The CPC was founded on July 1, 1921. It is the ruling party in China, representing the interests of the entire Chinese nation and serving as the core leading China's socialist modernization drive.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the CPC led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to overcome various difficulties, transforming China from a poor and backward semi-colonial and semi-feudal country into a socialist state with initial prosperity.

The CPC mainly exercises ideological and political leadership. It derives its ideas and policies from the people's concentrated will and then transforms them into state laws and decisions that are adopted by the NPC. But the CPC does not take the place of the government in the state leadership system. It conducts activities within the framework of the Constitution and laws, which it has no right to transcend. All CPC members, like other citizens in the country, are equal before the law.

In 2005, applicants for the CPC membership totaled 17.67 million nationwide. Of the 2.47 million new members, recruits under the age of 35 years came to 1.98 million. Currently, the CPC has 70.8 million members. Its grassroots organizations number 3.52 million, including 170,000 committees, 210,000 organization departments and 3.14 million subcommittees.

From December 2004 to November 11, CPC disciplinary organs at various levels put on file for investigation 147,539 cases involving violations of the Party disciplines and closed 148,931 cases. Party members receiving disciplinary sanctions totaled 115,143, accounting for 1.7 per thousand of the party total. Those punishments included warning (44,836), serious warning (32,289), deprivation of Party position (3,173), suspension of Party membership pending further investigation (10,657) and expulsion (24,188). In addition, 15,177 members, or 0.2 per thousand of the party total, were handed over to judicial departments for suspected involvement in criminal activities.

Renmin Ribao (People's Daily) is the organ of the CPC Central Committee, and Qiushi (Seeking Truth) is its theoretical publication

CPC Central Leadership

The current CPC Central Committee was created in the 16th CPC National Congress held in November 2002, composed of 198 members and 158 alternate members.

Hu Jintao is incumbent general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee

Standing Committee Members: Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan

Members (listed in the order of number of strokes in their surnames): Wang Lequan, Wang Zhaoguo, Hui Liangyu (Hui), Liu Qi, Liu Yunshan, Li Changchun, Wu Yi (female), Wu Bangguo, Wu Guanzheng, Zhang Lichang, Zhang Dejiang, Chen Liangyu, Luo Gan, Zhou Yongkang, Hu Jintao, Yu Zhengsheng, He Guoqiang, Jia Qinglin, Guo Boxiong, Huang Ju, Cao Gangchuan, Zeng Qinghong, Zeng Peiyan and Wen Jiabao

Alternate Member: Wang Gang

Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee

Members: Zeng Qinghong, Liu Yunshan, Zhou Yongkang, He Guoqiang, Wang Gang, Xu Caihou and He Yong

Central Military Commission

Chairman: Hu Jintao

Vice Chairmen: Guo Boxiong, Cao Gangchuan and Xu Caihou

Members: Liang Guanglie, Li Jinai, Liao Xilong, Chen Bingde, Qiao Qingchen, Zhang Difa and Jing Zhiyuan

Central Commission for Discipline Inspection

Secretary: Wu Guanzheng

Deputy Secretaries: He Yong, Xia Zanzhong, Li Zhilun, Zhang Shutian, Liu Xirong, Zhang Huixin, Liu Fengyan and Ma Wen (female)

Leaders of Organs Directly Under the CPC Central Committee

Director of the Organization Department: He Guoqiang (concurrently)

Director of the Publicity Department: Liu Yunshan (concurrently)

Director of the United Front Work Department: Liu Yandong (female, concurrently)

Director of the International Department: Wang Jiarui

Director of the General Office: Wang Gang (concurrently)

President of the Central Party School: Zeng Qinghong (concurrently)

Publisher of People's Daily: Wang Chen

Director of the Party History Research Center: Li Jingtian

Director of the Party Literature Research Center: Teng Wensheng

Director of the Compilation and Translation Bureau: Wei Jianhua

Secretary of the State Organs Work Committee: Hua Jianmin (concurrently)

Secretary of the Work Committee for Organs Directly Under the CPC Central Committee: Wang Gang (concurrently)

Director of the Committee for Political and Legislative Affairs: Luo Gan (concurrently)

Director of the Committee for Comprehensive Management of Public Security: Luo Gan (concurrently)

Director of the Policy Research Office: Wang Huning

Director of the Taiwan Work Office (Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council): Chen Yunlin

Director of the International Communication Office (Information Office of the State Council): Cai Wu

Director of the Foreign Affairs Office: Dai Bingguo

Director of the Office of the Committee of Secretes (National Administration for Protection of State Secrets): Xia Yong

Director of the Bureau of Security: You Xigui

Director of the Archives Bureau (National Bureau of Archives): Mao Fumin

Source: www.xinhuanet.com, as of March 25, 2006

The Fifth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee

The Fifth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing on October 8-11, 2005, with the presence of 191 members and 150 alternate members of the committee. The meeting listened and discussed a work report delivered by General Secretary Hu Jintao of the CPC Central Committee, deliberated and approved proposals for the formulation of the 11th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2006-10), and put forth major goals for national economic and social development in 2006-10.