Authoritarianism, lack of transparency and curtailment of individual liberties are among the criticisms most often directed at China and the Communist Party of China (CPC). Supporters of the Party argue that many of these criticisms are politically motivated and understate the achievements of the Chinese people.
The "Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPC on Certain Major Issues concerning Persevering with Full and Rigorous Party Self-Governance", a 32-page document adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee on October 29, 2026, offers the Party's own answer. It presents democratic decision-making, open criticism and the rectification of mistakes as the means of strengthening the Party and carrying forward socialist modernisation, with the stated aim of advancing the people's development and welfare and rejuvenating the country.
The resolution places the onus primarily on Party leaders and members to rectify themselves and follow Party principles and discipline. Through self-governance, the CPC says it seeks to "supervise, govern, develop, and strengthen the Party", as part of a rectification campaign meant to uproot corruption in the governance of the Party and the country. The document acknowledges the contributions of all ethnic groups and people in China to the making and advancement of the Party. It argues that Party members and leaders must preserve the trust of the people if the Party is to advance the new democratic revolution and reach the goals of Chinese socialist modernisation. In its words, this requires "rigorous self-governance" to escape "the historical cycle of rise and fall", which cannot be done without "the Party's self-reform".
Xi Jinping was frank in his assessment of past failings. He described conditions that produced "weak, hollow, and watered-down Party leadership, lax, superficial, and ineffective self-supervision and self-governance, as well as a number of egregious problems within the Party". He also said that "unhealthy tendencies that had long gone unchecked have been curbed" and that "deep-seated problems that had plagued the Party" are being addressed. The resolution treats self-governance as a remedy for ideological degeneration, and Xi's emphasis is on the ideological quality of the Party leadership, which he wants to be capable of governing a modern, developed China on socialist principles.
The central leadership devised an eight-point rectification campaign "to rectify pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance (the four malpractices) while promoting sound practices". The campaign aims to change social, ideological and political conduct, mainly among the Party's leadership and membership, and to combat corruption across society. The Party praises its exemplary members while criticising the conduct, competence and calibre of leaders and organisations that have failed to evolve with the times. It openly faults high-ranking officials for indifference, hedonistic and extravagant lifestyles, pointless formalities, bureaucratism, and a lack of conviction, duty, responsibility, discipline and fighting spirit.
The underlying argument is that abuse of power and corruption create conditions for ideological degeneration and the unmaking of a revolutionary party. For that reason, the idea of self-reform, based on "self-supervision and self-governance" and open accountability, drives these campaigns within the century-old CPC. The Party says it is not using narrow nationalism to divert attention from its failures, and that it does not want a strong country with weak and compliant people. It describes its goal as a modern, socialist China whose people are creative, confident, self-reliant and capable of self-improvement, and its stated motto is to serve and empower the people.
The resolution also acknowledges the limitations facing contemporary China, including wealth inequality, environmental crises, and "development imbalances and different inadequacies". The Party says it is taking active steps to address these as it pursues social harmony and economic development along the path of socialist modernisation with Chinese characteristics. It reaffirmed its commitment to Marxist, Leninist and Maoist thought as the guide for building a socialist China.
Citing the principle of intra-Party democracy, the CPC encourages its leaders, organisations at every level and members to discard opportunism, factionalism, departmentalism, unnecessary lavish praise of one another, and the unprincipled "nice-guyism" syndrome. Rejecting these practices is presented as essential to accountability and to cleansing the political environment through the enforcement of Party rules and regulations.
The Party also promotes a Marxist culture of reading and training to shape worldviews, values and views on life, alongside communist conduct based on internationalism. The resolution seeks to guide "Party members and officials to make a genuine commitment to the greater good, public morality, and personal integrity; to promote a deep dedication to both the family and the country; and to build a strong sense of righteousness to resist the temptations of power, money, and sex".
Political, personal and ideological integrity, the resolution argues, is central to advancing the Party and to ensuring a people's democracy that serves the Chinese people. It calls for intra-Party democracy in the Party's structures, processes and functioning, and for a culture of transparency in which "No comrades should be suppressed, ostracized, or retaliated against for holding differing views". It also "firmly opposes and guards against arbitrary decision-making". Consultation, consensus and collective decision-making are presented as the foundation of effective organisation within the Party.
Speaking at the 20th Central Committee meeting, Xi explained the long-term significance and necessity of "self-supervision and self-governance". He defined self-governance for self-reform as a process that "entails exercising full and rigorous self-governance with unflinching courage to ensure the Party maintains its advanced nature and integrity and can purify, improve, renew, and excel itself".
He also set out its objectives: "the courage to uphold truth and correct errors and grow ever stronger by relying on its own efforts and the support of the people to resolve its own problems". These objectives, he said, ensure the "vigor and vitality" of the Party for national rejuvenation. Xi urged Party members, leaders and organisations to take a problem-oriented approach to debates and discussions, so as to produce constructive ideas for solving the problems of the people and the country.
The resolution is best read as a statement of how the CPC wants to be judged: by its willingness to confront its own failings, enforce discipline and keep its leadership accountable. Its supporters see in it a model of democratic self-governance and a path of socialist modernisation based on collective leadership and a united front strategy. Critics will point out that a Party that supervises itself is not the same as one answerable to independent institutions, and that the test will lie in how the campaign is carried out and whether it extends to open scrutiny from outside the Party. The coming years will show whether the commitments in the resolution translate into practice.
---
*Academic based in UK
Comments