CPC sets stage for historic 20th Congress

Meeting: Plenum approves of work, efforts

The four-day seventh plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which concluded in Beijing on Wednesday, decided that the Party's 20th National Congress will open on Sunday, according to a communique issued after the meeting.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made an important speech at the meeting, which was attended by 199 members and 159 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee. Members of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials of related departments were also present in a nonvoting capacity.

The meeting, presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, analyzed the current situation and tasks the nation is facing, discussed a number of major issues about upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era and building a modern socialist country in all respects, and made full preparations for the opening of the Party's 20th National Congress, the communique said.

The upcoming 20th CPC National Congress is considered as crucially important, as the Party is expected to unveil its road map for the next five years and beyond, a key period for China to realize national rejuvenation and achieve its modernization goals.

Entrusted by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Xi delivered a work report at the meeting.

A report to be made by the 19th CPC Central Committee to the 20th National Congress, a work report of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection to the 20th National Congress, and an amendment to the Party's Constitution were discussed and approved at the meeting. It was decided that the three documents will be submitted to the upcoming Congress for examination and deliberation, according to the communique.

The plenary session fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee last year.

The meeting's participants reached the consensus that in the face of the complex and grave international landscape and arduous tasks in terms of ensuring the nation's reform, development and stability, the Political Bureau united and led the whole Party, the armed forces and all the Chinese people to make significant achievements in advancing the various causes of the Party and State, the communique said.

While commending the accomplishments in coordinating COVID-19 response and socioeconomic development, improving people's well-being, pushing for ecological conservation and exercising rigorous governance over the Party, the meeting's participants highlighted the nation's efforts in resolutely fighting secessionist attempts and foreign interference, and in properly coping with the risks and challenges arising from the Ukraine crisis.

The plenum also summarized the work over the past five years since the 19th CPC National Congress and said that those five years were "extremely extraordinary and momentous".

Over the past five years, the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core has united and led the whole Party, armed forces and all the Chinese people in effectively responding to the huge risks and challenges arising from the grave and complex international situation, advanced socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, addressed long-lasting difficulties and problems, and achieved success on issues that matter to the nation's future development, the communique said.

The CPC Central Committee has coordinated development and security, comprehensively advanced the process of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, made consistent efforts to implement the new development philosophy, and built a new development paradigm to pursue high-quality growth, it said.

The plenary session affirmed efforts to promote major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and the work in poverty alleviation and environmental protection, in safeguarding national security, preventing and defusing major risks and maintaining social stability, as well as efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic to protect people's lives and health.

It also recognized work related to Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has returned from chaos to governance, and on the Taiwan question, the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus have been upheld to demonstrate the nation's strong determination and its ability to oppose secessionist elements and to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the communique said.

The communique emphasized that the Party has established Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and has defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces and Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the cause of the Party and the country in the new era and for driving forward the historic process of great national rejuvenation.

Bearing in mind national interests and giving priority to domestic politics, the CPC Central Committee has been endeavoring to safeguard the nation's dignity and core interests and has firmly taken the initiative in terms of the country's development and security, it added.

The plenum promoted three alternate members of the 19th CPC Central Committee to full members. It also endorsed the decisions made by the Political Bureau to expel former minister of justice Fu Zhenghua and two other former senior officials from the Party. Another former senior official was removed from Party posts, according to the communique.