Party Constitution
(Amended and adopted at the Seventeenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China on October 21, 2007)
General Program
The Communist Party of China isthe vanguard both of the Chinese working classand of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. It is the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics andrepresents the development trend of China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people.The realization of communism is the highest ideal and ultimate goal of the Party.
The Communist Party of China takes Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as its guide to action.
Marxism-Leninism brings to light the laws governing the development of the history of human society. Its basic tenets are correct and have tremendous vitality. The highest ideal of communism pursued by the Chinese Communists can be realized only when the socialist society is fully developed and highly advanced. The development and improvement of the socialist system is a long historical process. So long as the Chinese Communists uphold the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism and follow the road suited to China's specific conditions and chosen by the Chinese people of their own accord, the socialist cause in China will be crowned with final victory.
The Chinese Communists, with Comrade Mao Zedong as their chief representative, createdMao Zedong Thoughtby integrating the basic tenets ofMarxism-Leninismwith the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution. Mao Zedong Thought is Marxism-Leninism applied and developed in China; it consists of a body of theoretical principles concerning the revolution and construction in China and a summary of experience therein, both of which have been proved correct by practice; and it represents the crystallized, collective wisdom of the Communist Party of China. Under the guidance of Mao Zedong Thought, the Communist Party of China led the people of all ethnic groups in the country in their prolongedrevolutionary struggle against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat-capitalism, winning victory in the new-democratic revolution and founding the People's Republic of China, a people's democratic dictatorship. After the founding of the People's Republic, it led them in carrying out socialist transformation successfully, completing the transition from New Democracy to socialism, establishing the basic system of socialism and developing socialism economically, politically and culturally.
After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Party Central Committee, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Deng Xiaoping as their chief representative, analyzed their experience, both positive and negative, gained since the founding of the People's Republic, emancipated their minds, sought truth from facts, shifted the focus of the work of the whole Party onto economic development and carried out reform and opening to the outside world, ushering in a new era of development in the cause of socialism, gradually formulating the line, principles and policies concerning the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics and expounding the basic questions concerning the building, consolidation and development of socialism in China, and thus creating Deng Xiaoping Theory. Deng Xiaoping Theory is the outcome of the integration of the basic tenets of Marxism-Leninism with the practice of contemporary China and the features of the times, a continuation and development of Mao Zedong Thought under new historical conditions; it represents a new stage of development of Marxism in China, it is Marxism of contemporary China and it is the crystallized, collective wisdom of the Communist Party of China. It is guiding the socialist modernization of China from victory to victory.
After the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Party Central Committee and in the practice of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Chinese Communists, with Comrade Jiang Zemin as their chief representative, acquired a deeper understanding of what socialism is, how to build it and what kind of party to build and how to build it, accumulated new valuable experience in running the Party and state and formed the important thought of Three Represents. The important thought of Three Represents is a continuation and development of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory; it reflects new requirements for the work of the Party and state arising from the developments and changes in China and other parts of the world today; it serves as a powerful theoretical weapon for strengthening and improving Party building and for promoting self-improvement and development of socialism in China; and it is the crystallized, collective wisdom of the Communist Party of China. It is a guiding ideology that the Party must uphold for a long time to come.Persistent implementation of the Three Represents is the foundation for building the Party, the cornerstone for its governance and the source of its strength.
Since the Sixteenth National Congress, the Central Committee of the Party has followed the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and, by pooling the wisdom of the whole Party to meet new requirements of development, formulated the Scientific Outlook on Development, which puts people first and calls for comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development. The outlook is a scientific theory that is in the same line as Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents and keeps up with the times. It is an important guiding principle for China's economic and social development and a major strategic thought that must be upheld and applied in developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
The fundamental reason behind all of China's achievements and progress since the reform and opening up policy was introduced is, in the final analysis,that the Party has blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and established a system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics.All Party members must cherish the path and the system that the Party explored and created after going through all the hardships, keep to the path and uphold the system for a long time to come and constantly develop them. They must hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and strive to fulfill the three historical tasks of advancing the modernization drive, achieving national reunification, and safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.
China is inthe primary stage of socialismand will remain so for a long time to come. This is a historical stage which cannot be skipped in socialist modernization in China which is backward economically and culturally. It will last for over a hundred years. In socialist construction the Party must proceed from China's specific conditions and take the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the present stage,the principal contradiction in Chinese society is one between the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and the low level of production.Owing to both domestic circumstances and foreign influences, class struggle will continue to exist within a certain scope for a long time and may possibly grow acute under certain conditions, but it is no longer the principal contradiction. In building socialism, the basic task is to further release and develop the productive forces and achieve socialist modernization step by step by carrying out reform in those aspects and links of the production relations and the superstructure that do not conform to the development of the productive forces.The Party must uphold and improve the basic economic system, with public ownership playing a dominant role and different economic sectors developing side by side, as well as the system of distribution under which distribution according to work is dominant and a variety of modes of distribution coexist, encourage some areas and some people to become rich first, gradually eliminate poverty, achieve common prosperity, continuously meet the people's ever-growing material and cultural needs on the basis of the growth of production and social wealth and promote people's all-round development.Development is the Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country. The general starting point and criterion for judging all the Party's work should be how it benefits development of the productive forces in China's socialist society, adds to the overall strength of socialist China and improves the people's living standards. The Party must respect work, knowledge, talent and creation and ensure that development is for the people, by the people and with the people sharing in its fruits. The beginning of the new century marks China's entry into the new stage of development of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and accelerating socialist modernization. The Party must promote all-round economic, political, cultural and social development in accordance with the overall arrangements for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The strategic objectives of economic and social development at this new stage in the new century are to consolidate and develop the relatively comfortable life initially attained, bring China into a moderately prosperous society of a higher level to the benefit of well over one billion people by the time of the Party's centenary and bring the per capita GDP up to the level of moderately developed countries and realize modernization in the main by the time of the centenary of the People's Republic of China.
The basic line of the Communist Party of China in the primary stage of socialism is to lead the people of all ethnic groups in a concerted, self-reliant and pioneering effort to turn China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious modern socialist country by making economic development the central task while upholding the Four Cardinal Principles and the reform and opening up policy.
In leading the cause of socialism, the Communist Party of China must persist in taking economic development as the central task, making all other work subordinate to and serve this central task. The Party must lose no time in speeding up development, implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education, the strategy of strengthening the nation with trained personnel and the strategy of sustainable development, and give full play to the role of science and technology as the primary productive force. The Party must take advantage of the advancement of science and technology to improve the quality of workers and promote sound and rapid development of the national economy.
The Four Cardinal Principles to keep to the socialist road and to uphold the people's democratic dictatorship, leadership by the Communist Party of China, and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought are the foundation on which to build the country. Throughout the course of socialist modernization the Party must adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles and combat bourgeois liberalization.
Reform and opening up are the path to a stronger China. The Party must carry out fundamental reform of the economic structure that hampers the development of the productive forces, and keep to and improve the socialist market economy; it must also carry out corresponding political restructuring and reform in other fields. The Party must adhere to the basic state policy of opening up and assimilate and exploit the achievements of all other cultures. It must be bold in making explorations and breaking new ground in reform and opening up, make its reform decisions more scientific, better coordinate its reform measures and blaze new trails in practice.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in developingthe socialist market economy.It unwaveringly consolidates and develops the public sector of the economy and unswervingly encourages, supports and guides the development of the non-public sector.It gives play to the basic role of market forces in allocating resources and works to set up a sound system of macroeconomic regulation.The Party works to balance urban and rural development, development among regions, economic and social development, relations between man and nature, and domestic development and opening to the outside world, adjust the economic structure, and transform the pattern of economic development. It is dedicated to building a new socialist countryside, taking a new path of industrialization with Chinese characteristics, and making China an innovative country and a resource-conserving, environment-friendly society.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in promoting socialist democracy. It integrates its leadership, the position of the people as masters of the country, and the rule of law, takes the path of political development under socialism with Chinese characteristics, expands socialist democracy, improves the socialist legal system, builds a socialist country under the rule of law, consolidates the people's democratic dictatorship, and builds socialist political civilization. It upholds and improves the system of people's congresses, the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under its leadership, the system of regional ethnic autonomy, and the system of self-governance at the primary level of society. It takes effective measures to protect the people's right to manage state and social affairs as well as economic and cultural programs. It respects and safeguards human rights. It encourages the free airing of views and works to establish sound systems and procedures of democratic election, decision-making, administration and oversight. It strengthens state legislation and law enforcement so as to bring all work of the state under the rule of law.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in developing an advanced socialist culture. It promotes socialist cultural and ethical progress, combines the rule of law and the rule of virtue in running the country and works to raise the ideological and moral standards and scientific and educational levels of the entire nation so as to provide a powerful ideological guarantee, motivation and intellectual support for reform, opening up and socialist modernization. It adheres to Marxism as its guiding ideology, fosters the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, promotes patriotism-centered national spirit and the spirit of the times centering on reform and innovation and advocates the socialist maxims of honor and disgrace. It works to enhance the people's sense of national dignity, self-confidence and self-reliance, resist corrosion by decadent capitalist and feudal ideas and wipe out all social evils so that the people will have high ideals, moral integrity, a good education and a strong sense of discipline. It also needs to imbue its members with the lofty ideal of communism. The Party strives to develop educational, scientific and cultural programs, carry forward the fine traditional culture of the Chinese nation, and develop a thriving socialist culture.
The Communist Party of China leads the people in buildinga harmonious socialist society. In accordance with the general requirements for democracy and the rule of law, equity and justice, honesty and fraternity, vigor and vitality, stability and order, and harmony between man and nature and the principle of all the people building and sharing a harmonious socialist society, the Party focuses its efforts on improving people's lives by solving the most specific problems of the utmost and immediate concern to the people and strives to create a situation in which all people do their best, find their proper places in society and live together in harmony. The Party strictly distinguishes between the two different types of contradictions those between ourselves and the enemy and those among the people and works to handle them correctly. It will strengthen comprehensive measures to maintain law and order, and resolutely combat criminal activities that endanger national security and interests, social stability and economic development and bring criminals to justice in accordance with the law, so as to maintain lasting social stability.
The Communist Party of China persists in its leadership over the People's Liberation Army and other armed forces of the people, builds up the strength of the People's Liberation Army, ensures that it accomplishes its historical missions at this new stage in the new century, and gives full play to its role in consolidating national defense, defending the motherland and participating in the socialist modernization drive.
The Communist Party of China upholds and promotes socialist ethnic relations based on equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and harmony, actively trains and promotes cadres from among ethnic minorities, helps ethnic minorities and ethnic autonomous areas with their economic, cultural and social development, and ensures that all ethnic groups work together for common prosperity and development. The Party strives to fully implement its basic principle for its work related to religious affairs, and rallies religious believers in making contributions to economic and social development.
The Communist Party of China rallies all workers, farmers and intellectuals, and all the democratic parties, personages without party affiliation and the patriotic forces of all ethnic groups in China in further expanding and fortifying the broadest possible patriotic united front embracing all socialist workers, all builders of the cause of socialism and all patriots who support socialism or who support the reunification of the motherland. The Party will constantly strengthen the unity of all the Chinese people, including the compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and in Taiwan as well as overseas Chinese. It will promote long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao and complete the great cause of reunifying the motherland in conformity with the principle of "one country, two systems."
The Communist Party of China adheres to an independent foreign policy of peace, follows the path of peaceful development and a win-win strategy of opening up, takes both the domestic and international situations into consideration, and vigorously develops relations with other countries in order to bring about a favorable international environment for China's reform, opening up and modernization. In international affairs, it safeguards China's independence and sovereignty, opposes hegemonism and power politics, defends world peace, promotes human progress, and pushes for the building of a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity. It develops relations between China and other countries on the basis of the five principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression, noninterference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. It strives for the constant development of good-neighborly relations between China and the surrounding countries and for the strengthening of the unity and cooperation between China and other developing countries. The Communist Party of China develops relations with communist parties and other political parties in other countries in accordance with the principles of independence, complete equality, mutual respect and noninterference in each other's internal affairs.
中國共產黨章程
（中國共產黨第十七次全國代表大會部分修改，2007年10月21日通過）
總 綱
中國共產黨是中國工人階級的先鋒隊，同時是中國人民和中華民族的先鋒隊，是中國特色社會主義事業的領導核心，代表中國先進生產力的發展要求，代表中國先進文化的前進方向，代表中國最廣大人民的根本利益。黨的最高理想和最終目標是實現共產主義。
中國共產黨以馬克思列寧主義、毛澤東思想、鄧小平理論和“三個代表”重要思想作為自己的行動指南。
馬克思列寧主義揭示了人類社會歷史發展的規律，它的基本原理是正確的，具有強大的生命力。中國共產黨人追求的共產主義最高理想，只有在社會主義社會充分發展和高度發達的基礎上才能實現。社會主義制度的發展和完善是一個長期的歷史過程。堅持馬克思列寧主義的基本原理，走中國人民自愿選擇的適合中國國情的道路，中國的社會主義事業必將取得最終的勝利。
以毛澤東同志為主要代表的中國共產黨人，把馬克思列寧主義的基本原理同中國革命的具體實踐結合起來，創立了毛澤東思想。毛澤東思想是馬克思列寧主義在中國的運用和發展，是被實踐證明了的關于中國革命和建設的正確的理論原則和經驗總結，是中國共產黨集體智慧的結晶。在毛澤東思想指引下，中國共產黨領導全國各族人民，經過長期的反對帝國主義、封建主義、官僚資本主義的革命斗爭，取得了新民主主義革命的勝利，建立了人民民主專政的中華人民共和國；建國以后，順利地進行了社會主義改造，完成了從新民主主義到社會主義的過渡，確立了社會主義基本制度，發展了社會主義的經濟、政治和文化。
十一屆三中全會以來，以鄧小平同志為主要代表的中國共產黨人，總結建國以來正反兩方面的經驗，解放思想，實事求是，實現全黨工作中心向經濟建設的轉移，實行改革開放，開辟了社會主義事業發展的新時期，逐步形成了建設中國特色社會主義的路線、方針、政策，闡明了在中國建設社會主義、鞏固和發展社會主義的基本問題，創立了鄧小平理論。鄧小平理論是馬克思列寧主義的基本原理同當代中國實踐和時代特征相結合的產物，是毛澤東思想在新的歷史條件下的繼承和發展，是馬克思主義在中國發展的新階段，是當代中國的馬克思主義，是中國共產黨集體智慧的結晶，引導著我國社會主義現代化事業不斷前進。
十三屆四中全會以來，以江澤民同志為主要代表的中國共產黨人，在建設中國特色社會主義的實踐中，加深了對什么是社會主義、怎樣建設社會主義和建設什么樣的黨、怎樣建設黨的認識，積累了治黨治國新的寶貴經驗，形成了“三個代表”重要思想。“三個代表”重要思想是對馬克思列寧主義、毛澤東思想、鄧小平理論的繼承和發展，反映了當代世界和中國的發展變化對黨和國家工作的新要求，是加強和改進黨的建設、推進我國社會主義自我完善和發展的強大理論武器，是中國共產黨集體智慧的結晶，是黨必須長期堅持的指導思想。始終做到“三個代表”，是我們黨的立黨之本、執政之基、力量之源。
十六大以來，黨中央堅持以鄧小平理論和“三個代表”重要思想為指導，根據新的發展要求，集中全黨智慧，提出了以人為本、全面協調可持續發展的科學發展觀。科學發展觀，是同馬克思列寧主義、毛澤東思想、鄧小平理論和“三個代表”重要思想既一脈相承又與時俱進的科學理論，是我國經濟社會發展的重要指導方針，是發展中國特色社會主義必須堅持和貫徹的重大戰略思想。
改革開放以來我們取得一切成績和進步的根本原因，歸結起來就是：開辟了中國特色社會主義道路，形成了中國特色社會主義理論體系。全黨同志要倍加珍惜、長期堅持和不斷發展黨歷經艱辛開創的這條道路和這個理論體系，高舉中國特色社會主義偉大旗幟，為實現推進現代化建設、完成祖國統一、維護世界和平與促進共同發展這三大歷史任務而奮斗。
我國正處于并將長期處于社會主義初級階段。這是在經濟文化落后的中國建設社會主義現代化不可逾越的歷史階段，需要上百年的時間。我國的社會主義建設，必須從我國的國情出發，走中國特色社會主義道路。在現階段，我國社會的主要矛盾是人民日益增長的物質文化需要同落后的社會生產之間的矛盾。由于國內的因素和國際的影響，階級斗爭還在一定范圍內長期存在，在某種條件下還有可能激化，但已經不是主要矛盾。我國社會主義建設的根本任務，是進一步解放生產力，發展生產力，逐步實現社會主義現代化，并且為此而改革生產關系和上層建筑中不適應生產力發展的方面和環節。必須堅持和完善公有制為主體、多種所有制經濟共同發展的基本經濟制度，堅持和完善按勞分配為主體、多種分配方式并存的分配制度，鼓勵一部分地區和一部分人先富起來，逐步消滅貧窮，達到共同富裕，在生產發展和社會財富增長的基礎上不斷滿足人民日益增長的物質文化需要，促進人的全面發展。發展是我們黨執政興國的第一要務。各項工作都要把有利于發展社會主義社會的生產力，有利于增強社會主義國家的綜合國力，有利于提高人民的生活水平，作為總的出發點和檢驗標準，尊重勞動、尊重知識、尊重人才、尊重創造，做到發展為了人民、發展依靠人民、發展成果由人民共享。跨入新世紀，我國進入全面建設小康社會、加快推進社會主義現代化的新的發展階段。必須按照中國特色社會主義事業總體布局，全面推進經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設、社會建設。在新世紀新階段，經濟和社會發展的戰略目標是，鞏固和發展已經初步達到的小康水平，到建黨一百年時，建成惠及十幾億人口的更高水平的小康社會；到建國一百年時，人均國內生產總值達到中等發達國家水平，基本實現現代化。
中國共產黨在社會主義初級階段的基本路線是：領導和團結全國各族人民，以經濟建設為中心，堅持四項基本原則，堅持改革開放，自力更生，艱苦創業，為把我國建設成為富強民主文明和諧的社會主義現代化國家而奮斗。
中國共產黨在領導社會主義事業中，必須堅持以經濟建設為中心，其他各項工作都服從和服務于這個中心。要抓緊時機，加快發展，實施科教興國戰略、人才強國戰略和可持續發展戰略，充分發揮科學技術作為第一生產力的作用，依靠科技進步，提高勞動者素質，促進國民經濟又好又快發展。
堅持社會主義道路、堅持人民民主專政、堅持中國共產黨的領導、堅持馬克思列寧主義毛澤東思想這四項基本原則，是我們的立國之本。在社會主義現代化建設的整個過程中，必須堅持四項基本原則，反對資產階級自由化。
堅持改革開放，是我們的強國之路。要從根本上改革束縛生產力發展的經濟體制，堅持和完善社會主義市場經濟體制；與此相適應，要進行政治體制改革和其他領域的改革。要堅持對外開放的基本國策，吸收和借鑒人類社會創造的一切文明成果。改革開放應當大膽探索，勇于開拓，提高改革決策的科學性，增強改革措施的協調性，在實踐中開創新路。
中國共產黨領導人民發展社會主義市場經濟。毫不動搖地鞏固和發展公有制經濟，毫不動搖地鼓勵、支持、引導非公有制經濟發展。發揮市場在資源配置中的基礎性作用，建立完善的宏觀調控體系。統籌城鄉發展、區域發展、經濟社會發展、人與自然和諧發展、國內發展和對外開放，調整經濟結構，轉變經濟發展方式。建設社會主義新農村，走中國特色新型工業化道路，建設創新型國家，建設資源節約型、環境友好型社會。
中國共產黨領導人民發展社會主義民主政治。堅持黨的領導、人民當家作主、依法治國有機統一，走中國特色社會主義政治發展道路，擴大社會主義民主，健全社會主義法制，建設社會主義法治國家，鞏固人民民主專政，建設社會主義政治文明。堅持和完善人民代表大會制度、中國共產黨領導的多黨合作和政治協商制度、民族區域自治制度以及基層群眾自治制度。切實保障人民管理國家事務和社會事務、管理經濟和文化事業的權利。尊重和保障人權。廣開言路，建立健全民主選舉、民主決策、民主管理、民主監督的制度和程序。加強國家立法和法律實施工作，實現國家各項工作法治化。
中國共產黨領導人民發展社會主義先進文化。建設社會主義精神文明，實行依法治國和以德治國相結合，提高全民族的思想道德素質和科學文化素質，為改革開放和社會主義現代化建設提供強大的思想保證、精神動力和智力支持。堅持馬克思主義指導思想，樹立中國特色社會主義共同理想，弘揚以愛國主義為核心的民族精神和以改革創新為核心的時代精神，倡導社會主義榮辱觀，增強民族自尊、自信和自強精神，抵御資本主義和封建主義腐朽思想的侵蝕，掃除各種社會丑惡現象，努力使我國人民成為有理想、有道德、有文化、有紀律的人民。對黨員還要進行共產主義遠大理想教育。大力發展教育、科學、文化事業，弘揚民族優秀傳統文化，繁榮和發展社會主義文化。
中國共產黨領導人民構建社會主義和諧社會。按照民主法治、公平正義、誠信友愛、充滿活力、安定有序、人與自然和諧相處的總要求和共同建設、共同享有的原則，以改善民生為重點，解決好人民最關心、最直接、最現實的利益問題，努力形成全體人民各盡其能、各得其所而又和諧相處的局面。嚴格區分和正確處理敵我矛盾和人民內部矛盾這兩類不同性質的矛盾。加強社會治安綜合治理，依法堅決打擊各種危害國家安全和利益、危害社會穩定和經濟發展的犯罪活動和犯罪分子，保持社會長期穩定。
中國共產黨堅持對人民解放軍和其他人民武裝力量的領導，加強人民解放軍的建設，切實保證人民解放軍履行新世紀新階段軍隊歷史使命，充分發揮人民解放軍在鞏固國防、保衛祖國和參加社會主義現代化建設中的作用。
中國共產黨維護和發展平等團結互助和諧的社會主義民族關系，積極培養、選拔少數民族干部，幫助少數民族和民族地區發展經濟、文化和社會事業，實現各民族共同團結奮斗、共同繁榮發展。全面貫徹黨的宗教工作基本方針，團結信教群眾為經濟社會發展作貢獻。
中國共產黨同全國各民族工人、農民、知識分子團結在一起，同各民主黨派、無黨派人士、各民族的愛國力量團結在一起，進一步發展和壯大由全體社會主義勞動者、社會主義事業的建設者、擁護社會主義的愛國者、擁護祖國統一的愛國者組成的最廣泛的愛國統一戰線。不斷加強全國人民包括香港特別行政區同胞、澳門特別行政區同胞、臺灣同胞和海外僑胞的團結。按照“一個國家、兩種制度”的方針，促進香港、澳門長期繁榮穩定，完成祖國統一大業。
中國共產黨堅持獨立自主的和平外交政策，堅持和平發展道路，堅持互利共贏的開放戰略，統籌國內國際兩個大局，積極發展對外關系，努力為我國的改革開放和現代化建設爭取有利的國際環境。在國際事務中，維護我國的獨立和主權，反對霸權主義和強權政治，維護世界和平，促進人類進步，努力推動建設持久和平、共同繁榮的和諧世界。在互相尊重主權和領土完整、互不侵犯、互不干涉內政、平等互利、和平共處五項原則的基礎上，發展我國同世界各國的關系。不斷發展我國同周邊國家的睦鄰友好關系，加強同發展中國家的團結與合作。按照獨立自主、完全平等、互相尊重、互不干涉內部事務的原則，發展我黨同各國共產黨和其他政黨的關系。
中國共產黨要領導全國各族人民實現社會主義現代化的宏偉目標，必須緊密圍繞黨的基本路線，加強黨的執政能力建設和先進性建設，以改革創新精神全面推進黨的建設新的偉大工程。堅持立黨為公、執政為民，堅持黨要管黨、從嚴治黨，發揚黨的優良傳統和作風，不斷提高黨的領導水平和執政水平，提高拒腐防變和抵御風險的能力，不斷增強黨的階級基礎和擴大黨的群眾基礎，不斷提高黨的創造力、凝聚力、戰斗力，使我們黨始終走在時代前列，成為領導全國人民沿著中國特色社會主義道路不斷前進的堅強核心。黨的建設必須堅決實現以下四項基本要求：
第一，堅持黨的基本路線。全黨要用鄧小平理論、“三個代表”重要思想和黨的基本路線統一思想，統一行動，深入貫徹落實科學發展觀，并且毫不動搖地長期堅持下去。必須把改革開放同四項基本原則統一起來，全面落實黨的基本路線，全面執行黨在社會主義初級階段的基本綱領，反對一切“左”的和右的錯誤傾向，要警惕右，但主要是防止“左”。加強各級領導班子建設，選拔使用在改革開放和社會主義現代化建設中政績突出、群眾信任的干部，培養和造就千百萬社會主義事業接班人，從組織上保證黨的基本理論、基本路線、基本綱領、基本經驗的貫徹落實。
第二，堅持解放思想，實事求是，與時俱進。黨的思想路線是一切從實際出發，理論聯系實際，實事求是，在實踐中檢驗真理和發展真理。全黨必須堅持這條思想路線，弘揚求真務實精神，積極探索，大膽試驗，開拓創新，創造性地開展工作，不斷研究新情況，總結新經驗，解決新問題，在實踐中豐富和發展馬克思主義，推進馬克思主義中國化。
第三，堅持全心全意為人民服務。黨除了工人階級和最廣大人民群眾的利益，沒有自己特殊的利益。黨在任何時候都把群眾利益放在第一位，同群眾同甘共苦，保持最密切的聯系，堅持權為民所用、情為民所系、利為民所謀，不允許任何黨員脫離群眾，凌駕于群眾之上。黨在自己的工作中實行群眾路線，一切為了群眾，一切依靠群眾，從群眾中來，到群眾中去，把黨的正確主張變為群眾的自覺行動。我們黨的最大政治優勢是密切聯系群眾，黨執政后的最大危險是脫離群眾。黨風問題、黨同人民群眾聯系問題是關系黨生死存亡的問題。黨堅持標本兼治、綜合治理、懲防并舉、注重預防的方針，建立健全懲治和預防腐敗體系，堅持不懈地反對腐敗，加強黨風建設和廉政建設。
第四，堅持民主集中制。民主集中制是民主基礎上的集中和集中指導下的民主相結合。它既是黨的根本組織原則，也是群眾路線在黨的生活中的運用。必須充分發揚黨內民主，保障黨員民主權利，發揮各級黨組織和廣大黨員的積極性創造性。必須實行正確的集中，保證全黨的團結統一和行動一致，保證黨的決定得到迅速有效的貫徹執行。加強組織性紀律性，在黨的紀律面前人人平等。加強對黨的領導機關和黨員領導干部的監督，不斷完善黨內監督制度。黨在自己的政治生活中正確地開展批評和自我批評，在原則問題上進行思想斗爭，堅持真理，修正錯誤。努力造成又有集中又有民主，又有紀律又有自由，又有統一意志又有個人心情舒暢的生動活潑的政治局面。
黨的領導主要是政治、思想和組織的領導。黨要適應改革開放和社會主義現代化建設的要求，堅持科學執政、民主執政、依法執政，加強和改善黨的領導。黨必須按照總攬全局、協調各方的原則，在同級各種組織中發揮領導核心作用。黨必須集中精力領導經濟建設，組織、協調各方面的力量，同心協力，圍繞經濟建設開展工作，促進經濟社會全面發展。黨必須實行民主的科學的決策，制定和執行正確的路線、方針、政策，做好黨的組織工作和宣傳教育工作，發揮全體黨員的先鋒模范作用。黨必須在憲法和法律的范圍內活動。黨必須保證國家的立法、司法、行政機關，經濟、文化組織和人民團體積極主動地、獨立負責地、協調一致地工作。黨必須加強對工會、共產主義青年團、婦女聯合會等群眾組織的領導，充分發揮它們的作用。黨必須適應形勢的發展和情況的變化，完善領導體制，改進領導方式，增強執政能力。共產黨員必須同黨外群眾親密合作，共同為建設中國特色社會主義而奮斗。
