The presidium of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held its third meeting on Friday, with participants approving the draft lists of candidates for members and alternate members of the 20th CPC Central Committee, moving one significant step closer to the formal elections for the Party’s new central committee, which will be held on Saturday.
The draft list of members of the 20th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) was also approved during the meeting.
Xi Jinping presides over the third meeting of the presidium of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 21, 2022. Photo:Xinhua
The lists were generated through competitive preliminary elections conducted by delegates to the congress. Over 8 percent of the nominees were voted off in the preliminary elections, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
The preliminary elections were conducted under the supervision of ballot scrutineers in accordance with the election methods of the congress, according to Xinhua.
At the first meeting of the presidium on October 15, a report on the examination of delegates’ qualifications by the delegate credentials committee of the 20th CPC National Congress was approved. At the second meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the name lists of preliminary nominees for the candidates of members and alternate members of the 20th CPC Central Committee, as well as members of the 20th CPC CCDI, were proposed and approved.
General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over all three meetings.
The process vividly demonstrates how China’s democracy works in electing qualified leaders, analysts said.
The process shows that Chinese democracy is dynamic, consultative and healthily competitive, Yang Xuedong, a professor of political science at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Friday.
According to Xinhua, name lists in the meetings have been submitted to the delegates for deliberation.
Xi Jinping presides over the third meeting of the presidium of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 21, 2022. Photo:Xinhua
Delegates believe that the list is rigorously organized, and fully develops democracy within the party, in all localities and departments. It includes key Party members and outstanding deputies from all regions, departments, fronts and industries. It is a well-considered plan with a reasonable structure, a balanced distribution and a good mass base, Xinhua reported.
Unlike the West, the structure for choosing delegates in China is more scientific, balanced and more broadly representative, Yang said. “According to some basic principles and practices, Chinese people select qualified candidates with comprehensive management ability.”
China’s democracy is a combination of consultative democracy and electoral democracy. During the process of election, a large amount of people’s time and energy is devoted to the selection of candidates through consultation, Yang said. “At the same time, there is competition between candidates.”
After the opening of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, the candidate list will see some adjustments, because before the grand occasion, the list is adjusted dynamically based on the candidates’ long-time individual performances, Yang said.
For example, if a candidate is investigated for corruption, he will no longer be on the list, Yang said.
At the second meeting of the 20th CPC National Congress presidium, an amendment to the Party Constitution was approved for submission to all delegates to the congress for discussion.
Sun Yeli, spokesperson for the 20th CPC National Congress, told a press conference on October 15 that with regard to the amendment, it’s important to add major strategic thinking into the Party Constitution, to make the amendment fully embody the new concepts, new thinking and new strategies for governance put forward by the CPC Central Committee since the 19th National Congress of the CPC, as well as fresh experience in the Party’s work and Party building, so as to meet new requirements in new circumstances.
(Global Times)
