Organization

The party's organizational structure was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt afterwards by Deng Xiaoping, who subsequently initiated "Socialism with Chinese characteristics" and brought all state apparatuses back under the control of the CPC.

Theoretically, the party's highest body is the National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which meets at least once every five years. The primary organization of power in the Communist Party which is detailed in the party constitution include:

Central Committee, which includes:

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  The Politburo Standing Committee, which currently consists of nine members; see current members of the Politburo Standing Committee for a complete list.
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  The Politburo, consisting of 24 full members (including the members of the Politburo Standing Committee) and one alternate; see current members of the Politburo for a complete list.
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  The Secretariat, the principal administrative mechanism of the CPC, headed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China;
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  The Central Military Commission (a parallel organization of the government institution of the same name);
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  The Central Discipline Inspection Commission, which is directly under the National Congress and on the same level with the Central Committee, charged with rooting out corruption and malfeasance among party cadres.

Other central organizations include:

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  General Office
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  Central Organization Department;
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  Propaganda Department
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  International Liaison Department; and
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  United Front Department

In addition, there are numerous commissions and leading groups, the most important of which are:

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  Central Political and Legislative Affairs Committee
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  Work Committee for Organs under the Central Committee
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  Work Committee for Central Government Organs
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  Central Financial and Economic Leading Group
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  Central Leading Group for Rural Work
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  Central Leading Group for Party Building
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  Central Foreign Affairs Leading Group
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  Central Taiwan Affairs Leading Group
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  Commission for Protection of Party Secrets
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  Leading Group for State Security
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  Party History Research Centre
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  Party Research Center

Central Party School

Every five years, the Communist Party of China holds a National Congress. The latest happened on October 19, 2005. Formally, the Congress serves two functions: to approve changes to the Party constitution regarding policy and to elect a Central Committee, about 300 strong. The Central Committee in turn elects the Politburo. In practice, positions within the Central Committee and Politburo are determined before a Party Congress, and the main purpose of the Congress is to announce the party policies and vision for the direction of China in the following few years.

The party's central focus of power is the Politburo Standing Committee. The process for selecting Standing Committee members, as well as Politburo members, occurs behind the scenes in a process parallel to the National Congress. The new power structure is announced obliquely through the positioning of portraits in the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Party. The number of Standing Committee members varies and has tended to increase over time. The Committee was expanded to nine at the 16th Party National Congress in 2009.

There are two other key organs of political power in the People's Republic of China: the formal government and the People's Liberation Army.

There are, in addition to decision-making roles, advisory committees, including the People's Political Consultative Conference. During the 1980s and 1990s there was a Central Advisory Commission established by Deng Xiaoping which consisted of senior retired leaders, but with their passing this has been abolished since 1990.