Setting the Rules Straight: Let Fair Rules Beat Hidden Connections

Editor's Note: Setting the Rules Straight: How the World's Largest Party Governs Itself is a 12-episode video series offering an in-depth examination of how a century-old governing party, Communist Party of China or CPC, confronts its internal challenges and seeks to renew itself. The series invites viewers to look beyond short-term political cycles and consider a fundamental question: What does it take to sustain effective governance over generations? 

This episode tackles why unwritten hidden rules and insider networks can undermine public trust, zeroing in on how China is dismantling so-called "small circles" by enforcing transparent rules and standardized procedures so that fairness prevails over personal connections.

"Who do you know?"

That single question haunts too many public offices.

Not "Are you qualified?"

Not "Did you follow the rules?"

Instead: Whose phone call opens doors that your paperwork cannot?

This is the hidden rule - an unwritten code built on insider networks. When connections count more than compliance, public trust pays the price.

The numbers speak for themselves. In October 2026, 36 out of 51 sanctioned officials publicized on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision website were cited for improperly seeking personnel benefits for others.

When personal loyalty becomes currency, official favors become corruption. Small circles do not just bend rules; they destroy merit.

Consider a former senior police official in Guizhou. He built a cozy network through banquets, mahjong and cultivated loyalists between 2004 and 2023. In return, he secured promotions and transfers for his inner circle, taking substantial bribes along the way. Loyalty became a shortcut. Fair administration became personal favors. These circles naturally expand. Members look out for one another, steer lucrative contracts and shield each other from scrutiny. That is not governance. That is a private club operating inside public office.

Clear boundaries must be drawn. That is why the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was so direct. The decision demands that we eliminate hidden rules. It rejects factionalism. It shows zero tolerance for "small circles," patronage networks and nepotism.It calls for establishing clear rules and promoting transparency in Party and government affairs.

These are not empty slogans. They are a clear verdict: a system that rewards connections over competence is a system that punishes everyone else.

Real reform is not a temporary campaign. It is procedure that holds, criteria that are transparent, and complaints that are truly heard.

In Liaoning Province, the government's "No Connections Needed" initiative makes public service procedures more transparent by clearly outlining requirements, approval standards and processing times.

When an insider's phone call no longer grants immunity, hidden rules lose their power. When applications succeed on merit alone, private favors lose their appeal.

The ultimate test of governance is simple: Can an ordinary citizen walk into a public office, know nobody and still receive fair treatment?

Fairness is not a favor. It is the rule. Rules must beat hidden connections.