Chinese Communist Party publishes key policy document on governance capability

China's ruling Communist Party Sunday published a major policy document on enhancing the Party's governance capability, stressing it is "a major strategic subject with a bearing on the success of China's socialist cause, the future and destiny of the Chinese nation, the life and death of the Party, as well as the lasting stability and prosperity of the country."

The 36-page CPC Central Committee Decision on the Enhancement of the Party's Governance Capability was adopted at the Fourth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Sept. 16 to 19.

The document says that China's reform and development has reached a critical stage in which new situations and new problems are mushrooming and "hostile forces are still pursuing their strategic attempts to westernize and separate our country."

It warns that the CPC's ruling status is by no means a natural result of the Party's founding, and will not remain forever if the Party does nothing to safeguard it.

"We must develop a stronger sense of crisis, draw experience and lessons from the success and failure of other ruling parties in the world, and enhance our governance capability in a more earnest and conscientious manner," it says.

- CPC stresses importance, urgency to enhance governance capability

- CPC summarizes ruling experience

- CPC document puts development as top priority of Party's governance

- CPC document urges promotion of socialist democracy

- CPC pledges to focus on Party building for advancement of ruling capacity

- CPC pledges to build up harmonious society of socialism

- CPC vows to uphold Marxism as guiding ideology

- CPC to adhere to independent foreign policy of peace