16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

Members

Brief chronology

1. 1st Plenary Session
2. Date: November 15, 2002
3. Location: Beijing
4. Significance: Significance: Hu Jintao was elected General Secretary, Jiang Zemin was appointed Chairman of the Central Military Commission. A 25-members Politburo, a 9-members Politburo Standing Committee and a 7-members Secretariat with Zeng Qinghong as first-ranking secretary were elected. Wu Guanzheng was appointed secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Wen Jiabao entered the Politburo Standing Committee for the first time.
5. 2nd Plenary Session
6. Date: February 24–25, 2003
7. Location: Beijing
8. Significance: The meeting approved lists of nominees for top posts of the 10th National People's Congress and the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
9. 3rd Plenary Session
10. Date: October 11–14, 2003
11. Location: Beijing
12. Significance: A Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Certain Issues Concerning the Socialist Market Economy System and a Proposal by the CPC Central Committee to Revise Parts of the State Constitution were adopted. Regulations to facilitate private enterprise were called for.
13. 4th Plenary Session
14. Date: September 16–19, 2004
15. Location: Beijing
16. Significance: Hu Jintao delivered a report on behalf of the Politburo, Zeng Qinghong delivered an explanatory speech on the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Strengthening the Party's Governance Capability. Jiang Zemin announced his retirement, and Hu Jintao was appointed Chairman of the Central Military Commission, with Xu Caihou replacing him as vice-chairman.
17. 5th Plenary Session
18. Date: October 8–11, 2005
19. Location: Beijing
20. Significance: Hu Jintao delivered a report on behalf of the Politburo, Wen Jiabao made a report on the guidelines for the 11th Five-Year Plan. The goal to promote "social harmony" was launched. The official communique stressed on the "building of democratic rule of law, justice, sincerity, amity, vitality, stability and order", and simultaneously fostered the promotion of cross-straits relations with Taiwan and the "reunification of the motherland"; on March 15, an Anti-Secession Law had been adopted.
21. 6th Plenary Session
22. Date: October 8–11, 2006
23. Location: Beijing
24. Significance: Hu Jintao delivered a report on behalf of the Politburo, Wu Bangguo made an explanatory speech on the Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Certain Major Issues in the Building of an Harmonious Socialist Society.
25. 7th Plenary Session
26. Date: October 9–12, 2007
27. Location: Beijing
28. Significance: Preparations for the Party's 17th National Congress were made. The Scientific Development Concept was officially endorsed. Former Mayor of Shanghai Chen Liangyu, close ally to Jiang Zemin and rival to Hu Jintao, and former Mayor of Qingdao Du Shicheng were expelled from the Party for alleged corruption.