Xi Jinping Promotes 'Criticism and Self-criticism' Campaign

During the visit to Hebei last week, President and Communist Party Chief Xi Jinping has participated in four separate half-day meetings with standing committee members of Hebei’s provincial party committee.

Xi put forward his “criticism and self-criticism” campaign, attending a series of meetings where provincial cadres were made to admit shortcomings and offer ideas for correcting their behaviour. Xi urged CPC members, especially officials at various levels, to courageously and constantly relay criticisms and self-criticisms so as to boost unity and implementation of democratic centralism.

Indulgence in privilege status, relaxed work styles and obsession with performance on a superficial level were some of the problems that a few officials put forward during the meetings. “We began just glancing at 'shop fronts' and rarely checking out 'the backyards' and 'corners' during inspection trips,” an official said, adding that some senior provincial officials focused on policies and projects that offer quick harvests.

Xi has instructed regional officials to "promote self-criticism and criticism" to implement his "mass line" campaign, which he said is necessary to eliminate formality, bureaucracy, hedonism and extravagance among rank-and-file cadres. These work styles were ‘harmful, stubborn in nature and prone to relapse’, Xi said.


This was Xi’s third visit to Hebei ever since he assumed office. He had visited a poor Hebei village in December last year. In July 2013, he admitted that the party was facing several challenges and complications during a Hebei visit and called on the local officials to listen to what the people had to say and accept their suggestions.