Official: CPC Determined in Political Reform

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has a clear-cut attitude and steadfast determination toward reform in the political structure, a Party official said at a press conference on Friday.

"Political restructuring is part of the overall reform of China," Wang Jingqing, deputy head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, said on the sidelines of CPC's 18th national congress.

Citing the institutionalized transition of Party's leadership as one of the fruitful results of political reform, Wang said, "We have abolished the de facto system of permanent tenure for cadres, and have realized and institutionalized the transition of leadership and cadres."

For example, the ongoing congress will elect the Party's 18th Central Committee. And the Central Committee members will hold their first plenary session to elect new leadership, said Wang.

Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the new CPC Central Committee will then meet Chinese and foreign journalists.

"The election of the Party's leadership proceeds according to the Party Constitution and relevant regulations, "said Wang in response to a question on transparency of China's leadership change.

"Both the system and procedures are standard and clear," the official added.

In his keynote address at the opening of the Party congress Thursday, Hu Jintao said that the country will continue to carry out reform of the political structure.

"We must continue to make both active and prudent efforts to carry out the reform of the political structure, and make people's democracy more extensive, fuller in scope and sounder in practice," Hu said.

Hu said the CPC will place high importance on systemic building, give full play to the strength of the socialist political system and draw on the political achievements of other societies.

"However, we will never copy a Western political system," he said.