CPC launches election of 2,360 delegates for 21st national congress, emphasizing political standards, grassroots representation

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has launched the process of electing 2,360 delegates to its 21st National Congress, scheduled to convene in Beijing in the second half of 2027, with the arrangements placing political standards at the forefront while emphasizing grassroots participation, strict electoral discipline and representation of workers in new forms of employment.

An official from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee underscored on Sunday the significance of the delegate election, describing it as crucial for the successful convening of the 21st CPC National Congress, a practical step in advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance and strengthening intra-Party political life, and a means of mobilizing Party members to fulfill the CPC's missions and tasks.

The CPC Central Committee has issued a circular making comprehensive arrangements for the election, while the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee has outlined detailed requirements for its implementation, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.

According to the report, 2,360 delegates, 60 more than at the previous Party congress, will be elected by 38 electoral units across the country. The election process is scheduled to conclude by the end of June 2027. According to an official from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, the allocation of delegate seats takes into account changes in the size of the Party's membership and organizational structure, as well as the number of Party organizations and arrangements at previous congresses.

Su Wei, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, told the Global Times on Sunday that the increase of 60 delegate seats reflects the continued growth of the CPC's membership and grassroots organizational network.

Zhang Xixian, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, told the Global Times on Sunday the composition of delegates should also reflect changes in China's economic and social development, including the rise of new employment groups, advances in scientific and technological innovation, industrial upgrading and evolving demands in social governance.

According to an explainer article published by Xinhua on Sunday, the 21st CPC National Congress will be "a highly important meeting and an event of great political significance for both the Party and the country," as a new CPC Central Committee and a new CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will be elected.

The 2,360 delegates will represent more than 101 million CPC members and over 5.4 million Party organizations nationwide.

An organization department official said in an interview with Xinhua which was published on Sunday that the congress will review the work of the previous five years, determine the Party's future direction, development objectives and action plans, and elect new central leadership bodies. During the congress, delegates will review reports, reflect the opinions and demands of Party members and the public, deliberate on major issues and participate in elections.

The official also emphasized that the qualifications, capabilities and conduct of delegates directly affect the quality of deliberations and decision-making at the congress, highlighting the importance of rigorous selection procedures.

Political standards first

Political standards have been placed at the forefront of the selection process, alongside strict eligibility criteria, rigorous electoral procedures, and strict enforcement of electoral discipline, to ensure that those elected are of high caliber, broadly representative and supported by Party members, and that the delegation has a balanced composition, according to Xinhua.

The Organization Department official further explained in the interview that political standards are the primary requirement for Party congress delegates, with particular emphasis on political commitment and loyalty to the Party. Candidates who fail to meet political standards will be subject to a one-vote veto.

The election arrangements also require rigorous integrity checks and assessments of candidates' moral character and conduct to prevent individuals with unresolved disciplinary or integrity problems from being nominated or elected.

The emphasis on political qualifications and integrity checks is closely connected to the CPC's broader efforts to advance full and rigorous Party self-governance, Su said.

He noted that political commitment and the implementation of the Party's policies are fundamental requirements for delegates, while strict integrity standards are equally important. Delegates should not only meet political requirements but also serve as examples of integrity and self-discipline, he added.

Grassroots representation

According to Xinhua, delegates should come from a wide range of fields, including the economy, science and technology, national defense, law enforcement and the justice system, education, public communication, culture, health, sports and social administration.

They should also include workers in new forms of employment.

Among delegates from provincial-level regions, central financial institutions and central state-owned enterprises in Beijing, Party members working on the front line should generally account for at least one-third. Among delegates from central Party and state departments, the proportion should generally be no less than 15 percent.

Particular attention should be paid to recommending model workers, farmers and professionals as candidates. Women Party members and Party members from ethnic minority groups should each make up a certain proportion of the delegates.

According to Xinhua, in regions where the new economy and new forms of business are thriving and large numbers of workers are employed in new forms of employment, outstanding Party members from among these workers should also be recommended as candidates.

Zhang said the emergence of new employment groups and economic organizations reflects broader changes in China's economic development, making it necessary for grassroots Party organizations to extend their organizational presence and activities into emerging sectors.

As new industries and forms of employment expand, Party building should keep pace with economic development, he said, emphasizing that grassroots organizations should not only strengthen organizational coverage but also engage with workers, respond to their concerns and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.

Five-stage election process

According to Xinhua's Sunday explainer, the process consists of nomination of candidates, assessment of nominees by electoral units, formation of a preliminary list of candidates, formation of a preparatory list of candidates, and formal election.

The Organization Department official said the selection will follow a bottom-up approach that combines recommendations from lower-level organizations with consultations and assessments at higher levels, involving repeated deliberations and selection at successive organizational levels.

Grassroots Party organizations and members will be encouraged to participate extensively in recommending and nominating candidates. Selection at successive levels should take into account the opinions of the majority of relevant Party organizations and members.

The official also emphasized strict organizational assessments, including competitive assessments and advance announcements of assessments, while requiring electoral units to solicit opinions from grassroots Party organizations, Party congress delegates, Party members and members of the public.

The delegates will be elected through a competitive process in which the number of candidates must exceed the number of seats by more than 15 percent, per Xinhua.

According to the official arrangements, electoral units may conduct a preliminary election with more candidates than seats before holding a final election with an equal number of candidates and seats, or proceed directly to a competitive final election. Those elected will undergo an additional qualification review before the national congress convenes.

The Organization Department official described the election as an important channel through which Party members exercise their democratic rights and participate in internal Party political life in accordance with the principle of democratic centralism.

Strict discipline

Electoral discipline constitutes another major component of the arrangements, with the CPC Central Committee calling for strengthened supervision throughout the process and zero tolerance for violations of rules, discipline and laws.

According to Xinhua, political, organizational and electoral disciplines must be strictly observed, with efforts made to prevent vote-buying and other electoral violations and strengthen oversight and enforcement.

The CPC Central Committee has also explicitly called for drawing lessons from previous cases involving vote-buying and disruption of elections in Hengyang, Central China's Hunan Province, Nanchong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, and Northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The Organization Department official stressed that oversight, investigation and accountability should be strengthened, with violations of electoral discipline subject to strict investigation and punishment.

The arrangements also require the election process to serve as an opportunity for education on Party theory, conduct, discipline and history, while encouraging Party members and officials to fulfill their responsibilities.

Looking ahead, Su noted that the 21st CPC National Congress will convene at a crucial stage in China's efforts to realize socialist modernization by 2035.

He said that delegates elected to the upcoming congress, particularly those who may serve consecutive terms, could play an important role during a period closely aligned with the country's 2035 development objectives. Selecting qualified delegates is therefore significant not only for the successful convening of the congress but also for advancing the Party's longer-term development agenda.