The overall leadership of the Communist Party of China should be guaranteed and strengthened in the deepening reform of Party and State institutions, a senior official wrote in People’s Daily on March 14.

“The overall leadership of the Party is the fundamental guarantee for deepening reform,” wrote Yang Xiaodu, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

China on March 13 unveiled plans for a massive Cabinet restructuring to make the government more efficient and service-oriented.

The institutional reform plan of the State Council was submitted for deliberations to the first session of the 13th National People’s Congress, the top legislature.

The move aims to build a government able to satisfy the people’s needs. The State Council would have 15 fewer entities at ministerial or vice-ministerial levels if the plan is approved.

Yang wrote that leadership of the CPC is the most essential element of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of this system, therefore it is necessary to improve the Party’s ability to govern and lead.

He said that in addition to the overall leadership of the Party, the reform also requires law-based governance with clear functions and responsibilities, world-class forces with Chinese characteristics and mass organizations for bridging and serving the general populace.

“Only in this way can the reform promote coordinated actions and resultant forces among the people’s congresses; governments; political advisory bodies and supervisory, judicial and prosecutorial organs; people’s organizations; enterprises; public institutions; and social organizations all under the unified leadership of the CPC,” Yang wrote.

“To carry out the reform, efforts should be made to improve the system for upholding overall Party leadership and optimizing the structure and functions of government institutions.

“In the meantime, the reform should also focus on promoting coordinated reforms of institutions in the Party, the government, the military, people’s organizations and enterprises, as well as improving the setup of institutions at local levels.”

Yang said reforms to Party and State institutions provide the fundamental institutional guarantee for the Party’s long-term governance and ensure the country’s long-term stability.