Recently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has launched a movement under the guise of responding to CCP leader Xi Jinping’s call to establish a “correct view of achievements.” Party media recently criticized local authorities and units for their practice of “layer upon layer of consultations, seeking approval for everything,” labeling it as “passing the buck upward” and “shirking responsibilities.” However, this rare critique from the Party media has led to open defiance from grassroots officials who question, “Who gave us the authority to make decisions?”
The CCP’s flagship newspaper, People’s Daily, on April 21st published an article titled “Over-consultation, Correcting Bias,” highlighting that at the grassroots level, it is common to hear statements like “We can’t make decisions on this matter, we need to consult with higher-ups” or “If the leaders haven’t spoken, we can’t act.” These practices reflect a mentality of blame-shifting, opportunism, reluctance to take action, and a fear of making independent decisions.
The article pointed out that some officials, when faced with matters within their jurisdiction, resort to seeking approvals at every level, appearing to follow rules and procedures but in reality, avoiding risks and transferring responsibilities, resulting in a situation where affairs get stuck in a cycle of “procedural rotation.”
However, following the publication of the aforementioned article, self-proclaimed grassroots officials have raised doubts, asking, “If they criticize us for ‘asking for instructions on everything,’ do we have the authority to make decisions?”
An article published on the WeChat public account “Lilong Lion” by a reader claimed, “People’s Daily, please take back your ‘bias-correcting’ knife.” The author, identifying as a deputy official in a rural town, used the example of handling industrial pollution to illustrate the limitations faced by officials in taking action without clear directives or support from higher authorities.
Acknowledging the existence of inefficient, lazy, and corrupt officials at the grassroots level, the critique from the Party’s media was met with resistance by someone who claimed to have served at the grassroots level for ten years, stating, “As someone who has been a grassroots official for a decade, I disagree with this criticism.”
Current affairs commentator Li Lin told Epoch Times that it is rare for grassroots CCP officials to openly challenge the central party media. This defiance may indicate widespread resentment among grassroots officials towards higher-ranking officials, or regional governments towards the central authority. The bold confrontation by grassroots officials against the Party media reflects a diminishing reverence for Xi Jinping’s authority and overall dissatisfaction with his rule.
Xi Jinping has been consolidating power, as seen in his claim during the COVID-19 pandemic to have personally overseen epidemic control efforts. However, Wuhan’s former mayor, Zhou Xianwang, publicly shifted the blame of concealing information about the pandemic to the central government, citing a lack of authorization. Zhou Xianwang was removed from his post in July last year.
Li Lin noted that when Chinese officials deflect responsibility upward, they often face repercussions, which likely contributed to Zhou Xianwang’s downfall. The focus of the Party media on this issue of “correcting bias” is likely a deliberate move with a specific objective.
The campaign launched by the CCP Central Office on February 23 to rectify the “view of achievements” is scheduled to conclude by the end of July.
An article published by Foreign Policy earlier argued that Xi Jinping faces challenges in convincing China’s vast bureaucratic structure to align with his preferences. For instance, at the year-end Central Economic Work Conference, Xi emphasized the need for “real and substantial growth without any fluff,” while simultaneously expecting local officials to meet distinct and sometimes contradictory demands. These include strict political compliance, technological upgrading, and a focus on systemic security, leaving bureaucrats in a dilemma. They struggle to simultaneously fulfill all these requirements, leading to a state of inaction or “lying flat.”
The Foreign Policy article maintains that Xi urges officials to “shoulder heavy responsibilities, tackle tough issues, and grab the hot potatoes,” while also suggesting that “being strict does not mean micromanaging everything,” attempting to soften officials’ apprehensions through systemic adjustments. However, few officials are willing to stake their careers on vague promises of leniency. Xi has tended to reward performative loyalty, fostering silent resentment among officials and giving rise to many who publicly pledge loyalty but privately harbor discontent.
Currently, there are deep-seated contradictions within the CCP. Yuan Hongbing, a scholar based in Australia, previously told Epoch Times that China’s economy is in a long-term downturn, local finances are on the brink of collapse, social discontent is mounting, and governance within the Party relies heavily on maintaining stability through suppression. This has placed immense pressure on the system itself. Additionally, the existing interest groups within the Party show growing dissatisfaction with Xi Jinping’s high-handed governance and his decision-making, pushing towards a breaking point.