ǣ硡ӣң the Right path
l(f)rg:2020-03-27 Դ: ĬЦԒ c
The Communist Party of China recently announced an ambitious program to officially install a term-of-office system, an official exchange mechanism, and an avoidance scheme in the CPC and government offices as part of the Party"s efforts to improve its operating system. Zhang Rongchen, a commentator with the Studies Times, run by the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, explains the significance of the move.
Party reform and the states official operating mode have become a pressing challenge in the process of Chinas building of political democracy and economic reform. Therefore, efforts to explore more scientific, democratic and institutionalized systems will help to promote both inner-Party democracy and also democracy among the people. It will also help combat corruption caused by system deficiencies and ensure the Partys vitality and the states long-term stability. In this sense, the promulgation of the three documents of Interim Provisions on the Tenure of Leading Officials, Interim Provisions on the Avoidance of Leading Officials and Regulations on the Transfer of Leading Officials is a big step forward.
In 1980, late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping pointed out in his speech entitled On the Reform of the System of Party and State Leadership that the current systems and institutions in the Party and state are still plagued by problems. As far as the leadership and cadre systems of the Party and state are concerned, he said, the major problems are bureaucracy, over-concentration of power, patriarchal methods, life tenure in leading posts and privileges of various kinds.
From then on, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has made energetic efforts to press ahead with the reform of leadership and cadre systems of the Party and state. The recent regulations mark a milestone in the reform, and demonstrate important breakthroughs made by the new central collective leadership in pursuit of governance in a scientific and democratic way and in accordance with the law after the Partys 16th National Congress in 2002.
Even before the CPCs 16th National Congress, when the reform of leadership and cadre systems of the Party and state was first written into the Partys official agenda, pilot projects had already begun in the provinces under direct guidance from the central leadership. Many regions have been involved as the scope of the experiments expanded. Therefore, the three documents are also important supplements to documents issued in the past, featuring detailed regulations and rigorous procedures.
A compulsory term-of-office system guarantees predictability, which is essential for smooth transfer of power. People will know better what to expect of appointed and elected officials. The Interim Provisions on the Tenure of Leading Officials limit officials to a maximum of 10 years (two tenures) in the same position and locality.
Leading officials should not hold key positions in the Party and government agencies of their birthplaces, according to the Interim Provisions on the Avoidance of Leading Officials. Moreover, married couples should not be put under the same leadership, nor should one spouse become the boss of the other in Party or governmental organizations, the provisions stipulate.
The Regulations on the Transfer of Leading Officials say that officials who have held a post in the governmental, judicial or Party organs at county level or above for 10 years, must be transferred to new official posts in other locations. The same holds true for officials who have held same-level posts in one locality for a period of 10 years. Officials cannot refuse job transfers unless they are in poor health, under investigation for corruption or other wrongdoing, or will retire in no more than five years.
These regulations are not only basic principles for Chinas cadre system, but also bases for the solution of specific problems within this system. That the three documents concerning organizational construction have come out in a package is a sign that the CPC Central Committee is more aware of the significance of system-based management. The simultaneous avoidance and exchange systems may be substantial antidotes against nepotism, departmentalism and localism in CPC and government offices.
These three statutory documents are expected to enhance the advanced nature of the Party and also promote Chinas socialist political democracy. As the ruling party, the CPC should take full responsibility for the countrys progress and Party and state leaders are supposed to lead from the front. In order to preserve the advanced nature of Party members in an effort to develop the country in a scientific way and to build a harmonious world, its imperative to set up a sound cadre system. The promulgation of the three documents can be read as an important step from rule by men to rule of law in China.
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