Why Party self-governance strengthens Party's credibility and image

Editor's note: Pang Xinhua is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted its resolution on persevering with full and rigorous Party self-governance, prioritizing a vertically connected, fully efficient organizational system. This initiative addresses a pervasive global governance dilemma: Governance challenges often arise not only from top-level policy design, but also from distorted implementation at the grassroots level and breakdowns in communication between local governments and central authorities. In global governance research, this aligns with the core concept of consistency in policy implementation.

A party's governance capacity should be judged not by what its official documents say, but by whether policy goals are faithfully translated into tangible results for people at the grassroots level. Grassroots policy distortion is never a trivial execution issue, but a structural crack in the national governance chain.

Grassroots policy distortion: Structural governance defect rather than operational flaw

Distortions in grassroots policy implementation are often attributed simply to weak implementation capacity. A commentary pointed out that some local governments selectively implement policies, prioritizing policies benefiting local interests while avoiding tough tasks, or paying lip service to central decrees.

In some cases, local authorities go further by adopting a one-size-fits-all governance approach. Another commentary also noted that some local areas enforced simplistic campaign-style carbon reduction by shutting down local enterprises, regardless of actual conditions. Coupled with arbitrary escalation at successive levels of government, such practices undermine public welfare policies, erode public trust in their delivery and break the complete governance transmission chain. Such distortion leads to unresponsive public appeals and inaccurate top-level judgment. These are governance challenges that extend beyond China.

Sound organizational system: Foundation of consistent policy implementation

The plenum's emphasis on a cohesive, efficient organizational system provides a fundamental solution to policy transmission barriers. A median article by Xinhua News Agency clarified that this two-way operational mechanism ensures the smooth transmission of policies from top to bottom and the flow of public feedback from the grassroots upward, enabling coordinated and consistent governance nationwide.

Different from fragmented governance models prevalent in many countries, China's systematic organizational framework eliminates communication blockages across different administrative levels. It guarantees policies retain their original intent when reaching villages and communities, safeguarding implementation consistency and offering a mature institutional solution to global grassroots governance difficulties.

Root causes: Power-responsibility mismatch and biased performance values

Deep-seated institutional and ideological problems trigger persistent policy distortions. An article by People's Daily criticized the abusive expansion of responsibilities assigned under the territorial management system, which shifts excessive administrative burdens to grassroots units.

Grassroots bodies are often held responsible for tasks without being given sufficient authority to carry them out, while higher-level departments may lack an adequate understanding of conditions on the ground. This mismatch between authority and responsibility can lead to arbitrary adjustments and distortions in policy implementation.

Additionally, some officials have a distorted view of what constitutes good performance, prioritizing assessment indicators over public needs. Mechanical unified standards ignore regional differences, alienate policies from public interests, and block upward transmission of genuine public demands, contributing to distortions in grassroots policy implementation.

Closed-loop governance: Valuable experience for Global South countries

Repairing governance chains requires a closed-loop mechanism that combines oversight from higher levels of government, feedback from the public at the grassroots level, and dynamic policy adjustments. Targeted rectification of selective implementation, one-size-fits-all practices, and arbitrary task escalations, together with accessible channels for public feedback and complaints, forms a positive cycle of governance. This cycle involves sound policymaking, accurate implementation, public feedback and policy improvement.

The 2020 World Bank review of Brazil's Bolsa Familia program shows that unified national registration systems and tiered accountability mechanisms can effectively reduce implementation deviations. For Global South countries struggling with mismatched policy goals and local administrative capacity, China's experience in organizational coordination, aligning authority with responsibility, and strengthening grassroots capacity may offer useful lessons. Though national systems vary, consistent policy implementation and two-way accountability can offer valuable lessons across different governance contexts.

National governance relies on an intact operational chain in which top-level policy design and grassroots implementation are equally vital. The plenum's institutional arrangement targets the core of governance efficiency by ensuring policy consistency. Rectifying grassroots distortion and improving two-way governance communication constitute a key part of comprehensive Party governance and modernizes national governance systems.

Full and rigorous Party self-governance never damages the Party's credibility and public image; instead, it helps strengthen both. By addressing grassroots governance flaws, rectifying improper implementation behaviors and eliminating systemic governance loopholes, these efforts can resolve public concerns, uphold policy authority, and bridge the gap between national policies and public interests. They demonstrate the Party's commitment to people-centered governance, consolidating public trust and laying a solid credibility foundation for long-term social stability and sustainable national development.

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