Communist
Party of China
Founded in July 1921, the CPC today has more than 60 million
members. From 1921 to 1949, the CPC led the Chinese people in
their arduous struggles that finally led to the overthrow of the
rule of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat-capitalism with
the establishment of the PRC. After the founding of New China,
the CPC led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in defending
the independence and safety of the country, successfully completing
the transition from new democracy to socialism and carrying out
systematic large-scale socialist construction, thus achieving
economic and cultural progress unparalleled in Chinese history.
In
September 1997, the CPC convened its 15th National Congress, a
gathering of historic significance. The CPC 15th National Congress
declared Deng Xiaoping Theory the guiding ideology of the whole
Party, put forward the Party??s basic program for the primary stage
of socialism, and formulated the basic objectives and basic policies
for economic, political and cultural development. It was clearly
pointed out at the Congress that the period from now to the end
of the first decade of the next century will be the key period
for China??s modernization drive. Therefore, it was stressed, China
must actively promote fundamental changes in the economic system
and economic growth modes, and establish a fairly complete socialist
market economy to guarantee the sustained, rapid and healthy development
of the national economy, and lay a solid foundation for the basic
realization of modernization in the middle of the next century.
Now the CPC is leading the Chinese people in building socialism
with Chinese characteristics, and striving to achieve its ultimate
goal??communism.
The
highest leading bodies of the Communist Party of China are the
national Party congress (which is held once every five years)
and the Central Committee produced at the national Party congress.
The Central Committee holds its plenum at least once annually.
The Central Political Bureau (Politburo), the Politburo??s Standing
Committee and the general secretary of the Central Committee are
elected at a plenary session of the Central Committee, which also
decides on members of the Central Secretariat. The Central Political
Bureau and its Standing Committee exercise the functions and powers
of the Central Committee when it is not in session. The Central
Secretariat attends to the day-to-day work
of the Politburo and its Standing Committee. The Central
Committee??s general secretary is responsible for convening meetings
of the Central Political Bureau and its Standing Committee, and
directs the work of the Central Secretariat. Jiang Zemin is the
current general secretary.
China
Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang
Founded in January 1948, the party has more than 60,000 members.
The current Central Committee chairman is He Luli. It is for the
most part composed of former Kuomintang members and those who
have historical connections with the Kuomintang.
China
Democratic League
Founded in October 1941, it now has more than 144,000 members,
mostly intellectuals at fairly senior levels. The current Central
Committee chairman is Ding Shisun.
China
Democratic National Construction Association
Founded in December 1945, this party has more than 78,000
members, most of whom are from the economic field or academic
specialists. The current Central Committee chairman is Cheng Siwei.
China
Association for the Promotion of Democracy
Founded in December 1945, this party currently has more
than 74,000 members. Its membership is mainly drawn from intellectuals
working in educational, cultural, scientific and publishing fields.
The current Central Committee chairman is Xu Jialu.
Chinese
Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party
Founded in August 1930, it currently has more than 74,000
members, most of whom work in the fields of public health, culture
and education or science and technology. The current Central Committee
chairman is Jiang Zhenghua.
China
Zhi Gong Dang Founded in October 1925, this party currently has more than
18,000 members. Most of them are returned overseas Chinese, relatives
of overseas Chinese, and representative individuals and specialists
and scholars with overseas connections. The current Central Committee
chairman is Luo Haocai.
Jiusan
Society
Founded in December 1944, this party currently has more
than 78,000 members. They are mostly high- and medium-level intellectuals
working in science and technology, culture and education, or public
health. The current Central Committee chairman is Wu Jieping.
Taiwan
Democratic Self-government League
Founded in November 1947, this party has more than 1,800
members who are for the most part people born or with family roots
in Taiwan currently residing on the mainland. The current Central
Presidium chairman is Zhang Kehui.
There
are a large number of social organizations in China, of which
the major ones are the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the
All-China Youth Federation, the All-China Women??s Federation,
and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.
All-China
Federation of Trade Unions
This mass organization is the supreme leading body of all
the local trade union organizations and national industrial union
organizations in China. Founded in May 1925, it currently has
89.13 million members. The current Executive Committee chairman
is Wei Jianxing.
All-China
Youth Federation
Founded in May 1949, this is a federation comprising all
the youth organizations in China. The current chairman is Bayin
Chaolu. Of the organizational members of the All-China Youth Federation,
the Communist Youth League of China is the core, being a mass
organization composed of China??s advanced youth. Founded in May
1922, it currently has 68.71 million members. The current Central
Committee first secretary is Zhou Qiang.
All-China
Women's Federation
Founded in April 1949, this mass organization was founded
to get women from all ethnic groups and all walks of life united
to fight for women??s further emancipation. The current Executive
Committee chairwoman is Peng Peiyun.
All-China
Federation of Industry and Commerce
Founded in October 1953, this people??s association organized
by people in industry and commerce functions as a non-governmental
chamber of commerce for promoting business people??s domestic and
overseas ties. Its current Executive Committee chairman is Jing
Shuping.
