CPC embraces 92nd anniversary with stricter discipline(2)

Analysts have said that the new Chinese leadership is demonstrating its willingness to listen to public grievances and tackle deep-rooted problems that are getting in the way of the Party's development.

Xi's remarks came as the CPC faces mounting dangers of members slacking off mentally, being incompetent, alienating the masses and being dispirited and corrupt -- all at a time when the situations of the both country and the world are undergoing dramatic change, said Gao Xinmin, another professor at the school.

China has entered an era when the market economy and socialist democracy are developing fast and the Party is facing more difficulties in coordinating people's diversified interests amid shifting social and interest structures, Gao said.

The CPC needs to build a long-term mass-line mechanism that would force officials to hold themselves accountable to the people, she said.

BETTER OFFICIAL ELECTIONS

The most important points in building such a mechanism include improving the system of assessing officials, giving more play to public opinion in such assessments and stepping up the transformations of government functions, Gao said.

Last week, Xi said the Party and a team of high-quality officials are key to realizing the development goals.

More efforts should be made to improve the transparency of promotions and encourage an upright style in the recommendation and assessment of officials, he said, adding that the promotion of officials should not be decided by a simple tally of votes.

The growth rate of the gross domestic product (GDP) has long been one of the decisive factors in assessing and promoting officials in China. The system has inspired officials to develop local economies by every possible means, and some of their tactics have led to heavy pollution, wasted energy and an imbalanced economic structure.

Now, the new leadership is determined to shake off the GDP obsession that has ignited public outrage.

The CPC should adopt more comprehensive criteria for assessing officials' performances, including people's livelihood, the development of local communities and environmental well-being, Xi said. "We should never judge a cadre simply by the growth in GDP."

Xi also stressed the training and promotion of young Party officials and pledged that more opportunities would be offered to promising young candidates.