China's biggest political event, National Congress, in October

The Communist Party of China (CPC) will hold the 19th National Congress - the most important political event in the country -- on October 18, the state-media said on Thursday.

The once in five years affair is crucial for Chinese President and Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping, who will look to consolidate more power at the event.

According to official news agency Xinhua, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided on Thursday to submit the proposal on the schedule to the seventh plenary meeting of the 18th CPC Central Committee to be held on October 11.

The 25-member Political Bureau is the second most powerful body after the Polit Bureau of the Standing Committee which contains seven members.

Xi is the member of the supreme body of the CPC.

The 19th CPC National Congress will review the Party's work over the past five years and summarize experiences under the leadership of the Central Committee with Xi at the core since the 18th National Congress, Xinhua said.

Xi has emerged as one of the most powerful leaders in China and arguably on par with Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping after he was conferred the title "core leader".

Before Xi, the honorific was given only to Mao and Deng.

Xi succeeded Hu Jintao as China's President in 2013.

The October event will thoroughly examine the current international and domestic situation and take into account the new requirements for the development of the Party and the country as well as new expectations from the people.

The Congress will draw out guidelines and policies that respond to the "call of the times", according to the meeting.

A new CPC Central Committee and a new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will be elected at the Congress.

The CPC was founded in 1921 and it took power in Beijing in 1949 after a long civil war.

--IANS

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