Congress delegates closely vetted before election

The presidium of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China holds its first meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday. CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping was present and delivered a speech. JU PENG / XINHUA

Group shows a big increase in frontline workers, ethnic minorities and women

The election of delegates to the Party's 19th National Congress was carried out with strict examination of the qualifications of candidates and enforcement of discipline, according to a report that was passed on Tuesday by the presidium led by General Secretary Xi Jinping.

The report, approved at the presidium's first meeting, confirmed the credentials of 2,280 delegates from the 2,287 delegates previously elected by the Communist Party of China from around the nation. Xi attended the meeting and gave an important speech.

The 243-member presidential team was elected at the preparatory meeting of the congress held at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday afternoon.

Xi presided over the preparatory meeting, which was attended by 2,307 Party delegates and invited delegates.

A 22-member delegate credentials committee was approved at the meeting. A presidium of the congress consisting of 243 members was also approved. Attendees also approved the organizational setup and tasks of the secretariat of the congress.

The report said the CPC Central Committee, with Xi as the core, has attached great importance to the election of the delegates to the 19th National Congress.

Since November, the Party's organizations have advanced election work under the rules of the Party's Constitution, it said.

During the election process, the Party organizations have widely heard the voices of grassroots agencies and Party members, made political integrity the top priority, and collected opinions from disciplinary authorities, the report said.

The CPC National Congress, usually held every five years, unveils new leadership and sets a blueprint for national development for the next five years and beyond.

Some 99.2 percent of the country's 89 million-plus Party members and all the primary-level Party organizations took part in the election, according to the Party.

The report said the delegates all meet the criteria laid down by the CPC Central Committee. With balanced composition and distribution, the proportion of delegates from the front lines of work has increased outstandingly, and the numbers of women and ethnic delegates both increased, it said.

During the seven-day congress that starts on Wednesday, the delegates will hear and examine a report submitted by the 18th CPC Central Committee, examine a work report of the 18th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, deliberate and adopt an amendment to the Party's Constitution, and elect the Party's 19th Central Committee and its 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.