The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is being held in Beijing. After this China's most important political event of the year, a new central leadership will be elected.

Q: How is the General Secretary of CPC Central Committee elected?
A: According to the CPC's constitution, a Central Committee is elected at a national congress, which is held every five years. The Central Committee, with about 300 full and alternate members, then elects:
- The Political Bureau
- The bureau's Standing Committee
- The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee in plenary session.

Q: When was the last election?
A: The 18th CPC Central Committee held its first plenary session on Nov. 15, 2012, in which 205 members and 171 alternate members of the Central Committee elected Xi Jinping as the General Secretary of the Central Committee. The 25-member Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee and the seven-member Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee were also elected at the session.

Q: What are the requirements for a General Secretary?
A:The General Secretary of the Central Committee must be a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau.

Q: What are the responsibilities of the General Secretary of CPC Central Committee?
A: The General Secretary of the Central Committee is responsible for convening the meetings of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee and presides over the work of the Secretariat, according to the Party Constitution.

Q: What is the Secretariat?
A: The Secretariat of the Central Committee is the working body of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and its Standing Committee. The members of the Secretariat are nominated by the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and are subject to endorsement by the Central Committee in plenary session.