Fifth Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee

It was held in Beijing from February 23 to 29, 1980. The theme of the conference was: adhering to and improving the leadership of the Party and enhancing the Party's combat effectiveness. The main agenda of the conference was: (1) To discuss and adopt the resolution on convening the 12th National Congress of the Party; (2) To co-opt the Standing Committee of the Central Political Bureau; to discuss and adopt the resolution on the establishment of the Central Secretariat; (3) To discuss the “Constitution of the Communist Party of China” (revision draft); (4) To discuss and adopt the “Several Norms of Intra-Party Political Life”.

The plenary session unanimously adopted the decision to convene the 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of China ahead of schedule, and to convene this congress at a specific time to be decided by the Central Political Bureau.

After thorough discussions, the plenary session decided to restore the system decided by the Eighth Party Congress and proved to be necessary and effective during the decade, to establish the Central Secretariat as a regular working body under the leadership of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and its Standing Committee, and to elect Comrade Hu Yaobang as the General Secretary of the Central Committee, and to elect (in the order of their surnames) Wan Li, Wang Renzhong, Fang Yi, Gu Mu, Song Renqiong, Yu Qiuli, Yang Dezhi, Hu Qiaomu, Hu Yaobang, Yao Yilin, Peng Chong and eleven other comrades as the Secretariat of the Central Committee.

The plenary session discussed the “Constitution of the Communist Party of China” (Revision Draft). It was submitted to the 12th National Congress of the Party for consideration and adoption. The revision draft to the Party Constitution sets out strict requirements for the conditions of Party membership, and at the same time makes better provisions for the Party's democratic centralism. The revision draft to the Party Constitution sums up historical experience, adapts to the needs of the period of socialist modernization, and makes a series of new provisions for the Party's cadre system, including the abolition of the life-time system that actually exists for cadre positions.

The plenary session discussed and unanimously adopted the "Several Norms of Intra-Party Political Life". The plenary session believes that the “Norms” summarize the lessons learned by our Party in dealing with intra-Party relations over the past decades, especially the lessons learned from the struggle with Lin Biao and the “Gang of Four” during the decade of the “Cultural Revolution”, and are an essential and concrete supplement to the Party Constitution. It is of great significance in promoting the positive elements in the Party, overcoming the negative elements, and giving full play to the pioneering and exemplary role of Party members. It was decided that these “Norms” would be published after the meeting and implemented throughout the Party.

The plenary session unanimously adopted the “Resolution on the Rehabilitation of Comrade Liu Shaoqi”, deciding to revoke the charge of "renegade, hidden traitor and stab" imposed on Comrade Liu Shaoqi by the Plenary Session of the 12th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the erroneous resolution to "expel Comrade Liu Shaoqi from the Party forever and revoke all his posts inside and outside the Party", to revoke the original review report, and to restore Comrade Liu Shaoqi's reputation as a great Marxist and proletarian revolutionary, one of the main leaders of the Party and the state; to hold a memorial service for Comrade Liu Shaoqi at an appropriate time; to have the unjust, false and erroneous cases caused by the implication of Comrade Liu Shaoqi's problems rehabilitated by the relevant departments.

The plenary session, in accordance with the opinions of the general public both inside and outside the Party, decided to approve the resignation requests of Comrades Wang Dongxing, Ji Dengkui, Wu De and Chen Xilian, and to remove or request the removal of the four comrades from the leading positions in the Party and the State held by them.

The plenary session believes that it is the Party's unwavering policy to promote socialist democracy and to improve the socialist legal system, to ensure that the masses have full rights and opportunities to express their views on state affairs, and to make suggestions and criticisms to the Party and government leaders. However, experience has proved that the so-called "Four Big" (rights) approach, i.e., the “to speak out freely”, “air views freely”, “hold big debates”, and “write big-character posters”, are not a good way to achieve this goal. As a whole, the “Four Big” (rights) have not played a positive role in safeguarding the democratic rights of the people, but rather have prevented the people from exercising their democratic rights properly. In order to help eliminate unstable factors, the plenary session decided to recommend to the National People's Congress that the provision in Article 45 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, which states that citizens "have the right to to speak out freely, air views freely, hold big debates, and write big-character posters", be abolished.

The plenary session prepared for the early convening of the 12th National Congress of the Party, and the adoption of the "Several Norms of Intra-Party Political Life" was of great significance in strengthening the Party building.