"Obviously Clear Matters" Must Also Be Handled According to Regulations

"Obviously Clear Matters" Must Also Be Handled According to Regulations

■ Sun Jie, Wei Xi; PLA Daily Special Correspondent Mu Peizhou

"Comrade Li Jun's performance during his probationary Party membership period is plain for all to see—it's an obviously clear matter." Not long ago, at a cadre huddle meeting of a certain company of a certain brigade of the 80th Group Army, then conducting garrison training, Squad Leader Liu suggested they "say a few words and keep it simple, so everyone can free up time to plan for field training-related work." This caused Party branch secretary Bian Jiang, who was presiding over the meeting, to furrow his brow.

"Obviously clear matter?" Bian Jiang's expression turned serious. "No matter how busy the work is, not a single required step can be skipped! Thinking about compressing procedures before the matter has even gone to a meeting—that precedent cannot be set."

This insistence on doing things by the book kept the notion of "saying a few words and keeping it simple" out of the meeting room.

The following afternoon, the branch Party member general meeting convened as scheduled. As soon as the discussion phase began, Bian Jiang stated his position directly: "I know the field training tasks are stacking up and everyone is very busy, but going through the procedures is not going through the motions. How Comrade Li Jun has actually performed, what his strengths are, and what his shortcomings are—we need to lay it all out on the table, point by point."

With that, Party members began to speak up one by one.

During the appraisal, one person said Li Jun's military qualities were solid and that he led the charge in every assessment, but also noted that when things got busy he did not do enough to mentor and assist other comrades; another said his theoretical study notes were neat and orderly, but that he was sometimes not active enough in discussion and speaking; yet another mentioned that when a new soldier once asked him for tips on organizing personal gear, he brushed it off in a few words and showed insufficient patience… There was both heartfelt recognition and criticism that pointed directly at problems.

Li Jun sat to one side. At first his expression was relaxed, but as the appraisal deepened he gradually grew serious, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. When he heard someone mention that he "showed insufficient patience," he instinctively tightened his grip on the pen in his hand.

When it was Li Jun's turn to respond, he stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "I did not expect to hear so many precise opinions today. Some of these problems I genuinely did not take seriously in my day-to-day life, which shows that I am still falling short in certain areas. Going forward I will continue to work hard and become a qualified Party member as quickly as possible."

The meeting completed the vote and resolution in accordance with prescribed procedures. Li Jun's overall performance was rated excellent, his attitude toward rectification was assessed as relatively proactive, and he passed with a high vote.

The matter did not end there. After the meeting, Bian Jiang brought the discussion to the company affairs meeting. "Why is it that an 'obviously clear matter,' once you insist on doing it properly, can still turn up problems? Because the thinking is not sufficiently correct—procedures are treated as a burden, and 'obviously clear matters' are treated as a foregone conclusion." He said that procedures are not ropes that bind hands and feet; they are guardrails that ensure we do not make mistakes. To muddle through procedures is to muddle through the organization and to muddle through the officers and soldiers.

This episode in the company drew a high degree of attention from the brigade Party committee. Drawing broader lessons from this single case, they clarified operational norms and work standards one by one—from agenda-setting to discussion and speaking, from ad hoc handling to oversight and accountability. The brigade Party committee stated clearly: "Organizational procedures must be strictly observed. In this regard, arbitrary accommodation (变通) and discounting are not permitted."

Today, strict observance of Party rules and Party discipline has become a conscious behavior of grassroots Party branches. From commendation and award evaluations to the selection and assignment of cadres and backbone personnel, from developing Party members to the use of funds, procedures are followed in every matter and everyone abides by the rules. Officers and soldiers broadly reflect: now that procedures are substantive, the atmosphere is upright, and their hearts feel clearer.