The Battle Against Corruption Is First and Foremost a Political Issue

The Battle Against Corruption Is First and Foremost a Political Issue*

January 22, 2021

I

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, I have reiterated that the battle against corruption is first and foremost a political issue. There are five reasons:

First, corruption is the worst of the factors that most seriously undermine the foundations of our Party’s governance. It can bring about the most serious damage and harm, and may even lead to the loss of power. It is the most dangerous threat to the Party. The fight against corruption is a major political struggle that we cannot and must not lose. We must go all out and win it.

Second, our Party has taken a clear political stance against corruption and in favor of building clean government. This is an essential requirement for upholding its nature and purpose, and a major and long-term political task for its self-reform. We must declare our Party’s resolute opposition to corruption and leave no place for corrupt officials to hide within the Party.

Third, political corruption is the most serious form of corruption. We must eliminate all hidden political threats from within the Party, and resolutely prevent vested interest groups from arising within the Party. If they usurp Party power, or if leading Party officials become their agents or even form their own cliques, the nature of our socialist country will change.

Fourth, the people’s support is of paramount importance in governance. The people resent corruption most. If we let a few hundred corrupt officials slip through the cracks, we are letting down all 1.4 billion Chinese people. This is the simple arithmetic of politics and popular support. If we are to unite the Party, the military, and the people, and lay solid political foundations for the Party’s governance, we must intensify our effort to improve Party conduct, enforce Party discipline, and fight corruption.

Fifth, we are engaged in an ongoing drive to improve Party conduct, build clean government, and combat corruption. We must take resolute and sustained action to win this prolonged battle in the spirit of “leaving our mark in the steel we grasp and our print on the stone we tread”, so that our Party will maintain its political integrity.

II

From the perspective of improving Party conduct, building clean government, and combating corruption, we must increase our political acumen. This means: taking China’s political security as the top priority, putting the people first, and upholding and developing Chinese socialism as the fundamental principle; thoroughly understanding the political nature and hazards of various types of corruption, and discerning between right and wrong; effectively guarding against risks and overcoming challenges to keep our country from changing its nature.

We must reinforce our political understanding. This means: having a thorough understanding of the Central Committee’s efforts to improve Party conduct, build clean government, and combat corruption; having a sound understanding of the Central Committee’s major policies, principles and actions on strict governance over the Party; conscientiously keeping in alignment with the Central Committee.

We must also strengthen our political capacity to deliver. This means: improving Party conduct and combating corruption in the direction determined by the Central Committee; conducting regular self-examination against our goals and standards and promptly rectifying any deviation; strengthening our sense of responsibility to ensure full implementation of all measures.

* Excerpts from the speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)