Chapter II

Organizational System of The Party

Article 10

The Party is an integral body organized under its programme and Constitution, on the principle of democratic centralism. It practises a high degree of centralism on the basis of a high degree of democracy. The basic principles of democratic centralism as practised by the Party are as follows:

(1) Individual Party members are subordinate to the Party organization, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower Party organizations are subordinate to the higher Party organizations, and all the constituent organizations and members of the Party are subordinate to the National Congress and the Central Committee of the Party.

(2) The Party's leading bodies of all levels are elected except for the representative organs dispatched by them and the leading Party members' groups in non-Party organizations.

(3) The highest leading body of the Party is the National Congress and the Central Committee elected by it. The leading bodies of local Party organizations are the Party congresses at their respective levels and the Party committees elected by them. Party committees are responsible, and report their work, to the Party congresses at their respective levels.

(4) Higher Party organizations shall pay constant attention to the views of the lower organizations and the rank-and-file Party members, and solve in good time the problems they raise. Lower Party organizations shall report on their work to, and request instructions from, higher Party organizations; at the same time, they shall handle, independently and in a responsible manner, matters within their jurisdiction. Higher and lower Party organizations should exchange information and support and supervise each other.

(5) Party committees at all levels function on the principle of combining collective leadership with individual responsibility based on division of labour. All major issues shall be decided upon by the Party committees after democratic discussion.

(6) The Party forbids all forms of personality cult. It is necessary to ensure that the activities of the Party leaders be subject to supervision by the Party and the people, while at the same time to uphold the prestige of all leaders who represent the interests of the Party and the people.

Article 11

The election of delegates to Party congresses and of members of Party committees at all levels should reflect the will of the voters. Elections shall be held by secret ballot. The lists of candidates shall be submitted to the Party organizations and voters for full deliberation and discussion. There may be a preliminary election in order to draw up a list of candidates for the formal election. Or there may be no preliminary election, in which case the number of candidates shall be greater than that of the persons to be elected. The voters have the right to inquire into the candidates, demand a change or reject one in favour of another. No organization or individual shall in any way compel voters to elect or not to elect any candidate.

If any violation of the Party Constitution occurs in the election of delegates to a local Party congress, the Party committee at the next higher level shall, after investigation and verification, decide to invalidate the election and take appropriate measures. The decision shall be reported to the Party committee at the next higher level for checking and approval before it is formally announced and implemented.

Article 12

When necessary, Party committees of and above the county level may convene conferences of delegates to discuss and decide on major problems that require timely solution. The number of delegates to such conferences and the procedure governing their election shall be determined by the Party committees convening them.

Article 13

The formation of a new Party organization or the dissolution of an existing one shall be decided upon by the higher Party organizations.

Party committees of and above the county level may send out their representative organs.

When the congress of a local Party organization at any level is not in session, the next higher Party organization may, when it deems it necessary, transfer or appoint responsible members of that organization.

Article 14

When making decisions on important questions affecting the lower organizations, the leading bodies of the Party at all levels should, in ordinary circumstances, solicit the opinions of the lower organizations. Measures should be taken to ensure that the lower organizations can exercise their functions and powers normally. Except in special circumstances, higher leading bodies should not interfere with matters that ought to be handled by lower organizations.

Article 15

Only the Central Committee of the Party has the power to make decisions on major policies of a nationwide character. Party organizations of various departments and localities may make suggestions with regard to such policies to the Central Committee, but shall not make any decisions or publicize their views outside the Party without authorization.

Lower Party organizations must firmly implement the decisions of higher Party organizations. If lower organizations consider that any decisions of higher organizations do not suit actual conditions in their localities or departments, they may request modification. If the higher organizations insist on their original decisions, the lower organizations must carry out such decisions and refrain from publicly voicing their differences, but have the right to report to the next higher Party organization.

Newspapers and journals and other means of publicity run by Party organizations at all levels must propagate the line, principles, policies and decisions of the Party.

Article 16

Party organizations must keep to the principle of subordination of the minority to the majority in discussing and making decisions on any matter. Serious consideration should be given to the differing views of a minority. In case of controversy over major issues in which supporters of the two opposing views are nearly equal in number, except in emergencies where action must be taken in accordance with the majority view, the decision should be put off to allow for further investigation, study and exchange of opinions followed by another discussion. If still no decision can be made, the controversy should be reported to the next higher Party organization for ruling.

When, on behalf of the Party organization, an individual Party member is to express views on major issues beyond the scope of existing Party decisions, the content must be referred to the Party organization for prior discussion and decision, or referred to the next higher Party organization for instructions. No Party member, whatever his position, is allowed to make decisions on major issues on his own. In an emergency, when a decision by an individual is unavoidable, the matter must be reported to the Party organization immediately afterwards. No leader is allowed to decide matters arbitrarily on his own or to place himself above the Party organization.

Article 17

The central, local and primary organizations of the Party must all pay great attention to Party building. They shall regularly discuss and check up on the Party's work in propaganda, education, organization and discipline inspection, its mass work and united front work. They must carefully study ideological and political developments inside and outside the Party.