The guidance puts into practice the Politburo’s policy to further reform and improve the evaluation of officials. Evaluation will be regular, continuous and substantive. It will be linked to work results, practical effectiveness and personal responsibility, especially that of heads of agencies and units.

Quarterly evaluation results will be monitored, updated and accumulated. They will serve as a key basis for year-end evaluation and quality ratings, and for personnel work when needed.

Quarterly results will help identify, train and use capable officials in a timely manner. These are officials with outstanding ability and innovative, creative thinking, who dare to think, act and take responsibility for the common good. At the same time, the results will help correct, screen out and replace officials who lack capacity or responsibility and fail to meet job requirements.

Evaluation must meet the "six clarities" requirement: clear persons, clear tasks, clear timelines, clear responsibility, clear outputs and clear authority. It must also follow the principle of “one task, one main focal point in charge.” The aim is to end evaluations based on personal feelings, favoritism, avoidance or a lack of substance.

Quarterly criteria are consistent with the annual evaluation criteria. They focus on six key pillars:

Achieving socio-economic development targets and assigned political tasks;

Improving institutions and promoting decentralization and delegation of power, together with inspection and supervision;

Promoting science, technology, innovation and digital transformation;

Building a clean and strong Party and political system; maintaining internal unity and consensus; and preventing and combating corruption, wastefulness and negative practices;

Developing culture and people, ensuring social welfare and improving people’s living standards;

Strengthening national defense and security, maintaining socio-political stability, and enhancing the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration.

The guidance also calls for wider use of digital technology and real-time, data-based governance to track, count, score and evaluate officials. This is seen as an important solution. It makes evaluation more objective and transparent, reduces administrative procedures, and helps quickly identify difficulties and obstacles during implementation.