16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China


The 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was in session from 2002 to 2007. It held seven plenary sessions. It was set in motion by the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The 15th Central Committee preceded it. It was followed by the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
It elected the 16th Politburo of the Communist Party of China in 2002. There were seven plenary sessions held in the five year period facilitated by the Politburo.

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.