Full text of resolution on amendment to CPC Constitution October 21, 2007

Constitution of the People’s Republic of China 1975  | Constitution of the People’s Republic of China 1978 | Constitution of the People’s Republic of China  1982 (amended through 2004) | 1988 Amendments |1993 Amendments  | 1999 Amendments | 2004 Amendments  | 2007 Resolution on Amendments| 2012 Revised Constitution | 2017 Resolution on Amending the Constitution

The Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has examined and unanimously adopted the amended Constitution of the CPC proposed by the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee and decided that it shall come into force as of the date of its adoption.

The congress notes that since the Sixteenth Congress, the Central Committee has followed the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and, by pooling the wisdom of the whole Party to meet new requirements of development, formulated the Scientific Outlook on Development, which puts people first and calls for comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development. The outlook is a continuation and development of the important thoughts on development advanced by the three generations of the Party's central collective leadership and a concentrated expression of the Marxist world outlook and methodology with regard to development. It is a scientific theory that is in the same line as Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and keeps up with the times. It is an important guiding principle for China's economic and social development and a major strategic thought that must be upheld and applied in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. The congress unanimously approves the incorporation of the outlook into the Constitution. It calls on all Party members to fully understand the content and grasp the essence of the Scientific Outlook on Development, be more conscious and determined in applying it, change notions that are not in line with it, work hard to solve major problems that affect or constrain scientific development, direct the whole society's enthusiasm for development to scientific development, and apply this outlook to every aspect of economic and social development.

The congress affirms that since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy in the late 1970s, the Chinese Communists and the Chinese people have, in an indomitable enterprising spirit and with their spectacular practice of innovation, composed a new epic recounting the Chinese nation's ceaseless efforts to make progress and become stronger, and historic changes have taken place in the visages of the Chinese people, socialist China and the CPC. The fundamental reason behind all our achievements and progress since the reform and opening up policy was introduced is, in the final analysis, that we have blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and established a system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Incorporating this major conclusion into the Constitution is of great significance to encouraging the whole Party to better understand and stick to this path and this system, and continue to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The congress affirms that through the unremitting efforts we have made since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, particularly since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy, China has scored achievements in development that have captured world attention. However, the basic reality that China is still in the primary stage of socialism and will remain so for a long time to come has not changed, nor has Chinese society's principal contradiction - the one between the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and the low level of social production. The congress unanimously approves of defining the objective in the Party's basic line in the Constitution as turning China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious modern socialist country. It also calls on the whole Party to unswervingly uphold the Party's basic line of taking economic development as the central task and adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles and the reform and opening up policy, known as "one central task and two basic points," and unite and lead the people of all our ethnic groups in turning China into a modern socialist country.

The congress holds that incorporating into the Constitution the overall arrangements for the four-in-one economic, political, cultural and social development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics is of great significance to striving for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and opening up new prospects in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. In the course of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Party has gained the following major insights and results: We must unwaveringly consolidate and develop the public sector of the economy and unswervingly encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector; we must give play to the basic role of market forces in allocating resources; we must set up a sound system of macroeconomic regulation; we must balance urban and rural development, development among regions, economic and social development, relations between man and nature, and domestic development and opening to the outside world; and we must build a new socialist countryside, take a new path of industrialization with Chinese characteristics, and make China an innovative country and a resource-conserving, environment-friendly society. We must integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country, and the rule of law, and take the path of political development under socialism with Chinese characteristics; we must uphold and improve the system of self-governance at the primary level of society, respect and safeguard human rights, and establish sound systems and procedures of democratic election, decision-making, administration and oversight. We must adhere to Marxism as our guiding ideology, foster the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote patriotism-centered national spirit and the spirit of the times centering on reform and innovation, and advocate the socialist maxims of honor and disgrace. In accordance with the general requirements for democracy and the rule of law, equity and justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability and order, and harmony between man and nature and on the principle of all the people building and sharing a harmonious socialist society, we will focus on improving people's lives by solving the most specific problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the people and strive to create a situation in which all people do their best, find their proper places in society and live together in harmony. Incorporating all this into the Constitution is of immense importance to encouraging all Party members to make more conscious and determined efforts to implement the Party's theories, line, principles and policies, and in accordance with the overall arrangements for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, continue to develop the socialist market economy, socialist democracy and an advanced socialist culture and build a harmonious socialist society, and unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups in continuously advancing the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The congress holds that incorporating into the Constitution the principles and policies the Party has formulated for guiding efforts to strengthen the armed forces as well as the work related to ethnic and religious affairs, the united front and foreign affairs in light of the new circumstances and tasks is conducive to fully implementing these principles and policies and getting better results in the work in these areas.

The congress affirms the following major insights and results the Party has achieved in Party building since its Sixteenth Congress: We must strive to strengthen the Party's governance capability and vanguard nature, and comprehensively carry forward the great new undertaking to build the Party in a spirit of reform and innovation; we must steadfastly build the Party for public interests and exercise governance for the people; and we must persist in scientific, democratic and law-based governance. We must keep advancing the endeavor to adapt Marxism to Chinese conditions; we must persist in exercising power for the people, showing concern for them and working for their interests; we must safeguard the democratic rights of Party members; and we must establish a sound system for punishing and preventing corruption by fighting it in a comprehensive way, addressing both its symptoms and root cause and combining punishment with prevention, with the emphasis on prevention. Incorporating all this into the Constitution will contribute to our efforts to further strengthen Party building, constantly enhance the Party's governance capability and maintain and develop its vanguard nature, so that the Party will stay as the firm core of leadership in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The congress holds that to strengthen the Party's institutional building, expand intra-Party democracy and enhance intra-Party oversight, it is necessary for the Constitution to provide that Party organizations at all levels increase transparency in Party affairs in accordance with regulations, that a tenure system be adopted for delegates to Party congresses at all levels, that the Central Committee and the Party committees of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government implement the system of inspection tours, that the Political Bureau of the Central Committee report its work to plenary sessions of the Central Committee and accept their oversight, and that the standing committees of the local committees at all levels regularly report their work to plenary sessions of local committees and accept their oversight. In addition, it is highly necessary to raise more requirements for Party members, cadres and organizations at all levels in order to strengthen the Party's governance capability and vanguard nature. All this will contribute to the Party's capacity for self-management and self-discipline as well as its art of leadership and governance capability.

The congress calls on Party organizations at all levels and all Party members to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, and thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development; to earnestly study, observe, apply and uphold the Constitution, strengthen the Party's governance capability and vanguard nature, and constantly increase its creativity, cohesion and combat effectiveness; and to work tirelessly to achieve new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and open up new prospects in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics! 

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