Primary-level governance key to China's stability, prosperity

BEIJING -- A close look at Chinese President Xi Jinping's domestic inspections shows that "community" is a catchphrase, highlighting the importance of primary-level governance in a country with a population of 1.4 billion.

Communities, like "nerve endings" of social governance, play a pivotal role in the country's urban and rural development and Party building.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited a residential community and a school for training community cadres in the city of Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, on Thursday, stressing continuous efforts to consolidate primary-level governance.

It was one of his many visits to local communities nationwide this year, a vivid reflection of his attachment to the grassroots.

Communities have made great contributions to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. More than 4 million urban and rural community workers across the country have set up 650,000 urban and rural community prevention and control networks to build a strong defense line against the virus.

Communities have made great contributions to the nation's poverty alleviation drive. Grassroots officials have rolled up their sleeves, taken up the most difficult jobs and become a powerful driving force for promoting economic and social development and improving people's well-being.

Communities have made great contributions to consolidating the Party's ruling foundation. Officials working at primary-level Party organizations have devoted themselves to solving various problems concerning people's well-being. China has long maintained social harmony and stability and is recognized as one of the countries whose people enjoy a strong sense of security.

Amid difficulties caused by COVID-19 and the external environment, China still lists the normal functioning of primary-level governments as one of the six areas it works to ensure security.

The level of modernization of China's system and capacity for governance is largely reflected in primary-level governance, and continuous efforts should be made to consolidate grassroots-level social governance.