The 16th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party was held in Beijing between November 8 and 14, 2002.

An amendment to the Constitution was approved the Party National Congress, with Jiang Zemin's signature ideology of "Three Represents" written into it.

The institutional transition would be completed in state organs by the 1st session of the 10th National People's Congress in March 2003.

Jiang, however, remained head of the Central Military Commission, therefore in practice, the power transition was not complete.

Out of the nearly 200 Central Committee that was elected by the Congress, it is possible to judge from the number of votes cast in favour the delegates who lacked support in the party.