China Launches Election Process for 21st National Congress

The Communist Party of China has initiated the election process for 2,360 delegates to its 21st national congress, which will convene in Beijing during the second half of 2027. The process follows a decision made by the 20th CPC Central Committee during its fifth plenary session in late October. The upcoming congress is tasked with electing a new CPC Central Committee and a new CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the adoption of the election circular and convened meetings with the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee to establish the objectives and requirements for the process. The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee is managing the detailed arrangements across 38 electoral units. Candidates will undergo scrutiny for integrity, capacity, and political stance, with a requirement that the number of candidates exceeds available seats by more than 15 percent.

To ensure representative composition, the party mandates that front-line workers comprise at least one-third of delegates from central state-owned enterprises and provincial-level regions, and at least 15 percent from central Party and state departments. The electoral process consists of five steps: nomination, assessment, the formation of preliminary and preparatory lists, a formal election, and a final qualification review.