Political Work

Persist in Advancing the Integration of "Daring Not to Corrupt, Being Unable to Corrupt, and Not Wanting to Corrupt"

坚持一体推进不敢腐不能腐不想腐

PLA Daily (解放军报) 17 August 2026

Summary

A PLA political-work article published under the byline of institutional commentary elaborates the theoretical framework of the 'Three Nots' (三不腐—daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, not wanting to corrupt) as a unified anti-corruption strategy, framing it as a core component of Xi Jinping's Party-building doctrine and applying it explicitly to military governance under the Central Military Commission. The article acknowledges that 'stock corruption has not yet been thoroughly eliminated and incremental corruption continues to occur' within the force—an unusually direct admission of ongoing institutional failure that documents the PLA's continued struggle to close the gap between anti-corruption rhetoric and practice since the post-2012 purges. The framing of anti-corruption as a 'protracted war, sustained campaign, and general war' (攻坚战持久战总体战) points to leadership recognition that punitive deterrence alone has not produced durable behavioral change, and the emphasis on 'hidden corruption' and 'new forms of corruption' raises the question of whether the post-Xi Jinping purge of senior rocket force and CMC-level officials has surfaced corruption patterns that existing institutional mechanisms failed to detect.

Translation

Corruption is the number-one killer of combat effectiveness and the most lethal source of contamination within the military. Anti-corruption is the most thoroughgoing self-revolution (自我革命). As one of the substantive elements of Xi Jinping's Party-building thought's "Fourteen Persists," "persisting in the integrated advancement of daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt" is a major theoretical innovation made by Chairman Xi in leading the practice of anti-corruption struggle in the new era. It embodies our Party's profound understanding and accurate grasp of the laws governing anti-corruption struggle under new conditions. On the new journey, to deeply study and implement Xi Jinping's Party-building thought, we must carry the anti-corruption struggle through to the end with ironclad resolve and will, advance the "Three Nots" (三不腐) in an integrated manner, continuously strengthen the comprehensive effectiveness of corruption governance, and use the new achievements of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and comprehensively and strictly governing the military to safeguard the great undertaking of building a strong nation and national rejuvenation.

Corruption has always been fundamentally incompatible with our Party and our military. From the very moment of its founding, the People's Army inscribed opposition to corruption and the preservation of purity and honor prominently on its banner. At present, our military's Party conduct and clean governance (党风廉政) building and anti-corruption struggle still face many real obstacles and latent problems. The stock of corruption has not yet been thoroughly eliminated, incremental corruption continues to occur, and various viruses that undermine the purity of the revolutionary ranks and tarnish the image of revolutionary soldiers still exist. The more thoroughly hidden dangers are eliminated, the more attainable the century-long hard struggle becomes. We must maintain a clear head, bear firmly in mind that anti-corruption is always on the road, persist in the integrated advancement of daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt, press forward with a fresh political bearing, advance bravely and resolutely, and continue to write glory on the new journey of building a strong nation and a strong military.

Entering the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has closely combined rigorous punishment of corruption with strict institutional constraints and strict education and guidance, forming the policy and strategy of advancing in an integrated manner the "daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt," and has successfully forged a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics, which is of major and far-reaching significance for winning the anti-corruption struggle.

A powerful measure for unwaveringly upholding the Party's absolute leadership over the military. Our military is a people's army created and led by the Party; the Party's absolute leadership over the military is the founding principle and the soul of strengthening the People's Army, and is a fundamental principle and institution that must be upheld without wavering at any time and under any circumstances. Looking across the evolution of militaries throughout history and around the world, if a military engages in corruption, it will inevitably lead to the collapse of convictions, the dissolution of morale, the rusting of the barrel of the gun (枪杆子锈蚀), and ultimately the shaking of its foundations and the ruin of its cause. Therefore, resolutely preventing and combating corruption is a major political task that the People's Army must attend to over the long term. Advancing the "Three Nots" in an integrated manner means clearing away accumulated malpractices within the military and rectifying corrupt phenomena with the force of thunder, strengthening the deterrent of daring not to corrupt, tightening the cage of being unable to corrupt, and building the embankment of not wanting to corrupt, continuously purifying the military's political ecosystem, ensuring that the People's Army never changes its nature, its color, or its character (永远不变质不变色不变味), and always heeds the Party and follows the Party.

A profound summation of the practical experience of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party and comprehensively and strictly governing the military in the new era. Since the 18th Party Congress, the Party Central Committee and Chairman Xi, with the high degree of self-awareness of self-revolution and the sense of mission of "offending thousands rather than failing 1.4 billion," have led the entire Party and military in steadfastly advancing comprehensive and strict Party governance, comprehensive and strict military governance, and the anti-corruption struggle, with an intensity unprecedented in scale and with results plain for all to see. In this process, the successful experience and inherent laws of the anti-corruption struggle have been continuously summarized: from proposing "forming a disciplinary mechanism of daring not to corrupt, a preventive mechanism of being unable to corrupt, and a guarantee mechanism of not being easily corrupted" to first completely putting forward the important requirement of "advancing in an integrated manner daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt"; from clearly emphasizing that "advancing in an integrated manner daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt is not only the basic policy of the anti-corruption struggle, but also an important strategy for comprehensively and strictly governing the Party in the new era" to explicitly listing "persisting in the integrated advancement of daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt" as an important component of the overall requirements for the anti-corruption struggle on the new journey—understanding has continuously deepened, practice has continuously expanded, and the integrated advancement of the "Three Nots" has continuously led the strategic reshaping of the corruption governance landscape and the revolutionary breakthrough in corruption governance capacity.

The practical need to fight well the protracted war, the sustained campaign, and the general war (攻坚战持久战总体战) of the anti-corruption struggle. Corruption is the manifestation of various adverse factors accumulating and fermenting over a long period; it has serious, stubborn, and recurrent characteristics, which also determine that the anti-corruption struggle has long-term, arduous, and complex characteristics, and cannot be resolved once and for all or achieved overnight. High-pressure strict governance can create strong deterrence but may not remain effective over the long term; institutional constraints can reduce opportunities for corruption but may not necessarily produce behavioral self-discipline; education and guidance can rectify the mind and cultivate the self but may not necessarily cover every aspect. The People's Army cannot tolerate corruption; a mighty and civilized force cannot be stained; the military's rectification of conduct and anti-corruption work must hold to higher standards and stricter requirements. Only by persisting in the integrated advancement of the "Three Nots," coordinating internal and external causes, and integrating objectives with pathways, can the maximum effect of the anti-corruption struggle be achieved, ensuring that the People's Army under Party leadership always possesses strong cohesion and combat effectiveness.

Persisting in the integrated advancement of daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt has very rich connotations. In concrete implementation in work practice, it is necessary to deeply understand the theoretical logic among the three, and to genuinely clarify the internal connections among the three, so as to better strengthen the systematicity, wholeness, and coordination of the anti-corruption struggle.

The "Three Nots" share a common objective but each has its own emphasis. The anti-corruption struggle is a complex and systematic undertaking. The "Three Nots" each enter from different points of emphasis, jointly acting to curb the increment of corruption and reduce the stock of corruption, running throughout the entire process of rectifying conduct, enforcing discipline, and combating corruption. Daring not to corrupt is the prerequisite, with emphasis on punitive deterrence: through strict enforcement of discipline and law, making Party discipline, national law, and military regulations into electrified high-voltage lines, making those who dare to corrupt tremble with fear. Being unable to corrupt is the key, with emphasis on constraint and supervision: through reform and governance innovation, tightening and weaving the institutional "cage," leaving no gap for those who intend to corrupt to exploit. Not wanting to corrupt is the foundation, with emphasis on education and guidance: through strengthening education in ideals and convictions, raising Party consciousness, and cultivating a self-discipline in clean conduct (廉洁自觉), establishing correct worldviews, outlooks on life, and value systems, so that Party members and cadres strictly discipline themselves and cultivate themselves from the depths of their hearts.

The "Three Nots" are an organically interconnected whole. The "Three Nots" are not a static combination or simple superposition of three isolated parts, but a unified body formed through dynamic coupling and interactive coordination. Daring not to corrupt provides rigid support for being unable to corrupt and not wanting to corrupt: without disciplinary deterrence and strict punishment, institutional constraints will become soft and ineffective, ideological education will become pale and powerless, and military conduct and military discipline will become lax and dissolute. Being unable to corrupt consolidates through institutional achievements the results of daring not to corrupt and not wanting to corrupt: only with tight institutions and constrained power can the results of disciplinary enforcement be consolidated, the recurrence of problems be prevented, and reverence for institutions be strengthened. Not wanting to corrupt continuously deepens the effectiveness of daring not to corrupt and being unable to corrupt: only by solidifying the ideological line of defense and doing good work at the source, making Party members and cadres inwardly uphold clean conduct and resist corruption, can corruption be prevented and curbed at its root.

The "Three Nots" must be connected, coordinated, and advanced as one force. The integrated advancement of the "Three Nots" places emphasis on "integration," and the difficulty also lies in "integration." It requires breaking through the internal connections among the three, strengthening the systemic perspective, and achieving simultaneous force, force in the same direction, and comprehensive force. We must continuously apply pressure on daring not to corrupt, always maintaining the unchanged zero-tolerance deterrence and the constant presence of high-pressure punitive force; we must also deepen and expand being unable to corrupt, digging deep into institutional shortcomings and supervisory loopholes, and improving the institutional mechanisms for preventing the breeding and spread of corruption; and we must even more consolidate and elevate not wanting to corrupt, placing greater emphasis on returning to the source and strengthening the foundation (正本清源、固本培元), solidifying the ideological line of defense against corruption and change, truly achieving the integrated fusion of deterrence, constraint, and self-discipline, driving the military's Party conduct and clean governance building and anti-corruption struggle to achieve both symptomatic and root-cause treatment (标本兼治), and ushering in the good situation of a clear sea and peaceful rivers (海晏河清).

At present, the situation of the anti-corruption struggle remains severe and complex, and the task of eradicating the soil and conditions for the breeding of corruption remains arduous and heavy. We must always maintain resolve and resilience, carry forward the spirit of thoroughgoing self-revolution, not pause a single step or concede half a step, advance in an integrated manner daring not to corrupt, being unable to corrupt, and not wanting to corrupt, continuously push the anti-corruption struggle into greater depth, and better win the historical initiative of building a strong military and revitalizing the military.

Uphold Party leadership, and ensure the Party firmly grasps the initiative in the anti-corruption struggle. The key to managing China's affairs well lies in the Party, and lies in upholding the Party's self-governance and comprehensive and strict Party governance. At all levels, implementing the political responsibility of governing the Party must be treated as the most fundamental political commitment; Party leadership must be integrated throughout the entire chain and every link of rectifying conduct, enforcing discipline, and combating corruption; and the advantage of Party leadership must be continuously transformed into the governance effectiveness of the anti-corruption struggle. On one hand, we must strengthen the Party's political building, enhance political awareness, continuously improve political judgment, political comprehension, and political execution, accurately grasp the laws and situational requirements of the anti-corruption struggle, work earnestly and take responsibility, and in combination with post duties, solidly implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, the Central Military Commission (中央军委), and Chairman Xi regarding the integrated advancement of the "Three Nots." On the other hand, we must transmit layer by layer the pressure of responsibility for comprehensive and strict Party governance, strengthen political supervision, make day-to-day supervision substantive, and genuinely treat the anti-corruption struggle as one's own responsibility and duty, studying and deploying it regularly, grasping specifics and acting on specifics.

Uphold the keynote of strictness, and always maintain a high-pressure posture in punishing corruption. After years of unremitting effort, our military's anti-corruption struggle has achieved major results, but it is far from the time to declare victory; we absolutely must not relax, must not retreat, must not yield, and must maintain the high-pressure posture without wavering, ensuring that solid results earn the trust of officers and soldiers. On one hand, we must resolutely correct erroneous understandings, abandon the thinking of expediency and temporary measures, overcome the sentiment of slackening and battle fatigue, establish the clear orientation of ever-stricter as time goes on and ever-stricter at higher levels, and persist in an unchanged attitude, undiminished intensity, and undeviated focus. On the other hand, we must persist in heavy-handed rectification and governance: investigate as much corruption as exists and dig as deep as it goes; increase the intensity of investigating and handling corruption in areas where power is concentrated, funds are dense, and resources are abundant; effectively prevent and combat new forms of corruption and hidden corruption; improve the penetrating power of anti-corruption work; and resolutely carry the anti-corruption struggle through to the end.

Uphold systemic governance, and focus on eradicating the soil and conditions for the breeding of corruption. Looking at the actual situation, the soil and conditions that give rise to corruption have not yet been thoroughly eradicated; we must put greater effort into the integrated advancement of the "Three Nots," strengthen coordinated cooperation, and promote integrated advancement through full-chain collaboration. On one hand, we must improve the institutional system, making each institution an organic whole, and work hard to squeeze out the space for corrupt profiteering; strictly enforce institutions, continuously transforming institutional achievements into governance effectiveness, and genuinely making iron discipline "grow teeth" and display its might. On the other hand, we must vigorously cultivate a culture of clean conduct (廉洁文化), conduct in-depth education on Party character, Party conduct, and Party discipline, carry forward the fine traditions of our Party and our military, draw nourishment for Party character from the innovative theories of the Party in the new era, constantly cultivate and refine the "study of the mind" (心学) of Communists, and establish and practice a correct view of political achievement (政绩观); pay attention to the building of family ethics, family education, and family conduct (家庭家教家风), place family conduct building in an important position, maintain clean conduct and self-discipline, exercise power with integrity, and keep the family clean (廉洁齐家), strictly educate, strictly constrain, and strictly supervise relatives, children, and staff in one's immediate circle, and drive the cultivation of a good social ethos of upholding clean conduct and rejecting corruption.

Original Chinese

腐败，是战斗力的第一杀手，是军中最致命的污染源。反腐败，是最彻底的自我革命。作为习近平党建思想“十四个坚持”的内涵要义之一，“坚持一体推进不敢腐不能腐不想腐”是习主席在领导新时代反腐败斗争实践中作出的重大理论创新，体现了我们党对新形势下反腐败斗争规律的深刻认识和准确把握。新征程上，深入学习贯彻习近平党建思想，必须以坚如磐石的决心意志将反腐败斗争进行到底，一体推进“三不腐”，不断增强治理腐败综合效能，以全面从严治党、全面从严治军新成效护航强国建设、民族复兴伟业。腐败历来与我党我军水火不容。人民军队自创建之初，就把反对腐败、纯洁光荣鲜明写在自己的旗帜上。当前，我军党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争还面临不少现实障碍和问题隐患，腐败存量尚未彻底清除，增量仍在发生，各种影响革命队伍纯洁、败坏革命军人形象的病毒仍然存在。隐患清除越彻底，百年攻坚越可期。必须保持清醒头脑，牢记反腐败永远在路上，坚持一体推进不敢腐不能腐不想腐，以崭新政治面貌攻坚奋进、勇毅前行，在强国强军新征程上续写荣光。进入新时代，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把严肃惩治腐败与严密制度约束、严格教育引导紧密结合，形成不敢腐不能腐不想腐一体推进的方针方略，成功走出一条中国特色反腐败之路，对于赢得反腐败斗争胜利具有重大而深远的意义。毫不动摇坚持党对军队绝对领导的有力举措。我军是党缔造和领导的人民军队，党对军队绝对领导是人民军队的建军之本、强军之魂，是任何时候任何情况下都必须毫不动摇坚持的根本原则和制度。纵观古今中外军队演变规律，军队如果搞腐败，必然导致信念坍塌、军心涣散、枪杆子锈蚀，最终动摇根基、葬送事业。因此，坚决防治腐败，是人民军队必须长期抓好的重大政治任务。一体推进“三不腐”，就是以雷霆之势清除军内积弊、整治腐败乱象，强化不敢腐的震慑，扎紧不能腐的笼子，构筑不想腐的堤坝，持续净化军队政治生态，确保人民军队永远不变质不变色不变味，始终听党话、跟党走。新时代全面从严治党、全面从严治军实践经验的深刻总结。党的十八大以来，党中央、习主席以自我革命的高度自觉和“得罪千百人，不负十四亿”的使命担当，领导全党全军坚定不移推进全面从严治党、全面从严治军和反腐败斗争，力度之大前所未有，成效有目共睹。在这一过程中，不断总结反腐败斗争成功经验和内在规律，从提出“形成不敢腐的惩戒机制、不能腐的防范机制、不易腐的保障机制”到首次完整提出“一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐”的重要要求；从鲜明强调“一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐，不仅是反腐败斗争的基本方针，也是新时代全面从严治党的重要方略”到明确把“坚持一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐”列为新征程反腐败斗争总的要求的重要内容，认识不断深化，实践不断拓展，一体推进“三不腐”持续引领腐败治理格局战略性重塑、腐败治理能力革命性突破。打好反腐败斗争攻坚战持久战总体战的现实需要。腐败是各种不良因素长期积累、持续发酵的体现，具有严重性、顽固性、反复性，这也决定了反腐败斗争具有长期性、艰巨性、复杂性，不可能一劳永逸、一蹴而就。高压严治可以形成强烈震慑但未必能长久管用，制度约束可以减少腐败机会但未必能形成行为自觉，教育引导可以正心修身但未必能管好方方面面。人民军队不容腐败，威武文明之师不容玷污，军队正风反腐必须标准更高、要求更严。只有坚持一体推进“三不腐”，统筹内因与外因，融合目标与路径，才能取得反腐败斗争最大效果，确保人民军队在党的领导下始终具有强大凝聚力战斗力。坚持一体推进不敢腐不能腐不想腐具有十分丰富的内涵，具体落实到工作实践中，需要深刻理解三者之间的理论逻辑，切实厘清三者之间的内在联系，从而更好增强反腐败斗争的系统性、整体性、协同性。 “三不腐”目标一致但又各有侧重。反腐败斗争是一项复杂系统工程，“三不腐”从不同着力点切入，共同作用于遏制腐败增量、减少腐败存量，贯穿于正风肃纪反腐全过程。不敢腐是前提，侧重于惩治威慑，通过严格执纪执法，让党纪国法军规成为带电高压线，让胆敢腐败者闻风丧胆；不能腐是关键，侧重于制约监督，通过改革和治理创新，扎紧织密制度“笼子”，让意欲腐败者无隙可钻；不想腐是根本，侧重于教育引导，通过加强理想信念教育、提高党性觉悟、涵养廉洁自觉，树牢正确的世界观、人生观、价值观，让党员干部从内心深处严于律己、严以修身。 “三不腐”是内在关联的有机整体。“三不腐”不是孤立的三个部分的静态组合、简单叠加，而是通过动态耦合、互动协同构成的统一体。以不敢腐为不能腐不想腐提供刚性支撑，没有执纪震慑、没有从严惩治，制度约束就会松软失效，思想教育就会苍白无力，军风军纪就会松弛涣散；以不能腐制度成果固化不敢腐不想腐成果，只有制度严密、权力受限，才能固化执纪成果、杜绝问题反弹，增强对制度的敬畏；以不想腐不断深化不敢腐不能腐成效，只有筑牢思想防线、做好源头治理，让党员干部内心崇尚廉洁、抵制腐败，才能从根源上防范和遏制腐败。 “三不腐”必须贯通协调一体发力。一体推进“三不腐”重在“一体”，也难在“一体”，需要打通三者内在联系，强化系统观念，做到同时发力、同向发力、综合发力。既要在不敢腐上持续加压，始终保持零容忍震慑不变、高压惩治力量常在；也要在不能腐上深化拓展，深挖制度短板、监管漏洞，健全防治腐败滋生蔓延的体制机制；更要在不想腐上巩固提升，更加注重正本清源、固本培元，筑牢拒腐防变的思想防线，真正实现震慑、约束、自觉贯通融合，推动军队党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争实现标本兼治，迎来海晏河清的良好局面。当前，反腐败斗争形势仍然严峻复杂，铲除腐败滋生的土壤和条件任务仍然艰巨繁重。必须始终保持定力和韧性，发扬彻底的自我革命精神，一步不停歇、半步不退让，一体推进不敢腐不能腐不想腐，不断把反腐败斗争向纵深推进，更好赢得强军兴军历史主动。坚持党的领导，确保党牢牢把握反腐败斗争主动权。办好中国的事情关键在党，关键在坚持党要管党、全面从严治党。各级要把落实管党治党政治责任作为最根本的政治担当，把党的领导贯穿于正风肃纪反腐全链条、各环节，不断将党的领导优势转化为反腐败斗争的治理效能。一方面，要加强党的政治建设，增强政治意识，不断提高政治判断力、政治领悟力、政治执行力，准确把握反腐败斗争规律、形势要求，真抓实干、担当作为，结合岗位职责扎实落实党中央、中央军委和习主席关于一体推进“三不腐”的决策部署。另一方面，要层层传导全面从严治党责任压力，强化政治监督，做实日常监督，切实把反腐败斗争当作分内之事、应尽之责，常研究、常部署，抓具体、具体抓。坚持严的基调，始终保持惩治腐败的高压态势。经过近年来的不懈努力，我军反腐败斗争取得重大成效，但还远未到大功告成的时候，绝对不能松、不能退、不能让，必须保持高压态势不动摇，确保以扎实成效取信官兵。一方面，要坚决纠正错误认识，摒弃权宜之计、一时之举的思想，克服松劲歇脚、疲劳厌战的情绪，立起越往后越严、越往上越严的鲜明导向，坚持态度不变、力度不减、重心不偏。另一方面，要坚持重拳整肃治理，对腐败问题有多少查多少、有多深挖多深，加大权力集中、资金密集、资源富集领域腐败查处力度，有效防治新型腐败和隐性腐败，提高反腐败穿透力，坚决把反腐败斗争进行到底。坚持系统治理，着力铲除腐败滋生的土壤和条件。从现实情况看，腐败问题产生的土壤和条件尚未彻底铲除，必须在一体推进“三不腐”上下更大功夫，加强联动配合，以全链条协作促进一体化推进。一方面，要健全制度体系，使各项制度成为有机整体，着力挤压贪腐谋利空间；狠抓制度执行，不断把制度成果转化为治理效能，切实让铁纪“长牙”发威。另一方面，要大力培塑廉洁文化，深入开展党性党风党纪教育，弘扬我党我军优良传统，从新时代党的创新理论中汲取党性滋养，常修常炼共产党人的“心学”，树立和践行正确政绩观；注重家庭家教家风建设，把家风建设摆在重要位置，廉洁自律、廉洁用权、廉洁齐家，对亲属子女和身边工作人员严格教育、严格约束、严格监督，推动营造崇廉拒腐的良好风尚。