Always Adhere to the Principle of Strictness Without Relaxation

The journal *Qiushi* recently published an important article by General Secretary Xi Jinping, titled "Persevere in Implementing the Spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations and Guide Social Conduct and Public Sentiment with a Fine Party Conduct," which points out that the enforcement of the Eight-Point Regulations should become stricter over time. Over the past decade or more, our Party has persevered in implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations, sending a strong signal of strictness to the end; on the new journey, faced with arduous and heavy tasks of reform, development, and maintaining stability, we must all the more always adhere to the principle of strictness without relaxation, using new achievements in conduct building to open up new prospects for high-quality development.

《求是》杂志近日发表习近平总书记重要文章《锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神，以优良党风引领社风民风》，指出对执行中央八项规定，要越往后执纪越严。过去十余年，我们党锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神，释放出一严到底的强烈信号；新征程上，面临艰巨繁重的改革发展稳定任务，更要始终坚持严的基调不放松，以作风建设新成效开创高质量发展新局面。

The Eight-Point Regulations were a measure by the Party Central Committee to establish credibility through concrete action [1]1 "Establish credibility through concrete action" (徙木立信) refers to a story from ancient China (Shang Yang's reform in the State of Qin) where a pole was moved to demonstrate that the government would keep its promises, used here to emphasize the Party's commitment to its regulations., a landmark initiative in governing the Party in the New Era. "Since we are making regulations, we must strive toward a stricter standard and act in earnest" [2]2 "Strive toward a stricter standard and act in earnest" is a direct quote from Xi Jinping, emphasizing the initial strictness of the Eight-Point Regulations.; "Rules are meant to impose constraints, so they must be tight" [3]3 "Rules are meant to impose constraints, so they must be tight" is another direct quote from Xi Jin; "Regulations are regulations, without adding the word 'trial,' precisely to show a resolute attitude and to indicate that these regulations are binding" [4] … A series of forceful and weighty statements by General Secretary Xi Jinping have made it clear to cadres and the masses that the implementation of the Eight-Point Regulations is a matter of real action. From the outset, they were hard and fast rules; from the start, they were rigid constraints, precisely to make Party members and cadres feel a sense of awe and be moved.

中央八项规定是党中央徙木立信之举，是新时代管党治党的标志性措施。“既然作规定，就要朝严一点的标准去努力，就要来真格的”“规矩是起约束作用的，所以要紧一点”“规定就是规定，不加‘试行’两字，就是要表明一个坚决的态度，表明这个规定是刚性的”……习近平总书记一系列掷地有声的重要论述，向干部群众表明实施中央八项规定是动真格的。上来就是硬杠杠，出手就是刚性约束，就是要让党员干部有所敬畏、有所触动。

Words must be matched by deeds, and actions must bear fruit. Our Party, with the force and momentum of leaving a mark on iron and a print on stone [5], has seriously investigated and punished violations of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations, truly achieving that orders are carried out and prohibitions are heeded. An atmosphere of genuine and strict governance, daring to be strict and being strict for the long term, has basically taken shape.

言必信、行必果。我们党以抓铁有痕、踏石留印的力度和劲头，严肃查处违反中央八项规定精神问题，真正做到有令必行、有禁必止，真管真严、敢管敢严、长管长严的氛围基本形成。

Without a moment's pause and with persistent effort, this engraves the perseverance and tenacity to uphold the principle of strictness for the long term. Over the past decade or more, our Party has held firm at one node after another and advanced stage by stage. Starting from the establishment of a monthly reporting system on the investigation and punishment of violations of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations in August 2013, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision have publicly released relevant data for 139 consecutive months, continuously sending a strong signal of comprehensive strictness to society.

一刻不停、常抓不懈，刻印着把严的基调长期坚持下去的恒心和韧劲。十余年来，我们党坚持一个节点一个节点坚守、一个阶段一个阶段推进。从2013年8月建立违反中央八项规定精神问题查处情况月报制度起，中央纪委国家监委已经连续139个月公开发布相关数据，向社会不断释放全面从严的强烈信号。

Unremittingly rectifying the "Four Forms of Decadence" [6] and deepening targeted governance step by step have demonstrated the intensity of rectification that prioritizes strictness and carries it through to the end. Harshly curbing unhealthy practices such as using public funds for gift-giving, dining, tourism, and extravagance; solving prominent issues that harm the interests of the masses and are strongly reflected by them; promoting burden reduction at the grassroots; advocating thrift and opposing waste… Discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have always adhered to the principle of strictness, strengthening supervision and discipline enforcement and maintaining a high-pressure stance.

驰而不息纠治“四风”、步步深入靶向施治，彰显了严字当头、一严到底的整治力度。狠刹公款送礼、公款吃喝、公款旅游、奢侈浪费等不正之风，解决群众反映强烈、损害群众利益的突出问题，推进基层减负，倡导勤俭节约、反对铺张浪费……各级纪检监察机关始终坚持严的基调，强化监督执纪、保持高压态势。

There are no privileges in complying with the regulations, and no exceptions in enforcing them, proclaiming the firm determination for comprehensive strictness and confronting real problems head-on. For violations of discipline and rules, each case is discovered and dealt with, and there is never any leniency, showing the people that there are no "iron-hat kings" [7] in the enforcement of the Eight-Point Regulations, and resolutely breaking erroneous perceptions such as "the law cannot punish the many" and "too big to fail."

遵守规定没有特权、执行规定没有例外，宣示着全面从严、动真碰硬的坚定决心。对违规违纪行为，发现一起、查处一起、决不姑息，让人们看到执行中央八项规定没有“铁帽子王”，坚决破除了“法不责众”“大到不能倒”等错误认识。

Some ask: since the Eight-Point Regulations have been implemented for so many years with such great results, can we now "rest our feet"? First, look at the data: in March 2025, nationwide, 16,994 cases of violations of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations were investigated and punished, with 22,547 people subjected to criticism, education, and handling. Second, look at the latest publicly reported cases: 10 cadres from Xinyang City and Luoshan County in Henan Province engaged in improper eating and drinking during the study and education period, seriously violating the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations. The data and cases show that even under the high-pressure stance of conduct building, some Party members and cadres still turn a deaf ear to the requirements on conduct, lacking any sense of awe or caution. From this perspective, one can better understand why strictness must be carried through to the end and enforcement must become stricter over time, and gain a deeper appreciation of the statement that "the Eight-Point Regulations are not a five-year or ten-year regulation, but a long-term effective iron rule and hard and fast standard."

有人问，既然中央八项规定实施这么多年，成效如此之大，是不是可以“歇歇脚”了？先看数据，2025年3月全国共查处违反中央八项规定精神问题16994起，批评教育和处理22547人。再看最新通报的案例，河南省信阳市、罗山县10名干部，在学习教育期间违规吃喝、严重违反中央八项规定精神。数据和案例表明，作风建设高压态势之下，仍有一些党员干部对作风要求置若罔闻，毫无敬畏戒惧之心。由此观之，更能理解为何要一严到底、越往后执纪越严，就会对“中央八项规定不是五年、十年的规定，而是长期有效的铁规矩、硬杠杠”有更深刻的体悟。

Persisting in upholding the strict tone, strict measures, and strict atmosphere for the long term is an inevitable requirement for achieving new results in conduct building. Currently, some unhealthy practices have been superficially curbed, but the roots remain; with the slightest relaxation, they may flare up again. We must always maintain strategic resolve, clearly and unequivocally combat erroneous ideas such as "the theory of minor matters and small details," "the theory of affecting development," and "the theory of industry exceptionalism," and continuously enhance the political, ideological, and action-based consciousness of strictly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations. We must adhere to strictness as the priority and enforce discipline with an iron hand, seriously investigate and punish the "Four Forms of Decadence" that are flagrant violations or have taken on disguised and mutated forms, without a single step of pause or half a step of retreat, using iron discipline to harshly curb evil winds and unhealthy practices. Currently, the study and education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations is being solidly carried out; we must use strict standards and strict measures to advance study, inspection, and rectification in an integrated manner, severely deal with violations of discipline that occur during the study and education period, and continuously strengthen the strict atmosphere.

把严的基调、严的措施、严的氛围长期坚持下去，是推动作风建设取得新成效的必然要求。当前，一些不正之风面上有所收敛，但树倒根存，稍有松懈，便可能死灰复燃。必须始终保持战略定力，旗帜鲜明同“小事小节论”“影响发展论”“行业特殊论”等错误思想作斗争，不断增强严格落实中央八项规定精神的政治自觉、思想自觉、行动自觉。必须坚持严字当头、铁面执纪，严肃查处顶风违纪、隐形变异的“四风”问题，一步不停歇、半步不退让，以铁的纪律狠刹歪风邪气。当前，深入贯彻中央八项规定精神学习教育正在扎实开展，要以严的标准、严的措施一体推进学查改，对学习教育期间顶风违纪行为从严处置，不断强化严的氛围。

With the Eight-Point Regulations as a single move, the entire game of conduct building comes alive. Over a decade of practice confirms this judgment: "The guiding ideology of the Eight-Point Regulations is to demand strictness, reflecting the Party's governance of itself and strict governance." By always adhering to the principle of strictness without relaxation, persevering in implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulations, and continuously amplifying the comprehensive effectiveness, we can step by step achieve a clean and upright environment and a peaceful and clear political landscape [8].

八项规定一子落地，作风建设满盘皆活。十多年来的实践印证着这样的判断——“八项规定指导思想就是从严要求，体现党要管党、从严治党”。始终坚持严的基调不放松，锲而不舍落实中央八项规定精神，持续放大综合效能，就能一步步实现弊绝风清、海晏河清。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心