All Set for 16th CPC National Congress: Spokesman

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, November 08, 2002

All Set for 16th CPC National Congress: Spokesman

All preparatory work has been completed and everything is ready for the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), scheduled for November 8 to 14, said Ji Bingxuan, spokesman for the Party congress, at a press conference Thursday.

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Everything is ready for the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and it will last for a week, a Party spokesman said Thursday in Beijing.

The 15th Party Congress, held in 1997, also lasted one week but the duration of this year's event had not been announced until Thursday, though its starting date was made public two months ago.

At the Beijing news briefing on the eve of the five-yearly congress, spokesman Ji Bingxuan said that the admission of private entrepreneurs will not change the Party's nature.

"The admission of outstanding people from new social strata will not change the nature or the purpose of the Party at all,'' said Ji, also deputy director of the Party Central Committee's publicity department.

Workers, farmers, intellectuals, members of the armed forces and officials at all levels remain the backbone of the Party, Ji said in response to a Hong Kong reporter's question.

Outstanding people in other strata are admitted to the Party if they pass checks on their background and qualifications, acknowledge the Party's programme and constitution and are willing to strive for the Party's cause.

Instead of affecting the nature and purpose of the Party, recruiting them will increase the influence and cohesion of the Party throughout society, he said.

It is not clear how many people from the private sector have been admitted as Party members since the 15th Party Congress, which said: "The non-public sector, including individual and private businesses, is an important component of the socialist market economy.''

But experts said they believe that a few private entrepreneurs are among the 2,114 delegates attending the 16th congress.

Ji said the congress is "extremely important'' and is being held at a time when the country is entering a new stage of development in building an all-round "well-off society.'' He said the congress will map out a strategic plan for China's reform, opening-up and socialist modernization drive in the 21st century.

The congress will review the Party's work since its 15th National Congress and sum up the basic experience the Party has acquired from its efforts to unite and lead people of all ethnic groups in building socialism with Chinese characteristics since the beginning of reform and opening-up, especially since the fourth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee in 1989, he said.

A preparatory meeting convened Thursday afternoon adopted an agenda for the Party Congress, Ji said.

The spokesman said that only a few Party leaders have been tainted by corruption.

Since the 15th Party Congress, the Party has stepped up its efforts to fight corruption and striven to promote clean and honest administration, he said.

The Party will continue to curb and prevent corruption, and eliminate the root causes of graft, he said.

"The Party has the determination, confidence and ability to solve the problem of corruption,'' he said.

Ji said that, in addition to promoting economic reform, China has continuously reformed its political system and has made headway in this regard.

China will reform its political system further on the basis of its own national conditions and by no means will it copy Western political models, he told the press conference.

Ji also said China has drawn up, revised or abolished legislation on the media and publications sector to comply with commitments it made when joining the World Trade Organization.

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16th CPC National Congress Extremely Important: Spokesman

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