The Regulations on the Work of Selecting and Appointing Leading Party and Government Cadres recently promulgated by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are the basic regulations of the CPC that must be adhered to in selecting and appointing leading Party and government cadres, and represent a significant fruit in the drive for the scientific, democratic and institutionalized buildup of the work concerning cadres.

Institutional buildup is an essential, comprehensive, steady and protracted task. To foster a contingent of high-caliber leading cadres and form vigorous and enterprising leading collectives, we must select cadres with a good work style and a sound system. In the selection of cadres, as pointed out by Comrade Jiang Zemin, we should take the road of institutional innovation and use a scientific system of selection and appointment to ensure the selection and appointment of the right people. Over the years, the CPC has persistently pushed forward the reform of personnel work. In the course of this, it has devised many good methods and mechanisms, which have gradually put the work in this regard on an institutionalized and standardized track. However, we must be aware that our personnel work system is still imperfect, lacking in coordinative rules and regulations. The current Regulations on Selecting and Appointing Cadres give earnest expression to the important concept of the "Three Represents," fully manifest the new requirements of the Party Central Committee on the selection and appointment of cadres and the spirit of keeping abreast with the times, and absorb the new fruits from both the personnel work reform and theoretical studies. The Regulations have laid down more scientific, standardized and compact provisions regarding the basic principles, procedures and methods in cadre selection and appointment and for expanding democracy and intensifying supervision, thus making the Regulations highly instructive and operational. The promulgation and implementation of these Regulations mark a big step forward taken by the Party in the buildup of its personnel work system.

To select cadres through a sound system, we must carry out the important concept of the "Three Represents" in an all-round way, and conscientiously grasp the requirements of the Regulations in regard to the selection and appointment of cadres. We must thoroughly understand the epochal connotations couched in the principle of political integrity and professional competence and make implementation of the important concept of the "Three Represents" the most important and fundamental requirement in selecting and appointing leading Party and government cadres. We must stick to the principle of the Party assuming the responsibility for cadres' affairs, improve the methods of personnel management by the Party and steadily improve the work of cadre selection and appointment. We should uphold the principle of the universal acknowledgement of the general public and ensure the people their rights to be informed, participate, select and supervise in the selection and appointment of cadres. We should adhere to the principle of democratic centralism, encourage inner-Party democracy, and uphold collective decision-making on appointments. And we should persist in the principles of openness, fairness, competition and selection of the best, striving to establish a scientific selection and appointment mechanism to ensure that outstanding people eventually come to the fore. At the same time, supervision over cadre selection and appointment should be enforced to prevent and rectify unhealthy practices in the selection and appointment.

To select cadres with a sound system, we must follow to the letter the procedures stipulated in the Regulations. These procedures embody the principles of cadre selection and appointment and represent an improvement of the methods for work in this regard. They are highly realistic, well targeted and closely inter-related, in that each is linked with another to form an organic whole. Without the tightness of the procedures, there can be no authority for the Regulations. Party committees at all levels and their organization (personnel) departments must be strictly acting upon the procedures, and earnestly follow the stipulated procedures set forth in the Regulations at every step of the cadre selection and appointment work, without any deviation. We should stringently check on the pursuance of the procedures. The appointment of a cadre under management at the same level shall not be brought forth for discussion at meetings if it is not in conformity with the Regulations. The appointment of a cadre under management at the higher level shall not be reported to the higher-ups if it is not in conformity with the Regulations. The appointment of a cadre submitted by the lower level shall not be deliberated or approved if it is not in conformity with the Regulations. Supervision and inspection over the implementation of the Regulations should be strengthened to guarantee the authority of the system. Any act in violation of the Regulations should be seriously investigated and dealt with, allowing no tolerance.

The use of a sound system for selection should be guaranteed by a good work style. A system needs to be carried out by people. Without people armed with a good work style, no system will work no matter how excellent it is. In localities or departments where a system is well implemented, healthy practices in personnel work are to be prevalent, while in others where the same system is poorly implemented, unhealthy practices in personnel work are bound to constantly occur. A strong Party spirit and a good work style are needed to guarantee the proper implementation of the Regulations. Leading Party and government cadres at different levels, chief ones in particular, should enhance their sense of politics, organization and the law and discipline. They should take the lead in carrying out the Regulations and set good examples in fostering a healthy atmosphere in which cadres are selected with a good system. Organization (personnel) department cadres should uphold principles, be fair and just, meticulous, down-to-earth and innovative at work, and make careful checks in cadre selection and appointment. It is imperative not only to guard against bypassing the set procedures or casting them to the winds, making them exist in name only, but also to prevent reducing the procedures to mere formalities or using them to engage in malpractices.

Using a sound system for selecting and appointing cadres calls for the joint efforts of the whole Party and society. The masses of Party member cadres should be strict with themselves and measure their conduct according to the six basic requirements laid down in the Regulations for leading Party and government cadres, study hard, aim high, and be enterprising and down-to-earth at work, constantly improving their general qualities and enhancing their capability of serving the people. The broad masses of cadres and the general public should heighten their sense of involvement and correctly exercise their democratic rights with a high sense of responsibility. Only by so doing will it be possible to create a healthy social atmosphere favorable for improving the selection and appointment of cadres, helping talented people into prominence, and effectively preventing and rectifying malpractices in personnel work. Again, only by so doing can we truly turn the Regulations into a powerful force driving forward the buildup of leading bodies and the ranks of cadres, so as to provide a strong organizational guarantee for the reform and opening-up program and the implementation of the modernization drive.