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CPC Pledges to Improve Its Governing Capability

CPPCC to Deepen Personnel System Reform

Increasing Mutual Understanding and Promoting Reciprocal Cooperation

 

 

CPC Pledges to Improve Its Governing Capability

 

The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened a meeting on September 7, 2004 to sum up the work of the bureau since the Third Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee, and to discuss how to improve the Party's governing capability. Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided at the meeting. The meeting heard a report on the opinions of the inner-Party and non-Party personages on the CPC Central Committee's decision to improve its governing capability, and decided to deliver the opinions to the fourth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee for deliberation.

The meeting held that various localities and departments, as well as the delegates to the 16th Party Congress had put forward many good suggestions, which was the concentration of the wisdom of various circles, and that the suggestions were conducive to better mapping out the document for improving the Party's governance capability.

The meeting also noted that currently in-depth changes are also taking place in the international situation, and China's reform is at a critical moment for development. The CPC should adapt itself to the requirements of the new situation and new tasks, leading the Chinese people of all nationalities to step up the building of a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way and intensifying the building of the Party to improve its capability of governing the country. The meeting also stressed the importance of continuing to take Deng Xiaoping's Theory and the "Three Represents" as guidelines, sum up in a sober manner the historical experience of our Party, in order to master the law of governing the country, the law of socialist construction and the law of the development of human society. The meeting called for constantly keeping in mind the goal of improving the Party's governing capability, constantly improving the socialist system, giving priority to economic development, intensifying the Party's role in serving the people, setting up a scientific ideology for development, and promoting the coordinated development of material, political and ideological civilization. The meeting agreed that efforts should be made to develop the Party's Marxist theory in the process of governing the country, combine this theory with China's actual conditions, and study in depth the general plan, the system and the mode for governing a country, with a view to creating a strong theoretical guide for improving the Party's governing capability. In addition, in the course of this, importance should be attached to the establishment of a system of a radical, overall, stable and long-term nature. The meeting noted that efforts should be made to further promote economic and political restructuring, persist in and improve democracy and centralism, insist on governing the country by law and exercising power by law, and constantly improve the overall mode of governance of the Party.

 

 

                                                                                                            CPPCC to Deepen Personnel System Reform

 

In March 2004, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened a meeting, presided over by Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, which examined and adopted five documents concerning personnel system reform, including the "Temporary Stipulation on Openly Singling out Leading Party and Government Officials" and the "Suggestions on Problems Conceming Party and Government Leaders who Resign their Posts to Take up Business Activities." The five documents were issued by the Administrative Department of the CPC Central Committee in April 2004.

Before this, with the approval of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee jointly issued "The Circular on the Screening and Redressing of the Positions Concurrently Taken by the Party and Government Leading Officials in Enterprises."

The issuing of the six documents is an important measure for the CPC Central Committee to continuously deepen the reform of the personnel system and actively push ahead reform of the political system. It is an objective requirement for establishing and perfecting the market economy system and building political civilization. The six documents focus on the selection and management of and supervision on Party and government officials. It is of great significance for implementing the general plan of personnel system reform of the Party. According to the documents, an official-hiring mechanism should be introduced to single out people with excellent talents for the Party and government departments, so as to further improve the leading levels and ruling power of officials, and ensure the smooth proceeding of the reform and opening-up policies, as well as the modernization drive.

The documents prescribe the scopes, procedures and methods of examinations, discipline and supervisions concerning the singling out of leaders of the Party and government. The documents cover the following tasks: First, deepening the reform of the existing personnel system and establishing a mechanism to openly selection leaders of the Party and the government through a competition way. Second, trying to raise the scientific level by openly singling out and competition for government positions. The documents take related issues involving examinations and investigation as an important content of standardization. Tests will be made based on analysis of work positions in accordance with examination outlines for openly singling out the Party and government leading officials and application for government positions through competition. Requirements are clearly set for the method of oral examination and the composition of the oral examination panels, so as to enhance fairness and proceed in a scientific way. Third, striving to broaden the vision in selecting talented people. For example, stipulations are made for the open selection of participants working in state-owned enterprises and government institutions, the nongovernmental economic sector, and social organizations, as well as students who have returned from abroad. The requirements can be appropriately relaxed in terms of posts and the number of years of service required, based on the needs.

The "voting method of the CPC local committee's plenary session for the selection of leading posts and recommended candidates of the lower-level Party committees and government leading groups", one of the six documents, is an important reform in the decision-making system of cadre selection and appointment. In December 2000, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection proposed that the candidates to be promoted as principal leading members of Party committees and government organs at the prefecture (city) and county levels must be nominated by the Standing Committee of the CPC provincial (prefecture, city) and city committees, examined and deliberated by plenary sessions of Party committees and voted on by secret ballots.

In September 2001, the Sixth Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee further expounded upon this requirement. In accordance with the requirements of the CPC Central Committee, all localities -- including provinces, prefectures and cities -- actively explored and practiced this method, which won a good appraisal from both the Party and society as a whole. The document further standardized this method, and made it a basic system for the work of selecting and appointing cadres. The document also stipulates that the plenary session of the CPC local committees vote for candidates to be appointed and recommend candidates as principal leading members of Party committees and government departments, while the plenary session of the CPC county (or city, district or banner) committee votes for candidates to be appointed and recommends candidates as principal Party and government leading members at township (or town or neighborhood) levels.

The "Temporary Provisions on Resignation of. Leading Party and Government Officials" divides the resignation into four categories, namely resignation because of needs of work; resignation of one's own accord; resignation in acknowledgement of one's mistakes; and resignation by order. The formalities for the four types of resignation have different functions in the course of the management of cadres. Resignation due to the needs of work means that a leading cadre asks the relevant people's congress or committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the same level to be allowed to resign from his or her current position because of change of position due to the needs of work while the term has not yet expired. Resignation of one's own accord means that a leading party or government cadre may ask to resign from his or her current position due to personal or other reasons. This is an important channel for perfecting the normal resignation mechanism and enabling leading cadres to work at higher or lower levels. Resignation in acknowledgement of one's mistakes means that a leading Party or government cadre may ask to resign from his or her current position due to a grave mistake or dereliction of duty. Resignation by order means that the relevant Party organization holds that a leading Party or government cadre is no longer fit to hold his or her current position because of poor performance during his or her term of office.

The document stipulates that the resignation of leading cadres must proceed in accordance with laws. For leading cadres who have been elected or appointed by people's congresses or CPPCC committees, their resignation must be carried out in accordance with the laws or related provisions of the CPPCC constitution. The implementation of the resignation system, in particular the resignation system in acknowledgement of mistakes, fully embodies the requirement of the Party's principle of working in the interests of the people. It is conducive to enhancing supervision over leading cadres and guiding them to give importance to scientific development and correct achievement, and to better fulfill their duties. It helps enhance their sense of responsibility and spurs the building of democratic politics. The document also stipulates that if a cadre who resigns by order or in acknowledgement of mistakes violates Party discipline, he or she must be punished in accordance with Party discipline.

The document titled, "Suggestions on Problems Concerning Party and Government Leaders who Resign their Posts to Take up Business Activities" provides measures for the standardized management of their business activities. Their taking up business activities after resignation should be regarded as a normal flow of talents under the conditions of the socialist market economy, reflecting the diversification of occupations, and the demand for talented people in the rapidly developing non-publicly-owned economic sector. It will have a positive effect on the development of the non-publicly-owned economy and the introduction of a regular mechanism of government officials leaving and taking positions. In this regard, however, there also remain a few problems to be solved, such as a lack of procedures to be followed, and an absence of standardized management. Some officials resign and join business activities in the districts they used to work in or in sectors they used to control. This is likely to cause unequal competition in the market and be conducive to corruption. For this reason, it is necessary to guide and standardize the business activities of such officials, reining in their activities according to law, and bringing their active role into full play, while limiting and reducing all possible negative effects. In the light of the existing problems which have cropped up in practice, the above document has put forward some key requirements for standardized management of the conditions and procedures for resignation, as well as limitations on what kind of business such officials can take up. The document reclaims the requirements of the "two don'ts within three years period after resignation," that is, within three years after a Party or government official resigns from office, he or she shall not be allowed to take up a position in any enterprise or profit-making undertaking institution, or an intermediary institution in society in the same district or the same sector he or she used to control before resignation; the official shall not be allowed to take a job or act as an agent in business or any other such activity directly related to his or her former official work. As to some deep-rooted problems exposed in such business activities, the document stresses that education in relevant ethics shall be intensified among government officials, and the supervision and restraint of authority of leaders at all levels shall be also strengthened, thus uprooting any possible corruption induced from such business activities undertaken by ex-officials.

The circular on the screening and redressing of the positions concurrently taken by Party and government leading officials in enterprises has put forward specific requirements for those leaders. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has already barred Party and government officials from taking concurrent positions in economic entities of any kind. But this rule has not been carried out effectively enough in some districts and departments. Some leading Party and government officials have still been appointed to take positions concurrently in enterprises as directors. This has had negative impact on fair market competition, and is not conducive to the implementation of the principle of isolating the functions of government from those of enterprises and the perfection of the management structure of legal persons of enterprises, nor is it beneficial to the building of a Party working style of a clean and honest government and the building of a contingent of model cadres. Authorized by the Central Committee of the CPC, the Party's Disciplinary Committee and the Organizing Department jointly issued a document urging all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, as well as all the departments and commissions of the Party Central Committee and the Central Government to conduct a centralized redressing of the working positions concurrently occupied by leading Party and government officials at and above the county level. "Any leading Party or government official who has taken a position in any enterprise concurrently shall resign or be dismissed from that position; any enterprise director who concurrently takes a leading position in the Party and government shall be dismissed from that position. This is meant to accelerate the completion and perfection of the market economy system, and is an important action to strengthen the control of the contingent of cadres.

After issuing the six documents, the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the CPC and the Ministry of Personnel of the Central Government convened a conference on deepening the reform of the personnel system last April, making arrangements for the immediate implementation of the six documents, to continue to push forward the personnel system reform incessantly. Governments in all areas and government departments at all levels attach importance to the documents, convoking Party standing committee conferences or meetings of leading Party member panels to collectively study the documents, or convening special conferences or issuing documents to popularize the spirit and contents of the six documents. By way of integrating these documents closely with actual local conditions, they are doing their best to carry out and perfect the measures outlined in the documents wholeheartedly.

The reform of the personnel system is related to the upgrading of the level of the Party's leadership and its administration capability, and concerns the development of the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Following the publishing and implementation of the six documents so as to further push forward the personnel system reform continually, it is imperative that the task must be firmly carried out under the guidance of the important thought of the "Three Represents," while conscientiously acting wholeheartedly in the spirit of the CPC's 16th National Conference. On the basis of promoting the Party's administration capability, and focusing on the establishment and perfection of a mechanism for selecting, appointing and managing personnel in a scientific way, and with the goal of establishing and perfecting the mechanism and scientific method of the process of finding, cultivating, selecting, employing, testing, examining and supervising personnel, all the various Party and government organizations, enterprises, and executive offices should carry out the reform in a coordinated and interactive way, in a bid to create a dynamic and vibrant personnel employment mechanism, in which talented people of various types will be recruited and their abilities fully developed. In addition, everyone should be willing to work in any position, whether at the top or at the grassroots. Meanwhile, with the focus on the perfection of the civil service system, the reform of the personnel system of government offices and departments shall be pushed forward. With the focus on the mechanism of renovating the selection and appointment of the leadership of enterprises and the introduction of an incentive and restraint mechanism, the reform of the personnel system in state-owned enterprises shall be pushed forward. With the focus on the introduction of a personnel engagement system and post management system, the reform shall be speeded up. Through this reform, a correct orientation for employment of personnel shall be created, in a bid to foster a strong atmosphere of hard work and a down-to-earth attitude among all personnel. In addition, a scientific mechanism and ideal environment of cultivating, attracting and bringing into full play all kinds of talented people shall be created, so as to guarantee the prosperous development of the various causes of the CPC and China.

 

 

Increasing Mutual Understanding and Promoting Reciprocal Cooperation

        --Zheng Wantong, Secretary General of the CPPCC, talks about the achievements of the visits by Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, to the Republic of Korea (ROK), Austria, Spain and Portugal

 

At the invitation of the parliamentary leaders of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Austria, and Portugal, and the Chairman of Spain's Senate, Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), paid friendly visits to the four countries from August 26 to September 10.

Before the end of the tour, Zheng Wantong, Secretary General of the CPPCC, who accompanied Jla during the tour, gave a press conference. Excerpts of the conference follow:

It was the first time for Jia to visit the four countries since he took office as Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, and an important diplomatic activity by a Chinese leader. During the visits, Chairman Jia met with the state and government leaders of the four countries, and conducted in-depth exchanges with them on the issues of common concern. He also made wide contacts with political parties, officials and personages of various circles of the four countries, and visited some enterprises, farms and cultural facilities. He also met with representatives of overseas Chinese and students studying there. While passing through Malta, Chairman Jia met with the parliamentary leader of that country, and the two reached an agreement on certain matters. The whole tour achieved the goal of increasing mutual understanding, promoting friendship, enlarging consensus and deepening cooperation with the countries Jia visited. The main achievements are as follows:

First, demonstrating the image of China as a country which is dedicated to reform and opening-up, and peaceful development. On many occasions during his tour, Jia introduced the striking achievements China has scored in the social and economic fields in the past 26 years since the nation adopted the reform and opening-up policies.

Chairman Jia stressed that China is still a developing country and that it will unswervingly continue to dedicate itself to in-depth reform and opening-up, uphold the concept of scientific development, and further develop its market economy, democratic politics and advanced culture, in order to realize the grand objectives of building China into a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way in the first two decades of this century. Since China's economy is closely related to that of the rest of the world, and China firmly adheres to the road of peaceful development, the country will make efforts to ensure a peaceful and stable international environment for its development and, in turn, to promote world peace and progress with its own development. The leaders of the four countries highly spoke of and expressed admiration for China's tremendous achievements and correct choice of development road. They said that they regard China as an important force for safeguarding world peace and stability, and believe that China's development will play a positive role in promoting the economic growth of the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole.

Second, promoting the development of bilateral friendship. Chairman Jia highly spoke of the friendly relations between China and the four countries, and hailed the contributions made by the leaders of the four countries in the development of relations with China. He also stressed that China attaches importance to exchanges and cooperation with the four countries.

While visiting the ROK, Chairman Jla conveyed a message from Chinese President Hu Jintao to President Rob Moo-hyun, and noted that developing China-ROK friendly relations conforms to the fundamental interests of the two peoples and is the unswerving policy of the Chinese Government. China is willing, together with the ROK, to continue upholding the policy of mutual respect and seeking harmonious coexistence. The Chinese side would like to further consolidate the political basis for bilateral relations with the ROK, keep close contacts and cooperation on important issues concerning regional peace and stability, and continue to enrich the China-ROK comprehensive cooperative partnership in light of the guideline of "becoming good neighbors and partners," so as to benefit both countries and both peoples. The ROK leader agreed with the Chinese leader's proposal on developing China-ROK relations, and said that he regarded Chairman Jia's visit to the ROK as a good opportunity for pushing forward the development of relations between the two countries. The ROK leader said his country would persist in the policy of developing friendly cooperation with China, and keep the overall situation in view, to ensure the sound and stable development of relations between the two sides.

In Austria, Spain and Portugal, Chairman Jia said that China-Europe relations are now facing a good opportunity for development. The three countries are all EU members and have friendly relations with China, and have reached a consensus with China on many international affairs. They also share many common interests with China, which is willing to further strengthen exchanges, deepen cooperation and intensify consultation with the three countries, and constantly enrich the content of Sino-European strategic partnership relations, to push forward this relationship to a new and higher level. The leaders of the three countries said that they badly need partners like China at a time when the EU is currently undergoing unprecedented development. The three countries give high priority to the development of relations with China, and hope to launch cooperation on various fields and seek common development.

Third, promoting cooperation in trade and other fields with the four countries. Chairman Jia stressed that consolidating trade cooperation serves as a material foundation and a strong driving force for the development of state-to-state relations. With economies supplementary to each other, China and the four countries enjoy great potential for economic and trade cooperation. We should constantly explore this potential, and expand the fields, channels and mode of cooperation. China welcomes enterprises from the four countries to develop businesses in China, and take part in China's economic construction. The Chinese Government also encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in the four countries, and start businesses there. The four countries expressed their willingness to enlarge cooperation with China and the confidence to realize this goal.

The Chinese side discussed in-depth cooperation in some special projects with the ROK. It also held negotiations on cooperation in industry, agriculture, environmental protection, energy and technology with Austria, Spain and Portugal, as well as exchanges in culture, science and technology, education and tourism, with the three European countries. Entrepreneurs from the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) in Chairman Jia's entourage, made wide contacts and signed agreements with their counterparts in the four countries. They reached agreements on cooperation in such fields as aviation, animal feed, mechanical and electrical facilities, and hotel management.

Fourth, explaining China's stance on some important issues. Chairman Jia elaborated on China's foreign policy of peace and independence, stressed China's principles and stance on the issues of Taiwan, Tibet and human rights, and exchanged views on issues of common concern. These included safeguarding stability on the Korean Peninsula and pushing forward the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue. China and the four other countries reached a consensus in intensifying international cooperation in the fight against terrorism, maintaining world peace, and promoting common development. The leaders of the four countries highly spoke of China's constructive role in the Korean nuclear issue and other regional and international affairs, expressed their firm stance on persisting in the one-China policy, and giving priority to and playing a positive role in issues of concern to China.

Five, increasing friendly exchanges between the CPPCC and its partners in the four countries. During the visit, Chairman Jia introduced the system of the Communist Party of China, and the nature, function and status of the CPPCC. Jia pointed out that foreign exchanges made by the CPPCC make up an important part of China's overall exchanges with foreign countries. The CPPCC enjoys unique advantages, and has played a unique role in promoting parliamentary cooperation, and enhancing people-to-people friendship. The CPPCC is willing to intensify contacts and cooperation with relevant organizations in the four countries. China and the four countries should keep the overall situation of the development of their bilateral relations in mind, use their advantages to the utmost, and make unremitting efforts to push forward state-to-state and people-to-people and cooperation. The leaders of the four countries actively responded to Jia's suggestion.

Zheng Wangtong said that, during the visits, Chairman Jia took the overall situation into account, focused on important issues, and worked in a pragmatic and positive manner. His visits increased mutual trust between China and the four countries, ironed out doubts with them, and made new friends from various circles there. The visits attracted great attention in the four countries, and the visitors were accorded highly courteous receptions. The local media reported the visits in depth. The visits were made at the proper time, conducted smoothly in a friendly atmosphere, and achieved the fruitful results.

Finally, Zheng Wangtong noted that the ROK, Austria, Spain and Portugal are countries with long histories and splendid civilizations, and have an important influence on regional and international affairs. China has friendly bilateral relations and broad perspectives for cooperation with them. Chairman Jia's visits were of great significance in strengthening high-level exchanges, increasing mutual understanding and trust, and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. The visits were of far-reaching significance as they enriched the content of the relations of partnership and overall cooperation with the ROK, and produced new vitality for a long and stable development of relations between China and the four other countries, opening a new chapter in China's foreign affairs.