Auditing key to self-reform of Party, Xi says

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed on Tuesday the unique role of auditing in advancing the Party's self-reform, and called for effective auditing work to serve the overall development of the Party and State.

Xi, who is also China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark while presiding over the first meeting of the central auditing commission under the 20th CPC Central Committee. He is head of the commission.

He emphasized that auditing shoulders an important mission in the new journey of strengthening the country and realizing national rejuvenation.

Auditing work should focus on its main responsibilities in terms of economic supervision and better perform its unique role in promoting the Party's self-reform, Xi said.

Premier Li Qiang and Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Li Xi attended the meeting. They are both deputy directors of the central auditing commission.

The meeting's participants heard reports from the commission's office on the audit report on the implementation of the central budget and other fiscal expenditure in 2022, as well as a report on promoting the high-quality development of auditing work in the new era, according to a statement released after the meeting.

The participants emphasized that auditing is an important part of the oversight system of the Party and State, and it is also significant in promoting the modernization of the country's governance system and governance capabilities.

The meeting's participants pointed out that the overall requirement for conducting audits in the new era is to focus on the construction of a centralized, unified, authoritative and efficient auditing system to allow it to better play its supervisory role.

In carrying out auditing, there should be no omissions and no exceptions in any areas, departments or organizations engaged in managing and utilizing public funds, State-owned assets and State-owned resources, in order to form a regular and dynamic deterrent, they said.

The meeting's participants called for greater efforts in auditing work for this year. They highlighted the importance of promoting the implementation of the decisions and policies of the CPC Central Committee with a focus on high-quality development, and called for enhancing supervision over the implementation of major projects, strategies and measures.

The participants also called for greater supervision over work in stabilizing growth, employment and prices and utilizing fiscal funds, as well as in implementing policies and measures related to stabilizing the economy, developing the real economy and ensuring people's livelihoods.

While stressing the need to coordinate development and security, they called for closely monitoring key areas, such as local government debt, finance, real estate and food and energy supply, and for firmly guarding against systemic risks.