China’s Xi Jinping calls for ‘loyalty and honesty’ from younger officials as morale runs low

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged young and middle-aged officials to be loyal, honest and “keen on reform and innovation” in an effort to rally morale and encourage unity in the face of economic and social risks.

“[Young and middle-aged officials] must actively practice loyalty and honesty towards the party, and must make their political stance clear,” Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

He called on young cadres to strictly uphold the Communist Party’s political discipline and rules, show honesty and maintain a high degree of unity with the party at all times.

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The message was conveyed at the opening ceremony of a training programme for young and middle-aged officials on Friday at the Central Party School in Beijing, where Xi urged party organisations to nurture reliable and qualified successors.

“[Party members] should be strong promoters of good and clean political ecology … resolutely oppose privileged thoughts and privileged behaviours, and maintain the political integrity of the party,” Xi added.

He also called on them to guard against major risks and solve prominent problems.

Xi emphasised that young party members should be “selfless” and dedicate themselves to improving people’s well-being. They should also be “keen on reform and innovation and dare to confront difficulties”, he said.

Xi has previously highlighted the importance of innovation in China’s modernisation path, saying it should be given a prominent position in overall development, according to an excerpt published last year in Qiushi, the party’s theoretical journal.

“Chinese-style modernisation is an exploratory undertaking with many unknown areas that the country is required to boldly explore through reform and innovation, and we should never rigidly cling to an idea or approach without considering the reality of the situation,” Xi said, according to the journal.

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Morale is running low among China’s public servants as Xi’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign has increased the pressure on rank-and-file cadres, while the risk of social unrest is growing because of the country’s economic slowdown.

Chen Daoyin, a political analyst and former professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, noted that it was “party tradition” to train young and middle-aged officials at the Central Party School, where cadres learn to fill key party and state positions.

“The points emphasised in Xi’s speech this year suggest prevalent problems among young and middle-aged officials, including the lack of a sense of responsibility and capability and low awareness of their roles,” Chen said.

In January, Xi warned that the party should continue to fight corruption and other problems with “tenacity, perseverance and precision”.

China’s former foreign minister Qin Gang and former defence minister Li Shangfu were also stripped of their titles and state councillor positions last year. The reasons for their dismissals have not been revealed publicly.

Additional reporting by Jane Cai

South China Morning Post