Several Relationships That Need to Be Grasped in Strengthening Party Discipline Building on the New Journey of the New Era

Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has always focused on strengthening Party discipline building. Over more than a century, Party discipline building has achieved great successes, displayed distinct characteristics, and accumulated valuable historical experience, providing a strong disciplinary guarantee for the Party to lead great social revolution through great self-revolution. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC: “As the largest Marxist governing party in the world, the CPC must always maintain sobriety and firmness in solving the unique problems of a large party, in order to always win the support of the people and consolidate its long-term ruling position.” [1]1 The “unique problems of a large party” (大党独有难题) refers to the specific challenges of governance, discipline, and unity that arise from the CPC’s size, history, and long-term ruling status, as articulated by On the new journey of the New Era, to always maintain sobriety and firmness in solving the unique problems of a large party, to improve the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, and to further advance the Party’s self-revolution, it is necessary to give full play to the role of discipline building as the fundamental measure for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. To this end, it is necessary to explore several relationships that need to be grasped for the effective advancement of discipline building on the new journey of the New Era from five aspects: the relationship between the Party’s overall leadership and Party discipline building, the relationship between Party discipline building and other aspects of Party building, the relationship between strict disciplinary constraints and the personal freedom of Party cadres and members, the relationship between strict Party discipline and caring for Party cadres and members, and the relationship between Party discipline and national law.

中国共产党成立以来，始终注重加强党的纪律建设。百余年来，党的纪律建设取得了伟大的成就，呈现出鲜明的特点，积累了宝贵的历史经验，为党以伟大自我革命引领伟大社会革命提供了坚强的纪律保障。习近平总书记在党的二十大报告中指出：“我们党作为世界上最大的马克思主义执政党，要始终赢得人民拥护、巩固长期执政地位，必须时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定。”新时代新征程，时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定，健全全面从严治党体系，进一步推进党的自我革命，需要充分发挥纪律建设这一全面从严治党治本之策的作用。为此，有必要从党的全面领导与党的纪律建设的关系、党的纪律建设和党的其他方面建设的关系、纪律的严约束与党员干部的个人自由的关系、严肃党纪与厚爱党员干部的关系、党纪和国法的关系等五个方面，探讨新时代新征程纪律建设有效推进需要把握的若干关系。

I. Grasp the relationship between upholding the Party’s overall leadership and strengthening Party discipline building, and uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership over discipline building

一、把握坚持党的全面领导与加强党的纪律建设的关系，坚持和加强党对纪律建设的全面领导

Upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership is the fundamental purpose and fundamental principle of the general requirements for Party building in the New Era, and it is also the primary content and fundamental orientation of Party discipline building in the New Era. “The most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the greatest strength of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Communist Party of China is the highest political leadership force, and upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee is the highest political principle.” The leadership of the Communist Party of China is China’s greatest national condition. The key to running China’s affairs well lies in the Party. “The key to comprehensively building a modern socialist country and comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation lies in the Party.” As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the New Era, the central task of the Communist Party of China is to unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to comprehensively build a great modern socialist country, achieve the second centenary goal, [2]2 The "Four Forms of Decadence" (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. and comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization. To forge iron, one must be strong oneself. For the Party to undertake and complete this arduous historical task, it must unswervingly exercise comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, continuously improve its governing capacity and leadership level, give full play to its core leadership role in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties, and provide strong leadership and fundamental organizational guarantees for the advancement of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

坚持和加强党的全面领导，是新时代党的建设总要求的根本目的和根本原则，也是新时代党的纪律建设的首要内容和根本指向。“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，中国共产党是最高政治领导力量，坚持党中央集中统一领导是最高政治原则。”中国共产党领导是中国最大的国情。办好中国的事情，关键在党。“全面建设社会主义现代化国家、全面推进中华民族伟大复兴，关键在党。”中国特色社会主义进入新时代，中国共产党的中心任务就是团结带领全国各族人民全面建成社会主义现代化强国、实现第二个百年奋斗目标，以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。打铁必须自身硬。党要承担并完成这一艰巨的历史任务，必须坚定不移地全面从严治党，不断提高党的执政能力和领导水平，充分发挥好党总揽全局、协调各方的领导核心作用，为中国特色社会主义伟大事业的推进提供坚强有力的领导力量和根本组织保障。

The Party’s leadership is comprehensive, systematic, and holistic. Not only must the Party’s overall leadership be strengthened in all work of the Party and the state, but the fundamental principle of upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership must also be implemented in all work of the Party’s own building, and the same applies to Party discipline building. Looking back on the more than century-long course of Party discipline building, Party discipline building has always been carried out and advanced under the Party’s leadership, centered on the central tasks of Party building. The Party has always placed discipline building in a foundational and safeguarding position within Party building, continuously deepening the understanding of the laws governing Party discipline building. Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, a series of intra-Party regulations have been formulated, forming a relatively complete system of intra-Party regulations; the reform of the discipline inspection and supervision system has been continuously deepened, promoting the improvement of the Party and state supervision system; a contingent of loyal, clean, and responsible discipline inspection and supervision personnel has been forged, and supervision and discipline enforcement work has been solidly advanced; the educational, supervisory, and preventive functions of Party discipline have been brought into play, raising the disciplinary awareness and literacy of all Party members, while also promptly reminding and saving a large number of cadres; major cases and important cases have been investigated and dealt with, punishing a large number of disciplinary and law-breaking elements, bringing into play the punitive and deterrent role of discipline, and vigorously promoting the work of improving Party conduct, building clean government, and fighting corruption. It can be said that the Party’s leadership determines the direction, tasks, content, principles, and methods of Party discipline building, playing a fundamental guiding and guaranteeing role.

党的领导是全面的、系统的、整体的，不仅在党和国家各项工作中要加强党的全面领导，党的自身建设的各项工作也要贯彻坚持和加强党的全面领导这一根本原则，党的纪律建设亦是如此。纵观党的纪律建设的百余年历程，党的纪律建设始终是在党的领导下围绕党的建设的中心任务展开和推进的。党始终将纪律建设放置于党的建设的基础性和保障性地位加以强调，不断深化对党的纪律建设的规律性认识。在党中央集中统一领导下，制定了一系列党内法规制度，形成比较完善的党内法规体系；不断深化纪检监察体制改革，推动完善党和国家监督体系；锻造了一支忠诚干净担当的纪检监察队伍，监督执纪工作扎实推进；发挥党的纪律的教育、监督和预防功能，提高全体党员的纪律意识和纪律素养，也及时提醒挽救了一大批干部；查办了一批大案要案，惩处大批违纪违法分子，发挥纪律的惩治和震慑作用，大力推动了党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争工作。可以说，党的领导决定了党的纪律建设的方向、任务、内容、原则、方法，具有根本的引领和保障作用。

On the new journey of the New Era, comprehensive and strict governance of the Party is always on the way, and the Party’s self-revolution is always on the way. It is necessary to unswervingly uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership over discipline building work, and to implement this fundamental principle throughout the entire process and all aspects of Party discipline building, with the following three key aspects: First, it is necessary to strengthen ideological and political guidance, persist in using the Party’s innovative theories for guidance, strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, ensure that Party discipline building always advances in the correct direction, and ensure the political nature, scientific nature, and firmness of all work. Second, discipline inspection and supervision organs and their staff must raise their political stance, political awareness, and political quality, continuously improve their political judgment, political understanding, and political execution ability, act as propagandists, practitioners, and supervisors of the Two Upholds, [3]3 The "Four Forms" (四种形态) of supervision and discipline enforcement refer to a graduated system of disciplinary measures: (1) criticism and self-criticism; (2) light organizational measures; (3) heavy organizational measures or demotion; (4) severe disciplinary sanctions such as expulsion. resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, intensify strict management and strict governance, and the intensity of self-purification, and resolutely prevent “darkness under the lamp.” [4]4 The “three distinctions” (三个区分开来) are a policy principle proposed by Xi Jinping to encourage reform and innovation while guarding against intentional violations, by distinguishing three types of errors from illegal or disciplinary acts. Third, it is necessary to strictly enforce political discipline and political rules, give prominence to political supervision and political inspections, and adhere to implementing the political requirements of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Strengthen supervision and inspection of the implementation of the Party Constitution, Party regulations, Party discipline, and the Constitution and laws of the state; strengthen supervision and inspection of the implementation of major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, major strategic initiatives, and the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and directives; strengthen supervision and inspection of the implementation of the spirit of successive plenary sessions of the Party Central Committee; strengthen supervision and inspection of the performance of duties and missions by various regions and departments; resolutely correct all erroneous behaviors that hinder the implementation of the national system and affect the modernization of the governance system and governance capacity; urge and promote Party organizations, especially the principal responsible persons of Party committees (Party leadership groups), to effectively assume the political responsibility for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party; urge and promote the vast number of Party cadres and members to firmly establish the Four Consciousnesses [5]5 The “four forms” (四种形态) of supervision and discipline enforcement are a graduated system of disciplinary measures, ranging from informal talks (the “first form”) to criminal prosecution (the “fourth form”), designed to catch problems early and apply proportionate sanctions. and the Four Confidences [6]6 Xi Jinping, speech at the Third Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the 19th CPC Central Committee, January 11, 2019. deep in their hearts, and consciously achieve the Two Upholds in their actions.

新时代新征程，全面从严治党永远在路上，党的自我革命永远在路上。要一如既往地坚持和加强党对纪律建设工作的全面领导，并将这一根本原则贯穿于党的纪律建设的全过程和各方面，重点有以下三个方面：一是要加强思想政治引领，坚持用党的创新理论指导，加强党中央集中统一领导，确保党的纪律建设始终沿着正确方向前进，确保各项工作的政治性、科学性和坚定性。二是纪检监察机关及其工作人员要提高政治站位、政治觉悟、政治素质，不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，做“两个维护”的宣传者、践行者、监督者，坚决落实党中央决策部署，加大严管严治、自我净化力度，坚决防止“灯下黑”。三是要严明政治纪律和政治规矩，突出抓好政治监督和政治巡视，坚持落实全面从严治党政治要求。加强对党章党规党纪和宪法法律法规执行情况的监督检查，加强对党中央重大决策部署、重大战略举措和习近平总书记重要指示批示精神落实情况的监督检查，加强对贯彻落实党的历次中央全会精神情况的监督检查，加强对各地区各部门履行职责使命情况的监督检查，坚决纠正一切阻碍国家制度贯彻执行、影响治理体系和治理能力现代化的错误行为，督促推动党组织特别是党委（党组）主要负责人切实担负起全面从严治党政治责任，督促推动广大党员干部在内心深处铸牢“四个意识”，坚定“四个自信”，并自觉在行动上做到“两个维护”。

On the new journey of the New Era, it is necessary to implement upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership throughout the entire process and all aspects of Party discipline building, from the establishment of the guiding ideology for discipline building and the formulation of principles to follow, to the formulation, revision, sorting, and improvement of intra-Party regulations; from the establishment and improvement of discipline inspection and supervision institutions, and the selection and strengthening of organizational teams, to the reform and improvement of the systems and mechanisms for discipline building; from disciplinary education and supervisory constraints on Party cadres and members, to the serious implementation of Party discipline so that it truly serves the needs of Party building practice; and so on. The entire process and all aspects of Party discipline building must be carried out under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party, and must obey and serve the implementation of the Party’s line, principles, policies, and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, thereby providing a strong disciplinary guarantee for the realization of the Party’s overall leadership.

新时代新征程，要把坚持和加强党的全面领导贯穿到党的纪律建设的全过程和各方面，从纪律建设指导思想的确立、原则遵循的制定，到党内法规制度的制定、修改、清理、完善；从纪检监察机构的设立和健全、选优建强组织队伍，到纪律建设体制机制的改革和完善；从对党员干部的纪律教育、监督约束，到认真执行党的纪律使之真正服务于党建实践的需要；等等。党的纪律建设的全过程和各方面都必须在党的集中统一领导下进行，都要服从和服务于党的路线方针政策和党中央的决策部署的贯彻落实，从而为党的全面领导的实现提供强有力的纪律保障。

II. Grasp the relationship between strengthening Party discipline building and strengthening other aspects of Party building, and implement the general requirements for Party building in the New Era

二、把握加强党的纪律建设和加强党的其他方面建设的关系，落实新时代党的建设总体要求

The great project of Party building is an organic whole, including the Party’s political building, ideological building, organizational building, conduct building, discipline building, institutional building, and the fight against corruption. Although changes in the situation and tasks faced by the Party will cause corresponding changes in the focus of Party building, the overall layout of Party building will differ in different historical periods, and the order of arrangement of each item of construction within the overall layout of Party building will also be adjusted. However, the basic goal and requirement of Party building—to continuously improve the Party’s leadership level, continuously enhance its governing capacity, maintain the Party’s advanced nature and purity, consolidate the Party’s unity and solidarity, build the Party into a stronger and more powerful force, and thereby better promote the great cause led by the Party—has been consistent. Therefore, the basic content of Party building is also the unity of inheritance and development.

党的建设伟大工程是一个有机整体，其中包括党的政治建设、思想建设、组织建设、作风建设、纪律建设、制度建设以及反腐败斗争。尽管由于党所面临的形势和任务变化会使党的建设重点相应发生变化，党的建设总体布局在不同历史时期有所不同，并且党的建设总体布局中每一项建设的顺序排列也会有所调整。但是，通过党的建设来不断提高党的领导水平，不断增强党的执政能力，保持党的先进性和纯洁性，巩固党的团结统一，把党建设得更加坚强有力，进而更好地推动党所领导的伟大事业，这一党的建设的基本目标和要求是一以贯之的。因此，党的建设的基本内容也是继承性和发展性的统一。

Although the focus of Party building tasks differs at different times and in different fields, from the overall perspective of Party building, political building, theoretical building, organizational building, conduct building, discipline building, as well as institutional building and the fight against corruption, are all undoubtedly inseparable components of the great project of Party building, and are all closely carried out around the Party’s central tasks in different periods. As discipline building within the overall layout of Party building, it is not carried out in isolation in practice, but is advanced as a whole in connection with other types of building. Among them, “Party political building is the fundamental building of the Party, determining the direction and effectiveness of Party building, and bearing on the overall planning and advancement of the great struggle, the great project, the great cause, and the great dream.” [1]1 The “unique problems of a large party” (大党独有难题) refers to the specific challenges of governance, discipline, and unity that arise from the CPC’s size, history, and long-term ruling status, as articulated by “The purpose of strengthening Party political building is to firm up political faith, strengthen political leadership, improve political capacity, purify the political ecosystem, and achieve unity and uniformity of action throughout the Party.” [2]2 The "Four Forms of Decadence" (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. Party discipline building must be carried out under the leadership of Party political building, and Party political discipline and political rules must be upheld as the primary and most important discipline, because “political discipline and political rules are the most fundamental and most important discipline of the Party; abiding by political discipline and political rules is the foundation for abiding by all Party discipline.” [3]3 The "Four Forms" (四种形态) of supervision and discipline enforcement refer to a graduated system of disciplinary measures: (1) criticism and self-criticism; (2) light organizational measures; (3) heavy organizational measures or demotion; (4) severe disciplinary sanctions such as expulsion. To strictly enforce Party political discipline and political rules, it is necessary to “seriously investigate and punish violations of political discipline, and use strict political discipline to drive the strictness of other Party disciplines.” [4]4 The “three distinctions” (三个区分开来) are a policy principle proposed by Xi Jinping to encourage reform and innovation while guarding against intentional violations, by distinguishing three types of errors from illegal or disciplinary acts. It is necessary to uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, to uphold Party unity, to follow organizational procedures, to obey organizational decisions, and to manage one’s relatives and staff well.

虽然党的建设的任务在不同时期、不同领域的重心有所不同，但从党的建设总体来看，无论是政治建设、思想建设、组织建设、作风建设、纪律建设，还是制度建设以及反腐败斗争等，无疑都是党的建设伟大工程不可分割的组成部分，都是紧紧围绕党在不同时期的中心任务展开的。作为党的建设总布局中的纪律建设，在实践中并不是孤立进行的，而是和其他建设联系在一起整体加以推进的。其中，“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，事关统揽推进伟大斗争、伟大工程、伟大事业、伟大梦想”。“加强党的政治建设，目的是坚定政治信仰，强化政治领导，提高政治能力，净化政治生态，实现全党团结统一、行动一致。”党的纪律建设必须在党的政治建设统领下进行，必须把党的政治纪律和政治规矩作为首要的和最重要的纪律加以维护，因为“政治纪律和政治规矩是党最根本、最重要的纪律，遵守政治纪律和政治规矩是遵守党的全部纪律的基础”。严明党的政治纪律和政治规矩，必须“严肃查处违反政治纪律的行为，通过严明政治纪律带动党的其他纪律严起来”。必须维护党中央权威和集中统一领导，必须维护党的团结，必须遵循组织程序，必须服从组织决定，必须管好亲属和身边工作人员。

Party theoretical building is the foundational building of the Party, bearing on the Party’s theoretical arming and ideological unity. The fundamental task of Party theoretical building is to arm the whole Party with the Party’s innovative theories, and to transform and overcome all non-proletarian ideas within the Party; to educate Party members in the Party’s basic theory, basic line, and basic policy, ensuring the implementation of the Party’s line, principles, policies, and decisions. The essence of Party theoretical building is to uphold the guiding position of Marxism and maintain the Party’s high degree of ideological and political unity and its advanced nature. To strengthen Party theoretical building in the New Era, the most fundamental thing is to use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism

党的思想建设是党的基础性建设，事关党的理论武装和思想统一。党的思想建设的根本任务，是用党的创新理论武装全党，改造和克服党内一切非无产阶级思想；对党员进行党的基本理论、基本路线、基本方略的教育，保证党的路线方针政策和决策部署的贯彻执行。党的思想建设的实质是坚持马克思主义的指导地位，保持全党在思想上政治上的高度一致和党的先进性。新时代加强党的思想建设，最根本的是要用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂、武装全党，推动全党更加自觉地为实现新时代的历史使命而团结奋斗。党的纪律建设是建立在党的思想建设基础之上的，纪律建设的工作开展要在党的创新理论指导下进行，加强党的纪律建设也有助于更好地统一全党的思想、意志和行动。通过在全党范围内持续开展党纪学习教育活动，增强党员干部的纪律观念、底线思维，强化对党纪国法的思想敬畏，筑牢不想腐的堤坝。党的思想建设抓得紧、效果好，党纪学习教育有力有效，党员干部遵守纪律的自觉性就会提高，纪律建设也会更有成效。

The Party’s organizational building is the organizational support and source of organizational strength for Party building. Whether the results of the Party’s political building, ideological building, conduct building, discipline building, and institutional building can take root depends on the quality of the Party’s own organizational building; whether the Party’s line, principles, policies, and decisions can be implemented depends on the role played by Party organizations at all levels, leading cadres, and the broad masses of Party members. The main tasks of the Party’s organizational building are to tighten the organizational system, improve organizational institutions, fully leverage the political and organizational functions of Party organizations, build a high-quality contingent of Party cadres and talented personnel, and continuously enhance the Party’s organizational capacity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness. The Party’s disciplinary nature is closely linked to its organizational nature; strengthening Party discipline building cannot be separated from organizational building. Organizational discipline itself is an important component of the Party’s disciplinary system, and strict organizational discipline is also an important element of the Party’s organizational building. Using strict discipline to regulate the establishment of Party organizational structures and ensure the effective conduct of Party organizational work; strengthening the organizational building of discipline inspection commissions at all levels as the specialized organs for intra-Party supervision, so as to better play their role in supervision, discipline enforcement, and accountability; reinforcing the implementation of organizational institutions, especially democratic centralism and the reporting system; using discipline to effectively safeguard Party members’ rights, fulfill Party members’ obligations, develop intra-Party democracy, and earnestly carry out criticism and self-criticism; and educating and guiding Party cadres to establish a correct view of power, outlook on political performance, and view of career, and to enhance their ability to work and serve the masses—these are both requirements of discipline building and priorities of organizational building, requiring the two to work in coordination and be advanced comprehensively.

党的组织建设是党的建设的组织支撑和组织力量所在。党的政治建设、思想建设、作风建设、纪律建设和制度建设成果能否落地生根，取决于党自身组织建设的质量；党的路线方针政策和决策部署能否贯彻落实，取决于各级党组织、领导干部和广大党员作用的发挥。党的组织建设的主要任务是严密组织体系，完善组织制度，充分发挥党组织的政治功能和组织功能，建设高素质的党员干部队伍和人才队伍，不断增强党的组织力、凝聚力和战斗力。党的纪律性是和党的组织性紧密联系在一起的，加强党的纪律建设离不开组织建设。组织纪律本身就是党的纪律体系的重要组成部分，严明组织纪律也是党的组织建设的重要内容。用严明的纪律规范党的组织机构的设置，保证党的组织工作的有效开展；加强各级纪委作为党内监督专责机关的组织建设，更好发挥其监督执纪问责作用；强化组织制度尤其是民主集中制、请示报告制度等落地执行；用纪律切实保障党员权利，履行党员义务，发展党内民主，认真开展批评与自我批评；教育引导党员干部树立正确的权力观、政绩观、事业观，增强干事创业和服务群众的能力本领等，既是纪律建设的要求，也是组织建设的重点，需要二者协同发力，综合推进。

The Party’s conduct is an important manifestation of the Party’s image, bearing on popular support and on the Party’s survival or extinction. General

党的作风是党的形象的重要体现，关系人心向背，关系党的生死存亡。习近平总书记指出，党的作风“是观察党群干群关系、人心向背的晴雨表。党的作风正，人民的心气顺，党和人民就能同甘共苦”。党的作风也是党性的表现，是党员干部的政治素养、纪律意识、价值宗旨、能力水平、品格风范的集中彰显。党的作风建设的核心是保持党同人民群众的血肉联系，秉承以人民为中心的价值取向，践行为人民谋幸福的初心使命。党的十八大以来，针对党的作风方面的突出问题，以习近平同志为核心的党中央率先垂范，从制定和落实中央八项规定开局破题，“持之以恒正风肃纪，以钉钉子精神纠治‘四风’，反对特权思想和特权现象，坚决整治群众身边的不正之风和腐败问题，刹住了一些长期没有刹住的歪风，纠治了一些多年未除的顽瘴痼疾”。党的作风建设离不开纪律建设，端正党风，纠正党内的不正之风，离不开严肃党纪。党纪严明，才能有效防范和遏制不正之风的滋长。相反，纪律松弛，就会纵容和助长不正之风的泛滥。正风必须肃纪，要“加强纪律教育，强化纪律执行，让党员干部知敬畏、存戒惧、守底线，习惯在受监督和约束的环境中工作生活”。要严格纪律执行，对违反党纪，损害党的作风形象的行为要坚决纠治和惩处。要“坚持党性党风党纪一起抓，从思想上固本培元，提高党性觉悟，增强拒腐防变能力，涵养富贵不能淫、贫贱不能移、威武不能屈的浩然正气”。

Institutions are a fundamental, overarching, stable, and long-term issue concerning the development of the Party and the state, and institutional building is a foundational construction within the overall layout of Party building. Governing the Party according to regulations is an inherent requirement and an organic component of law-based governance, and strengthening the Party's institutional building is a long-term and fundamental strategy for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. The main task of the Party's institutional building is to perfect the system for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party under the framework of upholding and improving the Party's leadership system, to institutionalize, standardize, and proceduralize Party building, to continuously improve the institutional normative system for the Party's self-revolution, to forever maintain the Party's advanced nature and purity, and to ensure that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. From the perspective of the relationship between Party discipline building and institutional building, Party discipline is the sum total of various rules, regulations, ordinances, and measures formulated by the Party in accordance with its political program and the principle of democratic centralism, based on the needs of the development of the Party's cause, and constitutes the political life norms and behavioral standards that must be observed by all Party organizations and all Party members. These norms and standards must be established in written institutional form to provide an institutional basis for governing the Party according to regulations. In the New Era, to improve the institutional normative system for the Party's self-revolution, it is necessary to adhere to the combination and simultaneous advancement of institutional governance of the Party and governance of the Party according to regulations. It is necessary to "take the Party Constitution as the foundation and democratic centralism as the core, improve the system of intra-Party regulations, enhance the authority and enforcement of intra-Party regulations, and form a mechanism for upholding truth, correcting errors, discovering problems, and rectifying deviations." The vitality of institutions and regulations lies in their implementation. Party discipline building itself includes not only discipline education but also the formulation and enforcement of disciplinary rules and regulations. Strengthening discipline education and intensifying discipline enforcement also helps to better weave and tighten the cage of institutions, let iron rules exert force, let prohibitions carry authority, ensure that all regulatory systems take root, and form rigid institutional constraints that prevent corruption.

制度是关系到党和国家事业发展的根本性、全局性、稳定性、长期性问题，制度建设是党的建设总体布局中的一项基础性建设。依规治党是依法治国的内在要求和有机组成部分，加强党的制度建设是全面从严治党的长远之策、根本之策。党的制度建设的主要任务是在坚持和完善党的领导制度体系的框架下完善全面从严治党制度，使党的建设制度化、规范化、程序化，不断完善党的自我革命制度规范体系，永葆党的先进性和纯洁性，确保党始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心。从党的纪律建设与制度建设的关系来看，党的纪律是党按照自己的政治纲领和民主集中制原则，根据党的事业的发展需要而制定的各种规章制度、条例和办法等的总和，是党的各级组织和全体党员必须遵守的政治生活准则和行为规范。这些准则和规范必须以成文的制度形式确定下来，才能为依规治党提供制度依据。新时代完善党的自我革命制度规范体系，必须坚持制度治党、依规治党相结合、齐推进。要“以党章为根本，以民主集中制为核心，完善党内法规制度体系，增强党内法规权威性和执行力，形成坚持真理、修正错误，发现问题、纠正偏差的机制”。制度和法规的生命力在于执行，党的纪律建设本身不仅包括纪律教育，也包括纪律规章的制定和执行。而加强纪律教育，强化纪律执行，也有助于更好地织密扎紧制度的笼子，让铁规发力，让禁令生威，确保各项法规制度落地生根，形成不能腐的刚性制度约束。

The fight against corruption is a serious and major political struggle that the Communist Party of China must win. "Corruption is the greatest cancer that endangers the vitality and combat effectiveness of the Party, and the fight against corruption is the most thorough self-revolution." The relationship between Party discipline building and the fight against corruption is extremely close. As long as Party cadres and members strictly abide by Party discipline, corruption can be avoided. Conversely, corruption among some Party cadres and members often begins with the violation of rules and discipline. Whether one observes rules and discipline is an important test for Party cadres and members. A large number of cases of blatant violations of discipline that have been investigated and dealt with show that some Party cadres and members turn a deaf ear to the Party's disciplinary regulations, engage in the "Four Forms of Decadence"[n] without scruple, harbor a fluke mentality towards corruption, and eventually slide into the mire of corruption, becoming "prisoners." Strictly enforcing Party discipline, strengthening discipline education, intensifying discipline enforcement, and making good use of the "Four Forms"[n] of supervision and discipline enforcement help to establish multiple lines of defense to prevent and curb corruption, form a deterrent that makes one dare not corrupt, and comprehensively consolidate the overwhelming victory in the fight against corruption.

反腐败斗争是中国共产党必须打赢的一场严肃而重大的政治斗争。“腐败是危害党的生命力和战斗力的最大毒瘤，反腐败是最彻底的自我革命。”党的纪律建设与反腐败斗争的关系极为密切。党员干部只要严格遵守党的纪律，就可以避免出现腐败现象。相反，一些党员干部出现腐败现象往往都是从破坏规矩、违反纪律开始的。是否讲规矩、守纪律是对党员干部的重要考验。已经查处的大量顶风违纪案件表明，一些党员干部对党的纪律规定置若罔闻，搞“四风”毫无顾忌，搞腐败心存侥幸，最后滑进腐败的泥潭，成为“阶下囚”。而严明党的纪律，加强纪律教育，强化纪律执行，用好监督执纪的“四种形态”，有助于建立防止和遏制腐败的多重防线，形成不敢腐的震慑，全面巩固反腐败斗争的压倒性胜利。

Party discipline building is closely related to the Party's political building, theoretical building, organizational building, conduct building, institutional building, and the fight against corruption. It cannot be carried out in isolation but must be conducted under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, under the guidance of the Party's political building, in coordination with other aspects of building. In comprehensively advancing the great new project of Party building in the New Era, the unique role of discipline building must be brought into play, using discipline building to promote other aspects of building, fully manifesting the various requirements of discipline building in advancing other aspects of building, and forming a joint force for governing and managing the Party.

党的纪律建设与党的政治建设、思想建设、组织建设、作风建设、制度建设以及反腐败斗争关系密切，不能孤立起来单独进行，而必须在党中央的集中统一领导下，在党的政治建设统领之下，与其他各方面建设协调进行，在全面推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程中发挥纪律建设的独特作用，用纪律建设促进其他方面的建设，在推进其他方面建设中充分彰显纪律建设的若干要求，形成管党治党的合力。

III. Grasping the Relationship between Party Discipline and the Personal Freedom of Party Cadres and Members, Achieving the Unity of Strictly Enforcing Party Discipline and Effectively Safeguarding the Democratic Rights of Party Members

三、把握党的纪律与党员干部的个人自由的关系，做到严格执行党的纪律与切实保障党员民主权利的统一

To clarify the nature, status, principles, and functions of Party discipline, it is also necessary to grasp the relationship between Party discipline and the personal freedom of Party members, as well as between Party spirit and individuality. Discipline and freedom are two relative concepts. As a social being, a person's behavior and activities are inevitably constrained by certain laws, rules, customs, norms, and so on. The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, and at the same time the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation; it is an advanced force with a tight organization and iron discipline. As a Communist Party member, especially a leading Party cadre, one's behavior is not only constrained by social norms but also by stricter Party discipline and rules. Therefore, Communist Party members, especially leading Party cadres, not only do not have, nor can they have, absolute freedom, but also, compared with ordinary people, they enjoy somewhat less personal freedom. However, for the Communist Party of China, which is committed to seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, and which must always remain the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, its members, especially leading cadres, should naturally demand of themselves with stricter standards and discipline. This was already clear to every Communist Party member on the day they voluntarily chose to join the Communist Party of China.

明确党的纪律的性质、地位、原则、功能等，还要把握好党的纪律与党员个人自由、党性与个性的关系。纪律和自由是两个相对的概念。作为一个社会人，其行为活动必然要受到一定的法律、规则、习俗、规范等的约束。中国共产党是中国工人阶级的先锋队，同时是中国人民和中华民族的先锋队，是具有严密组织和铁的纪律的先进部队。作为一个共产党员特别是党员领导干部，其行为不仅受到社会规范的约束，还会受到更严格的党的纪律和规矩的约束。因此，共产党员特别是党员领导干部不仅没有、也不可能有绝对的自由，而且相对于普通群众来说，享有的个人自由确实要少一些。但是，对致力于为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴的中国共产党来说，要始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心，其党员特别是领导干部本来就应当以更严格的标准和纪律来要求自己，这是每一位共产党员在自己选择自愿加入中国共产党的那一天起就已经明确了的。

The Party spirit of the Communist Party of China is the highest and most concentrated expression of the Party's proletarian class nature, the essential characteristic that distinguishes it from any other political party, the criterion for measuring a Party member's stance, purpose, and consciousness, and the cornerstone for a Party member to establish themselves, their career, and their moral integrity. The Party spirit of the Communist Party of China is concentratedly manifested in always representing the interests of the Chinese working class, the Chinese people, and the Chinese nation, adhering to the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, implementing iron discipline, and maintaining the advanced nature and purity of Communist Party members in terms of ideology, ideals and beliefs, purpose and stance, conduct and cultivation. The Communist Party of China has never obliterated the individuality of Party members; rather, it protects the individuality of Party members within the scope of Party spirit. This individuality is concentratedly manifested in the rights of Party members. Studying, observing, and enforcing discipline are important components of a Communist Party member's Party spirit. At the same time, using Party institutions to safeguard the rights of Party members, earnestly implementing and enforcing democratic centralism, vigorously developing intra-Party democracy, and creating "a political situation in which there is both centralism and democracy, both discipline and freedom, both unity of will and individual ease of mind and lively vigor." Strengthening the Party spirit cultivation of all Party members through intensified discipline, and safeguarding the individuality of Party members' democratic rights, are important functions of Party discipline.

中国共产党的党性，是党的无产阶级阶级性的最高最集中体现，是区别于其他任何政党的本质规定性，是衡量党员立场、宗旨和觉悟的准绳，是党员立身、立业、立德的基石。中国共产党的党性集中表现为始终代表中国工人阶级、中国人民和中华民族的利益，坚持共产主义远大理想和中国特色社会主义共同理想，实行铁的纪律，在思想意识、理想信念、宗旨立场、作风修养等方面保持共产党员的先进性和纯洁性。中国共产党从来不抹杀党员个性，而是保护共产党员党性范围内的党员的个性，这种个性就集中表现为党员的权利。对纪律的学习、遵守、执行，是共产党员党性的重要内容，同时，用党的制度保障党员的权利，认真贯彻执行民主集中制，大力发展党内民主，造成一个“又有集中又有民主，又有纪律又有自由，又有统一意志、又有个人心情舒畅、生动活泼，那样一种政治局面”。通过强化纪律增强全体党员的党性修养，并保障党员民主权利的个性，是党的纪律的重要功能。

To continue advancing Party discipline building in the New Era, it is necessary to properly handle the relationship between Party discipline and the personal freedom of Party cadres and members. The vast majority of Communist Party members, especially Party cadres and members, must earnestly study and understand the content of Party discipline, consciously accept the constraints of Party discipline, and fully recognize that consciously accepting the constraints of Party discipline is a duty of a Party member. They must abandon the thinking and behavior of equating themselves with ordinary people in terms of the standard of abiding by discipline and law. They must recognize from an ideological and theoretical perspective that the personal freedom of Party members is relative, that there is no absolute personal freedom within the Party, while Party discipline is absolute, and that Party members must abide by Party discipline is absolute. It must be made clear that strict discipline is an organizational attribute of the Communist Party of China, and also an organizational advantage. The idea that strict discipline infringes upon the personal freedom of Party members is seriously mistaken. It is necessary to strengthen discipline education for leading Party cadres and members, and intensify discipline enforcement. It is necessary to strengthen disciplinary supervision, especially by discipline inspection and supervision organs, which must "fulfill their specific supervisory responsibilities, build supervision platforms, weave a tight supervision network, and assist Party committees in ensuring the efficient operation of the supervision system," and "further cultivate the habit of working and living in an environment subject to supervision and constraints."

新时代继续推进党的纪律建设，要处理好党的纪律与党员干部的个人自由之间的关系。广大共产党员尤其是党员干部，要认真学习了解党的纪律内容，自觉接受党的纪律约束，充分认识到自觉接受党纪约束是一个党员的应尽义务。要摒弃那种在遵纪守法的标准上把自己等同于普通群众的思维和行为，要从思想理论上认识到党员的个人自由是相对的，党内没有绝对的个人自由，而党的纪律则是绝对的，党员必须遵守党的纪律是绝对的。要明确严格的纪律是中国共产党的组织属性，也是组织优势，那种认为严格的纪律会侵犯党员个人自由的想法是严重错误的。要加强对党员领导干部纪律的教育，强化纪律执行。要加强纪律监督，尤其纪检监察机关，要“做实专责监督，搭建监督平台，织密监督网络，协助党委推动监督体系高效运转”，“进一步养成在受监督和约束的环境中工作生活的习惯”。

Relative to the political “freedom” of individual Party members, Party discipline is undoubtedly absolute, and compliance with Party discipline is unconditional. However, this does not mean that Party members blindly obey Party discipline. Mao Zedong once pointed out: “What we speak of is conscious discipline. Blind obedience, being a docile tool, will not do. Organizational discipline must have conditions: first, this discipline is conscious; second, it is linked to the masses; third, it is under the leadership of a correct political line. Organizational discipline is conditional and relative; unconditional will not do.” [1]1 The “unique problems of a large party” (大党独有难题) refers to the specific challenges of governance, discipline, and unity that arise from the CPC’s size, history, and long-term ruling status, as articulated by Clearly, what Mao Zedong refers to here as “conditional and relative” is the Party member’s identification with the Party’s nature, purpose, ideals and convictions; the close connection between the Party member and the masses; it is built on the basis of democratic centralism; and it is under the leadership of the Party’s correct political line. Discipline that deviates from these conditions is not the discipline of a Marxist political party. Lacking these conditions, Party discipline building will lose its direction, commit directional errors, and will be unable to play a positive role in Party building.

相对于党员个人的政治“自由”，党的纪律无疑是绝对的，遵守党的纪律是无条件的。但是，这并不意味着党员对党的纪律的盲目服从。毛泽东曾经指出：“我们讲的是自觉的纪律。盲目服从，做驯服工具不行。组织纪律性要有条件：第一，这个纪律是自觉的；第二，是联系群众的；第三，是在正确的政治路线领导之下的。组织纪律是有条件的、相对的，无条件的不行。”显然，毛泽东在这里讲的“有条件的、相对的”，是党员对党的性质宗旨、理想信念认同，是党员与人民群众的紧密联系，是建立在民主集中制基础上的，是在党的正确的政治路线领导之下的。偏离了这些条件的纪律，就不是马克思主义政党的纪律。缺乏这些条件，党的纪律建设就会迷失方向，就会犯方向性的错误，也就不可能发挥对党的建设的积极作用。

Party organizations at all levels and discipline inspection and supervision organs must strive to achieve the unity of strictly enforcing Party discipline and effectively safeguarding the democratic rights of Party members. The enforcement of Party discipline targets illegal and disciplinary phenomena and corrupt elements within the Party, and targets unhealthy tendencies that deviate from the Party’s nature and purpose. It is not about total control over Party cadres and members, still less about waging cruel struggle and merciless blows against comrades who have made mistakes or even against comrades who normally express differing opinions. On the contrary, Party discipline is a tool for safeguarding and protecting the democratic rights of Party members. In Party discipline building, it is especially important to wield the tool of discipline well. It is necessary both to give play to the punitive function of Party discipline, eliminating illegal and disciplinary phenomena within the Party, and not to expand the scope of attack, still less to allow it to become a tool for certain people to retaliate under the guise of discipline against comrades who have offered them criticism. Party organizations at all levels and discipline inspection and supervision organs should, based on the purpose of serving the overall development of the Party’s cause, based on the principle of educating and helping Party members, and based on the principle of safeguarding the democratic rights of Party members, properly grasp the relationship between seriously handling Party members’ disciplinary violations and effectively safeguarding Party members’ democratic rights. Every Communist Party member must correctly exercise their rights as Party members, earnestly fulfill their obligations as Party members, consciously abide by Party discipline, first and foremost the Party’s political discipline and political rules, modelly abide by national laws and regulations, strictly guard Party and state secrets, carry out Party decisions, submit to organizational assignments, and actively complete Party tasks. Party organizations must strictly enforce and uphold Party discipline, while at the same time effectively safeguarding the democratic rights of Party members.

党的各级组织和纪检监察机关要努力做到严格执行党的纪律与切实保障党员民主权利的统一。党的纪律执行针对的是党内的违纪违法现象和腐败分子，针对的是背离党的性质、宗旨的不正之风，而不是对党员干部的全面控制，更不是对犯错误同志甚至正常表达不同意见的同志进行残酷斗争和无情打击。相反，党的纪律是维护和保障党员民主权利的工具。在党的纪律建设中，尤其要掌握好纪律这一工具，既要发挥党的纪律的惩戒功能，清除党内的违纪违法现象，也不能扩大打击面，更不能成为某些人借纪律之名打击报复给自己提意见的同志的工具。各级党组织和纪检监察机关应本着服务于党的事业整体发展的目的，本着教育和帮助党员的原则，本着保障党员民主权利的原则，把握好严肃处理党员违纪行为与切实保障党员民主权利的关系。每一个共产党员都要正确行使党员的权利，切实履行党员的义务，自觉遵守党的纪律，首先是党的政治纪律和政治规矩，模范遵守国家的法律法规，严格保守党和国家的秘密，执行党的决定，服从组织分配，积极完成党的任务。党组织必须严格执行和维护党的纪律，同时也要切实保障党员的民主权利。

IV. Grasp the Relationship between Strict Party Discipline and Cherishing Party Cadres and Members, and Uphold the Unity of Strictly Managing Party Cadres and Members with Caring for and Trusting Them

四、把握严肃党纪与厚爱党员干部的关系，坚持严格管理党员干部和关心信任党员干部相统一

Strict Party discipline is an inevitable requirement and a fundamental cure for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Only by making Party discipline strict can the Party be built to be stronger and more powerful, and thereby be able to shoulder the major responsibilities entrusted by history. Party members are the cells of the Party, playing an exemplary vanguard role in implementing the Party’s line, principles and policies; cadres are the Party’s precious asset, the “key minority” [2]2 The "Four Forms of Decadence" (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance. and decisive factor in implementing the Party’s line, principles and policies. Therefore, cherishing Party cadres and members is an inevitable requirement and important guarantee for the development of the Party’s cause. From the perspective of the development of the Party’s cause, strict Party discipline and cherishing Party cadres and members are not contradictory. Strict Party discipline and punishing illegal and disciplinary elements within the Party are merely a means of discipline building, not its purpose. The purpose of discipline building is to maintain the Party’s unity and solidarity, and to ensure the realization of the Party’s original aspiration and founding mission and political tasks.

严肃党纪是全面从严治党的必然要求和治本之策，只有严肃党的纪律，才能把党建设得更加坚强有力，进而能够担负起历史赋予的重大责任。党员是党的细胞，在贯彻落实党的路线方针政策中发挥先锋模范带头作用；干部是党的宝贵财富，是贯彻落实党的路线方针政策的“关键少数”和决定因素。因此，厚爱党员干部是党的事业发展的必然要求和重要保障。从党的事业发展来说，严肃党纪与厚爱党员干部这两者之间并不矛盾。严肃党纪，惩处党内违纪违法分子只是纪律建设的一种手段，而不是纪律建设的目的。纪律建设的目的是维护党的团结统一、保证党的初心使命与政治任务的实现。

To continue advancing Party discipline building in the New Era, it is necessary to combine the strict enforcement of Party discipline with protecting and mobilizing the initiative, creativity and proactivity of Party cadres and members. On the one hand, strict and severe discipline should be used to impose corresponding sanctions on Party members and organizations that violate discipline, especially to expel corrupt elements, illegal and disciplinary elements, and unqualified Party members from the Party, “making the iron discipline ‘bare its teeth’ and show its might, while also making cadres take it seriously, stay alert, and know when to stop, so that the whole Party forms a high degree of consciousness in observing rules and discipline.” [3]3 The "Four Forms" (四种形态) of supervision and discipline enforcement refer to a graduated system of disciplinary measures: (1) criticism and self-criticism; (2) light organizational measures; (3) heavy organizational measures or demotion; (4) severe disciplinary sanctions such as expulsion. At the same time, disciplinary mechanisms should be used to protect and stimulate the enthusiasm of Party cadres and members for undertaking their work. “Mistakes and errors made by cadres in promoting reform due to lack of experience or pilot initiatives should be distinguished from illegal and disciplinary acts committed with full knowledge of the law; mistakes and errors in exploratory experiments where higher authorities have not yet imposed explicit restrictions should be distinguished from illegal and disciplinary acts committed after higher authorities have explicitly prohibited them; unintentional faults made to promote development should be distinguished from illegal and disciplinary acts committed for personal gain.” [4]4 The “three distinctions” (三个区分开来) are a policy principle proposed by Xi Jinping to encourage reform and innovation while guarding against intentional violations, by distinguishing three types of errors from illegal or disciplinary acts. “Strict management of cadres should be combined with enthusiastic care for cadres. Cadres should be required to consciously fulfill the various duties entrusted to them by the organization, strictly act in accordance with the Party’s principles, discipline and rules, and not abuse power or violate discipline and law. At the same time, cadres should be given political encouragement, work support, guaranteed treatment, and psychological care, so that the vast majority of cadres can feel at ease, secure in their positions, and focused on their work, promoting their cheerful mood, full confidence, active action, and willingness to take responsibility.” [5]5 The “four forms” (四种形态) of supervision and discipline enforcement are a graduated system of disciplinary measures, ranging from informal talks (the “first form”) to criminal prosecution (the “fourth form”), designed to catch problems early and apply proportionate sanctions. Establish a mechanism for tolerating and correcting errors for Party cadres and members who take the initiative to act, take initiative to assume responsibility, and take initiative to be accountable. Party committees at all levels, discipline inspection and supervision organs, and organization departments, among others, “should properly grasp principles such as putting the cause first, seeking truth from facts, acting in accordance with discipline and law, and combining tolerance with correction,” [6]6 Xi Jinping, speech at the Third Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the 19th CPC Central Committee, January 11, 2019. comprehensively analyzing cadres’ mistakes and errors, “boldly tolerating what should be tolerated, and resolutely not tolerating what should not be tolerated.” [7]7 Xi Jinping, speech at the Third Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the 20th CPC Central Committee, January 8, 2024. It is necessary to uphold the seriousness of discipline while also daring to stand up for those who take responsibility, to be accountable for those who are accountable, and to support those who do the work. In short, as General Secretary Xi Jinping requires, “We must adhere to the combination of strict management and care, and the equal emphasis on incentives and constraints. We must adhere to the ‘three distinctions,’ [8]8 Xi Jinping, speech at the National Conference on Organizational Work, July 3–4, 2018. better stimulate the initiative, creativity and proactivity of the vast majority of Party cadres and members, and form a strong atmosphere and vivid situation of striving on the new journey and making contributions in the New Era.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, October 16, 2022.

新时代继续推进党的纪律建设，要把严肃执行党纪与保护调动党员干部的积极性主动性创造性结合起来。既要用严格严肃的纪律，给予违纪的党员和党组织以相应的处分，尤其是把党内的腐败分子、违纪违法分子、不合格党员等清除出党，“既让铁纪‘长牙’、发威，又让干部重视、警醒、知止，使全党形成遵规守纪的高度自觉”。同时又要发挥纪律机制，保护、激发党员干部干事创业的热情，“要把干部在推进改革中因缺乏经验、先行先试出现的失误和错误，同明知故犯的违纪违法行为区分开来；把上级尚无明确限制的探索性试验中的失误和错误，同上级明令禁止后依然我行我素的违纪违法行为区分开来；把为推动发展的无意过失，同为谋取私利的违纪违法行为区分开来”。“要把严格管理干部和热情关心干部结合起来，既要求干部自觉履行组织赋予的各项职责，严格按照党的原则、纪律、规矩办事，不滥用权力、违纪违法，又对干部政治上激励、工作上支持、待遇上保障、心理上关怀，让广大干部安心、安身、安业，推动广大干部心情舒畅、充满信心，积极作为、敢于担当。”建立主动担当、主动作为、主动负责的党员干部干事创业的容错纠错机制。各级党委及纪检监察机关、组织部门等，“要妥善把握事业为上、实事求是、依纪依法、容纠并举等原则”，对干部的失误错误综合分析，“对该容的大胆容错，不该容的坚决不容”。既要坚持纪律的严肃性，又要敢于为担当者担当、为负责者负责，为干事者撑腰。总之，要如习近平总书记要求的，“要坚持严管和厚爱结合、激励和约束并重，坚持‘三个区分开来’，更好激发广大党员干部的积极性、主动性、创造性，形成奋进新征程、建功新时代的浓厚氛围和生动局面”。

Using Party discipline to cherish qualified Party cadres and members means not only ensuring that honest people do not suffer losses and that speculators and opportunists do not gain benefits, but also ensuring that those who want to do work, know how to do work, are capable of doing work, and strive to do good work for the people do not suffer losses. Serious discipline should provide guarantees and support for those who undertake work, achieving the unity of resolutely upholding the seriousness of Party discipline with trusting and caring for Party cadres and members.

用党的纪律厚爱合格的党员干部，不仅不能让老实人吃亏，不能让投机钻营者得利，而且不能让想干事、会干事、能干事、努力为人民干好事的人吃亏，用严肃的纪律为干事创业的人提供保障和支持，做到坚决维护党的纪律的严肃性和信任爱护党员干部相统一。

In the process of grasping the dialectical relationship between strict management and care, and between strict management and caring trust, it is necessary to master the different scopes of application of Party discipline, to make good use of the practical forms of supervision and discipline enforcement, and to take the “four forms” of supervision and discipline enforcement [10]10 The “four forms” are defined in the Party’s internal supervision regulations; the first form (red faces and sweating) refers to criticism and self-criticism, the second to light disciplinary sanctions, the third to heavy sanctions and job adjustments, and the fourth to criminal investigation. as an important guideline for intra-Party supervision and discipline enforcement. Let “red faces and sweating” become the norm; let light disciplinary sanctions and organizational adjustments become the majority of disciplinary actions; let heavy disciplinary sanctions and major job adjustments become the minority; and let those subject to investigation for serious disciplinary violations suspected of breaking the law become a very small minority. This is to achieve the effect stipulated in the Party Constitution of the 20th National Congress: “Adhere to learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and curing the illness to save the patient; enforce discipline strictly and investigate all violations; address problems early and nip them in the bud.” [11]11 Constitution of the Communist Party of China, amended at the 20th National Congress, October 22, 2022, Chapter 1, Article 4. The starting point for strengthening supervision over cadres is care, and being responsible for cadres, preventing cadres from sliding from minor mistakes to major ones, from quantitative change to qualitative change, and from slipping further and further down the wrong path. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “In recent years, we have summarized the Party’s historical experience and the new requirements for strict governance of the Party, proposed and practiced the ‘four forms’ of supervision and discipline enforcement. Under high-pressure deterrence and policy persuasion, some cadres who had made mistakes, even serious ones, voluntarily explained their problems to the organization and received lenient treatment; some cadres on the verge of violating discipline were warned, pulled back from the brink, and returned to the right path; and even more cadres were alerted, learned to revere, maintain fear, and hold the bottom line. This truly reflects the Party’s policies and strategies, and reflects the greatest care and concern for cadres.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, speech at the Third Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the 19th CPC Central Committee, January 11, 2019. On the new journey of the New Era, the Party’s discipline inspection work must “adhere to the integration and fusion of discipline, law, reason and sentiment, achieving the organic unity of political effects, disciplinary and legal effects, and social effects,” [13]13 Xi Jinping, speech at the Third Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the 20th CPC Central Committee, January 8, 2024. so as to both effectively punish illegal and disciplinary elements and save and educate Party members. This achieves the goal of “learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and curing the illness to save the patient; combining strict management with care, and equal emphasis on incentives and constraints; unifying the enforcement of discipline and law, policy strategies, and ideological guidance; speaking both of eradicating evil thoroughly and of cultivating virtue extensively; addressing problems early and nipping them in the bud; achieving the goal of educating people, saving people, and reforming people.” [14]14 Ibid.

在把握严管与厚爱、严格管理与关心信任辩证关系的过程中，要掌握好党纪不同的适用范围，运用好监督执纪的实践形态，把监督执纪“四种形态”作为党内监督执纪的重要遵循，让“红红脸、出出汗”成为常态，党纪轻处分、组织调整成为违纪处理的大多数，党纪重处分、重大职务调整的成为少数，严重违纪涉嫌违法立案审查的成为极少数，以达到二十大党章规定的“坚持惩前毖后、治病救人，执纪必严、违纪必究，抓早抓小、防微杜渐”的效果。加强对干部监督的出发点是爱护，是对干部负责，防止干部从小错到大错、从量变到质变、在错误的道路上越滑越远。习近平总书记指出，“这些年，我们总结党的历史经验和从严治党新要求，提出并实践监督执纪‘四种形态’，在高压震慑和政策感召下，一些犯错误甚至犯严重错误的干部，主动向组织讲清楚问题，得到宽大处理；一些游走在违纪边缘的干部受到警示，悬崖勒马、迷途知返；还有更多干部受到警醒，知敬畏、存戒惧、守底线，真正体现了党的政策和策略，体现对干部的最大关心和爱护”。新时代新征程上的党的纪律检查工作，要“坚持纪法情理贯通融合，实现政治效果、纪法效果、社会效果有机统一”，达到既能有效惩处违纪违法分子，又能挽救党员教育党员的目的，做到“惩前毖后、治病救人，严管厚爱结合、激励约束并重，把执纪执法、政策策略、思想引导统一起来，既讲除恶务本，又讲树德务滋，抓早抓小、防微杜渐，做到教育人、挽救人、改造人”。

V. Grasping the Relationship between Party Discipline and National Law, Adhering to Discipline Being Stricter than Law, Discipline Taking Precedence over Law, and Separating Discipline from Law

五、把握党纪和国法的关系，坚持纪严于法、纪在法前，实行纪法分开

To further improve the institutional requirements and legal basis for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, the 20th National Congress of the CPC put forward the requirement of perfecting the institutional normative system for the Party’s self-revolution. The institutional normative system for the Party’s self-revolution takes the Party Constitution as its foundation, democratic centralism as its core, a series of institutional norms and disciplinary constraints within the Party as its specific content, and is the sum total of a series of systems and regulations that standardize, guide, supervise and implement the thoughts, behavior, work, etc., of Party cadres and members. Law-based governance is a basic strategy by which the Party leads the people in governing the country. The system of intra-Party regulations is an important component of the socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics. Governing the Party according to regulations is a Party-building strategy by which the Communist Party of China uses the thinking and methods of the rule of law to govern and manage the Party and advance self-revolution; it is also an inevitable requirement and an important component of law-based governance. To achieve the long-term stability and security of the Party and the state, and to advance the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics led by the Party, it is “necessary to adhere to the coordinated advancement and integrated construction of law-based governance, institutional governance of the Party, and governance of the Party according to regulations.” [15]

为进一步完善全面从严治党的制度要求和法规依据，党的二十大提出了完善党的自我革命制度规范体系的要求。党的自我革命制度规范体系是以党章为根本，以民主集中制为核心，以党内的一系列制度性规范和纪律性约束为具体内容，规范引领、监督落实党员干部思想、行为、工作等的一系列制度法规的总和。依法治国是党领导人民治理国家的一项基本方略，党内法规体系是中国特色社会主义法治体系的重要组成部分，依规治党是中国共产党运用法治思维、法治方式进行管党治党、推进自我革命的党建方略，也是依法治国的必然要求和重要组成部分。要实现党和国家的长治久安，推动党领导的中国特色社会主义事业不断前进，就“必须坚持依法治国与制度治党、依规治党统筹推进、一体建设”。

For Party members, to study discipline, know discipline, understand discipline, and abide by discipline, and to enhance disciplinary awareness and reverence for discipline, they must first clarify the relationship between Party discipline and national law. Law is a requirement and norm for all citizens, while Party discipline is a requirement for all Party members; the latter is stricter than the former. General Secretary Xi Jin

对党员来说，要学纪、知纪、明纪、守纪，要增强纪律意识和纪律敬畏，首先要明确党纪和国法的关系。法律是对全体公民的要求和规范，而党的纪律则是对全体党员的要求，后者严于前者。习近平总书记对此指出：“党章等党规对党员的要求比法律要求更高，党员不仅要严格遵守法律法规，而且要严格遵守党章等党规，对自己提出更高要求。”这是由党的先进性质决定的，唯有如此，才能不断增强党组织的凝聚力、战斗力，也才能够保证党的先进性、纯洁性。

In the long course of governing and building the Party with strict discipline, the Communist Party of China has always required its members to observe Party discipline and has written “strictly observe Party discipline” into the oath of admission to the Party. After the founding of New China, the Party led the people in formulating the Constitution and laws, and also clearly required that “Party organizations and leading cadres at all levels must conduct their activities within the framework of the Constitution and laws, enhance their awareness of the rule of law, promote the spirit of the rule of law, and consciously act in accordance with statutory authority, rules, and procedures.” The Constitution of the Communist Party of China explicitly stipulates, “Consciously observe Party discipline, first and foremost political discipline and political rules, set an example in observing the laws and regulations of the state, strictly guard Party and state secrets, carry out the Party’s decisions, accept organizational assignments, and actively complete the Party’s tasks,” and lists this as one of the eight obligations that Party members must fulfill. For various reasons, there was for a long time within the Party a problem of failing to distinguish between discipline and law, and of conflating discipline with law. After the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in the practice of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party and strengthening Party discipline building, engaged in deep reflection and exploration of the relationship between Party leadership and law-based governance, and of the problem of failing to distinguish between discipline and law. It stressed that “the Party leads the people in formulating the Constitution and laws, the Party leads the people in implementing the Constitution and laws, and the Party itself must conduct its activities within the framework of the Constitution and laws, truly ensuring that the Party leads legislation, guarantees law enforcement, and takes the lead in abiding by the law,” and proposed separating discipline from law and governing and building the Party in accordance with regulations and discipline, thereby making a major deployment of the strategy for governing and building the Party. In the process of leading the formulation and review of the CPC’s intra-Party regulations, General Secretary Xi Jinping repeatedly pointed out regarding the relationship between discipline and law: “We must uphold that discipline is stricter than law, that discipline comes before law, and achieve the separation of discipline from law. In the past, there was the problem of failing to distinguish between discipline from law, taking the legal baseline that citizens cannot violate as the baseline of discipline for Party organizations and Party members, lowering the requirements for Party members, and ultimately resulting in the adverse consequences of ‘violating discipline being just a minor matter, only dealing with it when the law is broken,’ and ‘either a good comrade or a prisoner.’” “Discipline is discipline; discipline comes before law. This should be said to be another achievement of institutional innovation since the 18th National Congress.” This clarified the relationship between governing and building the Party in accordance with regulations and discipline and law-based governance, and established the policy and principle of governing and building the Party in accordance with regulations and discipline.

中国共产党在长期管党治党的历程中，始终要求党员遵守党的纪律，并把“严守党的纪律”写入入党誓词。新中国成立后，党领导人民制定了宪法和法律，也明确要求“党的各级组织和领导干部必须在宪法法律范围内活动，增强法治意识、弘扬法治精神，自觉按照法定权限、规则、程序办事”。《中国共产党章程》明确规定，“自觉遵守党的纪律，首先是党的政治纪律和政治规矩，模范遵守国家的法律法规，严格保守党和国家的秘密，执行党的决定，服从组织分配，积极完成党的任务”，并将这一条作为党员必须履行的八项义务之一。由于种种原因，党内曾长期存在纪法不分、纪法混淆的问题。党的十八大后，以习近平同志为核心的党中央在全面从严治党和加强党的纪律建设的实践中，对党的领导和依法治国的关系，对纪法不分的问题进行了深入的思考和探索，强调“党领导人民制定宪法和法律，党领导人民执行宪法和法律，党自身必须在宪法和法律范围内活动，真正做到党领导立法、保证执法、带头守法”，并且提出实行纪法分开、依规依纪管党治党，从而对管党治党的方略进行了重大部署。在领导制定和审议中国共产党党内法规过程中，对于纪律和法律的关系，习近平总书记多次强调指出：“要坚持纪严于法、纪在法前，实现纪法分开。过去就存在纪法不分问题，把公民不能违反的法律底线作为党组织和党员的纪律底线，降低了对党员要求，最后造成的结果就是‘违纪只是小节、违法才去处理’，‘要么是好同志、要么是阶下囚’的不良后果。”“纪律就是纪律，纪在法前，这应该说是十八大以来制度创新的又一成果。”这就厘清了依规依纪管党治党与依法治国的关系，确立了依规依纪管党治党的方针原则。

Grasp the relationship between Party discipline and national law, uphold that discipline is stricter than law, that discipline precedes law, and implement the separation of discipline and law.

把依规依纪管党治党与依法治国相结合，建设中国特色社会主义法治体系，建设社会主义法治国家，不断提高党的长期执政能力和领导水平，不断完善党的领导方式和执政方式，需要不断完善党内法规制度体系，并将党内法规制度体系作为中国特色社会主义法治体系的重要内容一体建设，切实推动纪法贯通、法法衔接，为加强党的纪律建设、从严管党治党提供强大的纪律和制度保障。纪检监察机关要善于运用法治思维和法治方式正风肃纪反腐，不断提升纪检监察工作开展的规范化、法治化、正规化水平，要“深刻把握依规治党和依法治国的内在一致性，自觉把政治意识与法治思维统一起来，增强法治意识、程序意识、证据意识，做到职权法定、程序规范、监督有力”，切实提高依规依纪依法履职水平。另外，要通过全党范围内党的纪律集中教育和经常性教育，不断增强党员的党纪规范意识，明确严守党纪是对党员在遵守国家法律基础上的更高的要求，作为共产党员，既要自觉遵守国家法律，也要在遵守法律的基础上严格遵守党的纪律。大量的违纪违法案例表明，党员“违法”，无不始于“破纪”。“破纪”没有管住，就有可能滑向“违法”。因此，要坚持纪严于法、纪在法前，健全完善制度，深入开展纪律教育和法律教育，养成纪律自觉，并狠抓监督执纪的落实工作，确保铁规发威生效。

To further improve the institutional requirements and legal basis for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, the 20th National Congress of the CPC put forward the requirement of perfecting the institutional normative system for the Party’s self-revolution. The institutional normative system for the Party’s self-revolution is the sum total of a series of institutional regulations that take the Party Constitution as the foundation, democratic centralism as the core, a set of institutional norms and disciplinary constraints within the Party as the specific content, and that regulate, guide, supervise and implement the thoughts, behavior, work, etc., of Party cadres and members. Law-based governance is a basic strategy by which the Party leads the people in governing the country. The system of intra-Party regulations is an important component of the socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics. Rule-based governance over the Party is a Party-building strategy by which the Communist Party of China uses the thinking and methods of the rule of law to govern the Party and promote self-revolution, and it is also an inevitable requirement and important component of law-based governance. To achieve the long-term stability and security of the Party and the state and to advance the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics led by the Party, it is necessary to “uphold the coordinated advancement and integrated construction of law-based governance, institutional governance of the Party, and rule-based governance over the Party.”

新时代新征程，坚持和发展中国特色社会主义需要继续开拓前进，应对各种风险和挑战需要不断披荆斩棘，党领导人民正在进行的伟大社会革命需要党继续勇于自我革命加以正确引领，坚持和加强党的全面领导需要深入推进全面从严治党，把党建设得更加坚强有力。中国共产党正全面推进新时代党的建设新的伟大工程，并将纪律建设置于更加突出的位置，把纪律建设贯穿于全面从严治党的全过程，从而为解决大党独有难题，建设更加强大的长期执政的马克思主义政党，确保党始终成为中国特色社会主义事业的坚强领导核心提供坚强的纪律保障。

For Party members, it is necessary to study discipline, understand discipline, clarify discipline, and observe discipline, and to enhance disciplinary awareness and reverence for discipline. First of all, the relationship between Party discipline and national law must be clarified. Law is a requirement and norm for all citizens, while Party discipline is a requirement for all Party members, and the latter is stricter than the

（作者：吕惠东，华中师范大学马克思主义学院副教授；丁俊萍，武汉大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Jin Qiu

网络编辑：金秋