Central Advisory Commission


Central Advisory Commission was a body of the Communist Party of China that existed during the era of the paramount leadership of Deng Xiaoping. The body was supposed to provide "political assistance and consultation" to the Party's Central Committee; however, as the CAC was a select group of senior Party members, it was often seen as having more authority unofficially than that body.

History

The commission was established after the Twelfth Party Congress in 1982, and abolished in 1992. Its chairmen were Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yun. Its membership was offered only to members of the Central Committee with forty years or more of service which made it almost synonymous with the Eight Elders. Directors and Deputy Directors were required to have first served in the Politburo or Standing Committee. Despite being supposedly advisory its power surpassed that of the Politburo Standing Committee and was nicknamed the "Sitting Committee" on account of the advanced age of its members.