CPC leadership wages war against formalism, bureaucracy

The newly elected leadership of China's ruling party has adopted eight requirements on how top leaders should improve their work style, showing its determination to fight the obstinate problems of formalism and bureaucracy.

The requirements, which were adopted at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Tuesday, are feasible and targeted.

The Political Bureau members called an end to "empty talk" and pointless inspection tours, visits, meetings, circulars and media reports concerning high-ranking officials.

The new CPC leadership also asked officials to shun extravagance, saying there should be "no welcome banner, no red carpet, no floral arrangement or grand receptions" and "fewer traffic controls arranged" for officials' visits.

Fully implementing the eight requirements will help the ruling Party to solve its own outstanding and lingering problems, practically respond to strong public concern, keep close relations with ordinary citizens, and win trust and support from the people.

Tuesday's meeting underscored the exemplary role of top officials in improving the Party's work style, saying the Political Bureau members should "implement the dos before asking others to do so, and certainly do not do something themselves if they don't want others to do it."

The style of officialdom, especially among top officials, has an important impact upon that of the Party and government as a whole and even on general society. Top leaders' conduct can have butterfly effect on lower-level officials.

Many officials admitted that they have suffered a lot from formalism and bureaucracy and want to keep away from it. But, as the saying "Once in use, forever a custom" exemplifies, many have to force themselves to follow suit once a way of doing things has been in place for a long time.

Since the new CPC helmsmen were elected about 20 days ago, they have conducted themselves in an exemplary way in improving the Party's work style.

Xi Jinping said in his speech when meeting the press after being elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee that the new leadership had taken on an important responsibility for the people and the party had to solve problems such as "corruption, being divorced from the people, going through formalities and bureaucracy."

"We must make every effort to solve these problems. The whole Party must stay on full alert," Xi added.

During a recent visit to an exhibition on the ups and downs of China on the road of national revival, Xi highlighted the notion that "Empty talk can lead a country astray, while hard work sees nations prosper."

Moreover, two members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Li Keqiang and Wang Qishan, recently asked officials not to read their prepared reports at meetings to save time in order to speak about more concrete content.

These conducts showed the top CPC leaders' resolve to root out the chronic and lingering problems of formalism and bureaucracy, which have been hampering flesh-and-blood bonds between the Party and the people.

Formalism and bureaucracy cannot be gotten rid of within a short time. The new requirements are good as they will help leaders turn rhetoric of into practice. But they will only have their full intended effect if fully implemented.