The Sixth Plenum of the 15th Central Committee of the CPC, which was held in Beijing from Monday until yesterday, gave priority to the building of the Party style.

Present at the plenum were 190 members and 139 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee. Members of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials of relevant departments also attended the meeting as non-voting participants.

The plenum was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered an important speech at the plenum.

The plenum pointed out that China has entered a new development period during which it will, in a comprehensive way, build a better-off society and speed up socialist modernization. To realize its goals of uniting and leading the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to further promote modernization, fulfill the reunification of the motherland, safeguard world peace and push forward common development, the Party should represent the development of China's advanced social productive forces, the progressive course of China's advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people, said the communiqué.

It is also imperative for the Party to promote new and great projects related to Party building, focusing on the two basic historical tasks of improving the Party's leadership and governance, and improving the Party's ability to resist corruption, and withstand risks.

The CPC has, in general, a good style, though certain problems require immediate attention. All the CPC members should be vigilant in times of peace and be fully aware that to enhance and improve the building of the CPC's style is the urgent need for carrying out the basic theories, lines and guiding principles of the Party and for putting into practice the "Three Represents."

All the CPC members should, therefore, persist in the study of theories and politics and uphold justice, and make it a priority to enhance and improve the CPC's style building while speeding up the Party's ideological and organizational advancement.

The plenum emphasized that, in the new phase of development, the guiding ideology and overall demand for strengthening and improving the CPC's style building should be: to bring the style building to a new level by carrying forward its good traditions; enhancing ideological education; accelerating system building and tackling outstanding issues.

In doing so, the CPC should stick to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, and follow the "Three Represents," focusing on economic construction, reform, development and stability and performing stringent governance of the Party.

The building of the Party's style is a long, arduous and urgent job. It is a must to combine general requirements with step-by-step goals. For now and the near future, efforts must be centered on the key issues in the Party's styles of thinking, study, working and leadership, as well as the life style of cadres. The main tasks will be as follows:

Sticking to the principle of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, so as to prevent old ways of doing things;

Sticking to the principle of integrating theory with practice, and fighting against bookishness;

Sticking to the principle of maintaining close links with the masses, so as to prevent formalism and bureaucracy;

Sticking to the principle of democratic centralism, so as to prevent dogmatism and laziness;

Sticking to the disciplines of the Party, so as to prevent liberalism;

Sticking to justice and cleanness, so as to prevent the abuse of power;

Sticking to the principle of hard work and fighting against hedonism; and

Sticking to the principle of promoting officials according to their ability, so as to prevent malpractice in official promotion.

The biggest threat faced by a ruling Marxist Party is that it would deviate from the people. The people are the power source of the Party, as well as the foundation for it to be victorious. Without the support of the people, the Party's course and its every effort will be in vain, the plenum pointed out.

The plenary session made it clear that improving the Party's work style should serve the overall interests and be carried out in a comprehensive way and in strict accordance with Party rules to achieve temporary and permanent solutions.

The plenum passed a resolution on the convening of the 16th National Congress of the CPC, to be held in the latter half of next year in Beijing. The congress will be a very important meeting, as it will be held at a time when China has entered a new period of full-scale building of a better-off society and is speeding up its socialist modernization.

(Xinhua News Agency 09/27/2001)