The 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded its sixth plenary session in Beijing on Thursday by passing a landmark resolution.
According to a communiqué released on Thursday, the resolution highlighted the party’s major achievements and historical experiences over the last 100 years.
The closed-door meeting was attended by a total of 197 members and 151 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the session. The Political Bureau of the Central Committee presided over the meeting, while General Secretary of the Central Committee, President Xi Jinping, delivered an address.
During the final session, the Central Committee heard and discussed the report on the work of the Political Bureau, which was presented by Xi on behalf of the Political Bureau. Leaders also adopted the “Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century” and the “Resolution on the Convocation of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.”
The meeting was significant in enshrining Xi’s stature as an era-defining leader in Chinese political history. The official summary of the meeting said that China has “made historic achievements and undergone a historic transformation” under the leadership of Xi.
It also hailed the party’s successes in fields such as “economy, foreign policy, fighting pollution, and containing COVID.” Under Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and now President Xi, China has “achieved the tremendous transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong,” the communiqué said.
Further, officials also discussed sovereignty issues with respect to Hong Kong, noting that Hong Kong had achieved “a major transition from chaos to governance” with the introduction of the national security law last June.
However, with respect to Taiwan, China scholar James Char of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told The Straits Times: “The language used in the portion regarding Taiwan, however, does seem restrained and less assertive.”
The meeting was instrumental in cementing Xi’s position as one of China’s most powerful leaders in decades. It has also put him on track to secure a third five-year term as the powerful party’s general secretary. Moreover, there is no rival leader in view and the party’s decision to place Xi among the country’s top historical leaders has only further bolstered his argument that he is “the only leader capable of steering China toward superpower status through uncertain times.”
CPC Plenum Enshrines Xi’s Political Legacy, Cements Bid for Third Term
An important resolution passed by the members highlighted the party’s major achievements and historical experiences over the last 100 years.
November 12, 2021
The sixth plenary session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee was held from November 8 to 11 in Beijing. IMAGE SOURCE: XINHUA