The highly anticipated 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will open in Beijing on October 16.

Held once every five years, the congress is a major event in the political life of the Party and the country. At a study session of provincial and ministerial-level officials in July, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, highlighted the importance of the congress, and said it is being held at a crucial moment in the new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects. 

He said goals, tasks and policies for the cause of the Party and the country for the next five years and beyond will be set at the meeting.

Important agenda 

The congress will deliberate and adopt the report of the 19th CPC Central Committee to the 20th CPC National Congress and other important documents, amend the CPC Constitution, elect a new CPC Central Committee, which will hold its first plenary session soon after the congress to elect its Political Bureau, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and the general secretary.

The draft report was finalized after several rounds of reviews and discussions.

At the Seventh Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, convened in Beijing on October 9-12, Xi presented a work report on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and delivered explanatory remarks on the draft report by the 19th CPC Central Committee to the 20th CPC National Congress.

The plenary session also discussed a work report of the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Party's top disciplinary organ, to the congress, and a draft amendment to the CPC Constitution. 

According to the communiqué issued on October 12, the session analyzed the current situation and the tasks, and hosted in-depth discussions on major issues including upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics on the nation's new journey in the new era, and building a modern socialist country in all respects. The communiqué stated the session had made full preparations for the congress.

The CPC Constitution, as the general charter of the Party, plays a fundamental role in regulating and guiding the efforts to uphold the Party's overall leadership.

Since it was first formulated at the Second National Congress of the CPC in 1922, it has been amended at most of the CPC national congresses in line with the evolving circumstances and missions of the Party.

The major theoretical proposition and strategic thoughts validated by the report to the 20th CPC National Congress will be written into the Party Constitution so that the latest adaption of Marxism to China's context and new circumstances will be fully reflected and so will the new ideas, new thinking and new strategies of governance developed by the CPC Central Committee since the Party's 19th National Congress in 2017, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on September 9.

Lead-up to the congress 

Extensive activities took place nationwide to welcome the congress and celebrate the achievements of the past decade.

On September 27, a few days before China's National Day, which falls on October 1, Xi visited an exhibition themed Forging Ahead in the New Era in Beijing. The exhibition, boasting over 6,000 exhibits including pictures, objects and models, highlights the governance by the CPC Central Committee since the 18th CPC National Congress and focuses on the great achievements and extraordinary reforms and changes in the cause of the Party and the state over the past 10 years.

Xi emphasized that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee has united and led the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups in solving many tough problems that were long on the agenda but remained unsolved, accomplishing many things of vital importance and long-term significance, and withstanding the tests generated by risks and challenges from political, economic, ideological and natural domains.

More diverse and expansive 

The final list of 2,296 delegates to the congress was released on September 25. The electoral process ran from last November to this July. The delegates were elected from 38 electoral units including provincial-level regions and central authorities.

The nomination of candidates started at the primary level last November with the involvement of all primary Party organizations. According to the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, measures were taken to encourage participation in nomination processes, including setting up mobile ballot boxes, holding meetings and soliciting opinions through phone calls, letters or door-to-door visits.

The delegates, representing over 96 million CPC members, come from a variety of sectors and age groups. They have an average age of 52.2 and 52.7 percent have postgraduate degrees. The majority of the delegates, or 96.9 percent of the total, joined the Party after the country's launch of reform and opening up in 1978.

The diversity of the delegates demonstrates how the CPC enjoys widespread support and is full of vigor and vitality, the department said.

Women and ethnic minorities are better represented than in previous sessions of the congress. The number of female delegates is 619, an increase of 68 from the 19th CPC National Congress. The 264 representatives from ethnic minority groups account for 11.5 percent of the total and represent 40 of the nation's 55 ethnic minority groups.

There are 771 delegates, or 33.6 percent, considered to be from grassroots backgrounds in urban and rural areas. They include workers, farmers, frontline professionals and technical personnel.

Li Shengli, a 50-year-old delegate from Jiangxi Province, is a veteran firefighter who has taken part in over 11,000 firefighting and rescue operations. He has rescued and evacuated over 30,000 people during his career.

"I'm greatly honored to be elected as a delegate, and also feel a heavy responsibility," Li said. He is one of some 40 delegates from the province.

Lin Dan, a 74-year-old delegate from Fujian Province, has been dedicated to her community for over five decades and made herself a household name there with her wholehearted service to local residents. This year, she was awarded the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party.

"Serving the people is the principle of our Party," Lin said. "Being a Party member means we are committed to serving the greater good. I will always strive to enhance community services and work in the public interest."

Shang Hongri, a professor of political studies at Shanghai Normal University, said the delegates' duty at the CPC National Congress is to discuss each item on the agenda, including evaluating the work reports and amendments to the CPC Constitution.

The conclusion of the Party congress does not mean the end of delegates' duties. Shang said when the congress is not in session, the delegates still have many specific duties to perform during their five-year tenure. All delegates must maintain close contact with Party members and other members of the general public to listen to their opinions and suggestions, and learn about problems that have surfaced in implementing the Party's decisions.

Delegates can submit opinions and suggestions to the central leadership in written form, either individually or jointly. The CPC Central Committee also entrusts delegates with professional backgrounds to conduct research on major policies and issues.

Expressions of support 

Many officials and experts have expressed their good wishes for the congress and they hope China will continue to play an important role in international affairs and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

Erik Solheim, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme and former UN Under Secretary General, hailed China's remarkable achievements over the past decades including eradicating extreme poverty, extending life expectancy to the level of developed countries and becoming a global leader in renewable energy and green development.

He said China should set new and high ambitions for its global leadership toward an ecological civilization and shared prosperity for humankind, and hoped China could lead the world on global environmental issues.

Le Hoai Trung, head of the Commission for External Relations of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, said China has successfully achieved its first centenary goal, and its international status and influence have continuously grown.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke highly of the contribution made by Chinese companies to Serbia's economic development. He said he looks forward to a new chapter of high-level cooperation between the two countries.

Zhang Shuhua, Director of the Institute of Political Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China has, amid the growing uncertainties and chaos in the international community, maintained social and economic stability, which is remarkable.

The congress will serve to light the way forward in the context of a chaotic and confused world as the Chinese path has always been one of continuity, he said.

Yang Xuedong, a professor of political science at Tsinghua University, said the elected delegates are broadly representative of the nation's industries. He compared the delegates to a mirror that reflects the progress of Chinese society over the previous decades.

(Print Edition Title: All Set for a New Journey) 

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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