The National Congress of the Communist Party of China (中国共产党全国代表大会 Pinyin: Zhōnguó Gòngchǎndǎng Quánguó Dàibiǎo Dàhuì) is a party congress that is held about once every five years. The National Congress is theoretically the highest body within the Communist Party of China, but in practice decisions are made before the meeting.
The National CPC Congress should not be confused with the National People's Congress which is the legislature of the People's Republic of China. In contrast with the NPC which has become more assertive since the 1990s, the National Congress of the CPC has shown no signs of having any real power. In addition the National Congress should not be confused with the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Since the establishment of PRC, the Conferences have occurred approximately every five years and since 1956, they have always taken place in the capital, Beijing. Each Conference lasted for five to ten days.
Each Congress's name is abbreviated in Chinese as the number of the Conference, followed by characterda (大), short for dahui (大会 "conference"). For example, the sixteenth Conference, Zhōnguó Gòngchǎndǎng Dìshílìucì Quánguó Dàibiǎo Dàhuì (中国共产党第十六次全国代表大会), is shortend to Shílìu Dà (十六大 "sixteenth da").
