CPC fortifies Party building as 'great project'

While underlining the need to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, the congress stressed reinforcing the Party's political foundations, buttressing ideological commitment, consolidating Party organizations, improving Party conduct and enforcing discipline.

Because of the great project of Party building, Xi said at the July 1 gathering that the CPC has been able to respond appropriately to the risks and challenges of different historical periods to ensure that it always remains at the forefront of the times, even as profound changes sweep the global landscape, and to stand firm as the backbone of the nation throughout the process of meeting various risks and challenges at home and abroad.

During its glorious 100-year history, the CPC has accumulated valuable experiences in advancing socioeconomic reform and development, said Dai Yanjun, a researcher of the Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. It has also created a wealth of knowledge on how to build a Marxist political party.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Party has targeted problems in Party building and analyzed the causes, Dai said in an article published in Guangming Daily. The Party has also urged full and rigorous self-governance based on previous experiences and in line with fresh tasks it will face in the new era.

Disciplinary inspections have long been a crucial part of the Party's campaign to curb corruption and misconduct. They have covered every Party committee in all departments at the central and provincial levels in recent years.

The CPC has pledged to make tireless efforts to strengthen deterrence so that officials "don't dare to, are unable to, and have no desire" to commit acts of corruption.

More than 4 million Party and government officials across China have been investigated and punished for graft and misconduct since December 2012, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the top anti-graft body of the CPC.

Cai Zhiqiang, deputy Party secretary of the Chinese Academy of Discipline Inspection and Supervision, said ironclad disciplines provide fundamental support for the Party to ensure it has strong vitality and enough effectiveness to realize the aspirations and missions in its founding.

They also represent the core institutional strengths of the socialist system, he added.