Deeply recognize the significant importance of eradicating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption.

Entering a new era, the Party Central Committee—with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core—has incorporated comprehensive and strict governance of the Party into the strategic layout of the “Four Comprehensives,” launching an unprecedented anti-corruption campaign driven by the mission of “offending thousands but failing to let down 1.4 billion people.” We have simultaneously promoted efforts to ensure that officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to engage in corruption, thereby eliminating serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military. As a result, we have achieved an overwhelming victory in the fight against corruption and have fully consolidated these gains, providing strong guarantees for smoothly realizing the first centenary goal and advancing toward the second centenary goal. Building on the historical achievements made in the fight against corruption, the report to the 20th National Congress of the Party profoundly pointed out that “the task of eradicating the breeding grounds for corruption remains daunting,” and emphasized that “as long as the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption persist, the fight against corruption must never slacken—it is imperative to keep sounding the charge.” At the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping further stated: “In this new journey, the fight against corruption must continue to exert sustained and in-depth efforts to eliminate the very soil and conditions that breed corruption.” This strategic deployment, made by our Party from the perspective of our historical position and the historic mission we shoulder, carries profound practical significance and serves as a fundamental guiding principle.

This is an inevitable requirement for providing service and ensuring the Chinese-style modernization. As the Party-led social revolution embarks on a new journey, the Party’s self-revolution must demonstrate a fresh outlook. Promoting Chinese-style modernization is a pioneering endeavor unprecedented in history, calling for development that is of higher quality, more efficient, more equitable, more sustainable, and more secure. Corruption pollutes the political ecosystem, undermines fairness and justice, damages the business environment, infringes upon the interests of the masses, and accumulates hidden risks—making it a “roadblock” and “stumbling block” to achieving Chinese-style modernization. In this new era and on this new journey, the fight against corruption must remain closely aligned with the central tasks of the Party and the country, serve high-quality development, and implement the arrangements for further comprehensively deepening reform. We must address corruption at its root causes and deepen efforts toward addressing its fundamental issues, striving to foster a clean and upright political ecosystem and a favorable development environment, thereby clearing obstacles and providing strong safeguards for advancing Chinese-style modernization.

This is a strategic decision made to accurately grasp the situation in the fight against corruption. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that while we have achieved an overwhelming victory in the fight against corruption and have fully consolidated our gains, the situation remains grave and complex. At present, the fight against corruption has entered deep waters: the stock of existing corruption has yet to be completely eradicated, and new cases continue to emerge—indicating that the soil and conditions conducive to corruption have not been thoroughly uprooted. From a political perspective, the “seven instances of having” still exist to varying degrees, and the political environment within the Party needs ongoing purification. From an economic perspective, the illicit gains obtained by those who “hunt” and those who are “hunted” far exceed the costs they incur, making the lure of personal gain immensely attractive. From a systemic perspective, certain institutional norms remain imperfect, leaving room for rent-seeking and the abuse of power. From a cultural perspective, erroneous ideas such as cultivating personal connections and using back channels still find a market, blurring the boundaries between right and wrong and eroding social ethos. From a responsibility perspective, some Party organizations have failed to adequately fulfill their political responsibilities in governing and disciplining the Party; some leading cadres adopt a “good-person” mentality, lacking the spirit of struggle and allowing problems to fester unchecked—and so on. If these underlying conditions and factors are not eliminated, corruption will fall into a vicious cycle where every attempt to crack down only leads to more corruption. In this new era and on this new journey, the fight against corruption must address the root causes precisely, adopt targeted measures, and employ a multifaceted approach, continuously raising the cost of corruption, reducing opportunities for corruption, and eliminating the motivations behind it, thus steadily moving toward the goal of fundamentally resolving the issue of corruption.

This is a crucial step in seizing the momentum to win the tough and protracted battle against corruption. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, we have launched bold and decisive reforms, overcoming numerous obstacles with great determination. Following the 19th National Congress, we have pressed ahead without pause, remaining firm yet prudent. And after the 20th National Congress, we have continued to exert sustained efforts and push forward in greater depth. Under the leadership of our Party, we have successfully forged a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics, propelling the fight against corruption to a new, higher starting point. Our Party’s understanding of the underlying patterns governing the fight against corruption has grown ever deeper; our analysis of corruption-related issues has become more accurate, and our definitions of corruption have become clearer. The tools and methods for combating corruption have become increasingly diverse—leveraging information technologies such as big data, we have uncovered many deeply hidden corrupt officials. Moreover, our approach to anti-corruption has become increasingly scientific, seamlessly integrating case-by-case investigations with systemic rectification. As a result, the achievements in the fight against corruption continue to expand, laying a solid foundation for further deepening efforts aimed at addressing corruption at its root. In this new era and on this new journey, the fight against corruption must devote even greater energy to eradicating the very soil and conditions that give rise to corruption. We must unswervingly remove the malignant tumors, eliminate the sources of corruption, and purge the lingering harmful effects, thereby fundamentally consolidating the hard-won victories and, through relentless efforts, ensuring a world of peace and prosperity—a world free from corruption and filled with integrity and justice.

The important principle of accurately identifying and eliminating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption.

The Decision regards eliminating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption as a key component of advancing the Party’s self-revolution, calling for continuous efforts to promote the Party’s self-purification, self-improvement, self-innovation, and self-enhancement. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we must thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important ideas on the Party’s self-revolution, put into practice the “Nine ‘With’” requirements, draw upon and apply the valuable experiences gained in comprehensively strengthening Party governance in the new era, deepen our approach to addressing both symptoms and root causes and adopt a systematic strategy, and continuously enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts.

Uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee. Eradicating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption is a daunting and complex systematic undertaking that can be effectively advanced only under the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee. We must deeply grasp the decisive significance of the “Two Establishments,” enhance our “Four Consciousnesses,” firmly uphold our “Four Confidences,” and ensure “Two Safeguards.” We should improve the institutional mechanisms through which the Party Central Committee leads anti-corruption efforts, and fully implement the political responsibility of Party organizations at all levels to exercise strict governance over the Party in an all-round way, thereby making anti-corruption work more coordinated and efficient in terms of decision-making, deployment, command, resource integration, and the application of measures and methods.

We must steadfastly promote the integrated approach of ensuring that officials neither dare nor can nor wish to engage in corruption. Promoting the “three no’s” in a coordinated manner is both the fundamental principle guiding the fight against corruption and an important strategy for comprehensively enforcing strict Party governance. “Dare not” is the prerequisite, focusing on establishing a powerful deterrent effect characterized by zero tolerance, full coverage, and no prohibited zones. “Cannot” is the key, emphasizing the strengthening of rigid constraints and effective oversight over the allocation and operation of power. “Do not want to” is the root cause, centering on cultivating a conscious commitment to integrity, public service, and resistance to corruption and degeneration. We must forge strong internal links among these three elements, exerting efforts simultaneously, in the same direction, and in a comprehensive manner, thereby promoting the organic unity and mutual reinforcement of the “three no’s.”

We must adhere to the spirit of reform in the fight against corruption. Reform and innovation are the driving force behind perfecting the governance system and enhancing governance capacity, and they represent a vital tool for eradicating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption. We need to plan, deploy, and implement anti-corruption measures and reform initiatives in tandem, refining power-operating mechanisms that feature scientific allocation, effective checks and balances, and robust oversight—thereby narrowing the space for arbitrary exercise of power. We should also promote innovation in the systems, mechanisms, and approaches for combating corruption, making good use of technological empowerment to continuously enhance our ability and effectiveness in preventing and addressing corruption.

Uphold the steadfast and unwavering commitment to staying on the road ahead. Corruption is a common phenomenon in human societies, and eradicating it completely is a long-term historical process. We must consistently and clearly demonstrate our Party’s unyielding political stance that corruption is absolutely incompatible with our Party. We must remain firm in our conviction and determination—never wavering in our principles and never changing our aspirations—and persistently uphold the strict tone, stringent measures, and rigorous atmosphere. We must focus on eliminating the very soil and conditions that give rise to corruption, gradually reducing the recurrence of longstanding problems and making it increasingly difficult for newly emerging issues to spread. By doing so, we can promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of preventing and addressing corruption.

Firmly implement the key tasks of eradicating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption.

The “Decision” focuses on thoroughly eradicating the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption, and clearly defines the key tasks and important initiatives for the current and coming period. We must deeply implement the arrangements laid out in the “Decision,” refine the integrated mechanism for ensuring that officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to engage in corruption, and coordinate efforts to ensure the effective implementation of these tasks.

Improve the accountability system for Party leadership in the fight against corruption. The Decision points out that Party leadership is the fundamental guarantee for further deepening reform in a comprehensive manner and advancing Chinese-style modernization. We must refine the institutional framework for anti-corruption efforts, featuring centralized and unified leadership by the Party Central Committee, coordinated command by Party committees at all levels, organizational coordination by discipline inspection and supervision agencies, efficient collaboration among functional departments, and active participation and support from the people. We need to firmly establish the principal responsibility of Party committees (Party groups) at all levels for exercising strict governance over the Party in an all-round way—especially the primary responsibility of the “top leader”—and ensure the seamless implementation of regulatory duties by relevant functional departments. We should also improve the accountability structure for Party governance, with each department assuming its own responsibilities while maintaining unified coordination. We must organically integrate the eradication of the soil and conditions conducive to corruption into the overall strategic plan for Party building and incorporate it into the deployment for perfecting the system of strict governance over the Party in a comprehensive manner. This integration should be closely linked with the Party’s political development, ideological development, organizational development, work style development, disciplinary development, and institutional development, fully leveraging the critical roles of political oversight, ideological education, organizational management, work style rectification, disciplinary enforcement, and institutional improvement in preventing and combating corruption, thus securing victory in the overall battle against corruption.

Always maintain a high-pressure approach to punishment and deterrence. Faced with an ongoing, severe, and complex situation, we must absolutely not turn back, relax our vigilance, or show any leniency in the fight against corruption. We need to improve mechanisms for making political oversight more concrete, precise, and routine; strictly enforce political discipline and rules; promptly identify and vigorously address the “seven types of problems”; show zero tolerance toward those who form political cliques, small circles, or interest groups within the Party; and resolutely eliminate political risks. We must closely monitor key issues, critical sectors, and priority targets, regarding the severe punishment of corruption involving collusion between government officials and business interests as the top priority in our tough battle against corruption. We should deepen efforts to tackle corruption in areas where power is concentrated, funds are abundant, and resources are plentiful—such as finance, state-owned enterprises, energy, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure projects, and bidding processes. We should also enrich effective strategies for preventing and addressing new forms of corruption and hidden corruption, establish a coordinated mechanism for early warning and punishment of corruption, and strengthen rapid response and joint handling capabilities. We must coordinate efforts on both the international and domestic fronts, improve mechanisms for pursuing fugitives, preventing escape, and recovering stolen assets, continue carrying out the “Sky Net” operation, reinforce integrity-building along the Belt and Road Initiative, focus on tackling cross-border corruption, and ensure that no corrupt official escapes justice. We should extend the fight against corruption to the grassroots level and closer to the people, punish “fly-level corruption” and petty corruption affecting ordinary citizens, and enable the public to feel more tangible benefits from these efforts.

Establish a mechanism for simultaneously investigating and addressing unhealthy tendencies and corruption. Unhealthy tendencies and corruption are two sides of the same coin, sharing the same root and origin. Unhealthy tendencies breed and conceal corruption, while corrupt practices in turn fuel and exacerbate unhealthy tendencies—and can even give rise to new problems in work style. We must gain a deep understanding of the intertwined nature of these issues, persistently implement the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulation, and adopt a holistic approach that simultaneously tackles both unhealthy tendencies and corruption. We should both “investigate corruption through unhealthy tendencies” to prevent “covering up corruption with unhealthy tendencies,” and thoroughly uncover the underlying corruption—such as transactions between power and money or exchanges of influence—that lie behind unhealthy tendencies. At the same time, we should “correct unhealthy tendencies by tackling corruption,” meticulously examining the underlying work-style issues like hedonism and extravagance that often accompany corruption. We must deepen efforts to investigate both bribery and the offering of bribes together, refine mechanisms for joint punishment of key bribe-givers, and resolutely crack down on those who repeatedly involve officials in wrongdoing and pose a serious threat to local governance. We should also intensify efforts to recover and rectify the illicit gains obtained through bribery. Furthermore, we must insist on investigating both victims and perpetrators of fraud together, severely punish political fraudsters as well as Party members and cadres who associate with them, and eliminate the “sources of contamination” within our political ecosystem.

Improve the mechanisms for restraining and supervising the allocation and operation of power. At its core, corruption is the abuse of power. We must refine the mechanisms for constraining the allocation and operation of power, firmly oppose privileged thinking and privileged practices, focus on key powers such as policy formulation, decision-making, and approval and supervision, deepen institutional and systemic reforms in priority areas, accelerate the development of governance mechanisms in emerging fields, further plug institutional loopholes, standardize discretionary powers, and reduce opportunities for rent-seeking and rent creation. We should implement the Party’s overarching requirements of unified leadership, comprehensive coverage, and authoritative efficiency, and improve the Party and state supervision system by taking intra-Party supervision as the lead, specialized supervision as the backbone, and grassroots-level supervision as the support, thereby promoting seamless integration and coordination among various oversight mechanisms. We must continue to deepen the reform of the discipline inspection and supervision system, optimize the functions of inspection, supervision, and investigation agencies, refine the disciplinary inspection and supervision systems for vertically managed units, advance the full deployment of discipline inspection and supervision teams to centrally-administered enterprises, improve the systems and mechanisms for inspection and巡察 work, promote the organic integration of disciplinary enforcement and criminal justice, and deepen the reform of grassroots-level supervision systems and mechanisms. We should also advance the construction of a big-data supervision platform for public power, leverage information technology to promptly identify common problems, strengthen early warning and corrective measures, and use openness and transparency to prevent the abuse of power. We must closely monitor the “key few,” improve supporting systems for strengthening supervision over “leading officials” and leading teams, and enhance the targeted effectiveness of supervision.

Improve the system of Party regulations and the legal framework for anti-corruption efforts. To effectively prevent the emergence and spread of corruption, we must adopt a proactive approach by shifting the focus of prevention forward and strengthening disciplinary and legal constraints. We need to refine Party regulations, establish a mechanism for disciplinary education that combines regular and concentrated efforts, enhance the effectiveness of Party discipline learning and education, and encourage Party members and cadres to internalize compliance with rules and discipline. Strictly enforce discipline, deepen the application of the “four forms” of supervision and discipline enforcement, and ensure that every instance of violation of Party discipline is rigorously investigated and dealt with—making the iron discipline both “sharp” and “authoritative,” while also serving as a wake-up call for cadres to know when to stop. We should be adept at using rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law approaches to prevent and combat corruption, improve and refine foundational regulations and systems, continuously advance national legislation on anti-corruption efforts, update the Supervision Law in keeping with the times, and enact a law against cross-border corruption. Strengthen oversight and inspection of the implementation of key regulations and systems to ensure their rigid enforcement.

Strengthen the building of a culture of integrity for the new era. To eradicate the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption, it is essential that the vast number of Party members and cadres consciously resist the temptations of corruption deep within their hearts. We must establish and improve long-term mechanisms for ideological and moral education and Party spirit cultivation, guiding Party members and cadres to arm themselves with the Party’s innovative theories, consolidate their foundations through firm ideals and convictions, continuously enhance their Party spirit and ideological horizons, and solidify the ideological underpinnings for resisting corruption and preventing degeneration. We should delve deeply into the rich connotations of outstanding traditional cultures of integrity, using these fine cultural traditions to cultivate upright character and promote moral integrity. We should actively publicize concepts of integrity and exemplary figures who embody integrity, and pay close attention to the building of family values, family education, and family traditions. We must innovate methods of warning and education, conduct thorough analyses of typical cases, and establish robust mechanisms for illustrating virtue, discipline, law, and responsibility through specific cases. By leading social and public ethos with an excellent Party and government style, we can foster a social atmosphere in which integrity is honored and corruption is shamed.