Internet Slang | Eight years—both a commemoration and a fresh new beginning.

　　On December 4, eight years ago, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee convened a meeting to deliberate and adopt the Eight-point Decision on Improving Party and Government Work Styles and Strengthening Ties with the Masses. On the eighth anniversary of the Eight-point Decision, many netizens posted messages on the comment board of the website of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, sharing their views on the new achievements and expectations in improving work style.

　　Small measures drive big changes, and a clean breeze uplifts righteous spirit.

　　The Breeze of Chengzi Lake: In the past, not many people visited the ecological park next to my home. Now, on weekends, families—whether with three or four members—are steadily growing in number, and the cheerful laughter of children makes the park even livelier. Since the introduction of the Eight‑Point Decision, there have been fewer meetings and less drinking, giving Party members and officials more time to spend with their families. Small measures have sparked big changes; the park’s modest transformation reflects broader shifts in Party and government conduct, as well as emerging lifestyle trends.

　　Endless tenderness in the passage of time: After eight years on the job, I have personally witnessed the changes brought about since the implementation of the Eight‑Point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct. Cadres have grown farther from privilege and closer to the people; government offices have shed their superficiality and focused more on getting things done; extravagance and waste have declined, while thrift and frugality have become the norm… A fresh breeze has swept through, earning widespread praise from the public.

　　The Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Luliang County, Qujing City, Yunnan Province, has organized discipline inspection and supervision officials to conduct in-depth outreach in townships (subdistricts) and villages/communities. Through distributing informational leaflets and providing on-site briefings, they have publicized channels for reporting and supervising “Four Undesirable Work Styles,” encouraging the general public to actively participate in oversight. (Photo by Wang Yong, provided by the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Luliang County, Qujing City, Yunnan Province)

　　Wannian Pujiang: Forming “small cliques” to curry favor with leaders, believing that only through feasting and socializing can one get things done… As a private entrepreneur, I once spent my days juggling social obligations and cultivating connections, which not only squandered resources but also weakened internal corporate management. Since the implementation of the Eight‑Point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct, a new model of clean and close government–business relations has taken shape, with a clear “negative list” for interactions between government and business, standardized power‑exercise procedures, and an improved business environment. We have benefited from numerous policies designed to support enterprises, and our enthusiasm for starting businesses and getting things done has grown even stronger.

　　Longyou Xiaolongbao: “The Eight-Point Decision has transformed China,” “The ‘Eight Provisions’ are the new-era equivalent of the Three Disciplines and Eight Points of Attention”... The Eight-Point Decision has revealed the people’s sentiments and strengthened the Party’s governing foundation. Improving conduct is an ongoing process—there is no final endpoint. Eight years mark not only a moment of commemoration but also a fresh starting point.

　　Tackle emerging issues of hidden and disguised misconduct, and persistently rectify the “Four Undesirable Trends.”

　　Chao Mingli: At present, significant progress has been made in improving work style; however, certain hidden and evolving manifestations of the “Four Undesirable Trends” still persist. For example, unauthorized use of public funds for meals and entertainment has shifted to covert venues such as internal canteens, training centers, and rural guesthouses; private enterprises arrange “one‑table banquets” in upscale residential complexes. Moreover, some individuals exploit the guise of official group activities or employee health retreats to engage in tourism at public expense, using official business as a pretext to indulge in leisure travel, altering itineraries to take circuitous routes, and having subordinate units, related interest groups, or entities receiving administrative services foot the bill. Such hidden and evolving problems must be tackled as soon as they surface; upholding integrity, enforcing discipline, and combating corruption is an ongoing endeavor.

　　A Single Leaf Signals Autumn: As someone who works in an office, I’ve observed that formalism at our fingertips has become increasingly pronounced in recent years. For instance, a bewildering array of apps is being mandated—via administrative orders and performance evaluations—for grassroots officials to install and use, at considerable cost yet serving little practical purpose; most of these apps remain dormant or abandoned altogether. Such issues urgently require rectification, so as to free grassroots cadres from unnecessary bureaucratic tasks.

　　Quanxi Jixuan: As the annual health‑insurance premium‑payment season rolls around once again, a recent news story—“an elderly person was turned away after paying their insurance in cash in the rain”—has dominated headlines. Watching the senior citizen left speechless and wearing a look of deep concern is truly heartbreaking. To implement the spirit of the CPC Central Committee’s Eight‑Point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct and to rectify the “Four Undesirable Trends,” we must remain steadfast and persistent. In life, as in public service, we must act with courage and take responsibility. Public services should not, in the relentless pursuit of technological convenience, overlook the concrete needs of those they serve; instead, they should demonstrate greater initiative, practice empathy, and genuinely earn the satisfaction of the people.

　　During the holiday period, the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Yongqiao District, Suzhou City, Anhui Province, joined forces with other departments to establish a joint inspection team. The team conducted on-site visits to major shopping malls and supermarkets to verify the absence of public‑funds‑used consumption records and to identify leads related to the “Four Undesirables.” (Photo by Xu Yanyan, provided by the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Yongqiao District, Suzhou City, Anhui Province)

　　Colorful Mirror Mountain: Since the implementation of the Eight‑Point Decision, problems related to the “Four Undesirable Trends” have gradually diminished. However, some officials still exploit loopholes by accepting gifts and cash through express delivery services to amass wealth under the guise of such practices; others use ostensibly legitimate channels—such as expert‑review fees—to funnel public funds into gift‑giving. These unhealthy tendencies must be severely punished.

　　Amid the ethereal waters and clouds: At the grassroots level, certain forms of formalism and bureaucratic practices continue to plague us. Some organizations seek fame and accolades in their pursuit of innovation, introducing measures that place an undue burden on local authorities; others devise systems divorced from reality, crafting policies that lack practical applicability; still others rush headlong to meet deadlines, demanding immediate reports on lessons learned even as work has barely begun. The effort to address these issues—starting from the top and working downward—must persist, with a focus on getting to the root of the problem and reforming our style of work. Implementation of the spirit of the CPC Central Committee’s Eight‑Point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct must never falter.

　　Polish the golden brand of conduct-building even brighter.

　　Yi Feng: Over the past eight years, the Eight-point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct has been earnestly implemented. Party members and cadres must cultivate a sense of public service—“lying in my official quarters, I listen to the rustling bamboo, wondering if it is the voice of the people’s hardships”—a people‑centered ethos—“if an official does not stand up for the people, he might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes”—and a commitment to integrity—“departing with nothing but a clean breeze, lest the common folk gossip about my conduct.” With sustained effort, we will continue to write a new chapter of “the bond between officials and the people as one family.”

　　I am Mao Damao: At present, some manifestations of the “Four Undesirables” have donned a “cloak of invisibility,” hiding behind a “green veil.” This calls not only for the discipline inspection and supervision commissions to conduct thorough investigations but also for the vigilant oversight of the public. By mobilizing the public’s enthusiasm for oversight and further improving mechanisms for democratic supervision, we can forge an all‑encompassing, pervasive network of rigorous oversight.

　　The Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Kaihua County, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province, has launched a direct hotline for reporting “four undesirable work styles,” streamlining channels for public complaints and encouraging active public participation in oversight. This initiative further strengthens supervision and inspection of the implementation of the spirit of the CPC Central Committee’s Eight-point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct, resolutely investigating and addressing hidden and evolving manifestations of these issues. (Photo by Duan Xueying, provided by the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Kaihua County, Quzhou City, Zhejiang Province)

　　The benevolent influence of Yangchun is widely praised: the eight-point regulations have earned universal acclaim, and the resulting changes have been hard-won. We must persistently and tirelessly polish this golden hallmark of Party building—style of work—until it shines even brighter!

　　Qingzhao Dongyang: We hope that efforts to improve work style will further advance the “at most one visit” reform, broaden its scope, and ensure that what the public regards as a single matter is not only resolved through a single government‑service encounter, but also transforms from “citizens running around” and “multiple agencies handling it” into “data-driven processes” and “mobile‑based services,” thereby achieving standardization, rule of law, and streamlined administration in public services.

　　Daozhou Qingfeng: It is hoped that the Eight-point Decision on Improving Party and Government Conduct will further align efforts to strengthen conduct with the promotion of socio-economic development, with serving the people and delivering tangible results for them, and with upholding hard work and frugality. By doing so, it will guide and urge Party members and cadres to shed official airs, stay grounded, roll up their sleeves to get things done, and help foster a sustained improvement in social ethos.

　　Qinwei Yunying: As we stand at the new starting point of the 14th Five-Year Plan, we hope to maintain an unwavering pace, undiminished intensity, and strict discipline in comprehensively strengthening Party self‑discipline, rectifying conduct, and combating corruption. We will persistently implement the spirit of the CPC Central Committee’s Eight‑Point Decision, address the “Four Undesirable Trends,” foster a new ethos, and contribute the power of integrity to the comprehensive building of a modern socialist country.

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