1. The National Party Congress
The CPC's organ of supreme power, the National Party Congress, held
once every five years, is convened by the Central Committee. Its
functions and powers are to hear and examine the report of the
Central Committee, to hear and examine the report of the Central
Commission for Discipline Inspection, to discuss and decide on
major issues of the Party, to revise the Party constitution and to
elect the Central Committee and the Central Commission for
Discipline Inspection.
2. The Central Committee
It
is elected by the National Party Congress. When the National Party
Congress is not in session, the Central Committee leads all the
work of the Party and represents the CPC outside the Party. It is
elected for a term of five years.
3. The Political Bureau, Its Standing Committee and the General
Secretary
They are all elected by the plenary session of the Central
Committee. When the plenum of the Central Committee is not in
session, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee exercise
the functions and powers of the Central Committee. The Secretariat
of the Central Committee is the administrative body of the
Political Bureau and its Standing Committee. The general secretary
of the Central Committee is responsible for calling sessions of
both the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee, and is in
charge of the work of the Secretariat of the Central Committee.
Members of the Central Military Commission of the CPC are decided
on by the Central Committee.
4. Under the Central Committee of the CPC are such offices and
departments as the General Affairs Office, the Organization
Department, the Publicity Department, the International Liaison
Department, the United Front Work Department and the Policy
Research Office (See the following chart).
Local organizations of the CPC include congresses of various
provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the
Central Government, cities with districts, autonomous prefectures,
counties (banners), autonomous counties and cities without
districts as well as districts of cities which are held once every
five years. The committees elected by the congresses listed above
serve a term of five years. Grassroots organizations of the Party,
where there are more than three full members of the Party, are set
up in enterprises, rural villages, organizations, schools, research
institutes, neighborhoods, the People's Liberation Army companies
and other basic units.
Discipline inspection commissions are also set up at various levels
of the CPC. Their major tasks are to maintain CPC's constitution
and other inner Party rules and regulations, assist Party
committees to strengthen the Party style, examine the
implementation of the lines, policies, principles and decisions of
the Party. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection works
under the Party Central Committee. The local discipline inspection
commissions work under the dual leadership of the Party committees
at the same level and discipline inspection commissions at the next
higher level. The term of office of discipline inspection
commissions is the same as that of the Party committees.
As
of June 2002, the CPC had a total membership of 66.355 million
belonging to about 3.5 million grassroots organizations.
The People's Daily is the paper of the CPC Central Committee
while Seeking Truth is the Party's magazine.
(China.org.cn April 20, 2003)