Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 406 The New Leader Establishes Authority at the Seat

At 9:00 a.m., a meeting of all county-level leaders and cadres was held.

Members of the county's four leading bodies, heads of township party committees and governments, and principal leaders of county-level departments attended the meeting.

Che Jinluo, deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, Yao Jingui, member of the standing committee of the municipal party committee and head of the organization department, as well as Yuan Jin, Liang Dongming and Wu Zhiyuan were seated on the rostrum.

Yao Jingui presided over the meeting: "Comrades, the meeting is now in session. The main task of today's meeting of all county-level leading cadres is to announce the decisions of the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee regarding the adjustment of the principal responsible comrade of the Qingyan County Party Committee."

Comrade Yuan Jin will no longer serve as Secretary, Standing Committee Member, or Member of the Qingyan County Party Committee; she will be assigned to another position.

Comrade Liang Dongming was appointed Secretary, Standing Committee Member, and Member of the Qingyan County Party Committee.

During her time working in Qingyan, Comrade Yuan Jin was dedicated to her duties, diligent and pragmatic. She united and led the cadres and masses of the county to do a great deal of effective work in promoting economic and social development, maintaining social stability, and strengthening Party building. The Municipal Party Committee fully affirmed Comrade Yuan Jin's work.

Comrade Liang Dongming is politically steadfast, has a broad vision, and is in the prime of his life. During his tenure as Director of the Municipal Transportation Bureau, he organized and implemented a number of major transportation infrastructure projects, demonstrating strong organizational and leadership abilities and the capacity to manage the overall situation…”

Yuan Jin was the first to express her opinion.

He stood up, bowed deeply to the audience, then bowed to Che Jinluo and Yao Jingui respectively, and finally nodded to Liang Dongming and Wu Zhiyuan.

The movements were executed with fluidity and perfect precision.

"I fully support and resolutely obey the decisions of the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee."

The years I spent working in Qingyan were an extremely valuable experience in my life.

I want to thank the organization for its cultivation and trust, thank the comrades of the four leading bodies of the county for their strong support, and thank the vast number of cadres and the masses of the county for their hard work.

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the audience.

"Qingyan is a land full of hope."

I believe that under the leadership of the county party committee headed by Comrade Liang Dongming, Qingyan will develop better and faster, and Qingyan's tomorrow will be even brighter.

Wherever I go in the future, I will always remember Qingyan, care about Qingyan, and wish Qingyan well.

applause.

Next, Liang Dongming made a statement: "I fully support and resolutely obey the decisions of the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee."

I feel honored and deeply responsible to be able to work in Qingyan.

Qingyan has a long history and rich cultural heritage. Successive county committees and governments have led the people of the county in hard work and pioneering spirit, laying a solid foundation.

In particular, Comrade Yuan Jin devoted a great deal of effort and made significant contributions during her time working in Qingyan.

He paused, then his tone became firm and resolute: "From today onwards, I am a member of Qingyan."

I will cherish the trust of the organization and the heavy responsibility entrusted to me by the people. Under the strong leadership of the municipal party committee, relying closely on the collective wisdom of the county party committee and the joint efforts of the vast number of cadres and the masses in the county, I will perform my duties diligently and devote all my efforts to the development of Qingyan…”

Liang Dongming outlined five points, concluding with, "I believe that as long as we unite as one and work diligently, Qingyan's future will be even brighter!"

Applause erupted again.

It was Wu Zhiyuan's turn to make a statement.

"During his time working in Qingyan, Comrade Yuan Jin devoted a great deal of effort to the development and stability of the entire county and made significant contributions."

I learned a lot from Comrade Yuan Jin.

I sincerely wish Comrade Yuan Jin success in her new position.

Comrade Liang Dongming is young, energetic, experienced, and has a broad vision. His appointment will surely inject new impetus into the development of Qingyan.

I will fully support and cooperate with Comrade Liang Dongming's work, and under the strong leadership of the county party committee, earnestly fulfill the government's functions and implement the county party committee's decisions and plans without any discount.

With the entire county working together towards a common goal, Qingyan's work will surely reach new heights...

Che Jinlu gave the final speech.

"This adjustment of the main leaders of the Qingyan County Party Committee is a decision made by the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee after comprehensive consideration, repeated deliberation and careful research, based on the overall situation of the province and the city and the actual situation of the Qingyan County leadership team. It fully reflects the high importance that the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee attach to the construction of the Qingyan County leadership team and the economic and social development."

He affirmed Yuan Jin's achievements during her time working in Qingyan, using the phrases "dedicated to her duties, diligent and honest in her work, and outstanding in her achievements."

When talking about Liang Dongming, his tone became more expectant: "Comrade Dongming has good political qualities, a strong sense of organization, and is resourceful, decisive, and tenacious in his work."

During his tenure as Director of the Transportation Bureau, he dared to tackle tough challenges and fight hard battles, organizing and implementing a number of key projects and demonstrating a strong ability to overcome difficulties.

The provincial and municipal party committees believe that Comrade Dong Ming is suitable to serve as the secretary of the Qingyan County Party Committee.

He then changed the subject: "At the same time, I must also emphasize that the work in Qingyan must be done by the cadres and the masses of Qingyan."

I hope everyone will align their thinking with the decisions of the Provincial Party Committee and the Municipal Party Committee, and support Comrade Liang Dongming's work in the same way they supported Comrade Yuan Jin.

The county party committee should play a leading role in overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties.

Under the leadership of the county party committee, the county government should take the initiative to focus on economic work and various social undertakings.

The National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference should focus on the central tasks and serve the overall interests, and earnestly perform their functions.

The entire county must work together with one mind and one purpose to consolidate and develop the positive situation of stability, unity, and entrepreneurship in Qingyan.

Finally, he emphasized: "Currently, Qingyan is at a critical stage of accelerating development and transformation and upgrading."

It is hoped that the county party committee, headed by Comrade Liang Dongming, will unite and lead the vast number of cadres and the masses throughout the county to seize opportunities, innovate, and work diligently to continuously create a new situation for the economic and social development of Qingyan County, and deliver a satisfactory report to the municipal party committee, the municipal government, and the people of the county.

The applause was enthusiastic and prolonged.

After the meeting, Che Jinluo and Yao Jingui, accompanied by Yuan Jin, Liang Dongming, and Wu Zhiyuan, walked to the small restaurant of the government canteen.

This is the usual practice: when higher-level leaders come, they eat lunch at the county government canteen, not at a restaurant, but they don't have to squeeze into the large canteen with ordinary cadres.

The small restaurant is located on the second floor of the cafeteria. It is simply decorated, with a traditional Chinese ink painting of Qingyan Mountain hanging on the wall.

Eight dishes and one soup.

Che Jinlu glanced at the dishes on the table and nodded slightly: "Qingyan's canteen is good; the dishes look refreshing."

Yuan Jin said with a smile, "Secretary Che, the chef in our canteen makes an absolute masterpiece of braised pork. Please try it."

Che Jinlu picked up a piece, chewed it carefully, and said, "Hmm, it's fatty but not greasy, melts in your mouth, and tastes really good."

Liang Dongming glanced around the table and suddenly asked, "County Chief Wu, where did you purchase this bass?"

Wu Zhiyuan said, "It should be a designated purchase by the county. I need to ask the Government Affairs Management Center for the specific channels."

Liang Dongming frowned slightly: "I heard that Qingyan sometimes orders food from outside restaurants for official receptions. This is not a good habit."

A government canteen should look like a government canteen; it shouldn't become a disguised form of lavish dining.

The atmosphere at the table suddenly became tense.

Yuan Jin paused in her act of picking up food, glanced at Liang Dongming, and said nothing.

Che Jinluo held his teacup, his expression unchanged.

Wu Zhiyuan calmly said, "Secretary Liang, the procurement of ingredients and the supply of dishes in the canteen of the government office have always been strictly carried out in accordance with the standards for official receptions."

We have occasionally ordered food from outside in the past, but this was mainly to deal with unexpected tasks that exceeded the canteen's regular capacity.

Since arriving in Qingyan, I have instructed the Administrative Affairs Management Center to strictly control such cases and, in principle, no longer allow them.

Che Jinlu broke the silence and said with a smile, "Comrade Dongming has just arrived in Qingyan and is not yet familiar with the situation. We'll take it slow on some details."

"The government canteen in Qingyan is already doing quite well to reach this level."

Yao Jingui also tried to smooth things over: "Yes, the standards for official receptions are clearly stipulated by the central government and the province."

As long as it doesn't exceed the limits or violate regulations, some details can be gradually standardized.

Liang Dongming smiled and said, "Secretary Che and Minister Yao are right. I'm new here and not familiar with the situation yet."

However, now that we're in Qingyan, we must abide by the rules and correct our bad habits.

Details determine success or failure; though the canteen is small, it is a window into the development of work style.

During the meal, Che Jinluo turned to Wu Zhiyuan and asked about the wildlife park project in Wuhe Town.

Wu Zhiyuan gave a brief report on the progress: the land acquisition and resettlement have been completed, the first payment from the Municipal Investment Group has been received, and construction will officially begin next month.

Che Jinluo was very satisfied: "You have done a lot of work to make this project possible in Qingyan."

The city is paying close attention to this and is determined to make it a high-quality project.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Secretary Che, rest assured, we will do our best."

Liang Dongming spoke up: "I've heard about the wildlife park project; it's a good project. But I have a few questions I'd like to ask."

Wu Zhiyuan put down his chopsticks and looked at Liang Dongming.

"First, what are the compensation standards for land acquisition and relocation? Do they exceed the upper limit stipulated by the city?"

Second, where will the county's matching funds come from? Will they be squeezed out from the budgets of other projects, or will there be new sources of revenue?

Third, what will be the operational model after the project is completed? Will the county hold shares, manage the project, or simply collect taxes?

The three questions hit the nail on the head.

Wu Zhiyuan calmly replied, "The compensation standards for land acquisition and relocation are strictly implemented in accordance with the city's documents, and there is no excess."

The county's matching funds mainly come from two parts—one part is the special tourism development fund allocated by the province, and the other part is the project reserve fund we set aside in the initial budget. It did not crowd out the budget for other livelihood projects.

In terms of the operating model, the municipal investment group holds 70% of the shares, the county holds 20% through the state-owned assets platform, and the remaining 10% is reserved for the village collective as a resource investment.

The county government does not directly participate in the operation, but it fulfills its regulatory responsibilities in areas such as planning, environmental protection, and safety.

Liang Dongming picked up a piece of braised pork, chewed it, and asked, "The matching funds, you said they were reserved from the budget at the beginning of the year."

Then I would like to ask, when you made the budget at the beginning of the year, this project had not yet been officially launched, so why did you set aside this money?

What happens to the money if the project fails?

In response to Liang Dongming's critical question, Wu Zhiyuan calmly replied, "Secretary Liang, when we made the budget at the beginning of the year, this project had indeed not yet been finalized."

However, at that time we had already held multiple rounds of discussions with the Municipal Investment Group, and their investment intentions were very clear.

As the county head, I have a responsibility to reserve the necessary supporting space for major projects that may be implemented when preparing the budget.

Even if the project ultimately fails to materialize, the money will not be idle. We have a list of alternative projects and can adjust its use at any time.

The use of fiscal funds should ensure both people's livelihood and development.

It is my responsibility to use limited funds wisely.

Liang Dongming grunted in response, picked up his water glass, took a sip, and his face remained expressionless.

At this moment, Che Jinluo interjected, speaking in a calm tone: "Comrade Zhiyuan has put thought into the project planning."

It's not easy for this project to be selected from several candidate sites and ultimately fall to Qingyan.

Comrade Dongming has just arrived and is not yet familiar with the situation. Asking some detailed questions is a responsible thing to do.

"The more you cooperate, the smoother things will go."

These words both affirmed Wu Zhiyuan's work and gave Liang Dongming a way out.

Liang Dongming nodded and did not ask any further questions about the project.

But then the topic shifted to something else.

"County Chief Wu, there's one more thing. I heard that the county has compiled a list of local notables living elsewhere and also held a Spring Festival gathering."

That's a good idea. But when I looked at the list, I noticed that some people with low-ranking positions and limited influence were also included.

There are also some people who, although on the list, have no contact with the county and cannot be persuaded to come.

Shouldn't this list be reviewed and revised?

Wu Zhiyuan was taken aback. Liang Dongming was very well-informed; he had only just arrived in Qingyan and already knew about the list of local notables and the New Year's gathering.

Wu Zhiyuan calmly said, "Secretary Liang is right. This list is the result of a preliminary investigation, and there are bound to be imperfections."

My idea is to use it as a dynamically updated database, regularly verifying, supplementing, and adjusting it.

We don't need to contact all Qingyan natives living elsewhere, but we should prioritize connecting with those who truly have resources, enthusiasm, and a willingness to contribute to their hometown.

Liang Dongming shook his head: "Focus on key connections? How do we connect? Rely on hometown ties? Rely on personal relationships?"

County Chief Wu, in the context of a market economy, is all about interests.

If you want people to come back and invest, you have to let them see a return.

A warm letter or a meal with hometown flavors alone cannot keep people.

I think we need to approach this from a different angle.

Wu Zhiyuan did not refute, but instead asked, "What does Secretary Liang mean?"

"What I mean is, instead of casting a wide net, it's better to focus your efforts precisely."

No more than twenty people on your list are truly valuable.

Keep an eye on these twenty people, talk to them one by one, present concrete projects and conditions, and close one deal at a time.

Don't spend too much energy on the rest.

This statement is blunt, even somewhat harsh.

The county officials at the table exchanged glances, but no one said a word.