Small, but essential step

Party leaders have demonstrated their determination to end the extravagance and bureaucracy that threatens rejuvenation

The eight measures aimed at reducing bureaucracy and official extravagance put forward by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China may seem trivial compared to the pledge to rejuvenate China made by Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, on behalf of the new leadership. Yet they are practical steps toward the lofty goal of national rejuvenation that has been cherished by Chinese people for more than 170 years since China fell prey to foreign imperialist invasions during the Opium Wars.

The measures require leaders to reject extravagance and reduce bureaucratic visits and meetings. The spending on officials' trips and inspections should be kept at the minimum necessary level, and there should be fewer traffic controls arranged for their security during official trips to avoid unnecessary inconvenience to the public, the new CPC leadership announced in a statement made less than three weeks after they were elected at the 18th National Congress of the CPC.