The People's Daily (May 12) disclosed that the CCP CC General Office had published its “Suggestions on Continuing to Select and Send First Secretaries and Working Groups to Key Villages” to help “win the fight against poverty,” “comprehensively promote rural revitalization,” and “consolidate and expand the achievements of poverty alleviation.” The suggestions include:

- strict implementation of rational adjustment of the scope of selection, optimisation of the forces stationed in the villages, expanding the substance of work, and progressively changing direction to comprehensively promote rural revitalization.

- villages lifted out of poverty and villages resettled to alleviate poverty, should continue to select and assign first secretaries and work teams. The number of secretaries and work teams may be adjusted depending on whether the task of consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation is relatively light or not.

- strictly select candidates based on their good political quality, resolute implementation of Party theory, principles and policies, love of rural work, strong work ability, responsibility, innovative spirit, and dedication, among other qualities. The first secretary must be a formal Party member and meet experience requirements. The secretaries and personnel should be chosen from outstanding cadres at various levels, personnel from state-owned enterprises and public institutions, and from cadres who have left leadership positions but have not yet retired. They should go through the proper steps to be selected.

- The first secretaries and working groups will mainly: i) Construct a strong village party organization, which includes developing young party members and standardizing party branches; ii) Advance strengthening the village and enriching the people, which includes modernizing agriculture and developing rural industries; iii) Improve the level of governance, which includes promoting a sound rural governance system; iv) Handle services for the people, which includes focusing on improving the people’s livelihoods and promoting all kinds of resources to sink to the grassroots level.

- Strengthen organization guarantees by promoting party building, strengthening responsibilities, and cooperating closely with relevant departments. Make sure that working groups are adequately provided for in rural areas and given proper working and living conditions.