NEW NORMS NECESSARY
Xi, in particular, explained the correlation between the newly approved norms of political life within the Party under current conditions and the norms of intra-Party political life enacted in 1980.
He acknowledged the constructive role the 1980 norms had played, saying that in the period following the end of the Cultural Revolution, the norms had helped terminate chaos and resume order, unite the Party, shift the focus of the Party agenda, and guarantee smooth progress of reform and opening up as well as the socialist modernization drive.
Moreover, calling the 1980 norms "ground-breaking," Xi noted that the principles and provisions featured are still relevant today, such as objectives and basic norms for intra-Party political life, a collective leadership system, opposition to arbitrary rule by any individual, upholding the Party's centralism and unity, abiding by Party code of conduct, and promoting intra-Party democracy, among other principles.
"All these principles still must be adhered to," Xi said.
However, some outstanding contradictions and problems the 1980 norms sought to address are no longer pressing today, whereas new ones have arisen, Xi said.
He added, the new norms are not a total replacement of the 1980 version, rather, new regulations targeting new problems and situations while adhering to major principles and provisions included in the 1980 norms.
SENIOR OFFICIALS CRUCIAL
Xi also accounted for an emphasis on senior officials in the two documents.
Management of officials, especially high-ranking ones, is imperative to strengthening Party building, Xi said, adding managing members of the CPC Central Committee, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, is crucial.
"When this group of people are managed well and play exemplary roles for the Party, many things get a lot easier," Xi said, asserting that regulating intra-Party political life and advancing supervision should start with them.
The regulation dedicates one chapter to supervision of the Party's central organization.
Members of the CPC Central Committee must observe the Party's political discipline and rules, and are obliged to voice opposition and report to the CPC Central Committee promptly if they spot misconduct that violates the Party Constitution or discipline, or compromises Party unity, the regulation stipulates.
Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee must strictly follow the "eight-point" guideline against bureaucracy and extravagance, report important personal matters to the CPC Central Committee, educate and regulate their close relatives and people who work with them, according to the regulation.
The norms require plans for senior officials to implement the norms, guiding and pushing senior officials to set examples in observing and implementing the norms.
