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Chinese Communist Party
Constitution of Chinese Communist Party |
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Constitution of the Communist Party of China |
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Revised and
adopted at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on
November 14, 2012
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General Program
The Communist Party of China is the vanguard both of the Chinese
working class and of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
It is the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with
Chinese characteristics and represents the development trend of
China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's
advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the
overwhelming majority of the Chinese people. The realization of
communism is the highest ideal and ultimate goal of the Party.
The Communist Party of China takes Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong
Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three
Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development as its
guide to action.
Marxism-Leninism brings to light the laws governing the
development of the history of human society. Its basic tenets
are correct and have tremendous vitality. The highest ideal of
communism pursued by the Chinese Communists can be realized only
when the socialist society is fully developed and highly
advanced. The development and improvement of the socialist
system is a long historical process. So long as the Chinese
Communists uphold the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism and
follow the road suited to China's specific conditions and chosen
by the Chinese people of their own accord, the socialist cause
in China will be crowned with final victory.
The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief
representative, created Mao Zedong Thought by integrating the
basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of
the Chinese revolution. Mao Zedong Thought is Marxism-Leninism
applied and developed in China; it consists of a body of
theoretical principles concerning the revolution and
construction in China and a summary of experience therein, both
of which have been proved correct by practice; and it represents
the crystallized, collective wisdom of the Communist Party of
China. Under the guidance of Mao Zedong Thought, the Communist
Party of China led the people of all ethnic groups in the
country in their prolonged revolutionary struggle against
imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat-capitalism, winning
victory in the new-democratic revolution and founding the
People's Republic of China, a people's democratic dictatorship.
After the founding of the People's Republic, it led them in
carrying out socialist transformation successfully, completing
the transition from New Democracy to socialism, establishing the
basic system of socialism and developing socialism economically,
politically and culturally.
After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Party Central
Committee, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as
their chief representative, analyzed their experience, both
positive and negative, gained since the founding of the People's
Republic, emancipated their minds, sought truth from facts,
shifted the focus of the work of the whole Party onto economic
development and carried out reform and opening to the outside
world, ushering in a new era of development in the cause of
socialism, gradually formulating the line, principles and
policies concerning the building of socialism with Chinese
characteristics and expounding the basic questions concerning
the building, consolidation and development of socialism in
China, and thus creating Deng Xiaoping Theory. Deng Xiaoping
Theory is the outcome of the integration of the basic tenets of
Marxism-Leninism with the practice of contemporary China and the
features of the times, a continuation and development of Mao
Zedong Thought under new historical conditions; it represents a
new stage of development of Marxism in China, it is Marxism of
contemporary China and it is the crystallized, collective wisdom
of the Communist Party of China. It is guiding the socialist
modernization of China from victory to victory.
After the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Party Central
Committee and in the practice of building socialism with Chinese
characteristics, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang
Zemin as their chief representative, acquired a deeper
understanding of what socialism is, how to build it and what
kind of party to build and how to build it, accumulated new
valuable experience in running the Party and state and formed
the important thought of Three Represents. The important thought
of Three Represents is a continuation and development of
Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory;
it reflects new requirements for the work of the Party and state
arising from the developments and changes in China and other
parts of the world today; it serves as a powerful theoretical
weapon for strengthening and improving Party building and for
promoting self-improvement and development of socialism in
China; and it is the crystallized, collective wisdom of the
Communist Party of China. It is a guiding ideology that the
Party must uphold for a long time to come. Persistent
implementation of the Three Represents is the foundation for
building the Party, the cornerstone for its governance and the
source of its strength.
Since the Party's Sixteenth National Congress, the Chinese
Communists with Comrade Hu Jintao as their chief representative,
following the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important
thought of Three Represents, have gained a deep understanding of
major questions such as what kind of development China should
achieve under new conditions and how it should achieve it to
meet new requirements for development and answered these
questions, and thus developed the Scientific Outlook on
Development that puts people first and calls for comprehensive,
balanced and sustainable development. The Scientific Outlook on
Development is a scientific theory that is both in keeping with
Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and
the important thought of Three Represents and is in step with
the times. It fully embodies the Marxist worldview on and
methodology for development and represents the latest
achievement in adapting Marxism to China's conditions. It is the
crystallization of the collective wisdom of the Communist Party
of China and a guiding ideology that must be upheld and applied
in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The fundamental reason behind all of China's achievements and
progress since the reform and opening up policy was introduced
is, in the final analysis, that the Party has blazed a path of
socialism with Chinese characteristics, formulated the system of
theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and
established the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.
All Party members must cherish the path, the theories and the
socialist system that the Party has explored and created after
going through all the hardships; and they must keep to them all
the time and continue to develop them. They must hold high the
great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and
strive to fulfill the three historic tasks of advancing the
modernization drive, achieving national reunification, and
safeguarding world peace and promoting common development. |
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China is in the
primary stage of socialism and will remain so for a long time to
come. This is a historical stage which cannot be skipped in
socialist modernization in China which is backward economically
and culturally. It will last for over a hundred years. In
socialist construction the Party must proceed from China's
specific conditions and take the path of socialism with Chinese
characteristics. At the present stage, the principal
contradiction in Chinese society is one between the ever-growing
material and cultural needs of the people and the low level of
production. Owing to both domestic circumstances and foreign
influences, class struggle will continue to exist within a
certain scope for a long time and may possibly grow acute under
certain conditions, but it is no longer the principal
contradiction. In building socialism, the basic task is to
further release and develop the productive forces and achieve
socialist modernization step by step by carrying out reform in
those aspects and links of the production relations and the
superstructure that do not conform to the development of the
productive forces. The Party must uphold and improve the basic
economic system, with public ownership playing a dominant role
and different economic sectors developing side by side, as well
as the system of distribution under which distribution according
to work is dominant and a variety of modes of distribution
coexist, encourage some areas and some people to become rich
first, gradually eliminate poverty, achieve common prosperity,
continuously meet the people's ever-growing material and
cultural needs on the basis of the growth of production and
social wealth and promote people's all-around development.
Development is the Party's top priority in governing and
rejuvenating the country. The general starting point and
criterion for judging all the Party's work should be how it
benefits development of the productive forces in China's
socialist society, adds to the overall strength of socialist
China and improves the people's living standards. The Party must
respect work, knowledge, talent and creation and ensure that
development is for the people, by the people and with the people
sharing in its fruits. The beginning of the new century marks
China's entry into the new stage of development of building a
moderately prosperous society in all respects and accelerating
socialist modernization. The Party must promote all-around
economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress
in accordance with the overall plan for the cause of socialism
with Chinese characteristics. The strategic objectives of
economic and social development at this new stage in the new
century are to consolidate and develop the relatively
comfortable life initially attained, bring China into a
moderately prosperous society of a higher level to the benefit
of well over one billion people by the time of the Party's
centenary and bring the per capita GDP up to the level of
moderately developed countries and realize modernization in the
main by the time of the centenary of the People's Republic of
China.
The basic line of the Communist Party of China in the primary
stage of socialism is to lead the people of all ethnic groups in
a concerted, self-reliant and pioneering effort to turn China
into a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and
harmonious modern socialist country by making economic
development the central task while upholding the Four Cardinal
Principles and the reform and opening up policy.
In leading the cause of socialism, the Communist Party of China
must persist in taking economic development as the central task,
making all other work subordinate to and serve this central
task. The Party must lose no time in speeding up development,
implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through
science and education, the strategy of strengthening the nation
with trained personnel and the strategy of sustainable
development, and give full play to the role of science and
technology as the primary productive force. The Party must take
advantage of the advancement of science and technology to
improve the quality of workers and promote sound and rapid
development of the national economy.
The Four Cardinal Principles - to keep to the socialist road and
to uphold the people's democratic dictatorship, leadership by
the Communist Party of China, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao
Zedong Thought - are the foundation on which to build the
country. Throughout the course of socialist modernization the
Party must adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles and combat
bourgeois liberalization.
Reform and opening up are the path to a stronger China. Only
reform and opening up can enable China, socialism and Marxism to
develop themselves. The Party must carry out fundamental reform
of the economic structure that hampers the development of the
productive forces, and keep to and improve the socialist market
economy; it must also carry out corresponding political
restructuring and reform in other fields. The Party must adhere
to the basic state policy of opening up and assimilate and
exploit the achievements of all other cultures. It must be bold
in making explorations and breaking new ground in reform and
opening up, make its reform decisions more scientific, better
coordinate its reform measures and blaze new trails in practice.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in developing the
socialist market economy. It unwaveringly consolidates and
develops the public sector of the economy and unswervingly
encourages, supports and guides the development of the
non-public sector. It gives play to the basic role of market
forces in allocating resources and works to set up a sound
system of macroeconomic regulation. The Party works to balance
urban and rural development, development among regions, economic
and social development, relations between man and nature, and
domestic development and opening to the outside world; adjust
the economic structure, and transform the growth model. It is
dedicated to promoting harmonized development of
industrialization, IT application, urbanization and agricultural
modernization, building a new socialist countryside, taking a
new path of industrialization with Chinese characteristics, and
making China an innovative country.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in promoting
socialist democracy. It integrates its leadership, the position
of the people as masters of the country, and the rule of law,
takes the path of political development under socialism with
Chinese characteristics, expands socialist democracy, improves
the socialist legal system, builds a socialist country under the
rule of law, consolidates the people's democratic dictatorship,
and builds socialist political civilization. It upholds and
improves the system of people's congresses, the system of
multiparty cooperation and political consultation under its
leadership, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the
system of self-governance at the primary level of society. It
makes people's democracy more extensive, fuller in scope and
sounder in practice. It takes effective measures to protect the
people's right to manage state and social affairs as well as
economic and cultural programs. It respects and safeguards human
rights. It encourages the free airing of views and works to
establish sound systems and procedures of democratic election,
decision-making, administration and oversight. It improves the
socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics and
strengthens law enforcement, so as to bring all work of the
state under the rule of law. |
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The Communist
Party of China leads the people in developing an advanced
socialist culture. It promotes socialist cultural and ethical
progress, combines the rule of law and the rule of virtue in
running the country and works to raise the ideological and moral
standards and scientific and educational levels of the entire
nation so as to provide a powerful ideological guarantee,
motivation and intellectual support for reform, opening up and
socialist modernization, and develop a strong socialist culture
in China. It promotes core socialist values, adheres to Marxism
as its guiding ideology, fosters the common ideal of socialism
with Chinese characteristics, promotes patriotism-centered
national spirit and the spirit of the times centering on reform
and innovation and advocates the socialist maxims of honor and
disgrace. It works to enhance the people's sense of national
dignity, self-confidence and self-reliance, resist corrosion by
decadent capitalist and feudal ideas and wipe out all social
evils so that the people will have high ideals, moral integrity,
a good education and a strong sense of discipline. It also needs
to imbue its members with the lofty ideal of communism. The
Party strives to develop educational, scientific and cultural
programs, carry forward the fine traditional culture of the
Chinese nation, and develop a thriving socialist culture.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in building a
harmonious socialist society. In accordance with the general
requirements for democracy and the rule of law, equity and
justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability
and order, and harmony between man and nature and the principle
of all the people building and sharing a harmonious socialist
society, the Party focuses its efforts on ensuring and improving
the people's wellbeing by solving the most specific problems of
the utmost and immediate concern to the people, works to enable
all the people to share in more fruits of development in a more
equitable way, and strives to create a situation in which all
people do their best, find their proper places in society and
live together in harmony. The Party strengthens and makes
innovations in social management. It strictly distinguishes
between the two different types of contradictions - those
between ourselves and the enemy and those among the people - and
works to handle them correctly. It will strengthen comprehensive
measures to maintain law and order, and resolutely combat
criminal activities that endanger national security and
interests, social stability and economic development and bring
criminals to justice in accordance with the law, so as to
maintain lasting social stability.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in promoting
socialist ecological progress. It raises its ecological
awareness of the need to respect, accommodate to and protect
nature; follows the basic state policy of conserving resources
and protecting the environment and the principle of giving high
priority to conserving resources, protecting the environment and
promoting its natural restoration; and pursues sound development
that leads to increased production, affluence and a good
ecosystem. The Party strives to build a resource-conserving,
environmentally friendly society; and preserves China's
geographical space and improves its industrial structure and
mode of production and the Chinese way of life in the interest
of conserving resources and protecting the environment. All this
is aimed at creating a good working and living environment for
the people and ensuring lasting and sustainable development of
the Chinese nation.
The Communist Party of China persists in its leadership over the
People's Liberation Army and other armed forces of the people,
builds up the strength of the People's Liberation Army, ensures
that it accomplishes its historic missions at this new stage in
the new century, and gives full play to its role in
consolidating national defense, defending the motherland and
participating in the socialist modernization drive.
The Communist Party of China upholds and promotes socialist
ethnic relations based on equality, solidarity, mutual
assistance and harmony, actively trains and promotes cadres from
among ethnic minorities, helps ethnic minorities and ethnic
autonomous areas with their economic, cultural and social
development, and ensures that all ethnic groups work together
for common prosperity and development. The Party strives to
fully implement its basic principle for its work related to
religious affairs, and rallies religious believers in making
contributions to economic and social development.
The Communist Party of China rallies all workers, farmers and
intellectuals, and all the democratic parties, personages
without party affiliation and the patriotic forces of all ethnic
groups in China in further expanding and fortifying the broadest
possible patriotic united front embracing all socialist workers,
all builders of the cause of socialism and all patriots who
support socialism or who support the reunification of the
motherland. The Party will constantly strengthen the unity of
all the Chinese people, including the compatriots in Hong Kong
and Macao special administrative regions and in Taiwan as well
as overseas Chinese. It will promote long-term prosperity and
stability in Hong Kong and Macao and complete the great cause of
reunifying the motherland in conformity with the principle of
"one country, two systems."
The Communist Party of China adheres to an independent foreign
policy of peace, follows the path of peaceful development and a
win-win strategy of opening up, takes both the domestic and
international situations into consideration, and vigorously
develops relations with other countries in order to bring about
a favorable international environment for China's reform,
opening up and modernization. In international affairs, it
safeguards China's independence and sovereignty, opposes
hegemonism and power politics, defends world peace, promotes
human progress, and pushes for the building of a harmonious
world of lasting peace and common prosperity. It develops
relations between China and other countries on the basis of the
five principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and
territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression, noninterference in
each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and
peaceful coexistence. It strives for the constant development of
good-neighborly relations between China and the surrounding
countries and for the strengthening of the unity and cooperation
between China and other developing countries. The Communist
Party of China develops relations with communist parties and
other political parties in other countries in accordance with
the principles of independence, complete equality, mutual
respect and noninterference in each other's internal affairs. |
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In order to lead
the people of all ethnic groups in China in attaining the great
goal of socialist modernization, the Communist Party of China
must adhere to its basic line, strengthen its governance
capability, advanced nature and purity and comprehensively carry
forward the great new undertaking to build itself in a spirit of
reform and innovation. The Party must make all-around efforts to
strengthen itself ideologically and organizationally and improve
its conduct; and it must become better able to combat corruption
and uphold Party integrity and improve Party rules and
regulations, thus making Party building more scientific in all
respects. It must steadfastly build itself for public interests,
exercise governance for the people, practice self-discipline, be
strict with its members, and carry forward its fine traditions
and style of work. It must constantly improve its art of
leadership and governance, raise its ability to resist
corruption, prevent degeneration and withstand risks, constantly
strengthen its class foundation, expand its mass base and
enhance its creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness, and
build itself into a learning, service-oriented and innovative
Marxist governing party, so that it will stand forever in the
forefront of the times and make itself a strong nucleus that can
lead all the Chinese people in the unceasing march along the
road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In building
itself, the Party must be determined to meet the following four
essential requirements:
First, adhering to the Party's basic line. The whole Party must
achieve unity in thinking and action with Deng Xiaoping Theory,
the important thought of Three Represents, the Scientific
Outlook on Development, and the Party's basic line, and
persevere in doing so for a long time to come. The Party must
integrate the reform and opening up policy with the Four
Cardinal Principles, carry out its basic line in all fields of
endeavor, implement in an all-around way its basic program for
the primary stage of socialism and combat all "Left" and Right
erroneous tendencies, maintaining vigilance against Right
tendencies, primarily against "Left" tendencies. The Party must
intensify the building of leading bodies at all levels,
selecting and promoting cadres who have scored outstanding
achievements in their public service and have won the trust of
the masses in reform, opening up and the modernization drive,
and train and cultivate millions upon millions of successors to
the cause of socialism, thus ensuring organizationally the
implementation of the Party's basic theory, line, program and
experience.
Second, persevering in emancipating the mind, seeking truth from
facts, keeping up with the times, and being realistic and
pragmatic. The Party's ideological line is to proceed from
reality in handling all matters, to integrate theory with
practice, to seek truth from facts, and to verify and develop
the truth through practice. All Party members must adhere to
this ideological line, explore new ways, boldly experiment with
new methods, go in for innovation, work creatively, constantly
study new situations, review new experience and solve new
problems, enrich and develop Marxism in practice, and advance
the endeavor to adapt Marxism to Chinese conditions.
Third, persevering in serving the people wholeheartedly. The
Party has no special interests of its own apart from the
interests of the working class and the broadest masses of the
people. At all times the Party gives top priority to the
interests of the people, shares weal and woe with them,
maintains the closest possible ties with them, and persists in
exercising power for them, showing concern for them and working
for their interests, and it does not allow any member to become
divorced from the masses or place himself or herself above them.
The Party follows the mass line in its work, doing everything
for the masses, relying on them in every task, carrying out the
principle of "from the masses, to the masses," and translating
its correct views into action by the masses of their own accord.
The biggest political advantage of the Party lies in its close
ties with the masses while the biggest potential danger for it
as a governing party comes from its divorce from them. The
Party's style of work and its maintenance of ties with the
masses of the people are a matter of vital importance to the
Party. The Party will establish a sound system for punishing and
preventing corruption by fighting it in a comprehensive way,
addressing both its symptoms and root cause and combining
punishment with prevention, with the emphasis on prevention. The
Party will persistently oppose corruption and step up efforts to
improve its style of work and uphold integrity.
Fourth, upholding democratic centralism. Democratic centralism
is a combination of centralism on the basis of democracy and
democracy under centralized guidance. It is the fundamental
organizational principle of the Party and is also the mass line
applied in the Party's political activities. The Party must
fully expand intra-Party democracy, respect the principal
position of its members, safeguard their democratic rights, and
give play to the initiative and creativity of Party
organizations at all levels as well as its members. Correct
centralism must be practiced so as to ensure the solidarity,
unity and concerted action in the whole Party and prompt and
effective implementation of its decisions. The sense of
organization and discipline must be strengthened, and all
members are equal before Party discipline. Oversight of leading
Party organs and of Party members holding leading positions,
particularly principal leading cadres, must be strengthened and
the system of intra-Party oversight constantly improved. In its
internal political activities, the Party conducts criticism and
self-criticism in the correct way, waging ideological struggles
over matters of principle, upholding truth and rectifying
mistakes. Diligent efforts must be made to create a political
situation in which there are both centralism and democracy, both
discipline and freedom, both unity of will and personal ease of
mind and liveliness.
Leadership by the Party means mainly political, ideological and
organizational leadership. The Party must meet the requirements
of reform, opening up and socialist modernization, persist in
scientific, democratic and law-based governance, and strengthen
and improve its leadership. Acting on the principle that the
Party commands the overall situation and coordinates the efforts
of all quarters, the Party must play the role as the core of
leadership among all other organizations at the corresponding
levels. It must concentrate on leading economic development,
organize and coordinate all forces in a concerted effort to
focus on economic development and promote all-around economic
and social development. The Party must practice democratic and
scientific decision-making; formulate and implement the correct
line, principles and policies; do its organizational, publicity
and educational work well and make sure that all Party members
play an exemplary and vanguard role. The Party must conduct its
activities within the framework of the Constitution and laws of
the country. It must see to it that the legislative, judicial
and administrative organs of the state and the economic,
cultural and people's organizations work with initiative and
independent responsibility and in unison. The Party must
strengthen its leadership over trade unions, the Communist Youth
League, women's federations and other mass organizations, and
give full scope to their roles. The Party must adapt itself to
the march of events and changing circumstances, improving its
system and style of leadership and raising its governance
capability. Party members must work in close cooperation with
non-Party persons in the common endeavor to build socialism with
Chinese characteristics. |
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Chapter I Membership
Article 1. Any Chinese worker, farmer, member of the
armed forces, intellectual or any advanced element of other
social strata who has reached the age of eighteen and who
accepts the Party's program and Constitution and is willing to
join and work actively in one of the Party organizations, carry
out the Party's resolutions and pay membership dues regularly
may apply for membership in the Communist Party of China.
Article 2. Members of the Communist Party of China are
vanguard fighters of the Chinese working class imbued with
communist consciousness.
Members of the Communist Party of China must serve the people
wholeheartedly, dedicate their whole lives to the realization of
communism, and be ready to make any personal sacrifices.
Members of the Communist Party of China are at all times
ordinary members of the working people. Communist Party members
must not seek any personal gain or privileges, although the
relevant laws and policies provide them with personal benefits
and job-related functions and powers.
Article 3. Party members must fulfill the following
duties:
1) To conscientiously study Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong
Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three
Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, study the
Party's line, principles, policies and resolutions, acquire
essential knowledge concerning the Party, obtain general,
scientific, legal and professional knowledge and work diligently
to enhance their ability to serve the people.
2) To implement the Party's basic line, principles and policies,
take the lead in reform, opening up and socialist modernization,
encourage the people to work hard for economic development and
social progress and play an exemplary and vanguard role in
production, work, study and social activities.
3) To adhere to the principle that the interests of the Party
and the people stand above everything else, subordinating their
personal interests to the interests of the Party and the people,
being the first to bear hardships and the last to enjoy
comforts, working selflessly for the public interests and
working to contribute more.
4) To conscientiously observe the Party discipline, abide by the
laws and regulations of the state in an exemplary way,
rigorously guard secrets of the Party and state, execute the
Party's decisions, and accept any job and actively fulfill any
task assigned them by the Party.
5) To uphold the Party's solidarity and unity, be loyal to and
honest with the Party, match words with deeds, firmly oppose all
factions and small-clique activities and oppose double-dealing
and scheming of any kind.
6) To earnestly engage in criticism and self-criticism, boldly
expose and correct shortcomings and mistakes in work and
resolutely combat corruption and other negative phenomena.
7) To maintain close ties with the masses, disseminate the
Party's views among them, consult with them when problems arise,
keep the Party informed of their views and demands in good time
and defend their legitimate interests.
8) To promote new socialist ways and customs, take the lead in
putting into practice the socialist maxims of honor and
disgrace, and advocate communist ethics. To step forward and
fight bravely in times of difficulty or danger, daring to make
any sacrifice to defend the interests of the country and the
people.
Article 4. Party members enjoy the following rights:
1) To attend relevant Party meetings, read relevant Party
documents, and benefit from the Party's education and training.
2) To participate in the discussion of questions concerning the
Party's policies at Party meetings and in Party newspapers and
journals.
3) To make suggestions and proposals regarding the work of the
Party.
4) To make well-grounded criticism of any Party organization or
member at Party meetings, to present information or charges
against any Party organization or member concerning violations
of discipline or the law to the Party in a responsible way, to
demand disciplinary measures against such a member, or call for
dismissal or replacement of any incompetent cadre.
5) To participate in voting and elections and to stand for
election.
6) To attend, with the right of self-defense, discussions held
by Party organizations to decide on disciplinary measures to be
taken against themselves or to appraise their work and behavior;
other Party members may also bear witness or argue on their
behalf.
7) In case of disagreement with a Party resolution or policy, to
make reservations and present their views to Party organizations
at higher levels even up to the Central Committee, provided that
they resolutely carry out the resolution or policy while it is
in force.
8) To put forward any request, appeal, or complaint to higher
Party organizations even up to the Central Committee and ask the
organizations concerned for a responsible reply.
No Party organization, up to and including the Central
Committee, has the right to deprive any Party member of the
above-mentioned rights.
Article 5. New Party members must be admitted through a
Party branch, and the principle of individual admission must be
adhered to.
An applicant for Party membership must fill out an application
form and be recommended by two full Party members. The
application must be accepted at a general membership meeting of
the Party branch concerned and approved by the next higher Party
organization, and the applicant must undergo observation for a
probationary period before being granted full membership.
Party members who recommend an applicant must make genuine
efforts to acquaint themselves with the applicant's ideology,
character, personal record and work performance and explain to
each applicant the Party's program and Constitution,
qualifications for membership and the duties and rights of
members, and must make a responsible report to the Party
organization on the matter.
The Party branch committee must canvass the opinions of persons
concerned, inside and outside the Party, about an applicant for
Party membership and, after establishing the latter's
qualification through rigorous examination, submit the
application to a general membership meeting for discussion.
Before approving the admission of applicants for Party
membership, the next higher Party organization concerned must
appoint people to talk with them, in order to get to know them
better and help deepen their understanding of the Party.
In special circumstances, the Central Committee of the Party or
the Party committee of a province, autonomous region or
municipality directly under the central government may admit new
Party members directly.
Article 6. A probationary Party member must take an
admission oath in front of the Party flag. The oath reads: It is
my will to join the Communist Party of China, uphold the Party's
program, observe the provisions of the Party Constitution,
fulfill a Party member's duties, carry out the Party's
decisions, strictly observe Party discipline, guard Party
secrets, be loyal to the Party, work hard, fight for communism
throughout my life, be ready at all times to sacrifice my all
for the Party and the people, and never betray the Party.
Article 7. The
probationary period of a probationary member is one year. The
Party organization should make serious efforts to educate and
observe the probationary members.
Probationary members have the same duties as full members. They
enjoy the rights of full members except those of participating
in voting and elections and standing for election.
Upon the expiration of the probationary period of a probationary
member, the Party branch concerned should promptly discuss
whether he or she is qualified for full membership. A
probationary member who conscientiously performs his or her
duties and is qualified for full membership shall be granted
full membership as scheduled; if continued observation and
education are needed, the probationary period may be extended,
but by no more than one year; if a probationary member fails to
perform his or her duties and is found to be unqualified for
full membership, his or her probationary membership shall be
annulled. Any decision to grant a probationary member full
membership, extend a probationary period, or annul a
probationary membership must be made through discussion held by
the general membership meeting of the Party branch concerned and
approved by the next higher Party organization.
The probationary period of a probationary member begins from the
day the general membership meeting of the Party branch admits
him or her as a probationary member. The Party standing of a
member begins from the day he or she is granted full membership
on the expiration of the probationary period.
Article 8. Every Party member, irrespective of position,
must be organized into a branch, cell or other specific unit of
the Party to participate in the regular activities of the Party
organization and accept oversight by the masses inside and
outside the Party. Leading Party cadres must attend democratic
meetings held by the Party committee or leading Party members'
group. There shall be no privileged Party members who do not
participate in the regular activities of the Party organization
and do not accept oversight by the masses inside and outside the
Party.
Article 9. Party members are free to withdraw from the
Party. When a Party member asks to withdraw, the Party branch
concerned shall, after discussion by its general membership
meeting, remove his or her name from the Party rolls, make the
removal public and report it to the next higher Party
organization for the record.
The Party branch shall try to educate the Party member who lacks
revolutionary will, fails to fulfill the duties of a Party
member, or is not qualified for membership and require him or
her to correct his or her mistakes within a prescribed time. If
the member remains incorrigible after education, he or she
should be persuaded to withdraw from the Party. The case shall
be discussed and decided by the general membership meeting of
the Party branch concerned and submitted to the next higher
Party organization for approval. If the Party member being
persuaded to withdraw refuses to do so, the case shall be
submitted to the general membership meeting of the Party branch
concerned for discussion to decide on the removal of the said
member's name from the Party rolls, after which the decision
shall be submitted to the next higher Party organization for
approval.
A Party member who fails to take part in regular Party
activities, pay membership dues or do work assigned by the Party
for six successive months without good reason is regarded as
having given up membership. The general membership meeting of
the Party branch concerned shall decide on the removal of such a
person's name from the Party rolls and report it to the next
higher Party organization for approval.
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Chapter II The Party's
Organizational System
Article 10. The Party is an integral body organized under
its program and Constitution and on the basis of democratic
centralism. The Party's basic principles of democratic
centralism are as follows:
1) Individual Party members are subordinate to the Party
organization, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the
lower Party organizations are subordinate to the higher Party
organizations, and all the constituent organizations and members
of the Party are subordinate to the National Congress and the
Central Committee of the Party.
2) The Party's leading bodies at all levels are elected except
for the representative organs dispatched by them and the leading
Party members' groups in non-Party organizations.
3) The highest leading body of the Party is the National
Congress and the Central Committee elected by it. The leading
bodies of local Party organizations are the Party congresses at
their respective levels and the Party committees elected by
them. Party committees are responsible, and report their work,
to the Party congresses at their respective levels.
4) Higher Party organizations shall pay constant attention to
the views of lower organizations and the rank-and-file Party
members, and solve in good time the problems they raise. Lower
Party organizations shall report on their work to, and request
instructions from, higher Party organizations; at the same time,
they shall handle, independently and in a responsible manner,
matters within their jurisdiction. Higher and lower Party
organizations should exchange information and support and
oversee each other. Party organizations at all levels should
increase transparency in Party affairs in accordance with
regulations to keep Party members better informed of these
affairs and to provide them with more opportunities to
participate in them.
5) Party committees at all levels function on the principle of
combining collective leadership with individual responsibility
based on division of work. All major issues shall be decided
upon by the Party committees after discussion in accordance with
the principle of collective leadership, democratic centralism,
individual consultations and decision by meetings. The members
of the Party committees should earnestly exercise their
functions and powers in accordance with the collective decisions
taken and division of work.
6) The Party forbids all forms of personality cult. It is
necessary to ensure that the activities of the Party leaders are
subject to oversight by the Party and the people, and at the
same time to uphold the prestige of all the leaders who
represent the interests of the Party and the people.
Article 11. The election of delegates to Party congresses
and of members of Party committees at all levels should reflect
the will of the voters. Elections shall be held by secret
ballot. The lists of candidates shall be submitted to the Party
organizations and voters for full deliberation and discussion.
The election procedure in which the number of candidates
nominated is greater than the number of persons to be elected
may be used directly in a formal election or this procedure may
be used first in a preliminary election in order to draw up a
list of candidates for the formal election. The voters have the
right to inquire about the candidates, demand a change or reject
one in favor of another. No organization or individual shall in
any way compel voters to elect or not to elect any candidate.
If any violation of the Party Constitution occurs in the
election of delegates to local Party congresses at all levels or
to Party congresses at the primary level, the Party committee at
the next higher level, after investigation and verification,
should decide to declare the election invalid and take
appropriate measures. The decision shall be reported to the
Party committee at the next higher level for checking and
approval before it is formally announced and implemented.
A tenure system is adopted for delegates to Party congresses at
all levels.
Article 12. When necessary, the Central Committee of the
Party and the local Party committees at all levels will convene
conferences of delegates to discuss and decide on major problems
that require timely solution. The number of delegates to such
conferences and the procedure governing their election shall be
determined by the Party committees convening them.
Article 13. The formation of a new Party organization or
the dissolution of an existing one shall be decided upon by the
higher Party organization.
When the congress of a local Party organization at any level or
the congress of a Party organization at the primary level is not
in session, the next higher Party organization may, when it
deems it necessary, transfer or appoint responsible members of
that organization.
The Party's Central Committee and local Party committees at all
levels may send out their representative organs.
The Party's Central Committee and committees of provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central
government implement the system of inspection tours.
Article 14. When making decisions on important questions
affecting the lower organizations, the leading bodies of the
Party at all levels should, under normal circumstances, solicit
opinions of the lower organizations. Measures should be taken to
ensure that the lower organizations can exercise their functions
and powers normally. Except in special circumstances, higher
leading bodies should not interfere with matters that ought to
be handled by lower organizations.
Article 15. Only the Central Committee of the Party has
the power to make decisions on major policies of a nationwide
character. Party organizations of various departments and
localities may make suggestions with regard to such policies to
the Central Committee, but shall not make any decisions or
publicize their views outside the Party without authorization.
Lower Party organizations must firmly implement the decisions of
higher Party organizations. If lower organizations consider that
any decisions of higher organizations do not suit the specific
conditions in their localities or departments, they may demand
modification. If the higher organizations insist on their
original decisions, the lower organizations must carry out such
decisions and refrain from publicly voicing their differences,
but retain the right to report to the next higher Party
organization.
Newspapers, journals and other means of publicity run by Party
organizations at all levels must disseminate the line,
principles, policies and resolutions of the Party.
Article 16. When discussing and making decisions on any
matter, Party organizations must keep to the principle of
subordination of the minority to the majority. A vote must be
taken when major issues are decided on. Serious consideration
should be given to the differing views of a minority. In case of
controversy over major issues in which supporters of the two
opposing views are nearly equal in number, except in emergencies
where action must be taken in accordance with the majority view,
the decision should be put off to allow for further
investigation, study and exchange of opinions followed by
another vote. Under special circumstances, the controversy may
be reported to the next higher Party organization for a ruling.
When, on behalf of the Party organization, an individual Party
member is to express views on major issues beyond the scope of
the existing decisions of the Party organization, the content
must be referred to the Party organization for prior discussion
and decision, or referred to the next higher Party organization
for instructions. No Party member, whatever his or her position,
is allowed to make decisions on major issues on his or her own.
In an emergency, when a decision by an individual is
unavoidable, the matter must be reported to the Party
organization immediately afterwards. No leader is allowed to
take decisions arbitrarily or to place himself or herself above
the Party organization.
Article 17. The central, local and primary organizations
of the Party must all pay great attention to Party building.
They shall regularly discuss and examine the Party's work in
publicity, education, organization and discipline inspection,
its mass work and united front work. They must carefully study
ideological and political developments inside and outside the
Party. |
|
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Chapter III Central Organizations of
the Party
Article 18. The National Congress of the Party is held
once every five years and convened by the Central Committee. It
may be convened before the normally scheduled date if the
Central Committee deems it necessary or if more than one third
of the organizations at the provincial level so request. Except
under extraordinary circumstances, the Congress may not be
postponed.
The number of delegates to the National Congress of the Party
and the procedure governing their election shall be determined
by the Central Committee.
Article 19. The functions and powers of the National
Congress of the Party are as follows:
1) To hear and examine the reports of the Central Committee;
2) To hear and examine the reports of the Central Commission for
Discipline Inspection;
3) To discuss and decide on major questions concerning the
Party;
4) To revise the Constitution of the Party;
5) To elect the Central Committee; and
6) To elect the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Article 20. The powers and functions of the National
Conference of the Party are as follows: to discuss and make
decisions on major questions; and to replace members and elect
additional members of the Central Committee and the Central
Commission for Discipline Inspection. The number of members and
alternate members of the Central Committee to be replaced or
newly elected shall not exceed one fifth of the respective
totals of members and alternate members of the Central Committee
elected by the National Congress of the Party.
Article 21. The Central Committee of the Party is elected
for a term of five years. However, when the next National
Congress is convened before or after its normally scheduled
date, the term shall be correspondingly shortened or extended.
Members and alternate members of the Central Committee must have
a Party standing of five years or more. The number of members
and alternate members of the Central Committee shall be
determined by the National Congress. Vacancies on the Central
Committee shall be filled by its alternate members in the order
of the number of votes by which they were elected.
The Central Committee of the Party meets in plenary session at
least once a year, and such sessions are convened by its
Political Bureau. The Political Bureau reports its work to these
sessions and accepts their oversight.
When the National Congress is not in session, the Central
Committee carries out its resolutions, directs the entire work
of the Party and represents the Communist Party of China in its
external relations.
Article 22. The Political Bureau, the Standing Committee
of the Political Bureau and the General Secretary of the Central
Committee of the Party are elected by the Central Committee in
plenary session. The General Secretary of the Central Committee
must be a member of the Standing Committee of the Political
Bureau.
When the Central Committee is not in session, the Political
Bureau and its Standing Committee exercise the functions and
powers of the Central Committee.
The Secretariat of the Central Committee is the working body of
the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and its Standing
Committee. The members of the Secretariat are nominated by the
Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central
Committee and are subject to endorsement by the Central
Committee in plenary session.
The General Secretary of the Central Committee is responsible
for convening the meetings of the Political Bureau and its
Standing Committee and presides over the work of the
Secretariat.
The members of the Military Commission of the Central Committee
are decided on by the Central Committee.
The central leading bodies and leaders elected by each Central
Committee shall, when the next National Congress is in session,
continue to preside over the Party's day-to-day work until the
new central leading bodies and leaders are elected by the next
Central Committee.
Article 23. Party organizations in the Chinese People's
Liberation Army carry on their work in accordance with the
instructions of the Central Committee. The political work organ
of the Military Commission of the Central Committee is the
General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation
Army; the General Political Department directs Party and
political work in the army. The organizational system and organs
of the Party in the armed forces are prescribed by the Military
Commission of the Central Committee.
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Chapter IV Local Organizations of
the Party
Article 24. The Party congress of a province, autonomous
region, municipality directly under the central government, city
divided into districts, autonomous prefecture, county (banner),
autonomous county, city not divided into districts, or municipal
district is held once every five years.
Local Party congresses are convened by the Party committees at
the corresponding levels. Under extraordinary circumstances,
they may be held before or after their normally scheduled dates
upon approval by the next higher Party committees.
The number of delegates to the local Party congresses at any
level and the procedure governing their election are determined
by the Party committees at the corresponding levels and should
be reported to the next higher Party committees for approval.
Article 25. The functions and powers of the local Party
congresses at all levels are as follows:
1) To hear and examine the reports of the Party committees at
the corresponding levels;
2) To hear and examine the reports of the commissions for
discipline inspection at the corresponding levels;
3) To discuss and adopt resolutions on major issues in the given
areas; and
4) To elect the Party committees and commissions for discipline
inspection at the corresponding levels.
Article 26. The Party committee of a province, autonomous
region, municipality directly under the central government, city
divided into districts, or autonomous prefecture is elected for
a term of five years. The members and alternate members of such
a committee must have a Party standing of five years or more.
The Party committee of a county (banner), autonomous county,
city not divided into districts, or municipal district is
elected for a term of five years. The members and alternate
members of such a committee must have a Party standing of three
years or more.
When local Party congresses at all levels are convened before or
after their normally scheduled dates, the terms of the
committees elected by the previous congresses shall be
correspondingly shortened or extended.
The number of members and alternate members of the local Party
committees at all levels shall be determined by the next higher
committees. Vacancies on the local Party committees at all
levels shall be filled by their alternate members in the order
of the number of votes by which they were elected.
The local Party committees at all levels meet in plenary session
at least twice a year.
The local Party committees at all levels shall, when the Party
congresses of the given areas are not in session, carry out the
directives of the next higher Party organizations and the
resolutions of the Party congresses at the corresponding levels,
direct work in their own areas and report on it to the next
higher Party committees at regular intervals.
Article 27. The local Party committees at all levels
elect, at their plenary sessions, their standing committees,
secretaries and deputy secretaries and report the results to the
higher Party committees for approval. The standing committees of
the local Party committees at all levels exercise the functions
and powers of local Party committees when the latter are not in
session. They continue to handle the day-to-day work when the
next Party congresses at their levels are in session, until the
new standing committees are elected.
The standing committees of the local Party committees at all
levels regularly report their work to plenary sessions of local
Party committees and accept their oversight.
Article 28. A prefectural Party committee, or an
organization analogous to it, is the representative organ
dispatched by a provincial or an autonomous regional Party
committee to a prefecture covering several counties, autonomous
counties or cities. It exercises leadership over the work in the
given prefecture as authorized by the provincial or autonomous
regional Party committee.
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Chapter V Primary Organizations of
the Party
Article 29. Primary Party organizations are formed in
enterprises, rural areas, government organs, schools, research
institutes, communities, social organizations, companies of the
People's Liberation Army and other basic units, where there are
at least three full Party members.
In primary organizations, primary Party committees and
committees of general Party branches or Party branches are set
up as the work requires and according to the number of Party
members, subject to approval by the higher Party organizations.
A primary Party committee is elected by a general membership
meeting or a meeting of delegates, the committee of a general
Party branch or a Party branch is elected by a general
membership meeting, and candidates for these committees are
nominated on the basis of extensively soliciting opinions from
Party members and non-Party persons.
Article 30. A primary Party committee is elected for a
term of three to five years, while a general Party branch
committee or a Party branch committee is elected for a term of
two or three years. Results of the election of a secretary and
deputy secretaries of a primary committee, general branch
committee or branch committee of the Party shall be reported to
the next higher Party organization for approval.
Article 31. The primary Party organizations are militant
bastions of the Party in the basic units of society, where all
the Party's work proceeds and they serve as the foundation of
its fighting capacity. Their main tasks are:
1) To disseminate and carry out the Party's line, principles and
policies, the resolutions of the Central Committee of the Party
and other higher Party organizations, and their own resolutions;
to give full play to the exemplary and vanguard role of Party
members, to excel in their work, and to unite and organize the
cadres and the rank and file inside and outside the Party to
fulfill the tasks of their own units.
2) To organize Party members to conscientiously study
Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the
important thought of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook
on Development, study the Party's line, principles, policies and
resolutions, acquire essential knowledge concerning the Party
and obtain general, scientific, legal and professional
knowledge.
3) To educate, manage, oversee and serve Party members; raise
their overall quality; strengthen their Party spirit; ensure
that they regularly participate in the activities of Party
organizations, make criticism and self-criticism, and maintain
and observe Party discipline; see that they truly fulfill their
duties; protect their rights from encroachment; and improve
management of Party members among the floating population.
4) To maintain close ties with the masses, constantly seek their
criticisms and opinions regarding Party members and the Party's
work, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the
masses and do effective ideological and political work among
them.
5) To give full scope to the initiative and creativity of Party
members and the masses and to discover, nurture and recommend
fine, talented people from among Party members and the masses
and encourage them to contribute their skills and learning to
reform, opening up and socialist modernization.
6) To educate and train the activists who apply for Party
membership, attend to the routine work concerning the
recruitment of new members and attach great importance to
recruiting Party members from among those in the forefront of
production and work and from among young people.
7) To see to it that Party and non-Party cadres strictly observe
the law and administrative discipline and the financial and
economic statutes and personnel regulations of the state and
that none of them infringe on the interests of the state, the
collective or the masses.
8) To encourage Party members and the masses to conscientiously
resist unhealthy practices and wage resolute struggles against
all illegal and criminal activities.
Article 32. The primary Party committees in communities,
townships and towns and the Party organizations in villages and
communities provide leadership for the work in their localities
and assist administrative departments, economic institutions and
self-governing mass organizations in fully exercising their
functions and powers.
In a state-owned or collective enterprise, the primary Party
organization acts as the political nucleus and works for the
operation of the enterprise. The primary Party organization
guarantees and oversees the implementation of the principles and
policies of the Party and the state in its own enterprise and
backs the meeting of shareholders, board of directors, board of
supervisors and manager (factory director) in the exercise of
their functions and powers according to law. It relies
wholeheartedly on the workers and office staff, supports the
work of the congresses of representatives of workers and office
staff and participates in making final decisions on major
questions in the enterprise. It works to improve its own
organization and provides leadership over ideological and
political work, efforts for cultural and ethical progress and
the trade unions, the Communist Youth League and other mass
organizations.
In a non-public economic institution, the primary Party
organization carries out the Party's principles and policies,
provides guidance to and oversees the enterprise in observing
the laws and regulations of the state, exercises leadership over
the trade union, the Communist Youth League organization and
other mass organizations, rallies the workers and office staff
around it, safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of all
quarters and stimulates the healthy development of the
enterprise.
In an institution where the administrative leaders assume full
responsibility, the primary Party organization acts as the
political nucleus. In an institution where the administrative
leaders assume full responsibility under the leadership of the
Party committee, the primary Party organization discusses and
decides on major issues and at the same time ensures that the
administrative leaders are able to fully exercise their
functions and powers.
In offices of the Party or the state at all levels, the primary
Party organizations assist the chief administrators in
fulfilling their tasks and improving their work. They exercise
oversight over all Party members, including the chief
administrators who are Party members, but do not direct the work
of their units.
BACK TO TOP |
Chapter VI Party Cadres
Article 33. Party cadres are the backbone of the Party's
cause and public servants of the people. The Party selects its
cadres on the basis of both their moral integrity and their
professional competence with priority given to the former,
appoints cadres on their merits without regard to their origins,
and opposes favoritism; it exerts genuine efforts to make the
ranks of the cadres more revolutionary, younger in average age,
better educated and more professionally competent.
The Party attaches great importance to education, training,
selection, assessment and oversight of cadres, especially to the
training and selection of outstanding young cadres. The Party
actively promotes the reform of the cadre system.
The Party attaches great importance to the training and
promotion of women cadres and cadres from among the ethnic
minorities.
Article 34. Leading Party cadres at all levels must show
exemplary performance in carrying out their duties as Party
members prescribed in Article 3 of this Constitution and must
meet the following basic requirements:
1) Know Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping
Theory well enough to perform their duties, earnestly put the
important thought of Three Represents into practice, take the
lead in applying the Scientific Outlook on Development, try hard
to analyze and solve practical problems with the stand,
viewpoint and methods of Marxism, keep stressing study,
political awareness and integrity, and be able to stand the test
of all trials and tribulations.
2) Have the lofty ideal of communism and firm conviction in
socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly implement the
Party's basic line, principles and policies, be determined to
carry out reform and opening up, devote themselves to the cause
of modernization, work hard to start undertakings in socialist
construction, foster a correct view on evaluating their
performances and make solid achievements that can stand the test
of practice and time to the satisfaction of the people.
3) Persist in emancipating their minds, seeking truth from
facts, keeping up with the times and blazing new trails in a
pioneering spirit; conduct earnest investigations and studies so
as to be able to integrate the Party's principles and policies
with the actual conditions in their localities or departments
and work efficiently; tell the truth, do practical work, seek
tangible results and oppose formalism.
4) Be fervently dedicated to the revolutionary cause and imbued
with a strong sense of political responsibility, have practical
experience, and be qualified for leading posts in organizational
ability, general education and vocational knowledge.
5) Properly exercise the power invested in them by the people,
uphold principles, handle matters according to law, be upright
and clean and work diligently for the people, set an example by
their own actions, work hard and live simply, maintain close
ties with the masses, uphold the Party's mass line,
conscientiously accept the criticism and oversight by the Party
and the masses, improve their moral standards, observe the Party
spirit and ethical standards, play an exemplary role, exercise
self-respect, self-examination, self-caution and
self-motivation, combat bureaucratism, and fight against
malpractices such as abuse of power for personal gain.
6) Uphold the Party's system of democratic centralism, maintain
a democratic style of work, take the overall situation into
consideration, and be good at uniting and working with other
comrades, including those who hold differing opinions.
Article 35. Party cadres should be able to cooperate with
non-Party cadres, respect them and be open-minded in learning
from their strong points.
Party organizations at all levels must be good at discovering
and recommending talented non-Party cadres with practical
learning for leading posts, and ensure that the latter enjoy
authority commensurate with their posts and can fully play their
roles.
Article 36. Leading Party cadres at all levels, whether
elected through democratic procedure or appointed by a leading
body, are not entitled to lifelong tenure, and they can be
transferred from or relieved of their posts.
Cadres no longer fit to continue working due to old age or poor
health should retire according to the regulations of the state. |
Chapter VII Party Discipline
Article 37. Party discipline refers to the rules of
conduct that must be observed by Party organizations at all
levels and by all Party members. It is the guarantee that the
unity and solidarity of the Party are safeguarded and that the
tasks of the Party are accomplished. Party organizations must
strictly observe and maintain Party discipline. A Communist
Party member must conscientiously act within the bounds of Party
discipline.
Article 38. Party organizations should criticize, educate or
take disciplinary measures against members who violate Party
discipline, depending on the nature and seriousness of their
mistakes and in the spirit of "learning from past mistakes to
avoid future ones, and curing the sickness to save the patient."
Party members who have seriously violated the criminal law shall
be expelled from the Party.
It is strictly forbidden in the Party to take any measures
against a member that contravene the Party Constitution or the
laws of the state, or to retaliate against or frame a member.
Any offending organization or individual must be dealt with
according to Party discipline and the laws of the state.
Article 39. There are five measures for enforcing Party
discipline: warning, serious warning, removal from Party posts,
probation within the Party, and expulsion from the Party.
The period for which a Party member is placed on probation shall
not exceed two years. During that period, the Party member
concerned has no right to participate in voting or elections or
stand for election. A Party member who during that time truly
rectifies his or her mistake shall have his or her rights as a
Party member restored. Party members who refuse to mend their
ways shall be expelled from the Party.
Expulsion is the ultimate Party disciplinary measure. In
deciding on or approving an expulsion, Party organizations at
all levels should study all the relevant facts and opinions and
exercise extreme caution.
Article 40. Any disciplinary measure to be taken against
a Party member must be discussed and decided on at a general
membership meeting of the Party branch concerned, and reported
to the primary Party committee concerned for approval. If the
case is relatively important or complicated, or involves the
expulsion of a member, it shall be reported to a Party
commission for discipline inspection at or above the county
level for examination and approval, in accordance with the
specific situation. Under special circumstances, a Party
committee or a commission for discipline inspection at or above
the county level has the authority to decide directly on
disciplinary measures to be taken against a Party member.
Any decision to remove a member or alternate member of the
Central Committee or a local committee at any level from his or
her posts within the Party, to place such a person on probation
within the Party or to expel such a person from the Party must
be approved by a two thirds majority vote at a plenary meeting
of the Party committee to which he or she belongs. In special
circumstances, the decision may be taken first by the Standing
Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee or
the standing committee of a local Party committee, pending
confirmation at the plenary meeting of the Party committee. Such
a disciplinary measure against a member or alternate member of a
local Party committee is subject to approval by the higher Party
committee.
A member or alternate member of the Central Committee who has
seriously violated the criminal law shall be expelled from the
Party on decision by the Political Bureau of the Central
Committee; a member or alternate member of a local Party
committee who has seriously violated the criminal law shall be
expelled from the Party on decision by the standing committee of
the Party committee at the corresponding level.
Article 41. When a Party organization is deciding on a
disciplinary measure against a Party member, it should
investigate and verify the facts in an objective way. The Party
member in question must be informed of a decision regarding any
disciplinary measure to be taken and of the facts on which it is
based. The person concerned must be given a chance to account
for himself or herself and speak in his or her own defense. If
the member does not accept the decision, he or she can appeal,
and the Party organization concerned must promptly deal with or
forward his or her appeal, and must not withhold or suppress it.
Those who cling to erroneous views and unjustifiable demands
shall be educated by criticism.
Article 42. If a Party organization fails to uphold Party
discipline, it must be investigated.
In case a Party
organization seriously violates Party discipline and is unable
to rectify the mistake on its own, the next higher Party
committee should, after verifying the facts and considering the
seriousness of the case, decide on the reorganization or
dissolution of the organization, report the decision to the
Party committee at the next higher level for examination and
approval, and then formally announce and carry out the decision.
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Chapter VIII
Party Organs for
Discipline Inspection
Article 43. The Party's Central Commission for Discipline
Inspection functions under the leadership of the Central
Committee of the Party. The Party's local commissions for
discipline inspection at all levels and primary commissions for
discipline inspection function under the dual leadership of the
Party committees at the corresponding levels and the next higher
commissions for discipline inspection.
The Party's commissions for discipline inspection at all levels
serve a term of the same duration as the Party committees at the
corresponding levels.
The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection elects,
in plenary session, its standing committee, secretary and deputy
secretaries and reports the results to the Central Committee for
approval. Local commissions for discipline inspection at all
levels elect, at their plenary sessions, their respective
standing committees, secretaries and deputy secretaries. The
results of the elections are subject to endorsement by the Party
committees at the corresponding levels and should be reported to
the next higher Party committees for approval. The question of
whether a primary Party committee should set up a commission for
discipline inspection or simply appoint a discipline inspection
commissioner shall be determined by the next higher Party
organization in light of the specific circumstances. The
committees of general Party branches and Party branches shall
have discipline inspection commissioners.
The Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection shall,
when its work so requires, accredit discipline inspection groups
or commissioners to Party or state organs at the central level.
Leaders of the discipline inspection groups or discipline
inspection commissioners may attend relevant meetings of the
leading Party organizations in the said organs as non-voting
participants. The leading Party organizations in the organs
concerned must support their work.
Article 44. The main tasks of the Party's commissions for
discipline inspection at all levels are as follows: to uphold
the Constitution and other statutes of the Party, to check up on
the implementation of the line, principles, policies and
resolutions of the Party and to assist the respective Party
committees in improving the Party's style of work and in
organizing and coordinating the work against corruption.
The commissions for discipline inspection at all levels shall
frequently provide education for Party members on their duty to
observe Party discipline and adopt decisions for the upholding
of Party discipline; they shall oversee Party members holding
leading positions in exercising their power; they shall examine
and deal with relatively important or complicated cases of
violation of the Constitution or other statutes of the Party by
Party organizations or Party members and decide on or rescind
disciplinary measures against Party members involved in such
cases; they shall deal with complaints and appeals made by Party
members; and they shall guarantee the rights of Party members.
The commissions for discipline inspection at all levels shall
report to the Party committees at the corresponding levels on
the results of their handling of cases of special importance or
complexity, as well as on the problems encountered. The local
commissions for discipline inspection at all levels and primary
commissions for discipline inspection shall also present such
reports to the higher commissions.
If a commission for discipline inspection at any level discovers
any violation of Party discipline by a member of the Party
committee at the corresponding level, it may take the initial
step of verifying the facts and, if it is necessary to put a
case on file, it should report to the Party committee at the
corresponding level for approval, and if a member of the
standing committee of the Party committee is involved, it should
first report to the Party committee at the corresponding level
and then to the commission for discipline inspection at the next
higher level for approval.
Article 45. Higher commissions for discipline inspection
have the power to examine the work of the lower commissions and
to approve or modify their decisions on any case. If decisions
so modified have already been ratified by the Party committee at
the corresponding level, the modification must be approved by
the next higher Party committee.
If a local commission for discipline inspection or a primary
commission for discipline inspection does not agree with a
decision made by the Party committee at the corresponding level
in dealing with a case, it may demand the commission at the next
higher level reexamine the case; if a local or primary
commission discovers cases of violation of Party discipline by
the Party committee at the corresponding level or by its
members, and if that Party committee fails to deal with them
properly or at all, it has the right to appeal to the higher
commission for assistance in dealing with such cases.
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Chapter IX Leading Party Members' Groups
Article 46. A leading Party members' group may be formed
in the leading body of a central or local state organ, people's
organization, economic or cultural institution or other
non-Party unit. The group plays the role of the core of
leadership. Its main tasks are: to see to it that the Party's
line, principles and policies are implemented, to discuss and
decide on matters of major importance in its unit, to do well in
cadre management, to rally the non-Party cadres and the masses
in fulfilling the tasks assigned by the Party and the state and
to guide the work of the Party organization of the unit and
those directly under it.
Article 47. The composition of a leading Party members'
group is decided by the Party organization that approves its
establishment. The group shall have a secretary and, if
necessary, deputy secretaries.
A leading Party members' group must accept the leadership of the
Party organization that approves its establishment.
Article 48. Party committees may be set up in state
organs which exercise centralized leadership over their
subordinate units. The Central Committee of the Party shall
provide the specific procedure for their establishment and
define their functions, powers and tasks.
Chapter X Relationship Between the
Party and the Communist Youth League of China
Article 49. The Communist Youth League of China is a mass
organization of advanced young people under the leadership of
the Communist Party of China; it is a school where a large
number of young people learn about socialism with Chinese
characteristics and about communism through practice; it is the
Party's assistant and reserve force. The Central Committee of
the Communist Youth League functions under the leadership of the
Central Committee of the Party. The local chapters of the
Communist Youth League are under the leadership of the Party
committees at the corresponding levels and of the higher
organizations of the League itself.
Article 50. Party committees at all levels must
strengthen their leadership over Communist Youth League
organizations and pay attention to selecting and training League
cadres. The Party must firmly support the Communist Youth League
in the lively and creative performance of its work to suit the
characteristics and needs of young people, and give full play to
the League's role as a shock force and as a bridge linking the
Party with young people.
Those secretaries of League committees at or below the county
level or in enterprises and institutions who are Party members
may attend meetings of Party committees at the corresponding
levels and meetings of their standing committees as non-voting
participants.
Chapter
XI Party Emblem and Flag
Article 51. The emblem of the Communist Party of China is
a design of sickle and hammer.
Article 52. The flag of the Communist Party of China is a
red flag highlighted by a golden Party emblem on it.
Article 53. The Party emblem and flag are the symbol and
sign of the Communist Party of China. Party organizations at all
levels and all Party members shall safeguard the sanctity of the
Party emblem and flag. Party emblems and flags should be made
and used according to regulations. |
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