Xi Story: CPC's commitment to improving conduct

BEIJING, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The great journey of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has spanned more than a century, and Xibaipo -- the last rural command post of the Chinese revolution -- is a significant landmark on that epic voyage.

In 2013, the old revolutionary base in the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains welcomed a familiar guest, President Xi Jinping.

When he visited Xibaipo Memorial Hall, Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stopped to examine a display board. The board was inscribed with six rules: no grand birthday celebrations, no giving gifts, toast less, clap less, no naming places after individuals, and no equating Chinese comrades with Marx, Engels, Lenin or Stalin.

These rules were put forward by Mao Zedong in Xibaipo, where the leadership of the CPC was stationed from May 1948 to March 1949.

With the Chinese revolution poised for a sweeping victory, Mao reportedly likened the approaching entry into Beijing to found New China to "going to the capital for a big exam."

"We must achieve excellent results," Mao once declared, emphasizing the importance of remaining humble, prudent and dedicated to hard work. To uphold these values, he outlined the six rules to improve conduct, expecting the principles to guide the CPC through challenges ahead.

Standing before the display board, Xi scrutinized each item at length, noting the progress that had been made and the areas that still required attention.

"We have achieved the first, which is no grand birthday celebrations. The second -- no giving gifts -- still needs improvement, so we need to address this issue as part of our efforts to combat the 'Four Malfeasances'..." he said.

The Four Malfeasances refer to pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance.

During the visit, Xi recalled that he had been to Xibaipo many times. "Each time, I have come with a lot of respect and left with many thoughts," he said, calling on Party members and officials to serve the people wholeheartedly and continue to pass the "exams" the people set for the Party.

Throughout his career, Xi has placed great emphasis on conduct and discipline, and set the bar high for the standards of all Party members and officials. He leads by example.

In the early 1980s, when he was serving in Hebei's Zhengding County, about 85 km from Xibaipo, Xi was often seen riding his bicycle to villages to talk and work with local farmers.

Less than 20 days after assuming the Party's top post in 2012, Xi spearheaded the formulation of the eight-point code of conduct, laying down rules to improve conduct within the Party. This effectively put an end to undesirable practices, such as excessive banqueting and extravagant spending.

"Only when we are under pressure and supervision can people enjoy a more comfortable and satisfying life and have a higher opinion of us," Xi once said.

The ultimate purpose of the CPC is to serve the people wholeheartedly, Xi said on many occasions, stressing that the CPC owes its governing status to the support of the people. Therefore, it must maintain its flesh-and-blood relations with the people.

Xi excels at exploring the rich, profound heritage of the CPC, utilizing its invaluable legacies to illuminate the minds of Party members. In August 2022, when inspecting Jinzhou City in Liaoning Province, Xi recounted a story of People's Liberation Army soldiers in 1948 who endured hunger and thirst without reaching for the apples grown by local farmers.

"We are not allowed to eat those apples -- the apples of the people --not even today," Xi stressed.

Similar to the six rules of Xibaipo, the eight-point code has reinforced the bond between the Party and the people.

Statistics show that in 2023 alone, 107,547 cases of violations of the eight-point code were investigated nationwide, resulting in punishments being handed to 108,695 Party and government officials.

At the end of that year, a nationwide survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics recorded that 95.7 percent of respondents were satisfied with the enforcement of the eight-point code, a testament to its role in enhancing ethical conduct within the Party and government.

"It is up to the people to judge how the Party performs in the test of the times. We must continue to perform well, take on an entirely new look in the new era, and make new accomplishments on our new journey," Xi has said.