Visual explainer: The National Congress of the Communist Party of China

The National Congress is usually the highest authority set up by a political party or group, and plays a key role in discussing major issues within the party, and electing party leaders.

The national congresses of political parties all over the world share some common characteristics. For instance, they all adopt a representative system that selects representatives from all over the country to attend the national congress. They are held regularly with a fixed interval, and they all elect a permanent institution, such as the Republic National Committee (RNC) , and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of the United States.

In China, the Constitution of the Communist Party of China stipulates that the CPC National Congress and its Central Committee are the highest leading authorities of the Party. The CPC National Congress applies a representative system and convenes every five years. It exercises the functions of discussing major issues, amending the CPC Constitution, and electing members of the CPC Central Committee and the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The reports delivered by the Party and state leaders at previous party congresses have pointed out the direction of the Party and the country in different stages, becoming the action plan that leads people of all ethnic groups in China to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics.