“Three Stricts and Three Earnests”

Communist Party members, especially leading cadres, must be strict with themselves in self-cultivation, in the exercise of power, and in self-discipline, and act earnestly when performing official duties, taking initiatives, and interacting with others. This is the most basic political character and life standard of communists put forward by Xi Jinping when he participated in the deliberation of the Anhui Delegation at the 2nd Session of the 12th CPC National People's Congress on March 9, 2014. It is the foundation of leading cadres' self-cultivation, governance, and cause accomplishment. Being strict in self-development means that leading officials should strengthen their sense of Party awareness, stand firm in support of the ideals and principles of the Party, cultivate integrity, pursue lofty goals, make a point of distancing themselves from vulgar interests, and resist unhealthy practices and evil influences. Being strict in the exercise of power means that leading officials should exercise power in the interests of the people, exercise power in accordance with rules and regulations, keep power within the confines of systemic checks, and neither seek privileges at any time nor abuse power for personal gain. Being strict in self-discipline means that leading officials should respect discipline and always be ready to apply the rod to themselves, guard against all temptations when alone, be prudent, engage in diligent self-examination, abide by Party discipline and state laws, and uphold integrity in governance. Being earnest in making plans means that leading officials should take facts as the basis for work planning, ensure that all ideas, policies and plans are in line with actual conditions, objective laws and scientific principle, and avoid being overly ambitious and divorced from reality. Being earnest in opening up new undertakings means that leading officials should be down-to-earth in their approach to their duties, be pragmatic and solid in their work, be bold in taking on responsibilities and facing problems, and be adept at solving problems, and should strive to create concrete results that will stand up to being tested by practice, by the people and by time.

Being earnest in upholding personal integrity means that leading officials should remain loyal to the Party, to the organization, to the people, and to their colleagues, be honest and truthful, do sound work, be aboveboard, just and upright. Practicing the requirements of “three stricts and three earnests” is an important content, a powerful grasp and a practical carrier for carrying out mass line education and practice activities.

In March 2014, the Leading Group of the Party's Mass Line Education and Practice Activities of the CPC Central Committee issued the “Notice on Learning and Carrying Forward the Spirit of Jiao Yulu and Practicing the Requirements of ‘Three Stricts and Three Earnests’ in Education and Practice Activities”, pointing out that learning and carrying forward the spirit of Jiao Yulu and practicing "three stricts and three earnests" are organically unified with solving the outstanding problems of "four malfeasances". When investigating problems and carrying out criticism, we should take Jiao Yulu and other ancestors as a mirror, closely focus on the requirements of "three stricts and three earnests", check our deficiencies in ideological realm, quality, capability and work style, identify the outstanding problems of "four malfeasances", and seriously carry out criticism and self-criticism. In the implementation of rectification and the establishment of the system, we should be strict in ideology, rectification, and discipline. We must stand from the present, make changes from ourselves, from now on, and from specific things, and ensure high-efficiency execution and correction; take the longer view, establish and improve relevant systems, persevere in implementation, promote learning and carry forward the spirit of Jiao Yulu, and practice the requirements of "three stricts and three earnests" with long-term effective mechanism. The special education of "three stricts and three earnests" is an important measure to strengthen the Party's ideological and political construction and work style construction

In the “Notice on Learning and Carrying Forward the Spirit of Jiao Yulu and Practicing the Requirements of ‘Three Stricts and Three Earnests’ in Education and Practice Activities” the CPC Central Committee emphasizes to check: whether leading bodies and leading cadres at all levels are strict in self-cultivation, whether they strengthen Party spirit and strengthen their ideals and beliefs, and whether they enhance their moral realm, pursue noble sentiments, consciously stay away from vulgar tastes and resist bad style; whether they are strict in the exercise of power, and whether they exercise the power in the interests of the people and in accordance with rules and regulations, keep power within the confines of systemic checks, and neither seek privileges at any time nor abuse power for personal gain; whether they are strict in self-discipline, respect discipline and always are ready to apply the rod to themselves, guard against all temptations when alone, whether they are prudent, engage in diligent self-examination, abide by Party discipline and state laws, and uphold integrity in governance; whether they are earnest in making plans, take facts as the basis for work planning, ensure that all ideas, policies and plans are in line with actual conditions, objective laws and scientific principle, and avoid being overly ambitious and divorced from reality; whether they are earnest in opening up new undertakings, down-to-earth in their approach to their duties, pragmatic and solid in their work, bold in taking on responsibilities and facing problems, and adept at solving problems, and whether they strive to create concrete results that will stand up to being tested by practice, by the people and by time; whether they are earnest in upholding personal integrity, remain loyal to the Party, to the organization, to the people, and to their colleagues, and whether they are honest and truthful, do sound work, be aboveboard, just and upright, and be a Part member and cadre like Jiao Yulu.

On April 10, 2015, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued the “Program of Special Education on ‘Three Stricts and Three Earnests’ among Leading Cadres at or Above the County Level”, emphasizing that the Party officials must be strict with themselves, strengthen problem orientation, truly maintain the correct attitude, and focus on solving problems such as infirm ideals and beliefs, lose of faith and spirit, weak sense of purpose, ignorance of the interests of the masses and indifference to their sufferings, lack of Party spirit cultivation and acting without principles of the Party; problems such as abuse of power, power rent-seeking, collusion between government and business, interest transfer, escaping the problems, being be irresponsible and avoiding responsibility, committing “four malfeasances” in flagrant violation of discipline and refusing to make correction; problems such as ignoring the Party's political discipline and political rules, being disloyal to the Party, being dishonest and arrogant, overtly agreeing but covertly opposing, acting on his own, and disregarding law and discipline. The Program also emphasizes promoting leading cadres at all levels to take “three stricts and three earnests” as the basic compliance of self-cultivation and self-discipline and the code of conduct for development, and strive to be a good cadre following “three stricts and three three earnests”. It is stipulated that the “three stricts and three earnests” special education, as an extension and deepening of the Party's mass line education and practice activities and an important measure to strengthen the Party's ideological and political construction and work style construction, should be integrated into the regular education campaign of leading cadres. Strengthening Party discipline is an important guarantee for all the work of the Party.

The Communists are earnest about doing everything. To be earnest is to be strict with ourselves. We should be earnest about everything, and carry on this spirit in Party building and all work of the country. Only by adhering to the "three stricts and three earnests" can we adhere to the correct political direction, implement the major decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, carry out sound administration in all aspects, and improve our spiritual realm.