On January 17, 2023, Gao Yu, Secretary of Party Group and Chairman of the Counsellors’ Office of the State Council (COSC), presided over a special meeting of COSC Party Group on studying and implementing the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress, which mapped out new plans for mobilization and promotion of the studying and implementation of the spirit by the COSC and China Central Institute for Culture and History (CCICH), and solidified the ideological foundation for holding a good democratic meeting. Following the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the meeting focused on deeply understanding the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position in the CPC Central Committee and in the CPC as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, being united,shouldering responsibilities, working together, and continuously promoting the effective implementation of major decisions and deployments of the 20th CPC National Congress in the COSC and CCICH.

Gao pointed out that the requirements of the “five major principles we must firmly adhere to” put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping are the most accurate interpretation of the report to the 20th CPC National Congress and the most authoritative guidance, and that the Party Group of COSC and party organizations at all levels should take them as the fundamental instructions, and effectively promote, deepen and substantiate the study and implementation of the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress. Firstly, we should acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of the establishment of both Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position in the CPC Central Committee and in the CPC as a whole and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and raise the awareness of the need to uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping's core position in the CPC Central Committee and in the CPC as a whole, and upholding the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership in terms of thinking, political orientation, and action. Secondly, we should fully understand Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and apply it effectively, and adhere to and make good use of its stances, viewpoints, and methods. Thirdly, we should understand and firmly grasp the mission and task of advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization, and comprehensively enhance the capabilities to perform our duties. Fourthly, we should acquire a deep understanding of the requirements of using the Party’s own transformation to steer social transformation, and play the leading role of leading cadres in exercising full and strict governance over the Party. Fifthly, we should have a deep understanding of staying alert and determined to tackle the special challenges that a large party like ours faces, and conscientiously fulfill the political responsibility for exercising full and strict governance over the Party.

Gao stressed the importance of achieving moderate prosperity in all respects, comprehensively deepening reform and comprehensively advancing the rule of law, the need to achieve mastery through a comprehensive study and gear the study to practical use, and the requirements to closely combine the study and implementation of the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress with the study and implementation of the spirit of the reports to the 18th and 19th CPC National Congress, with Xi Jinping’s economic thought and the spirit of Central Economic Work Conference and the Central Rural Work Conference, with Xi Jinping’s important thought on advancing the Party's united front work in the new era and the spirit of the Central Conference on United Front Work, and with the spirit of the domestic life meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party and the spirit of the 2nd Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, to deepen the understanding of the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress of CPC members, counsellors, researchers and research fellows, and to make genuine efforts and achieve actual effect in comprehensive studying, understanding and implementation.

Gao pointed out that 2023 is the first year to fully implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and it is of great significance to deliver a good performance in all areas of work. He emphasized the need to keep strengthening the identity awareness education of political institutions; to acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing both Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the CPC as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; to strengthen consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; to uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the CPC as a whole and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership; to continuously improve the capacity for political judgment, thinking, and implementation; to be good pace-setters, and lead by example in studying and implementing Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in a deep-going way, always closely follow the CPC Central Committee in terms of thinking, political orientation and actions, and resolutely implement the decisions and instructions of the CPC Central Committee, and strive to build model institutions; to keep to our goals and tasks, focus on understanding the new development stage, applying the new development philosophy and stepping up our efforts to create a new development paradigm to promote high-quality development, and do a good job in organizing the work of providing useful proposals, domestic supervision, advocating culture and drawing lessons from history, building a united front and work in other aspects; to get all parties take their respective responsibilities, and prevent and resolve risks and challenges with a state of mind of “never resting assured” and a great sense of responsibility; to implement the strategic plan of exercising full and strict governance over the Party, and improve the quality of Party building efforts in government organs, so as to provide a strong safeguard for the major decisions and instructions of the 20th CPC National Congress to be implemented effectively in the COSC and CCICH.

Other attendees at the meeting included Wang Weimin, Zhao Bing and Zhang Yantong, members of the Party Group and Vice Chairmen of the COSC, and heads of internal organs, public institutions, trade union, youth league, and women’s federation under COSC agencies.