CPC's rigorous self-governance underpins China's modernization drive, global role: int'l observers

The Communist Party of China (CPC)'s sustained push for full and rigorous self-governance has long been a focus of attention among international observers, as many believe that it underpins the country's high-quality development and modernization drive while enabling China to play a greater role on the world stage.

Their attention has been fixed on Beijing this week, as the fifth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee got underway on Monday.

Howard Lee Chuan How, chairman of the Malaysia-China Trade Promotion Center, said a highly disciplined CPC is of great importance for the development of both China and the world as a whole.

"From what I can understand, there's going to be a very big focus on discipline of the Party and I think that will definitely be what will hold China in good stead going into the next five to 10 years or even 20 years with a strong disciplined Party and a strong ideological foundation taking the country and the world forward," he said.

Dragana Mitrovic, a professor of the Faculty of Political Sciences at Serbia's University of Belgrade, highlighted the unprecedented socioeconomic growth achieved by the Chinese people under the CPC's leadership, adding that today's complex geopolitical landscape requires an even stronger leadership.

"The Communist Party of China [has been] building and [en]visioning that path towards a future to achieve these excellent and unprecedented economic growth and overall social development. President Xi wanted to remind Chinese people how they should perform and be ready to challenge all these problems arising for global geopolitical dynamics, that China -- and Chinese leadership -- has to find solutions for and keep China on its right way of quality development and playing this role of responsible and very engaged major country," she said.

Ignacio Martinez, professor of international relations at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, says the CPC plays an important institutional role in the country's governance.

"China's socialist system gives it clear advantages, and without a doubt, the Communist Party of China is the most important institutional force. The Communist Party of China is not only a crucial pillar for safeguarding national security, sovereignty, and peace, but also a vital force driving China's stability, development, economic growth, and democratic progress from within," he said.

Igor Chernyak, first deputy editor-in-chief of Rossiyskaya Gazeta, a government daily newspaper published in Russia, says that a ruling party must press ahead with anti-graft efforts as part of its commitment to full and rigorous self-governance.

"Of course, the fight against corruption will also be on the agenda, because it is a very important issue. China will do a lot of work in this area and also discuss the achievements already made, and what needs to be done in the future to more effectively advance this work," he said.

Kawa Mahmoud, chairman of the Global Civilization Initiative Research Center of Iraq, believes that China's experience provides an important reference for political parties' governance worldwide.

"This plenary session is of great significance to the development of political parties around the world. The mission of the Communist Party of China is not limited to domestic affairs. The Communist Party of China has distinct Chinese characteristics in practice and is committed to building socialism with Chinese characteristics. The characteristics, and the work carried out by the Communist Party of China in the field of Party building, are all achievements of its own practice and exploration. These achievements also have global significance," he said.

CPC's rigorous self-governance underpins China's modernization drive, global role: int'l observers

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core keeps tightening the "cage of institutions" in Party building, which provides strong guarantees for advancing the cause of building a great country and achieving national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress held in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core included tightening Party discipline into the integrated plan on Party building in the new era, coordinating efforts to ensure that officials do not have the audacity, opportunity, or desire to be corrupt.

Full and rigorous Party self-governance has been continuously extended to the grassroots level.

In 2024, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision started a nationwide campaign on addressing misconduct and corruption directly affecting the public.

Ping'an Village in Longquanyi District of Chengdu City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, recently completed constructions of new drainage outlets and ditches, and now heavy rain no longer disrupts traveling of the locals. The fund for the constructions was recovered from money that was embezzled by village officials.

"The money was recovered, and now the problem of rainwater accumulation has been solved. And the environment is getting better and better," said villager Wang Yuangang.

Since 2012, the Party has formulated or revised an unprecedented number of internal regulations, building a comprehensive framework of rules to confine power in "a cage of institutions".

"Why establishing rules? Fundamentally, it is to ensure that Party members and officials always keep in mind who they are, for whom they work, and on whom they rely," said Song Wei, researcher with the Institute for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Tsinghua University.

"We must uphold the principle that everyone is equal before rules and regulations, no one enjoys privileges in terms of compliance, and no exceptions are allowed in their enforcement, thus making sure that rules and regulations truly become live 'high-voltage lines'," said Li Li, deputy head of the School of Discipline Inspection and Supervision of China University of Political Science and Law.

Xi also launched an unprecedented anti-corruption storm that has swept every corner of public office, netting both high-ranking "tigers" and lower-level "flies". The anti-corruption campaign has continued unabated, with Xi stressing that the fight is an ongoing endeavor.

From January to September this year alone, discipline inspection and supervisory authorities filed more than 800,000 cases, including those against 73 officials at provincial and ministerial level or above, with 680,000 people receiving punishment, including 105 officials at provincial and ministerial level or above.

"The fight against corruption in the new era has been unprecedentedly forceful with clear effects. At the same time, we must recognize that the fight against corruption remains severe and complex, and the task of eradicating the breeding grounds and conditions for corruption remains arduous. Experience has taught us that anti-corruption is a major political endeavor that we cannot afford to lose and must never lose. We cannot pause for even a moment, nor can we retreat a single step. We must carry the anti-corruption fight through to the end," said Sun Songtao, deputy director of the case supervision and management office of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision.

CPC keeps tightening "cage of institutions" in Party building