Strictly Enforce Diligence and Thrift, Oppose Extravagance and Waste* 

January 17 and February 22, 2013 

I 

Reports reveal a shocking waste of food. All officials and the public have responded strongly to various sources of wasted food, particularly recreational activities using public funds. It is hurtful to see such severe problems when we all know that more than 100 million rural residents, tens of millions of urban residents and many other people in our country are still plagued by poverty. 

We must do something to stop such waste as quickly as possible! We must disseminate our thoughts and intensify our guidance, promote our splendid national tradition of diligence and thrift, and regard frugality as honor and waste as disgrace. The strict enforcement of diligence and thrift must become the common practice of the whole society. All must oppose extravagance and waste. 

Party, government and military organs at all levels, institutions, people's organizations and state-owned enterprises as well as leaders and officials at all levels must set an example in strictly obeying the rules for official receptions, and in implementing all measures concerning thrift so as to completely eradicate waste in any activity that is paid with public funds. 

Moreover, operational measures that are targeted and instructive should be established, so that thrift is encouraged and waste is punished. 

(Comments by Xi Jinping on "Netizens Urging
the Elimination of Waste at the Dinner Table,"
a report submitted by Xinhua News Agency, January 17, 2013) 

II 

The Central Committee's call for strict enforcement of diligence and thrift and opposition to extravagance and waste has won wide-spread acclaim from officials and the public. There should now be a follow-up campaign to ensure that no one simply goes through the motions or follows the rules as a temporary measure, like a passing gust of wind. We must do everything possible, and we must see things through from beginning to end. Nothing can be accomplished unless we take a serious, pragmatic and consistent approach. 

For some time now we have solicited advice from people of all walks of life, much of which has been constructive. We must sort through these ideas and put them into practice, sum up the lessons we learn, and draw on experience from both at home and abroad. 

Our next major step is to focus on improving the system with regard to official receptions, financial budgets and audits, assessment and accountability, and supervision. To do this we need to refine an overall mechanism that is dynamic, and that provides for rigid institutional constraints, strict systematic execution, strong supervision and examination, and severe sanctions, so that all misbehavior and violation of the rules and regulations relating to recreational activities paid from public funds is reduced to a minimum. 

(Comments by Xi Jinping on "Analysis and Suggestions
from Experts and Scholars on Restricting Recreational Activities
Using Public Funds," and some other reports submitted
by the People's Daily, February 22, 2013) 

* Separate comments on relevant reports by Xinhua News Agency and the People's Daily.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)