The Theoretical Innovation of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building

The vitality of theory lies in continuous innovation. Xi Jinping’s thought on Party building is rooted in the great practice of Party building in the New Era, profoundly answering the major epochal question of “what kind of long-term Marxist ruling party to build and how to build a long-term Marxist ruling party.” It has formed a series of landmark and breakthrough theoretical innovations, constitutes an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, represents an original theoretical leap in adapting Marxist Party-building theory to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, opens up a new realm of Marxist Party-building theory, and provides the fundamental guidance for advancing the great new project of Party building in the New Era.

理论的生命力在于不断创新。习近平党建思想植根于新时代党的建设伟大实践，深刻回答了“建设什么样的长期执政的马克思主义政党、怎样建设长期执政的马克思主义政党”这一重大时代课题，形成一系列标志性、突破性理论创新成果，构成习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分，是马克思主义建党学说中国化时代化的原创性理论飞跃，开辟了马克思主义建党学说新境界，为推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程提供了根本遵循。

Taking Political Building as the Guide to Comprehensively Advance All Aspects of Party Building

以政治建设为统领全面推进党的各项建设

Making a clear stand on politics is the fundamental requirement of a Marxist political party. Xi Jinping’s thought on Party building, for the first time, separates political building and endows it with a guiding role, innovatively proposing “taking the Party’s political building as the guide,” breaking through the long-standing mindset of placing ideological building in the first position, and optimizing the overall layout of Party building.

旗帜鲜明讲政治是马克思主义政党的根本要求。习近平党建思想首次将政治建设独立出来并赋予统领地位，创新性地提出“以党的政治建设为统领”，突破了长期把思想建设摆在首位的思维定式，优化了党的建设总体布局。

General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly points out: “The Party’s political building is the fundamental building of the Party, determining the direction and effectiveness of Party building.” This assertion creatively elevates Comrade Mao Zedong’s emphasis that “political work is the lifeblood of all economic work” to the status of the “root and foundation” concerning the fate of the Party. He uses the allusion from Wu Jing’s *Zhenguan Zhengyao* [1]1 "Hidden doors" and "skylights" are metaphors for loopholes or back channels that allow evasion of institutional rules. of the Tang Dynasty, “Governing a country is like planting a tree; if the root is not shaken, the branches and leaves will flourish,” to vividly explain the foundational role of political building.

习近平总书记深刻指出：“党的政治建设是党的根本性建设，决定党的建设方向和效果。”这一论断，创造性地将毛泽东同志强调的“政治工作是一切经济工作的生命线”，提升至关乎政党命运的“本根”地位。他用唐代吴兢《贞观政要》中“治国犹如栽树，本根不摇则枝叶茂荣”的典故，生动阐释了政治建设的根基性作用。

The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics; the Party is the highest political leadership force. The primary task of political building is to ensure that the entire Party obeys the Central Committee, upholds the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, without any ambiguity or wavering. The Party’s political requirements must be integrated into all other aspects of Party building, like a red thread guiding ideological, organizational, work style, disciplinary, institutional, and anti-corruption building. At the same time, it innovatively proposes the concept of “political ecosystem,” pointing out that “when the political ecosystem is good, people’s hearts are at ease and righteousness is sufficient,” and that we must “closely follow the people’s hearts, which is the greatest politics,” placing the effectiveness of political building into a practice that has a carrier, a yardstick, and can be tested.

中国共产党领导是中国特色社会主义最本质的特征，是中国特色社会主义制度的最大优势，党是最高政治领导力量。政治建设的首要任务，是保证全党服从中央，坚持党中央权威和集中统一领导，绝不能有丝毫含糊和动摇，必须把党的政治要求贯穿其他各项建设之中，如一根红线统领思想、组织、作风、纪律、制度、反腐败等各项建设。同时，创新性提出“政治生态”概念，指出“政治生态好，人心就顺、正气就足”，要“紧扣民心这个最大的政治”，将政治建设的成效落到有载体、有标尺、可检验的实践之中。

Courageously Engaging in Self-Reform to Break Out of the Historical Cycle

勇于自我革命跳出历史周期率

Courageously engaging in self-reform to break out of the historical cycle is an original theoretical contribution of Xi Jinping’s thought on Party building. Our Party has such a long history, such a large scale, and has been in power for so long. How can it break out of the historical cycle of the rise and fall of governance, where “it flourishes vigorously, and perishes suddenly”? [2]2 This is a key anti-corruption framework of the Xi Jinping era, first formally articulated in the 19th National Congress report (2017). In 1945, Comrade Mao Zedong gave the first answer in a cave dwelling in Yan’an: “letting the people supervise the government.” Through the great practice of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in the New Era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has given the second answer — courageously engaging in self-reform. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly points out: “Courageously engaging in self-reform is our Party’s most distinctive character and also our Party’s greatest strength. The greatness of the Communist Party of China lies not in never making mistakes, but in never concealing its faults, daring to face problems directly, and courageously engaging in self-reform.”

勇于自我革命跳出历史周期率是习近平党建思想具有原创性的理论贡献。我们党历史这么长、规模这么大、执政这么久，如何跳出“其兴也勃焉，其亡也忽焉”治乱兴衰历史周期率？1945年，毛泽东同志在延安窑洞给出“让人民来监督政府”的第一个答案，经过新时代全面从严治党的伟大实践，以习近平同志为核心的党中央给出了第二个答案——勇于自我革命。习近平总书记深刻指出：“勇于自我革命是我们党最鲜明的品格，也是我们党最大的优势。中国共产党的伟大不在于不犯错误，而在于从不讳疾忌医，敢于直面问题，勇于自我革命。”

Courageously engaging in self-reform is deeply rooted in the fine tradition of self-criticism of Marxist political parties. From the first proposal of “courageously engaging in self-reform” at a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform in 2015, to the first proposal at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC [3]3 "Tigers" refers to high-ranking corrupt officials, "flies" to low-ranking ones, and "foxes" to corrupt elements who have fled abroad. that “the second answer to breaking out of the historical cycle” is self-reform, to the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection [4]4 A classical allusion to the principle of selecting officials, originating from the *Three Kingdoms* period and later cited by Song dynasty scholar Sima Guang in the *Zizhi Tongjian* (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government). clarifying that comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is the great practice of self-reform in the New Era, and incorporating self-reform as an important part of the theoretical system in the report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC [5]5 A six-character phrase (忠诚干净担当) summarizing the criteria for Party cadres, frequently used in internal Party documents and speeches., it systematically answers the major questions of “why self-reform is necessary, why self-reform is possible, and how to advance self-reform.”

勇于自我革命深深植根于马克思主义政党自我批评的优良传统之中。从2015年在中央深改领导小组会议首次提出“勇于自我革命”，到党的十九届六中全会首次提出“跳出历史周期率的第二个答案”就是自我革命，再到十九届中央纪委六次全会明确全面从严治党是新时代自我革命的伟大实践，并在党的二十大报告中将自我革命作为重要内容纳入理论体系，系统回答了“为什么要自我革命、为什么能自我革命、怎样推进自我革命”的重大问题。

It puts forward the major proposition of “leading social revolution through the Party’s self-reform,” elucidating the dialectical unity of governing the Party and governing the country, and filling the theoretical gap in self-purification under the conditions of long-term governance by a Marxist ruling party. From the perspective of the essential attributes of a Marxist political party, the Communist Party of China has no special interests of its own. Because it does not seek private gain, it can pursue fundamental and great interests. This “selfless” nature of the Party is precisely the source of courage and the foundation of confidence for self-reform. Precisely because of this, our Party can, with the consciousness of “turning the blade inward” and the determination to “scrape the poison off the bone,” ensure that the Party never deteriorates, never changes its color, and never changes its flavor. As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: “Looking at the world, no political

提出“以党的自我革命引领社会革命”重大命题，阐明治党与治国辩证统一，填补马克思主义执政党长期执政条件下自我净化理论空白。从马克思主义政党本质属性来看，中国共产党没有任何自己的特殊利益，因不谋私利而能谋根本、谋大利。这份“无私”的政党本性，正是自我革命的勇气之源与底气所在。正因如此，我们党才能以“刀刃向内”的自觉和“刮骨疗毒”的决心，确保党永远不变质、不变色、不变味。正如习近平总书记所强调：“放眼全世界，没有任何一个政党能像中国共产党如此严肃认真地对待自身建设。这是我们党长盛不衰的制胜之道，也是区别于其他政党的显著标志。”

Comprehensive and Strict Governance of the Party Strengthens the Foundation for Long-Term Governance

全面从严治党强化长期执政根基

Comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is the great practice of the Party’s self-revolution in the New Era. In 2014, it was for the first time incorporated into the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy [1]1 "Hidden doors" and "skylights" are metaphors for loopholes or back channels that allow evasion of institutional rules., establishing the main theme and main line of Party building in the New Era. It creatively transforms the Party’s leadership—this greatest strength—into a systematic, sustained, and powerful concrete practice of managing and governing the Party.

全面从严治党是新时代党的自我革命的伟大实践。2014年，首次将全面从严治党纳入“四个全面”战略布局，确立新时代党的建设主题主线。它创造性地将党的领导这一最大优势，转化为系统、持久、有力的管党治党具体实践。

In comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, the foundation lies in comprehensiveness, the key lies in strictness, and the crux lies in governance. “Comprehensiveness” means governing the entire Party and managing the entire Party, breaking the previous problem of the partial and periodic nature of “strict governance of the Party,” and establishing a governance pattern of full coverage of objects, full coverage of fields, full coverage of processes, and full coverage of responsibilities. “Strictness” takes precedence, developing the historical principled requirement of “strictness” into a normalized strategic system of genuine management and genuine strictness, bold management and bold strictness, and sustained management and sustained strictness. The subject responsibility of “governance” is clearly consolidated. The original proposition of “implementing the political responsibility for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party” is put forward, requiring that from the Party Central Committee to grassroots Party branches, all must shoulder the main responsibility. Emphasis is placed on implementing the political responsibility for managing and governing the Party; the key is that Party committees must take charge, and Party committee secretaries must regard doing a good job of Party building as their own duty and a responsibility they must assume. General Secretary Xi Jinping, citing the metaphor of “a cow pen being used to keep a cat” [2]2 This is a key anti-corruption framework of the Xi Jinping era, first formally articulated in the 19th National Congress report (2017)., profoundly criticized institutional loopholes and deficiencies in supervision, warning that a precise institutional cage must ensure that power has no “gaps,” and with the tenacity of “leaving marks on the rock one grips and prints on the stone one treads” [3]3 "Tigers" refers to high-ranking corrupt officials, "flies" to low-ranking ones, and "foxes" to corrupt elements who have fled abroad., the fight against corruption must be carried through to the end, successfully elevating the management and governance of the Party from a periodic task to a “protracted war” in the governance of the country.

全面从严治党，基础在全面，关键在严，要害在治。“全面”就是管全党、治全党，打破了以往“治党从严”局部化、阶段性问题，确立了对象全覆盖、领域全覆盖、过程全覆盖、责任全覆盖的治理格局；“严”字当先，将历史上对“从严”的原则性要求发展为真管真严、敢管敢严、长管长严的常态化战略体系；“治”的主体责任被明确压实。原创性提出“落实全面从严治党政治责任”，从党中央到基层党支部，都要肩负起主体责任。重点强调落实管党治党政治责任，关键是党委要抓，党委书记要把抓好党建当作分内之事、必须担当的职责。习近平总书记引用“牛栏关猫”的比喻，深刻批评制度漏洞与监管缺失，警示必须以精密的制度笼子确保权力没有“缝隙”，以“抓铁有痕、踏石留印”的韧劲将反腐败斗争进行到底，成功将管党治党从阶段性工作提升为治国理政的“持久战”。

General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward: “Strengthening the construction of the intra-Party regulations system is a long-term and fundamental strategy for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.” It coordinates law-based governance and rule-based governance over the Party, improves the intra-Party regulations system with the Party Constitution as its foundation, realizes the institutionalization, standardization, and proceduralization of Party building, and achieves the simultaneous and coordinated advancement of building the Party through ideology and governing the Party through institutions.

习近平总书记提出：“加强党内法规制度建设是全面从严治党的长远之策、根本之策。”统筹依法治国与依规治党，完善以党章为根本的党内法规体系，实现党的建设制度化、规范化、程序化，实现思想建党与制度治党同向发力。

Institutional Construction Advances in an Integrated Manner the Goals of Not Daring to Be Corrupt, Not Being Able to Be Corrupt, and Not Wanting to Be Corrupt

制度建设一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐

“Putting power in the cage of institutions, forming an effective mechanism for not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt.” This is a highly distinctive original thesis

“把权力关进制度的笼子里，形成不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐的有效机制。”这是习近平党建思想中极具辨识度的原创论断。习近平党建思想创造性地发展了马克思、恩格斯关于“一切公职人员必须在公众监督之下进行工作”的理论，走出一条中国特色反腐败之路。

This thought emphasizes insisting on using institutions to govern power, affairs, and personnel. In institutional design, it stresses the character of "precision" — being pragmatic and effective; in institutional implementation, it stresses the character of "strictness" — breaking through "hidden doors" and dismantling "skylights," [1]1 "Hidden doors" and "skylights" are metaphors for loopholes or back channels that allow evasion of institutional rules. so that institutions truly become hard constraints rather than rubber bands. The core contribution lies in proposing and systematically elaborating on "advancing in an integrated manner the efforts to ensure that officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to engage in corruption." [2]2 This is a key anti-corruption framework of the Xi Jinping era, first formally articulated in the 19th National Congress report (2017). The "three no-corruption" mechanisms are effectively interconnected, forming a progressive, synergistic force, constituting an important strategy for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in the New Era. "Dare not to engage in corruption" is the prerequisite; it is necessary to maintain a high-pressure posture to continuously "hunt tigers," "swat flies," and "chase foxes," [3]3 "Tigers" refers to high-ranking corrupt officials, "flies" to low-ranking ones, and "foxes" to corrupt elements who have fled abroad. employing multiple approaches simultaneously, adhering to no forbidden zones, full coverage, and zero tolerance. "Cannot engage in corruption" is the key; it is necessary to build a comprehensive supervision system for the Party and the state, forming all-round, whole-process, and three-dimensional oversight, allowing power to operate in the sunlight. "Do not want to engage in corruption" is the foundation; by continuously deepening Party spirit cultivation and ideological self-awareness, it guides Party members and cadres to establish a correct view of power and outlook on political performance. These three aspects support each other and work in synergy, forging a new path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics that combines institutional advantages with ideological self-awareness.

这一思想强调坚持用制度管权管事管人，在制度设计上，讲究一个“精”字，要务实管用；在制度执行上，讲究一个“严”字，要打通“暗门”、拆除“天窗”，使制度真正成为硬约束而不是橡皮筋。核心贡献在于提出并系统阐释了“一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐”。“三不腐”有效贯通，形成层层递进、同向发力，构成了新时代全面从严治党的重要方略。“不敢腐”是前提，必须以高压态势持续“打虎”“拍蝇”“猎狐”，多管齐下，坚持无禁区、全覆盖、零容忍；“不能腐”是关键，必须构建起党和国家全方位的监督体系，形成全方位、全过程、立体化监督，让权力在阳光下运行；“不想腐”是根本，通过不断厚植党性修养与思想自觉，引导党员干部树立正确的权力观与政绩观。这三者相互支撑、协同发力，走出了一条依靠制度优势与思想自觉相结合的中国特色反腐败新路。

The Party's organizational line in the New Era forges a high-quality cadre contingent.

新时代党的组织路线锻造高素质干部队伍

In 2018, at the National Conference on Organizational Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping for the first time fully articulated the Party’s organizational line for the New Era, systematically summarized its complete connotations, and innovatively integrated a rigorous organizational system, a high-quality cadre contingent, and an open talent work framework into the theory of organizational building, condensing them into the Party’s core competitiveness. This constitutes a milestone in the history of the Chinese Communist Party’s construction. Our Party has formed a rigorous organizational system encompassing the central, local, and grassroots levels—a powerful advantage that no other political party in the world possesses.

2018年，习近平总书记在全国组织工作会议上，首次完整提出新时代党的组织路线，系统概括了组织路线的完整内涵，创新性地将严密的组织体系、高素质的干部队伍和开放的人才工作统一于组织建设理论之中，凝练为党的核心竞争力。这在中国共产党建设史上具有里程碑式的意义。我们党形成了包括中央、地方、基层在内的严密组织体系，这是世界上其他政党不具有的强大优势。

“The key to governance lies first in the selection of personnel.” [4]4 A classical allusion to the principle of selecting officials, originating from the *Three Kingdoms* period and later cited by Song dynasty scholar Sima Guang in the *Zizhi Tongjian* (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government). General Secretary Xi Jinping used the six characters “loyalty, integrity, and responsibility” [5]5 A six-character phrase (忠诚干净担当) summarizing the criteria for Party cadres, frequently used in internal Party documents and speeches. to highly summarize the standard for good cadres, emphasizing that “good cadres must be firm in conviction, serve the people, be diligent and pragmatic, dare to take responsibility, and be clean and honest.”

“为政之要，莫先于用人”，习近平总书记用“忠诚干净担当”6个字高度概括好干部标准，强调“好干部要做到信念坚定、为民服务、勤政务实、敢于担当、清正廉洁”。

Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building consistently adheres to the Two Integrations, [6]6 The Two Integrations (两个结合) refer to the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of China’s traditional culture, a key theoretical framework in Xi Jinping Thought. systematically answering a series of core questions such as “where to go” for Party building, “how to manage oneself well” for long-term governance, and “how to deepen and sustain” the fight against corruption, profoundly revealing the genetic code by which the Chinese Communist Party advances from victory to victory. As an evolving open theoretical system, Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building connects history, the present, and the future. It will inevitably be continuously enriched and perfected with the deepening of the great practice of Party building in the New Era. The truth-force it contains will be persistently manifested in the vivid practice of governing and strengthening the Party, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the governance of political parties worldwide.

习近平党建思想始终坚持“两个结合”，系统回答了党的建设“往哪走”、长期执政“怎么管好自身”、反腐败“怎么深入持久”等一系列核心问题，深刻揭示了中国共产党从胜利走向胜利的基因密码。作为不断发展的开放理论体系，习近平党建思想贯通历史、现实与未来，必将随着新时代党的建设伟大实践的深入而不断丰富完善，其蕴含的真理力量必将在管党治党、兴党强党的生动实践中持续彰显，为世界政党治理贡献中国智慧与中国方案。