20th CPC Central Committee 2nd plenary session issues communique

BEIJING -- The 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee issued a communique at the end of its second plenary session on Tuesday.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made an important speech at the three-day session, which was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

A total of 203 full members and 170 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee attended the session. Deputy secretaries of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials of related departments were also present in a non-voting capacity.

At the session, the CPC Central Committee heard and discussed a work report presented by Xi, who was entrusted by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The session adopted a list of proposed candidates for the leading positions of state institutions to be recommended to the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), and a list of proposed candidates for the leadership of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee to be recommended to the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.

The plenary session decided to recommend the two lists respectively to the presidium of the first session of the 14th NPC and the presidium of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, according to the communique.

The plenary session adopted a plan for the reform of Party and state institutions. Xi delivered explanatory remarks on the draft plan at the session.

The session agreed to put part of the reform plan to the first session of the 14th NPC for deliberation in accordance with due legal procedures.

The session fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau since the first plenary session.

The plenum emphasized that upcoming sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC National Committee are of great significance for further mobilizing the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups to strive in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

It was pointed out at the plenum that since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made deepening the reform of Party and state institutions an important task in modernizing China's system and capacity for governance.

As a result, the functions of the Party and state institutions have been transformed in a systematic and holistic manner, which has provided a strong guarantee for the Party and the country to make historic achievements and see historic changes in the pursuit of the cause of the Party and the country. Valuable experience has also been accumulated in this process for further deepening the reform of Party and state institutions.

Noting that important arrangements for deepening the reform of Party and state institutions have been made at the 20th CPC National Congress, the session underscored efforts to coordinate the institutions of the CPC Central Committee, the NPC, the State Council, and the CPPCC National Committee, and coordinate the central and local authorities.

Efforts are needed to deepen institutional reform in key areas and ensure that the Party's leadership over socialist modernization becomes more refined in institutional setup, more optimized in the division of functions, more improved in institutions and mechanisms, and more efficient in operation and management, the session noted.

All local authorities and departments should fully appreciate the importance and urgency of the reform of Party and state institutions, and faithfully implement the tasks of institutional reform, the session stressed.

Thoroughly studying, disseminating and implementing the guiding principles from the 20th CPC National Congress is the primary political task of the whole Party, both at present and in the near future, the plenary session stressed, calling for further efforts in this regard.

It called on leading officials to continue setting good examples in comprehensively studying, grasping and implementing these guiding principles.

Localities and departments should formulate and carry out detailed plans and initiatives in line with their realities to ensure that the guiding principles are implemented, it stressed.

At present, the world is undergoing momentous and rapid changes unseen in a century, and it has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation, the session said.

It noted that China has entered a development period in which strategic opportunities, risks and challenges are concurrent, and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising, and it must therefore be ready to withstand high winds, choppy waters and even dangerous storms.

At home, China faces many deep-seated problems regarding reform, development and stability, with the triple pressures of shrinking demand, disrupted supply and weakening expectations remaining relatively high, the session underscored, adding that the foundation for economic recovery needs to be further consolidated, and unexpected circumstances may occur anytime.

The plenary session urged all Party members to remain confident and strategically clear-headed, and carry forward the fighting spirit to strive to achieve the goals and tasks for the year.

It stressed the need to fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, accelerate the creation of a new development pattern, and pursue high-quality development.

More efforts should be made to expand domestic demand, guarantee and improve the well-being of the people and advance rural revitalization across the board, the session stressed.

Reform and opening up should be resolutely deepened, and a series of strategic, creative and pioneering reform measures should be put forward focusing on the goal of building a modern socialist country in all respects, with new breakthroughs in important areas, it said.

It stressed thoroughly implementing the strategic plans on Party building laid out at the 20th CPC National Congress, as well as improving the system of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.

Efforts must be made to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline with a strict tone, and consistently tackle the problems of formalities for formalities' sake, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, the meeting said.

It underlined that integrated efforts should also be made to ensure officials do not dare to be, are not able to be, and do not want to be corrupt, so as to win the tough and prolonged battle against corruption.

The plenary session called on all Party members and people of all ethnic groups to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to make solid strides to advance Chinese modernization and work together to achieve the goals and tasks set at the 20th CPC National Congress.