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

He also encourages young and middle-aged cadres to be innovative and free from corruption in speech at Central Party School

The comments come as Communist Party officials face growing pressure from Xi’s anti-graft campaign and China’s economic slowdown

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Young Communist Party members should be “selfless” and “oppose privileged thoughts and privileged behaviours”, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a speech in Beijing on Friday. Photo: AP

Published: 2:37pm, 2 Mar 2024

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.

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.