Why Chinese Officials Are Slacking Off at Their Jobs

Chinese leader Xi Jinping (bottom) arrives at the closing session of the Chinese regime’s rubber-stamp legislature conference while other Communist Party officials applaud, in Beijing, on May 28, 2020. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Commentary

Chinese state-run media People’s Daily published an article on Nov. 24, titled, “Always Keep in Mind the Word ‘Action’ as Your Top Priority.” I thought it was another piece that glorified the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but instead, it criticized CCP officials for being lazy, idle or slow at their jobs. But what’s really going on? Are officials slacking off at their jobs because they’re just being lazy or are there other reasons that the media won’t talk about?

CCP Slogans Don’t Work

The article raised some sensitive points: CCP officials “skirt around difficulties and are not proactive in resolving problems;” some believe that “the more you do, the more likely you are to make mistakes;” and “while it’s good to seek no merit, it’s better not to get demerits.”