The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee approved Friday a decision on major issues concerning Party building at the close of a four-day plenary session.

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 17th CPC Central Committee, which was held here from Sept. 15 to 18, endorsed the decision of the CPC Central Committee on major issues on strengthening and improving Party building in the new situation.

A communique issued after the plenum said intra-Party democracy is "the lifeblood of the Party," and the Party will firmly push forward the intra-Party democracy by sticking to "democratic centralism," with democracy as a base and centralism as a guide.

The Party must "ensure the democratic rights of its members" and strengthen the intra-Party democracy at the grassroots level.

It will "extensively absorb the will and views of all Party members and bring their initiative and creativity to a full play," it said.

"The CPC will expand intra-Party democracy to develop people's democracy and to ensure the unity of people of all ethnic groups by intensifying the CPC's strength and unity," it said.

The communique said the Party will uphold and improve the CPC's leadership system and ensure the CPC members' democratic rights.

It will also improve the systems of Party congresses, Party elections and democratic decision-making mechanism within the CPC.

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2009)