Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party

The Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, officially the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is the executive committee of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. It is made up of 24 top officials who help guide the party and the central government. The group is led by the general secretary.

Unlike the politburos of other communist parties, the CCP Politburo shares many of its duties with a smaller group called the Politburo Standing Committee.

The Politburo is chosen by the larger Central Committee, but experts think the current members often decide who the new members will be. This process starts with private meetings in Beidaihe before the National Congress of the CCP meets.

Members of the Politburo usually also hold important jobs in the People's Republic of China government and can influence who gets important positions. The full Politburo meets about once a month, while the Standing Committee meets each week. The general secretary decides the meeting topics, and decisions are made by consensus instead of voting.

History

The Politburo was less important in the early 1980s under Hu Yaobang. But after Hu left in 1987, the Politburo became a very important group again.

Composition and selection

Since the 1990s, the people in the Politburo have held important jobs in the party, government, and some areas of the country. A few also work in the military and security areas. In 2017, besides the leaders of four big groups—the CCP, the National People's Congress, the State Council and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference—there were six members working in the party, six in the national government, six in regional governments, and three in the military. The average age of these members in 2017 was 62 years old.

The way members were chosen changed over time. Before 2017, there was a voting process called “democratic recommendation,” but it was stopped because some people felt it wasn’t fair. Now, members are chosen through interviews and studies instead.

Current composition

Main article: 20th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party

The current Politburo was chosen in October 2022. Xi Jinping continues to lead, which is different from past leaders who usually served for about ten years.

Cadre training

Further information: Cadre system of the Chinese Communist Party

In 2001, the party made training for its workers more important. They updated teaching methods and started using distance education. Today, training focuses on helping young workers think creatively and solve tough problems while following the party’s rules. Training happens at the Central Party School and other schools in places like Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Functions

The Politburo and the Politburo Standing Committee are the main groups that help make big decisions for the Chinese Communist Party. The Central Committee of the party chooses the members of the Politburo during a special meeting.

The Politburo usually meets once every month. The General Secretary of the Central Committee calls these meetings and decides what they will talk about. After the meetings, the party often shares a summary of what was decided. These meetings sometimes talk about other countries and important events.

Since 2002, the Politburo has also had special learning sessions right after their regular meetings. During these learning sessions, experts come to talk about new ideas chosen by the General Secretary. These sessions help share important new plans and goals with everyone.