Proposed constitutional amendment package unveiled

BEIJING, Feb. 27 — The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central
Committee made public its proposal on amendments to China’s Constitution
Sunday.

The proposal, raised to the Standing Committee of the National People’s
Congress (NPC), was made in accordance with the new situation and practice
of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the
new era.

*New thought*

The CPC Central Committee proposed writing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into the country’s
fundamental law. The Scientific Outlook on Development was also proposed
to be included. According to the proposal, under the leadership of the CPC
and the guidance of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping
Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on
Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese
Characteristics for a New Era, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups will
continue to adhere to the people’s democratic dictatorship and the
socialist road, persevere in reform and opening to the outside world,
steadily improve socialist institutions, develop the socialist market
economy, develop socialist democracy, improve the socialist rule of law,
apply a new vision of development and work hard and self-reliantly to
modernize the country’s industry, agriculture, national defence and science
and technology step by step and promote the coordinated development of the
material, political, cultural and ethical, social and ecological
advancement, to turn China into a great modern socialist country that is
prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and
beautiful and realize national rejuvenation.

*United front *

The CPC Central Committee proposed including patriots devoted to national
rejuvenation as part of the patriotic united front in the Constitution.

According to the proposal, in the long years of revolution, construction
and reform, there has been formed under the leadership of the CPC a broad
patriotic united front which is composed of the democratic parties and
people’s organizations, and which embraces all socialist working people,
all builders of socialism, all patriots who support socialism, and all
patriots who stand for the reunification of the motherland and devote
themselves to national rejuvenation. This united front will continue to be
consolidated and developed.

*Harmonious relations among all ethnic groups *

Harmonious socialist relations among ethnic groups were proposed to be
written into the Constitution. Socialist relations of equality, unity,
mutual assistance and harmony have been established among the ethnic groups
and will continue to be strengthened, according to a proposed revision to
the preamble. The State protects the lawful rights and interests of the
ethnic minority groups and upholds and develops a relationship of equality,
unity, mutual assistance and harmony among all of China’s ethnic groups,
according to a proposed revision to a clause of Article 4.

*Community with shared future for humanity *

The CPC Central Committee proposed writing building “a community with a
shared future for humanity” into the Constitution.

The expression that China will “adhere to the peaceful development path and
the mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up” should be added to the
preamble, read the proposal. China’s achievements in revolution,
construction and reform are inseparable from the support of the people of
the world. The future of China is closely linked to the future of the
world, according to the proposal. The proposal read that China consistently
carries out an independent foreign policy, adheres to the five principles
of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual
non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality
and mutual benefit, peaceful coexistence, adheres to the peaceful
development path and the mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up in
developing diplomatic relations and economic and cultural exchanges with
other countries, and works to build a community with a shared future for
humanity. China consistently opposes imperialism, hegemonism and
colonialism, works to strengthen unity with the people of other countries,
supports the oppressed nations and the developing countries in their just
struggle to win and preserve national independence and develop their
national economies, and strives to safeguard world peace and promote the
cause of human progress.

*CPC leadership*

A phrase stressing the Party’s leadership was proposed to be added into the
Constitution.

“The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of
socialism with Chinese characteristics,” read the proposal.

*Core socialist values *

The addition of core socialist values into a clause was also in the
proposed package.

The proposal read that the State advocates core socialist values, and the
civic virtues of love of the motherland, of the people, of labour, of
science and of socialism.

*Oath of allegiance *

The CPC Central Committee proposed inclusion of pledging allegiance to the
Constitution into the fundamental law.

All state functionaries shall take a public oath of allegiance to the
Constitution when assuming office, read the proposal.

*Chinese President and Vice-President *

The CPC Central Committee proposed revising the clause “The term of office
of the President and Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China is
the same as that of the National People’s Congress, and they shall serve no
more than two consecutive terms” to “The term of office of the President
and Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China is the same as that of
the National People’s Congress.”

*New cabinet function *

The CPC Central Committee proposed to list ecological advancement as a new
function and power of the State Council, or cabinet.

Apart from economic affairs and urban and rural development, the State
Council also has the function and power of directing and administering
ecological advancement, according to a proposed change to a clause under
Article 89.

*More cities with legislative power*

Chinese cities, with subordinate districts, would be granted the power to
make local laws and regulations under the proposed constitutional
amendment.

The people’s congresses and their standing committees of these cities would
be able to adopt local laws and regulations under the condition that they
do not contradict the Constitution, national laws and regulations, and
provincial laws and regulations, according to the proposal. The local laws
and regulations would take effect after being approved by the standing
committees of provincial-level people’s congresses.

*Supervisory commissions *

The CPC Central Committee proposed listing the supervisory commissions as a
new type of state organs in the Constitution.

According to the proposal, supervisory organs will be listed together with
administrative, judicial and procuratorial organs of the State, all of
which are created by the people’s congresses to which they are responsible
and by which they are supervised. A new section about supervisory
commissions is proposed to be added to the third chapter titled “The
Structure of the State” in the Constitution. The country sets up the
national and local supervisory commissions, according to the document. A
supervisory commission will consist of one director, several deputy
directors and a number of members. The director will serve the same term as
that of the people’s congress of the same level. The director of the
national supervisory commission shall serve no more than two consecutive
terms.

The organization, functions and powers of supervisory commissions are
prescribed by law. As the supreme supervisory organ, the national
supervisory commission will oversee local commissions and answer to the NPC
and its standing committee. The supervisory commissions at higher levels
will lead the commissions at lower levels. Local supervisory commissions at
various levels will be responsible to the state power organs that created
them and to the supervisory commission at the next level up. The
supervisory commissions will independently exercise their power of
supervision and not be subject to interference by any administrative organ,
public organization or individual, said the proposal.

It also asked the supervisory organs to coordinate with judicial organs,
procuratorial organs and law enforcement departments, and check each other
in handling duty-related offenses. The NPC will be given the power to elect
and remove the director of the national supervisory commission, while the
NPC Standing Committee shall supervise the national supervisory commission
and appoint or remove deputy directors and members of the commission at the
recommendation of its director. Local people’s congresses at and above
county level will elect and have the power to remove the directors of the
supervisory commissions at the corresponding level, while their standing
committees shall supervise the supervisory commissions at the corresponding
level. Members of the standing committees of the NPC and local peoples’
congresses at and above county level shall not hold office in supervisory
organs.
In addition, supervision will no longer be a duty for the State Council and
local governments at and above county level, according to the proposal. – XINHUA