[Study in progress] The 17th issue of "Qiushi" magazine published on September 1 published an important article by General Secretary Xi Jinping, "Insisting on the Implementation of the Political Responsibility of Managing and Governing the Party."
As one of the connotations of the "Fourteen Persistences" of Xi Jinping's Party Building Thoughts, "persisting in the implementation of the political responsibility of managing and governing the Party" is the "nugget" that needs to be firmly grasped to strictly govern the Party in an all-round way.
In this important article, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that “without clear responsibilities, implementation of responsibilities, and accountability, it is impossible to strictly govern the party” and “we must hold on to the responsibility system.” The general secretary used the vivid metaphor of "cow's nose" to profoundly clarify the guiding role of implementing the political responsibility of party management in comprehensively and strictly governing the party, and pointed out the key points that must be firmly grasped in party management and governance.
Taking the implementation of the political responsibility of managing and governing the party as the most fundamental political responsibility
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized in an important article that the party must manage the party well in order to manage the party well; only in order to govern the party well can the party be governed strictly. To govern the party strictly, we must enhance the awareness of party governance and implement the responsibility of party governance.
The key to running China's affairs well lies in the party, and the key lies in comprehensive and strict governance of the party. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that managing the party is not only related to the future and destiny of the party, but also related to the future and destiny of the country and the nation, and must be grasped with greater determination, greater strength, and greater courage.
At what stage the cause of the Party and the people has developed, Party building must be advanced to what stage. This is the basic law that must be grasped to strengthen party building. The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a critical period for basically realizing socialist modernization, laying a solid foundation, and making full efforts. On the new journey, we must strengthen the awareness of responsibility for party management, implement strict standards and strict measures throughout the entire process and all aspects of party management, strive to build our party stronger and more powerful, and ensure that the party remains the strong leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that “comprehensive and strict governance of the party must first be viewed politically.” In an important article, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that party committees (party groups) at all levels and departments must establish a correct view of political performance and insist on looking at issues from the overall perspective of consolidating the party's ruling status. He emphasized that "party organizations at all levels and all party members and cadres must truly implement the political responsibility of managing and governing the party as the most fundamental political responsibility."
The party's self-revolution is always on the way. As the situation of the world, the country, and the party have undergone profound changes, comprehensive and strict governance of the party is also facing many new situations and new problems. From the strategic perspective of consolidating the Party's ruling status and realizing the Party's mission and tasks, we must deeply understand the significance of persevering in promoting comprehensive and strict governance of the Party, strengthen confidence, maintain determination, and use higher standards and more practical measures to adhere to and apply the valuable experience of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party in the new era, rectify and solve outstanding problems faced by Party building, and consolidate and develop the good political situation formed by party management and governance.
Improve the responsibility system with clear subjects and clear requirements
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that comprehensive and strict governance of the party is the common responsibility of the entire party, and a sound responsibility system must be established and classified by layer to clarify and consolidate responsibilities to promote party organizations at all levels and party members and cadres to know, assume and perform their responsibilities. Improving the responsibility system with clear subjects and clear requirements is an inevitable requirement for implementing the political responsibilities of party management and governance.
The main responsibilities of party committees (party groups) at all levels, the supervisory responsibilities of discipline inspection commissions at all levels, the primary responsibility of the secretaries of party committees (party groups) at all levels, and other members of the leadership team have "one post and two responsibilities"... These responsibilities are intertwined and together form a chain of responsibilities for comprehensive and strict governance of the party.
It is necessary to clarify the main responsibilities of the party committee (party group) to comprehensively and strictly govern the party, focusing on strengthening the leadership of party management, selecting and utilizing cadres well, strengthening supervision and restrictions on the exercise of power, and safeguarding the interests of the masses;
Focus on efficient supervision, strict discipline enforcement, precise accountability, etc., clarify the supervisory responsibilities of discipline inspection commissions at all levels;
Focusing on grasping the team, leading the team, and promoting implementation, the responsibilities of the first responsible person of the party committee (party group) secretary shall be clarified;
Combined with the division of responsibilities and tasks, and in accordance with the requirements of "one post, two responsibilities", clarify the responsibilities of other members of the leadership team in managing and governing the party;
Focusing on strict self-discipline, mutual supervision, mutual reminder and help, and combining the characteristics of party members and cadres' positions and work actualities, the specific responsibilities of party members and cadres should be clarified.
The clearer the chain of responsibilities, the more effective it is to comprehensively and strictly govern the party; the more solid the responsibilities are, the more effective the management of the party will be.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that every responsibility is important and must be strictly implemented and cannot be dealt with perfunctorily. Only by adhering to the entire chain of responsibilities, transmitting pressure at all levels, and interlocking responsibilities, and effectively enhancing the sense of responsibility and mission in managing and governing the party can we consolidate and develop a good situation in which the whole party works together.
The focus is to seize the "critical minority"
“The key is to capture the ‘critical minority’.” As General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, the key to the situation of comprehensive and strict governance of the party in a locality and department lies in whether the party organizations and leading cadres, especially the "top leaders", have fulfilled their responsibilities.
The article repeatedly emphasizes the "first responsible person": the party committee secretary should be the secretary who manages the party and serves as the first responsible person; intra-party supervision is the task of the whole party, the party committee (party group) bears the main responsibility, and the secretary is the first responsible person; it is necessary to consolidate the main responsibility of the party committee (party group) at all levels to comprehensively and strictly govern the party, especially the first responsibility of the "top leader"...
To achieve consistent responsibility and transmit pressure at all levels, the "top leader" is the key hub. Only when "top leaders" have responsibility, dare to take responsibility, and take responsibility well can they start well and finish well and do well.
How to consolidate the responsibilities of the “top leaders”, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward a series of requirements:
The assessment of the heads of party organizations at all levels and departments, especially the party committee (party group) secretaries, must first examine the effectiveness of party building;
The secretary of the party committee must take party building as part of his job and must assume responsibilities;
It is necessary to firmly establish the concept that "doing a good job in party building is one's own duty, not doing a good job in party building is dereliction of duty, and failing to do a good job in party building is incompetent";
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General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that adhering to the unity of grasping the "key minority" and managing the "vast majority" not only puts forward universal requirements for the majority of party members, but also sets higher and stricter standards for the "key minority", especially senior cadres, and carries out stricter management and supervision. Leading cadres at all levels must take the political loyalty of loving the Party, caring about the Party, protecting the Party, and revitalizing the Party, resolutely shoulder the responsibility of managing and governing the Party, be strict with themselves, take responsibility for their responsibilities, and manage their jurisdictions, conduct pressure at all levels, and effectively create a strict atmosphere and establish a positive atmosphere.
Seize the key point of "accountability"
"It is impossible to strictly govern the party without clarifying responsibilities, implementing responsibilities, and holding people accountable." The key to preventing "idling" of responsibilities is to make good use of the sharp tool of accountability. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that we must stick to the word "responsibility" and grasp the key point of "accountability."
The General Secretary made it clear that a precise and scientific accountability mechanism should be improved, pressure should be channeled at all levels, and the responsible subjects, responsibility requirements, and assessment and accountability should be in place, so as to promote the implementation of party management responsibilities.
The General Secretary also emphasized that it is necessary to optimize the evaluation mechanism for the implementation of responsibilities, and to accurately and scientifically hold accountable dereliction of duties and responsibilities, so that everyone can be convinced.
In September 2019, the revised "Accountability Regulations of the Communist Party of China" were officially announced. The revised accountability situations cover all aspects of the party's leadership, party building, and party undertakings. The responsibilities are more clear, and the political nature, accuracy, and effectiveness of the accountability work have been continuously improved. In 2025, a total of 1,336 party organizations and 39,000 leading cadres were held accountable across the country, accurately consolidating the political responsibilities of party management.
Only by taking actions of daring to hold accountable, strictly accountable, and always accountable can we establish trust, and be truly strict, dare to be strict, and be strict over time. Only then can we exert a deterrent effect, achieve accountability for one person, be vigilant for all, and promote the work of one party.
The century-old party is full of vitality, and managing and governing the party will never stop. On the new journey, we must thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts on party building, more effectively and effectively implement the political responsibility of party governance, and make party governance more strict, tight, and practical. This will surely provide a strong guarantee for comprehensively promoting the construction of a powerful country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization.
