BEIJING — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed the importance of leveraging the guiding and safeguarding roles of strict Party governance in every respect to ensure the development goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) are fulfilled.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Jan 22 when addressing the fifth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

The year 2020 was extraordinary in the history of the People's Republic of China, Xi said as he summarized the year's achievements in Party construction.

"People feel deeply that in stormy times the strong leadership of the Party and the authority of the CPC Central Committee are what they can always count on," Xi said.

The CPC Central Committee is satisfied with the progress made in improving Party conduct, building a clean government, and combating corruption, he added.

Xi underscored the importance of improving political judgment, understanding, and execution in implementing full and strict governance over the Party.

Historic achievements have been made but the situation remains challenging and complex, he said.

"Corruption, as the biggest risk to the Party's governance, still exists," Xi said, adding that old and new types of corruption have become intertwined and corruption is increasingly covert and complex.

"The struggle between corruption and anti-corruption efforts will continue to exist for a long period to come," Xi said. "There is no alternative in the anti-corruption fight, and we must move ahead in spite of difficulties."

Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, and Han Zheng attended the meeting.

It was presided over by Zhao Leji, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the CCDI.