Communiqué of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee - Current Affairs - China Executive Leadership Academy, Jinggangshan (CELAJ)

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Communiqué of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee

　　(Approved at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee on September 18, 2009)

　　The Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee was held from Sept. 15 to 18 in Beijing, China.

　　A total of 194 full members and 163 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee attended the plenum. Members of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and top officials of relevant departments were also present at the session. Some delegates to the 17th CPC National Congress, who were in charge of Party affairs at the grassroots, and experts and scholars in this field, also attended the meeting.

　　The plenum was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivered an important report at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee

　　The plenum listened to and discussed the work report delivered by Hu Jintao who is commissioned by the Central Political Bureau, discussing and passing the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Major Issues on Strengthening and Improving Party Building under the New Circumstances. Xi Jinping made a statement on the “Decision (discussion draft)” at the plenum.

　　The Central Political Bureau’s work since the Third Plenary Session was fully affirmed at the plenum. It was agreed that the Central Political Bureau had fully implemented the spirit of the 17th CPC National Congress, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee, holding up the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, taking Deng Xiaoping Theory and the “Three Represents” as guidance, and implementing in-depth the scientific concept of development. It grandly commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, uniting and leading the whole party and people of all nationalities to vigorously carry forward the great spirit of earthquake relief, the Beijing Olympic spirit, and the spirit of manned space flight. All the people were of one mind, marching forward despite difficulties, focusing on reform, overcoming difficulties, maintaining growth, people’s well-being and social stability, and increasing the transformation of economic development mode and the adjustment of the economic structure to maintain stable and rapid economic development meeting the international financial crisis. The study and practice of the scientific concept of development activities was promoted in-depth in a healthy manner, and the post-earthquake reconstruction was accelerated while maintaining the overall social stability in ethnic minority areas. It comprehensively promoted the socialist economic, political, cultural, social and ecological civilization construction as well as the new great project of party building, and achieved new progress in all work.

　　The plenary session examined major issues on strengthening and improving party building under the new circumstances. It was acknowledged that at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, further research and deployment to promote the new great project of party’s building with the spirit of reform and innovation would have important and far-reaching significance in comprehensively implementing the spirit of the 17th CPC National Congress, thoroughly implementing the scientific concept of development, effectively responding to the international financial crisis to maintain stable and rapid economic development, and winning new victories in building a moderately prosperous society to create a new situation in the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics.

　　It was pointed out at the plenum that in the 88 years since the Chinese Communist Party was established, 60 years in power and 30 years since the reform and opening up, several generations of Chinese communists had always taken the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation as their responsibility, adhering to the combination of the basic principles of Marxism and China’s specific reality, uniting and leading people of all nationalities to make unremitting efforts to overcome difficulties and continuously make the great victories in the revolution, construction and reform. China has successively achieved the historical changes from the semi-colonial and semi-feudal society to national independence and the new society where the people are the masters, from the new-democratic revolution to socialist revolution and construction, from the highly centralized planned economy to the dynamic socialist market economic system and from totally closed or semi-closed to full open. Now the Chinese nation stands tall among the nations of the world, which is the Chinese communists’ great creation in understanding and transforming the world, and the great transformation to fundamentally change the destiny of the Chinese nation and profoundly influence the process of human history. Practice has already proved that, without the Chinese Communist Party, there would be no new China and there would be no socialism with Chinese characteristics. The key to handling well China’s affairs lies in the Chinese Communist Party. We must unswervingly adhere to the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership to stick to the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, promote the socialist modernization drive and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
　　It has been acknowledged that today the world is experiencing great development, changes and adjustment. World multi-polarization and economic globalization develop in depth, science and technology advancing quickly, the international financial crisis exerting far-reaching impact, the world economic situation undergoing new changes, new trends emerging in the balance of international forces, new characteristics appearing in the communication, blend and confrontation of world ideas and cultures, and the competition in comprehensive national strength and various kinds of forces becoming fiercer, all of which has brought new opportunities and challenges to China’s development. We have comprehensively promoted the economic, political, cultural and social construction as well as the construction of ecological civilization, while industrialization, informatization, urbanization, marketization and internationalization are achieving in-depth development. China is in the important period of strategic opportunity for further development, moving forward in the new historical starting point. In our large developing country with over one billion people, our party shoulders the difficult, complex and onerous task in advancing reform, opening up and socialist modernization drive which is rare in the world. In order to adapt to this new situation, co-ordinate the overall domestic and international situation, better lead the people of all nationalities to concentrate on construction and development so as to achieve the great blueprint described in the 17th CPC National Congress, our Party must further strengthen and improve the self-construction.

　　It was said that at present, the Party’s leadership and governance, building situation and the quality of party members generally fit in with the Party’s historic mission. At the same time, there were quite a few problems existed inside the Party that ran counter to new circumstances and the Party’s nature, which were severely weakening the Party’s creativity, unity and effectiveness, also severely harming the ties of flesh and blood between the Party and people and the consolidation of the Party’s rule and mission achievement, so all Party members should be aware of and vigilant about the problems and solve them as quickly as possible.

　　It was pointed out that deep changes in the world, the country and the Party had raised new requirements for Party building, and the party were facing long-term, complicated and draconian tests for the ruling capability, its reform and open-up policy, adoption of a market economy and adaptation to outside circumstances. The mission to strictly manage the Party had never been so onerous and pressing. All Party members should always be prepared for dangers in times of peace, be innovative, creative and never form ossified way of thinking and never stand still, and push forward Party building work to ensure the Party always to be ahead of the times during the historical process of profound changes in the world situation, to be the “backbone” in people’s minds when coping with various domestic and overseas challenges, and to be the strong leadership in the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

　　It is held that in the long-term governance practice, our Party had explored to form the basic experience of strengthening self-construction as a Marxist ruling party, and that is: put ideological theory building at the first place to raise the whole Party’s Marxism level; combine closely the great project of Party building and the great cause led by the Party to ensure the Party’s strong leadership in the socialist cause; take the building of governance capability and advanced nature as the main line to ensure the Party always ahead of the times; build the Party serving the interests of the people to keep the ties of flesh and blood between the Party and people; adhere to reform and innovation to enhance Party’s vitality; strictly manage and discipline the Party to improve the level of managing party affairs. These basic experiences should be given extra attention and treasured to be the important guiding principles for strengthening and improving Party building in new circumstances for long-term, and also be enriched and developed constantly in practice.

　　The plenum pointed out that the general plan on party building formulated at the 17th CPC National Congress should be comprehensively implemented in strengthening and improving Party building under the new circumstances. In accordance with the requirements of the Party Constitution, we should focus on continuing to emancipate the mind, persisting in reform and opening up, promoting scientific development and social harmony; on improving the Party’s ruling ability, maintaining and developing the Party’s advanced nature; on enhancing the Party’s sense of mission and responsibility of making unremitting efforts for the Party and people’s cause; on keeping the ties of flesh and blood between the Party and people, highlighting key points, breaking through difficulties and comprehensively promoting the ideological, organizational, workstyle development , institution-building and anti-corruption, raising the scientific level of the Party building to further build our Party into a Marxist ruling party which is serving the public and governing for the people, truth-seeking and pragmatic, reformative and innovative, arduous struggling, honest and upright, full of vitality, united and harmonious so as to ensure that our Party will always be the vanguard of the Chinese working class as well as the vanguard of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.

　　Major issues on strengthening and improving Party building under the present and future circumstances were discussed and laid out in the plenum. The CPC would spare no efforts to build itself into a party committed to Marxism learning, to improve the political awareness of all the Party members, to implement and improve the democratic centralism and expand the intra-party democracy, and to deepen the reform of official-selection mechanism to ensure the Party boasts high-caliber members who have great ability to promote scientific development and social harmony. The CPC should be determined to promote the development of its organizations at the grassroots level, to carry forward the Party's fine style of work and maintain the blood-and-fresh relation with the mass, and to enhance the building of punishment and prevention mechanism of anti-corruption and deepen the anticorruption campaign resolutely.

　　The plenum pointed out that the world and international relationships were undergoing great changes. The practice of the socialist cause of Chinese characteristics had been developed. In an era of great development and major transformation, we should work hard to equip us with all the scientific ideas, knowledge and experience and apply them into practice, which were decisive for the Party to remain in the forefront of the times and lead China to future prosperity. Building the CPC into a party committed to Marxism learning, a significant and pressing task, should be carried out resolutely. The CPC should equip itself with scientific theories, have the world perspective, be good at grasping laws and be creative and innovative. The Chinesization, modernization and popularization of Marxism should be promoted, equipping the CPC with the socialist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics, conducting education on the system of socialist core values and building the Party into a party committed to learning.

　　The plenum pointed out that the Party's vitality and creativity rested on intra-Party democracy. The Party’s solidarity and unity provided an important guarantee for the Party’s leadership. The democratic centralism, which was the integration of centralism based on democracy with democracy under the guidance of centralism, should be implemented faithfully and strictly. Our efforts to expand intra-Party democracy should be intensified on the basis of guaranteeing Party members’ democratic rights and strengthening the intra-Party democracy at the grass-roots level. It was imperative to extensively absorb the will and views of all Party members and Party organizations at all levels and bring their initiative and creativity to a full play. The centralized and unified leadership of the Party should be firmly upheld. Intra-Party democracy would promote social harmony and the Party's strength and unity would guarantee the unity of people of all ethnic groups. The CPC should uphold and improve the leadership of the Party, guaranteeing the principal position and democratic rights of Party members. It should improve the system of Party congresses, the intra-Party electoral system and intra-Party democratic decision-making mechanisms, guaranteeing the solidarity and unity of the Party.

　　The plenum pointed out that the Party must stick to a democratic, open, competitive, credible, merit-based and vigorous mechanism of selecting Party officials in order to select and foster more excellent cadres. The principle that the Party is in charge of cadre management should be adhered to. Party officials must be revolutionary, young, knowledge-based and professional and the CPC must explore extensively to select cadres to ensure the Party boasts high-caliber members devoted to the cause of the Party and the country. Cadres would be taken care of and managed strictly. Moral integrity should be highlighted when selecting officials and their ability of promoting scientific development and social harmony should be improved. The CPC would improve the cadre-selection mechanism and the management of cadres and foster a team of younger and talented officials.

　　The plenum pointed out that the Party's grassroots organizations were the foundation of the entire Party work and its combat power, and were "fighting bastions" in implementing the CPC policies. We should, by focusing on the central task and serving the overall interests, broaden the fields of our endeavor, intensify our functions and expand the coverage of the Party's work so as to increase the rallying power and combat effectiveness of grassroots organizations. The primary organizations’ role in promoting development and harmony and serving the people should be given full play, thus make the Party’s purposes and the devotion to the people implemented by all members of the CPC. Efforts should be made to boost the vitality of grassroots Party committees and members, to build a team of high-caliber leaders of grassroots organizations and bring out a new pattern in CPC’s grassroots organization building under the background of integrated system for urban and rural areas.

　　 The plenum pointed out that the work style of the ruling Party concerned the image of the CPC and the outcome of the cause of the Party and the People. The work style, namely the integration of theory with practice, close tie with the people and criticism and self-criticism, should be carried out vigorously. The CPC should remain modest and working arduously. The Marxism education, the improvement of system, the intensive ratification and strict enforcement of Party disciplines were indispensable in the Party’s efforts to solve the pressing problems. With the Party’s fine style of work, we would be able to improve the work style of the government and the conduct of the general public, thus hold party members together and win popular support. With strong Party spirit, unyielding efforts would be made to carry forward and build the CPC’s work style, namely the close tie with the people, the spirit of truth-seeking, the persistent hard work and criticism and self-criticism.

　　The plenum also vowed to resolutely fight corruption and the fight against corruption was a major political task the Party must always implement well. The CPC should fully explore the arduous and complicated nature of the combat against corruption. It would attach even greater importance to combating corruption and encouraging integrity, and fight corruption unequivocally. The CPC should effectively improve the system for preventing and punishing corruption in accordance with the principle of addressing both the symptoms and root causes of corruption and taking a dual approach that combined prevention and punishment, with the emphasis on prevention. The CPC should strictly implement the responsibility system for improving the Party's work style and building clean government, in a concerted effort to prevent and punish corruption. Meanwhile, the prevention of corruption should be strengthened by reinforcing education, supervision; reform and institutional innovation in the field thus make progress in anti-corruption campaign. The Party should also enhance the education on eradicating corruption and upholding integrity and officials' self-discipline and exert greater efforts in dealing with cases violating the law and CPC discipline. The CPC would extend its campaign to strengthen supervision over officials and organizations' exercise of power and to promote institutional renovation of anti-corruption.

　　The plenum emphasized that strengthening and improving the building of CPC in the new circumstances was a major political task of the Party. Party organizations at all levels should act in the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee earnestly, exercise self-discipline and be strict with its members and implement the responsibility system for the building of Party. The investigation and research should be enhanced in the CPC’s building process. The CPC should fully grasp and apply the laws concerning the Communist Party's governance consciously, promote the innovation and ensure the earnest implement of strategies and policies related to the Party building. Backed by scientific institution and system, the CPC would spare no effort to improve its building and improve the scientific Party building process under the guidance of scientific theories and approaches.

　　The plenum conducted a comprehensive analysis on the current situation and tasks. With the jointed efforts of the CPC and the whole nation, the downward tendency of economic growth had been curbed. The overall economy was showing an upward momentum. Meanwhile, the recovery of the global economy was a slow and tortuous process. The China's economy was recovering from the global downturn, but the foundation of economic recovery was not stable, not solid and not balanced and there were still many uncertain factors in China and internationally. The CPC should be confident and be mindful of the potential danger and access the international and domestic economy rationally. Maintaining sound and fast economic growth was still the CPC’s primary task in economic work. The country would continue with its proactive fiscal policy and moderately easy monetary policy. Macroeconomic policies would remain stable and package plans and policies would be upgraded to cope with the global financial crisis. More efforts would be put into restructuring, innovation, reducing energy consumption and environmental protection. The Party would also exert more efforts to plan as a whole rural-urban development, balance development of different regions, deepen reforms and opening-up and improve people's livelihood. It urged earnest efforts to maintain social stability and ward off various risks to strive for the fulfillment of economic and social targets this year.

　　The plenum emphasized that it was of great significance to manage ethnic work well. The CPC should continue to promote the progress of ethnic unity to ensure the interests of people of all ethnic groups, the country's long-term social stability and harmony, the country's lasting political stability and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The CPC must promote unity among all ethnic groups and make a concerted effort to achieve prosperity and development for all. The CPC would comprehensively carry out its ethnic policies and the system of regional ethnic autonomy to promote the economic and social development in ethnic areas. It would launch massive, in-depth and persistent educational campaigns on ethnic unity to this end, effectively prevent and resolutely crack down on ethnicity-related separatist activities and strengthen and develop a socialist ethnic relationship featuring equality, unity, mutual assistance and harmony.

　　The plenum called on the whole Party to rally closely around the CPC Central Committee with comrade Hu Jintao as the General Secretary, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, thoroughly implemented the guidelines of the 17th CPC National Congress and fully advance the great new undertaking of Party Building. The CPC would diligently unify and lead the people of all ethnic groups in China in carrying forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, sparing no effort to honor the trust and expectation of the people.

Gan ICP Record No.05005455