The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will hold a primary election before a final ballot to choose members of the new CPC Central Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the presidium of the congress decided yesterday.

The 237-member presidium, which oversees the congress, held its second meeting at the Great Hall of the People yesterday afternoon, and adopted the electoral procedure that has been in practice since the 13th Party congress in 1987.

The presidium meeting, presided over by Party chief Hu Jintao, endorsed a proposed list of nominees as candidates for members and alternate members of the central committee, and members of the CCDI. The list will be submitted to all delegations for consideration.

A list of ballot scrutineers was also accepted by the presidium.

Zeng Qinghong, secretary-general of the congress, briefed the presidium on the list of nominees.

In addition, the presidium adopted draft resolutions on the report made by Hu on behalf of the 16th CPC Central Committee, the report of the CCDI and amendments to the Party Constitution.

Xinhua

(China Daily 10/18/2007 page1)