19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China

The 19th National congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会) was held in Beijing between 18 and 24 October 2017. There were 2,287 delegates, and 89 million party members throughout the country. A total of 771 delegates, or 33.7 percent of the total, are from frontline production and manufacturing. Among them, 198 are workers or migrant workers, 86 are farmers and 283 are professional technical personnel.

The report

Xi Jinping gave a famous report at the 19th National Congress. He talked for almost three and a half hours without breaks. The report can be viewed on YouTube and full text online is also available. The report covered the following thirteen topics: The work in the five years since the 18th National Congress, the New Era, thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Moderately prosperous society, modernized economy, socialist democracy, socialist culture, people's wellbeing and social governance, ecology, military, one country, two systems, peaceful development, the party.

The Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era

The thought makes eight fundamental issues clear at the theoretical level, and

1. It makes clear that the overarching goal of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is to realize socialist modernization and national rejuvenation. On the basis of finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, a two-step approach should be taken to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the century.
2. It makes clear that the principal contradiction facing Chinese society in the new era is that between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life. It stresses the people-centered philosophy of development, and well-rounded human development and common prosperity for everyone.
3. It makes clear that the overall plan for building socialism with Chinese characteristics is the five-sphere integrated plan, and the overall strategy is the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. It highlights the importance of fostering stronger confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
4. It makes clear that the overall goal of deepening reform in every field is to improve and develop the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance.
5. It makes clear that the overall goal of comprehensively advancing law-based governance is to establish a system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and build a country of socialist rule of law.
6. It makes clear that the Party's goal of building a strong military in the new era is to build the people's forces into world-class forces that obey the Party's command, can fight and win, and maintain excellent conduct.
7. It makes clear that major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics aims to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind.
8. It makes clear that the CPC leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics; the Party is the highest force for political leadership. The thought sets forth the general requirements for Party building in the new era and underlines the importance of political work in Party building.

The thought also presents the 14-point fundamental principles to guide the endeavors:

1. Ensuring Party leadership over all work;
2. Committing to a people-centered approach;
3. Continuing to comprehensively deepen reform;
4. Adopting a new vision for development;
5. Seeing that the people run the country;
6. Ensuring every dimension of governance is law-based;
7. Upholding core socialist values;
8. Ensuring and improving living standards through development;
9. Ensuring harmony between humans and nature;
10. Pursuing a holistic approach to national security;
11. Upholding absolute Party leadership over the people's forces;
12. Upholding the principle of "one country, two systems" and promoting national reunification;
13. Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity;
14. Exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party.

Changes to the constitution

Despite proposing "Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era", the delegates decided to add Xi Jinping's name to the title, making it "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era".