Editor's Note:

The Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China includes a number of Chinese President Xi Jinping's governance ideas that involve improving Party conduct, such as "the issue of working style is in no sense a small one." Xi stressed that "if the Party has a sound style of work, then the people are at peace and willing to stand with the Party in both success and adversity." In March, the Communist Party of China (CPC) launched a Party-wide education campaign to implement its central leadership's Eight-Rules decision on improving work conduct, immediately after the conclusion of the annual two sessions. The move underscores that the Eight Rules have not only become a "golden hallmark" of the CPC's efforts to improve Party conduct in the new era, but also a mobilization order for Party members to uphold credibility with concrete actions, stay clean and dedicated in their work, and create new achievements.

In the second installment of the "Decoding the Book of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" series, the Global Times (GT) continues to invite Chinese and international scholars, translators of the work, practitioners of its concepts, and overseas readers to share their insights, understandings and reflections on CPC's efforts to improve Party conduct and promote full, rigorous Party self-governance.

In the first article of "Scholars' Perspectives" which comprises interviews with and signed articles from renowned scholars across various countries, GT reporter Wang Wenwen talked to Evandro Menezes de Carvalho (Carvalho), professor of international law at the Federal Fluminense University, Brazil.

GT: On March 17 and 18, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, during his inspection in Southwest China's Guizhou Province, noted the launch of a Party-wide education campaign to implement the Party central leadership's Eight-Rules decision on improving conduct, saying that it is a key task for Party building this year. It's been more than a decade since the Eight Rules were proposed and implemented. In your opinion, why does a big party that leads the great cause of China's modernization focus on improving its work style on such a large scale, with such great efforts and for such a long time?

Carvalho: The CPC emphasizes the implementation of the Eight Rules spirit because it is crucial for modernizing governance, maintaining Party discipline, and strengthening public trust. This decision is part of the broader governance reforms led by General Secretary Xi Jinping. It strengthens Party discipline by ensuring that officials adhere to strict ethical and governance standards, reduces extravagance and bureaucracy, and enhances government efficiency by simplifying administrative processes and reducing unnecessary meetings. Through that decision, the CPC demonstrates its commitment to the people by opposing official privileges and proposing frugality.

It is through continuous self-improvement that the CPC maintains its nature and purity. Strict internal discipline and the cultivation of virtue among CPC members ensure that they remain committed to socialist modernization. It can be said that the CPC is devoted to establishing a deep connection with the people. This attitude reinforces the idea of serving the people and ensures political legitimacy and public support.

GT: "Only with stringent moral standards can one be strict with oneself." This is a requirement set by Xi for CPC officials and members. It has been elaborated in detail in the fourth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. During your research in China or your interactions with CPC officials, what feelings and impressions did you have?

Carvalho: When I was a researcher at the BRICS Center at Fudan University in 2014 and 2015, I was impressed by the attitude of the Center's director at that time - now retired. What impressed me the most was his daily dedication to establishing that Center. He was always the first to arrive. I remember that when the furniture for the Center was being delivered, he was there, helping the workers receive and arrange the furniture in the rooms. In official photos, he refused to stand in the center. He always preferred to stand in the corner. For him, the most important thing was making the Center established. He was not concerned with being in the spotlight.

GT: Taking the lead in being strict with oneself is a good tradition of CPC members. As General-Secretary Xi has emphasized, improving conduct must start from the top and set an example for those below them. At the initial stage of implementing the Eight Rules, it began with the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Carvalho: I think this reflects the Party's style: the main leaders guide both the Party and the country by example. CPC officials have a consciousness about the importance of the example they should give to the others and not all through words, but through attitudes and actions. This is very substantive to convince the others to do the same. They did this in a very natural way. It was not a kind of artificial effort. They really believe that that was the way to do the things.

GT: In the fourth volume of the book Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, General Secretary Xi proposed that strict self-governance is a significant element of the Party's self-reform in the new era, emphasizing that "We must implement the Central Committee's Eight Rules' to improve Party conduct with strict discipline, and introduce more measures of self-reform." The CPC insists on ruling and governing the Party with the spirit of reforms and strict standards. In your opinion, what does the CPC's governing the Party with the spirits of reforms differ from the "reform" or "adjustment" often touted by Western political parties?

Carvalho: The importance to evolve and adapt the Party and its members to the current time and to improve the legitimacy of the Party leads the CPC's ability and determination to self-reform.

People in the West are very narcissistic. They either cannot or do not want to understand that the Chinese political system is one in which constant supervision, both at the vertical and horizontal levels, is one of its main characteristics.

What I observe in the political systems of Western democracies is the hypocrisy of their political parties. They all claim to be against corruption, yet none engages in self-criticism of their mistakes to improve their party activities for the benefit of the people. None practices constant supervision of their ranks. In this regard, the CPC is far more rigorous and transparent than the political parties in Western democracies.

GT: When the Eight Rules were implemented initially, there was no "trial" period; instead, there was a resolute implementation. People recognized the serious and dedicated attitude of the CPC in this matter. General Secretary Xi stressed, "We just need to be a little uncomfortable and a little uneasy. If we are a little uncomfortable and a little uneasy, the people will be more comfortable and more satisfied, and they will feel better about us." Everyone felt that the CPC can get things done and is serious about doing so. This truly wins the trust of the people.

Carvalho: Due to the very characteristics of the Chinese political system, with a single party leading the country's governance, it is wise to cultivate a culture of self-reform to prevent the Party from losing its capacity for self-criticism and its ability to evolve and adapt to the challenges of each era. The CPC demonstrates its intelligence by establishing its mechanisms for self-reform and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

The West knows little about the philosophical and political foundations supporting China's entire governance system. We are missing the opportunity to understand China's achievements in their full scope. And if there is one thing China teaches us, it is that we must rely on the efforts and intelligence of our people if we want to be a sovereign nation.

GT: Does the CPC's experience in party governance offer insights to political parties in other countries, particularly in developing nations?

Carvalho: The Chinese political system has shown the world that it is very effective and promotes social justice. When we consider that the CPC eradicates the extreme poverty in China, the Party got a lot of legitimacy to talk about social justice, talk about ruling a country for the people and also talk about democracy. This is the reason why China recently is open to discuss the concept of the whole-process people's democracy. It means that the people is taking part in the decision-making process along the time.

The Chinese government gives a good example of taking important decisions and all the bodies of the government with the leadership of the CPC taking part. This combination encompasses the notion of governance. When we talk about the Chinese governance, we are talking about the concept very large, the main object of which is to promote the socialist modernization.

Western societies are more and more divided. They seem to be losing the ability to dialogue, the sense of unity and the capacity of building together their country. When we look at China, China is doing the opposite. The CPC leads all ethnic groups in China to promote common prosperity. It is an undeniable example to all the political parties and governments in the world.

I'm not suggesting that we should copy China, but the fact is China is doing something that we must learn, study, engage in dialogue, and then see what the Chinese people and Chinese governments are doing. And in this way, by comparing the differences, we try to find our way to solve some problems we are having in our societies. China gives a very good example to the world about what it is truly being a republic, especially a people's republic.

This article first appeared in the Global Times: 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1331195.shtml