CPC to launch tie-building campaign

BEIJING - The Communist Party of China (CPC) will launch a campaign to urge its members to boost ties with the people and fight corruption.

To win public trust and support as well consolidate the CPC's position as the country's governing party, the planned year-long campaign will start from the latter half of this year, according to a decision made at the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau conference on Friday.

The conference, presided over by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping, reminded Party members and officials that serving the people wholeheartedly is the Party's fundamental purpose. The Party should supervise its own conduct and run itself with strict discipline.

The Party must focus on the need to serve the people and be down-to-earth, honest and upright in conduct so as to keep its advanced nature and purity, the statement said.

It's also the responsibility of Party members to maintain their "flesh and blood ties" with the people to guarantee sound economic development and support the drive to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society.

While the general situation of the Party's relationship with the people is good, problems remain regarding formalism, bureaucratism and behavior that suggests mediocrity, laziness, laxity and extravagance, according to the statement issued after the conference.

Party members must reject these undesirable practices that could "severely damage the Party's image among the public" and distance Party members and officials from the public, the statement said.

The CPC Central Committee Political Bureau will play a leading role in the campaign, which is an important arrangement for building an innovative and service-oriented Marxist governing party in a constant pursuit of learning.

The move will focus on Party organs and officials above the county level, who are required to reflect on their own practices and correct any misbehavior, the statement said.

The conference called on Party committees at all levels to put more emphasis on improving their work style in order to promote the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Concrete effects must be realized in boosting party members' relations with the public and their abilities to serve the people, the statement said.

"It's urgent and necessary to carry out the tie-building campaign now," said Xin Ming, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, adding that the phenomena of some Party members separating from the people will discredit the Party, as well as negatively impact people's trust in, and support for, the Party.

"The mass line, or furthering ties with the people, is the lifeline of the Party," said He Zengke, an expert on Marxism with the Central Complication and Translation Bureau.

As for Party members, maintaining "flesh and blood ties" with the people by carrying out the tie-building campaign is a great decision for the Party to sustain long-time governance, according to He.

"Officials above the county level are at high risk of being separated from the masses, as it's impossible for them to have direct contact with ordinary people every day, compared to grassroots officials," said Xie Chuntao, another professor with the Party school.

The public should also be mobilized to supervise and evaluate the campaign to ensure that the people can benefit from the campaign.