China enshrines 'Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building' as official doctrine

China's ruling Communist Party has formally declared a new branch of President Xi Jinping's political thought, dubbed 'Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building,' as official party doctrine. The announcement was made during a national conference on party building on Monday, chaired by Cai Qi, the party's ideology chief and fifth-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee. State broadcaster CCTV hailed the concept as 'a milestone in the history of Marxist theory on party building and in the history of Chinese Communist Party building.' The meeting was attended by senior officials overseeing discipline, personnel, and other key matters.

The new doctrine builds on ideas Xi has developed since the 18th National Party Congress in 2012. It aims to answer fundamental questions about building a 'Marxist party with long-term governance' and serves as 'the fundamental guideline for strengthening party building in the new era.' Central to the doctrine are '14 insists,' including insistence on centralized, unified leadership of the party Central Committee, full and rigorous party self-governance, and a cohesive organizational system. Anti-corruption is a major focus, with measures designed to ensure officials lack the audacity, opportunity, or desire to commit corruption. The move comes roughly a year before the next party congress, expected in autumn 2027, when major leadership reshuffles and Central Committee replacements are anticipated.