Op-Ed Contributors

Keeping close to the people

By Zheng Qingyuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-03 07:56

We must always take, as the starting points and ultimate goals of our work, whether the people support or not, endorse or not, approve or not, and are happy or not, and take full account of and properly coordinate the different interests and endurances of the masses in determining major policy objectives and tasks. We must not do things that exhaust the people and drain the treasury, and are against people's will.

We must correctly grasp the fundamental interests of the masses, the common interests of the masses at the present stage, and the relationships between special interests of different groups. We must take into account the concerns of people from all walks of life, guide the masses to put right the relationship between individual and collective interests, local and overall interests, and between immediate and long-term interests, and carefully address the most salient issues of public concern, resolutely rectifying behavior that will damage the people's interests, and do practical things that conform to the popular will, relieve people's worries, and benefit their livelihoods.

Right ways and methods are guarantees for doing mass work well. Facing the new situation and new tasks, we must examine and take hold of the new features and requirements of mass work, continuously innovating on the basis of summarizing and utilizing successful experiences and effective practices. We must combine and employ legal, economic and administrative means as well as such methods as education, consultation, and counseling, and pay attention to the use of modern science and technology. We must make our mass work more targeted and effective.

Mass work is routine work running through all areas and aspects of the work of the Party and the country. We must establish and improve the systems, earnestly implement the systems, and improve the level of standardization and institutionalization. We must improve the system of serving the people, and give full play to the Party organizations' and Party members' functions to lead, drive, supervise, and guarantee such services. We must improve mechanisms for contacting the masses, and innovate ways of contacting the masses, so that the center of gravity in the work of the Party and government offices moves downward, grassroots cadres concentrate on the forefront and leading officials go deep into the grassroots.

We must also improve the xinfang (letters and visits of complainants) system, strengthen the joint meeting regime for handling people's letters and visits of complainants. Leading officials must personally receive people who visit to register complaints, and personally address the important issues raised in their letters and visits. We must improve the Party and government-dominated mechanisms for safeguarding the people's rights and interests, improve the mechanisms for properly handling contradictions among the people, perfect mechanisms for investigating and resolving conflicts, and actively prevent and effectively resolve conflicts and disputes.

"In order for a tree to grow tall, its roots must be consolidated. In order for a river to flow far, its source must be dredged." The people will always be the source of the Party's wisdom and strength. In this period of significant strategic opportunities for our country's development, in order to fulfill the grand goal of building an all-round moderately well-off society and to realize socialist modernization, our Party can only overcome all the difficulties and obstacles on the road ahead with stronger solidarity between the Party and the people. It can only open up new prospects of socialism with Chinese characteristics through mobilizing all forces and formulating a synergy to enhance and improve mass work, and further upgrade the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the masses.

Development should be for the people, and development depends on the people. All Party members must keep this in mind.

The article first appeared on People's Daily on Nov 2.

(China Daily 11/03/2010 page8)