Seventh Plenary Session sets course for congress

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks on Saturday. MA ZHANCHENG / XINHUA

　　Delegates from across country to take up report, amendment, statement says

　　The four-day Seventh Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded on Saturday in Beijing with a statement issued about the meeting.

　　Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a work report at the meeting, where it also was decided that the 19th CPC National Congress, which occurs every five years, will be convened on Wednesday in Beijing, according to the statement.

　　A report to be made by the 18th CPC Central Committee to the 19th CPC National Congress; a work report of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection to the congress; and an amendment to the CPC Constitution also were discussed and approved.

　　It was decided that the three documents will be submitted to the upcoming congress for examination and deliberation.

　　The amendment to the CPC Constitution must include the key theories and strategic thoughts presented by the report to be delivered at the 19th CPC National Congress, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Sept 18.

　　The amended Constitution must fully represent the latest Sinicization of Marxism, new governance concepts and thoughts and strategies of the CPC Central Committee since the 18th CPC National Congress, as well as new experience in adhering to and strengthening the Party's leadership and in strict Party governance, it said.

　　The plenum was presided over by the Political Bureau.

　　Xi gave an explanation on the draft report to the 19th CPC National Congress, and Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, gave an explanation of the draft amendment to the CPC Constitution.

　　In all, 191 members and 141 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee attended the meeting, with members of the CCDI and leading officials of related departments present as nonvoting delegates.

　　Eleven new full members, who had been alternate members of the 18th CPC Central Committee, were admitted to the Central Committee during the plenum.

The Communist Party of China's top leadership, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at the center, take part in the Seventh Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee in Beijing on Saturday. MA ZHANCHENG / XINHUA

　　The 'Four Greats'

　　The plenary session comprehensively analyzed the current situation and tasks and conducted in-depth discussion on several important issues focusing on the "Four Greats", making full preparation for the 19th CPC National Congress.

　　The issues under discussion include "engaging in the great battle with many new historical features; embarking on the new great project in Party building; advancing the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and realizing the great dream of revival of the Chinese nation under new situations," read the statement.

　　The plenum fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held a year ago.

　　The meeting reached consensus that the Political Bureau has held high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and thoroughly implemented the spirits of the 18th CPC National Congress and ensuing plenums of the Central Committee.

　　The Political Bureau has followed the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important Thought of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, and thoroughly carried out the essence of Xi's series of important remarks and new governance concepts, thoughts and strategies, according to the statement.

　　The Political Bureau has united and led the entire nation to continue seeking progress while maintaining stability for its economic work, while keeping in mind both the domestic and international situations, continuing to adopt an overall approach to promote economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress, as well as advancing coordinated development of the "Four Comprehensives."

　　It has been firm in implementing new development concepts, advancing difficult reforms, building a clean CPC and fighting against corruption, effectively dealing with various risks and challenges and innovating and improving macro control.

　　It has also managed to coordinate work for stabilizing growth, promoting reform, adjusting economic structure, improving people's well-being, and preventing risks.

　　It has deepened military reform and construction, taken initiative in handling well the work involving the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan and carried forward a big country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in an all-around way.

　　It strengthened Party discipline comprehensively, maintained stable and healthy economic development as well as social harmony and stability, according to the statement.

　　Loyalty to Party

　　Senior officials should remain loyal to the Party and willingly safeguard the authority of the Party's central leadership and the unity of the Party, the statement said.

　　The Party's leading position should be ensured in all aspects and its role of overseeing all work and coordinating all parties should be guaranteed.

　　The Party principles should be upheld and its policies implemented, the document stressed.

　　All local authorities and departments should carry out the decisions of the CPC Central Committee when told to do so, it said.

　　Senior cadres should set an example for all Party members to keep the Party and the people at heart and be keenly aware of what should and should not be done.

　　They should display strong political and moral integrity, obedience to Party disciplines and resistance to corruption, the document said.

　　Being a Party of more than 89 million members and the ruling Party leading more than 1.3 billion people in the drive for reform and modernization, without the authority and centralized leadership of the CPC Central Committee and without strict political disciplines, rules and a clean political environment, the CPC would compromise its creativity, cohesion and effectiveness, weaken the foundation and ability of its governance and fail its mission, the document said.

　　The document called on all Party members to firmly safeguard the authority of the Party leadership, follow its lead and stay in accordance with the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core.

　　China has gained and consolidated "crushing momentum" in its fight against corruption, the statement said, adjusting previous judgment made late last year at a Political Bureau meeting, which only stated that the fight "has gained crushing momentum".

　　'Fundamental' changes

　　Summarizing progress made by the CPC over the past five years, the statement said China has witnessed profound and fundamental changes during the period, while its achievements are comprehensive and groundbreaking.

　　These historic changes and achievements indicate that China's development stands at a new historical starting point, which is of great and far-reaching significance for the cause of the Party and the country, according to the statement.

　　The plenary session summarized the work of the past five years since the 18th CPC National Congress and determined that the five years were an "extraordinary" period.

　　China has made historic achievements in reform and opening-up, as well as socialist modernization, it said.

　　Over the past five years, the CPC Central Committee raised a series of new concepts, thoughts and strategies, formulated a string of important guidelines and policies and rolled out many significant measures, it said.

　　Many deep-rooted problems and issues that were too difficult to be resolved before have been addressed during that period, which promoted the historic changes for the cause of the Party and the country, according to the document.

　　"The country also saw major achievements in economic development and major breakthroughs in comprehensively deepening reform. Democratic and legal system construction has taken great steps. Ideological and cultural construction has made important progress. People's living standards have constantly improved," it said.

　　"The ecological environment has been remarkably improved. The building of a strong army has made new headway. New progress was made in work related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan," it said.