The National Level Congress of the CPC in 1985

It was a special meeting convened in Beijing from September 18 to 23, 1985. The main topics of the Plenary Session were: Discussion and adoption of the "The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Formulation of the Seventh Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development"; second agenda was the co-option, changes of the members and organizational re-adjustment of the leading central and administrative organs of the CPC and other organizational issues.

Hu Yaobang delivered an opening speech titled "Unity and Struggle for Further Development". Zhao Ziyang made a statement on the "The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Formulating of the Seventh Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (Draft)". The National Congress deliberated and adopted the “The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Formulating of the Seventh Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (1986-1990)", to be submitted to the Fourth Session of the Sixth National People's Congress for consideration and approval for promulgation and implementation. The Plenary Session discussed the partial personnel changes and organizational re-adjustment of the three central leading bodies of the Party and listened to the important speeches made by Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yun and the closing speech was delivered by Li Xiannian.

In his speech, Deng Xiaoping pointed out that the nearly seven years since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee was one of the most critical periods since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The CPC accomplished two main things, one is to set things right and the other is the launching of a comprehensive reform. “This reform is part of the self-perfecting process of the socialist system, and in certain areas and to a certain extent it is also a revolutionary change. It is a major undertaking that shows we have begun to find a way of building socialism with Chinese characteristics”. Deng Xiaoping pointed out: During the “Seventh Five-Year Plan”, first and foremost “we must manage production well, ensure quality, and seek economic and social returns, so as to guarantee the planned growth rate.”

He stressed that the correct Party style is the key to bring about a fundamental improvement in general social conduct. “Material progress will suffer delays and setbacks unless we promote cultural and ethical progress as well. We can never succeed in revolution and construction if we rely on material conditions alone. ” He affirmed the positive role played by a number of veteran cadres have taken the lead in abolishing the system of life tenure in leading posts, which further promoted the reform of the cadre system, added that having new cadres succeed old provides the organizational guarantee for the continuity of the Party’s policies. Deng Xiaoping also demanded that not only for new cadres but for old ones as well should study Marxist theory.

Chen Yun stressed in his speech that the cadres should maintain the echelon structure and we must pay great attention to grain production; socialist economy still needs to be planned and developed in a proportional way; that the improvement of the Party style is still a major issue for the whole Party; ideological and political work should be strengthened and the authority of the Party's ideological and political work department should be maintained as well adhere to the principle of democratic centralism must be upheld.

The Plenary Session discussed the issue of replacing old members with new ones in the three central leading bodies and partial re-adjustment of the leading bodies of the Central Committee. The Plenary Session considered that in order to keep the Party's leading organs being vigorous and to ensure the continuity of the Party's lines, guidelines and policies, the further realization of the alternation of old and new members of the leading bodies of the Central Committee had become an important issue of overall importance. The Plenary Session unanimously endorsed the “Report of the Fourth Plenary Session of the Twelfth Central Committee on the Request of Agreeing that Some Old Comrades No Longer Serve as the Members in the Three Central Leading Bodies for the Consideration of the National Delegates' Conference”, agreed that 64 comrades no longer serve as members and alternate members of the Central Committee, 36 comrades no longer serve as the members of the Central Advisory Commission, and 31 comrades no longer serve as members of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The Plenary Session elected 56 new full members and 35 alternate members to the Central Committee, 56 new members to the Central Advisory Commission and 31 new members to the Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection.