The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a consultative meeting on February 28 at Zhongnanhai in Beijing with the central committees of other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), and personages without party affiliation, which were informed of the plan on the reform of Party and state institutions, of a list of proposed candidates for the leading positions of state institutions to be recommended to the first session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), and of a list of proposed candidates for the leadership of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee to be recommended to the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee. The meeting was held to also hear about their opinions on the above-mentioned issues.Â
President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech.
Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting.
In the speech, Xi Jinping said that important arrangements were made at the 20th CPC National Congress for deepening the reform of Party and state institutions. They include specific requirements for deepening the reform of financial system, improving the system in which the Party Central Committee exercises unified leadership over science and technology work, optimizing the government responsibility system and organizational structure, improving the coordinating institutions for the Party Central Committee’s decision-making on and deliberation of state affairs, and optimizing the allocation of staffing resources for Party and state institutions. Efforts were specified for Party building to guide community-level governance, for stepping up Party building in enterprises of mixed-ownership and non-public enterprises, and for streamlining the management systems for Party building in trade associations, academic societies and chambers of commerce, among others. In order to implement these requirements made at the 20th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has formulated the draft plan on the reform of Party and state institutions on the basis of in-depth study and analysis as well as extensive solicitation of opinions. After being reviewed and adopted at the second plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, part of the reform plan will be submitted to the first session of the 14th NPC for deliberation in accordance with due legal procedures. In general, the reform of Party and state institutions this time, highlighting key industries and fields, is more targeted and intensified, covering many areas and involving a wide range of interests. It focuses on resolving challenging issues that are of great significance and of great concern to society, which will have an important impact on the economic and social development.
Xi stressed that the first session of the 14th NPC and the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee are about to be held. The election of new leading officials of state institutions and the new leadership of the CPPCC National Committee is an important task of the two sessions this year. It is also an important issue that concerns the overall situation.
The CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to the personnel arrangement of the NPC and the National Committee of the CPPCC, and has made arrangements, discussed about it within certain scope and solicited opinions as well. In deliberation, it was agreed that in deciding candidates for the new leadership of state institutions and the CPPCC National Committee, we should fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly understand the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership, stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics, uphold the unity between the Party leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance, strengthen the work of the NPC and the CPPCC National Committee, and unite forces from all sectors.
We must adhere to the principle of the Party managing and supervising officials, select officials on the basis of both integrity and ability, with more consideration given to integrity, and on the basis of merit regardless of background, apply the criteria for judging competent officials in the new era and the requirements of being loyal, upright, and responsible, and set high standards of political commitment, integrity, and image for candidates. On the basis of fully listening to opinions, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee comprehensively considered the qualifications of candidates, various structural requirements and work needs before putting forward proposed lists of candidates, which were submitted to the second plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee for deliberation.
Xi said he hoped that other political parties, the ACFIC and personages without party affiliation would thoroughly understand the great significance of the reform of Party and state institutions, align their thoughts and actions with the reform plan, and vigorously support the reform, so as to ensure the smooth completion of the tasks of the NPC and CPPCC National Committee sessions and make both plenums democratic, unified, cohesive, and with an atmosphere of integrity.
Xi said he hoped that the central committees of the other political parties, the ACFIC and personages without party affiliation could have a clear understanding of the situation and convey confidence, unite and lead their members and contacts among the general public to closely follow, in both thinking and action, the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, actively provide advice and suggestions, consolidate broad consensus, and effectively dispel doubts, educate and guide them in a targeted manner, in order to rally their strength and strive together to achieve the goals and tasks throughout the year.
Those who made speeches include Zheng Jianbang, chairperson of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, Ding Zhongli, chairperson of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, Hao Mingjin, chairperson of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association, Cai Dafeng, chairperson of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, He Wei, chairperson of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, Jiang Zuojun, chairperson of the Central Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party, Wu Weihua, chairperson of the Central Committee of Jiusan Society, Su Hui, chairperson of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, Gao Yunlong, chairperson of the ACFIC, and Li Wei, a representative of personages without party affiliation.
They believed that the plan on the reform of the Party and state institutions, and the proposed lists of candidates for the new state institutions and CPPCC leadership were produced on the basis of extensive consultation and deliberation, reflecting the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and bearing on the advancement of the cause of the Party and the country on the new journey in the new era.
They expressed staunch support for the decisions, and put forward their advice and suggestions on the further reform of Party and state institutions, as well as on endeavors to support strengthening the self-building of non-CPC parties.
Wang Chen, Shi Taifeng, Li Ganjie, He Lifeng, Zhang Qingli and Chen Xi, together with officials in charge of relevant central departments, were present at the session.
Non-party members including Chen Zhu, Wan Gang, Chen Xiaoguang, Gu Shengzu, Liu Xincheng, Shao Hong, He Baoxiang, Wang Guangqian, Qin Boyong, Zhu Yongxin, Yang Zhen, Zhang Endi, Li Yuefeng, and Zhou Zhonghe also attended the meeting.
