Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1 These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Constitution of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and relevant laws and regulations, in order to earnestly implement the Party's line, guiding principles and policies concerning cadres, establish a scientific and standardized system for the selection and appointment of leading Party and government cadres, form a vigorous and viable mechanism of selection and appointment favorable for talented people to come to the fore, foster a contingent of more revolutionary, younger, better educated and professionally more competent cadres, and build an echelon of high-caliber leading cadres of the Party and government who hold aloft the great banner of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory and earnestly implement the important concept of the "Three Represents,"?so as to ensure the all-round implementation of the basic line of the Party and the smooth progress of the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Article 2 In the selection and appointment of leading Party and government cadres, we must adhere to the following principles:

(1) The principle of cadres being administered by the Party;

(2) The principle of appointment of persons on their merits, moral integrity and professional competence;

(3) The principle of cadres being accepted by the masses of the people, and of emphasis on their actual performance and achievement;

(4) The principle of openness, equality, competition and selection of the best;

(5) The principle of democratic centralism; and

(6) The principle of doing things in compliance with the law.

Article 3 In the selection and appointment of leading Party and government cadres, we must meet the requirements of building a leading group into a structurally rational, united and firm leading collective that shall adhere to the Party's basic theory, basic line and basic program, serve the people wholeheartedly, and have the capability of exercising leadership over the socialist modernization drive.

Attention must be given to selecting and appointing outstanding young cadres.

Article 4 These Regulations shall apply to the selection and appointment of leading members of the working departments under the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, or their internal organs; leading members (excluding the principals) of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and their internal organs; leading members of all local Party committees, standing committees of people's congresses, governments, CPPCC committees, discipline inspection commissions, people's courts and people's procuratorates at and above the county level, and their working departments or internal organs; and leading members of the internal organs of the above departments.

The selection and appointment of leading members of Party committees, institutions under the direct administration of local governments, and mass organizations such as the trade unions, the Communist Youth League organs and the women's federations at and above the county level shall be carried out by referring to these Regulations.

The selection and appointment of leading cadres who are not Party members shall be carried out by referring to these Regulations.

The selection and appointment of cadres not in leading positions above the division level shall be carried out by referring to these Regulations.

Article 5 Party committees (leading Party members' groups) and their organization (personnel) departments shall select and appoint leading Party and government cadres in accordance with their power of authorization in the administration of cadres, and be responsible for the organization and implementation of these Regulations.

Chapter 2 Selection and Appointment Requirements

Article 6 Leading Party and government cadres should meet the following basic requirements:

(1) Attain the level of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory as required for performance of their duties and responsibilities, earnestly implement the important concept of the "Three Represents," strive to analyze and solve practical problems from the Marxist standpoint, viewpoint and methods, adhere to the "three emphases" (on theoretical study, political awareness and moral rectitude) and be able to stand the test of storms and stress;

(2) Cherish a lofty aspiration for communism and unswerving confidence in socialism with Chinese characteristics, resolutely implement the Party's basic line, guiding principles and policies, be determined to carry out the reform and opening-up policy, be devoted to the cause of modernization, and work hard for the building of socialism and the making of concrete achievements;

(3) Adhere to the emancipation of the mind and the seeking of truth from facts, advance with the times, be enterprising and creative, earnestly conduct investigations and research, be able to integrate the Party's principles and policies with the practice of their own localities and departments, effectively carry out their work, speak the truth, aim at and stress practical results, and oppose formalism;

(4) Be highly dedicated to the revolutionary cause, have a high sense of political responsibility, possess practical experience, and have the organizational ability, educational level and professional knowledge commensurate with the work of leadership;

(5) Correctly use the power granted by the people, act in accordance with the law, be honest and just, be diligent in work for the people, set a good example with their own conduct, adhere to the style of arduous struggle and plain living, maintain close contacts with the masses, uphold the Party's mass line, conscientiously accept criticism and supervision from the Party and the masses, exercise self-discipline, self-examination, self-caution and self-motivation, oppose bureaucratism, and fight against the unhealthy tendencies of abusing power and seeking personal gains; and

(6) Adhere to and uphold the Party's principle of democratic centralism, foster the democratic style of work, have overall interests in mind, and be able to sum up correct opinions and unite with others, including those holding different opinions from one's own, for work in unison.

Leading Party and government cadres at the provincial and ministerial level must also strive to meet all requirements stipulated by the Party Central Committee for high-ranking officials.

Article 7 Those who are to be promoted to work at leading positions of the Party and the government must have the following qualifications:

(1) For promotion to a leading position at the county (division) level, one must have had at least five years of work experience and at least two years of experience working at the grass-roots;

(2) For promotion to a leading position above the county (division) level, one must normally have had experience working in at least two posts at the next lower level;

(3) For promotion to a leading position above the county (division) level, where a deputy is to be promoted to be the principal, one must have worked in the position of a deputy for at least two years; where a principal at a lower level is to be promoted to the position of a deputy at a higher level, one must have worked in the position of the principal at the lower level for at least three years;

(4) Normally, have a junior college education; for leading cadres of a prefecture (or department under a provincial government), a department (or bureau) under a ministry, or above, at least a university education is normally required;

(5) Have received accumulatively at least three months of training within five years at Party schools, administrative colleges or other training institutions approved by organization (personnel) departments; those who have failed to meet such a requirement before the promotion for some special reason must complete the training within the first year after the promotion;

(6) Be in good health;

(7) For promotion to a leading position in the Party, the candidate must have the length of Party standing as required by the Constitution of the Communist Party of China.

Exceptionally talented young cadres or those specially needed for work may be promoted regardless of these rules. The procedures for such promotion shall be separately formulated.

Article 8 Leading Party and government cadres shall be promoted step by step. Promotion by skipping one grade or more shall be subject to approval by the organization (personnel) department at the higher level.

Article 9 Leading Party and government cadres may be selected and appointed from among those working in Party and government institutions, or from outside these institutions.

Members of the leading groups of the Party and the government shall, as a rule, be selected from backup candidates.

Chapter 3 Democratic Recommendation

Article 10 In selecting and appointing leading Party and government cadres, it is imperative to determine the candidates for appraisal through a democratic process of recommendation. The democratic recommendation of candidates includes recommendation of candidates by way of voting at meetings and recommendation of candidates by way of interviewing individuals. The results of such democratic recommendations shall be valid for one year.

Article 11 When a leading group needs replacing due to expiry of the term of office, democratic recommendation shall be carried out in accordance with the full number of posts and positions; when an individual is to be promoted or appointed, recommendation shall be carried out in accordance with the position to be filled.

Article 12 When a leading group needs replacing due to expiry of the term of office, the following persons shall participate in the process of democratic recommendation:

(1) Members of the Party committee;

(2) Members of the leading Party members' group or all leading members of the standing committee of the relevant people's congress, government and CPPCC committee;

(3) Leading members of the relevant discipline inspection commission;

(4) Principal leading members of the relevant people's court, people's procuratorate, Party committee's working departments, government departments and mass organizations;

(5) Principal leading members of the Party committee and government at the next lower level; and

(6) Other persons required to participate.

If candidates for leading members of the standing committee of the relevant people's congress, government and CPPCC committee are to be recommended, principal leading members of the non-Communist parties, the federation of industry and commerce, and representatives of personages without party affiliation shall participate.

Article 13 When a leading group needs replacing due to expiry of the term of office, the democratic recommendation shall be presided over by the organization department of the Party committee at the higher level and follow the following procedures:

(1) Convene a recommendation meeting; announce the positions to be filled, conditions for appointment, and scope of candidates for recommendation; and provide the register of cadres and lay out the relevant requirements;

(2) Fill in the recommendation forms, and interview individual candidates;

(3) Separately calculate the numbers of recommended candidates for different positions at different levels, and make a comprehensive analysis of the situation;

(4) Report the recommendation to the Party committee at the higher level.

Article 14 When an individual is to be separately promoted and appointed, the participants in the democratic recommendation and the procedures of the democratic recommendation shall be carried out by referring to articles 12 and 13 of these Regulations.

Article 15 When a candidate is democratically recommended to be a leading member of a working department, leading members of the said department and its internal organs, principal leading members of its subordinate units under its direct leadership, and other necessary persons shall participate in the recommendation. If the size of the said department is small, all its staff shall participate in the recommendation process.

When a candidate is recommended to be a leading member of an internal organ, the recommendation shall be carried out by referring to the scope specified in the preceding paragraph.

Article 16 When a leading group needs replacing due to expiry of the term of office, a meeting of the secretary and deputy secretaries of the Party committee at the same level shall deliberate the choices of persons to be appraised, on the basis of information collected in the democratic recommendation provided by the organization department of the Party committee at the next higher level. The standing committee of the Party committee at the same level shall study and propose the list of candidates for appraisal and, having compared notes with the organization department of the Party committee at the next higher level, decide on the candidates for appraisal. A public notification concerning the candidates to be appraised for entering a leading group of the Party or government shall be made among the persons specified in Article 12 of these Regulations.

Where one person is to be promoted and appointed, the choice of candidates to be appraised shall be collectively studied and decided by the Party committee (leading Party members' group) or the organization (personnel) department on the basis of the democratic recommendation.

Generally speaking, the number of candidates to be appraised shall be more than the number of persons to be appointed.

Article 17 When a candidate is to be determined, the result of the democratic recommendation shall serve as one of the important bases of decision. However, it is necessary to guard against making a decision simply by the number of votes won.

Article 18 Anyone who recommends a person to be a leading cadre to a Party organization must write and sign a recommendation letter. After examination by the organization (personnel) department, the democratic recommendation shall be carried out in accordance with the stipulated procedures. If the person thus recommended does not enjoy the support of the majority of people in the unit where he or she works, such a person must not be accepted for appraisal.

Article 19 A person who is needed to be a leading member of a Party committee, a government or its working department for some special reason may be nominated by the relevant Party committee, government or department to be a candidate for appraisal.

Chapter 4 Appraisal

Article 20 Persons who have been determined to be candidates for appraisal must be strictly assessed by the organization (personnel) department in accordance with the authorization for the administration of cadres.

The appraisal of cadres under the dual administration of the relevant department and locality shall be conducted by the competent party, with the cooperation of the assisting party.

Article 21 When appraising candidates for appointment to leading positions in the Party or government, we must assess them in an all-round manner, including their integrity, ability, diligence, performance, and honesty, with the emphasis on their actual achievement, in accordance with the requirements for selection and appointment of cadres as well as the requirements of the duties and responsibilities of different leading positions.

Party committees (leading Party members' groups) at all levels shall formulate detailed appraisal standards in accordance with the requirements of the duties and responsibilities of each leading position.

Article 22 The appraisal of candidates for leading positions in the Party or government shall be subject to the following procedures:

(1) Setting up an appraisal team and drawing up an appraisal work plan;

(2) Comparing notes with and hearing the opinions of the principal leading member(s) of the Party committee (leading Party members' group) of the recommending unit or the candidate's work unit on the appraisal work plan;

(3) Issuing an advance announcement of the appraisal of cadres among a specified number of people in an appropriate manner in accordance with the different circumstances of the candidates to be appraised;

(4) The extensive and profound acquisition of information by means of interviews of individuals, the issuing of questionnaires, the holding of democratic opinion polls, on-the-spot investigation, perusal of relevant files, investigation of specialized items and the interviewing of candidates to be appraised;