'Mass-line' a persistent requirement for CPC

When the Communist Party of China's (CPC's) leadership launched the "mass-line" campaign last year, some people predicted that it would pass quickly like a gust of wind.

But as the campaign nears its end, one and half years of action and results have shown that "mass line" is not empty words and the CPC is determined to make long-term efforts to root out the soil where questionable life and work styles grow.

This is key to strengthening the Party's ties with the people.

"Mass line" refers to a guideline under which CPC officials and members are required to prioritize the interests of the people and persist in exercising power for them.

As promised by the leadership, the campaign acts as a "thorough cleanup" of undesirable work styles such as formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance. Officials are required to reflect on their own practices and correct any misbehavior.

Since the campaign was launched, a large number of Party members and officials have been punished for violating disciplines.

Those sending gifts with public money, using governmental vehicles for private purposes and enjoying overseas trips with public funds, all in all, those found not caring about people's weal and woe, have been dismissed, demoted or faced judicial examination once their misconduct were found.

More than a dozen ministerial-level officials have been investigated for suspected corruption, including Zhou Yongkang, a former Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

All of these measures were applauded by the public and would help "lock power in a cage". Party members and government officials are interacting more closely with the people.

But the "mass-line" campaign will and should not stop, despite positive results.

The Party has long noticed that its biggest political advantage lies in its close ties with the masses while the biggest potential danger for it as a governing party comes from its divorce from them.

Nowadays, the temptation of power abuse are still testing officials. Some are still lacking the sense of sharing weal and woe with the people.

More effective and efficient mechanisms need to be built to address people's complaints and tackle their problems as interests and values of the people are increasingly diversified in modern China.

Once failing to protecting the public's interests, the CPC would lose its ruling position sooner or later.

That is why the leadership has been warning against a resurgence of old problems and urging strict standards and continuing improvements as the mass-line campaign was coming to an end.

The ultimate result of the campaign is subject to the people's evaluation. Only the people's satisfaction rather than Party members' self-evaluation means a pass.

As long as the CPC remains a ruling party, it will continue to face evaluation of the people and "mass-line" must always be considered as the "lifeline" of the Party.