Date: November 8-14, 2002 

Place: Beijing 

Number of delegates: 2,114 full delegates and 40 specially invited delegates 

Party membership: 66 million 

Major contents: The theme of the Congress is: The whole Party should hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, fully act on the important thought of “Three Represents”, carry forward the Party’s cause into the future, keep pace with the times, build a well-off society in an all-round way, speed up socialist modernization and work hard to create a new situation in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. 

The opening ceremony of the Congress was presided over by Comrade Li Peng. On behalf of the Fifteenth CPC Central Committee, Comrade Jiang Zemin delivered a report to the Congress entitled Build a Well-off Society in an All-round Way and Create a New Situation in Building Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. The Congress adopted Resolution on the Report of the 15th CPC Central Committee, Resolution on the Amendment to the Constitution of the Communist Party of China (which took effect immediately), and Resolution on the Work Report of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The Sixteenth CPC Central Committee composed of 198 members and 158 alternate members and the new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection comprising 121 members were elected through anonymous voting. 

The First Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing on Nov. 15, 2002, elected members and an alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, members of the Political Bureau's Standing Committee, and general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. In accordance with the nominations by the Standing Committee of the Central Committee Political Bureau, the plenum adopted a list of members of the Secretariat of the Central Committee and decided on the formation of the Central Military Commission. It also approved a list of secretary, deputy secretaries and Standing Committee members of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), who were elected at the CCDI's first plenary session. 

The Second Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Feb. 24 to 26, 2003, deliberated and adopted a list of proposed candidates for leading official positions of government bodies to be recommended to the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) and another list of proposed candidates for leading official positions of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) to be recommended at the First Session of the 10th CPPCC National Committee. The plenum adopted "The Ideas on Conducting In-depth Reform of Administrative Management and Institutions", and suggested the State Council submit the "Program concerning Institutional Restructuring of the State Council" worked out based on the ideas to the First Session of the 10th NPC for consideration. 

The Third Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Oct. 11 to 14, 2003, deliberated and approved two documents -- a decision of the CPC Central Committee on issues regarding the improvement of the socialist market economic system and a proposal of the CPC Central Committee on revising the country's Constitution. The meeting decided to submit the two documents to the Standing Committee of the 10th NPC for deliberation. 

The Fourth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Sept. 16 to 19, 2004, discussed a work report delivered by CPC Central Committee General Secretary Hu Jintao as entrusted by the Political Bureau. The Central Committee also deliberated and adopted a resolution on improving the governance capability of the Party. 

The Fifth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Oct. 8 to 11, 2005, discussed a work report delivered by CPC Central Committee General Secretary Hu Jintao as entrusted by the Political Bureau. The Central Committee also deliberated and adopted a proposal of the CPC Central Committee for forming the 2006-2010 national program for national economic and social development.

The Sixth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Oct. 8 to 11, 2006, discussed and  approved the working report delivered by Hu Jintao as entrusted by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and adopted the "resolutions of the CPC Central Committee on major issues regarding the building of a harmonious socialist society".

The Seventh Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from Oct. 9 to 12, 2007, decided that the 17th CPC National Congress be convened from Oct. 15 in Beijing. The Plenum discussed and approved a work report by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Jintao, as entrusted by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. The plenum also discussed and approved a report, which would be presented by the 16th CPC Central Committee to the 17th Party Congress, as well as an amendment to the Constitution of the CPC. Both documents would be submitted to the 17th Party Congress for discussions.