Communist Party seeks to bolster authority with new rule for branches across China
Politburo orders strict implementation of rule requiring a party branch in mainland organisations in a bid to increase influence on society
A Communist Party Politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping on Friday passed a regulation ordering the strict implementation of a rule that requires party branches to be established in a wide range of organisations across the mainland.
Analysts say the move is evidence of the party's anxiousness to bolster its authority across society.
All places of employment and organisations in China are already required to have a party branch.
Analysts say the need to have a new regulation to ensure this arrangement is strictly implemented indicates that the party believes its influence on society is inadequate and the situation needs to be changed.
According to the Politburo meeting, the effectiveness of the "core leadership" relies on a strong party system, therefore establishing party branches in government and non-government organisations, and economic, cultural and social groups is "an important step to ensure the party's ideals and policies are implemented", the state news agency Xinhua reported.
"The party's leadership must be upheld" in pursuing the country's goals of building a well-off society, deepening economic reform, ruling the country according to law and strictly implementing the party's strategy, it said.