Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

Political body comprising the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party

Not to be confused with Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

中国共产党中央委员会

|  | 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party |

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Overview
Type| Highest decision-making organ when National Congress is not in session.
Elected by| National Congress
Length of term| Five years
Term limits| None
History
Established| by 2nd National Congress on 23 July 1922; 102 years ago (1922-07-23)
First convocation| 23 July 1922
Leadership
General Secretary| Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee
Executive organ| Politburo
Administrative organ| Secretariat
Military organ| Central Military Commission
Members
Total| 205
Alternates
Total| 171
Elections
Last election| 20th National Congress (2022)
Meeting place
Jingxi Hotel, Beijing
(Working sessions)
Great Hall of the People, Beijing
Constitution
Constitution of the Chinese Communist Party
Regulation
Regulation on the Work of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

Simplified Chinese| 中国共产党中央委员会
Traditional Chinese| 中國共產黨中央委員會
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Zhōngyāng Wěiyuánhuì
Abbreviation
Chinese| 中共中央
Literal meaning| Chinese-Communist Central
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Zhōnggòng Zhōngyāng
Alternative abbreviation
Simplified Chinese| 党中央
Traditional Chinese| 黨中央
Literal meaning| Party Central
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Dǎng Zhōngyāng
Shortest abbreviation
Simplified Chinese| 中央
Traditional Chinese| 中央
Literal meaning| Central
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Zhōngyāng

Politics of China

Leadership

Leadership generations
Succession of power

* Hu–Wen Administration (2002-2012)
* Xi–Li Administration (2012-2017)
* Xi Administration (since 2017)
* 4th Leadership Core: Xi Jinping
* 20th Party Politburo: Xi Jinping
* 14th State Council: Li Qiang
* Current state leaders
* Current provincial leaders

Party and state leaders
Orders of precedence

* Paramount leader: Xi Jinping

First lady: Peng Liyuan

* Communist Party leader: Xi Jinping
* State representative: Xi Jinping
* Head of government: Li Qiang
* Congress Chairman: Zhao Leji
* Conference Chairman: Wang Huning
* Commander-in-chief: Xi Jinping
* Politburo Standing Committee longest-serving members

Related systems

* Unified power
* Democratic centralism
* Collective leadership
* Organization Department
* Elections
* Civil service

* Constitution
* Law

* Constitution

Previous constitutions

* 1954
* 1975
* 1978

* "People's democratic dictatorship" (Article 1)

* Democratic centralism (Article 3)
* Constitutional oath of office (Article 27)
* Protection of human rights (Article 33)
* Freedom of religion (Article 36)
* Highest state organ of power (Article 57)

* * *

* Chinese legal system
* Civil law tradition
* Socialist law tradition
* Laws
* Legislation Law
* List of statutes

* * *

* General Principles of the Civil Law (to 2020)
* Civil Code (From 2021)
* Marriage Law
* Labour law
* Labour Law
* Labour Contract Law
* Property law
* Property Law
* Intellectual property law
* Patent law

* * *

* Administrative law
* Administrative Procedure Law

* * *

* Criminal law
* Capital punishment
* Capital offences
* Death sentence with reprieve

Communist Party

History

* Principal leaders

Constitution & ideology

*     * Admission Oath (Article 6)
* Socialism with Chinese characteristics

* Communism
* Marxism–Leninism
* Mao Zedong Thought
* Deng Xiaoping Theory

Primary stage of socialism
Four Cardinal Principles
* Three Represents
* Scientific Outlook on Development

Harmonious Socialist Society

* Xi Jinping Thought

Chinese Dream
Four Comprehensives
Two Establishes and Two Safeguards
* Democracy

Organization

*     * National Party Congress (20th)
* Central Committee (20th)

General Secretary (list)

Xi Jinping
* Central Politburo (20th)

Standing Committee (20th)

* Central Secretariat (20th)
* Central Military Commission

Chairman: Xi Jinping

Vice Chairmen:

Zhang Youxia, He Weidong
* National Security Commission

Chairman: Xi Jinping

Vice-Chairman:

Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Cai Qi

Office Chief: Cai Qi

* Comprehensively Deepening Reforms Commission

Director: Xi Jinping

Deputy Directors:

Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi

Secretary-General: Wang Huning

* Financial & Economic Affairs Commission

Director: Xi Jinping

Deputy Director: Li Qiang

Office Chief: He Lifeng

* General Office

Director: Cai Qi
* Office of the General Secretary

Chief: Cai Qi
* Central Guard Bureau
* Central Guard Unit
* Office of the Central Secrecy Commission
* Organization Department

Head: Li Ganjie
* Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (20th)
* Standing Committee (20th)

Secretary: Li Xi
* Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission

Secretary: Zhang Shengmin
* Central Leading Group for Inspection Work

Leader: Li Xi

* * *

* Provincial committee
* Standing committee

Secretary
Deputy secretaries
* Party group

National People's Congress (14th)

* Elections
* Standing Committee (14th)
* Council of Chairpersons

Chairman: Zhao Leji

Vice-Chairpersons

Top-ranked: Li Hongzhong
Secretary-General: Liu Qi
* Special Committees
1. Ethnic Affairs
2. Constitution and Law
3. Supervisory and Judicial Affairs
4. Financial and Economic Affairs
5. Education, Science, Culture and Public Health
6. Foreign Affairs
7. Overseas Chinese Affairs
8. Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation
9. Agriculture and Rural Affairs
10. Social Development Affairs
* Presidium

State representative

*     * President (list): Xi Jinping

* Presidential Office

Chief: Cai Qi
* Vice President: Han Zheng

Executive organ

*     * State Council (Central People's Government)
* Li Qiang Cabinet

Premier (list): Li Qiang

Vice-Premiers (list)

* Ding Xuexiang
* He Lifeng
* Zhang Guoqing
* Liu Guozhong

State Councilors

* Wang Xiaohong
* Wu Zhenglong
* Shen Yiqin

Secretary-General: Wu Zhenglong

* Cabinet-level departments
* National Development & Reform Commission
* Central bank
* National Audit Office
* General Office

Secretary-General
Deputy Secretaries-General
* State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission
* most Central Enterprises

Military organ

*     * Central Military Commission (CMC)

Chairman (supreme commander):

Xi Jinping
Vice Chairmen:

* Zhang Youxia
* He Weidong

Members:

* Liu Zhenli
* Miao Hua
* Zhang Shengmin

Departments:
1. General Office

Director: Zhong Shaojun
2. Joint Staff Dept.

Chief: Liu Zhenli
3. Political Work Dept.

Director: Miao Hua
4. Logistic Support Dept.

Director: Zhang Lin
5. Equipment Development Dept.

Director: Xu Xueqiang
6. Training and Administration Dept.

Director: Wang Peng
7. National Defense Mobilization Dept.

Director: Liu Faqing
8. Discipline Inspection Commission

Secretary: Zhang Shengmin
9. Politics and Legal Affairs Commission
10. Science and Technology Commission
11. Strategic Planning Office
12. Reform & Organizational Structure Office
13. Int'l Military Cooperation Office
14. Audit Office
15. Offices Administration Agency
National armed forces:

People's Liberation Army

Theater commands
People's Armed Police

China Coast Guard
Militia
* State Council

National Defense Mobilization Commission

Chairman: Li Qiang

Ministry of National Defense

Minister: Dong Jun

Ministry of Veterans Affairs
State Administration for Sci., Tech. & Industry for National Defense

Military history
* Armed conflicts
* Military modernization
* Military reform since 2015
* CMC Leading Group for Military Reform

Leader: Xi Jinping

Supervisory organ

*     * National Supervisory Commission

Director: Liu Jinguo

* * *

* Corruption in China
* Anti-corruption campaign since 2012

* * *

* Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)

* * *

* Commission Against Corruption (Macau)

Judicial organs

*     * Supreme People's Court

President: Zhang Jun

People's Courts Judicial Police
* Supreme People's Procuratorate

Procurator-General: Ying Yong

People's Procuratorates Judicial Police

* * *

* Judiciary of Hong Kong
* Court of Final Appeal
* Department of Justice
* Prosecutions Division
* Law enforcement in Hong Kong
* Security Bureau
* Regular Disciplined Services
* Hong Kong Police Force

* * *

* Judiciary of Macau
* Court of Final Appeal
* Public Prosecutions Office
* Secretariat for Security
* Macau Security Force
* Unitary Police Services [zh]
* Public Security Police
* Judiciary Police [zh]

United front

* Political Consultative Conference
* National Committee

Chairman: Wang Huning

Vice-Chairpersons

Top-ranked: Shi Taifeng
Secretary-General: Wang Dongfeng
* Political parties:

CCP (ruling)

United Front Work Department

Head: Shi Taifeng

* RCCK
* CDL
* CNDCA
* CAPD
* CPWDP
* CZGP
* JS
* TDSL

Historical parties:

* KMT
* CDSP
* YCP

* Federation of Industry and Commerce
* People's organizations

* Law enforcement

* CCP Central Politics and Law Commission

Secretary: Chen Wenqing

* Ministry of Public Security

Minister: Wang Xiaohong

Public Security Organs People's Police
* State Immigration Administration
* Local public security bureaus
* Ministry of State Security

Minister: Chen Yixin

State Security Organs People's Police
* Ministry of Justice

Minister: He Rong

Judicial Administrative Organs People's Police
* Bureau of Prison Administration [zh]
* Office for Safeguarding National Security

* * *

* Urban Management (chengguan)

Propaganda

* Central Leading Group for Propaganda, Ideology and Culture

Leader: Cai Qi

Deputy Leaders: Li Shulei, Shen Yiqin

* Central Guidance Commission on Building Spiritual Civilization

Director: Cai Qi

Deputy Director: Li Shulei

* Central Propaganda Department

Head: Li Shulei

* National Press and Publication Administration
* China Film Administration
* State Council Information Office
* China Daily
* Ministry of Culture and Tourism
* National Radio and Television Administration
* China Media Group
* China Central Television
* China Global Television Network
* China National Radio
* China Radio International
* Xinhua News Agency
* Reference News
* China News Service
* People's Daily
* Global Times
* China Today

* * *

* Censorship in China
* Radio jamming
* Overseas censorship of Chinese issues
* Media of China
* Internal media
* Publishing industry in China

* * *

* Internet in China
* Internet censorship
* Great Firewall
* Great Cannon
* Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission

Director: Cai Qi

* Cyberspace Administration of China

Director: Zhuang Rongwen

* Hong Kong
* Macau

* Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs

Leader: Ding Xuexiang
* HK & Macau Affairs Office

Director: Xia Baolong
* Hong Kong Liaison Office
* Macau Liaison Office
* One country, two systems
* Special administrative regions

* * *

* Hong Kong Basic Law
* Chief Executive: John Lee Ka-chiu
* Hong Kong SAR Government
* Politics of Hong Kong
* Pro-Beijing camp
* Pro-democracy camp
* Independence movement
* Mainland & HK CEPA

* * *

* Macao Basic Law
* Chief Executive: Ho Iat-seng
* Macau SAR Government
* Politics of Macau
* Mainland & Macau CEPA

Cross-Strait relations

* Cross-Strait relations
* Chinese Civil War
* One China
* Political status of Taiwan
* Republic of China on Taiwan
* Taiwan Area
* "Taiwan Province", PRC
* Taiwan independence movement
* Anti-Secession Law
* Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement
* Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement
* Chinese unification

* * *

* Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs

Leader: Xi Jinping
Deputy Leader: Wang Huning
* Taiwan Affairs Office

Director: Song Tao
* Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits

Foreign relations

* Central Foreign Affairs Commission

Director: Xi Jinping
Deputy Director: Li Qiang
Secretary-General: Wang Yi
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Wang Yi
Spokespersons
Diplomatic missions

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of China / in China

* * *

* Foreign aid from China / to China
* International Development Cooperation Agency
* Ministry of Commerce
* Exim Bank of China
* China Development Bank
* Belt and Road Initiative
* Silk Road Fund
* Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
* BRICS
* New Development Bank

* * *

* Ministry of National Defense
* International Military Cooperation Office

* * *

* NPC Foreign Affairs Committee
* CCP International Department
* State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs
* Overseas Chinese Affairs Office

* * *

* Chinese nationality law
* Chinese passports (Hong Kong; Macau)
* Visa requirements for Chinese citizens (Hong Kong, Macau)
* Visa policy of China (Hong Kong; Macau)
* National Immigration Administration

* * *

* Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence
* Panda diplomacy
* Beijing Consensus
* Community of Common Destiny

* * *

* China and the United Nations
* China and the World Trade Organization
* Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

* * *

* China–Africa relations
* China–Arab relations
* China–Caribbean relations
* China–European Union relations
* China–Latin America relations
* China–Pacific relations
* China–Russia relations
* China–United States relations

Related topics

* Administrative divisions
* Hukou system
* Family planning
* Ethnic minorities

China portal

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, officially the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is the highest organ when the national congress is not in session and is tasked with carrying out congress resolutions, directing all party work, and representing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) externally. It is currently composed of 205 full members and 171 alternate members (see list). Members are nominally elected once every five years by the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. In practice, the selection process is done privately, usually through consultation of the CCP's Politburo and its corresponding Standing Committee.[1]

The Central Committee is, formally, the "party's highest organ of authority" when the National Congress is not in a plenary session. According to the CCP's constitution, the Central Committee is vested with the power to elect the General Secretary and the members of the Politburo and its Standing Committee, as well as the Central Military Commission. It endorses the composition of the Secretariat and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. It also oversees the work of various executive national organs of the CCP. The administrative activities of the Central Committee are carried out by the Central Committee's General Office. The General Office forms the support staff of the central organs that work on the Central Committee's behalf in between plenary sessions (plenums).

The Committee usually convenes at least once a year at a plenum, and functions as a top forum for discussion about relevant policy issues. The committee operates, however, on the principle of democratic centralism; i.e., once a decision is made, the entire body speaks with one voice. The role of the Central Committee has varied throughout history. While it generally exercises power through formal procedures defined in the party constitution, the ability for it to affect outcomes of national-level personnel decisions is limited, as that function has generally been, in practice, carried out by the Politburo and retired party elders who retain influence. Nonetheless, Central Committee plenums function as venues whereby policy is discussed, fine-tuned, and publicly released in the form of "resolutions" or "decisions".

## History

[edit]

See also: History of the Chinese Communist Party

### Early history

[edit]

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The Central Committee's role has varied throughout history. It was founded in 1927 as a successor organization to the "Central Executive Committee" (中央执行委员会), a group of party leaders charged with executing party work during the pre-revolutionary days of the CCP. Over the next several decades it served to confirm the party leadership lineup and legitimize military, strategic, and foreign relations decisions of the party. In practice, power was concentrated in a small group of military and political leaders (the Secretariat or the Politburo), and, beginning at the Zunyi Conference in 1935, Mao held great power personally. Moreover, during the Second Sino-Japanese war and the Chinese Civil War between 1937 and 1949, the Central Committee rarely convened, partly because of the logistical difficulties of bringing together leading cadres involved in different theatres of war and agitation.

Beginning in 1949 at the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Central Committee gradually transformed from a revolutionary organ to a governing one, though again the day-to-day work and most political power resided with a few leaders, most notably the Politburo, then de facto chaired by Liu Shaoqi, and the Secretariat, then under Deng Xiaoping. Although the Central Committee was required to convene at least once a year, it did not convene at all in 1951–53, 1960, 1963–65, and 1967. Informal and 'extraordinary' mechanisms were sometimes used for the purposes of discussing party policy, for example, the Seven Thousand Cadres Conference in 1962, meant to be a summation of the lessons of the Great Leap Forward. Mao did not hold absolute power over the Central Committee, as evidenced by the debates surrounding the policies of the Great Leap Forward, as well as the economic policies of the early 1960s. However, Mao used Central Committee meetings as a platform to project authority or legitimize decisions which have been made in advance, such as at the Lushan Conference of 1959, when the Central Committee ratified the decision to denounce Peng Dehuai, who had spoken out in opposition of the Great Leap Forward.

During the early stages of the Cultural Revolution, the Central Committee essentially ceased to function; it was convened in August 1966 (11th Plenum of the 8th CC) to cement decisions already made by Mao on launching the Cultural Revolution. Mao faced some opposition at the 11th Plenum but ultimately most delegates were goaded into ratifying Mao's decisions. Many members were politically disgraced or purged thereafter. The committee was then convened again in October 1968 (12th Plenum) to ratify the decision to expel then head of state Liu Shaoqi from the Party. At the 12th plenum, less than half the members actually attended, as many had fallen victim to the Cultural Revolution. In a letter to Mao "evaluating" the members of the Central Committee at the time, Kang Sheng wrote that some 70% of CC members were considered "traitors, spies, or otherwise politically unreliable".[2] The Central Committee membership at the 9th Party Congress in April 1969 was largely handpicked by Mao and a small group of radical allies. The decisions at the Congress were later deemed to be "wholly and absolutely wrong" by official party historians.

### Since economic reforms of 1978

[edit]

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Since economic reforms began in 1978, the Central Committee has usually been composed of the leading figures of the party, government, the provinces, and the military. In contrast to Party Congresses, which have always been essentially ceremonial exercises, full meetings of the Central Committee have occasionally emerged as arenas in which there were substantive debates and decisions on party policy. An example of this was the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CCP Central Committee in 1978, at which China formally embarked on a project of economic reform. Deng Xiaoping also attempted to increase the level of "intra party democracy" in the 1980s by introducing so-called "more candidates than seats" election method (Cha'e xuanju). The Cha'e method meant that not everyone who was nominated would be elected to the Central Committee.

Despite experimenting with power separation on a broad scale in the 1980s, including the separation of party and state leadership positions, real decision-making power continued to reside in the hands of a dozen or so party elites, including party elders that formed the Central Advisory Commission (later abolished). For instance, the decision to crack down on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and on top leadership changes in its aftermath, such as the purge of then General Secretary Zhao Ziyang, were made by "party elders" and a small group of top leaders, without first convening the Central Committee. Zhao questioned the legality of his removal in his memoirs released in 2006.

While Central Committee meetings do not usually serve as forums for substantive debate, they have sometimes 'fine-tuned' the policies agreed upon at the Politburo level. But the Central Committee does not, by convention, overturn policies decided at higher levels. The Central Committee is larger and has a somewhat more diverse ideological spectrum than the Politburo. Since its plenary sessions is a rare event that concentrates almost all of China's top leaders in one location, it could also be seen as a convenient venue for informal deal-making.

### 21st century

[edit]

Hu Jintao's administration (2002–2012) attempted to embrace collective leadership, as well as more "intra-party democracy"; Hu was not a strong "core" figure in the same sense as Mao or Deng Xiaoping. The Central Committee thus gained more prominence as a bona fide consultation body. In 2003, Hu also cancelled the traditional August leadership retreat at the coastal town of Beidaihe, while giving more media coverage to the Central Committee plenums held in the fall. This was seen as an indication that Hu wanted to eschew informal decision-making by the handful of elites in favour of "inner-party democracy" involving bodies such as the Central Committee. However, the Beidaihe meetings resumed in July 2007, when political deliberation took place in anticipation of the 17th Party Congress; the same Bedaihe retreat also took place in 2011 in anticipation of the 18th Party Congress.[3] This indicated that important personnel and policy decisions continued to be the domain of a small group of elites at the very top of the party hierarchy.

Since the 17th Party Congress, the Central Committee has seen an increase in the number of regional leadership figures. The 17th Central Committee formed with every province-level Party Secretary and Governor gaining a full seat on the Central Committee. The rise of regional party representation came at the expense of that of government ministries.[4] Since Xi Jinping's rise to power at the 18th Party Congress, the Central Committee plenums in 2013 and 2014 were given significant media coverage, as they marked the beginning of another round of comprehensive economic and social reforms (2013) and legal reforms (2014), respectively.

In 2016, a Central Committee plenum was held, focusing mainly on in-party discipline and supervision. This plenum also gained a significant media coverage in China and abroad.[5]

## Function

[edit]

According to the Constitution of the Chinese Communist Party, the Central Committee is tasked with "carrying out the decisions of the National Congress, leading the work of the party, and representing the party internationally."[6] The Central Committee is therefore technically the "party's highest organ of authority" when the National Congress is not in session. The National Congress is convened only once every five years, so the Central Committee can be called upon in the interim to make extremely far-reaching decisions, or at least legitimize a change in direction mandated by the Politburo or other party leaders. The Central Committee must also be theoretically convened to prepare for a National Congress; for example, to determine its dates, delegate selection, agenda, and so on.

The Central Committee has the power to elect the General Secretary and the members of the Politburo, its Standing Committee, and the Central Military Commission.[6] These elections take place in the form of confirmation votes; i.e., there is only one candidate, a delegate can choose to vote for or against or abstain for that candidate.[citation needed] In some instances write-in candidates may also be allowed.[citation needed] In practice, for important posts such as the General Secretary or the Politburo Standing Committee, there is no known occasion since 1949 where the Central Committee voted against a candidate already vetted by the top party leadership in advance.[citation needed]

The Central Committee also confirms membership of the Secretariat, the organ in charge of executing party policy, whose membership is determined through nomination by the Politburo.[7] The Central Committee oversees the work of many powerful national organizations of the party, including the Publicity, Organization, International Liaison, and United Front departments, among others.

### Plenary sessions

[edit]

The Committee usually convenes at least once a year at a plenary session.[8]: 57 The plenums typically open and close in the State Banquet Hall of the Great Hall of the People, with the working meetings of the plenum being held at the military run Jingxi Hotel in Beijing.[9][10] The plenums of the Central Committee are the most important annually occurring event in Chinese politics.[11]: 23 Normally, seven plenums are held over a five-year term of the Central Committee; two plenums are held at the year of the Party National Congress, another two held in the following year, and one held in each of the other three years.[12] The first, second and seventh plenums generally deal with procedures around the five-yearly power transition process, containing no major policy announcements.[12]

The first plenum, held a day after the conclusion of a Party National Congress, elects the top leadership, including the Politburo, the Politburo Standing Committee, and the General Secretary. The second plenum, held in February or March of the following year, typically approves a list of candidates for state positions, as well as a plan to overhaul Party and State organizations, which are then approved during a National People's Congress (NPC) session held immediately afterwards.[12] The third plenum, generally held in the autumn of the year after the Party Congress, focuses on economic issues, and is generally the session when major economic and reform decisions are made and announced. The fifth plenum focuses on finalizing the upcoming five-year plan, which is then approved by the NPC in the following spring.[12] The fourth and sixth plenums do not have a fixed theme, and usually focus on CCP ideology or Party building.[12] The seventh plenum, the last held before the end of a Central Committee's term, focuses on preparations for the upcoming Party Congress.[12]

## Structure and membership selection

[edit]

See also: Organization of the Chinese Communist Party

The Central Committee houses three important party departments: (1) the Organization Department, (2) the Publicity Department, and (3) the United Front Work Department.[8]: 57 It has a secretariat which performs routine tasks including arranging leadership's schedules and document flows.[8]: 57

Central Committee members are elected every five years during the Party Congress, and they in turn vote for the new Politburo, standing committee, and general secretary.[8]: 57 The Central Committee has full members (委员 – weiyuan) and alternate or candidate members (候补委员 – houbuweiyuan). The practice of having "full" and "alternate" members is consistent with other Leninist parties in history, such as the Communist Party of the Soviet Union or the Communist Party of Vietnam. Members are elected by National Congresses through a confirmation vote (i.e., vote "yes", "no", or abstain) on a candidate list, where the number of candidates exceed the number of available seats. Unlike the Politburo, whose membership has historically been determined by informal deliberations that include incumbent Politburo members and retired Politburo Standing Committee members, the method of candidate selection for the Central Committee membership receives less coverage, though it appears to be managed by the incumbent Politburo and its Standing Committee.[1] Since the 1980s membership patterns in the Central Committee have gradually stabilized. For example, provincial governors and party secretaries are almost guaranteed a seat on the Central Committee.[citation needed]

The primary difference between full members and alternate members is that full members have voting rights. Alternate members attend Central Committee plenary sessions, and can presumably voice their views on issues, but do not have the right to vote. At party plenary sessions, members of the Politburo seats at the front of the auditorium or meeting hall, facing the rest of the Central Committee. Full members are ordered by protocol, and seated, according to "surname stroke order" (xingshi bihua paiming), an impartial ordering system that is roughly equivalent of alphabetizing the names.[citation needed] Alternate members follow a different protocol sequence: they are arranged by the number of votes received when they were elected at the previous Party Congress.

Alternate members may be elevated to full members if a full member dies in office, resigns, or is removed from the body. Priority of ascension to full member status is given to the alternate member who received the highest number of votes in favour at the previous Party Congress.[13]

Membership changes, such as the expulsion of a full member or an elevation of an alternate member, are confirmed through passing a formally adopted resolution at Central Committee plenary sessions.

### Contemporary composition

[edit]

#### Full members

[edit]

Most members of the Central Committee are provincial governors or government ministers.[8]: 57 For example, officials holding, or expected to hold the following positions at the time of a new party congress can be generally expected to hold a seat on the Central Committee:

* The party chiefs and governors of provinces (mayors of direct-controlled municipalities and chairpersons of autonomous regions)
* The ministers and minister-level commissioners of the State Council of the People's Republic of China
* The heads of the military-region level organizations of the People's Liberation Army, including the heads of the PLA departments under the Central Military Commission
* Ministerial-level heads of the party organizations which report directly to the Central Committee, including the chiefs of the General Offices serving major party leading groups
* The national-level heads of state-sponsored civic institutions

Occasionally officials of vice-ministerial rank could also hold membership on the Central Committee, though only in rare and exceptional circumstances. For example, Ma Xingrui, the party chief of Shenzhen (as of 2015), was a member of the 18th Central Committee.

While institutional rules has, since the 1980s, played a major role in the selection of Central Committee members, it does not guarantee that holders of a specific office will gain a seat on the CC. If a CC member is transferred to a different post, they maintain their CC membership. For example, a Governor of Shandong who is transferred to a position of less significance does not lose his seat on the CC, neither will his successor gain a seat on the CC. This has created situations in which individuals who do not sit on the Central Committee assume provincial leadership positions. An individual already provisionally named to a provincial leadership post may also be rejected by the "more candidates than seats" voting method – as appeared to be the case with Li Yuanchao (then Jiangsu party chief) in 2002, and Yang Xiong (mayor of Shanghai) in 2012.[14]

#### Alternate members

[edit]

In contrast to full membership, alternate membership of the Central Committee is more varied in its composition, and there are fewer institutional rules governing its membership list. Generally speaking, since the 1980s, alternate membership in the Central Committee is composed of officials of provincial-ministerial rank or sub-provincial (vice-minister) rank. They are selected based on a combination of experience and the institutions that they represent. Many are heads of provincial party departments or party chiefs of big cities. Prominent academics with no political experience and state-owned enterprise chief executives often hold alternate seats on the Central Committee. Some alternate members therefore hold no other political positions. Younger alternate members are also generally seen to be "up-and-coming" national leaders.[15]

### Election of members

[edit]

Though all nominations for the Central Committee are decided beforehand, since the 13th Party Congress in 1987, in the spirit of promoting "inner-party democracy", the number of candidates up for election for both full members and alternate members have been greater than the number of available seats.[16] Nominees for the Central Committee who receive the lowest number of votes from Party Congress delegates are thus unable to enter the Central Committee. At the 18th Party Congress, a total of 224 candidates stood for election for full membership for a total of 205 seats. A total of 190 candidates stood for election for a total of 171 alternate seats. This meant that 9.3% of full member candidates and 11.1% alternate member candidates were not elected.[17]

### Age and turnover of membership

[edit]

Since the 1980s, the membership of the Central Committee has experienced rapid turnover, mostly due to the institutionalization of the system of promotions for party officials as well as an informally mandated retirement age, currently set at 65 for minister-level officials (which comprise the majority of the members of the Central Committee). The average age of members in the 18th Central Committee is 56.1 years. From the 1980s onwards, an average of 62% of the membership of the outgoing Central Committee has been replaced at each party congress.[16] Since most members are at least 50 years old when they enter the body, the mandatory retirement age essentially serves as a 'term limit' on the entire membership of the Central Committee, whereby no member or group of members could conceivably serve longer than three terms on the Central Committee. It also makes forming enduring political factions difficult. Chinese politics analyst Cheng Li noted that this makes the body much more fluid than most national legislatures, for which term limits do not generally apply.[16]

## Current composition

[edit]

Main article: 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party

## See also

[edit]

* Chinese Communist Party Provincial Standing Committee

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Bo, Zhiyue (2007). China's Elite Politics: Political Transition and Power Balancing. World Scientific. p. 300\. ISBN 9789812700414. OCLC 664685160. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
2. ^ Wang, Nianyi (1989). 大动乱的年代(Times of Great Turmoil). Henan People's Publishing House. p. 310.
3. ^ "死去活来的北戴河会议（林保华）". Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
4. ^ Li, Cheng (January 28, 2008). "A Pivotal Stepping-Stone: Local Leaders' Representation on the 17th Central Committee". Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
5. ^ Lai, Christina (26 October 2016). "In China's sixth plenum, Xi strives to polish image abroad". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
6. ^ a b "Constitution of the Communist Party of China: Chapter 3 Central Organizations of the Party". People's Daily. Archived from the original on 2015-03-18. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
7. ^ Joseph, William A. (2010). Politics in China: An Introduction. Oxford University Press. p. 168\. ISBN 978-0-19-533530-9. OCLC 609976883. Archived from the original on 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
8. ^ a b c d e Li, David Daokui (2024). China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0393292398.
9. ^ "Behind closed doors: China's most powerful politicians gather for a secretive conclave". The Economist. November 8, 2013. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
10. ^ Lau, Mimi (13 November 2012). "The truth about Beijing's Jingxi Hotel's corridors of party power". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
11. ^ Šebok, Filip (2023). "China's Political System". In Kironska, Kristina; Turscanyi, Richard Q. (eds.). Contemporary China: a New Superpower?. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-03-239508-1.
12. ^ a b c d e f Dang, Yuanyue (13 November 2023). "China's Communist Party plenums: what is the cycle and what can we expect?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
13. ^ "媒体揭秘哪些中央候补委员有望"转正"（全文）". Netease. Radio China. November 11, 2013. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
14. ^ "十八大落选中委已经令习近平难堪！". Radio Free Asia (in Chinese). 2017-06-07. Archived from the original on 2019-01-16.
15. ^ "令计划政治生命三个月后将真正终结". Duowei News. 2015-07-22. Archived from the original on 2015-07-25. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
16. ^ a b c Li, Cheng (2012-08-09). "Leadership Transition in the CPC: Promising Progress and Potential Problems". China: An International Journal. 10 (2): 23–33. doi:10.1353/chn.2012.0027. ISSN 0219-8614. S2CID 152562869. Archived from the original on 2017-10-31. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
17. ^ "十八届中央委员会候选委员选举差额比例9.3%". Caixin. 2012-11-15. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-11-18.

* v
* t
* e

Organizational structure of the Chinese Communist Party

| | | | | | | | | | | National Congress

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| | | | | | Central Committee| | | | | Central Commission for
Discipline Inspection
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Secretary, deputy secretaries
and Secretary General
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Standing Committee
| | Central Military Commission| | General Secretary| | General Secretary Office| | |

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Chairman and Vice Chairmen| | | | Politburo| | | General Office
(Central Guard Bureau)| | Departments:
Organization, Publicity, United Front, International, Social Work, and Legal Affairs| | | Research institutions:
Central Party School,
Institute of
Party History and
Literature, and
Central Policy Research Office
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Politburo Standing
Committee| | | | | Secretariat| | | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Leading Small Groups| | Local Party branches| | Other commissions:
Spiritual Civilization,
Cyberspace Affairs
Foreign Affairs,
National Security, and
Institutional Organization
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Party organizations within the People's Liberation Army| | CMC Political Work Department| | | | | |

See also
Cadre system of the Chinese Communist Party

* v
* t
* e

Chinese Communist Party

Central Committee|

| Leader|

* Chen Duxiu (1921–1927)
* Xiang Zhongfa (1928–1931)
* Bo Gu (1931–1935)
* Zhang Wentian (1935–1943)
* Mao Zedong (1943–1976)
* Hua Guofeng (1976–1981)
* Hu Yaobang (1981–1987)
* Zhao Ziyang (1987–1989)
* Jiang Zemin (1989–2002)
* Hu Jintao (2002–2012)
* Xi Jinping (2012–present)

|

Decision-making bodies|

* General Secretary
* Politburo (Standing Committee)
* Secretariat
* Central Military Commission

Departments|

1. Organization Department
2. Publicity Department
3. United Front Work Department
4. International Department
5. Social Work Department
6. Political and Legal Affairs Commission

Directly administered|

* General Office
* Office of the General Secretary
* Central Guard Bureau
* Central Guard Unit
* Secrecy Office
* Cryptography Office
* Central Archives
* Policy Research Office

Commissions
for co-ordination|

* Auditing
* Comprehensively Deepening Reforms
* Comprehensively Law-Based Governance
* Financial
* Financial and Economic Affairs
* Foreign Affairs
* Cyberspace Affairs
* Office
* National Security
* Science and Technology
* Spiritual Civilization
* Institutional Organization
* Office
* Secrecy
* Office

Dispatched institutions
for co-ordination|

* Working Committee of Central and State Organs
* Central Financial Work Commission
* Hong Kong Work Committee
* Macau Work Committee
* Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong

Leading groups|

* Cryptography Work
* Office
* Education
* Rural Work
* Inspection Work
* Military Reform
* Propaganda, Ideology and Culture
* Taiwan
* Office
* Hong Kong and Macau
* Office

Others|

* Central Party School
* Chinese Academy of Governance
* Institute of Party History and Literature
* People's Daily
* Qiushi
* Guangming Daily
* Executive Leadership Academies
* Pudong
* Yan'an
* Jinggangshan

National Congress|

* 1st (1921)
* 2nd (1922)
* 3rd (1923)
* 4th (1925)
* 5th (1927)
* 6th (1928)
* 7th (1945)
* 8th (1956)
* 9th (1969)
* 10th (1973)
* 11th (1977)
* 12th (1982)
* 13th (1987)
* 14th (1992)
* 15th (1997)
* 16th (2002)
* 17th (2007)
* 18th (2012)
* 19th (2017)
* 20th (2022)

Leadership sittings|

| Elected by the
Central Committee|

| Politburo Standing Committee|

* 4th: 1927
* 5th: 1927–1928
* 6th: 1928–1945
* 7th: 1945–1956
* 8th: 1956–1969
* 9th: 1969–1973
* 10th: 1973–1977
* 11th: 1977–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2002
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

|

Politburo|

* 3rd: 1923–1925
* 4th: 1925–1927
* 5th: 1927–1928
* 6th: 1928–1945
* 7th: 1945–1956
* 8th: 1956–1969
* 9th: 1969–1973
* 10th: 1973–1977
* 11th: 1977–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2002
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

Military Commission|

* 7th: 1945–1949 & 1954–1956
* 8th: 1956–1969
* 9th: 1969–1973
* 10th: 1973–1977
* 11th: 1977–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2002
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

Approved by the
Central Committee|

| Secretariat|

* 8th: 1956–1969
* 11th: 1980–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2002
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

|

CCDI Standing Committee|

* 7th 1949–1956
* 8th: 1956–1969
* 11th: 1978–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2002
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

CCDI Secretary|

* Zhu De (1949–55)
* Dong Biwu (1955–68)
* Chen Yun (1978–87)
* Qiao Shi (1987–92)
* Wei Jianxing (1992–2002)
* Wu Guanzheng (2002–07)
* He Guoqiang (2007–12)
* Wang Qishan (2012–17)
* Zhao Leji (2017–22)
* Li Xi (2022–)

Others|

* Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
* Secretary General of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection

Elected by
National Congress|

| Central Committee|

* 1st: 1921–1922
* 2nd: 1922–1923
* 3rd: 1923–1925
* 4th: 1925–1927
* 5th: 1927–1928
* 6th: 1928–1945
* 7th: 1945–1956
* 8th: 1956–1969
* 9th: 1969–1973
* 10th: 1973–1977
* 11th: 1977–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2002
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

|

Discipline Inspection|

* 5th: 1927–1928
* 6th: 1928–1933 & 1933–1945
* 7th: 1949–1955 & 1955–1956
* 8th: 1956–1969
* 11th: 1978–1982
* 12th: 1982–1987
* 13th: 1987–1992
* 14th: 1992–1997
* 15th: 1997–2022
* 16th: 2002–2007
* 17th: 2007–2012
* 18th: 2012–2017
* 19th: 2017–2022
* 20th: 2022–2027

Wider organisation|

* People's Liberation Army
* People's Armed Police
* Militia (China)
* Communist Youth League of China
* Young Pioneers of China
* United front (China)
* People's organization

Ideologies|

* Marxism–Leninism
* Mao Zedong Thought
* Socialism with Chinese characteristics
* Deng Xiaoping Theory
* Three Represents
* Scientific Outlook on Development
* Xi Jinping Thought

Groupings|

* Shanghai clique
* Tuanpai
* Tsinghua clique
* Eight Elders
* Crown Prince Party
* Fujian clique
* New Zhijiang Army
* Xishan Society
* Gang of Four

Related articles|

* Shuanggui
* Neoauthoritarianism
* List of campaigns of the Chinese Communist Party
* Longest-serving members of the Politburo Standing Committee
* Emblem of the Chinese Communist Party

Category

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Israel

Other|

* IdRef

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