Sober and Pragmatic, Fully Aware of Difficulties and Dangers

Apart from summing up past experiences and achievements, Hu Jintao also admitted that the CPC is facing new tests and dangers – "long-term, complicated and severe tests in governing the country, in implementing reforms and opening-up, and in developing the market economy, as well as tests in the external environment." And he warned, "The whole Party is confronted with the growing dangers of the lack of drive, incompetence, alienation from the people, and corruption." Aiming at existing problems, Hu Jintao outlined the new track for running the Party, "The Party must demonstrate greater confidence and resolve, take more forceful measures to improve the institutions for punishing and preventing corruption, and unswervingly fight corruption." As for institution building, he proposed, "We must place power, Party affairs, and Party members under institutional safeguards, improve democratic centralism, and promote Party building in an institutionalized and standardized way and through due process."

Professor Xie Chuntao, vice director of the Party History Teaching and Research Department of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, remarked that Hu Jintao's speech manifested the sober and pragmatic style of the CPC, noting that Hu's speech did not sidestep the problems occurring on the ideological front, such as social risks and the anti-corruption issues, but faced them calmly and rationally, gave a scientific analysis and proposed solutions.

Scholar Lin Shangli said, Hu Jintao's speech indicated the CPC is sober about the challenges and possible dangers it is faced with. He remarked that after 90 years of development, the CPC is still clear-headed, roundly apprised of its situation, and able to consider the fate of the Party and the country from a cool and overall perspective.

Gao Xinmin, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, indicated that corruption is corrosive of the political legitimacy of any party and government. For the CPC, which has been at the helm of the country for six decades, corruption will lead to the loss of both its social foundation and the support of the masses. Since reform and opening-up, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao have expounded on the protraction, complexity and arduousness of the anti-corruption issue. They formulated anti-corruption guidelines addressing both its symptoms and root causes, and took comprehensive measures to rectify both. Both punitive and preventive measures are emphasized, stressing education, institutional safeguards and supervision. However, in terms of the people's expectations and the demands of furthering a socialist cause with Chinese characteristics, the anti-corruption battle remains one that is hard fought and hard won.