HONG KONG (SE): Chen Xi, a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party has condemned cadres for believing in ghosts and gods rather than putting their faith in Karl Marx and Joseph Lenin.
 
Writing in the Communist Party official mouthpiece, the People’s Daily, on November 16, Chen accused some officials of becoming politically and morally degraded, and of looking to religion, superstition and western-style democracy to supplement a fading faith in socialism.
 
“Some don’t believe in Marx and Lenin, but in ghosts and gods. They don’t believe in ideals, but believe in sorcery; they don’t respect the people, but do respect masters,” Chen, who was appointed to the 25-member Politburo in October, wrote.
 
Chen said other cadres had disguised themselves as liberals and had shirked their responsibility to defend the Party’s fundamental political position by sitting on the fence.
 
The South China Morning Post commented that Chen’s words echo the sentiments expressed by the president, Xi Jinping, during his epic speech at the national congress, at which he secured a second term in office.
 
Xi’s call for changes to Party promotion policy came after the purge of dozens of top politicians during the anti-corruption campaign he launched in 2012 and the declining influence of the Communist Youth League.
 
Chen wrote that to gain promotion, officials must be dedicated to upholding Xi’s status as the core of the Party, and sternly oppose wrong ideas, like western notions of a separation of powers.