In his #ThinkingAloud column, Baytaq Green Party Chairman Azamatkhan Amirtaev shared his thoughts on the book «Xi Jinping: The Governance of China» — on how China fights corruption and what Kazakhstan can learn from it. We publish his text.
I am still reading «Xi Jinping: The Governance of China», and I have finally reached the chapter that people most associate with China when it comes to officials. Indeed, here in Kazakhstan many people who point to the Chinese experience reduce everything to harsh punishment, up to public executions — as if that were the only way to get rid of this evil. But the book shows something quite different. As it turns out, the fight against corruption there is not a fixation on punishment, but multi-layered, systemic work.
Punishment is only the tip of the iceberg; the foundation is building institutions that do not allow power to be abused. The book describes a whole set of measures: rules on integrity and self-discipline, regulations on party disciplinary sanctions, a supervision law, and the creation of the National Supervisory Commission. Behind all of this stands a very precise formula that we should adopt: create conditions in which an official «does not dare», «is not able» and «does not want» to be corrupt.
These formulas are clear enough, but let me explain them a little. Does not dare, because he knows that responsibility is inevitable. The principle of «fighting tigers and flies» applies — anyone is held to account, whatever his position. Is not able, because there are transparent procedures, clear limits on powers, digital procurement and control over budgets. There are simply no gaps to slip through. And does not want, because honesty becomes an inner norm, a culture of service rather than fear. Three components. Remove one of them, and the system stops working properly and starts to fail.
That is why another thought from the same book struck me just as much. It could have been a separate post, but I decided to combine it with the topic of corruption. At the start of his leadership, Xi Jinping said: «To forge iron, one must be strong oneself».
When we demand discipline, honesty and responsibility from others, we must first of all make these demands of ourselves — of our team and of ourselves personally. I wrote about this here recently. In public service, the well-worn «start with yourself» takes on a deeper meaning. Of course, one can talk about justice as much as one likes, but people look at deeds. How is the money spent? Are the rules the same for an ordinary employee and for a boss? Is the leader ready to answer for his mistakes?
For Kazakhstan today this is fundamental. The country faces huge tasks set by the President — from digitalization and environmental protection to building a Just Kazakhstan. These tasks cannot be solved without discipline. That is why I believe we need the same multi-layered approach:
1. Reduce the room for arbitrary decisions — through transparent procurement, open budgets and digitalization.
2. Make accountability inevitable — position and connections must not give immunity; we need effective public oversight and an independent judiciary.
3. And no less important — start with ourselves. Those in power must be able to hear criticism, detect violations within their own ranks and fix the rules if they allow the law to be circumvented.
As Chairman of the Baytaq Green Party, I am convinced that we must apply these standards to ourselves first. Citizens' trust requires inner discipline, openness and readiness to answer for one's promises. For the environment, the price of dishonest decisions is especially high: a single official's signature can mean polluted water, hazardous waste, lost land and people's health.
That is why discipline as it is understood in China — personal responsibility, modesty in everyday life, closeness to the people — is something we can and should adopt almost entirely. This is not about copying, it is about common sense. The authorities must act within the law and through accountable institutions. And the integrity of public service must be ensured every day by rules, oversight and personal example.
