What determines a person’s character is their conduct; what determines a Party member’s conduct is their Party spirit. At the democratic life meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Leading cadres must regard cultivating Party spirit and enhancing ideological awareness as lifelong tasks—lifelong learning, lifelong cultivation, and lifelong refinement.” All Party members and cadres must deeply understand the profound political significance of honing strong Party spirit and elevating ideological awareness, and treat this as a lifelong “compulsory course,” constantly studying, refining, reflecting, and progressing—never stopping and always staying true to our original aspirations.

Party spirit is the cornerstone for Party members and cadres in establishing themselves, building their careers, articulating their views, and cultivating moral integrity. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has elaborated on the concept and essence of party spirit from multiple perspectives. He pointed out that “the most fundamental aspect of upholding political principles is to uphold party spirit”; “currently, the problems that cadres encounter mainly stem from deficiencies in moral character and weak party spirit”; and “at the end of the day, what plays a decisive role in establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements is party spirit. Only with strong party spirit and the rejection of personal biases and extraneous thoughts can we ensure that our view of political achievements remains free from deviation.” This clearly demonstrates that without party spirit as the foundational cornerstone, all aspects of Party members and cadres cannot be firmly established or sustained. Hence, insufficient cultivation of party spirit not only hinders the growth of Party members and cadres but also undermines the development of both the Party and the country.

“He who plants trees must nurture their roots; he who sows virtue must cultivate his heart.” A strong Party spirit is the primary requirement for becoming a high-caliber cadre. To “nurture the roots” and “cultivate the heart,” the most crucial step is to enhance one’s political cultivation. Leading cadres must place political cultivation at the very forefront of their Party spirit development, continuously strengthening it and bolstering the firmness of their political convictions, the principled nature of their political stance, the acuity of their political discernment, and the reliability of their political loyalty. They should draw nourishment for their Party spirit from the Party’s innovative theories, truly master the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint, and methodology through enhanced theoretical cultivation, and genuinely arm their minds, root themselves in their souls, and integrate these principles into their very being. By doing so, they can firmly turn on the “switch of thought,” solidify the “soul of Party spirit,” and regard loyalty to the Party, sharing its worries, fulfilling their duties for the Party, and bringing benefits to the people as their fundamental political responsibility.

Party spirit cultivation does not naturally improve with the length of one’s Party membership or work experience, nor does it automatically enhance as one’s official rank rises. Without deliberate effort to cultivate and refine one’s character, party spirit will not only fail to improve—it may even deteriorate, and could potentially be completely lost. Strict intra-Party political life serves as a crucible for forging strong party spirit and a university for elevating political awareness. Party members and cadres must more consciously strengthen self-cultivation, self-discipline, and self-reform, embodying the spirit of self-revolution. Through earnest and serious intra-Party political activities, they should achieve self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement, continuously nurturing political steadfastness, strictly adhering to political norms, and always consciously remaining clear-headed and upright in political matters. They must also more consciously regard Party rules and discipline as crucial benchmarks for measuring their level of political awareness and as vital pathways for enhancing it. Firmly establishing a sense of discipline and adherence to rules, they should diligently study and exemplary abide by Party rules and discipline as well as national laws and regulations, demonstrating unequivocal stance on major principles and issues, displaying fearlessness in the face of trials and challenges, and ensuring that they live with integrity, perform their duties cleanly and honestly, and serve as officials with openness and transparency.

Deepening reform in a comprehensive manner is a broad and profound social transformation that involves all aspects and stages of the entire process. The scope of this transformation is unprecedented, its impact on vested interests runs exceptionally deep, the challenges it poses are extraordinarily difficult to overcome, and the risks and uncertainties it entails are more numerous than ever before. Party members and cadres must unswervingly implement the major decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee without any compromise or circumvention. They must conscientiously fulfill their duties and responsibilities, cultivate a sense of urgency—“we can’t afford to wait”—and a keen awareness of the crisis—“we can’t afford to lag behind.” With the courage to “blaze new trails through mountains and build bridges over rivers,” they should proactively throw themselves into the “main battlefield” of rural revitalization, the “frontline” of grassroots governance, and the “forefront” of reform and development. Through such efforts, they will temper their will, strengthen their Party spirit, and forge an iron backbone. They should consciously become active participants, tireless strivers, and selfless contributors to the cause of the Party and the people.

Cultivating Party spirit is a lifelong endeavor—there is only a “while it’s ongoing,” but never a “completion.” Faced with the accelerating, century-long transformation, the vast number of Party members and cadres must consciously hone their Party spirit and raise their level of awareness. They must proactively demonstrate the exemplary role of Party members by standing out in ordinary times, stepping forward at critical moments, and bravely taking the lead in times of crisis. Together, they should unite and lead the broad masses of the people to strive vigorously for the comprehensive advancement of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization.