The Second Plenum of the 11th CPC Central Committee 

Communique of the Second Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

(Adopted on February 23, 1978)

THE 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held its second plenary session in Peking from February 18 to 23, 1978.

Comrade Hua Kuo-feng, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, presided over the session. Comrades Yeh Chien-ying, Teng Hsiao-ping, Li Hsien-nien and Wang Tung-hsing, Vice-Chairmen of the Central Committee, other Members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, and Members and Alternate Members of the Central Committee attended the session.

The task of the plenum is to complete the necessary preparations, political, ideological and organizational, for the successful convocation of the Fifth National People's Congress and the forthcoming session of the Fifth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Chairman Hua made an important speech to the plenum.

He points out that there have been new developments in the fine situation in our country in the six months following the 11th Party Congress and the First Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee. The call for attaining initial success within a year in carrying out the strategic decision of grasping the key link of class struggle and bringing about great order across the land has been fully met and things are going much better than expected. A great victory has been scored in the struggle to expose and criticize the anti-Party "gang of four" of Wang Hung-wen, Chang Chun-chiao, Chiang Ching and Yao Wen-yuan. Profound changes have taken place in the political, economic, military, cultural and other fields. As we enter 1978, the situation in every sphere of endeavour is still more inspiring. The cadres and the masses alike are jubilant and in a great mood and their enthusiasm for socialism is rising to new heights. A new shape of things, stability and unity and greater exertions for socialism, has already emerged.

Chairman Hua points out that the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have at one time or another convened new people's congresses, elected their revolutionary committees and the deputies to the Fifth National People's Congress. They have also called the people's political consultative conference into session. The convocation of these meetings and the election results have won popular approval.

All this makes it abundantly clear, Chairman Hua goes on, that our country has successfully got over the grave crisis created by the "gang of four" and the new period of development of the socialist revolution and construction in our country has a fine beginning. The conditions for convening the Fifth National People's Congress are ripe.

The forthcoming Fifth National People's Congress, Chairman Hua says, is charged with a historic duty. It must hold high the great banner of Chairman Mao, implement the Party line formulated at its 11th National Congress, further eradicate the pernicious influence of the "gang of four," consolidate and strengthen the dictatorship of the proletariat, give scope to socialist democracy, turn all positive factors to account, unite with all the forces that can be united, develop the fine situation and strive to make China a great modern and powerful socialist country.

The convocation of the Fifth National People's Congress, Chairman Hua goes on, is a major event in the political life of the people of all our nationalities, a major event in the course of grasping the key link of class struggle and bringing about great order across the land and of consolidating and developing our revolutionary united front led by the working class and based on the worker-peasant alliance. The whole Party, the whole army and the people of all our nationalities ardently hope that the congress will be a success. The world is watching this congress with great interest too. On the strength of the full preparations made by the whole Party, army and people of all our nationalities and through the work of this plenary session of the Central Committee, we are confident that the Fifth National People's Congress and the forthcoming session of the Fifth National Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference will be highly successful and become sessions of unity and triumph.

Chairman Hua's speech was warmly acclaimed by all present.

The plenum discussed all the documents submitted by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party.

The plenum unanimously passed the "Report on the Work of the Government," the "Outline of the Ten-Year Plan for the Development of the National Economy, 1976-1985 (draft)," the "Draft of the Revised Constitution of the People's Republic of China" and the "Report on the Revision of the Constitution," and decided to sumbit them to the first session of the Fifth National People's Congress for examination and approval.

The plenum unanimously approved of the lists of candidates for Members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, for the Premier and other component members of the State Council, the President of the Supreme People's Court, the Chief Procurator of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and for Members of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference, which the plenum decided to submit for deliberation by the Fifth National People's Congress and the Fifth National Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference respectively.

The plenary session also adopted a new lyric for the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, which, too, will be submitted to the Fifth National People's Congress for discussion.

(NO. 9, MARCH 3, 1978)