An aqueous polishing composition comprising at least one type of abrasive inorganic particles contain or consist of ceria which are positively charged when dispersed in an aqueous medium having a pH in the range of from 3 to 9 as evidenced by the electrophoretic mobility; at least one water-soluble and water-dispersible hydroxy group containing component selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acids having at least three carbon atoms, at least two hydroxy groups and at least one carboxylic acid group to the molecule, wherein the molar ratio of hydroxy groups to carboxylic acid groups is at least 2; esters of the hydroxycarboxylic acids having at least one group selected from the group consisting of lactone groups, esterified hydroxy groups, esterified carboxylic acid groups and mixtures thereof, with the proviso that at least two hydroxy groups are present in; and mixtures thereof; and at least one water-soluble and water-dispersible polymer component selected from the group consisting of linear and branched alkylene oxide homopolymers and copolymers selected from the group consisting of ethyleneoxide and propyleneoxide homopolymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof; and cationic polymeric flocculants having a weight average molecular weight of less than 100,000 Dalton selected from the group consisting of cationically modified polyacrylamides, polyamines, polyethyleneimines, poly(diallyl-N,N-dialylammonium halide) and mixtures thereof. wherein is selected from the group consisting of quinic acid, glucono-δ-lactone, glucuronic acid, lactobinonic acid and mixture thereof, and wherein the composition has a pH in the range of from 2.5 to 4. at least one type of abrasive inorganic particles contain or consist of ceria which are positively charged when dispersed in an aqueous medium having a pH in the range of from 3 to 9 as evidenced by the electrophoretic mobility; at least one water-soluble and water-dispersible hydroxy group containing component selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acids having at least three carbon atoms, at least two hydroxy groups and at least one carboxylic acid group to the molecule, wherein the molar ratio of hydroxy groups to carboxylic acid groups is at least 2; esters of the hydroxycarboxylic acids having at least one group selected from the group consisting of lactone groups, esterified hydroxy groups, esterified carboxylic acid groups and mixtures thereof, with the proviso that at least two hydroxy groups are present in; and mixtures thereof; and aliphatic and cycloaliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acids having at least three carbon atoms, at least two hydroxy groups and at least one carboxylic acid group to the molecule, wherein the molar ratio of hydroxy groups to carboxylic acid groups is at least 2; esters of the hydroxycarboxylic acids having at least one group selected from the group consisting of lactone groups, esterified hydroxy groups, esterified carboxylic acid groups and mixtures thereof, with the proviso that at least two hydroxy groups are present in; and mixtures thereof; and at least one water-soluble and water-dispersible polymer component selected from the group consisting of linear and branched alkylene oxide homopolymers and copolymers selected from the group consisting of ethyleneoxide and propyleneoxide homopolymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof; and cationic polymeric flocculants having a weight average molecular weight of less than 100,000 Dalton selected from the group consisting of cationically modified polyacrylamides, polyamines, polyethyleneimines, poly(diallyl-N,N-dialylammonium halide) and mixtures thereof. linear and branched alkylene oxide homopolymers and copolymers selected from the group consisting of ethyleneoxide and propyleneoxide homopolymers and copolymers and mixtures thereof; and cationic polymeric flocculants having a weight average molecular weight of less than 100,000 Dalton selected from the group consisting of cationically modified polyacrylamides, polyamines, polyethyleneimines, poly(diallyl-N,N-dialylammonium halide) and mixtures thereof.