The Communist Party of China (CPC) reviewed more than 43,300 members for recommendation to candidacy to the 17th CPC central leadership.

The number of Party members who were under review to the 17th CPC Central Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is 43.4 percent higher than the number considered for the 16th CPC central leadership five years ago.

The investigation teams, dispatched to various regions and departments, talked to about 130,000 Party cadres and ordinary people, collecting recommendations, appraisals and judgments.

On Sunday, the 17th CPC National Congress elected 204 members and 167 alternate members to the CPC Central Committee, which will make key decisions over the next five years.

The congress also elected 127 members of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Since mid-2006, the 16th CPC Central Committee had dispatched about 60 investigation teams to central and local Party and government departments, financial institutions, key State-owned enterprises and armed forces units, and conducted widespread inquiries to learn more about the nominees to the CPC Central Committee candidacy.

The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 16th CPC Central Committee convened nine times to listen to reports from the investigation teams, narrowing down the list of names for review at the presidium of the 17th CPC National Congress.

During the investigation period, team staff organized opinion surveys among 33,500 cadres and people who were working with those under review.

Working styles, performance and public image were the main subjects of review for the nominees.

The investigations showed the resolve of the Party's central authorities to expand democracy and let the people know about, participate in, comment on and watch over electoral activities, according to some people who had been surveyed.

Xinhua

(China Daily 10/22/2007 page7)