"To forge iron, one must be strong." Our responsibility is to work with all Party members to uphold the principle that the Party should supervise its own conduct and run itself with strict discipline, effectively solve major problems within the Party, improve its work style, and maintain close ties with the people. By so doing, our Party will surely remain at the core of the leadership in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
-- Speech given by Xi Jinping at a press conference for the new Standing Committee of the Poetical Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, November 15, 2012
To Forge Iron, One Must Be Strong
-- Continuing to improve the Party
According to a Chinese proverb, "To forge iron, one must be strong. To stitch embroidery, one must be dexterous." As a blacksmith, "one must be strong" in order to heat and shape metals into sturdy ironware. Similarly, one must have nimble fingers and skilled hands in order to sew beautiful embroidery. In Book 13 of The Analects, Confucius said: "If the ruler himself is uptight all will go well even though he does not give orders. But if he himself is not uptight, even though he gives orders, they will not be obeyed." In other words, rulers should first correct their own behavior. If one lacks integrity, one cannot correct the behavior of others. If one is not strong, one cannot produce high-quality ironware. Extending this concept further, we realize that in order to accomplish a mandate or task of any kind, we must first determine which personal qualifies are necessary. If we find that the qualities or skills we possess are inadequate, then we are unable to complete the given task. Furthermore, we need to be models of rectitude, with the correct ideology and value system.
At a press conference for the new Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, Xi Jinping quoted the above proverb in response to the media's interest in the issue of self-improvement within the CPC. His decision to use this proverb showed just how much importance he placed on the issue. To govern the country, one must first govern the Party, For the Party to govern the country, it must not only be strong, it must also be correct. It needs to continue to enhance its capabilities while remaining progressive and ideologically pure.
As the ruling party, the CPC is the true representative of the interests of people of all ethnic groups in China. The Party led the nation out of the chaos of war toward peace, steered it from a backward course toward modernization, and guided its transition from a closed society to one that opened up to the world. The Party has become "the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics." Just like any individual, however, as the role of the Party has become more important, the responsibilities that it must bear have also grown. It is important to recognize that the Party's mandate to rule is the result of the people's choice and historical events. It is the rational progression of history and the inevitable course of reality. However, the progressive nature and ruling status of the Party are neither permanent nor immutable. A progressive past does not guarantee a progressive future; having possessed something in the past does not mean that it has been secured for the present or the future. In order to maintain its progressive nature and consolidate its ruling status, the Party must anticipate and prevent problems. While still improving governance skills and capabilities, the Party needs to exercise sound judgment and guard against arrogant or rash behavior.
Just as a bunker is most easily breached from within, internal factors form the basis for change and development. The radical changes that took place in Eastern Europe and the dissolution of the Soviet Union are examples of countries where the ruling Communist parties fell from power, or even died out, because the parties neglected to improve themselves. They failed to maintain ideological purity and keep up with the times. When people lost faith in the parties, they lost authority to lead the development and building of the countries. These collapsed parties and fallen states offer valuable lessons to the CPC. Right now, we are distressed by some leaders within the Party who are self-important and act arrogantly toward the public, or who are spiritually empty and believe that communism is an illusory dream. We are concerned about some Party members who choose to use the authority entrusted to them by the people for their own personal gain. When tempted by fame and fortune, they fail the test and surrender to their own self-interests. This behavior disappoints the people and damages the Party's image. As the ruling party, the CPC must attach importance to these issues and impose severe punishments when needed; otherwise, the foundation of the Party will be compromised.
A political party must always keep a clean mind on reality, strengthening close ties with the people, and enhancing its immunity. It must control and eliminate the risk of corruption that is associated with expanded power and higher status. It is imperative that members of the CPC understand the situation facing them. They must not stay aloof from the people and should willingly submit to society's supervision. While putting more pressure on themselves, Party members should strive to adapt and advance. They have to enhance their abilities so that they are able to adapt to new situations, respond to new challenges, and resolve new problems.
(An excerpt from XI JINPING: WIT AND VISION SELECTED QUOTATIONS AND COMMENTARY, published by FOREIGN LANGUAGES PRESS in 2015)
