Xi Jinping’s Party Building Thought: A New Ideological Chapter for the CPC

In a coordinated ideological campaign timed just ahead of the Chinese Communist Party’s 105th anniversary, Xinhua News Agency has published the fifth in a series of commentaries calling for a deep understanding of Xi Jinping’s “scientific methodology” for Party building. The commentary series, released over five consecutive days from June 17 to 21, follows a landmark National Party Building Work Conference held in Beijing on June 15 that formally introduced “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building” (习近平党建思想) as a distinct component of the broader Xi Jinping Thought framework.

What Is Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building?

The newly formalized ideological category represents the latest expansion of Xi Jinping’s personal theoretical footprint. It joins an already extensive list of named thought systems bearing Xi’s name, including Xi Jinping Economic Thought, Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, Xi Jinping Cultural Thought, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, and Xi Jinping Diplomatic Thought.

According to the Beijing Review, the new Party Building Thought is positioned as “the Party-building chapter of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.” It aims to answer what the Party describes as the major question of the era: “what kind of long-term Marxist governing party to build, and how to build it.”

The fifth commentary — the subject of this story — focuses specifically on the methodology behind Xi’s approach. It emphasizes that Xi’s thought functions both as an epistemology (认识论) and a methodology (方法论), rooted in what the Party calls the “two combinations” (两个结合): the integration of Marxism (the “soul vein”) with China’s traditional culture (the “root vein”).

The Conference and Its Political Signals

The June 15 National Party Building Work Conference was the catalyst for this ideological push. As reported by gov.cn, the conference made “work arrangements for studying and implementing Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building.”

However, the conference’s seating and speaking arrangements have drawn attention from political observers. Cai Qi (蔡奇), a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Secretariat, delivered the main speech, while Li Xi (李希), the top anti-corruption official and deputy head of the Party Building Leading Group, was listed only as having “attended” — without a speaking role. Shi Taifeng (石泰峰), a Politburo member, presided over the conference.

Independent overseas media, including Creaders.net, have characterized Li Xi’s marginalization as a significant political signal, suggesting potential shifts in internal power dynamics ahead of the 21st Party Congress expected in 2027. While such interpretations remain speculative, the contrast between Cai Qi’s prominent role and Li Xi’s silence is notable in the context of Chinese political protocol, where speaking roles at major conferences often reflect hierarchical standing.

The “Fourteen Perseverances” as an Organizational Framework

Central to the new Party Building Thought is the “Fourteen Perseverances” (十四个坚持), a framework first articulated at the 19th CPC Congress in 2017. These fourteen principles encompass political construction, ideological work, organizational development, style improvement, discipline enforcement, institutional building, and anti-corruption efforts.

The fifth commentary emphasizes that this framework is not merely theoretical but practical — it “deploys the task of crossing the river” while also “solving the problem of the bridge or the boat,” in Xi’s own words. The commentary quotes Xi as stating: “Theoretical innovation can only start from problems. In a sense, the process of theoretical innovation is the process of discovering problems, screening problems, studying problems, and solving problems.”

Historical and Political Context

The formalization of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building comes at a strategically significant moment. The 105th anniversary of the CPC’s founding falls on July 1, 2026, providing a natural occasion for ideological consolidation. More importantly, the push comes as the Party prepares for the 21st National Congress, expected in 2027, where leadership transitions and policy directions will be determined.

This new ideological category also builds on what Xi has called the “second answer” to the “cave-dwelling question” (窑洞之问) — the historical problem of how to break the cycle of dynastic rise and fall. Mao Zedong’s first answer in 1945 was “people supervising government.” In 2021, Xi offered a second: self-revolution (自我革命).

Implications and Outlook

The formal articulation of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building serves multiple purposes simultaneously. It provides an ideological framework for ongoing anti-corruption campaigns and organizational discipline. It reinforces Xi’s personal authority ahead of the next Party Congress. And it offers a theoretical basis for the Party’s continued dominance over all aspects of Chinese political and social life.

Critics, particularly overseas observers, view this as a further expansion of Xi’s personal power and ideological branding, potentially signaling a shift away from the reform-and-opening-up logic that characterized earlier eras toward a more revolutionary Party identity. The timing — coinciding with political turbulence in Chongqing and military-industrial purges — adds to the sense that this ideological push is as much about internal consolidation as it is about theoretical development.

As the commentary series concludes, the question now is how this framework will be operationalized at the grassroots level and what policy changes will follow its formal adoption. With the 21st Party Congress on the horizon, Xi Jinping’s Thought on Party Building is likely to become a central organizing principle for the CPC’s internal governance in the years ahead.