Key facts
- China's Communist Party announced "Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building" as new official doctrine.
- The doctrine emphasizes disciplined governance and unified party leadership.
- It is presented as a milestone in Marxist theory and party building history.
- Key tenets include centralized leadership and rigorous party self-governance.
- Anti-corruption measures are a significant focus of the new ideology.
- The announcement comes ahead of the 2027 party congress.
China's ruling Communist Party has officially announced a new branch of President Xi Jinping's political thought, termed "Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building." This new doctrine, presented as a significant milestone in Marxist theory and the history of the Chinese Communist Party, emphasizes governing the party with strict discipline and unified leadership.
The concept was unveiled during a national conference on party building, where it was lauded by state broadcaster CCTV as a fundamental guideline for strengthening the party in the current era. The initiative was formally established at a meeting chaired by Cai Qi, the party's ideology chief and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee.
According to CCTV, the "Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building" is built upon "14 insists," which include maintaining centralized, unified leadership from the party's Central Committee and ensuring comprehensive and rigorous self-governance. A major focus of the doctrine is the fight against corruption, with the aim of creating an environment where officials lack the means, opportunity, or desire to engage in corrupt practices.
This ideological addition is being introduced approximately a year before the next party congress, scheduled for autumn 2027. This congress is anticipated to see significant personnel changes, with projections suggesting that over two-thirds of the Central Committee members may be replaced due to customary age limits, potentially leading to major reshuffles within the Politburo and its Standing Committee.