The CPC uses Marxism, Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory as the guidance in its action.

Since its inception, the Party has considered Marxism and Leninism as its guiding ideology. During the long-term revolutionary struggle, the CPC members represented by Mao Zedong integrated the general theory of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of Chinese revolution and founded Mao Zedong Thought.

Mao Zedong Thought is the application and development of Marxism-Leninism in China. It is proven in practice to be the correct theoretic principles and summary of experience concerning China's revolution and construction. It is a product of the collective wisdom of the CPC.

After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee which was held at the end of 1978, the CPC represented by Deng Xiaoping, summing up both positive and negative experience accumulated since the founding of the Republic and following the principle of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from facts, shifted the focus of work to economic construction and introduced the policies of reform and opening to the outside world, bringing China into a new period of socialist construction.

During the process, lines, principles and policies of building socialism with Chinese characteristics gradually took shape and basic issues in respect of building, consolidating and developing socialism in China were clarified. As a result, the Deng Xiaoping Theory, a product of the integration of Marxism-Leninism with contemporary Chinese practices and characteristics, was established. It carries on and further develops the Mao Zedong Thought under new historical conditions. As a crystallization of collective wisdom of the CPC, it will correctly guide the Chinese people to successfully achieve socialist modernization.