The party's continuing relevance stems from its ongoing monopoly on the exercise of political power. As explained above, party bodies make the decisions on the major substantive issues that confront not only the government but all public institutions. Party decisions also determine who will join the elite and what positions they will hold in public bodies. Such decisions are typically made on the basis of extensive consultation with nonparty bodies, but the power of final determination still resides in the CCP. The legislative and legal systems increasingly influence outcomes, but nothing effectively stops the party from acting when the relevant CCP leaders decide to take a decisive stance on an issue. Most importantly, the party also decides China's foreign and security policies.