Editor's note: Song Fang is a lecturer at the Institute for International Strategic Studies in the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee celebrates its 90th birthday in March 2023. As the Party's top venue for training senior Party members, the school has witnessed the course of a century of endeavor of the CPC. 

From 1921 to 2021, the Communist Party of China has grown from some 50 members into the world's largest Marxist governing party with more than 96 million members. It has become a pillar driving the development of the socialist movement in today's world and a key variable driving the profound evolution of global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century. 

With such a long history, such a large scale, and such a long period of governance, how has the CPC escaped the historical cycle of rise and fall? In other words, how has the CPC been able to achieve evergreen foundation?  

Chairman Mao Zedong gave the first answer, that is, democracy. "As long as the people can supervise the government, the government dare not slacken in its effort." After a century of hard work, especially new practices since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party has come up with a second answer: self-reform. 

Exercising full and rigorous self-governance is an important part of the Party's self-reform and an important way to achieve the goal of self-reform.

First, exercising full and rigorous self-governance is the scientific summary of the century-old history of the CPC. Since its birth, the Communist Party of China has attached great importance to exercising rigorous self-governance and strengthening ideological education, organizational management, discipline and conduct of the Party, so as to ensure the unity of the Party and preserve the Party membership's advanced nature and integrity. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with general secretary Xi Jinping at its core has summarized the valuable experience the Party has gained in history, made an in-depth analysis of the existing problems in Party building and their root causes, and, in light of the tasks and requirements facing the Party in the new era, put forward a clear strategic plan to exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance, thus taking Party self-governance to a new height. 

Exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance was written into the Constitution of the CPC at the 19th CPC National Congress. And the Report to the 20th CPC National Congress also stresses full and rigorous self-governance. 

Second, exercising full and rigorous self-governance has made the CPC healthier and stronger. The CPC has worked ceaselessly to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline. The CPC has hammered away at the task of rectifying pointless formalities, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance; opposed privilege seeking mindsets and practices; and taken strong actions to address misconduct and corruption that occur at people's doorsteps.  

Thanks to these efforts, unhealthy tendencies that had long gone unchecked have been reversed, and deep-seated problems that had plagued us for years have been remedied. Exercising full and rigorous self-governance enables the CPC to maintain its vigor, stay true to its original aspiration and founding mission and remain the strong leadership core in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. 

Third, exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance has won the trust and support of the people. Exercising full and rigorous self-governance significantly boosted the Party's ability to purify, improve, renew and excel itself. The CPC addressed the problem of lax and weak self-governance in Party organizations at the root, and steadily fostered and developed a political atmosphere of integrity within the Party.  

By doing so, the Party will never change its nature, its conviction, or its character. All this has helped remove serious hidden dangers in the Party, the military and the country, and ensured that the power granted by the Party and the people is always exercised in the interests of the people. The relationship between the Party and the people has become closer, and the political foundation for the Party's governance has become more solid. 

The great Marxist political party is not born, but tempered through continuous self-reform. The courage to carry out self-reform and rigorous self-governance are CPC's most distinctive character and greatest strength. It is because CPC has always been committed to managing the Party and exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance that it has always survived adversity and won the support of the people and become a Marxist party that can never be defeated or crushed. 

A party that has experienced vicissitudes and does not change its original intention can build an evergreen career. A party that has achieved glory and is still brave in self-reform can be indestructible. The Communist Party of China ask its members to bear in mind that full and rigorous self-governance is an unceasing endeavor and that self-reform is a journey to which there is no end. 

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