The People's Daily publish an editorial on Monday urging county-level Party and government officials to carry out the "three emphases" on education in a thorough and practical manner.

The "three emphases" on education are theoretical studies, political awareness and good conduct. The campaign is designed to intensify the building of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the new era and improving the capacity of the Party's leadership and its governing capability.

The first phase of the campaign was carried out last year among officials above the county and city levels, including officials from central Party and governmental organizations and ministerial and prefecturial officials, and satisfying results were reportedly achieved.

The second phase is now being carried out among officials at county and city levels.

The editorial says that the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin at the core is paying great attention to the second phase and is especially concerned with improving ideological and political qualities among county and city officials.

It urges leading officials of the CPC committees at all levels to make a careful study and thoroughly understand the guidelines of the central government on carrying out the "three emphases" on education and make a success of the second phase according to the requirements of the central government.

The editorial calls the campaign an inventive and important move in stepping up and improving Party construction, especially the building of leadership teams, as well as improving the ideological and political awareness of officials in the new period.

"Carrying out the 'three emphases' on education among county- and city-level officials is an important segment of the entire campaign, and the successful experience of the first phase should be learned from," the editorial states.

The editorial explains that county and city levels hold an important position in connecting higher administrative organs to lower grassroots units in the work of both the Party and the government, and for overall administration, and is therefore an important foundation for national economic development, social stability, and the consolidation of political power.

County and city-level Party and government officials are responsible for implementing the Party's line and policies in grassroots units in urban and rural areas. Therefore, the ideological and political qualities of officials at this level will directly affect the implementation of the Party's line and policies, influence the reform, development and stability of the localities, and eventually affect the relations between the Party and the broad masses of the people, as well as between officials and the people they govern, the editorial says.

The editorial stresses the necessity of making a success the "three emphases" on education campaign, saying that quite a number of local officials lack a systematic knowledge of Marxism, or are deficient in capacity to deal with complicated situations and finding solutions to complicated contradictions, though an overwhelming majority of the officials at this level are politically trustworthy, work hard, and are making progress.

"Some too readily overestimate themselves, lack self-discipline, or have serious problems in the Party's spirit and work style," it says.

To make a success of the second phase of the campaign, the editorial states, it is necessary to make political awareness the focus of the campaign to achieve five specific objectives through certain periods of full-time theoretical study, criticism and self-criticism, advocating democracy, and following the mass line in the manner of inviting ordinary people to air complaints, and making corrections.

The five objectives are a firm belief in Marxism, construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the eventual realization of communism; firm and thorough implementation of the Party line and policies and the major decisions of the central government; firm thinking to serve the people wholeheartedly; strict observance of all rules of democratic centralism; and a fine work style featuring seeking truth from facts while being pragmatic and accomplishing objectives by relying on the wisdom of the broad masses of the people.