Help officials to better perform duties

A number of officials have not been fulfilling their duties, even compromising public interests by neglecting their duties, arousing public concern. In fields where social contradictions are acute and jobs difficult to come by, the problem of officials neglecting their duties is more widespread.

In extreme situations, certain officials' lack of supervision and inspection has caused great pains to the public. For instance, several scandals, including the one involving vaccines which directly relates to people's health, have been reported due to a number of officials' dereliction of duty in the past few years.

Generally, officials' dereliction of duty is reflected in incapable work, lack of drive and carelessness. Several factors may prompt officials to neglect their duties. For example, as reform and opening-up further deepen and work gets ever trickier, officials have become confused and thus have become less enthusiastic about fulfilling their duties and responsibilities.

Besides, in some ways, the more complicated social conflicts and people's increasing awareness about safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests by using the law have heightened some officials' fear of committing mistakes and made them more cautious and slow at work. The popularity of the internet and the development of social media, too, have created problems for officials who by nature are slow to adapt to new situations.

In addition, many local governments and agencies find it difficult to fully implement the new ideas and strategies of the CPC Central Committee. As President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said, some local governments and institutions have failed to offer timely education and guide to officials.

To ensure the officials do not neglect or ignore their duties, different levels of Party committees and governments should adopt the following measures. First, they have to improve the mechanism to select and appoint officials so the officials can be motivated to act with courage and determination. Only a fair talent procurement system and its effective implementation can motivate officials to better perform their duties. Also, some regional and departmental systems and links to select officials should be improved even though China's mechanism to appoint officials in general has improved a lot.

As Xi writes in the Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, the organizational departments and leading cadres should be principled and impartial enough to seek truth from facts, and shoulder the responsibility of appointing the right officials to the right posts. A good and unbiased appointment system could greatly drive the officials to better perform their duties.

Second, multiple methods, for example, practice, training and learning sessions on management, policy review and rule of law, should be used to improve officials' overall ability. Comprehensive training, to a large extent, could improve officials' work status and enthusiasm, and effectively prompt officials to not neglect their duties.

Third, the officials' work performance should be evaluated scientifically and practically, and their achievements given due credit and rewards, and blunders punished accordingly. But since any officials can commit a mistake or not perform their duty properly, they should be given some leeway to explore, even commit mistakes while implementing measures to deepen reform and opening-up, in order to avoid stifling innovation.

In The Governance of China, Xi also says that the mistakes officials commit or the failures they meet due to a lack of experience or because of bold trials should be differentiated from willful violation of laws and rules.

Fourth, governments and agencies should adopt potent measures to protect young officials－those born in the 1970s, 1980s, even 1990s－and to help them preserve their enthusiasm. An increasing number of young officials have shown excellent professionalism, energy and vision, and are willing to innovate and try out new tactics and methods to get the best results. Helping them to give full play to their strength and vision will go a long way in making them more committed to their duties.

The authorities should therefore focus more on training young officials and building a healthy environment for them so they can better perform their duties.

Finally, officials themselves should reflect on whether they have neglected their duties. They should perform all their duties vis-à-vis the Party, the people and the country by strengthening their own ideological level and improving their professional skills.

The author is a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.