Party Discipline Study and Education

Study of the original text of "Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Actions"

(Source: Website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission)

Regulations on Disciplinary Actions for Party Members' Religious Beliefs and Superstitious Activities

Articles 69 and 70 of the "Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Actions" stipulate disciplinary actions for party and government officials' religious beliefs and superstitious activities.

Party and government officials' religious beliefs and superstitious activities run counter to the requirements that party members should be materialists and Marxist atheists. Citizens of our country have the freedom of religious belief according to law, but party members, as materialists and atheists, must take their belief in Marxism and their conviction in socialism and communism as their lifelong pursuit, upholding the spiritual home of communists, and must never seek their values and beliefs in religion. Party and government officials who believe in religion no longer meet the conditions of party membership, and the party organization should educate them and, depending on the circumstances, take organizational measures such as requiring them to correct their mistakes within a time limit, persuading them to resign from the party, or expelling them from the party.

Party and government officials organizing or participating in superstitious activities are even more of a manifestation of a lack of ideals and beliefs. A review of party and government officials who have fallen from grace in recent years shows that some still "do not believe in Marxism-Leninism but believe in ghosts and gods"—some have been burning incense and worshipping Buddha at home for a long time, some have adjusted the feng shui of their ancestral graves and offices, and some have instructed those who bribed them to donate to "masters." Party and government officials engaging in superstitious activities is by no means a trivial matter; it will erode the political soul of communists and often goes hand in hand with corruption, and must be regulated with strict discipline.

In practice, two points need to be grasped: First, in determining whether a party member believes in religion, it is not a prerequisite that the party member participates in initiation ceremonies or obtains religious certificates such as lay Buddhist certificates or conversion certificates, nor is it a prerequisite that they have participated in religious activities at legal religious activity venues. Instead, the criterion should be whether the party member has abandoned their communist beliefs and believes in a certain religion. Second, distinguish between organizing or participating in superstitious activities and organizing or participating in general folk customs and traditions, as well as normal participation in tourism activities. Folk customs and traditions with historical and cultural traditions and ethnic and regional characteristics cannot be regarded as superstitious activities. If party and government officials occasionally visit legal religious activity venues such as temples, Taoist temples, and churches for sightseeing or participation in activities, and their purpose is merely for sightseeing or work, they should not be considered as participating in superstitious activities.

Regulations on Disciplinary Actions for Resisting Organizational Scrutiny

Article 63 of the "Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Actions" stipulates five situations in which resisting organizational scrutiny should be subject to disciplinary action: colluding with others to give false testimony or forging, destroying, transferring, or concealing evidence; preventing others from reporting or providing evidence; shielding accomplices; providing false information to the organization to conceal facts; and other acts of resisting organizational scrutiny.

The Party Constitution lists "loyalty and honesty to the Party" as an obligation that party members must fulfill, and "loyalty to the Party" is written into the oath of joining the Party. The "Several Regulations on Intra-Party Political Life Under the New Situation" stipulates that "all levels of Party organizations and all Party members must be loyal and honest to the Party, open and aboveboard, speak the truth, do honest things, be honest people, and truthfully reflect and report situations to the Party."

A party member must be loyal and honest to the Party at all times. When they have disciplinary problems or are subject to organizational scrutiny, they should seriously reflect on and examine themselves, actively and proactively explain the problems to the organization, and assist in clarifying the facts of the disciplinary violations. They must never resist organizational scrutiny. This is both a party member's obligation and a political discipline that party members must abide by.

However, judging from the situation of disciplinary supervision, some violating party members and cadres remain unrepentant and self-righteous, stubbornly resisting during the Party organization's scrutiny, attempting to escape disciplinary punishment. Some, in order to evade organizational scrutiny, transfer the money they received to relatives and friends for concealment; some make a pact with those involved in the case, asking relevant personnel to help them conceal the issue of receiving gifts, or forging receipts and creating a false appearance of borrowing and repayment, signing relevant agreements, and creating a false appearance of investment. These party members and cadres who resist organizational scrutiny have violated their obligation of loyalty to the Party, missing the Party's education and rescue, and only regretting it when they are held strictly accountable. Broad party members and cadres must take this as a warning.