory in the fight against corruption.
I think that the strong and sound leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core will surely bring us to this goal. The full party membership hopes that our Party is able to do so, and the broader public will support our Party in this direction. Therefore, we can achieve such a goal by improving the Party's political ecosystem, forming a good atmosphere of political life within the Party, relying on the support of the people and relying on our own strict discipline. Thank you.
CGTN:
My question is for Mr. Qi. We have noticed that the number of delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress was set at 2,300. A total of 2,287 delegates were elected, and the qualifications of 2,280 were confirmed as valid. How to explain the difference in the numbers? And I wonder if there are any new features during this year's election process compared to previous Congress gatherings.
Qi Yu:
Thanks for your question. The CPC Central Committee attached great significance to the delegate election for the 19th National Congress, stressing that candidates should be scrutinized politically and ethically. Delegates should all be advanced people and highly representative. All election units, in accordance with the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, gave full play to the leadership and oversight of Party organizations at all levels in the election of delegates. The candidates underwent several rounds of strict examination for their political quality, integrity and conduct.
After the delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress were elected, we continue to make conscientious examinations of their qualifications, especially for those who have been reported for possible misconducts.
Unqualified delegates have been removed in accordance with party rules. With the approval of the CPC Central Committee, Sun Zhengcai and other 26 formerly elected CPC delegates were disqualified due to wrongdoings related to the violating of laws and disciplines.
Because of a relatively large number of vacancies in the Chongqing delegation to the 19th CPC National Congress, a by-election of the CPC Congress was held timely in accordance to the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and established procedures, and14 delegates were elected. A list of 2,287 delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress approved by the CPC Central Committee was released on Sept. 29.
After its release, seven people were deemed to be inappropriate ever since and were disqualified from their roles as delegates to the 19th CPC National congress.
A total of 2,280 delegates to the 19th CPC Congress are qualified for their roles after deliberation from the congress's Credential Committee. This not only shows the high standards and strict qualifications for the delegates but also demonstrates the CPC's resolve for ensuring strict Party self-governance.
Compared to the past, the election of delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress is indeed stricter. It has the following features.
First, we placed more emphasis on political performance. We adhered to the criteria set up for the representatives, and examined each in a strict manner as required. We set the following four requirements to ensure a well-qualified team of representatives: a detail report on the career of each representative must be reviewed, relevant major matters concerning them must be examined, suggestions from disciplinary inspection authorities must be carefully considered, and any accusatory letters providing detailed clues must be thoroughly investigated. What we have introduced already is attributable to our examination according to the criteria established at all levels.
Second, we paid more attention to intraparty democracy. The nomination process started from the grassroots to fully listen to the opinions of Party members. Nominations came from almost all grassroots Party organizations, and the participation rate of Party members reached 99.2 percent.
Third, we paid more attention to improving the representational structure. We increased the proportion of workers from the production side as well as other posts. As you can see during these two days, special passages have been set up for contact with representatives in the Great Hall of the People, and most of those interviewed were Party representatives from grassroots organizations. The proportion of grassroots party representatives this time reached 33.8 percent of the total, an increase of 3.3 percentage points from the 18th CPC National Congress. It is not a small increase.
We have always given priority to discipline and adherence to the rules, and insisted on zero tolerance of any violations of discipline and rules, ensuring a fair and just election process for the representatives. Thank you.
Asahi Shimbun:
My question is for Mr. Yang. What will be the focus of the fight against corrupthigh officials after the 19th CPC National Congress? In addition, what kind of changes will the establishment of the National Supervisory Committee bring to the work of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection next year? Thank you.
Yang Xiaodu:
Thank you. After the 19th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will still target corrupt high officials who have not restrained themselves since the 18thCongress, are frequently reported by citizens for misconduct, and now occupy important positions with potential promotional opportunities. Our primary target will be anyone who meets these criteria or is suspected of political and financial corruption.
The CPC takes serving the people wholeheartedly as its purpose and safeguarding the fundamental interests of the people as its mission. Corrupt officials undermine the people's interests and go counter to the nature and purpose of the Party. They are eroding the very foundation of the Party's governance and must be eliminated.
Deepening reform of the national supervision system and establishing a national supervisory commission is a major political decision made by the CPC Central Committee. It aims to strengthen the Party's centralized and unified leadership of the fight against corruption, put in place an authoritative and efficient national supervision system with complete coverage under the Party's unified command, and promote the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance.
Under the leadership of the CPC committees, supervisory commissions share office spaces and work together with the Party's disciplinary inspection commissions. This is an embodiment of the organic unity of intra-party oversight and oversight by state organs, of the Party's disciplinary inspection and national supervision, and of law-based governance of the country and rule-based governance of the Party. In this way, anti-corruption forces will now be concentrated in shared office spaces and the scope of this drive will be expanded. The Party's disciplinary inspection commissions and supervisory commissions will assume more responsibilities and our work will be more effective. Thank you.
Phoenix Satellite TV and ifeng.com:
My question is about the supervision of senior officials. Sun Zhengcai, Wang Min, Su Rong and Zhou Benshun were prosecuted on corruption charge. However, they were still promoted before their investigations. I wonder if there exists any blind spot in the supervision of senior officials?
Yang Xiaodu:
Thank you for the question, which is a good one. Indeed, for some time, the self-governance of the Party was somewhat lax and weak, giving an opportunity to corrupt officials, like Sun Zhengcai, Su Rong, Wang Min and Zhou Benshun, to perpetuate evil without being punished. However, the Party never shies away from admitting its mistakes. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has been fully committed to ensuring full and strict governance of the Party to improve the conduct of members, promote integrity and fight corruption. We have done our utmost to ensure no "tigers" and "flies" can escape punishment now, that no zones will remain unchecked, and that no loopholes have been left unfixed. We have captured many corrupt officials and punished them.
As I just said, the disciplinary authorities have investigated 440 Party members in leadership positions at and above the provincial and army commander level and other leading Party officials under Party Central Committee management. They accounted for a rather large proportion of total officials punished. We did so to correct the errors we had previously made. Besides, as Mr. Qi just said, we have put great energy into assessing the qualifications of delegates to the Party's 19th National Congress. In my opinion, these moves have made it much more difficult for any official to seek personal gain through illegal acts. Of course, I cannot promise you that we have captured all the miscreants, but I'm sure that nobody can live the sort of life they enjoyed in the past.
Over the past five years, our inspections have expanded into full coverage, and contingents of discipline inspection officials have carried out their missions in all aspects. At the same time, an oversight mechanism for officials of the commissions for discipline inspection has been adopted. Every effort is being made to reduce blind spots in intra-Party supervision and to avoid loopholes in daily works.
The regulations on intra-Party supervision passed at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee highlighted the importance of oversight over the "key few", and laid emphasis on the supervision of leading Party organs and officials, especially, those holding a high rank. When seeking to close any loopholes, we need to strengthen top-down organizational oversight, improve bottom-up democratic oversight and practice peer oversight.
During our inspections, we have kept in contact with a substantial number of people to listen to their comments regarding targeted CPC officials. Once the inspection groups are dispatched, they undertake a clear obligation to listen to the voices of the people and stay close to them in the long run. The CCDI also needs discipline. To impose stringent rules on members, the CCDI established a supervision office to observe the conduct of its members in leadership positions and has increased the powers of its discipline inspection authority with a clear duty to connect with people and listen to what they are saying.
According to the report delivered by Xi Jinping at the opening of the 19th CPC National Congress, we must adhere to the principles of self-governance of the Party and exercise full and rigorous governance over the Party.
The newly revised Party Constitution has added the content of political responsibility for governance over the Party in the chapters of the Party organization system, central organizations of the Party, local organizations of the Party, primary-level Party organizations, and Party officials so as to ensure that power is exercised in an institutional cage with strengthened internal oversight.
All these approaches have reflected that our Party has the courage to face problems squarely, solve the problems, and strengthen the Party's ability to purify itself. It also demonstrates our Party's determination and confidence in exploring the approaches to avoid history's cycle of rise and fall.
We firmly believe that, while adhering to the right thought and policy of the Central Committee of the CPC with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will certainly more effectively exercise self-governance of the Party and full and rigorous governance over the Party, improve Party conduct and fight corruption, ensure that intraparty political activities are carried out in earnest, further strengthen the Party's advanced nature and purity, and enable our Party to more wholeheartedly serve the people.
Market News International：
Some enterprises in China, including some Sino-foreign joint ventures and wholly foreign-owned enterprises, have been asked to set up Party organizations in recent years. May I ask what the purpose is of this measure? Will this measure have some impact on the normal operation of the enterprises?
Qi Yu:
Thank you, let me answer your question. The Communist Party of China (CPC) is the vanguard both of the Chinese working class and of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. It is the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This is the nature of our Party. The establishment of Party organizations inside of basic social units including enterprises is very logical and also our long-standing and consistent practice.
Setting up Party organizations in enterprises is, first of all, consistent with China's laws and relevant regulations. The Company Law of the People's Republic of China clearly stipulates that in a company, a Party organization shall be established to carry out the activities of the Party in accordance with the Constitution of CPC and the company shall provide the necessary conditions for the activities of the Party organization. The Constitution of CPC also stipulates that enterprises, rural areas, schools and other basic units which have at least three full Party members should set up primary Party organizations. Therefore, to set up primary Party organizations in enterprises is not only a consistent practice but also in line with relevant regulations.
Second, establishing Party organizations in enterprises also conforms to the wishes of employees. Currently, enterprises of various kinds in China have more than 140 million employees, who are the main body of the working class in our country. The enterprises' Party organizations pay attention to safeguarding the legitimate interests of all parties of the companies, making known reasonable demands of the workers and office employees, and helping to solve practical difficulties. Therefore, the workers and office employees think that with the Party organizations, they have a "backbone."
Third, setting up Party organizations in enterprises is also conducive to promoting the development of the enterprises' production and operation. The main task of Party organizations in enterprises is to ensure the implementation of the Party's line, guidelines and policies, to guide and supervise the enterprises to abide by the country's laws and regulations, to unite the employees and protect the legitimate rights and interests of all parties, and to promote the healthy development of the enterprises. Many of the Party members in enterprises are the advanced elements of the employees. Most of them are the backbones of production and operation of the enterprises. They can endure hardships and have the courage to sacrifice and tackle difficulties. In their own posts, they are role models in various tasks, and they are an important force in pushing forward the development of enterprises.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, we have increased our efforts to establish Party organizations and carry out Party building and Party activities in enterprises, and continued promoting the reach of Party organizations and Party work. This is our focus. At this moment, the vast majority of state-owned enterprises and most non-public enterprises, including most foreign-invested enterprises, have established Party organizations. I can give you a few statistics: by the end of 2016, we had 147,000 state-owned enterprises, of which 93.2 percent set up Party organizations; there are 2.73 million non-public enterprises, of which 67.9 percent established Party organizations; and 106,000 foreign-invested enterprises, of which 70 percent established Party organizations.
In practice, we require the enterprises' Party organizations to combine and integrate Party activities with the production and operation of enterprises in order to provide strong support for the healthy development of enterprises. In this regard, it is needless to speak about the work and role of Party organizations in state-owned enterprises. Many non-public enterprises, including Sino-foreign joint ventures and wholly foreign-owned enterprises, highly recognized the Party organizations we set up in them and the activities we carried out there. Many executives and investors of non-public enterprises have said that when the party building is done well, it is not only a productive force, but also a competitive edge of the enterprises. Some executives of foreign-funded enterprises said that the Party organizations can help them to keep abreast of China's policies, resolve labor disputes, and provide positive energy for the development of their enterprises. Most investors welcome and support the Party organizations to carry out activities inside their enterprises.
Yang Xiaodu:
Let me add an example. I used to work in Shanghai. When I attended an executing meeting of the Shanghai mayor, I heard Rick Wagoner, the then-CEO of General Motors, himself say that in his company, the best work was done by the Party members, and the best work order was in the workshops which had Party organizations. So he said, "I hope there will be more Party members in my company, as well as more Party organizations." This is such an example. I heard it with my own ears seven or eight years ago.
People's Daily:
The 19th CPC National Congress has made major arrangements to promote the great new project of Party building and exercise full and rigorous governance over the Party. What measures will be taken to ensure the implementation?
Yang Xiaodu:
Thank you for your question. In my opinion, full and rigorous governance over the Party relies on the Party itself, Party organizations at all levels as well as its members. Every member has a role in it. At the same time, all members are subjected to education, management and supervision.
First, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the Party's local commissions for discipline inspection at all levels should study and implement the guiding principles from the 19th CPC National Congress, and put it as a top political task for now and the years to come. We also need to thoroughly study the CPC Central Committee's analysis and judgment of the current situation and implement its decisions and plans.
Second, we should conscientiously fulfill the responsibilities bestowed by the Party Constitution, and adapt them to our work. We should implement the new requirements for Party building as well as full and rigorous governance over the Party as designated by the report delivered to the 19th CPC National Congress and the amendment to the CPC Constitution. We need to find weak points, fill the gap, and stick to the undertakings that meet the CPC Central Committee's requirements.
Third, we need to bolster intra-Party political life and supervision, comprehensively strengthen Party discipline, and develop a bigger role for the Central Leading Group for Inspection Work. We are now planning to carry out new inspection work after the 19th CPC National Congress concludes. We need to fortify, consolidate and implement the results of the CPC Central Committee's eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct. We have already achieved much progress in the fight against extravagance and waste, and will continue to correct bureaucracy and formalism. Generally speaking, we need to be persistent and resilient in our drive to win an overwhelming victory in the war against corruption.
Fourth, we will stick to reform and innovation. We need to strengthen the reform of the disciplinary inspection system, comprehensively advance the reform of the national supervision system, improve the supervision system in the Party and in the country, and deepen full and rigorous governance over the Party.
Fifth, we need to improve the self-governance of commissions for discipline inspection. As the saying goes, it takes a good blacksmith to make good steel. We need to engage in self-discipline as we implement the guiding principles from the 19th CPC National Congress and the amendment to the CPC Constitution, improve our ideological and political character and the capacity to fulfill our duties, enhance our management, be loyal to the Party, be clean in our conduct and shoulder our due responsibilities.
I assume all of you have watched the three-episode documentary called "It Takes a Good Blacksmith to Make Good Steel." It detailed CCDI's efforts in anti-corruption since the 18th CPC National Congress. Around 300 million people have watched the show. Altogether it has been viewed 320 million times online. And I think what we did has been highly recognized by CPC members and the general public.
Qi Yu:
I want to add a little bit. The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and the organizational bodies at all levels also shoulder a heavy responsibility in exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party. Many of their new tasks, as pointed out in the report by General Secretary Xi Jinping yesterday, need to be arranged and implemented by the Party's organizational bodies at all levels.
Itar-Tass:
The 19th CPC National Congress will amend the Party Constitution. What do these changes mean for the CPC? How will these changes affect China's economic, social and political prospects?
Qi Yu:
Thank you. The revision of the Party Constitution is one of the important duties of the CPC National Congress. Our present Constitution was amended and enacted by the 12th National Congress. With its basic content remaining pretty much unchanged for 30 years or so, it has played a crucial role in Party work. However, some amending work according to the Party's development and innovation in theory and practice occurred in every National Congress from the 13th to the 18th.
Along the process for the CPC Central Committee to gather opinions on the topics for discussion during the current 19th CPC National Congress, it is widely believed the Party has obtained fruitful achievements in development and innovation in theory and practice since the 18th CPC National Congress, and that the situation faced by the Party today, as well as its tasks, have also undergone profound change. So, there was a general consensus for the Party Constitution be amended. On the basis of further research, the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee adopted the proposal and decided to undertake the amendment.
The Party Constitution provides the fundamental law of the Party. The Party's guiding ideology requires the appropriate amendments at the 19th National Congress in order to advance with the times, which will be beneficial for the Party's unity in ideology with innovative theory and will ensure the conformity of both the ideology and the action among all sections of the Party.
The development of the Party and national cause also requires such amendment. The timely embodiment of new governing concepts, ideas and strategies of the CPC Central Committee into the Party Constitution is conducive to promoting a better understanding of the new requirements dictated by the new era among Party members, and leading the Party and national cause in the right direction.
The great new project of Party building also requires such amendment be undertaken. General Secretary Xi Jinping highlighted this in his report yesterday. The embodiment of innovative achievements in the theory, practice and system of Party building in the Party Constitution focuses on urging all Party members to exercise strict self-discipline and improve the Party building process.
Moreover, the implementation of the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress also requires such an amendment process. All of you must have listened to the report by General Secretary Xi Jinping yesterday, when many important new ideas, strategies and arrangements were put forward. The embodiment of the important content of the report in the Party Constitution will create normative conduct by all party members, and will be conducive to solidly promoting the implementation of the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress.
With regard to the specific amendment, there will be a special press conference after the National Congress ends, and relevant officials will give you a more detailed introduction. Thank you.
Yang Xiaodu:
I would like to add a few words. As the fundamental law of the CPC, the Party Constitution embodies the will of all party members. It also serves as the fundamental basis of all the work of the discipline inspection authority. The duties of our commission are determined by the Party Constitution, and our work, including supervision and disciplinary action, are authorized by the Party Constitution. Therefore, the amendment of the Party Constitution is of great significance for the Commission for Discipline Inspection to exercise our power and fulfill our duties more effectively. The amendment strictly complies with the comprehensive strengthening of Party self-discipline and the cause of anti-corruption, which, as a fundamental norm, urges our party to maintain its pioneering nature and fulfill the mission of serving the people wholeheartedly. Therefore, we hope the amendment of the Party Constitution can be completed as soon as possible. Thank you.
Xinhua News Agency:
My question is for Minister Qi Yu. You mentioned in your report about "strengthening Party building to implement targeted poverty reduction and alleviation." We know that, in recent years, many first Party secretaries were sent to local villages for poverty alleviation. Could you provide us an introduction to that?
Qi Yu:
Thanks. Strengthening Party building to implement targeted poverty reduction and alleviation is clarified by General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Central Party Committee. The central organization department of the CPC and the Party committees at all levels should fully grasp and put into practice the principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping's major addresses, to guarantee victory in the fight against poverty.
The work we did to implement targeted poverty reduction through Party building:
Firstly, the leading groups in poor counties teamed up with the best cadres. At the same time, we kept their original positions to make sure that they were fully committed to their work on poverty reduction and alleviation.
Secondly, we provided support so that more cadres and talents can go to work in poor areas. A total of 1,054 cadres were selected from the central government departments and eastern China to go to poor counties, mostly in central and western regions, and assumed a temporary post for poverty reduction. And we also encourage talents to make their contributions in the front-line of the battle against poverty. Every year, about 100,000 talents, including teachers, doctors, scientists and technicians, implement their specific work in poor areas.
Thirdly, we bring into full play the role of community-level Party organizations in leading the Party members to devote themselves to poverty reduction. In recent years, we selected over 30,000 cadres as the Party branch secretaries in poor areas, in order to organize a strong leading group in the front-line of poverty reduction.
The best cadres are those who are good at leading people to lift themselves out of poverty. A total of 195,000 cadres from county and above-level government organs were sent to work in poor villages as first party secretary. Different from the Party branch secretaries who are already working in local poor villages, the cadres who we send there are called the First Secretary.
At the same time, we untied all forces from teams stationed in villages, college graduates working as village heads as well as volunteers. We also strengthened the training for CPC members, especially for those who work in poor areas, in a bid to lead the local people to lift themselves out of poverty.
In addition, through the transfer payment system and supported by the Party membership dues, we improved the fund guarantee system at the village level, especially in the poor villages. We encourage the development of collective economies in undeveloped villages where young and able labor is limited.
Fourthly, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee has held work meetings for poverty reduction and alleviation through Party building for two years, and calls for exchanging experiences on poverty reduction.
As required, heads of the Organization Department at provincial level should visit all the poor counties, and also the poor villages. The Heads of the Organization Department at municipal level should also visit all the poor villages and towns. The Heads of the Organization Department at county level should also visit all the poor villages. Through these on-the-spot investigations, we can further push forward the work on poverty reduction and alleviation.
Practice has proven that Party building has offered solid guarantees for poverty reduction and alleviation. The achievement made in poverty reduction and alleviation also represents the progress made in Party building.
Guo Weimin:
I also take part in the poverty reduction work. The first party secretaries sent to the poor villages play a vital role in lifting people out of poverty. And there are many touching stories. For example, a young female cadre, a mother of two kids, was appointed as the first secretary in a poor village in Jilin Province, where she stays for at least six days every week. If reporters at home and abroad are willing to report on the first party secretary, we'd love to offer services and arrange it for you.
The Beijing News:
The five years since the 18th CPC National Congress has witnessed an unceasing momentum of exercising full and strict governance over the Party and officials. It seems that this momentum has led to inaction and a mass exodus from government to business. What are your thoughts on this? What effective measures can be taken to solve the problems?
Qi Yu:
You raised two questions. I will answer the one regarding the exodus from government to business first. Statistics show that the number of public servants has been stable in recent years, with an annual average resignation rate of 0.1 percent or a little more. There are a total of over seven million public servants in China, and only about 10,000 of them have resigned each year. So the mass exodus from government to business has not taken place at all.
It is normal that a small number of public servants resign, which is a law of personnel turnover rates universal to all countries. Despite their resignations, many talented people have joined the group of public servants through examinations and transfers each year, giving rise to a virtuous mechanism of resignation and recruitment which is in accordance with the overall system of public servants.
We have to admit that there is inaction, but only on the part of very few officials. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the cause and building of the Party has assumed a new look, and the nation has remained mobilized for brand new endeavors. The phenomena of inaction of officials has persisted from the past until the present, and will continue. At present, in rare cases, there are government officials half-hearted in doing their jobs due to lacking an understanding of the requirements for exercising full and strict governance over the Party and also the initiative to correct their behaviors and conduct in accordance with the action to transform lax and weak governance over the Party. Also, some officials are incompetent to fulfill their duties to meet new visions and the requirements for development.
Although inaction is a problem on the part of very few officials, the CPC Central Committee has attached great importance to it and instructed us to solve it. In accordance with its instructions, the Party committees at all levels and organizational departments have taken or are taking the following measures:
First, educating the officials with low ideological awareness and increasing their motivation to fulfill their duties. Second, helping the officials with low competence update their knowledge and improve their abilities through training and practice. Third, intensifying efforts to punish incompetence or indolence and exercise supervision, evaluation and accountability, and removing those incompetent officials from office so that no one dare perpetuate inaction and dereliction of duty. Most importantly, we must stick to the correct criteria of assessing officials, promoting responsible officials with ethical conduct and moral integrity, punishing and even removing those who fail to perform their duties from their positions. The Party's disciplinary inspection commissions at all levels have made great efforts in this regard.
What's more, we will strengthen positive incentives, helping officials improve their political ideology and caring about them in their work and life. We will look at their mistakes in a constructive way, differentiating: honest mistakes from knowing violations; faults in innovations from defiance of laws and disciplines; and errors made when pursuing public interests from making private profits. We will encourage officials to take risks and break new ground.
Yang Xiaodu:
I would like to add something. I agree with Comrade Qi Yu. What I am going to say may be more relevant to the questions raised by the journalist with the Beijing News. He asked whether the fight against corruption would lead to inaction. In my opinion, whether an official performs his duties or not hinges on his sense of responsibility. Officials in all positions are the servants of the people and should have public service consciousness. Some officials don't work hard enough as a result of incompetence. Corrupt officials often take irresponsible action and pursue interests for themselves rather than for the people. Few of the officials that we have investigated and prosecuted made dedicated efforts to serve the people. So I think anti-corruption can increase government officials' sense of responsibility, deterring them from improper desires, misconduct and playing their prize at the cost of the people's interests.
In other words, anti-corruption motivates high-caliber officials to perform their duties better and officials with poor performance to improve their work. The CPC's intra-party liability regulation published last year has specified the responsibilities and accountabilities of officials. We will clear those who seek high ranks but do not want to serve the people away from their positions or transform them so that they dedicate themselves to serving the people. Thank you.
Macau Asia Satellite TV:
China has made great progress in its anti-corruption work. What kind of successful experience do you think could be offered for other countries and regions? Thank you.
Yang Xiaodu:
We've tried to keep pace with the changes occurring in the world, our nation and the Party, exploring various modes of Party management, governance and building. We have comprehensively advanced the great cause of Party building to new height with a pioneering spirit, and developed various successful practices for strict governance of the Party and preventing corruption, which can be taken as the experience you've just mentioned. They are indeed precious, and can be summarized as follows:
First, take a clear-cut stand on upholding and strengthening Party leadership. We should firmly maintain the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and its authority, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, willingly maintain political integrity, always think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment, enhance strict governance of the Party in a comprehensive way, ensure that the policies, guidelines, decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee are fully followed and implemented, and all Party members move in step in terms of thinking, political standpoint and action, thus forming powerful force in Party governance and anti-corruption work. I have visited Singapore and New Zealand by way of Hong Kong, and talked with the principal of the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong. It is commonly held that the crucial element for anti-corruption work is the resolve of the leadership. As for China, that sort of resolve comes from the CPC Central Committee, and its perseverance, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core. We have witnessed it.
Second, stick to the principle of holding firm to ideals and convictions. A solid ideological basis should be laid for Party members and leading cadres to ensure they remain loyal to the Party and to the masses. We should remain confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We hold that the strict governance of the Party and the anti-corruption work should be implemented at the political and ideological level and should arouse people's consciousness. As for the advanced organization of our Party, members' consciousness is always the source of power and we have accumulated great experience in this aspect. Party members are willing to receive positive education and exude positive energy once we create the environment and conditions with the CPC Central Committee leading the way.
Third, combine ideological work and institution building. It has been a political advantage and good tradition of our Party to strengthen ideological work. Ideological Party building means holding firm to ideals and convictions. Strengthening Party rules and regulations is the long-term and fundamental solution in ensuring strict governance over the Party and winning the fight against corruption. The two aspects should be combined and should supplement each other with joint force.
Fourth, make sure the whole Party follow with firm resolve and perseverance of the lead of example of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, implementing problem-oriented measures and fulfilling the political responsibilities in Party management and governance. The secretaries of Party committees and groups at all levels should have the first responsibility. They should learn from General Secretary Xi Jinping, manage their leading group and cadres in a proper way, develop loyal, clean and responsible teams and create an upright political environment. Just as is said in management: subordinates behave like the shadows of their superiors; high-minded leaders don't need to call the tune.
Fifth, stick to the practice of learning from mistakes to prevent recurrence and treating the illness to save the patient. We should make sure that Party discipline requires more of Party members than the law does, and that a disciplinary action is taken before a legal action. We must conduct four forms of oversight over discipline compliance to maintain a high-pressure posture as a backup force. Investigation and prosecution according to related laws and disciplines should be applied in a very small number of cases while criticism and education should be applied in the majority of cases. Most people tend to follow the crowd and if those who have made mistakes are not held accountable and punished, more people may follow. If there is a clear requirement to be a moral and well-mannered people and learn advanced and positive things, all of society will become positive and form a favorable environment.
Six, continue to exercise full and strict Party self-governance. We should lay more emphasis on strict, practical, profound and detailed implementation of discipline, and make party members dare not, be unable to, and not want to become corrupt. The three phases need to be completed step by step. We have generally realized the "dare not" phase, as it has received recognition from the masses. We are now advancing to the "cannot" stage, as the space for discipline and law violation has become less. To realize "don't want to do so" is indeed a long process and if we can achieve that, we can claim we have resolved the problem at the very roots.
CGTN:
General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a very impressive report yesterday. He stressed that the CPC will continue to fight against corruption and he also showed confidence in enhancing governance over the Party. But, it's very hard for a ruling party to exercise complete self-supervision, as independent supervision is usually required in this place. The CPC has been fighting against corruption during the past decades; will there be any new measures from now on? Or, will some institutions be established for the anti-corruption campaign? Moreover, how do you balance between ensuring full and strict governance over the Party and protecting human rights?
Yang Xiaodu:
In my opinion, although there are many new requirements with the opening of the 19th CPC National Congress, the fundamental key to anti-corruption remains strengthening the CPC leadership and enhancing Party building. As a ruling party in governance for a long period, the CPC should made Party building a priority, ensuring a strong, righteous and pure Central Committee as well as strong and pure Party organizations at all levels.
We will make all-out efforts to see the Party's political building enhanced, its theory strengthened, its organizations consolidated, its conduct improved and its discipline enforced. Meanwhile, we will integrate intraparty oversight with oversight by state organs, democratic oversight, judicial oversight, public oversight, and oversight through public opinion. Self-supervision plays a dominant role, however there should be oversight from outside the Party. One example is the inspection mechanism, which integrates intraparty oversight with the public oversight.
Promotion of law-based governance is conducive to ensuring full and strict governance over the Party. According to the report delivered at the opening session of the 19th CPC National Congress, the CPC will advance the reform of the national supervision system. It's foreseeable that a national supervision law will be formulated. The law will strengthen the integration of intraparty oversight with oversight by state organs, ensuring a more extensive and effective supervision with more concentrated strengths.
Moreover, you spoke of the issue of human rights, which is a very modern issue as well. I used to work in the Tibet Autonomous Region for a long time, and I have learned that human rights are a very interesting topic.
Here I would like to talk about this issue a little bit further. Once I visited the United States, I had a meeting with a former American assistant secretary of state. I said that, in the eyes of the Chinese people, Abraham Lincoln was a hero, because he liberated black American slaves, and that the Chinese people and the American people share the same understanding on this point, which is an issue of human rights. However, when we liberated serfs in Tibet, some Americans couldn't understand why. This is also an issue of human rights. According to Lincoln's point of view, China's overthrow of serfdom in Tibet is well grounded.
Therefore, the issue of human rights has always been given specified premises and conditions. In my opinion, China's approach of exercising law-based governance and practicing strict Party self-governance in all respects will certainly protect the fundamental interests of the Chinese people from all ethnic groups, and promote the development of human rights in China.
As long as our disciplines and laws are improved, breaches of disciplines and illegal activities will be curbed further, and the violations of human rights caused by such actions will be reduced. I don't know if this answers your question. Thank you.
Guo Weimin:
Our press conference will end here. Thanks to Mr. Yang and Mr. Qi. Thank you all.
