Recently, a new trend has been spread on social media: “China Haul.” International visitors are making dedicated trips to China for shopping. They packed their suitcases with everything from foldable screens and AI glasses, to fancy Chinese cosmetics and intangible cultural heritage handicrafts. In the first seven months of this year, spending by international visitors in China reached 263.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 27.8%. With on-the-spot "buy-and-refund" service, international visitors have voted for China with their wallets.

Behind this "China Haul", obviously there is economic logic at play: China's complete industrial system and vibrant innovation, among others. The hidden reason lies in the uniqueness of the CPC's full and rigorous governance of its Party, which leads to an efficient, clean, and accountable government. Under the commitment, the Party never changes its nature, its conviction, its character. It always maintains flesh-and-blood ties with the people and earning their heartfelt support.

The uniqueness lies in the integration of self-discipline and external supervision. Over 80 years ago, Chairman Mao Zedong gave the first answer to the question of how to escape the historical cycle of rise and fall: "The government will not dare slacken its effort only under the people's scrutiny." In 2021, President Xi Jinping provided the second answer "the Party's self-reform". Both answers are deeply rooted in the soil of Chinese civilization. They are interconnected with and complementary to each other: people's democracy and supervision act as an external constraint, while the Party's self-reform represents an inner consciousness.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, full and rigorous Party self-governance has produced substantial outcomes.

In the field of anti-corruption, the CPC has advanced an unprecedented campaign, targeting both the “tigers” at the top and the “flies and ants” at the grassroots. Since 2012, discipline inspection and supervision bodies nationwide have investigated and filed 8.1 million cases, disciplining 7.9 million officials, including 963 top ones. Meanwhile, China has actively participated in global anti-corruption governance, promoted international cooperation under multilateral frameworks, such as the United Nations and the G20, leaving the corrupted no way to escape. These figures and actions prove to the world that the self-governance is not an expedient measure, but a long journey of self-reform that will never stop.

Furthermore, the significance of full and rigorous Party self-governance has transcended Party building itself. For economic development, the anti-corruption campaign has reduced the space for rent-seeking in the exercise of power and severed the interest chains linking government officials with business figures. By systematically tackling the petty corruption and providing more accessible, responsive, and efficient services, the CPC has honored its commitment to “putting the people first”.

In October 2026, the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC was convened in Beijing. The session deliberated on and adopted the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Certain Major Issues Concerning Persevering with Full and Rigorous Party Self-Governance.

It sends a clear signal to the world: A major political party, with over 100 million members, ensures with the courage of "scraping the poison from the bone" and the spirit of thoroughgoing self-reform. A stronger and more resilient CPC will continue to offset external uncertainties with its own certainty. It is and will continue to strive for the well-being of the Chinese people, while contributing Chinese wisdom to global party building. / ADN

*Ms. Pang Chunxue is the Ambassador of People’s Republic of China to Albania