The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will be held in Beijing on October 16 this year. A total of 2,296 delegates have been elected to attend the upcoming Congress. How often is the National Congress of the CPC held? How long does it generally last? Read on to find out!
Q: How often is the CPC National Congress convened?
A: Once every five years.
If the Party Central Committee deems it necessary, or if at least one third of the provincial organizations so request, the National Congress may be held earlier; in the absence of exceptional circumstances, it may not be postponed.
Q: How long does the congress last?
A: Generally, around a week, depending on the circumstances.
There is no specific provision in the Party's constitution as to how long a national congress of the CPC should last. The longest was the Seventh National Congress of the CPC, which lasted for 50 days. After the founding of The People's Republic of China, the Ninth National Congress of the Communist Party lasted 24 days, while the Tenth National Congress was the shortest, lasting only five days. Since the 14th CPC National Congress, the duration has basically been fixed at around one week.
Q: How many times has the CPC National Congress been convened since its foundation?
A: Since its establishment in 1921, the CPC has convened a total of 19 Party Congresses.
In the early years of the Party, the First, Second and Third CPC National Congresses were held once a year. Since then, due to the complicated historical reasons during the war years, there has not been a regular cycle of meetings. In 1969, the Party Constitution adopted at the CPC's Ninth Congress stipulated for the first time that "the National Congress of the Party shall be held once every five years. Under special circumstances, it may be convened earlier or postponed.
Q: What is the significance of the Congress in the history of China?
A: Party congresses are often landmarks in the history of the Communist Party of China and China as a whole. For example, the 18th National Congress first proposed to "build a moderately prosperous society" by 2020, and the 19th National Congress first proposed "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era", reflecting the changes of the times and the advancement of the CPC.
Q: Why is the Congress held once every five years instead of every year like the "Two Sessions"?
A: According to the current Party Constitution, the National Congress of the CPC is held once every five years and is convened by the Party Central Committee. The "Two Sessions" refer to the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which are regular annual meetings.
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