Constitutional Reform Comes to the Chinese State Constitution and Changes to China's Global Trade Relationships

The 19th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party announced a program of potentially significant development of its constitutional model.  The changes required adjustment of the two great instruments of Chinese political legitimacy--first, the constitution of the vanguard Party, the holder of political leadership, and second, from that the modification of the constitution of the administrative state to conform its organization and operation, to ensure that the principles through which it is operated, conforms to that of the political constitution of the vanguard party. 

The amendment to the Constitution of the Chinese Communist Party were announced with the closing of the 19th CPC Congress--"Resolution of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on the Revised Constitution of the Communist Party of China" (October 24, 2017). Those amendments decisively affirmed the determination of Chinese constitutionalism to forge its own normative path, yet one that continues to conform to global expectations of legitimacy enhancing constitutionalism. 

It is now time for the coordinated amendment to the State constitution This post and those that follow will consider the path to those amendments in light of the political constitution of the Chinese Communist Party within the grounding normative structures of global constitutionalism. Also below the Communique of the 2nd Plenum of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC.

The task of the amendment to the state constitution was set for the 2nd Plenum of the 19th CPC Congress.  The CPC Central Committee met on January 11 to discuss the agenda for the 2nd Plenum which will occur on 18-19 January 2018. (中共中央政治局召开会议 讨论拟提请十九届二中全会审议的文件 中共中央总书记习近平主持会议 ).

The official Xinhua News Agency reported on December 27 that the Politburo decided to convene the Second Plenum of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party in January 2018. The main agenda of the Plenum is to “discuss and study proposals for amending part of [China’s current] Constitution,” which was adopted in 1982 and later amended four times in 1988, 1993, 1999, and 2004. (Explainer: China to Amend the Constitution for the Fifth Time).

That was a logical progression between the announcement of the amendment of the vanguard party constitution in October 2017 and the meetings of the Naitonal People's COngress that will occur early in 2018.

It will be the second full meeting of around 400 party elites from the Central Committee following a major reshuffle at the party congress in October. The second plenum normally sets the tone for the upcoming National People’s Congress, when the new president, premier and other top cabinet figures will be formally named. This time, the two-day meeting will focus on the proposal to revise the constitution, according to a Politburo statement announcing the date of the meeting carried by Xinhua on Friday. It is also being held a month earlier than usual, and it was unclear whether there would be a third plenum ahead of the NPC parliamentary session, which is usually held in March. (Revisions to Chinese constitution will be key task for top cadres at plenum)

Those changes are not merely political, but enhance the "all around" (comprehensive) approach to Chinese development which sees an intimate connection between law, politics, culture, internal and external relations.

According to an agenda released yesterday, the upcoming week-long session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee will review proposals made by the CPC Central Committee on the amendments to the Constitution and deliberate draft amendments based on the proposals. According to the agenda, the NPC Standing Committee will discuss amendments to the country's 10-year-old foreign trade law in light of the new situation and demands made on China after it joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) two years ago. The amendments proposed by the State Council will include "major changes'' to the existing foreign trade codes.The session will also continue to examine three financial laws key to the reform of China's banking businesses, namely, the draft law on supervision and management of the banking industry, the draft amendments to the central bank law and draft amendments to the commercial bank law. A treaty with Russia on the transfer of convicts and a treaty with Thailand on criminal justice assistance are also pending ratification by the legislature. (Chinese constitution amendments to be discussed).

In the Chinese version of reports the political objectives were much more clearly outlined:

会议认为，宪法是国家的根本法，是治国安邦的总章程，是党和人民意志的集中体现。现行宪法颁布以来，在改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的历史进程中、在我们党治国理政实践中发挥了十分重要的作用。实践证明，我国现行宪法是符合国情、符合实际、符合时代发展要求的好宪法。

　　会议指出，我们党高度重视宪法在治国理政中的重要地位和作用，明确坚持依法治国首先要坚持依宪治国，坚持依法执政首先要坚持依宪执政，把实施宪法摆在全面依法治国的突出位置，采取一系列有力措施加强宪法实施和监督工作，为保证宪法实施提供了强有力的政治和制度保障。

　　会议认为，我国宪法以国家根本法的形式，确认了中国共产党领导中国人民进行革命、建设、改革的伟大斗争和根本成就，确立了工人阶级领导的、以工农联盟为基础的人民民主专政的社会主义国家的国体和人民代表大会制度的政体，确定了国家的根本任务、领导核心、指导思想、发展道路、奋斗目标，规定了中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度，规定了社会主义法治原则、民主集中制原则、尊重和保障人权原则，等等，反映了我国各族人民共同意志和根本利益。我国宪法确立的一系列制度、原则和规则，确定的一系列大政方针，具有显著优势、坚实基础、强大生命力，必须长期坚持、全面贯彻。

　　会议指出，宪法修改是国家政治生活中的一件大事，是党中央从新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义全局和战略高度作出的重大决策，也是推进全面依法治国、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的重大举措。为更好发挥宪法在新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义中的重要作用，需要对宪法作出适当修改，把党和人民在实践中取得的重大理论创新、实践创新、制度创新成果上升为宪法规定。党中央决定用一次全会专门讨论宪法修改问题，充分表明党中央对这次宪法修改的高度重视。

　　会议认为，这次宪法修改要高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，全面贯彻党的十九大精神，坚持以马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一，体现党和国家事业发展的新成就新经验新要求，推动宪法与时俱进、完善发展，为新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义、实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标和中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦提供有力宪法保障。

　　会议强调，宪法修改必须贯彻以下原则：坚持党的领导，坚持中国特色社会主义法治道路，坚持正确政治方向；严格依法按照程序进行；充分发扬民主、广泛凝聚共识，确保反映人民意志、得到人民拥护；坚持对宪法作部分修改、不作大改的原则，做到既顺应党和人民事业发展要求，又遵循宪法法律发展规律，保持宪法连续性、稳定性、权威性。(中共中央政治局召开会议 讨论拟提请十九届二中全会审议的文件 中共中央总书记习近平主持会议 )

The meeting held that the constitution is the fundamental law of the country, the general charter of governing the country and bringing peace to the people, and the epitome of the will of the party and the people. Since its promulgation, the current constitution has played a very important role in the party’s practice of governing the country in the historical process of reform and opening up as well as the socialist modernization. The practice has proved that the current constitution of our country is a good constitution that is in line with the actual conditions and the reality and meets the requirements of the development of the times.

The meeting pointed out that our party attaches great importance to the status and role of the Constitution in governing the country. It made clear that the principle of governing the country according to law must first adhere to the principle of governing the country according to the constitution, ruling according to law must first adhere to the principle of ruling according to the constitution. The implementation of the constitution should be placed in an outstanding position during comprehensive governing according to the law. At the same time, a series of effective measures should be taken to strengthen the implementation and supervision of the constitution and provide strong political and institutional guarantee for the implementation of the constitution.

The meeting held that our constitution, in the form of the fundamental law of the country, confirmed the great struggle and fundamental achievements of the Chinese Communist Party in leading the Chinese people in revolution, construction, and reform. It established the socialist system of people's democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants and the political system of the state based on the people's congress system. It determined the fundamental tasks, leadership core, guiding ideology, development path and goal of the state, stipulated the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, and stipulated the principles of the socialist rule of law, the principle of democratic centralism, the principle of respecting and safeguarding human rights, and so on, reflecting the common aspiration and fundamental interests of the people of all ethnic groups in our country. A series of systems, principles, and rules and a series of major policies set by the constitution of our country have significant advantages, a solid foundation, and strong vitality. They must be carried out in a long-term and comprehensive way.

The meeting pointed out: the amendment of the constitution is a major event in the country's political life. It is a major policy decision made by the Party’s Central Committee from the perspective of maintaining and developing the overall situation and strategic importance of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. It is also a major move to push forward comprehensive governing according to the law, promote the modernization of the country's governance system and the ability to govern in a comprehensive manner. In order to give better play to the important role of the constitution in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, it is necessary to make appropriate changes to the constitution and raise the major theoretical innovations, practical innovations and institutional innovations made by the party and the people in practice up to constitutional provisions. The decision of the Central Committee of the Party to devote a plenary session specifically to discuss the issue of constitutional amendment fully demonstrates that the Central Committee of the Party attaches great importance to the amendment of this constitution.

The meeting held that this constitutional amendment must hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and fully implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Party. We must take Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, the scientific concept of development, and Xi Jinping’s thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era as our guide, adhere to the party's leadership, people being the masters of the country, unifying the state by law and embodying the party's and the nation's cause, demonstrate the new achievement, new experiences and new requirements. This amendment should keep the constitution advance with the times and promote the development of the constitution, provide a strong constitutional safeguard to persisting and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era and realizing of the goal of Two Centenaries the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The meeting emphasized that the following principles must be adhered to in the amendment of the constitution: upholding the party's leadership, upholding the path of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, adhering to the correct political orientation; strictly following the procedures in accordance with the law; giving full scope to democracy, extensively unifying consensus, ensuring that the will of the people is reflected and support from the people is obtained; insisting on the principle of partial revision of the constitution and no major change, complying not only with the requirements of the development of the cause of the party and the people but also the law of development of the constitution and keep the continuity, stability and authority of the constitution.

And, of course, that quite specific set of affirmations several important points are worth emphasizing.  First is the principle that the constitution is not the source of constituent power but merely its expression; it implements the will of people and party, but one which must remain in line with "reality meets the requirements of the development of the times." This is a living instrument that reflects popular and that must be attuned to changes in it. Second, the role of the constitution os quite specific (and form Western standards) quite narrow--it serves to administer the country.  It is a means of providing direction to officials int he way in which they must exercise discretion and meet their obligations to the people under the leadership of the party.  Third, the constitution is understood as "state fundamental law;" the "political system of the state body" determines the scope, form, principles, and operation of the state and not the other way around. That is, the state constitution is not the instrument that determines the scope and character of the political system. Fourth, constitutional revision must be understood as only one part of a larger overall political obligation of the vanguard party to maintain and develop " the overall situation and strategic importance of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era . . . to push forward the country's governance system and the ability to govern in a comprehensive manner." Fifth, the objective of constitutional revision is inherently political in the sense of ensuring that the provisions of the state administrative constitution continues to adhere to the core political values of the state, to which both state and Party are bound, int he form suitable for the "New Era" in the development of the nation.  Here again, the state constitution changes int he face of the requirements of the fundamental principles of the political system, which themselves are also developing as the vanguard moves more deeply away form revolutionary to ruling party, even as they provide flexibility in contextually driven implementation. Sixth, and those principles themselves are sourced not in the state constitution but in the political constitution of the vanguard party and in the fundamental obligation of the vanguard party to enhance its obligation to develop socialist democracy through principles of the mass line and in the forms of endogenous democratic institutions (e.g., here).

Yet most the attention on the amendment process will focus on the way in which the State Constitution's amendments will be directed to conformity with the changes in the political constitution of the vanguard party. The NCP Observe Blog recently speculated:

First, there is no doubt that this constitutional amendment will focus on granting constitutional status to supervision commissions. This will involve changing an array of existing constitutional provisions and adding a few new ones. A new section titled “Supervision Commissions” will probably be added to “Chapter III: The Structure of the State.” And the following is a non-exhaustive list of constitutional provisions that some argue must be amended for the Supervision Law to be constitutional:

Article 3, paragraph 3 (on the creation of other state organs by the people’s congresses)
Article 37, paragraph 2 (on the authority to approve and carry out arrest of citizens)
Article 40 (on the authority to inspect citizens’ private communications)
Article 62 (on the NPC’s functions and powers)
Article 63 (on the NPC’s removal power)
Article 67 (on the NPCSC’s functions and powers)
Article 89, item 8 (on the State Council’s authority to direct and manage supervision)
Article 101 (on local people’s congresses’ appointment and removal powers)
Article 104 (on the functions and powers of the standing committees of local people’s congresses)
Article 107 (on local governments’ authority to conduct administrative work concerning supervision)

Second, there is also no doubt that President Xi Jinping’s tongue-twisting political theory, the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, along with his predecessor President Hu Jintao’s Scientific Outlook on Development, will be written into the Preamble to the Constitution. (Explainer: China to Amend the Constitution for the Fifth Time).

The provisions are all controversial--in the sense that the consensus around their actual reduction to constitutional form has not solidified except perhaps among the senior leadership. This is especially the case with respect to the provisions on the supervision authority.  Also interesting will be to see how the changes to the provisions on provincial and local bodies, as well as on the NPCSC will have a substantial effect on the  administrative operation of the state.

__________



中国共产党第十九届中央委员会第二次全体会议公报

2018年01月19日18:55 来源：新华社
[Communique of the Second Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

January 19, 2018 Source: Xinhua News Agency ]

分享到：


　　新华社北京1月19日电

　　中国共产党第十九届中央委员会第二次全体会议公报

　　中国共产党第十九届中央委员会第二次全体会议，于2018年1月18日至19日在北京举行。

　　出席这次全会的有，中央委员203人，候补中央委员172人。中央纪律检查委员会常务委员会委员和有关方面负责同志列席会议。党的十九大代表中部分基层同志和专家学者也列席会议。

　　全会由中央政治局主持。中央委员会总书记习近平作了重要讲话。

　　全会审议通过了《中共中央关于修改宪法部分内容的建议》，张德江就《建议（草案）》向全会作了说明。

　　全会一致认为，党的十九大和十九届一中全会以来，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，全党全国把学习宣传贯彻党的十九大精神作为首要政治任务，深入开展多种形式的学习宣传活动，兴起了学习贯彻党的十九大精神、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想热潮，为贯彻落实党的十九大提出的各项战略决策和工作部署提供了强大精神动力，全党全国各族人民思想更加统一、信心更加坚定、行动更加有力，党和国家各项事业呈现欣欣向荣的发展局面。

　　全会认为，宪法是国家的根本法，是治国安邦的总章程，是党和人民意志的集中体现。现行宪法颁布以来，在改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的历史进程中、在我们党治国理政实践中发挥了十分重要的作用，有力坚持了中国共产党领导，有力保障了人民当家作主，有力促进了改革开放和社会主义现代化建设，有力推动了社会主义法治国家建设进程，有力维护了国家统一、民族团结、社会稳定。实践证明，我国现行宪法是符合国情、符合实际、符合时代发展要求的好宪法，是充分体现人民共同意志、充分保障人民民主权利、充分维护人民根本利益的好宪法，是推动国家发展进步、保证人民创造幸福生活、保障中华民族实现伟大复兴的好宪法，是我们国家和人民经受住各种困难和风险考验、始终沿着中国特色社会主义道路前进的根本法治保障。维护宪法尊严和权威，是维护国家法制统一、尊严、权威的前提，也是维护最广大人民根本利益、确保国家长治久安的重要保障。

　　全会高度评价全面依法治国取得的成就。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央以前所未有的力度推进全面依法治国进程，坚持依法治国、依法执政、依法行政共同推进，坚持法治国家、法治政府、法治社会一体建设，坚持依法治国和以德治国相结合，坚持依法治国和依规治党有机统一，抓住科学立法、严格执法、公正司法、全民守法关键环节，加快推进中国特色社会主义法治体系建设，法律规范体系、法治实施体系、法治监督体系、法治保障体系和党内法规体系建设相互促进、共同发展，社会主义法治国家建设取得了历史性成就。

　　全会认为，我们党高度重视宪法在治国理政中的重要地位和作用，明确坚持依法治国首先要坚持依宪治国，坚持依法执政首先要坚持依宪执政，把实施宪法摆在全面依法治国的突出位置，采取一系列有力措施加强宪法实施和监督工作，为保证宪法实施提供了强有力的政治和制度保障。

　　全会认为，我国宪法必须随着党领导人民建设中国特色社会主义实践的发展而不断完善发展。这是我国宪法发展的一个显著特点，也是一条基本规律。从1954年我国第一部宪法诞生至今，我国宪法一直处在探索实践和不断完善过程中。1982年宪法公布施行后，根据我国改革开放和社会主义现代化建设的实践和发展，分别于1988年、1993年、1999年、2004年进行了4次修改。实践表明，我国宪法是同党团结带领人民进行的实践探索紧密联系在一起的，随着时代进步、党和人民事业发展而不断完善。

　　全会强调，由宪法及时确认党和人民创造的伟大成就和宝贵经验，以更好发挥宪法的规范、引领、推动、保障作用，是实践发展的必然要求。中国特色社会主义进入新时代，这是我国发展新的历史方位。根据新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的新形势新任务，有必要对我国宪法作出适当的修改。自2004年修改宪法以来，党和国家事业又有了许多重要发展变化。特别是党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央团结带领全党全国各族人民毫不动摇坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，创立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局、协调推进“四个全面”战略布局，推进党的建设新的伟大工程，推动党和国家事业取得历史性成就、发生历史性变革。党的十九大对新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义作出重大战略部署，确定了新的奋斗目标。为更好发挥宪法在新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义中的重大作用，需要对宪法作出适当修改，把党和人民在实践中取得的重大理论创新、实践创新、制度创新成果上升为宪法规定。

　　全会认为，宪法修改是国家政治生活中的一件大事，是党中央从新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义全局和战略高度作出的重大决策，也是推进全面依法治国、推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的重大举措。这次宪法修改的总体要求是，高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，全面贯彻党的十九大精神，坚持以马克思列宁主义、毛泽东思想、邓小平理论、“三个代表”重要思想、科学发展观、习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一，把党的十九大确定的重大理论观点和重大方针政策特别是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想载入国家根本法，体现党和国家事业发展的新成就新经验新要求，在总体保持我国宪法连续性、稳定性、权威性的基础上推动宪法与时俱进、完善发展，为新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义、实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标和中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦提供有力宪法保障。

　　全会提出，这次宪法修改必须贯彻以下原则：坚持党的领导，坚持中国特色社会主义法治道路，坚持正确政治方向；严格依法按程序进行；充分发扬民主、广泛凝聚共识，确保反映人民意志、得到人民拥护；坚持对宪法作部分修改、不作大改的原则，做到既顺应党和人民事业发展要求，又遵循宪法法律发展规律，保持宪法连续性、稳定性、权威性。

　　全会认为，宪法修改关系全局，影响广泛而深远。要贯彻科学立法、民主立法、依法立法的要求，注重从政治上、大局上、战略上分析问题，注重从宪法发展的客观规律和内在要求上思考问题，维护宪法权威性。

　　全会强调，习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想是马克思主义中国化最新成果，是当代中国马克思主义、21世纪马克思主义，是党和国家必须长期坚持的指导思想。中国共产党领导是中国特色社会主义最本质的特征，是中国特色社会主义制度最大的优势，必须坚持和加强党对一切工作的领导。经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设、生态文明建设“五位一体”总体布局，创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的新发展理念，到2020年全面建成小康社会、到2035年基本实现社会主义现代化、到本世纪中叶建成社会主义现代化强国的奋斗目标，实现中华民族伟大复兴，对激励和引导全党全国各族人民团结奋斗具有重大引领意义。坚持和平发展道路，坚持互利共赢开放战略，推动构建人类命运共同体，对促进人类和平发展的崇高事业具有重大意义。国家监察体制改革是事关全局的重大政治体制改革，是强化党和国家自我监督的重大决策部署，要依法建立党统一领导的反腐败工作机构，构建集中统一、权威高效的国家监察体系，实现对所有行使公权力的公职人员监察全覆盖。宪法是国家各项制度和法律法规的总依据，充实宪法的重大制度规定，对完善和发展中国特色社会主义制度具有重要作用。

　　全会强调，宪法的生命在于实施，宪法的权威也在于实施。维护宪法权威，就是维护党和人民共同意志的权威；捍卫宪法尊严，就是捍卫党和人民共同意志的尊严；保证宪法实施，就是保证人民根本利益的实现。要以这次宪法修改为契机，深入推进科学立法、严格执法、公正司法、全民守法，坚持有法可依、有法必依、执法必严、违法必究，把依法治国、依宪治国工作提高到一个新水平。要在全党全社会深入开展尊崇宪法、学习宪法、遵守宪法、维护宪法、运用宪法的宣传教育活动，大力弘扬宪法精神，大力弘扬社会主义法治精神，不断增强人民群众宪法意识。要加强对宪法法律实施情况的监督检查，坚决纠正违宪违法行为。各级国家工作人员特别是领导干部要增强宪法观念，依照宪法法律行使职权、履行职责、开展工作，恪尽职守，廉洁奉公，自觉接受人民监督，通过自己的努力为宪法法律实施作出贡献，绝不允许以言代法、以权压法、逐利违法、徇私枉法。全国各族人民、一切国家机关和武装力量、各政党和各社会团体、各企业事业组织，都必须以宪法为根本的活动准则，都负有维护宪法尊严、保证宪法实施的职责，任何组织和个人都不得有超越宪法法律的特权，一切违反宪法法律的行为都必须予以追究。

　　全会号召，全党同志要更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，全面深入贯彻党的十九大精神和本次全会精神，牢固树立政治意识、大局意识、核心意识、看齐意识，坚定不移走中国特色社会主义法治道路，自觉维护宪法权威、保证宪法实施，为新时代推进全面依法治国、建设社会主义法治国家而努力奋斗。