The Second Plenum of the 15th CPC Central Committee

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has recently adopted lists of new government leadership and an institutional restructuring scheme for the examination at the First Session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC).

The Second Plenary Session of the 15th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing on February 25-26, nominated a list of candidates for the leading officials of government bodies to be recommended to the current NPC session.

Another list of candidates for leading officials of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was also recommended to the First Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee. The two lists were set forth by the Political Bureau after consultations inside and outside the CPC.

The plenum adopted with deliberation the "Plan Concerning Institutional Restructuring of the State Council" and suggested that the State Council submit it to the First Session of the Ninth NPC for examination.

The plenum noted the People's Congress system and the system of multi-party co-operation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC are the country's two fundamental political systems. These systems must be adhered to and further improved.

It is essential to strengthen the Party's leadership over legislation and actively promote the management of the country in accordance with law.

The plenum emphasized that institutional restructuring is an objective requirement for deepening economic reform and developing a socialist market economy. It holds that in the face of the financial crisis that has hit some Asian countries, the most important task for China is to make a success of its domestic economic work in order to increase its capabilities to withstand and resist risks.

(NO. 11 MARCH 16, 1998)