The CPC Central Committee’s Eight-Point Decision on Improving Work Style and Maintaining Close Ties with the Masses

On December 4, 2012, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, at which the “Eight-Point Decision of the 18th CPC Central Political Bureau on Improving Work Style and Maintaining Close Ties with the Masses” was reviewed and adopted. The decision sets forth rules in eight areas—ranging from investigation and research to meetings and activities—to strengthen the building of a sound work style:

(1) All members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee must improve their investigative research. When conducting field visits at the grassroots level, they should gain a thorough understanding of the actual situation, summarize experience, study problems, resolve difficulties, and provide guidance for work. They should learn from the masses and from practical experience, hold more discussions with the masses, engage in more candid exchanges with cadres, conduct more consultations and deliberations, analyze typical cases in depth, and go more often to areas where difficulties and conflicts are concentrated and where public opinion is most vocal. They must avoid mere formalities and superficiality. In addition, they should travel light, minimize the number of escorts, simplify reception arrangements, refrain from posting or hanging slogans and banners, avoid arranging for mass welcomes or send-offs, not lay out welcome carpets, not display flowers or plants, and not organize banquets.

(2) We must streamline meetings and activities, earnestly improve the style of meetings, and strictly control all nationwide conferences and major events convened in the name of the CPC Central Committee. No meetings should be held merely to make general work arrangements or issue requirements; and no one may attend, without prior approval from the CPC Central Committee, any ribbon-cutting ceremonies, groundbreaking ceremonies, celebratory gatherings, commemorative events, award ceremonies, expos, seminars, or forums of any kind. We must enhance the effectiveness of meetings by keeping them brief and speeches concise, and firmly refrain from empty rhetoric and clichés.

(3) We must streamline documents and briefings and genuinely improve writing style; any documents or briefings that lack substantive content or are optional to issue shall not be issued.

(4) Foreign visits must be standardized: such visits shall be rationally planned in light of the overall needs of diplomatic work, the number of accompanying personnel shall be strictly controlled, and transportation shall be used in strict accordance with relevant regulations. As a general rule, representatives of Chinese-funded institutions, overseas Chinese and Chinese nationals, and student representatives shall not be arranged to greet or see off visitors at the airport.

(5) Security arrangements shall be improved in accordance with the principle of maintaining close ties with the public, with traffic controls minimized; under normal circumstances, road closures and the evacuation of venues or buildings are prohibited.

(6) News coverage should be improved: Comrades on the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee shall decide whether to report on their attendance at meetings and events based on work needs, newsworthiness, and social impact, and further reduce the number, word count, and duration of such reports.

(7) Strict regulations shall be enforced regarding the publication of written works: except as centrally coordinated, individuals shall not publicly publish books or standalone collections of speeches, send congratulatory letters or telegrams, or inscribe dedicatory messages or calligraphic inscriptions.

(8) We must vigorously practice thrift and frugality, strictly abide by the relevant regulations on clean governance, and rigorously implement the provisions governing work and living allowances, including housing and vehicle allocation.