General secretary sets out new vision for Party schools

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a meeting marking the 90th anniversary of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee and the opening ceremony of its 2023 spring semester in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, underlined on Wednesday the unwavering original mission for Party schools to cultivate talent for and contribute wisdom to the CPC, as he set out a new vision for the institutions' development in the new era.

Xi delivered the remarks at a celebration in Beijing marking the 90th founding anniversary of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee — the Party's highest education institution — and the opening ceremony of the institution's 2023 spring semester.

The celebration was also attended by Cai Qi and Ding Xuexiang, members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and presided over by Chen Xi, president of the school.

Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the institutions to hold high the banner of the Party, carry forward its will and mission, and serve the overall work of the Party and State.

He urged Party schools to cultivate officials tailored to the needs of the CPC and contribute opinions and suggestions on the major issues that are of concern to the Party.

The unique value of Party schools lies in the cultivation of talent for the CPC, and these institutions must make proactive contributions to the cultivation of leading officials who are capable of shouldering the responsibility of national rejuvenation, Xi said.

He underscored theoretical accomplishment as the core part of the comprehensive quality of officials.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a meeting marking the 90th anniversary of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee and the opening ceremony of its 2023 spring semester in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

For officials, the more firmly they grasp Marxism, the stronger their political judgment, understanding and implementation of it will be, and the more proactive they will become in observing the current situation, planning development and preventing and defusing risks, he explained.

Xi called Party schools "melting pots" that can build up the Party consciousness of officials, saying that these institutions must guide officials to keep improving their level of thinking and morality and develop the correct outlook toward power and what it means to perform well and maintain the political character of communists.

The institutions must step up efforts to foster the fighting spirit and capacity of officials and help them enhance their abilities in preventing risks, tackling difficulties, responding to challenges and resisting pressures, he said.

The general secretary urged Party schools to excel in theoretical research and to come up with solutions, saying that the institutions must provide high-quality research outcomes to help with the decision-making of the Party and government.

As a key frontier of the ideological work of the CPC, Party schools must publicize the propositions of the CPC and refute various fallacies and heresies in a targeted manner and remain proactive in publicizing the Party's innovative theories, he said.

Xi called on Party schools to abide by the strictest political, academic, teaching and management standards, and serve as a deterrent against misconduct, a melting pot to build up Party consciousness and a bellwether in terms of exercising strict governance of the Party.

It is important for Party schools at various levels to maintain the highest standards of training for their students, he said.

Xi, who served as the president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee from November 2007 to December 2012, attaches great importance to the role of the institution in cultivating talent for the Party.

Since he was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 2012, Xi has on 10 occasions addressed the opening of study sessions for officials at the provincial and ministerial levels hosted by the institution, and addressed another six sessions for young and middle-aged officials.