BEIJING — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed the importance of the Party’s political building.

The CPC must regard political building as the Party’s fundamental building so as to provide an important guarantee for the Party to march from victory to victory, Xi said on June 29 when presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

“If a Marxist political party loses its advanced nature in politics, there will be no purity and advanced nature of the party,” Xi said.

The Political Bureau conducted the group study in order to deepen understanding of the Party’s political building and become more conscious and firm in promoting it to celebrate the 97th anniversary of the founding of CPC, Xi said.

He noted the progress in this regard since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012.

Political direction is the top priority concerning the survival and development of the Party, and it determines the future of the Party and the cause, Xi said.

The political direction is the ideal of Communism and the shared ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the two centenary goals, as well as the Party’s basic theory, line, and policy, he said.

The defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC. The greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the leadership of the CPC. The Party is the highest force for political leadership, Xi said.

Xi stressed upholding the authority and the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee as essential to adhering to the Party’s political leadership.

All Party members must be guided to strengthen their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment, and closely follow the Central Committee in terms of thinking, political orientation, and actions.

He called on efforts to win the people’s support and pool the wisdom and strength of the people.

Long-term efforts must be made to create a sound political ecosystem, he said.

“Our Party was born during domestic turmoil and foreign aggression and has grown after enduring hardships and frustrations, and it becomes stronger by overcoming risks and challenges,” Xi said, noting the Party has always been ready to protect against potential dangers and risks.

He pledged continued efforts to combat corruption so that the Party will never change its nature.

Party officials must enhance their abilities to base their work on the correct direction, the trend and the overall picture, differentiate right from wrong, maintain political orientation, manage political situations, and guard against political risks, Xi said.