Communist Party pledges to reach deeper into China’s tech, digital platform sectors

China’s ruling Communist Party has pledged to expand its "party building" efforts into the nation’s tech and digital platform sectors, according to a landmark document adopted at a significant political plenum. The party plans to deploy digital tools, such as a digital discipline inspection platform and a big-data supervision platform, to combat corruption.

These tools will be used to target corruption involving the internet, virtual currency, cross-border funds, and blockchain technology. The document, formally approved at the conclusion of the fifth plenum of the 20th Central Committee, formally incorporates "Xi Jinping Thought on Party Building" as a defining blueprint for the party’s long-term governance.

This doctrine builds upon Xi’s earlier "important thoughts" on party building and has now been integrated into the party’s institutional canon alongside doctrines like Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory. The document frames party-building challenges against a backdrop of "profound shifts in global dynamics, national conditions, and the party’s internal landscape," citing rising unilateralism, geopolitical turbulence, and rapid advancements in the tech sector.

Internally, demographic shifts have led to more post-reform-era cadres entering leadership positions, testing traditional oversight mechanisms. The document warns of persisting "impurities in ideology, organization, and conduct," citing ideological wavering, warped priorities, slack discipline, and corruption among some officials.

To address these challenges, the party now requires non-public and mixed-ownership enterprises, particularly internet platforms and science and technology innovators, to integrate party-building work into their corporate charters and operational management. The document mandates a more systematic approach to party building in emerging sectors, requiring industry regulators, supervisory bodies, and local authorities to oversee tech oversight and enhance the party’s cohesion.