More grass-roots delegates for CPC

BEIJING - The Communist Party of China (CPC) will include more delegates from the grass-roots level, including migrant workers, at the Party's 18th National Congress.

The minimum proportion of grassroots delegates attending the event next year will be 32 percent, two percentage points higher than at the previous congress in 2007, said a statement released on Wednesday by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

The maximum proportion of leaders and cadres will be 68 percent. Worker delegates must take up 10 percent of the total delegates and they should be made up of those from public and private enterprises in industrial and service sectors, the statement says.

Among the worker delegates, migrant workers will take a proper proportion, according to the statement, although it did not set an exact ratio.

The total number of delegates has increased by 50 from 2,220 in 2007, mainly because the CPC wants to include more grass-roots members and its membership has increased over the past five years, the statement says.

The CPC now has more than 80 million members across the country, up from 70 million five years ago.

The 18th CPC National Congress will be held in Beijing in the second half of 2012. The congress typically convenes once every five years.

According to the CPC Central Committee's statement, the congress will fall at a very important time for a country in the process of building a well-off society, deepening reform and opening-up, as well as transforming the economic development pattern.

It added that during the congress delegates will elect a new CPC Central Committee and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The move to increase the number of grassroots delegates has been taken in order that "the 18th CPC National Congress should best represent CPC members".

According to the statement, the election process follows five procedures, including nomination of candidates, qualification checks, public notification of the candidates, shortlisting and final voting.

The delegates must: abide by and implement the Party constitution; carry out the Party's guidelines and policies; follow major principles of the CPC and socialist core values which mean serving the people, being law-abiding, industrious, honest and upright; set an example at work; and be close in touch with the public and honestly represent their opinions and demands.

Xinhua