The 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was elected by the 18th National Congress on 15 November 2012, and sat in plenary sessions until the communing of the 19th National Congress in 2017. It was formally proceeded by the 17th Central Committee.
The first plenary session in 2012 was responsible for electing the bodies in which the authority of the Central Committee was invested when it was not in session: the Politburo and the Politburo Standing Committee. It was also responsible for approving the members of the Secretariat, Central Commission of Discipline Inspection and its Standing Committee. The second plenary session in March 2013 was responsible for nominating candidates for state positions.
The remaining plenary sessions of the 18th Central Committee were known for announcing a wide range of reform programs on a scale unprecedented since the Deng era, including "comprehensively deepening reforms", "ruling the country according to law", and complete the construction of a "moderately prosperous society". The 18th CC also saw the highest number of members expelled from the body due to corruption in the party's history.
The 18th CC was elected using the method "more candidates than seats". At the 18th National Congress, delegates could vote for 224 possible candidates for 205 seats for full membership, and 190 candidates for the 171 alternate members. 8.5 percent of the member candidates and 10 percent of the alternate candidates failed to be elected. Of the 373 full and alternate members, 184 of them (i.e., 48.9 percent) were elected to the Central Committee for the first time. Five of the nine members born in the 1960s were associated with the Communist Youth League (designated as Tuanpai by foreign commentators).
Few offspring of previously high-standing officials (known as "princelings") managed to obtain full membership on the 18th CC, though a few were named alternate members. The number of members who worked in central-controlled state-owned enterprises increased from one in the 17th CC to six, while Zhang Ruimin (head of Haier) was re-elected. The number of members from the military remained constant from the previous committee at around 20 percent, continuing a longstanding tradition.
Keys AbbreviationsIDUCCInstitutions Directly Under the Central CommitteeKKeysCIMCentral institution membership, which in this instance means membership in the PSC, PB, ST and CMCPSCStanding Committee of the Political BureauPBPolitical BureauSTSecretariatCMCCentral Military CommissionSC–CCDIStanding Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline InspectionCCDICentral Commission for Discipline InspectionCPPCCChinese People's Political Consultative ConferenceNLNational LeaderDNLDeputy National LeaderPMProvincial-MinisterialSPMSub-provincial (vice-ministerial)DEDepartment-prefecture levelAdm.AdmiralV-Adm.Vice-AdmiralGen.GeneralLt. Gen.Lieutenant GeneralMaj. Gen.Major General Keys ♀ Indicates that the individual is female. ↑ Indicates that the individual was elevated from alternate to member ♮ Indicates that the individual was expelled from the Communist Party after CCDI investigation. ₪ Indicates that the individual was placed under investigation by the CCDI and disciplined, but the results have not been publicly announced, or that they have been demoted but not expelled from the party ∞ Indicates that the individual is retired from active political positions § Indicates that the individual is military personnel. ↔ Indicates that the individual is military personnel and has retired from active military service. Note If two keys are used in the same column it indicates that the individual is both of something. For instance,"♀§" indicates that the individual is female (♀) and military personnel (§).
Plenums Plenum Start–end Length Summary 1st Plenary Session 15 November 2012 1 dayXi Jinping was elected General Secretary and CMC Chairman. A 25-member Politburo, 7-member Politburo Standing Committee and seven member Secretariat with Liu Yunshan as first-ranking secretary were elected. The plenum approved the composition SC–CCDI elected by the CCDI 1st Plenary Session, and the election of Wang Qishan as CCDI Secretary, CCDI Secretary-General and several CCDI deputy secretaries. 2nd Plenary Session 26–28 February 2013 3 daysThe meeting approved lists of nominees for leading posts within the 12th National People's Congress and the 12th CPPCC National Committee, as well as a State Council restructuring plan aimed at a "simpler and decentralized administration". 3rd Plenary Session 9–12 November 2013 4 days Xi Jinping made a report on behalf of the Politburo titled the Decision on Several Major Issues Concerning Comprehensively Deepening Reform. The Decision described public finance as "the foundation and an important pillar of state governance. Good fiscal and taxation systems are the institutional guarantee for optimizing resource allocation, maintaining market unity, promoting social equity, and realizing enduring peace and stability." Market allocation of resources was given, in official speech, a "decisive role". Regarding state-owned enterprises, the Third Plenum promoted the concept of the mixed ownership and emphasized "enabling capital of all kinds of ownership to draw on one another's strong points to offset weaknesses, stimulate one another, and develop jointly." Procedures were taken to liberalize the banking system, with the goal of achieving significant results by 2020. The National Security Commission and the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms were established, and both are led by Xi.
The meeting anticipated the abolition of re-education through labour and an easing to the one-child policy. 4th Plenary Session 20–23 October 2014 4 days It passed a comprehensive package of legal reforms. The decision upheld the supremacy of Communist Party rule and emphasized the importance of the Constitution. It resolved to establish circuit tribunals () and cross-jurisdictional circuit courts and prosecution agencies. The decision also said that management of court resources of in municipal and lower level courts would be managed directly by the provincial level. In 2014, the Fourth Plenum of the 18th Central Committee announced "lifelong accountability" for major operational and investment decisions made by top officials in the public sector.
The Central Committee passed resolution to expel Yang Jinshan, Jiang Jiemin, and Li Dongsheng, officials who have been dismissed during the anti-corruption campaign launched after the 1st Plenary Session. 5th Plenary Session 26–29 October 2015 4 days The session passed a draft of the 13th five-year plan, with provisions for combating poverty. Secondary education for children of less well-off families will gradually be made free, including any school fees; the document also called for a "comprehensively well-off society" by 2020 and a total elimination of "poverty counties" (pinkunxian), and a universal relaxation of the one-child policy: any married couples could now have two children. The Central Committee passed a resolution confirming the expulsion of CC members Ling Jihua, Zhou Benshun, Yang Dongliang, and CC alternate members Zhu Mingguo, Wang Min, Chen Chuanping, Qiu He, Yang Weize, Pan Yiyang, and Yu Yuanhui from the party; at the time, this was the largest ever number of CC members expelled during any CC plenum due to corruption; the record was broken two years later at the 7th plenum.6th Plenary Session24–27 October 20164 daysThe 6th plenum's main focus was on "strict discipline and supervision of the Communist Party." The Central Committee passed a resolution confirming the expulsion of CC member Wang Min, and CC alternate members Lü Xiwen, Fan Changmi, and Niu Zhizhong. Xi Jinping strove for greater transparency in the decision-making process in local governance, which also represents his effort to establish a positive image of China's Communist Party overseas. This is in addition to his actively promoted anti-corruption campaign within China's political system. Xi was declared the "leadership core" of the party. 7th Plenary Session11–14 October 20174 daysThe 7th plenum was the final plenary session of the 18th Central Committee, convened to affirm achievements of the past five years and laying the groundwork for the 19th Party Congress. The plenum confirmed the expulsion of Sun Zhengcai, Wu Aiying, Su Shulin, Wang Sanyun, Xiang Junbo, Wang Jianping, Tian Xiusi, Li Yunfeng, Yang Chongyong, and Mo Jiancheng from the Communist Party; confirmed the two-year party probation issued to Li Liguo and Yang Huanning; confirmed the removal of Zhang Xiwu from all party positions. The plenum saw the greatest number of expulsions at a single plenum post-Cultural Revolution party history.
Working Organs Heads of department-level institutions Institution Name(birth–death) Hanzi Took office Left office Tenure Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Organs Wang Qishan(born 1948) 15 November 2012 25 October 2017 Central International Liaison Department Wang Jiarui(born 1949) 15 November 2012 16 November 2015 Song Tao(born 1955) 16 November 2015 23 October 2017 Central Organization Department Zhao Leji(born 1957) 15 November 2012 25 October 2017 Central Policy Research Office Wang Huning(born 1955) 15 November 2012 23 October 2017 Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission Meng Jianzhu(born 1947) 15 November 2012 25 October 2017 Central Publicity Department Liu Qibao(born 1953) 21 November 2012 25 October 2017 Central Taiwan Task Office Wang Yi(born 1953) 15 November 2012 17 March 2013 Zhang Zhijun(born 1953) 17 March 2013 23 October 2017 Central United Front Work Department Ling Jihua(born 1956) 15 November 2012 31 December 2013 Sun Chunlan(born 1950) 31 December 2014 25 October 2017 General Office Li Zhanshu(born 1950) 15 November 2012 25 October 2017 General Office of the Central Institutional Organization Commission Wang Yongqing(born 1959) 15 November 2012 April 2013 Zhang Jinan(born 1957) April 2013 23 October 2017 General Office of the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs Zhu Zhixin(born 1949) 15 November 2012 March 2013 Liu He(born 1952) March 2013 23 October 2017 General Office of the Foreign Affairs Leading Group Dai Bingguo(born 1941) 15 November 2012 14 March 2013 Yang Jiechi(born 1950) 14 March 2013 23 October 2017 International Communications Office Wang Chen(born 1950) 15 November 2012 14 March 2013 Cai Mingzhao(born 1955) 14 March 2013 December 2014 Jiang Jianguo(born 1956) January 2015 23 October 2017 Working Committee of Organs Directly Under the Central Committee Li Zhanshu(born 1950) 15 November 2012 25 October 2017
Heads of IDUCC institutions Institution Name(birth–death) Hanzi Took office Left office Tenure Central Compilation and Translation Bureau Yi Junqing(born 1958) 15 November 2012 15 January 2013 Jia Gaojian(born 1959) 15 January 2013 23 October 2017 Central Literature Research Office Leng Rong(born 1953) 15 November 2012 23 October 2017 Central Party History Research Centre Ouyang Song(born 1948) 15 November 2012 December 2013 Qu Qingshan(born 1957) December 2013 23 October 2017 Central Party School Liu Yunshan(born 1947) 15 January 2013 25 October 2017 China Executive Leadership Academy, Jinggangshan Zhao Leji(born 1957) 15 November 2012 25 October 2017 China Executive Leadership Academy, Pudong China Executive Leadership Academy, Yan'an Guangming Daily He Dongping(born 1955) 15 November 2012 23 October 2017 People's Daily Zhang Yannong(born 1948) 15 November 2012 30 April 2014 Yang Zhenwu(born 1955) 30 April 2014 23 October 2017 Qiushi Li Baoshan(born 1955) 15 November 2012 30 April 2014 Li Jie(born 1955) 1 May 2014 23 October 2017
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