New approach paying off in Inner Mongolia

The Inner Mongolia autonomous region has implemented a dual approach of incentives and disciplinary measures to foster a more pragmatic governance culture for its officials, a senior regional leader said.

On the incentive front, 172 of 199 officials recognized as "Outstanding Responsible Cadres" have been promoted over the past two years, demonstrating the commitment to rewarding practical work ethic, according to a signed article by Sun Shaocheng, Party secretary of Inner Mongolia.

Conversely, disciplinary measures have resulted in the removal of 448 officials who failed to perform their duties properly. Strict criteria now exclude inactive or superficially active cadres from promotions and honors, sending a clear message against bureaucratic pretense.

The article was published in the third issue of this year's Study and Research journal, which is run by the Policy Research Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Meanwhile, Inner Mongolia has intensified efforts to combat formalism and ease burdens on grassroots government units through systemic reforms.

The reforms specifically address long-standing grassroots grievances, including excessive paperwork, redundant meetings and bureaucratic overload. Through systematic streamlining, the region has reduced county-level meetings by 48.4 percent, cut county-level assessment metrics by 55 percent and slashed grassroots reporting forms by 80 percent.

Notably, some villages previously endured more than 200 annual inspection delegations. Current regulations mandate consolidated supervision and inspections. Additional reforms include abolishing municipal-level demonstration projects and eliminating performance rankings for village-level 12345 hotline services.

To ensure sustainability, leadership accountability mechanisms now require officials to personally implement their decisions and policies. The region has also given grassroots units the right to reject impractical tasks.

Meanwhile, a young business recruitment official in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has drawn widespread praise for his responsiveness to local enterprises.

In a widely circulated short video on social media, Cheng Can, a business recruitment official, said government officials should have solutions ready before meeting with businesses.

"Businesses hate stupidity, and I cannot let them think that I am stupid," he said.

Cai Zhenhua, an associate professor at the School of Public Administration at Xiangtan University, said Inner Mongolia's initiative demonstrates the central government's push for cadre personnel system reform, effectively invigorating the workforce.

In 2022, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee issued a regulation promoting a talent selection mechanism for officials in which "the competent are promoted, the outstanding rewarded, the mediocre demoted and the unqualified removed."

In recent years, cadres have faced increasing pressure from accountability mechanisms, performance evaluations and task requirements, making mobility within the civil service an emerging trend, he said.

Provinces including Guangdong, Zhejiang and Guizhou have similarly explored adjusting underperforming officials, effectively motivating cadres to demonstrate responsibility and capability, he said.

However, challenges persist in implementation. Some officials still hold distorted views on political achievement, failing to internalize a people-centered governance philosophy and clinging to outdated notions such as "equal treatment regardless of performance" or "avoiding mistakes through inaction", Cai said.