The CPC’s Overall Leadership Is a Fundamental Guarantee for the CPPCC’s Development and Progress

The leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the defining feature and greatest strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is the foundation and lifeblood of the CPC and the country and where the interests and future of all Chinese people rest. 

An original mission of the CPPCC

The CPC’s leadership was an inevitable result of China’s historical development. Moreover, it was the common choice of all Chinese people, including all other political parties, people’s organizations, and ethnic groups, social strata, and prominent figures from all sectors of society. On April 30, 1948, the CPC Central Committee issued the “May Day Slogans” to mark the International Labor Day, in which it issued a call for “all democratic parties, people’s organizations, and prominent figures to quickly convene a political consultative conference to discuss the holding of a people’s congress and establish a democratic coalition government.” The proposal immediately received an enthusiastic endorsement from other political parties, prominent figures without party affiliation, and all sectors of society, indicating those groups, having endured tests of life and death, now more clearly recognized the CPC’s advanced nature and readily and openly accepted its leadership. The first plenary session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was held in September 1949. This session marked the start of a new era in which the CPC would lead all other political parties, people’s organizations, and prominent figures from various ethnic groups and sectors of society in building a new state through consultation and securing great achievements through concerted efforts. It also marked the formal establishment of the system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation. The CPPCC has steadfastly pursued its original mission of upholding the leadership of the CPC. It has served the central tasks of the CPC and the country and played a vitally important role in national affairs. 

An inevitable requirement for accurately grasping the CPPCC’s nature 

The CPPCC Charter stipulates that the CPPCC is an organization of the patriotic united front, an important institution for CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation, and an important avenue for advancing socialist democracy and practicing whole-process people's democracy in China’s political life. The Charter defines the CPPCC as an important channel and specialized institution for socialist consultative democracy, an important component of the national governance system, and an institutional arrangement that is distinctly Chinese in nature. The CPPCC’s nature and role determine that it is a political organization led by the CPC, that its working bodies are political organs, and that the CPPCC system and organization have a clear political nature. It is imperative that we demonstrate a high degree of commitment in our thinking, political stance, and actions to the principle of upholding the CPC’s leadership; there is absolutely no room for ambiguity or irresolution on this point. For the CPPCC, upholding the CPC’s leadership means that all important work is carried out under this leadership, all important activities are focused on the central tasks of the CPC and the country, and all important plans are implemented with the approval of the CPC Central Committee, after extensively soliciting opinions. This ensures that the CPC’s propositions are translated into consensus among all sectors of society by means of democratic procedures and that the CPPCC always advances in the correct political direction.

The fundamental basis for the CPPCC’s historic achievements in the new era 

The CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has strengthened its leadership over CPPCC work ideologically, politically, organizationally, and institutionally. It has convened the Central Conference on CPPCC Work and issued regulations on the CPC’s united front endeavors and political consultations. It has also formulated a series of major plans in the new era to enhance socialist consultative democracy, improve CPPCC work, strengthen Party building in the CPPCC, improve the work of municipal- and county-level CPPCC committees, and uphold, develop, and improve China’s new type of party system. These moves have paved the way for historic achievements in the CPPCC’s work and helped foster a new atmosphere and image for the CPPCC.

Editor: Li Xiaoqiong