The National Anthem of the People's Republic of China is the "March of the Volunteers.". The state strengthens the building of socialist spiritual civilization through spreading education in high ideals and morality, general education, education in discipline and the legal system, and through promoting the formulation and observance of rules of conduct and common pledges by different sections of the people in urban and rural areas. The chairmanship and vice-chairmenships of the standing committee of the people's congress of an autonomous region, prefecture or county shall include a citizen or citizens of the nationality or nationalities exercising regional autonomy in the area concerned. This instrument was not given a chapter number under the Legislation The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is composed of the following: the Chairman, the Vice-Chairmen, the Secretary-General and Members. The system of the multi-party cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China will exist and develop for a long time to come. The state does its utmost to promote the common prosperity of all nationalities in the country. The Vice-Chairmen and the Secretary-General assist the Chairman in his work. The state expands facilities for rest and recuperation of working people, and prescribes working hours and vacations for workers and staff. After two intervening versions enacted in 1975 and 1978, the current Constitution was promulgated in 1982. The second chapter deals with the distinctive features of its current constitution. The Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China directs the armed forces of the country. To adopt administrative measures, enact administrative rules and regulations and issue decisions and orders in accordance with the Constitution and the statutes; To submit proposals to the National People's Congress or its Standing Committee; To lay down the tasks and responsibilities of the ministries and commissions of the State Council, to exercise unified leadership over the work of the ministries and commissions and to direct all other administrative work of a national character that does not fall within the jurisdiction of the ministries and commissions; To exercise unified leadership over the work of local organs of state administration at different levels throughout the country, and to lay down the detailed division of functions and powers between the Central Government and the organs of state administration of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government; To draw up and implement the plan for national economic and social development and the state budget; To direct and administer economic affairs, urban and rural construction and ecological civilization construction; To direct and administer the work concerning education, science, culture, public health, physical culture and family planning; To direct and administer civil affairs, public security, judicial administration, and other related matters; To conduct foreign affairs and conclude treaties and agreements with foreign states; To direct and administer the building of national defense; To direct and administer affairs concerning the nationalities and to safeguard the equal rights of minority nationalities and the right of autonomy of the national autonomous areas; To protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals residing abroad and protect the lawful rights and interests of returned overseas Chinese and of the family members of Chinese nationals residing abroad; To alter or annul inappropriate orders, directives and regulations issued by the ministries or commissions; To alter or annul inappropriate decisions and orders issued by local organs of state administration at different levels; To approve the geographic division of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and to approve the establishment and geographic division of autonomous prefectures, counties, autonomous counties and cities; In accordance with the provisions of law, to decide on entering the state of emergency in parts of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government; To examine and decide on the size of administrative organs and, in accordance with the law, to appoint, remove and train administrative officers, appraise their work and reward or punish them; and. At their respective levels, local people's congresses elect, and have the power to recall, governors and deputy governors, or mayors and deputy mayors, or heads and deputy heads of counties, districts, townships and towns. All citizens of the People's Republic of China are equal before the law. All the national autonomous areas are inalienable parts of the People's Republic of China. Significant progress has been made in educational, scientific, cultural and other undertakings, and socialist ideological education has yielded noteworthy results. China has drafted four constitutions since the founding of the People’s Republic, respectively in 1954, 1975, 1978 and 1982. The state protects and improves the living environment and the ecological environment, and prevents and controls pollution and other public hazards. Mineral resources, waters, forests, mountains, grassland, unreclaimed land, beaches and other natural resources are owned by the state, that is, by the whole people, with the exception of the forests, mountains, grassland, unreclaimed land and beaches that are owned by collectives in accordance with the law. Socialist public property is sacred and inviolable. The people's congresses of nationality townships may, within the limits of their authority as prescribed by law, take specific measures suited to the peculiarities of the nationalities concerned. The organization of the State Council is prescribed by law. The freedom of person of citizens of the People's Republic of China is inviolable. Citizens of the People's Republic of China must abide by the Constitution and the law, keep state secrets, protect public property and observe labor discipline and public order and respect social ethics. The Chinese people waged many successive heroic struggles for national independence and liberation and for democracy and freedom. The State Council and its Standing Committee, by contrast, are made responsible for … Since the Party Congress typically convenes only once in five years, the Central Committee is empowered to act when the Congress is not in session. The state encourages and assists creative endeavors conducive to the interests of the people made by citizens engaged in education, science, technology, literature, art and other cultural work. The leader concerned then remains in contact with the ministries and the commissions of the State Council that implement policy in that area. The home of citizens of the People's Republic of China is inviolable. The premier, vice-premiers, state councillors, and secretary-general meet regularly as the Standing Committee, in which the premier has the final decision-making power. The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China is the highest organ of state power. Further, the Political Bureau can act in the name of the Central Committee when the latter is not in session, and the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau guides the work of the Political Bureau. The Chinese people must fight against those forces and elements, both at home and abroad, that are hostile to China's socialist system and try to undermine it. Local people's governments at different levels are responsible, and report on their work, to people's congresses at the corresponding level. To exercise such other functions and powers as the National People's Congress may assign to it. It vests all national legislative power in the hands of the National People’s Congress and its Standing Committee. The People's Republic of China is a unitary multi-national state built up jointly by the people of all its nationalities. People's governments of townships, nationality townships and towns carry out the resolutions of the people's congress at the corresponding level as well as the decisions and orders of the state administrative organs at the next higher level and conduct administrative work in their respective administrative areas. The State Council and its Standing Committee, by contrast, are made responsible for executing rather than enacting the laws. The organization and working procedures of organs of self-government are prescribed by law in accordance with the basic principles laid down in Sections V and VI of Chapter Three of the Constitution. In the long years of revolution, construction and reform, there has been formed under the leadership of the Communist Party of China 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, all patriots who stand for the reunification of the motherland, and all patriots devoted to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Religious bodies and religious affairs are not subject to any foreign domination. The State-owned economy, that is, the socialist economy under ownership by the whole people, is the leading force in the national economy. The National People's Congress and the local people's congresses at different levels are instituted through democratic election. The People's Republic of China practices ruling the country in accordance with the law and building a socialist country of law. The state prescribes by law the system of retirement for workers and staff in enterprises and undertakings and for functionaries of organs of state. They are responsible to the people and subject to their supervision. To exercise such other functions and powers as the highest organ of state power should exercise. Such a status is “implied in the unitary constitutional structure, where the highest power is singularly lodged in the central (national) government and its laws and regulations enjoy unlimited supremacy.”Meanwhile, China’s unitary framework accommodates institutional compromises such as the regional autonomy of ethnic minorities and special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Citizens of the People's Republic of China have the duty as well as the right to receive education. The exploiting classes as such have been eliminated in our country. When handling cases of illegal or criminal acts by taking advantage of duty, supervisory organs shall cooperate with judicial, procuratorial, and law enforcement organs and keep tabs on each other. In addition, for the first time under the stipulations of the constitution, limits of two consecutive terms were placed on the government offices of premier, vice-premier, and state councillor. The Supreme People's Court is responsible to the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee. The election or recall of chief procurators of people's procuratorates shall be reported to the chief procurators of the people's procuratorates at the next higher level for submission to the standing committees of the people's congresses at the corresponding level for approval. HRIC New York Office: 110 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, United States Marriage, the family, and mother and child are protected by the state. China is a country with one of the longest histories in the world. The People's Republic of China establishes the Supreme People's Court and the local people's courts at different levels, military courts and other special people's courts. Citizens of all nationalities have the right to use the spoken and written languages of their own nationalities in court proceedings. Using various channels, the state creates conditions for employment, strengthens labor protection, improves working conditions and, on the basis of expanded production, increases remuneration for work and social benefits. The organization and working procedures of the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee are prescribed by law. The Supreme People's Court supervises the administration of justice by the local people's courts at different levels and by the special people's courts; people's courts at higher levels supervise the administration of justice by those at lower levels. The People's Republic of China protects the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals residing abroad and protects the lawful rights and interests of returned overseas Chinese and of the family members of Chinese nationals residing abroad. All state organs carry out the principle of simple and efficient administration, the system of responsibility for work and the system of training functionaries and assessing their work in order constantly to improve quality of work and efficiency and combat bureaucratism. The Central Military Commission is composed of the following: the Chairman, the Vice-Chairmen, and members. When the National People's Congress meets, it elects a presidium to conduct its session. Citizens of the People's Republic of China have the right to material assistance from the state and society when they are old, ill or disabled. The state promotes family planning so that population growth may fit the plans for economic and social development. The State Council is responsible, and reports on its work, to the National People's Congress or, when the National People's Congress is not in session, to its Standing Committee. Constitution of the People's Republic of China (As on March 14, 2004) Preamble China is a country with one of the longest histories in the world. The Secretariat has also at times played an extremely powerful and active role, meeting more frequently than either the Political Bureau or its Standing Committee and making many important decisions on its own authority. It is the duty of citizens of the People's Republic of China to safeguard the unity of the country and the unity of all its nationalities. Local people's congresses at and above the county level examine and approve the plans for economic and social development and the budgets of their respective administrative areas, and examine and approve reports on their implementation. CONSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (Adopted at the Fifth Session of the Fifth National People s Congress and promulgated for implementation by the Proclamation of the National People s Congress on December 4, 1982) Editorial Notes: 1. Taiwan is part of the sacred territory of the People's Republic of China. The 1982 State Constitution provided a legal basis for the broad changes in China's social and economic institutions and significantly revised government structure. At the highest levels the premier of the government and the chairman of the party continue to sit on the CCP Political Bureau. Local people's governments at and above the county level are responsible, and report on their work, to the standing committee of the people's congress at the corresponding level when the congress is not in session. While it is not so stipulated in the constitution, each vice-premier and councillor assumes responsibility for the work of one or more given sectors or issues, such as education, energy policy, or foreign affairs. Until 1982 the CCP had a chairmanship that was unique among ruling communist parties. All foreign enterprises and other foreign economic organizations in China, as well as joint ventures with Chinese and foreign investment located in China, shall abide by the law of the People's Republic of China. The National People's Congress and its Standing Committee may, when they deem it necessary, appoint committees of inquiry into specific questions and adopt relevant resolutions in the light of their reports. Local people's procuratorates at different levels are responsible to the organs of state power at the corresponding levels which created them and to the people's procuratorates at the higher level. The President of the People's Republic of China, in pursuance of decisions of the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee, promulgates statutes; appoints and removes the Premier, Vice-Premiers, State Councilors, Ministers in charge of Ministries or Commissions, and the Auditor-General and the Secretary-General of the State Council; confers state medals and titles of honor; issues orders of special pardons; proclaims entering of the state of emergency; proclaims a state of war; and issues mobilization orders. Maltreatment of old people, women and children is prohibited. The State Committee of Supervisory directs the work of local supervisory committees at all levels. 1983, 1988, 1999, and 2004 amendments are at the end of the text. The state develops medical and health services, promotes modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, encourages and supports the setting up of various medical and health facilities by the rural economic collectives, state enterprises and undertakings and neighborhood organizations, and promotes sanitation activities of a mass character, all to protect the people's health. The exercise by citizens of the People's Republic of China of their freedoms and rights may not infringe upon the interests of the state, of society and of the collective, or upon the lawful freedoms and rights of other citizens. The State encourages, supports and guides the development of the non-public sectors of the economy and, in accordance with law, exercises supervision and control over the non-public sectors of the economy. The Vice-President of the People's Republic of China may exercise such parts of the functions and powers of the President as the President may entrust to him. The administrative head of an autonomous region, prefecture or county shall be a citizen of the nationality, or of one of the nationalities, exercising regional autonomy in the area concerned. The electoral units and constituencies which elect deputies to local people's congresses at different levels have the power, according to procedures prescribed by law, to recall deputies whom they elected. The people of all nationalities, all state organs, the armed forces, all political parties and public organizations and all enterprises and undertakings in the country must take the Constitution as the basic norm of conduct, and they have the duty to uphold the dignity of the Constitution and ensure its implementation. The supervisory committees at all levels of the People's Republic of China are supervisory organs of the state. Should exceptional circumstances prevent such an election, it may be postponed by decision of a majority vote of more than two-thirds of all those on the Standing Committee of the incumbent National People's Congress, and the term of office of the incumbent National People's Congress may be extended. The state helps the areas inhabited by minority nationalities speed up their economic and cultural development in accordance with the peculiarities and needs of the different minority nationalities. The tendency has been for CCP cadres to become increasingly involved in day-to-day operations of the government, until some major initiative was taken by the top national leadership to reverse the trend. Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration. Discrimination against and oppression of any nationality are prohibited; any acts that undermine the unity of the nationalities or instigate their secession are prohibited. The Supreme People's Procuratorate is responsible to the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee. The President and Vice-President of the People's Republic of China exercise their functions and powers until the new President and Vice-President elected by the succeeding National People's Congress assume office. It is the duty of citizens of the People's Republic of China to pay taxes in accordance with the law. The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Great and earthshaking historical changes have taken place in China in the 20th century. 2 The 1982 Constitution is essentially a Dengist constitution, reflecting Deng Xiaoping’s ideas for modernising China, i.e., social stability, economic development and opening to the outside. No organization or individual may appropriate, buy, sell or otherwise engage in the transfer of land by unlawful means. Deputies to the National People's Congress are subject to the supervision of the units which elected them. Figures 1 and 2 depict China’s political power structure as it was envisioned in Chapter 3 of the 1982 state constitution, and as actually … The State ensures the consolidation and growth of the State-owned economy. Unlawful deprivation or restriction of citizens' freedom of person by detention or other means is prohibited; and unlawful search of the person of citizens is prohibited. The careers of individual officials may shift among posts in both the CCP and the government, but for most officials all posts are held within one area of concern, such as economics, organization or personnel, security, propaganda, or culture. 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