People's Democracy

CPC Congress Elects New Leadership

16th CPC Central Committee Elected The 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was elected at the closing session of the 16th CPC National Congress in Beijing on Thursday morning. The new CPC Central Committee is composed of 198 full members and 158 alternate members.

Jiang Zemin, 76, the core of the third-generation leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and five of his colleagues formerly in the Party's top decision-making body are not in the new central committee of the CPC elected here this morning.

The five former members are: Li Peng and Zhu Rongji, both 74, Li Ruihuan, 68, Wei Jianxing, 71, and Li Lanqing, 70.  Hu Jintao , 59, is the only member of the Political Bureau of the Standing Committee of the 15th CPC Central Committee who has entered the 16th CPC Central Committee.

The new CPC central committee at its first plenary session on the day following the conclusion of the 16^th CPC national congress elected the CPC central committee general secretary, members of its political bureau and members of its political bureau's standing committee, of a new term. 

Hu Jinato has been elected as the new general secretary. Born in December 1942, Hu Jintao joined the Communist Party of China in April 1964. Apart from being elected as the general secretary, he also holds the post of vice-chariman of the CPC Central Military Commission, vice-president of the People’s Republic of China, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China and President of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

The following leaders comprised the standing committee of the Political Bureau of the 16^th CPC Central Committee; Hu Jinato, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiababo, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan.

Jiang Zemin was re-elected chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the first plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee. Hu Jintao, Guo Boxiong and Cao Gangchuan were elected vice chairmen of the commission. Xu Caihou, Liang Guanglie, Liao Xilong and Li Jinai were elected members of the commission.

In the last 13 years, the third-generation leadership of the CPC, with Jiang at the core, has led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in making universally acknowledged achievements in reform, economic and social development, maintenance of stability, foreign affairs, national defense, and administration over the Party, the state and the armed forces.

The years, which have been recognized as a "period of great prosperity," have seen a remarkable rise in China's overall national strength, a marked improvement of people's living standard, social stability and unity, a distinctive increase in China's international influence and greater national cohesion.

Observers in Beijing say that the smooth generational change of the CPC leadership marks the maturing of the biggest ruling party in the world with a history of 81 years and demonstrates the advancement of political civilization in China. It is bound to have a positive, far-reaching significance for China's long-term prosperity and stability.