Firmly Grasp the Distinctive Direction of Comprehensively Strengthening the System for Comprehensive and Strict Governance of the Party

Comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is the distinctive theme of Party building in the New Era. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has incorporated comprehensive and strict governance of the Party into the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy [1]1 The Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy refers to comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society, comprehensively deepening reform, comprehensively governing the country according to law, and comprehensively and strictly governing the Party., and at the 20th National Congress of the CPC explicitly put forward the requirement to “improve the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party,” reflecting the Party Central Committee’s understanding of the laws governing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and its firm resolve to advance comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in depth.

全面从严治党，是新时代党的建设的鲜明主题。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把全面从严治党纳入“四个全面”战略布局，并在党的二十大报告中明确提出“健全全面从严治党体系”的要求，体现了党中央对全面从严治党规律性的认识和推进全面从严治党向纵深发展的坚强决心。

Strengthening Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for improving the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party

加强党的领导是健全全面从严治党体系的根本保证

The most essential characteristic of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China; the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China. The more glorious the historical mission, the more grand the goals of struggle, and the more complex the governing environment, the more necessary it is to strengthen Party leadership.

中国特色社会主义最本质的特征是中国共产党领导，中国特色社会主义制度的最大优势是中国共产党领导。历史使命越光荣，奋斗目标越宏伟，执政环境越复杂，就越需要加强党的领导。

Strengthening Party leadership is the fundamental purpose of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. The Party’s leadership position is not self-proclaimed, still less obtained from nowhere; it is the joint choice of history and the people. For our Party to strengthen its ties with the masses, consolidate its governing position, and enhance its cohesion, appeal, and combat effectiveness, it must take the management and governance of the Party as its entry point. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has clearly recognized that, facing complex and volatile international situations and arduous and heavy domestic tasks of reform, development, and maintaining stability, the Communist Party of China, as the core force leading and uniting the people of all ethnic groups in building the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, bears a historical heavy responsibility and undergoes the test of the times. Only by adhering to the principle that the Party must supervise itself and unswervingly practicing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, continuously improving the Party’s governing capacity and leadership level, and enhancing its ability to resist corruption, prevent degeneration, and withstand risks, can Party leadership be strengthened, ensuring that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

加强党的领导是全面从严治党的根本目的。党的领导地位不是自封的，更不是凭空得来的，而是历史和人民的共同选择。我们党要密切与群众的关系，巩固执政地位，增强凝聚力、号召力和战斗力，就要把管党治党作为切入点。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央清醒地认识到，面对复杂多变的国际形势和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，中国共产党作为领导和团结全国各族人民建设中国特色社会主义事业的核心力量，肩负着历史重任，经受着时代考验，只有坚持党要管党、坚定不移全面从严治党，不断提高党的执政能力和领导水平，提高拒腐防变和抵御风险能力，才能加强党的领导，确保党始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的领导核心。

Strengthening Party leadership must be carried through the entire process of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is the process by which our Party enhances its capacity for self-purification, self-improvement, self-reform, and self-enhancement, and must always be advanced under Party leadership. In the process of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, Party leadership must be consistently embodied; the most important of this is that Party organizations at all levels must assume the main responsibility for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Party committees (leading Party members’ groups) at all levels must fulfill their main responsibility; failure to grasp the building of a clean government and the fight against corruption is a serious dereliction of duty. Discipline inspection commissions at all levels must fulfill their supervisory responsibility and better play their role as specialized organs for intra-Party supervision.

加强党的领导要贯彻于全面从严治党的整个过程。全面从严治党是我们党增强党的自我净化、自我完善、自我革新、自我提高能力的过程，必须始终在党的领导之下推进。在全面从严治党的过程中必须始终贯穿党的领导，其中最重要的，就是各级党组织要担负起全面从严治党的主体责任。各级党委（党组）要落实好主体责任，不抓党风廉政建设是严重失职。各级纪委要履行好监督责任，更好发挥党内监督专门机关作用。

The key to strengthening Party leadership is resolutely upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. To strengthen Party leadership, govern our major Party well, and ensure that our Party can lead the people in successfully responding to major challenges, withstanding major risks, overcoming major obstacles, and resolving major contradictions, it is necessary to have a Party Central Committee with a high degree of authority. Upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee is a major issue in the building of a Marxist political party, and it is also a fine tradition and unique advantage formed in the long-term practice of the Communist Party of China. Party organizations at all levels and Party cadres and members must fully understand the extreme importance of establishing and upholding the core and adhering to the Party’s centralized and unified leadership, achieving ideological consciousness, political clarity, theoretical sobriety, and firmness in action.

加强党的领导的关键是坚决维护以习近平同志为核心的党中央权威。要加强党的领导，治理好我们这个大党，确保我们党能带领人民成功应对重大挑战、抵御重大风险、克服重大阻力、解决重大矛盾，必须拥有一个具有高度权威的党中央。维护党中央权威是马克思主义政党建设的重大课题，也是中国共产党长期实践中形成的优良传统和独特优势。各级党组织和党员干部要充分认识树立和维护核心、坚持党的集中统一领导的极端重要性，做到思想上自觉、政治上明白、理论上清醒、行动上坚定。

Full coverage is the essential requirement for improving the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party

全面覆盖是健全全面从严治党体系的本质要求

Comprehensive and strict governance of the Party first emphasizes “comprehensiveness,” which is the basic requirement. “Comprehensiveness” means governing the entire Party and managing the entire Party, targeting all Party members and Party organizations, covering all fields, aspects, and departments of Party building.

全面从严治党首先强调的就是“全面”，这是基本要求。“全面”就是管全党、治全党，面向全部党员和党组织，覆盖党的建设各个领域、各个方面、各个部门。

The subjects of strict governance of the Party must be comprehensive. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “We must concentrate our efforts on grasping Party building, following the line of thought of establishing scientific concepts, actively reforming and innovating, following objective laws, and focusing on practical results, and truly implement the requirements of strict governance of the Party, making our Party increasingly mature, increasingly strong, and increasingly combat-effective. This is the political responsibility of the entire Party, first of all the political responsibility of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee.” [2]2 This quotation is from Xi Jinping’s speech at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Strict governance of the Party is the common task of the entire Party; there are no onlookers in comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. From the Party Central Committee to Party branches (primary-level Party organizations), from leading cadres to ordinary Party members, all are subjects of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and all bear responsibility for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.

从严治党的主体要全面。习近平总书记指出，“我们要聚精会神抓好党的建设，按照树立科学理念、积极改革创新、遵循客观规律、注重实际成效的思路，切实把从严治党的要求落到实处，使我们党越来越成熟、越来越强大、越来越有战斗力。这是全党的政治责任，首先是中央政治局的政治责任。”从严治党是全党的共同任务，全面从严治党没有旁观者，从党中央到党支部（党的基层组织），从领导干部到普通党员，都是全面从严治党的主体，都对全面从严治党负有责任。

The objects of strict governance of the Party must be comprehensive. Party organizations at all levels, leading Party cadres at all levels, and all Party members are both the subjects and the objects of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, that is, the objects of “management” and “governance.” “Comprehensiveness” means governing the entire Party and managing the entire Party, targeting all Party members and Party organizations at all levels. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee has deployed the mass line education campaign [3]3 The mass line education campaign was a Party-wide campaign launched in 2013 to strengthen the Party’s ties with the masses and combat formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance., the “Three Stricts and Three Honests” special education [4]4 The “Three Stricts and Three Honests” special education (2015) required leading cadres to be strict in cultivating moral character, exercising power, and disciplining themselves, and to be honest in planning, starting undertakings, and conducting themselves., and others, resolutely fought corruption with an iron fist, focusing on leading bodies and leading cadres, and grasping the “key minority.” [5]5 “Key minority” refers to leading cadres at and above the county and department level, who are the focus of Party governance. Carrying out the “Two Studies, One Action” [6]6 “Two Studies, One Action” refers to studying the Party Constitution and Party regulations, studying Xi Jinping’s series of important speeches, and becoming qualified Party members. learning and education and promoting its normalization and institutionalization means extending the management and governance of the Party from the “key minority” to the broad masses of Party members, and extending from centralized education to regular education.

从严治党的客体要全面。各级党组织、各级党员领导干部和全体党员，既是全面从严治党的主体，也是全面从严治党的客体，亦即“管”和“治”的对象。“全面”就是管全党、治全党，面向全部党员和各级党组织。党的十八大以来，党中央部署群众路线教育活动、“三严三实”专题教育等，铁腕反腐，重点指向领导班子和领导干部，抓住“关键少数”。开展“两学一做”学习教育并推动常态化制度化，就是将管党治党从“关键少数”向广大党员拓展，从集中性教育向经常性教育延伸。

The fields of strict governance of the Party must be comprehensive. The foundation of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party lies in comprehensiveness; this comprehensiveness first refers to the comprehensiveness of content, that is, the comprehensiveness of fields. Party building includes political building, theoretical building, organizational building, style building, anti-corruption and clean governance building, institutional building, and other aspects, which are both mutually distinct and mutually connected and influential. Among them, any deficiency or problem in any one aspect will directly or indirectly affect the effectiveness of building in other aspects, and ultimately affect the results of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Therefore, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party must be treated as a systematic project, organically combining the various elements so that they promote each other, advance in coordination, and produce an overall effect.

从严治党的领域要全面。全面从严治党，基础在全面，这个全面首先是指内容的全面，也就是领域的全面。党的建设包括政治建设、思想建设、组织建设、作风建设、反腐倡廉建设、制度建设等方方面面，既相互区别，又相互联系、相互影响。其中，任何一个方面存在不足或出现问题，都会直接或间接地影响其他方面的建设效果，并最终影响全面从严治党的成效。因此，必须把全面从严治党作为一项系统工程，把各个要素有机结合起来，使之相互促进、协调推进，发挥整体效应。

Strictness in all respects is the core key to improving the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party

一切从严是健全全面从严治党体系的核心关键

In comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, “strictness” is of utmost importance. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “To whatever stage the cause of the Party and the people develops, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party must keep pace, adhere to putting strictness first, run the requirement of strictness through the entire process of managing and governing the Party, and use the political courage of self-revolution to focus on solving prominent problems within the Party, achieving effective management of the Party, effective governance of the Party, and effective building of the Party.”

全面从严治党，“从严”至关重要。习近平总书记指出，“党和人民事业发展到什么阶段，全面从严治党就要跟进到什么阶段，坚持严字当头，把严的要求贯穿管党治党全过程，以自我革命的政治勇气着力解决党内存在的突出问题，做到管党有方、治党有力、建党有效。”

It is necessary to achieve genuine management and genuine strictness. Strictness is the necessary prerequisite for management; management without strictness is equivalent to no management. Strict governance of the Party must run through the entire process of reform and opening up and modernization, and through all aspects of Party building and intra-Party life, truly achieving strict requirements and strict measures, strictness towards superiors and strictness towards subordinates, strictness in matters and strictness towards people. Through sustained effort, it is necessary to effectively reverse and correct notions such as “why take it seriously” and “muddle along.” Genuine management and genuine strictness means that education must be genuinely qualified, criticism must be genuine, accountability must be genuine, and investigation and punishment must be genuine.

要做到真管真严。严是管的必要前提，管而不严，等于不管。从严治党要贯穿于改革开放和现代化建设全过程，贯穿于党的建设和党内生活各方面，真正做到要求严、措施严，对上严、对下严，对事严、对人严。要通过持续努力，使那些“何必当真”的观念、“得过且过”的想法得到切实扭转和纠正。真管真严，就是要教育动真合格、批评动真格、问责动真格、查处动真格。

It is necessary to achieve bold management and bold strictness. The nature and purpose of the Party determine that our Party is selfless and fearless, dares to grasp and manage, dares to take responsibility, and dares to be strict; this is also a manifestation of the Party’s strength, confidence, and determination. Party organizations and leading cadres must have strong political principles; when facing contradictions and problems, they must dare to meet difficulties head-on; when facing difficulties and crises, they must dare to step forward; when facing mistakes and errors, they must dare to assume responsibility; when facing unhealthy tendencies and evil practices, they must dare to struggle and dare to show their sword, rather than fearing offending people or engaging in false harmony. Only strict education and strict management are genuine care for leading cadres; whether one dares to manage and dares to be strict is a matter of principle. Only with bold management and bold strictness can comprehensive and strict governance of the Party achieve tangible results.

要做到敢管敢严。党的性质和宗旨决定了我们党无私无畏、敢抓敢管、敢于担当、敢于从严，这也是党有力量、有信心、有决心的体现。党的组织以及领导干部要有极强的政治原则性，面对矛盾问题要敢于迎难而上，面对困难危机要敢于挺身而出，面对失误错误要敢于承担责任，面对歪风邪气要敢于斗争、敢于亮剑，而不能怕得罪人，不能搞一团和气。只有严格教育和严格管理，才是对领导干部的真正爱护，敢不敢管，敢不敢严是原则问题。只有敢管敢严，才能使全面从严治党确见成效。

It is necessary to achieve long-term management and long-term strictness. Comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is a grand undertaking concerning the Party’s long-term governance; it is both a tough battle and a protracted war; it cannot be accomplished overnight, nor can it be done once and for all. Strict governance of the Party is not a passing fad; it cannot be hot for a while and cold for a while, managed for a while and let go for a while, strict for a while and relaxed for a while. Instead, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party must always be kept in hand and in mind, persistently pursued without the slightest slackening, and not relaxed for a single moment. To achieve long-term management and long-term strictness, it is necessary to gain experience and establish mechanisms through regular and sustained efforts, building a long-term mechanism for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.

要做到长管长严。全面从严治党是一项事关党长期执政的宏伟事业，是攻坚战，也是持久战；不可能一蹴而就，也不可能一劳永逸。从严治党不是一阵风，不能热一阵冷一阵、管一阵放一阵、严一阵松一阵，而是要把全面从严治党始终抓在手上、放在心上，盯着不放，丝毫不懈怠，一刻也不放松。要做到长管长严，需要在抓常和抓长中抓出经验、抓出机制，构建全面从严治党的长效机制。

Strengthening governance is an effective way to improve the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party

加强治理是健全全面从严治党体系的有效途径

The “governance” in comprehensive and strict governance of the Party refers both to the “governance” of administration and the “governance” of curing illness. “One skilled in curing illness must treat the site of the disease; one skilled in remedying ills must block the source of the ills.” [7]7 A classical allusion from the Song dynasty text *Essentials of the Zhenguan Reign* (《贞观政要》), attributed to the Tang dynasty chancellor Wei Zheng, emphasizing addressing root causes of problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, “All problems that affect the Party’s creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness must be fully overcome; all ailments that damage the Party’s advanced nature and purity must be thoroughly cured; all malignant tumors that breed on the Party’s healthy body must be resolutely removed.”

全面从严治党的“治”既指治理之“治”，也指治病之“治”。“善治病者，必医其受病之处；善救弊者，必塞其起弊之原”。习近平总书记指出，“凡是影响党的创造力、凝聚力、战斗力的问题都要全力克服，凡是损害党的先进性和纯洁性的病症都要彻底医治，凡是滋生在党的健康肌体上的毒瘤都要坚决祛除”。

“Governance” embodies a distinct problem orientation. The crux of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party lies in “governance,” reflecting that our Party, in the process of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, does not evade contradictions and problems; it solves whatever problems arise, and focuses on solving whichever problems are most prominent. We Chinese Communists, in carrying out revolution, construction, and reform and opening up, have always done so to solve China’s practical problems.

“治”体现了鲜明的问题导向。全面从严治党的要害在“治”，体现了我们党在全面从严治党的过程中不回避矛盾和问题，是什么问题就解决什么问题，什么问题突出就重点解决什么问题。我们中国共产党人干革命、搞建设、抓改革，从来都是为了解决中国的现实问题。

“Governance” embodies a prominent sense of vigilance. Being vigilant in peace time and enhancing the sense of vigilance are important guarantees for our Party to successfully respond to various risks and tests at home and abroad. An advanced Party must keep pace with the times, and a Party that keeps pace with the times must be far-sighted, vigilant in peace time. The crux of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party lies in “governance,” which profoundly reflects the Chinese Communist Party’s sense of vigilance, and reflects the Chinese Communist Party’s preparedness for possible risks and vigilance in peace time. “The more glorious the historical mission, the more magnificent the goal of struggle, the more complex the governing environment, the more we must enhance our sense of vigilance, the more we must strictly govern the Party, achieving ‘act before things happen, govern before disorder arises,’ so that our Party will forever remain invincible.” [8]8 A classical allusion from the *Laozi* (《老子》), Chapter 64, advocating preventive action before problems arise. These important expositions all reflect the strong sense of vigilance of a Marxist ruling party.

“治”体现了突出的忧患意识。居安思危、增强忧患意识，是我们党成功应对国际国内各种风险考验的重要保证。一个先进的政党必然与时俱进，一个与时俱进的政党必然深谋远虑、居安思危。全面从严治党的要害在“治”，深刻体现了中国共产党的忧患意识，体现了中国共产党未雨绸缪、居安思危。“历史使命越光荣，奋斗目标越宏伟，执政环境越复杂，我们就越要增强忧患意识，越要从严治党，做到‘为之于未有，治之于未乱’，使我们党永远立于不败之地。”这些重要论述都体现了马克思主义执政党强烈的忧患意识。

“Governance” embodies a strong spirit of responsibility. Responsibility is a sense of duty to face major and difficult matters, a drive to cut through thorns and advance undaunted, a tenacity to be unyielding and never give up, and even more a courage and boldness of “shouldering the heavy burden of justice” and “daring to be the first under heaven.” [9]9 A classical allusion from the Ming dynasty text *A Collection of Couplets* (《对联集》), often used to praise those who take on heavy responsibilities and lead in innovation. Responsibility is a mission of duty, a high degree of self-awareness, a noble realm, and an upward spirit. Responsibility means daring to take on the historical tasks entrusted by society and the era. The “governance” of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party epitomizes the Chinese Communist Party’s daring to take tough action in comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, showcasing the great realm and great responsibility of contemporary Chinese Communists.

“治”体现了强烈的担当精神。担当是勇于面对大事、难事的责任意识，是一股披荆斩棘、一往无前的拼劲，是一股不屈不挠、永不放弃的韧劲，更是一种“铁肩担道义”“敢为天下先”的胆识和气魄。担当是一种责任使命，是一种高度自觉，是一种高尚境界，是一种向上精神。担当就是要敢于担负起社会和时代赋予的历史重任。全面从严治党的“治”，集中体现了中国共产党在全面从严治党上敢于动硬，展现了当代中国共产党人的大境界和大担当。

In summary, the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is a dynamic system with rich connotations, complete functions, scientific standards, and efficient operation. Improving the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is a complex systematic project; it must implement the general requirements for Party building in the New Era, continuously uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership, and incorporate the requirements of comprehensiveness, the tone of strictness, and the concept of governance into the construction of the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, constantly raising the level of institutionalization, standardization, and scientific development.

总之，全面从严治党体系是一个内涵丰富、功能完备、科学规范、运行高效的动态系统。健全全面从严治党体系是一项复杂的系统工程，必须贯彻新时代党的建设总要求，不断坚持和加强党的全面领导，把全的要求、严的基调、治的理念落实到全面从严治党体系的构建之中，不断提升制度化、规范化、科学化水平。

[This article is a phased result of the South China University of Technology United Front Work Department project “Research on the Profound Connotation, Realization Forms, Comparative Advantages, and Principle Requirements of Whole-Process People’s Democracy” (x2sxN6220840).]

【本文系华南理工大学统战部课题“全过程人民民主的深刻内涵、实现形式、比较优势和原则要求研究”（x2sxN6220840）阶段性成果】

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心