The Communist Party of China is an integral body organized under its program and constitution, on the principles of democratic centralism.

The basic principles of democratic centralism are:

(1) Individual Party members are subordinate to the Party organizations, the minority is subordinate to the majority, the lower Party organizations are subordinate to the higher Party organizations, and all the constituent organizations and members of the Party are subordinate to the National Congress and the Central Committee of the Party;

(2) The Party's leading organizations at all levels, except the representative offices sent out by them and the Party organizations in non-CPC organizations, will be produced through election;

(3) The highest leading body of the CPC is the National Congress and the Central Committee it creates. The local Party leading bodies at various levels are the local Party congress at various levels and the committees they create. The Party's committees at various levels are responsible and report their work to the Party's congress at the same level;

(4) The Party's organizations at higher level should often listen to the opinions of their subordinates as well as of Party members and the masses and solve their problems in time. The Party organizations at lower level should not only ask for instructions from and report their work to their superiors but also independently solve the problems within their own jurisdiction. The Party organizations at different levels should exchange information, supports and supervision. They should enable Party members to understand and participate more in Party's affairs;

(5) Party's committees at various levels practice a system of integrating the collective leadership with individual responsibility. All major issues shall be decided upon by the Party committees after democratic discussion. Members of the Party committees shall perform their duties according to the decisions of the committees and the division of labor; and

(6) The Party forbids all forms of personality cult. It should be guaranteed that the activities of Party leaders are under the supervision of the Party and the people, and meanwhile that the prestige of all leaders who represent the interests of the Party and people are safeguarded.

The delegates to the CPC congress at various levels and committees are elected by the Party members and their representatives by secret ballot. The voters have the right to learn about the candidates, require the change of candidates, vote against all candidates, and to vote for others. No organization or individual shall force voters to vote for or against a certain candidate by any means. If there is a case of violating the Party's Constitution during the election of various local Party congresses and grass-roots congresses, the Party committee at the higher lever, upon investigation and verification, shall make the decision to declare the ballot invalid and adopt corrective measures, and then report to its superior for examination and approval. The execution of the decision shall be officially announced upon its approval.