CPC elevates Xi as \\’core\\’ leader

\ From K J M Varma\ Beijing, Oct 27 (PTI) The ruling Communist Party of China\(CPC) today declared President Xi Jinping as the \\"core\\" of its\leadership conferring on him a status similar to that of party\founder \\’Chairman\\’ Mao Zedong but decided to carry on with the\collective leadership system.\ A key meeting of the CPC has called on all its members to\\\"closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade\Xi Jinping as the core,\\" state run Xinhua news agency\reported.\ 63-year-old Xi also heads the party as general-secretary\of the CPC, and the military besides the presidency.\ The announcement was made at the end of the four-day\closed-door plenary meeting of the party comprising over 370\senior officials of the party.\ But contrary to the speculation that the party may\dispense with the over three-decade rule stipulating\collective leadership, the plenum stressed the importance of\adherence to the collective leadership system of CPC.\ \\"They discussed the matter at the sixth plenary session of\the 18th CPC Central Committee, calling for a combination of\collective leadership with individual responsibility,\\" the\report said.\ The collective leadership was introduced in 1981 to ensure\that no individual dominated the party leadership.\ Speculation was rife earlier that it may be amended.\ As an important part of the CPC\\’s fundamental organisation\principle of democratic centralism, the collective leadership\system \\"must always be followed and should not be violated by\any organisation or individual under any circumstance or for\any reason,\\" a communique said.\ Party committees at various levels must adhere to the\system, it said.\ The communique called on leading officials to enhance\their understanding of the overall situation and relevant\responsibilities, and to resolutely enforce decisions made by\party organisations.\ The plenum also approved two documents on the discipline\of the party including the norms of political life within the\party under the new situation and a regulation on intra-party\supervision, Xinhua quoted a communique as saying.\ The meeting also said CPC would resolutely address\election malpractice, putting an end to the buying and selling\of official posts or vote rigging.\ Requesting an official post, honour or special treatment\is not allowed under any circumstances, it said.\ The communique also underscored that the practice of\bargaining with party organisations to secure a promotion or\disobeying any decisions made by party organisations is also\forbidden.\ The selection and appointment of officials should not be\contaminated by outside interference or misconduct, it said.\PTI KJV KUN AKJ\KUN\