Chapter III

Central Organizations of The Party

Article 18

The National Congress of the Party is held once every five years and convened by the Central Committee. It may be convened before the due date if the Central Committee deems it necessary or if more than one-third of the organizations at the provincial level so request. Except under extraordinary circumstances, the congress may not be postponed.

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

Article 19

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

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

(2) To hear and examine the reports of the Central Advisory Commission and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection;

(3) To discuss and decide on major questions concerning the Party;

(4) To revise the Constitution of the Party;

(5) To elect the Central Committee; and

(6) To elect the Central Advisory Commission and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Article 20

The Central Committee of the Party is elected for a term of five years. However, when the next National Congress is convened before or after its due date, the term shall be correspondingly shortened or extended. Members and alternate members of the Central Committee must have a Party standing of five years or more. The number of members and alternate members of the Central Committee shall be determined by the National Congress. Vacancies on the Central Committee shall be filled by its alternate members in the order of the number of votes by which they were elected.

The Central Committee of the Party meets in plenary session at least once a year, and such sessions are convened by its Political Bureau.

When the National Congress is not in session, the Central Committee carries out its decisions, directs the entire work of the Party and represents the Communist Party of China in its external relations.

Article 21

The Political Bureau, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, the Secretariat and the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party are elected by the Central Committee in plenary session. The General Secretary of the Central Committee must be a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.

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

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

The General Secretary of the Central Committee is responsible for convening the meetings of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee and presides over the work of the Secretariat.

The members of the Military Commission of the Central Committee are decided on by the Central Committee. The Chairman of the Military Commission must be a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.

The central leading bodies and leaders elected by each Central Committee shall, when the next National Congress is in session, continue to preside over the Party's day-to-day work until the new central leading bodies and leaders are elected by the next Central Committee.

Article 22

The Party's Central Advisory Commission acts as political assistant and consultant to the Central Committee. Members of the Central Advisory Commission must have a Party standing of 40 years or more, have rendered considerable service to the Party, have fairly rich experience in leadership and enjoy fairly high prestige inside and outside the Party.

The Central Advisory Commission is elected for a term of the same duration as that of the Central Committee. It elects, at its plenary meeting, its Standing Committee and its Chairman and Vice-Chairmen, and reports the results to the Central Committee for approval. The Chairman of the Central Advisory Commission must be a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau. Members of the Central Advisory Commission may attend plenary sessions of the Central Committee as non-voting participants. The Vice-Chairmen of the Central Advisory Commission may attend plenary meetings of the Political Bureau as nonvoting participants and, when the Political Bureau deems it necessary, other members of the Standing Committee of the Central Advisory Commission may do the same.

Working under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Party, the Central Advisory Commission puts forward recommendations on the formulation and implementation of the Party's principles and policies and gives advice upon request, assists the Central Committee in investigating and handling certain important questions, propagates the Party's major principles and policies inside and outside the Party, and undertakes such other tasks as may be entrusted to it by the Central Committee.

Article 23

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 of the Chinese People's Liberation Army is the political-work organ of the Military Commission; it directs Party and political work in the army. The organizational system and organs of the Party in the armed forces will be prescribed by the Military Commission.