Safeguarding the authority of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and its centralized and unified leadership is "the supreme political principle and the fundamental political rule for the whole Party," according to an official statement released Tuesday.

The statement was issued after a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, which was presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

The meeting was held to hear and review a comprehensive report on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee hearing and studying reports from leading Party members' groups of five organs and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

The five organs are the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The meeting fully recognized the work of the leading Party members' groups and the secretariat in 2017, and approved their plan for this year, the statement said.

"All Party members must strengthen their consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in terms of the big picture, follow the leadership core and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership," the statement said.

They were also required to closely follow the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core in terms of thinking, political orientation and actions.

"The leadership of the CPC is the most essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which reflects the common will and fundamental interests of all Party members and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups," according to the document. "It also provides an essential guarantee to securing a decisive victory in finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and striving for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era."

The priority of ensuring Party leadership is upholding the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee.

As 2018 marks the first year to implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up, the statement said the year was also crucial to secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and implement the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020).

"The five organs should attentively study and implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, so as to better implement major policies of the CPC Central Committee and attain the anticipated target," said the meeting. "They should give top priority to the political work of the Party, take on responsibilities of exercising strict governance over the Party and promote strict Party governance to go deeper."

"The Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee should consciously carry out its work under the leadership of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee, conduct thorough research and assist the CPC Central Committee in promoting strict Party governance," it said.