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Forever young are the revolutionaries. The CPC has always been able to maintain vigor and vitality and stand at the forefront of the times despite the many hardships it has endured in the past hundred years. This is because it has constantly engaged in significant self-reform while leading the people in a great social revolution. To maintain its health and vigor， it exercises effective self-supervision， practices strict self-discipline in every respect， consistently pursues improvement， and advances with the times.
The CPC’s advocacy and promotion of democracy is demonstrated first in its application within the Party. To achieve intra-Party democracy and create a political model characterized by centralism and democracy， by discipline and freedom， and by unity of will and individual initiative， the Party mobilizes all its members’ dynamism and creativity in exploring the optimum models.
Advancing intra-Party democracy. Upon its founding the CPC specified provisions on criteria for full Party membership， Party organizations at all levels and Party discipline， which all embodied the principle of democratic centralism.
Some of the major decisions made by the CPC after the founding of the PRC included improving democratic centralism， making Party affairs transparent， establishing a system of Party congresses with a fixed term， and protecting and expanding Party members’ democratic rights.
After the launch of reform and opening up， the Party made an important judgment—that “intra-Party democracy is the Party’s lifeline”.
Since its 18th National Congress， the CPC has stepped up efforts to strengthen intra-Party democracy.
The CPC Central Committee leads by example in passing on the Party’s finest traditions and work styles and developing them at every level. It has created a more favorable environment for intra-Party democracy.
Democratic decision-making has been extended. The CPC Central Committee and the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee carry out in-depth research and solicit opinions from subordinate Party organizations and Party members before making major decisions and plans.
Reports to the Party congresses， documents of the plenary sessions of the Central Committee， other important documents and major decisions of the Party， and key measures for reform and development are drafted and issued after appropriate intraParty consultations， in some cases amounting to several rounds. A vigorous campaign has been conducted to regulate political activities and conduct within the Party. The Political Bureau takes the lead in holding meetings for criticism and self-criticism. Differences of opinions among Party leaders on policy and work can be discussed in pursuit of consensus.
With the Central Committee leading by example， intraParty democracy in Party organizations at all levels has been constantly improved， intra-Party activities are more vigorous， and officials have taken the lead in practicing democracy in their work.
Respecting the principal position of Party members and protecting their democratic rights. Party members play a principal role in intra-Party democracy. All Party members， regardless of occupation， position， Party standing and age， enjoy equal status and equal rights in political activities within the Party. They have the right to attend relevant Party meetings， read relevant Party documents， and benefit from Party education and training， to participate in discussion on questions concerning Party policy at Party meetings and in Party newspapers and periodicals， to make suggestions and proposals regarding the work of the Party， and to participate in voting and stand for election.
Within the Party， democratic channels are open and unimpeded. Party members can express their views freely， frankly and honestly at Party meetings. Arguments over differences of opinions are encouraged. Much information from the grassroots is accurately conveyed to the upper levels through unblocked democratic channels. Genuine and extensive intraParty democracy increases Party members’ enthusiasm， initiative， creativity， and will to participate in intra-Party affairs， and pools their wisdom and ingenuity.
Applying intra-Party democracy in elections， decision-making， management and oversight. The Party’s major decisions and plans are made after soliciting opinions from a wide range of Party members. The Party upholds collective leadership. Party committees at all levels combine collective leadership with individual responsibility based on the division of work. Decisions on major issues are made after discussion in accordance with the principles of collective leadership， democratic centralism， pre-meeting reflection， and meeting-based decision-making， with the minority deferring to the majority.
The intra-Party election system has been improved. Delegates to Party congresses and members of Party committees at all levels are elected， and reflect the will of the electorate. Continuous efforts have been made to strengthen internal oversight， focusing on leading Party organs and Party members in leadership positions， and particularly those holding principal positions in leadership teams.
In the selection and appointment of officials， democratic recommendation and appraisal is a basic step and an essential requirement. Intra-Party democracy at the grassroots is practiced in many forms， and direct elections are held by most primary-level Party organizations.
As the CPC is the governing party， its progress in intra-Party democracy exerts an important and positive influence on the state’s politics， and on society and the economy. Party officials at all levels and Party members have vigorously advanced people’s democracy by applying democratic ideas， habits， conduct and traditions fostered within the Party， influencing others and nurturing a democratic atmosphere in their own fields， enhancing the sense of democracy around them， and strictly abiding by the law and regulations.
In the course of leading China’s revolution， reconstruction and reform to great success， the CPC has made mistakes and experienced setbacks. It has faced up to its problems and mistakes， and corrected them by upholding the truth. Through trial and error， it has grown stronger and better， and continues to lead the people forward.
The CPC openly confronts its shortcomings and errors. As a party in service of the people， it is not afraid of criticism of its shortcomings. It always retains what is right and corrects what is wrong， all in the best interests of the people. After the Great Leap Forward21， Mao Zedong offered to take responsibility for the mistake. The Party leadership explained to the other political parties and non-affiliates that the CPC and particularly its Central Committee should take the main responsibility for the error， and offered sincere self-criticism.
The attitude of a Marxist party towards its mistakes is an important means to gauge whether it can fulfill its responsibilities towards the people， and whether it is truly a capable organization. In the case of the CPC， as a large Marxist party it always acts in ways commensurate with its character， breadth of vision， and sense of responsibility. Seeking truth from facts， it remains open to criticism and suggestions， and this has won understanding and support from the public.
The CPC learns from its mistakes， and， while correcting them， presses on. It has the courage to do this precisely because it has a deep love for the people and a strong sense of its cause. It applies the fundamental principle of democratic centralism， and employs the powerful weapon of criticism and selfcriticism. Honestly acknowledging its problems and mistakes， including those of its leaders， the CPC has always conducted careful analysis of root causes and taken resolute measures to correct them. Its mistakes， failures， and lessons， together with its successes， all serve as an invaluable textbook. During the New Democratic Revolution， the CPC drew lessons from the failed Great Revolution and from its defeat in the KMT’s fifth encirclement and suppression campaign. It subsequently led the Chinese revolution onto the correct path.
During socialist revolution and reconstruction， the Party corrected the mistakes of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution22， and conducted a comprehensive， indepth review of the hard lessons it had learned， thus laying the groundwork for socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In the long-term fight against both Leftist and Rightist tendencies， the Party has made its position clear in the Resolution on Certain Issues in the History of the CPC （released in 1945） and the Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of the CPC Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China （released in 1981）. The two resolutions document grave problems and mistakes in the history of the Party. They analyze the root causes and draw objective conclusions regarding important historical events and figures. In this way the whole Party has come to a clear consensus on its past and thus grown stronger in unity.
Every political party makes mistakes. What matters most is whether it can learn from its mistakes and improve itself. The CPC is a great and glorious party that charts the correct course. This does not mean that it never errs， but that it adopts the correct approach to its mistakes， corrects them， and learns from them. To uphold truth and correct any mistake is the Party’s approach to always serving the people and putting people first.
In revolution， reconstruction and reform， the CPC has been and will be confronted with all kinds of tests， including temptations from the outside world. Any slackness in enforcing Party self-discipline or any negative shift in its members’ thinking and behavior will erode its health. With that in mind， the Party takes resolute measures against all phenomena that may undermine its integrity and progressive nature. It treats any signs or symptoms of disease as soon as they appear and promptly removes any virus or tumor identified in order to protect its health.
Maintaining the vitality of Party members. As Party members play the primary role in implementing CPC programs and activities， the Party attaches great importance to strengthening its membership in both quantitative and qualitative terms and making them a strong and united contingent of staunch Communists. In all historical periods， in the light of changing circumstances， the Party has given particular attention to replenishing its ranks by admitting progressive people from all sectors of society， so that it always represents the fundamental interests of the people. Although the eligibility and procedures for Party membership have varied in different periods， the requirements for Party members always remain high and procedures for joining the Party always remain rigorous. Personal status， level of education and financial background are irrelevant to qualification for CPC membership， but political and moral requirements are strict. An applicant must go through stringent procedures and undergo rigorous education and observation for a probationary period before becoming a full member. The CPC considers it imperative to strengthen the education and management of its members， regardless of their origins and background， to forge resolute Communists. Every Party member， irrespective of position， must join a branch， group， or other given unit of the Party. They must participate in the regular activities of the Party organizations， place themselves under the scrutiny of people both within and outside the Party， and engage in criticism and self-criticism.
In addition to regular education and day-to-day management， the CPC also carries out themed education programs focusing on the situations and tasks that it faces in any given period， and on the prominent problems that confront its members. The Party gives priority to improving its conduct and regards this as a major issue that has a direct impact on its prospects of winning or losing public support and on the very survival of the Party. To forever maintain its close ties with the people， it applies resolute and effective measures to prevent or punish any action that creates barriers between the Party and the people or infringes on their interests.
The Party is mostly composed of sound and committed members， yet it is inevitable that some of them may become fainthearts， dissidents， corrupt elements， or traitors. To its underperforming members the Party sounds a warning and instructs them to rectify their conduct in a timely manner； it resolutely expels those with serious failings.
Panel 3 Maintaining Integrity of Party Organizations
In the Rectification Movement from the second half of 1951 to the spring of 1954， 410，000 out of 6.5 million members were expelled from the Party or urged to withdraw.
In the Rectification Campaign from 1983 to 1987， through membership registration and management by Party organizations， nearly 33，900 members were expelled from the Party， 90，000 were denied registration， 145，000 had their registration suspended， and 184，000 were subjected to disciplinary sanctions such as probation within the Party， removal from a position within the Party， recommended removal from a position outside the Party， warning， and severe warning.
The Party Member Re-registration in 1989 and 1990 involved 3.75 million Party members working in central and local departments. In this process， appropriate action was taken against substandard members， who represented a very small minority， and disciplinary sanctions were imposed on members who had violated Party discipline. Between the Party’s 18th National Congress in November 2012 and May 2021， 4，089，000 people were investigated by disciplinary and supervisory departments across the country， 453 of whom were senior officials. Among those investigated， 3，742，000 were given Party disciplinary and/or administrative sanctions.
Strengthening checks and scrutiny over the exercise of power. The mandate of the CPC comes from the people and must be exercised in the interests of the people. The Party is always soberly aware of this. Upon its founding， the Party stipulated that the finances， activities and policies of local committees would be supervised by the Central Executive Committee. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression， the Party made it clear that only under public scrutiny could a government be clean and efficient. Soon after the founding of the PRC， the Party set up commissions for disciplinary inspection and the state established supervisory departments at the central and local levels to bring officials under closer scrutiny， especially those in senior positions. Since the beginning of reform and opening up， the Party has actively pressed forward with reform of the system of Party and state leadership， improving the mechanisms for deliberation and decision-making within Party committees， and establishing and improving a framework for the exercise of power under which decision-making power， executive power and supervisory power are mutually exclusive but are coordinated with each other. Since its 18th National Congress， the CPC has been strengthening checks on and scrutiny over the exercise of power as an important part of its full and strict self-discipline.
Focusing on confining the exercise of power in an institutional cage， the Party gives prominence to scrutiny of the “key few”—the principal members of the leadership teams at all levels. It is improving its regulatory system for internal oversight， the priorities being the introduction of provisions on tours of disciplinary inspection and the regulations on internal scrutiny. While strengthening the deterrent role of disciplinary inspection， the Party has launched massive inspection campaigns and dispatched resident disciplinary inspection agencies to the centrallevel departments of the Party and the government. It works to extend reform of the national supervision system and integrates intra-Party oversight with oversight by state organs， democratic oversight， judicial oversight， public oversight， and oversight by the media， to ensure that power is exercised under public scrutiny. Resolutely combating corruption. Corruption is a major threat to the Party’s survival. The CPC is fully aware of the harm that corruption can do and tolerates no corruption. At its very beginning， the Party cautioned that it must stay keenly alert to the entryism of corrupt elements， and vowed to resolutely expel bad elements and fight against negative trends. In the early years of the PRC， the Party launched the campaign against the “three evils” of corruption， waste and bureaucratism within Party and government institutions. In particular， the death penalties imposed on Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan， both of whom had performed with great merit in the revolutionary war but later degenerated into major embezzlers， sent a shockwave through the whole Party.
Since its 18th National Congress， facing a situation where corruption had been a growing problem in the Party for some time， the CPC has demonstrated its commitment to resolute action. It would rather offend a few thousand corrupt officials than fail to live up to the expectations of 1.4 billion Chinese people. It has remained firm in its determination and demonstrated great courage in combating corruption. Just as heavy doses of medicine are needed to treat serious disease， stringent measures must be applied to address serious corruption. To this end， the Party has allowed no safe haven， left no stone unturned， and shown no tolerance in fighting corruption. It has taken firm action to “take out tigers”， “swat flies”， and “hunt down foxes”23. To form a powerful deterrent it has punished corruption with decisive measures and overwhelming severity. At the same time it has taken a systemic approach to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of corruption， ensuring that officials do not dare to be， are denied the opportunity to be， and have no wish to be corrupt. As a result， a crushing victory has been won in the anti-corruption campaign and the success has been consolidated. In resolving the issue of corruption， a persistent problem in governance at all times and across the globe， the Party has adopted an uncompromising attitude and taken concrete actions.
Preventing the formation of an entitled elite in the Party. The CPC has drawn profound lessons from examples of failure or ineffective leadership of political parties or states throughout history and across the world. It is always strict with itself， with its Central Committee， and with its senior officials. In the years of revolutionary war， the Party’s top leaders and other officials at all levels stood together with the rank and file through thick and thin， forming an invincible force. After the founding of the PRC， the Party adopted rigorous measures to bring senior officials under closer scrutiny. In the early years of reform and opening up， it set out provisions delimiting the legitimate privileges of senior officials， and emphasizing that they must take the lead in carrying forward the Party’s fine traditions. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， the Central Committee has played a model role in strictly observing its Eight Rules24. It opposes corruption and the Four Malfeasances25， as well as any sense of entitlement and the inclination to act on it. It has issued a series of rectifying measures on the assignment of offices， official vehicles， and immediate staff， and on spending in the performance of official duties， with the goal of strictly delimiting the privileges of officials， especially senior officials. All of this has led to a complete change in the whole ethos of the Party and society. As a result， the Party has boosted the faith of its members and the people， and enhanced its image and authority in their hearts.
The CPC is a capable party. Over the past hundred years， it has led the people to numerous great achievements： defeating the many and strong with the few and weak in war， maintaining rapid economic growth and lasting social stability， and turning the impossible into the possible again and again. The reasons that the Party has been able to stand in the forefront of the times， respond to complex circumstances， and complete arduous tasks， are twofold. One is its emphasis on study and review； the other its commitment to drawing on good experience from other countries to strengthen its own capability for revolution， reconstruction and reform.
The CPC is a learning party. Its nature and mission require it to devote attention to learning， be adept at learning， and continue to learn. Facing developments and changes in its circumstances and tasks， the Party has always been modest， learning from the people， from experience， from history and from other countries.
In the years of revolutionary war， it was by learning that the Party found the correct path for the Chinese revolution. After the founding of the PRC， it was by learning that the CPC was able to quickly restore the economy， winning praise and respect from those doubting its ability. After the launch of reform and opening up， it was by learning that the Party opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the new era of surging modern information technology and a complex domestic and international landscape， the Party has set a major task—to develop itself into a learning， service-oriented， and innovative Marxist governing party， launching campaigns to encourage learning within the Party to strengthen its ability in governance.
The CPC gives priority to learning by officials， particularly those in leading positions， through which it has cultivated a strong contingent of individuals capable of leading the Party， governing the country， and commanding the military. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has a system of regular group study sessions26， playing an exemplary and leading role for the whole Party. There is also a system of study groups for leading officials， under which Party committees and Party leadership groups at all levels hold study sessions on different topics on a regular basis. Various activities are organized to educate Party members on the current situation and the Party’s targeted policies. Training on a large scale and at multiple levels is conducted by central and local Party schools or schools of governance. This requirement for learning and being able to learn has enabled the Party to adapt to changing circumstances， foster new ideas， acquire new skills and solve new problems. It is through learning that the Party has succeeded in the past， and it is through learning that it will succeed in the future. The CPC has grown strong by reviewing experience and summarizing the lessons learned. Whether in times of war or peace， Party organizations， from the top-level Central Committee to the grassroots， produce a review after completing a project or major task， so that they can identify successes， remedy shortcomings， and move forward. Being diligent in and adept at reviewing experience has become an important part of the Party’s theoretical and practical work. In addition to summing up successful experience， the CPC attaches great importance to drawing lessons from and learning from failures. Problems and mistakes—particularly serious ones—and the requirements revealed by such mistakes and problems are often worth summarizing. Throughout its history， the CPC has been able to draw lessons from every major error， in order to advance its cause. From this progressive spiral of review， summary， and action the CPC has extracted important experience， and gone on to make changes of historic significance.
Contemporary China is the extension and development of China in the past. The CPC pays close attention to learning from history and constantly emphasizes the significance of such learning. By studying its own history and the history of China， including the PRC， reform and opening up， and the development of socialism， the Party has been able to move forward based on historical experience. To learn from history the CPC draws on wisdom and nutrients from the best of traditional Chinese culture， and at the same time learns lessons from the rise and fall of previous regimes or political powers. It reminds the whole Party not to commit the same errors. The CPC also sums up experience and lessons from other political parties around the world and from the world socialist movement， to reflect on and improve its work， reinforce its ability to govern the country， and combat corruption.
The CPC is an open-minded party. Proceeding from China’s realities， the Party absorbs and draws on all the excellent achievements of human civilization. After the founding of the PRC， it learned from the Soviet Union how to carry out socialist revolution and how to build socialism， which helped it to restore and develop the economy and advance socialist transformation and industrialization.
After the launch of reform and opening up， it drew on advanced operating models， managerial experience， and technologies that embody the laws of modern socialized production. What the Party learned from the rest of the world， including developed capitalist countries， helped advance China’s modernization. Since its 18th National Congress， the CPC has promoted exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations， expanded the sharing of experience with political parties from other countries， and strengthened communication and cooperation in many forms and at multiple levels with political parties around the world. Through consultation and cooperation with other political parties， the CPC has strengthened China’s ties with other countries in pursuit of common development and mutual benefit.
Over the past hundred years， the CPC has remained robust and vibrant despite having undergone so many trials and tribulations. An important reason for this is that it has had the courage to carry out self-reform. On the way ahead， the Party will still face dangers—loss of drive， incompetence， disengagement from the people， inaction， or corruption. And it will still be confronted with tests of its capacity to exercise governance of the country， carry out reform and opening up， develop the market economy， and respond to external volatility.
However， after a hundred years of hard struggle， the CPC has the courage and ability to carry out self-reform and is able to meet any challenge and withstand any test. It will never change or betray its nature. It will always remain dynamic and grow stronger.
1. Upholding Intra-Party Democracy
The CPC’s advocacy and promotion of democracy is demonstrated first in its application within the Party. To achieve intra-Party democracy and create a political model characterized by centralism and democracy， by discipline and freedom， and by unity of will and individual initiative， the Party mobilizes all its members’ dynamism and creativity in exploring the optimum models.
Advancing intra-Party democracy. Upon its founding the CPC specified provisions on criteria for full Party membership， Party organizations at all levels and Party discipline， which all embodied the principle of democratic centralism.
Some of the major decisions made by the CPC after the founding of the PRC included improving democratic centralism， making Party affairs transparent， establishing a system of Party congresses with a fixed term， and protecting and expanding Party members’ democratic rights.
After the launch of reform and opening up， the Party made an important judgment—that “intra-Party democracy is the Party’s lifeline”.
Since its 18th National Congress， the CPC has stepped up efforts to strengthen intra-Party democracy.
The CPC Central Committee leads by example in passing on the Party’s finest traditions and work styles and developing them at every level. It has created a more favorable environment for intra-Party democracy.
Democratic decision-making has been extended. The CPC Central Committee and the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee carry out in-depth research and solicit opinions from subordinate Party organizations and Party members before making major decisions and plans.
Reports to the Party congresses， documents of the plenary sessions of the Central Committee， other important documents and major decisions of the Party， and key measures for reform and development are drafted and issued after appropriate intraParty consultations， in some cases amounting to several rounds. A vigorous campaign has been conducted to regulate political activities and conduct within the Party. The Political Bureau takes the lead in holding meetings for criticism and self-criticism. Differences of opinions among Party leaders on policy and work can be discussed in pursuit of consensus.
With the Central Committee leading by example， intraParty democracy in Party organizations at all levels has been constantly improved， intra-Party activities are more vigorous， and officials have taken the lead in practicing democracy in their work.
Respecting the principal position of Party members and protecting their democratic rights. Party members play a principal role in intra-Party democracy. All Party members， regardless of occupation， position， Party standing and age， enjoy equal status and equal rights in political activities within the Party. They have the right to attend relevant Party meetings， read relevant Party documents， and benefit from Party education and training， to participate in discussion on questions concerning Party policy at Party meetings and in Party newspapers and periodicals， to make suggestions and proposals regarding the work of the Party， and to participate in voting and stand for election.
Within the Party， democratic channels are open and unimpeded. Party members can express their views freely， frankly and honestly at Party meetings. Arguments over differences of opinions are encouraged. Much information from the grassroots is accurately conveyed to the upper levels through unblocked democratic channels. Genuine and extensive intraParty democracy increases Party members’ enthusiasm， initiative， creativity， and will to participate in intra-Party affairs， and pools their wisdom and ingenuity.
Applying intra-Party democracy in elections， decision-making， management and oversight. The Party’s major decisions and plans are made after soliciting opinions from a wide range of Party members. The Party upholds collective leadership. Party committees at all levels combine collective leadership with individual responsibility based on the division of work. Decisions on major issues are made after discussion in accordance with the principles of collective leadership， democratic centralism， pre-meeting reflection， and meeting-based decision-making， with the minority deferring to the majority.
The intra-Party election system has been improved. Delegates to Party congresses and members of Party committees at all levels are elected， and reflect the will of the electorate. Continuous efforts have been made to strengthen internal oversight， focusing on leading Party organs and Party members in leadership positions， and particularly those holding principal positions in leadership teams.
In the selection and appointment of officials， democratic recommendation and appraisal is a basic step and an essential requirement. Intra-Party democracy at the grassroots is practiced in many forms， and direct elections are held by most primary-level Party organizations.
As the CPC is the governing party， its progress in intra-Party democracy exerts an important and positive influence on the state’s politics， and on society and the economy. Party officials at all levels and Party members have vigorously advanced people’s democracy by applying democratic ideas， habits， conduct and traditions fostered within the Party， influencing others and nurturing a democratic atmosphere in their own fields， enhancing the sense of democracy around them， and strictly abiding by the law and regulations.
2. Correcting Mistakes
In the course of leading China’s revolution， reconstruction and reform to great success， the CPC has made mistakes and experienced setbacks. It has faced up to its problems and mistakes， and corrected them by upholding the truth. Through trial and error， it has grown stronger and better， and continues to lead the people forward.
The CPC openly confronts its shortcomings and errors. As a party in service of the people， it is not afraid of criticism of its shortcomings. It always retains what is right and corrects what is wrong， all in the best interests of the people. After the Great Leap Forward21， Mao Zedong offered to take responsibility for the mistake. The Party leadership explained to the other political parties and non-affiliates that the CPC and particularly its Central Committee should take the main responsibility for the error， and offered sincere self-criticism.
The attitude of a Marxist party towards its mistakes is an important means to gauge whether it can fulfill its responsibilities towards the people， and whether it is truly a capable organization. In the case of the CPC， as a large Marxist party it always acts in ways commensurate with its character， breadth of vision， and sense of responsibility. Seeking truth from facts， it remains open to criticism and suggestions， and this has won understanding and support from the public.
The CPC learns from its mistakes， and， while correcting them， presses on. It has the courage to do this precisely because it has a deep love for the people and a strong sense of its cause. It applies the fundamental principle of democratic centralism， and employs the powerful weapon of criticism and selfcriticism. Honestly acknowledging its problems and mistakes， including those of its leaders， the CPC has always conducted careful analysis of root causes and taken resolute measures to correct them. Its mistakes， failures， and lessons， together with its successes， all serve as an invaluable textbook. During the New Democratic Revolution， the CPC drew lessons from the failed Great Revolution and from its defeat in the KMT’s fifth encirclement and suppression campaign. It subsequently led the Chinese revolution onto the correct path.
During socialist revolution and reconstruction， the Party corrected the mistakes of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution22， and conducted a comprehensive， indepth review of the hard lessons it had learned， thus laying the groundwork for socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In the long-term fight against both Leftist and Rightist tendencies， the Party has made its position clear in the Resolution on Certain Issues in the History of the CPC （released in 1945） and the Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of the CPC Since the Founding of the People’s Republic of China （released in 1981）. The two resolutions document grave problems and mistakes in the history of the Party. They analyze the root causes and draw objective conclusions regarding important historical events and figures. In this way the whole Party has come to a clear consensus on its past and thus grown stronger in unity.
Every political party makes mistakes. What matters most is whether it can learn from its mistakes and improve itself. The CPC is a great and glorious party that charts the correct course. This does not mean that it never errs， but that it adopts the correct approach to its mistakes， corrects them， and learns from them. To uphold truth and correct any mistake is the Party’s approach to always serving the people and putting people first.
3. Protecting the Party’s Health
In revolution， reconstruction and reform， the CPC has been and will be confronted with all kinds of tests， including temptations from the outside world. Any slackness in enforcing Party self-discipline or any negative shift in its members’ thinking and behavior will erode its health. With that in mind， the Party takes resolute measures against all phenomena that may undermine its integrity and progressive nature. It treats any signs or symptoms of disease as soon as they appear and promptly removes any virus or tumor identified in order to protect its health.
Maintaining the vitality of Party members. As Party members play the primary role in implementing CPC programs and activities， the Party attaches great importance to strengthening its membership in both quantitative and qualitative terms and making them a strong and united contingent of staunch Communists. In all historical periods， in the light of changing circumstances， the Party has given particular attention to replenishing its ranks by admitting progressive people from all sectors of society， so that it always represents the fundamental interests of the people. Although the eligibility and procedures for Party membership have varied in different periods， the requirements for Party members always remain high and procedures for joining the Party always remain rigorous. Personal status， level of education and financial background are irrelevant to qualification for CPC membership， but political and moral requirements are strict. An applicant must go through stringent procedures and undergo rigorous education and observation for a probationary period before becoming a full member. The CPC considers it imperative to strengthen the education and management of its members， regardless of their origins and background， to forge resolute Communists. Every Party member， irrespective of position， must join a branch， group， or other given unit of the Party. They must participate in the regular activities of the Party organizations， place themselves under the scrutiny of people both within and outside the Party， and engage in criticism and self-criticism.
In addition to regular education and day-to-day management， the CPC also carries out themed education programs focusing on the situations and tasks that it faces in any given period， and on the prominent problems that confront its members. The Party gives priority to improving its conduct and regards this as a major issue that has a direct impact on its prospects of winning or losing public support and on the very survival of the Party. To forever maintain its close ties with the people， it applies resolute and effective measures to prevent or punish any action that creates barriers between the Party and the people or infringes on their interests.
The Party is mostly composed of sound and committed members， yet it is inevitable that some of them may become fainthearts， dissidents， corrupt elements， or traitors. To its underperforming members the Party sounds a warning and instructs them to rectify their conduct in a timely manner； it resolutely expels those with serious failings.
Panel 3 Maintaining Integrity of Party Organizations
In the Rectification Movement from the second half of 1951 to the spring of 1954， 410，000 out of 6.5 million members were expelled from the Party or urged to withdraw.
In the Rectification Campaign from 1983 to 1987， through membership registration and management by Party organizations， nearly 33，900 members were expelled from the Party， 90，000 were denied registration， 145，000 had their registration suspended， and 184，000 were subjected to disciplinary sanctions such as probation within the Party， removal from a position within the Party， recommended removal from a position outside the Party， warning， and severe warning.
The Party Member Re-registration in 1989 and 1990 involved 3.75 million Party members working in central and local departments. In this process， appropriate action was taken against substandard members， who represented a very small minority， and disciplinary sanctions were imposed on members who had violated Party discipline. Between the Party’s 18th National Congress in November 2012 and May 2021， 4，089，000 people were investigated by disciplinary and supervisory departments across the country， 453 of whom were senior officials. Among those investigated， 3，742，000 were given Party disciplinary and/or administrative sanctions.
Strengthening checks and scrutiny over the exercise of power. The mandate of the CPC comes from the people and must be exercised in the interests of the people. The Party is always soberly aware of this. Upon its founding， the Party stipulated that the finances， activities and policies of local committees would be supervised by the Central Executive Committee. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression， the Party made it clear that only under public scrutiny could a government be clean and efficient. Soon after the founding of the PRC， the Party set up commissions for disciplinary inspection and the state established supervisory departments at the central and local levels to bring officials under closer scrutiny， especially those in senior positions. Since the beginning of reform and opening up， the Party has actively pressed forward with reform of the system of Party and state leadership， improving the mechanisms for deliberation and decision-making within Party committees， and establishing and improving a framework for the exercise of power under which decision-making power， executive power and supervisory power are mutually exclusive but are coordinated with each other. Since its 18th National Congress， the CPC has been strengthening checks on and scrutiny over the exercise of power as an important part of its full and strict self-discipline.
Focusing on confining the exercise of power in an institutional cage， the Party gives prominence to scrutiny of the “key few”—the principal members of the leadership teams at all levels. It is improving its regulatory system for internal oversight， the priorities being the introduction of provisions on tours of disciplinary inspection and the regulations on internal scrutiny. While strengthening the deterrent role of disciplinary inspection， the Party has launched massive inspection campaigns and dispatched resident disciplinary inspection agencies to the centrallevel departments of the Party and the government. It works to extend reform of the national supervision system and integrates intra-Party oversight with oversight by state organs， democratic oversight， judicial oversight， public oversight， and oversight by the media， to ensure that power is exercised under public scrutiny. Resolutely combating corruption. Corruption is a major threat to the Party’s survival. The CPC is fully aware of the harm that corruption can do and tolerates no corruption. At its very beginning， the Party cautioned that it must stay keenly alert to the entryism of corrupt elements， and vowed to resolutely expel bad elements and fight against negative trends. In the early years of the PRC， the Party launched the campaign against the “three evils” of corruption， waste and bureaucratism within Party and government institutions. In particular， the death penalties imposed on Liu Qingshan and Zhang Zishan， both of whom had performed with great merit in the revolutionary war but later degenerated into major embezzlers， sent a shockwave through the whole Party.
Since its 18th National Congress， facing a situation where corruption had been a growing problem in the Party for some time， the CPC has demonstrated its commitment to resolute action. It would rather offend a few thousand corrupt officials than fail to live up to the expectations of 1.4 billion Chinese people. It has remained firm in its determination and demonstrated great courage in combating corruption. Just as heavy doses of medicine are needed to treat serious disease， stringent measures must be applied to address serious corruption. To this end， the Party has allowed no safe haven， left no stone unturned， and shown no tolerance in fighting corruption. It has taken firm action to “take out tigers”， “swat flies”， and “hunt down foxes”23. To form a powerful deterrent it has punished corruption with decisive measures and overwhelming severity. At the same time it has taken a systemic approach to addressing both the symptoms and root causes of corruption， ensuring that officials do not dare to be， are denied the opportunity to be， and have no wish to be corrupt. As a result， a crushing victory has been won in the anti-corruption campaign and the success has been consolidated. In resolving the issue of corruption， a persistent problem in governance at all times and across the globe， the Party has adopted an uncompromising attitude and taken concrete actions.
Preventing the formation of an entitled elite in the Party. The CPC has drawn profound lessons from examples of failure or ineffective leadership of political parties or states throughout history and across the world. It is always strict with itself， with its Central Committee， and with its senior officials. In the years of revolutionary war， the Party’s top leaders and other officials at all levels stood together with the rank and file through thick and thin， forming an invincible force. After the founding of the PRC， the Party adopted rigorous measures to bring senior officials under closer scrutiny. In the early years of reform and opening up， it set out provisions delimiting the legitimate privileges of senior officials， and emphasizing that they must take the lead in carrying forward the Party’s fine traditions. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， the Central Committee has played a model role in strictly observing its Eight Rules24. It opposes corruption and the Four Malfeasances25， as well as any sense of entitlement and the inclination to act on it. It has issued a series of rectifying measures on the assignment of offices， official vehicles， and immediate staff， and on spending in the performance of official duties， with the goal of strictly delimiting the privileges of officials， especially senior officials. All of this has led to a complete change in the whole ethos of the Party and society. As a result， the Party has boosted the faith of its members and the people， and enhanced its image and authority in their hearts.
4. Promoting Study and Review
The CPC is a capable party. Over the past hundred years， it has led the people to numerous great achievements： defeating the many and strong with the few and weak in war， maintaining rapid economic growth and lasting social stability， and turning the impossible into the possible again and again. The reasons that the Party has been able to stand in the forefront of the times， respond to complex circumstances， and complete arduous tasks， are twofold. One is its emphasis on study and review； the other its commitment to drawing on good experience from other countries to strengthen its own capability for revolution， reconstruction and reform.
The CPC is a learning party. Its nature and mission require it to devote attention to learning， be adept at learning， and continue to learn. Facing developments and changes in its circumstances and tasks， the Party has always been modest， learning from the people， from experience， from history and from other countries.
In the years of revolutionary war， it was by learning that the Party found the correct path for the Chinese revolution. After the founding of the PRC， it was by learning that the CPC was able to quickly restore the economy， winning praise and respect from those doubting its ability. After the launch of reform and opening up， it was by learning that the Party opened up the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the new era of surging modern information technology and a complex domestic and international landscape， the Party has set a major task—to develop itself into a learning， service-oriented， and innovative Marxist governing party， launching campaigns to encourage learning within the Party to strengthen its ability in governance.
The CPC gives priority to learning by officials， particularly those in leading positions， through which it has cultivated a strong contingent of individuals capable of leading the Party， governing the country， and commanding the military. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has a system of regular group study sessions26， playing an exemplary and leading role for the whole Party. There is also a system of study groups for leading officials， under which Party committees and Party leadership groups at all levels hold study sessions on different topics on a regular basis. Various activities are organized to educate Party members on the current situation and the Party’s targeted policies. Training on a large scale and at multiple levels is conducted by central and local Party schools or schools of governance. This requirement for learning and being able to learn has enabled the Party to adapt to changing circumstances， foster new ideas， acquire new skills and solve new problems. It is through learning that the Party has succeeded in the past， and it is through learning that it will succeed in the future. The CPC has grown strong by reviewing experience and summarizing the lessons learned. Whether in times of war or peace， Party organizations， from the top-level Central Committee to the grassroots， produce a review after completing a project or major task， so that they can identify successes， remedy shortcomings， and move forward. Being diligent in and adept at reviewing experience has become an important part of the Party’s theoretical and practical work. In addition to summing up successful experience， the CPC attaches great importance to drawing lessons from and learning from failures. Problems and mistakes—particularly serious ones—and the requirements revealed by such mistakes and problems are often worth summarizing. Throughout its history， the CPC has been able to draw lessons from every major error， in order to advance its cause. From this progressive spiral of review， summary， and action the CPC has extracted important experience， and gone on to make changes of historic significance.
Contemporary China is the extension and development of China in the past. The CPC pays close attention to learning from history and constantly emphasizes the significance of such learning. By studying its own history and the history of China， including the PRC， reform and opening up， and the development of socialism， the Party has been able to move forward based on historical experience. To learn from history the CPC draws on wisdom and nutrients from the best of traditional Chinese culture， and at the same time learns lessons from the rise and fall of previous regimes or political powers. It reminds the whole Party not to commit the same errors. The CPC also sums up experience and lessons from other political parties around the world and from the world socialist movement， to reflect on and improve its work， reinforce its ability to govern the country， and combat corruption.
The CPC is an open-minded party. Proceeding from China’s realities， the Party absorbs and draws on all the excellent achievements of human civilization. After the founding of the PRC， it learned from the Soviet Union how to carry out socialist revolution and how to build socialism， which helped it to restore and develop the economy and advance socialist transformation and industrialization.
After the launch of reform and opening up， it drew on advanced operating models， managerial experience， and technologies that embody the laws of modern socialized production. What the Party learned from the rest of the world， including developed capitalist countries， helped advance China’s modernization. Since its 18th National Congress， the CPC has promoted exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations， expanded the sharing of experience with political parties from other countries， and strengthened communication and cooperation in many forms and at multiple levels with political parties around the world. Through consultation and cooperation with other political parties， the CPC has strengthened China’s ties with other countries in pursuit of common development and mutual benefit.
Over the past hundred years， the CPC has remained robust and vibrant despite having undergone so many trials and tribulations. An important reason for this is that it has had the courage to carry out self-reform. On the way ahead， the Party will still face dangers—loss of drive， incompetence， disengagement from the people， inaction， or corruption. And it will still be confronted with tests of its capacity to exercise governance of the country， carry out reform and opening up， develop the market economy， and respond to external volatility.
However， after a hundred years of hard struggle， the CPC has the courage and ability to carry out self-reform and is able to meet any challenge and withstand any test. It will never change or betray its nature. It will always remain dynamic and grow stronger.