The 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded its fourth plenum in Beijing on Sunday after approving Hu Jintao to succeed Jiang Zemin as the Party's military chief and adopting a decision on enhancing the Party's "ruling capabilities."

Hu, 61, took over the chairmanship of the CPC Central Military Commission (CMC) after the four-day plenum accepted the resignation of 78-year-old Jiang.

Hu, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and president of China, was vice chairman of the CMC previously.

At the plenum, the CPC Central Committee deliberated and passed a decision on accepting Jiang's resignation from the post of CPC chairman, and highly evaluated Jiang's "outstanding contributions to the Party, the state and the people."

The CPC Central Committee also approved Xu Caihou, previously a CMC member, to be vice chairman of the CMC, and added Chen Bingde, Qiao Qingchen, Zhang Dingfa and Jing Zhiyuan to the CMC as new members.

The plenum, which started on Thursday, was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Hu Jintao delivered an important speech at the plenum.

Zeng Qinghong, vice president and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made explanations on the draft decision on improving the Party's ruling capabilities.

After reviewing the Party's 55 years in power, the plenum stressed that in order to enhance its ruling capabilities, the CPC must stick to the guidance of Marxism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of “Three Represents”, and focus on maintaining the flesh-and-blood links with the general public, as well as on building a contingent of high-quality cadres.

The plenum called on the entire Party to work hard together to guarantee the CPC always remains a ruling party that seeks benefits for the public and governs for the people, a ruling party that exercises its power in a scientific and democratic manner and according to law, a ruling party that adopts a pragmatic, truth-seeking and pioneering style of work, and a ruling party that is diligent, efficient and clean in governance.

A consensus was reached at the plenum that the CPC should build itself into a "Marxist ruling party that always lives up to the requirements of ‘Three Represents’, always preserves its advanced nature and can stand all kinds of tests."

After hearing a work report delivered by Hu Jintao on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the Party's top decision-making body, the plenum "fully endorsed the Political Bureau's work since the previous plenum" and called on all Party members to "rally closer around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as general secretary" and make unswerving efforts for the building of a relatively affluent society in an all-round way and for the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The plenum also decided to expel Tian Fengshan, former minister of land and resources, from the Party Central Committee and from the CPC after hearing and approving a report of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection regarding Tian's corruption charges.

Tian abused power and took bribes worth 5.03 million yuan by misusing his power, according to the report. In October 2003, China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, passed a decision to remove Tian from the post of the minister of land and resources.

In accordance with the Party Constitution, the plenum also decided to make Ashat Kerimbay and Wang Zhengwei, previously alternate members of the 16th CPC Central Committee, full members

of the Committee.

A total of 194 full members and 152 alternate members of the 16th CPC Central Committee attended the plenum. Members of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials from relevant departments also participated as observers.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2004)