Constitution of the Communist Party of China (1956)

THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA

Adopted by the Eighth National Congress
of the Communist Party of China
September 26, 1956

GENERAL PROGRAMME

The Communist Party of China is the vanguard of the Chinese working class, the highest form of its class organization. The aim of the Party is the achievement of socialism and communism in China.

The Communist Party of China takes Marxism-Leninism as its guide to action. Only Marxism-Leninism correctly sets forth the laws of development of society and correctly charts the path leading to the achievement of socialism and communism. The Party adheres to the Marxist-Leninist world outlook of dialectical and historical materialism, and opposes the world outlook of idealism and metaphysics. Marxism-Leninism is not a dogma, but a guide to action. It demands that in striving to build socialism and communism we should proceed from reality, apply the principles of Marxism-Leninism in a flexible and creative way for the solution of various problems arising out of the actual struggle, and thus continuously develop the theory of Marxism-Leninism. Consequently, the Party in its activities upholds the principle of integrating the universal truths of Marxism-Leninism with the actual practice of China's revolutionary struggle, and combats all doctrinaire or empiricist deviations.

In the year 1949, after long years of revolutionary struggle and revolutionary wars, the Communist Party of China and the people of the whole country overthrew the rule of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat-capitalism and founded the People's Republic of China — a people's democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants. Following this, the Party led the masses of the people in accomplishing the task of the democratic revolution in most parts of the country and achieving great successes in the struggle for the establishment of a socialist society. During the period of transition from the founding of the People's Republic of China to the attainment of a socialist society, the fundamental task of the Party is to complete, step by step, the socialist transformation of agriculture, handicrafts and capitalist industry and commerce and to bring about, step by step, the industrialization of the country.

A decisive victory in every field has already been attained in the socialist transformation of our country. It is the task of the Communist Party of China by continuously adopting correct methods to transform what now remains of capitalist ownership into ownership by the whole people, transform what remains of individual ownership by working people into collective ownership by the working masses, uproot the system of exploitation and remove all the causes that give rise to such a system. In the process of building up a socialist society, the principle of "from each according to his ability, to each according to his work" should be brought into effect step by step; and all former exploiters should be reformed in a peaceful manner to become working people living by their own labour. The Party must continue to pay attention to the elimination of capitalist factors and influence in the economic, political and ideological fields, and make determined efforts to mobilize and unite all the positive forces throughout the country that can be mobilized and united for the purpose of winning a complete victory for the great cause of socialism.

The victory of the socialist revolution has opened up illimitable possibilities for the gigantic development of the productive forces of society. It is the task of the Communist Party of China to develop the national economy in a planned way to bring about as rapidly as possible the industrialization of the country, and to effect the technological transformation of the national economy in a planned, systematic way so that China may possess a powerful modernized industry, a modernized agriculture, modernized communications and transport and a modernized national defence. In order to achieve industrialization and bring about a continuous growth of the national economy, priority must be given to the development of heavy industry, and at the same time a due proportion must be maintained between heavy industry and light industry, and between industry as a whole and agriculture. The Party must do everything possible to stimulate the progress in China's science, culture and technology so as to catch up with the world's advanced levels in these fields. The basic object of all Party work is to satisfy to the maximum extent the material and cultural needs of the people. Therefore, it is necessary that the living conditions of the people should, on the basis of increased production, gradually and continually improve. This is also a requisite for enhancing the people's enthusiasm for production.

Our country is a multi-national state. Because of historical reasons, the development of many of the national minorities has been hindered. The Communist Party of China must make special efforts to raise the status of the national minorities, help them to attain self-government, endeavour to train cadres from among the national minorities, accelerate their economic and cultural advance, bring about complete equality between all the nationalities and strengthen the unity and fraternal relations among them. Social reforms among the nationalities themselves in accordance with their own wishes, and by taking steps in conformity with their special characteristics. The Party opposes all tendencies to great-nation chauvinism and local nationalism, both of which hamper the unity of nationalities. Special attention must be paid to the prevention and correction of tendencies of great-Hanism on the part of Party members and government workers of Han nationality.

The Communist Party of China must work untiringly to consolidate China's people's democratic dictatorship, which is the guarantee for the success of the socialist cause in China. The Party must fight for a fuller development of the democratic life of the nation and strive for the constant improvement of its democratic institutions. The Party must work in every way to fortify the fraternal alliance of workers and peasants, to consolidate the united front of all patriotic forces and to strengthen its lasting co-operation with the other democratic parties as well as democrats without party affiliations. Since the imperialists and counter-revolutionary remnants are bent on undermining the cause of the Chinese people, it is imperative for the Party to heighten its revolutionary vigilance and wage severe struggles against those forces which endanger our country's independence and security and those elements who try to wreck socialist construction in our country. The Party must work together with the people of the whole country to bring about the liberation of Taiwan.

The Communist Party of China advocates a foreign policy directed to the safeguarding of world peace and the achievement of peaceful co-existence between countries with different systems. The Party stands for the establishment and development of diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between China and other countries of the world and for the broadening and strengthening of friendly relations between the Chinese people and the peoples of all other countries of the world. The Party is resolutely opposed to any act of aggression against China by imperialist countries and to any imperialist plans for a new war; it supports all efforts made by the peoples and governments of other countries to uphold peace and promote friendly relations between nations and expresses its sympathy for all struggles in the world against imperialism and colonialism. The Party endeavours to develop and strengthen China's friendship with all other countries in the camp of peace, democracy and socialism headed by the Soviet Union, to strengthen the internationalist solidarity of the proletariat and to learn from the experiences of the world communist movement. It supports the struggle of the communists, progressives and the labouring people of the whole world for the progress of mankind, and educates its members and the Chinese people in the spirit of internationalism, as expressed in the slogan "Proletarians of all lands, unite!"

The Communist Party of China puts into practice all that it advocates through the activity of the Party organizations and membership among the masses and through the conscientious efforts made by the people under its guidance. For this reason it is necessary to constantly develop the tradition of following the mass line in Party work. Whether the Party is able to continue to give correct leadership depends on whether or not the Party will, through analysis and synthesis, systematically summarize the experience and opinions of the masses, turn the resulting ideas into the policy of the Party and then, as a result of the Party's propaganda and organizational work among the masses, transform it into the views and action of the masses themselves, testing the correctness of Party policy, and supplementing and revising it in the course of mass activity. It is the duty of the Party leadership to ensure that in the endless repetition of this process of "coming from the masses and going back to the masses" the Party members' level of understanding and that of the masses of the people are continually raised and the cause of the Party and the people is constantly advanced. The Party and its members must, therefore, maintain close and extensive ties with the workers, peasants, intellectuals and other patriots and strive constantly to make such ties ever stronger and more widespread. Every Party member must understand that the interests of the Party and those of the people are one, and responsibility to the Party and responsibility to the people are identical. Every Party member must whole-heartedly serve the people, constantly consult them, pay heed to their opinions, concern himself with their well-being and strive to help realize their wishes. Now that the Communist Party of China is a party in power, it must especially conduct itself with modesty and prudence, guard against self-conceit and impatience, and make the maximum effort in every Party organization, state organ and economic unit to combat any bureaucratic practice which estranges the masses or leads to isolation from the realities of life.

The organizational principle of the Communist Party of China is democratic centralism, which means centralism on the basis of democracy and democracy under centralized guidance. The Party must take effective measures to promote inner-Party democracy, encourage the initiative and creative ability of all Party members and of all local and primary Party organizations and strengthen the lively contact between the higher and lower Party organizations. Only in this way can the Party effectively extend and strengthen its ties with the masses of the people, give correct and timely leadership and adapt itself flexibly to various concrete conditions and local characteristics. And only in this way can Party life be invigorated and the cause of the Party advance on an ever wider scale and at an ever greater pace. Only on this basis, furthermore, can centralism and unity be consolidated and its discipline be voluntarily, not mechanically, observed. Democratic centralism demands that every Party organization should strictly abide by the principle of collective leadership coupled with individual responsibility and that every Party member and Party organization should be subject to Party supervision from above and from below.

Democracy within the Party must not be divorced from centralism. The Party is a unified militant organization, welded together by a discipline which is obligatory on all its members. Without discipline it would be impossible for the Party to lead the state and the people to overcome their powerful enemies and bring about socialism and communism. As the highest form of class organization, the Party must strive to play a correct role as the leader and core in every aspect of the country's life and must combat any tendency to departmentalism, which reduces the Party's role and weakens its unity. Solidarity and unity are the very life of the Party, the source of its strength. It is the sacred duty of every Party member to pay constant attention to the safeguarding of the solidarity of the Party and the consolidation of its unity. Within the Party, no action which violates the Party's political line or organizational principles is permissible, nor is it permissible to carry on activities aimed at splitting the Party or factional activities, to act independently of the Party, or to place the individual above the collective body of the Party.

No political party or person can be free from shortcomings and mistakes in work. The Communist Party of China and its members must constantly practise criticism and self-criticism to expose and eliminate their shortcomings and mistakes so as to educate themselves and the people. In view of the fact that the Party plays the leading role in the life of the state and society, it is all the more necessary that it should make stringent demands on every Party organization and member and promote criticism and self-criticism; and in particular, it should encourage and support criticism from below inside the Party as well as criticism of the Party by the masses of the people, and should prohibit any suppression of criticism. The Party must prevent and resist corrosion by bourgeois and petty-bourgeois ways of thinking and styles of work and guard against and defeat any Rightist or "Leftist" opportunist deviation inside the Party. In the case of Party members who have committed mistakes, the Party should, in the spirit of "curing the illness to save the patient," allow them to remain in its ranks and receive education and help them to correct their mistakes, provided such mistakes can be corrected within the Party and the erring Party member himself is prepared to correct his mistakes. As for those who persist in their mistakes and carry on activities detrimental to the Party, it is essential to wage a determined struggle against them even to the point of expelling them from the Party.

The Communist Party of China requires all its members to place the Party's interests above their personal interests, to be diligent and unpretentious, to study and work hard, to unite the broad masses of the people, and to overcome all difficulties in order to build China into a great, mighty, prosperous and advanced socialist state, and on this basis to advance towards the achievement of the loftiest ideal of mankind — communism.

CHAPTER I MEMBERSHIP

ARTICLE 1. Membership of the Party is open to any Chinese citizen who works and does not exploit the labour of others, accepts the programme and Constitution of the Party, joins and works in one of the Party organizations, carries out the Party's decisions, and pays membership dues as required.

ARTICLE 2. Party members have the following duties:

(1) To strive to study Marxism-Leninism and unceasingly raise the level of their understanding;

(2) To safeguard the Party's solidarity and consolidate its unity;

(3) To faithfully carry out Party policy and decisions and energetically fulfill the tasks assigned them by the Party;

(4) To strictly observe the Party Constitution and the laws of the state and behave in accordance with communist ethics, no exception being made for any Party member, whatever his services and position;

(5) To place the interests of the Party and the state, that is, the interests of the masses of the people, above their personal interests, and in the event of any conflict between the two, to submit unswervingly to the interests of the Party and the state, that is, the interests of the masses of the people;

(6) To serve the masses of the people heart and soul, to strengthen their ties with the masses of the people, to learn from them, to listen with an open mind to their wishes and opinions and report these without delay to the Party, to explain Party policy and decisions to the people;

(7) To set a good example in their work and constantly raise their productive skill and professional ability;

(8) To practice criticism and self-criticism, expose shortcomings and mistakes in work and strive to overcome and correct them; to report such shortcomings and mistakes to the leading Party bodies, up to and including the Central Committee; and to fight both inside and outside the Party against everything which is detrimental to the interests of the Party and the people;

(9) To be truthful and honest with the Party and not to conceal or distort the truth;

(10) To be constantly on the alert against the intrigues of the enemy, and to guard the secrets of the Party and the state.

Party members who fail to fulfil any of the above-mentioned duties will be criticized and educated. Any serious infraction of these duties, splitting of Party unity, breaking of the laws of the state, violation of Party decisions, damaging Party interests, or deception towards the Party constitutes a violation of Party discipline, and disciplinary action shall be taken against it.

ARTICLE 3. Party members enjoy the following rights:

(1) To participate in free and practical discussion at Party meetings or in the Party press on theoretical and practical questions relating to Party policy;

(2) To make proposals regarding the Party's work and give full play to their creative ability in their work;

(3) To elect and be elected within the Party;

(4) To criticize any Party organization or any functionary at Party meetings;

(5) To ask to attend in person when a Party organization decides to take disciplinary action against them or to make an appraisal of their character and work;

(6) To reserve their opinions or submit them to a leading body of the Party, in case they disagree with any Party decision, which, in the meanwhile, they must carry out unconditionally;

(7) To address any statement, appeal or complaint to any Party organization, up to and including the Central Committee.

Party members and responsible members of the Party organizations who fail to respect these rights of a Party member shall be criticized and educated. Infringement of these rights constitutes a violation of Party discipline, and disciplinary action shall be taken against it.

ARTICLE 4. Only persons of 18 years old and upwards are eligible for Party membership.

Applicants for Party membership must each undergo the procedure of admission individually.

New members are admitted to the Party through a Party branch. An applicant must be recommended by two full Party members, and is admitted as a probationary member after being accepted by the general membership meeting of a Party branch and approved by the next higher Party committee; he may become a full Party member only after the completion of a probationary period of a year.

Under special conditions, Party committees at county or municipal level and above have the power to admit new Party members to the Party directly.

ARTICLE 5. Party members who recommend an applicant for admission to the Party must be highly conscientious in furnishing the Party with truthful information about the applicant's ideology, character and personal history and must explain the Party programme and Constitution to the applicant.

ARTICLE 6. Before approving the admission of an applicant for Party membership, the Party committee concerned must assign a Party functionary to have a detailed conversation with the applicant and carefully examine his application form, the opinions of his recommenders and the decision made by the Party branch on his admission.

ARTICLE 7. During the probationary period, the Party organizations concerned shall give the probationary member an elementary Party education and observe his political qualities.

Probationary members have the same duties as full members. They enjoy the same rights as full members except that they have no right to elect or be elected or to vote on any motion.

ARTICLE 8. When the probationary period of a probationary member has expired, the Party branch to which he belongs must discuss without delay whether he is qualified to be transferred to full membership. Such a transfer must be accepted by a general membership meeting of the said Party branch and approved by the next higher Party committee.

When the probationary period of a probationary member has expired, the Party organization concerned may prolong it for a period not exceeding a year if it finds it necessary to continue to observe him. If a probationary member is found to be unfit for transfer to full membership, his status as a probationary member shall be annulled.

Any decision by a Party branch to prolong the probationary period of a probationary member or to deprive him of his status as probationary member must be approved by the next higher Party committee.

ARTICLE 9. The probationary period of a probationary member begins from the day when the general membership meeting of a Party branch accepts him as probationary member. The Party standing of a Party member dates from the day when the general membership meeting of a Party branch accepts his transfer to mull membership.

ARTICLE 10. Party members transferring from one Party organization to another become members of the latter organization.

ARTICLE 11. Party members are free to withdraw from the Party. When a Party member asks to withdraw, the Party branch to which he belongs shall, by decision of its general membership meeting, strike his name off the Party rolls and report the matter to the next higher Party committee for registration.

ARTICLE 12. A Party member who, over a period of six months and without proper reasons, fails to take part in Party life or to pay membership dues is regarded as having quitted the Party himself. The Party branch to which this member belongs shall, by decision of its general membership meeting, strike his name off the Party rolls and report the matter to the next higher Party committee for registration.

ARTICLE 13. Party organizations at all levels may, according to each individual case, take disciplinary measures against any Party member who violates Party discipline, such as warning, serious warning, removal from posts held in the Party, placing on probation within the Party or expulsion from the Party.

The period in which a Party member is placed on probation shall not exceed two years. During this period, the rights and duties of the Party member concerned are the same as those of a probationary member. If after a Party member has been placed on probation the facts show that he has corrected his mistakes, his rights as full Party member shall be restored and the period in which he is placed on probation will be reckoned in his Party standing. If he is found to be unfit for Party membership, he shall be expelled from the Party.

ARTICLE 14. Any disciplinary measure taken against a Party member must be decided on by a general membership meeting of the Party branch to which he belongs and must be approved by a higher Party control commission or higher Party committee.

Under special conditions, a Party branch committee or a higher Party committee has the power to take disciplinary measures against a Party member, but it must be subject to approval by a higher Party control commission or higher Party committee.

ARTICLE 15. Any decision to remove a member or alternate member of the Party committee of a province, an autonomous region or a municipality directly under the central authority, or an autonomous chou from the said committee, to place him on probation or to expel him from the Party must be taken by the Party congress that has elected the said member. In conditions of urgency, such decision may be taken by a two-thirds majority vote at a plenary session of the Party committee to which the member belongs, but it must be subject to approval by the next higher Party committee. A primary Party organization has no power to take decisions on the removal of a member or alternate member of a higher Party committee from the said committee, or placing him on probation or expelling him from the Party.

ARTICLE 16. Any decision to remove a member or alternate member of the Central Committee of the Party from the Central Committee, to place him on probation or to expel him from the Party must be taken by the National Party Congress. In conditions of urgency, such decision may be taken by a two-thirds majority vote of the Central Committee at its plenary session, but it must be subject to subsequent confirmation by the next session of the National Party Congress.

ARTICLE 17. Expulsion from the Party is the most severe of all inner-Party disciplinary measures. In taking or approving such a decision, all Party organizations must exercise the utmost caution, thoroughly investigate and study the facts and material evidence of the case, and listen carefully to the statement made in his own defense by the Party member concerned.

ARTICLE 18. When a Party organization discusses or decides on disciplinary measure against a Party member, it must, barring special circumstances, notify the member concerned to attend the meeting to defend himself. When disciplinary action is decided on, the person against whom such action is taken must be told the reasons for it. If he disagrees, he may ask for a reconsideration of his case and address an appeal to higher Party committees, to Party control commissions, up to and including the Central Committee. Party organizations at all levels must deal with such appeals seriously or forward them properly; no suppression is permitted.

CHAPTER II ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THE PARTY

ARTICLE 19. The Party is formed on the principles of democratic centralism.

Democratic centralism means centralism on the basis of democracy and democracy under centralized guidance. Its basic conditions are as follows:

(1) The leading bodies of the Party at all levels are elected.

(2) The highest leading body of the Party is the National Party Congress, and the highest leading body in each local Party organization is the local Party congress. The National Party Congress elects the Central Committee and the local Party congresses elect their respective local Party committees. The Central Committee and local Party committees are responsible to their respective Party congresses to which they should report on their work.

(3) All leading bodies of the Party must pay constant heed to the views of their lower organizations and the rank-and-file Party members, study their experiences and give prompt help in solving their problems.

(4) Lower Party organizations must present periodical reports on their work to the Party organizations above them and ask in good time for instructions on questions which need decision by higher Party organizations.

(5) All Party organizations operate on the principle of combining collective leadership with individual responsibility. All important issues are to be decided on collectively, and at the same time, each individual is enabled to play his part to the fullest possible extent.

(6) Party decisions must be carried out unconditionally. Individual Party members shall obey the Party organization, the minority shall obey the majority, the lower Party organizations shall obey the higher Party organizations, and all constituent Party organizations throughout the country shall obey the National Party Congress and the Central Committee.

ARTICLE 20. Party organizations are formed on a geographical or industrial basis.

The Party organization in charge of Party work in a defined area is regarded as the highest of all the constituent Party organizations in that area.

The Party organization in charge of Party work in a particular production or work unit is regarded as the highest of all the constituent Party organizations in that unit.

ARTICLE 21. The highest leading bodies of the Party organizations at various levels are as follows:

(1) For the whole country, it is the National Party Congress. When the National Party Congress is not in session, it is the Central Committee elected by the National Party Congress;

(2) For a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central authority, it is the provincial, autonomous regional or municipal Party congress. When the congress is not in session, it is the provincial, autonomous regional or municipal Party committee elected by the congress.

For an autonomous chou, it is the autonomous chou Party congress. When the congress is not in session, it is the autonomous chou committee elected by the congress;

(3) For a county, autonomous county or municipality, it is the county, autonomous county or municipal Party congress. When the congress is not in session, it is the county, autonomous county or municipal committee elected by the congress;

(4) For primary units (factories, mines and other enterprises, hsiang, nationality hsiang, towns and agricultural producers' co-operatives, offices, schools, streets, companies of the People's Liberation Army and other primary units), it is the delegate meeting or the general membership meeting of the particular primary unit. When the delegate meeting or general membership meeting of the primary unit is not in session, it is the primary Party committee, the committee of a general Party branch, or the committee of a Party branch elected by the delegate meeting or the general membership meeting.

ARTICLE 22. Party elections must fully reflect the will of the electors. The lists of candidates for election put forward by the Party organization or by electors must be discussed by the electors.

Election is by secret ballot. Electors shall be ensured of the right to criticize or reject any candidate, or nominate a person who is not on the list.

In an election in a primary Party organization, voting may be by a show of hands if voting by ballot is impossible. In such cases, each candidate shall be voted upon separately, and voting on a whole list of candidates is forbidden.

ARTICLE 23. Party electing units have the power to replace any member they have elected to a Party congress of Party committee during his term of office.

When a local Party congress is not in session, a higher Party committee, if it deems it necessary, may transfer or appoint responsible members of a lower Party organization.

ARTICLE 24. In places where, because of special circumstances, it is impossible for the time being to call Party congresses or general membership meetings to elect Party committees, such Party committees may be elected at Party conferences or appointed by higher Party organizations.

ARTICLE 25. The functions and powers of the central Party organizations and those of the local Party organizations shall be appropriately divided. All questions of a national character or questions that require a uniform decision for the whole country shall be handled by the central Party organizations so as to contribute to the centralism and unity of the Party. All questions of a local character or questions that need to be decided locally shall be handled by the local Party organizations so as to find solutions appropriate to the local conditions. The functions and powers of higher Party organizations and those of lower local Party organizations shall be appropriately divided according to the same principle.

Decisions taken by lower Party organizations must not run counter to those made by higher Party organizations.

ARTICLE 26. Before decisions on Party policy are made by leading bodies of the Party, lower Party organizations and members of the Party committees may hold free and practical discussions inside the Party organizations and at Party meetings and submit their proposals to the leading bodies of the Party. However, once a decision is taken by the leading bodies of the Party, it must be accepted. Should a lower Party organization find that a decision made by a higher Party organization does not suit the actual conditions in its locality or in its particular department, it should request the higher Party organization to modify the decision. If the higher Party organization still upholds the decision, then the lower Party organization must carry it out unconditionally.

On policy of a national character, before the central leading bodies of the Party have made any statement or decision, departmental and local Party organizations and their responsible members are not permitted to make any public statement or make decision at will, although they may discuss it among themselves and make suggestions to the central leading bodies.

ARTICLE 27. The newspapers issued by Party organizations at all levels must publicize the decisions and policy of the central Party organizations, of higher Party organizations and of their own Party organizations.

ARTICLE 28. The formation of a new Party organization or the dissolution of an existing Party organization must be decided on by the next higher Party organization.

ARTICLE 29. To facilitate the direction of the work in various localities, the Central Committee may, if it deems it necessary, establish a bureau of the Central Committee as its representative body for an area embracing several provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central authority. A provincial or autonomous regional committee may, if it deems it necessary, establish a regional committee or an organization of equal status as its representative body for an area embracing a number of counties, autonomous counties and municipalities. The Party committee of a municipality directly under the central authority, or of a municipality, county or autonomous county may, if it deems it necessary, establish a number of district committees as its representative bodies within its area.

ARTICLE 30. Party committees at all levels may, as the situation requires, set up a number of departments, commissions or other bodies to carry on work under their own direction.

CHAPTER III CENTRAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PARTY

ARTICLE 31. The National Party Congress is elected for a term of five years.

The number of delegates to the National Party Congress and the procedure governing their election and replacement and the filling of vacancies shall be determined by the Central Committee.

A session of the National Party Congress shall be convened once a year by the Central Committee. Under extraordinary conditions, it may be postponed or convened before its due date as the Central Committee may decide. The Central Committee must convene a session of the National Party Congress if one-third of the delegates to the National Party Congress or one-third of the Party organizations at provincial level so request.

ARTICLE 32. The functions and powers of the National Party Congress are as follows:

(1) To hear and examine the reports of the Central Committee and other central organs;

(2) To determine the Party's line and policy;

(3) To revise the Constitution of the Party;

(4) To elect the Central Committee.

ARTICLE 33. The Central Committee of the Party is elected for a term of five years. The number of members and alternate members of the Central Committee shall be determined by the National Party Congress. Vacancies on the Central Committee shall be filled by alternate members in order of established precedence.

ARTICLE 34. When the National Party Congress is not in session the Central Committee directs the entire work of the Party, carries out the decisions of the National Party Congress, represents the Party in its relations with other parties and organizations, sets up various Party organs and directs their activities, takes charge of and allocates Party cadres.

The Central Committee guides the work of the central state organs and people's organizations of a national character through leading Party members' groups within them.

ARTICLE 35. The Party organizations in the Chinese People's Liberation Army carry on their work in accordance with the instructions of the Central Committee. The General Political Department in the People's Liberation Army, under the direction of the Central Committee, takes charge of the ideological and organizational work of the Party in the army.

ARTICLE 36. The Central Committee meets in plenary session at least twice a year, to be convened by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee.

ARTICLE 37. The Central Committee elects at its plenary session the Political Bureau, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat, as well as the chairman, vice-chairmen and general secretary of the Central Committee.

When the Central Committee is not in plenary session, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee exercise the powers and functions of the Central Committee.

The Secretariat attends to the daily work of the Central Committee under the direction of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee.

The chairman and vice-chairmen of the Central Committee are concurrently chairman and vice-chairmen of the Political Bureau.

The Central Committee may, when it deems it necessary, have an honorary chairman.

CHAPTER IV PARTY ORGANIZATIONS IN PROVINCES, AUTONOMOUS REGIONS, MUNICIPALITIES DIRECTLY UNDER THE CENTRAL AUTHORITY, AND AUTONOMOUS CHOU

ARTICLE 38. The Party congress for a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central authority is elected for a term of three years.

The number of delegates to such a Party congress and the procedure governing their election and replacement and filling of vacancies shall be determined by the Party committee in the given area.

The Party congress for a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central authority shall be convened once a year by the Party committee in the area.

ARTICLE 39. The Party congress for a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central authority hears and examines the reports of the Party committee and other organs in the area, discusses and decides on questions relating to policy and work of a local character in its area, elects the Party committee for the area, and elects delegates to the National Party Congress.

ARTICLE 40. The Party committee of a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central authority is elected for a term of three years. The number of members and alternate members of the committee shall be determined by the Central Committee. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled by alternate members of the committee in order of established precedence.

The Party committee of a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central authority shall, when the Party congress for the given area is not in session, carry out the decisions and directives of the Party in its area, direct all work of a local character, set up various Party organs and direct their activities, take charge of and allocate Party cadres in accordance with the regulations laid down by the Central Committee, direct the work of leading Party members' groups in local state organs and people's organizations and systematically report on its work to the Central Committee.

ARTICLE 41. The Party committee of a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central authority shall meet in full session at least three times a year.

The Party committee of a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central authority elects at its plenary session its standing committee and secretariat. The standing committee exercises the powers and functions of the Party committee when the latter is not in plenary session. The secretariat attends to the daily work under the direction of the standing committee.

The members of the secretariat and those of the standing committee of the Party committee of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central authority, must be approved by the Central Committee. Members of the secretariat must be Party members of at least five years' standing.

ARTICLE 42. Party organizations in an autonomous chou carry on their work under the direction of a provincial or autonomous regional Party committee.

The Party congress and Party committee for an autonomous chou are constituted in the same manner as those for a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the central authority.

The Party congress and Party committee for an autonomous chou are elected for a term of two years.

An autonomous chou Party congress elects delegates to the provincial or autonomous regional Party congress.

The members of the secretariat and those of the standing committee of an autonomous chou Party committee must be approved by the Central Committee. The secretaries must be Party members of at least three years' standing.

CHAPTER V COUNTY, AUTONOMOUS COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

ARTICLE 43. The Party congress for a county, autonomous county or municipality is elected for a term of two years.

The number of delegates to the congress and the procedure governing their election and replacement and the filling of vacancies shall be determined by the Party committee in the area.

The Party congress for a county, autonomous county or municipality shall be convened once a year by the Party committee in the area.

ARTICLE 44. The Party congress for a county, autonomous county or municipality hears and examines the reports of the Party committee and other organs in the area, discusses and decides on questions relating to the policy and work of a local character in its area, elects the Party committee for the area and elects delegates to the provincial or autonomous regional Party congress.

The Party congress for a county, autonomous county or municipality under the jurisdiction of an autonomous chou elects delegates only to the Party congress of the said autonomous chou.

ARTICLE 45. The Party committee of a county, autonomous county or municipality is elected for a term of two years. The number of members and alternate members of the committee shall be determined by the provincial or autonomous regional Party committee concerned. Vacancies on the committee shall be filled by alternate members of the committee in order of established precedence.

When the Party congress for a county, autonomous county or municipality is not in session, the Party committee in the area carries out Party decisions and directives in its area, directs all work of a local character, sets up various Party organs and directs their activities, takes charge of and allocates Party cadres in accordance with the regulations laid down by the Central Committee, directs the work of leading Party members' groups in local government organs and people's organizations and systematically reports on its work to higher Party committees.

ARTICLE 46. The Party committee of a county, autonomous county or municipality shall meet in plenary session at least four times a year.

The county, autonomous county or municipal Party committee elects at its plenary session its standing committee and secretary, and, if necessary, a secretariat. The standing committee exercises the powers and functions of the Party committee when the latter is not in plenary session. The secretary or the secretariat attends to the daily work under the direction of the standing committee.

The members of the secretariat and those of the standing committee must be approved by the provincial or autonomous regional Party committee. In the case of a city with a population of 500,000 or more or in the case of a key industrial city, such members must be approved by the Central Committee. The secretaries of the Party committee of a county, autonomous county or municipality must be Party members of at least two years' standing. In the case of a city with a population of 500,000 or more or in the case of a key industrial city, the secretaries of the Party committee must be Party members of at least five years' standing.

CHAPTER VI PRIMARY ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PARTY

ARTICLE 47. Primary Party organizations are formed in factories, mines and other enterprises, in hsiang and nationality hsiang, in towns, in agricultural producers' co-operatives, in offices, schools and streets, in companies of the People's Liberation Army and in other primary units where there are three or more full Party members. When a primary unit contains less than three full Party members, no primary Party organization should be established, but these members together with the probationary members in their unit may either form a group or join the primary Party organization of a nearby unit.

ARTICLE 48. Primary Party organizations take the following organizational forms:

(1) A primary Party organization with one hundred or more Party members may, by decision of the next higher Party committee, hold a delegate meeting or a general membership meeting to elect a primary Party committee. Under the primary Party committee a number of general branches or branches may be formed in accordance with divisions based on production, work or residence. Under a general Party branch a number of Party branches may be formed. The committee of a general Party branch is elected by a general membership meeting or a delegate meeting of the said general branch. The committee of a Party branch is elected by the general membership meeting of the said branch. The committee of the primary Party organization or of the general Party branch has the power to approve decisions made by a branch on the admission of new members and on disciplinary measures against Party members.

Under special conditions, individual primary Party organizations with less than one hundred members each may, by decision of the next higher Party committee, establish a committee of the said primary organizations.

(2) A primary Party organization with fifty or more Party members may, by decision of the next higher Party committee, set up a general branch committee to be elected by a general membership meeting or a delegate meeting. Under a general branch committee a number of branches may be formed in accordance with divisions based on production, work or residence. The general branch committee has the power to approve decisions made by a branch on the admission of new members and on disciplinary measures against Party members.

Under special conditions, a general branch committee may, by decision of the next higher Party committee, be set up in a primary Party organization whose membership is less than fifty but whose work requires a general branch committee or in a primary Party organization whose membership numbers one hundred or more but whose work does not require a primary Party committee.

(3) A primary Party organization with less than fifty members may, by decision of the next higher Party committee, set up a branch committee to be elected by a general membership meeting, and has the power to make decisions on the admission of new members and on disciplinary measures against Party members.

(4) Groups may be formed under a general Party branch or a Party branch.

ARTICLE 49. A primary Party organization which has set up its own primary committee shall convene a delegate meeting at least once a year. A general Party branch shall hold a general membership meeting or a delegate meeting at least twice a year. A Party branch shall hold a general membership meeting at least once in three months.

The delegate meeting or general membership meeting of a primary Party organization hears and examines the reports of the primary Party committee, the general branch committees or the branch committees, discusses and decides on questions relating to work in its own unit, elects the primary Party committee, the general Party branch committees, or the branch committees, and elects delegates to the higher Party congress.

The primary Party committee, the general Party branch committee and the branch committee are elected for a term of one year. The number of members of these committees shall be determined by their respective next higher Party committees.

A primary Party committee shall elect a secretary and from one to four deputy secretaries. If necessary, it may select a standing committee. The general branch committee and the branch committee shall each elect a secretary, and if necessary, one to three deputy secretaries.

A Party branch with less than ten members only elects a secretary or in addition a deputy secretary, but no branch committee needs to be formed.

A Party group shall elect a leader and, if necessary, a deputy leader.

ARTICLE 50. Primary Party organizations must cement the ties of the workers, peasants, intellectuals and other patriotic people with the Party and its leading bodies. The general tasks of primary Party organizations are as follows:

(1) To carry on propaganda and organizational work among the masses and put into practice what the Party advocates, and the decisions of higher Party organizations;

(2) To pay constant heed to the sentiments and demands of the masses and report them to higher Party organizations, to pay constant attention to the material and cultural life of the masses and strive to improve it;

(3) To recruit new Party members, to collect membership dues, to examine and appraise Party members and to maintain Party discipline among the membership;

(4) To organize Party members to study Marxism-Leninism and the Party's policy and experience and raise the levels of their ideology and political understanding;

(5) To lead the masses of the people to take an active part in the political life of the country;

(6) To lead the masses to give full play to their activity and creative ability, to strengthen labour discipline and to ensure the fulfilment of the production and work plans;

(7) To promote criticism and self-criticism, to expose and eliminate shortcomings and mistakes in work, and to wage struggles against the violation of laws and discipline, against corruption and waste, and against bureaucracy;

(8) To educate the Party members and the masses to sharpen their revolutionary vigilance and to be constantly on the alert to combat the disruptive activities of the class enemy.

ARTICLE 51. Primary Party organizations in the enterprises, villages, schools and army units should guide and supervise the administrative bodies and mass organizations in their respective units in the energetical fulfilment of the decisions of higher Party organizations and higher state organs and in ceaselessly improving their work.

Since special conditions obtain in public institutions and organizations, the primary Party organizations therein are in no position to guide and supervise their work, but they should supervise ideologically and politically all Party members in the said institutions and organizations, including those who hold leading administrative posts. The primary Party organizations should also take a constant interest in improving the work in their respective units, strengthen labour discipline, combat bureaucracy, and report without delay any shortcomings in the work to the administrative chiefs of the given units and to higher Party organizations.

CHAPTER VII CONTROL ORGANS OF THE PARTY

ARTICLE 52. The Party's Central Committee, the Party committees of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central authority, and autonomous chou, and the Party committees of the counties, autonomous counties and municipalities shall set up control commissions. The Central Control Commission shall be elected by the Central Committee at its plenary session. A local control commission shall be elected by a plenary session of the Party committee for that locality, subject to approval by the next higher Party committee.

ARTICLE 53. The tasks of the central and local control commissions are as follows: regularly to examine and deal with cases of violation of the Party Constitution, Party discipline, communist ethics and the state laws and decrees on the part of Party members; to decide on or cancel disciplinary measures against Party members; and to deal with appeals and complaints from Party members.

ARTICLE 54. The control commissions at all levels function under the direction of the Party committees at corresponding levels.

Higher control commissions have the power to check up on the work of lower control commissions, and to approve or modify their decisions on any case. Lower control commissions must report on their work to higher control commissions, and present accurate reports on the violation of discipline by Party members.

CHAPTER VIII RELATION BETWEEN THE PARTY AND THE COMMUNIST YOUTH LEAGUE

ARTICLE 55. The Communist Youth League of China carries on its activities under the guidance of the Communist Party of China. The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League accepts the leadership of the Party's Central Committee. The Communist Youth League's local organizations are simultaneously under the leadership of the Party organizations at the corresponding levels and of higher League organizations.

ARTICLE 56. The Communist Youth League is the Party's assistant. In all spheres of socialist construction Communist Youth League organizations should play an active role in publicizing and carrying out Party policy and decisions. In the struggle to promote production, improve work, and expose and eliminate shortcomings and mistakes in work, the Communist Youth League organizations should render effective help to the Party and have the duty to make suggestions to the Party organizations concerned.

ARTICLE 57. Party organizations at all levels must take a deep interest in the Communist Youth League's ideological and organizational work, give guidance to the Communist Youth League in imbuing all its members with communist spirit and educating them in Marxist-Leninist theory, see to it that close contact is maintained between the Communist Youth League and the broad masses of young people and pay constant attention to selecting members for the leading core in the Communist Youth League.

ARTICLE 58. Members of the Communist Youth League shall withdraw from the League when they have been admitted to the Party and have become full Party members, provided they do not hold leading posts or engage in specific work in the League organizations.

CHAPTER IX LEADING PARTY MEMBERS' GROUPS IN NON-PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

ARTICLE 59. In the leading body of a state organ or people's organization, where there are three or more Party members holding responsible posts, a leading Party members' group shall be formed. The tasks of such group in the said organ or organization are: to assume the responsibility of carrying out Party policy and decisions, to fortify unity with non-Party cadres, to cement the ties with the masses, to strengthen Party and state discipline and to combat bureaucracy.

ARTICLE 60. The composition of a leading Party members' group shall be decided by a competent Party committee. The group has a secretary, and may, in case of need, also have a deputy secretary.

A leading Party members' group must in all matters accept the leadership of the competent Party committee.