Qiu Shi (Seeking Truth; 2020/15 dated August 1)published the speech Xi Jinping made at the 21st collective study session of the Politburo on 29 June. In his speech, Xi Jinping emphasised the importance of organisation building as a foundation for party building. He laid out five goals for implementing the Party’s organisational line in the new era: 

First, uphold and improve the Party’s leadership and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. He stated this was important because political and organisational lines are linked. Xi Jinping also highlighted the importance of ensuring ideological and political consistency at all levels of the government with the Central Committee. 

Second, arm the entire Party with the Party’s scientific theory. Xi Jinping stated that Marxism should be used as a guide to strengthen and centralise party thought. 

Third, build the party’s organisational system to unify and strengthen grassroots and local governance. Most important was to ensure their resolute obedience to the Central Committee. 

Fourth, build the backbone of the ruling ranks and talent team, focusing on recruiting talented and virtuous people. Essential to this goal, Xi Jinping said, is to strengthen the education and training of cadres and deepen cadre system reform efforts. 

Fifth, build the party’s organisational system. He focused on democratic centralism as the key to the leadership system of the party, and expressed the need to “continuously improve the institutionalisation, standardisation, and the scientific level of the Party’s organisational construction.”