Strengthen Party Building Work in Social Organizations
The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China called for strengthening Party-building work in social organizations. The CPC Central Committee attaches high importance to this work. President Xi Jinping pointed out that social organizations are numerous and cover a wide range, making it essential to strengthen Party building in them. In response to relatively weak Party-building work in some social organizations, he emphasized that in areas with complex conditions and weak foundations, Party organizations must be improved and Party work strengthened to ensure full coverage, consolidate foundations, and prevent the bucket effect. Strengthening Party-building work in social organizations is of great significance. First, it is the fundamental guarantee for the healthy development of social organizations. Since reform and opening up, China's social organizations have developed rapidly and become an important force in socialist modernization, undertaking important tasks in advancing the strategic layout of the Four Comprehensives. Strengthening Party-building work is needed to guide social organizations in the correct direction and ensure full implementation of Party lines, principles, and policies. Second, it is urgently needed to modernize the national governance system and governance capacity. Social organizations are important participants and practitioners in this process, playing an increasingly important role in promoting economic development, advancing social programs, innovating social governance, and providing public services. Strengthening Party-building work helps stimulate vitality in social organizations, better engage them in national governance, and gather strong positive energy for comprehensively deepening reform. Third, it is an inherent requirement of comprehensive and strict Party governance. Social organizations are an important area of grassroots Party building. In recent years, localities and relevant departments have made useful explorations and achieved positive results, but new situations and problems continue to emerge, posing new challenges. To implement comprehensive and strict Party governance, greater efforts must be made to strengthen Party-building work in social organizations. In accordance with central requirements, the Central Organization Department formulated these Opinions to clarify and regulate key issues in Party-building work in social organizations.
The fundamental purpose of strengthening Party-building work in social organizations is to strengthen Party leadership over them and promote their healthy development. This work should be guided by Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Important Thought of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and should thoroughly implement the important speeches of President Xi Jinping. It should uphold four principles: First, uphold the unity of Party leadership and lawful self-governance of social organizations, integrate Party work into their operation and development, and better organize, guide, and unite social organizations and their staff. Second, uphold strictness and pragmatism, grasp relevant characteristics and patterns, strictly implement Party-building systems, actively explore approaches suited to the realities of social organizations, and prevent bureaucratization and formalism. Third, uphold a problem-oriented approach, focus on resolving key and difficult issues affecting Party-building work in social organizations, and comprehensively improve its quality. Fourth, uphold classified guidance, carry out work according to the type and scale of social organizations, properly handle the relationship between consistency and diversity, enhance relevance and effectiveness, continuously strengthen the creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness of Party organizations in social organizations, and fully play their role as fighting bastions and the exemplary role of Party members.
The Opinions clarify that Party organizations in social organizations are fighting bastions of the Party within them and play a core political role, defining their functional positioning. To play a core political role, the most fundamental requirement is to fulfill 6 basic duties: First, ensure the correct political direction. Second, unite and rally the masses. Third, promote development. Fourth, develop advanced culture. Fifth, serve talent development. Sixth, strengthen self-development.
Improving the management system and working mechanisms for Party-building work in social organizations is essential to promoting the healthy development of such work. The Opinion clarifies the management system for Party-building work in social organizations: Party-building work in national social organizations shall be uniformly led and managed by the Work Committee of Central Organs, the Work Committee of Central State Organs, and the Party Committee of the State Council SASAC, respectively; Party-building work in local social organizations shall be uniformly led and managed by Party-building work bodies for social organizations established at provincial, municipal, and county levels; Party-building work in urban and rural community social organizations shall be managed with backstop responsibility by street-community and township-village Party organizations. Where a social organization has a competent business authority, Party-building work shall be led and managed by the Party organization of that authority, subject to work guidance from Party-building work bodies for social organizations. The Opinion also requires localities to streamline the affiliation relationships of Party organizations in social organizations in accordance with principles conducive to conducting Party activities and strengthening Party member education and management. In addition, the Opinion requires organization departments of Party committees at all levels and Party-building work bodies for social organizations to establish three mechanisms: overall coordination, vertical linkage, and direct contact. The Opinion further specifies that organization departments of Party committees at all levels shall guide Party-building work bodies for social organizations at the same level, and higher-level bodies shall guide lower-level bodies, ensuring coherent work guidance across levels.
Achieving coverage of Party organizations and Party work is the foundation and prerequisite for Party organizations to play their role. In view of the characteristics of social organizations, the Opinion requires greater efforts to establish Party organizations in accordance with the principle that Party organizations should be established wherever conditions permit. First, Party organizations shall be established by unit. Second, Party organizations shall be established by industry. Third, Party organizations shall be established by region. On this basis, the Opinion requires that for social organizations not yet meeting establishment conditions, Party work may be carried out through dispatching Party-building instructors or liaisons, establishing trade unions or Communist Youth League organizations, and other means, and Party organizations shall be established promptly once conditions are mature. For newly established social organizations that meet establishment conditions, registration and approval authorities shall urge and promote the simultaneous establishment of Party organizations. Through various approaches, efforts shall be made to ensure that wherever there are members of the public, Party work is present, and wherever there are Party members, Party organizations are established.
The Opinion focuses on the large number, diverse types, significant differences, and concentration of highly educated professionals among social organizations. It requires actively expanding ways for Party organizations and Party members in social organizations to play their roles and emphasizes 5 targeted aspects. First, activities should support the healthy development of social organizations. Promoting such development is an important task for their Party organizations. To fulfill this role, Party organizations must center on and serve overall work, integrate Party activities into professional services, daily management, and culture building, and closely combine Party building with organizational development for mutual promotion. Second, activities should meet the needs of employees and the public. Party organizations should closely follow employees’ ideological status and actual needs, innovate ideological and political education, strengthen humanistic care and psychological counseling, unite and guide the public through welcomed activities and expected services, and enhance Party organizations’ appeal and influence. Third, activities should highlight the characteristics of social organizations. Such organizations have unique advantages in serving society and the public, and Party activities should make good use of them. Given the high mobility of employees, modern information technology should be fully used to enhance openness and flexibility. Fourth, education, management, and services should be innovated in line with Party members’ actual conditions. Efforts should be intensified to develop Party members, especially qualified heads and key business personnel of social organizations, and Party members in organizations with none or only a few Party members. Fifth, strict requirements should be implemented to improve the quality of organizational life. Intra-Party life should be regular, serious, and attentive to details. Party organizations in social organizations should closely connect with Party members’ ideological and practical work and strictly implement systems such as Three Meetings and One Lesson, democratic appraisal of Party members, and regular analysis of Party members’ Party spirit. In accordance with regulations, democratic life meetings for leading Party member cadres should be held, organizational life meetings for Party members should be held regularly, criticism and self-criticism should be actively carried out, and organizational life should effectively educate, reform, and improve Party members.