《中国人民政治协商会议章程》英文版
Charter of the Chinese People’s
Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC)
(This charter was adopted at the Fifth Session of the Fifth National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference on December 11, 1982 and revised in accordance with the Resolution on Amending the Charter of the CPPCC adopted at the Second Session of the Eighth National Committee of the CPPCC on March 19, 1994, the Resolution on Amending the Charter of the CPPCC adopted at the Third Session of the Ninth National Committee of the CPPCC on March 11, 2000, the Resolution on Amending the Charter of the CPPCC adopted at the Second Session of the Tenth National Committee of the CPPCC on March 12, 2004, and the Resolution on Amending the Charter of the CPPCC adopted at the First Session of the Thirteenth National Committee of the CPPCC on March 15, 2018.)
Contents
General Principles
Chapter I: General Working Rules
Chapter II: General Organizational Principals
Chapter III: Members
Chapter IV: National Committee
Chapter V: Local Committee
Chapter VI: Emblem
General Principles
The Chinese people, during the long course of revolution, development, and reform, have brought together the most extensive patriotic united front, which, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and based on an alliance of workers and farmers, is participated in by other political parties, public figures without party affiliation, people’s organizations, ethnic minorities, and patriots from all sectors of society, and is formed of all socialist workers, builders of the socialist cause, patriots who support socialism, and patriots who support the reunification of the country and strive for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, including compatriots from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, compatriots from the Macao Special Administrative Region, compatriots from Taiwan, and overseas Chinese.
The Constitution of the People’s Republic of China stipulates: the CPC-led system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation shall exist and develop for a long period of time.
The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an organization of the Chinese people’s patriotic united front, an important institution of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation, a major form for promoting socialist democracy in China’s political life, an important component of the country’s governance system, and a distinctively Chinese institutional arrangement. The two main purposes of the CPPCC are to pursue unity and democracy. In September 1949, the First Plenary Session of the CPPCC, acting to fulfill the function of the National People’s Congress and representing the will of all of the nation’s people, declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China, playing an important role in history. Following the convention of the First National People’s Congress in 1954, the CPPCC has continued to do much work in the country’s political and social life and in international exchanges, and has made important contributions. Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC in December 1978, the CPPCC has further played an important role in helping to restore, consolidate, and develop stability and solidarity in the country’s political situation, in realizing a shift in the focus of the work of the country toward economic development, in promoting reform and opening up and the pursuit of socialist modernization, in striving to reunify the nation, including Taiwan, and in opposing hegemony and safeguarding world peace.
Following the founding of the People’s Republic of China, led by the CPC, the people of all ethnic groups in China crushed the system of exploitation, established a socialist system, pursued socialist development, launched the great new revolution of reform and opening up, and embarked on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. With this, the class situation in Chinese society has changed fundamentally. The alliance of workers and farmers has been further consolidated. Intellectuals, like workers and farmers, are a force to be relied on in the country’s socialist cause. Other political parties, which have, in the people’s revolution, development, and reform, advanced and withstood tests together with the CPC and made important contributions, have become political allies of the workers, builders, and patriotic supporters of socialism to whom they are tied; they are participating parties under socialism with Chinese characteristics, and are increasingly playing their own important roles. All the nation’s ethnic groups have formed socialist ethnic relations based on equality, solidarity, mutual assistance, and harmony. Religious patriots are taking an active part in the country’s socialist development. People involved in the non-public economic sector and people who belong to new social strata are also working for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Compatriots from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan and overseas Chinese love the motherland, support China’s reunification, and back the country’s development. As the country moves forward in its development, China’s patriotic united front has greater vitality and continues to be an important tool of the Chinese people as they unite and work together, and build and reunify the motherland. It shall be further consolidated and become better developed.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in November 2012, based on foundations laid by long-term efforts since the founding of the People’s Republic of China and especially since the beginning of reform and opening up, historic change has occurred in the cause of the country, and socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. We are closer to, more confident about, and more capable of realizing the goal of national rejuvenation than ever before. At the current stage, the principal contradiction facing Chinese society is that between the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life and unbalanced and inadequate development. The basic dimension of the Chinese context—that our country is still and will long remain in the primary stage of socialism—has not changed. China’s international status as the world’s largest developing country has not changed. Owing to domestic factors and international influences, the struggle of the people of our country against hostile forces and elements at home and abroad will continue to be protracted, and a certain amount of class struggle will continue to exist for a long time to come but is no longer the principal contradiction in our society. The fundamental task of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups is, under the leadership of the CPC, to follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhere to the basic line for the primary stage of socialism, fulfill the central task of economic development, uphold the Four Cardinal Principles, continue to reform and open up, be self-reliant, hardworking, and enterprising, and build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. The CPPCC shall, under 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, hold high the banner of patriotism and socialism, strengthen confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, be committed to achieving great unity and solidarity, and find balance between commonality and diversity. It shall, based on the political foundations of love for the People’s Republic of China, support for the leadership of the CPC and the socialist cause, and concerted efforts toward realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, further consolidate and develop the patriotic united front, mobilize all positive factors and unite all people that can be united, expand common ground and the convergence of interests, be of one heart and mind, pool the knowledge and energies of all, work in accordance with the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, preserve and develop political stability and solidarity, work consistently to promote coordinated material, political, cultural and ethical, social, and ecological advancement, and strive to achieve the two centenary goals and to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
The system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation is a basic political system of our country; it is a socialist political party system with Chinese characteristics. The CPPCC is an important political and organizational form by which the system of CPC-led multiparty cooperation and political consultation is practiced. The CPPCC shall, on the basis of the principles of the long-term coexistence of, and mutual oversight, sincerity, and the sharing of rough and smooth between the CPC and other political parties and public figures without party affiliation, promote their unity and cooperation within the CPPCC and fully reflect and give play to the distinctive features and strengths of our country’s new style of socialist political party system.
Consultative democracy is a model and strength unique to China’s socialist democracy. The CPPCC is an important channel for socialist consultative democracy and a specialist consultative body. It shall, focusing on the country’s key tasks, put consultative democracy into practice throughout the whole process of the performance of its duties, improve the content and forms of consultation and deliberation, strive to build consensus and promote unity, and play an irreplaceable role in advancing the extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy and in the modernization of China’s system and capacity for governance.
All activities of the CPPCC shall be in line with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China as the fundamental code.
The National Committee and local committees of the CPPCC shall, in accordance with law, uphold the rights of all participating organizations and individuals to perform their duties in line with this Charter.
Chapter I: General Working Rules
Article 1
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall operate in accordance with this Charter.
Article 2
The principles to be followed in the work of the National Committee and local committees are: uphold the leadership of the CPC, stay true to the nature and position of the CPPCC, be committed to great unity and solidarity, and promote socialist democracy.
Article 3
The principal functions of the National Committee and local committees are political consultation, democratic oversight, and participation in and deliberation of state affairs.
Political consultation refers to consultation related to major national principles and policies, important local government measures, and major issues in political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement, which is carried out both before decisions are made and during their implementation. The National Committee and local committees may, according to the suggestions of the CPC, the standing committees of people’s congresses, people’s governments, other political parties, and people’s organizations, hold meetings participated in by leaders of political parties and people’s organizations and representatives of ethnic groups and different social sectors to engage in consultation; and may recommend the above-mentioned organizations to submit important relevant issues for consultation.
Democratic oversight refers to consultative oversight, carried out by putting forward comments, criticisms, or suggestions, over the enforcement of the Constitution, laws, and regulations; over the implementation of major principles, policies, reform measures, and decisions; over the situation as regards the resolution of practical problems of immediate concern to the people; and over the work of state organs and their employees.
Participation in and deliberation of state affairs refers to carrying out studies and surveys on important issues related to politics, the economy, culture, society, ecological and environmental protection, and issues of public concern, reporting on social conditions and public sentiment, and engaging in consultation and discussion. Comments and suggestions are made through research reports, proposals, recommendations and other forms to CPC and state organs.
Article 4
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees should formulate annual consultation plans. The agenda items of special meetings of the Standing Committee and special consultative meetings, as well as the important topics of other forms of consultation, should be set out in annual consultation plans, ensuring that the forms of consultations are commensurate with the topics under consultation. CPPCC committees shall use a variety of means in combination, bringing together consultation, oversight, participation, and cooperation; and shall refine the configuration of consultation and deliberation, in which plenary sessions of the National Committee play the leading role, special meetings on major national policy of the Standing Committee and special consultative meetings play an important part, and consultative forums, consultative meetings with Party and government departments, and consultative meetings on the handling of proposals are part of regular procedures.
Article 5
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall implement the CPC’s basic theory, line, and policy; be committed to a people-centered philosophy of development; be committed to law-based governance; publicize and act in line with the country’s Constitution, laws, and regulations as well as major principles and policies; encourage private actors to be actively involved in the country’s material, political, cultural and ethical, social, and ecological advancement; better meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life; and better promote well-rounded human development and all-round social progress.
Article 6
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall uphold a basic economic system whereby public ownership plays a dominant role and economic entities under diverse forms of ownership develop side by side. They shall have resolve in consolidating and developing the public sector of the economy and also in encouraging, supporting, and guiding the development of the non-public sector. They shall uphold a distribution system whereby distribution according to one’s work is the predominant form and a variety of other modes of distribution exist alongside it. They shall be committed to developing the socialist market economy; apply a new vision of development; develop a modernized economy; see that the market plays the decisive role in resource allocation and the government plays its role better; help to release and develop productive forces; and gradually achieve shared prosperity for everyone.
Article 7
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall maintain close ties with individuals from all walks of life, reflect the views and demands of these people and the sectors of society they are connected to, make suggestions and criticisms about the work of state organs and their employees, and assist state organs in carrying out structural and institutional reform, improving work, raising efficiency, overcoming the practice of formalities for formalities’ sake, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, and building a clean government.
Article 8
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall coordinate and handle the various relationships in the united front and important issues regarding cooperation within the CPPCC itself.
Article 9
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall be committed to a path of developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. They shall use all possible forms to ensure the fine cultural traditions of the Chinese nation are carried on and China’s revolutionary culture remains alive and strong, develop an advanced socialist culture, foster a Chinese ethos and a readiness to respond to the call of the times, and cultivate and practice core socialist values. They shall carry out publicity and educational activities related to the public virtues of loving the motherland, the people, work, science, and socialism and to the revolutionary ideal, moral integrity, and discipline.
Article 10
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall follow the principle of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend to develop science and see culture thrive; maintain close contact with state organs and other relevant organizations; and conduct studies and surveys on political issues, the rule of law, the economy, education, science and technology, culture and art, the press and publishing, medical and health services, sport, and the environment, to create extensive space for views to be shared and talent to be used, so as to give full play to the expertise and roles of CPPCC members.
The National Committee and local committees shall give impetus to and facilitate private participation in all kinds of initiatives that are beneficial to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Article 11
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall organize members to make inspections, visits, and surveys, assess situations, carry out research on important issues related to various social programs and the people’s livelihood, and put forward suggestions and criticisms to the state organs and other relevant organizations through recommendations, proposals, reports on social conditions and public sentiment, and other forms.
Article 12
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall encourage members to study 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, shall organize the study of current events and politics, and study and share professional and scientific knowledge, and shall strengthen their political understanding, their ability to carry out studies and research, their ability to connect with the people, and their ability to work in cooperation with others.
Article 13
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall publicize and take part in putting into practice national principles and policies regarding the reunification of the motherland; actively engage in efforts to connect with compatriots from Taiwan and people from all sectors of society, resolutely oppose all separatist activities, and promote the realization of the great cause of China’s reunification.
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall fully and faithfully implement the policies of “one country, two systems”，“the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong”，“the people of Macao governing Macao” and a high degree of autonomy for both regions, and act in strict compliance with China’s Constitution and the basic laws of the two special administrative regions. They shall strengthen ties and unity with compatriots from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region and encourage them to contribute to the lasting prosperity and stability of their regions and to the development and reunification of the country.
Article 14
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall publicize and facilitate implementation of national strategy on developing a quality workforce and of national policy regarding intellectuals, and respect labor, knowledge, talent, and inventiveness, helping to give full play to the role of all types of talent and intellectuals in socialist modernization.
Article 15
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall publicize and facilitate implementation of national policy concerning ethnic groups, reflect the views and demands of ethnic minorities, promote economic, cultural, and social development, and ecological protection in ethnic minority regions, protect the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minorities, and uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy. They shall heighten public awareness of ethnic unity and progress; create a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation; encourage more exchanges and interactions among different ethnic groups; develop and preserve socialist relations among ethnic groups based on equality, solidarity, mutual assistance, and harmony; and, contribute to encouraging all ethnic groups to work together for common development and prosperity, enhancing the great unity of all ethnic groups, and safeguarding the reunification of the country.
Article 16
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall publicize and facilitate implementation of national policy on freedom of religious belief, support government in managing religious affairs in accordance with the law, uphold the principle of independence and self-governance in religious affairs, provide active guidance to religions so that they can adapt themselves to socialist society, uphold the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation, and unite patriots who belong to religious circles and those with religious beliefs to contribute to the country’s development and reunification.
Article 17
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall publicize and facilitate implementation of national policy on overseas Chinese, strengthen ties and unity with returned overseas Chinese, the relatives of overseas Chinese nationals who reside in China, and overseas Chinese nationals, and encourage them to play their part in the great cause of national development and reunification.
Article 18
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall publicize and facilitate implementation of state foreign policy and, based on actual circumstances, take the initiative to promote people-to-people diplomacy, strengthen friendly exchanges and cooperation with the people of other countries, and give impetus to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Article 19
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall take advantage of the CPPCC as a united front organization to carry out collection, research, and publishing work related to cultural and historical materials on modern and contemporary China.
Article 20
The CPPCC National Committee shall strengthen contact with local committees, to communicate about matters and share experience, provide guidance for their work, and research issues common to them.
Chapter II: General Organizational Principles
Article 21
The CPPCC is formed of a National Committee and local committees.
The relationship between the National Committee and the local committees and that between a local committee and its lower-level committees is one of guidance.
Article 22
The National Committee of the CPPCC shall be composed of representatives from the CPC, from other political parties, from among public figures without party affiliation, from people’s organizations, and from ethnic minority groups and all sectors of society, compatriots from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, and from among returned overseas Chinese, as well as specially invited individuals, all of whom shall be divided into a number of sectors.
The composition of local committees shall be determined according to local circumstances and in reference to that of the National Committee.
Article 23
Any political party or people’s organization which recognizes this Charter and gains approval through consultation by the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee may participate in the National Committee. The participation of members in local committees shall be handled by local committees at each level according to the above provisions of this article.
Article 24
Organizations and individuals participating in the CPPCC National Committee or local committees have an obligation to observe and implement this Charter.
Article 25
The CPPCC Local committees have an obligation to observe and implement national resolutions adopted by the National Committee; lower-level committees have an obligation to observe and implement regional resolutions adopted by their corresponding higher-level committees.
Article 26
The National Committee and local committees shall adopt resolutions by an absolute majority vote of all members. A resolution of the Standing Committee of the National Committee shall be adopted by an absolute majority vote of the Standing Committee members. All participating organizations and individuals have an obligation to observe and implement the resolutions of the CPPCC. In cases of disagreement, on the precondition of resolute implementation, reservations may be voiced.
Article 27
Organizations and individuals participating in the CPPCC National Committee and local committees have the right, through the CPPCC meetings and organizations, to fully express their views and to participate in discussion and deliberation about major national policies and important local affairs; the right to make suggestions and criticisms on the work of state organs and their employees; and the right to report on and expose behavior in breach of law or discipline, and may take part in investigations and inspections organized by relevant departments.
Article 28
Organizations and individuals participating in the CPPCC National Committee and local committees are at liberty to announce their withdrawal.
Article 29
In the event that an organization or individual participating in the CPPCC National Committee or a local committee seriously violates the CPPCC Charter or a resolution of a plenary session or the Standing Committee, the standing committee of the National Committee or the standing committee of the local committee shall, according to the particulars of the case, take disciplinary action by way of a caution or revoke the qualification of the organization or individual in question to participate in the National Committee or local committee.
In the event that an organization or individual that has been given a disciplinary caution or had their qualification revoked refutes the decision, they may request the decision be reviewed.
Chapter III: Members
Article 30
Members of the CPPCC National Committee and local committees should love the motherland, uphold the leadership of the CPC and the socialist cause, maintain ethnic solidarity and national unity, observe the Constitution and the law, keep state secrets, maintain integrity and self-discipline, be representative of the sectors to which they belong, and have the necessary social influence and ability to participate in and deliberate state affairs.
Article 31
The admission of members to the CPPCC National Committee must follow relevant procedures and be decided upon through consultation by the National Committee’s Standing Committee. The admission of members to a local committee must follow relevant procedures and be decided upon through consultation by the local committee’s standing committee.
Article 32
Members of the CPPCC National Committee and local committees should, in accordance with this Charter, actively perform their duties and diligently exercise their rights.
Article 33
Members of the CPPCC National Committee and local committees have the right to vote and to participate in and stand for election at their respective committee sessions; and the right to voice their opinions, criticisms, and suggestions concerning the work of their respective committees.
Article 34
Members of the CPPCC National Committee and local committees shall maintain close contact with the people, understand and reflect their wishes and demands, and attend the sessions and activities organized by their respective committees.
Article 35
Members of the CPPCC National Committee and local committees should properly handle the relationship between their own professional activities and the performance of their duties as CPPCC members, and must not use their membership to pursue interests for themselves, small groups, or individuals with a certain relationship to them.
Article 36
The CPPCC National Committee and local committees should strengthen management over the performance of duties by members, establish records on members’ performance, and adopt appropriate means to issue updates on performance.
Article 37
Any person who has seriously harmed national interests or the interests of the people; has, due to a serious violation of discipline or law, been issued organizational or disciplinary action or been sentenced by law, or is under investigation due to a suspected violation of law or discipline; or who is guilty of identity fraud, may not be nominated as a member or be nominated to continue membership.
Article 38
In the event that, due to a change in work or some other reason, it is no longer suitable for a person to continue to act as a member, that person should himself or herself resign. Any member whose actions run counter to public morality or whose behavior is unbefitting of a member should be subject to oral or written inquires and, in the event that following such a caution the member fails to correct his or her mistakes, shall be instructed to resign.
Article 39
The CPPCC National Committee’s Standing Committee or local committee’s standing committee should handle disciplinary and legal violations by members in accordance with the law and relevant regulations.
Chapter IV: National Committee
Article 40
The participating organizations, the member quota and candidate members, and the makeup of the sectors of each National Committee, shall, after being reviewed and approved by the Chairperson’s Council meeting of the previous National Committee, be decided upon through consultation by the Standing Committee.
In the event that, during the term of each National Committee, it is necessary to add or replace a participating organization, the member quota or select new members, after being reviewed and approved by the Chairperson’s Council meeting of that National Committee, it shall be decided upon through consultation by the Standing Committee.
Article 41
The term of each National Committee shall be five years. In exceptional circumstances, on approval by a two-thirds majority vote of all the members of its Standing Committee, the term may be extended.
Article 42
The CPPCC National Committee shall have a Chairperson, a number of Vice-Chairpersons, and a Secretary -general.
Article 43
The CPPCC National Committee shall hold a plenary session annually. When the Standing Committee deems it necessary, it may call a session as the need arises.
Article 44
The Plenary Session of the CPPCC National Committee shall exercise the following functions:
1. Making amendments to the CPPCC Charter and overseeing the Charter’s implementation;
2. Electing the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, Secretary-general, and members of the Standing Committee of the National Committee, and deciding upon additions or changes to the Standing Committee membership;
3. Engaging in consultation and deliberation on major national policies and important issues concerning economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological advancement, and making suggestions and criticisms;
4. Hearing and deliberating the work reports of the Standing Committee;
5. Discussing and adopting resolutions on major working principles and tasks of the National Committee.
Article 45
The National Committee shall have a Standing Committee to attend to its day-to-day affairs.
The Standing Committee shall be composed of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, and Secretary-general of the National Committee, and Standing Committee members; candidates for these positions shall be nominated by the political parties, organizations, ethnic groups, and people from all sectors of society participating in the National Committee, and they shall be elected by a plenary session of the National Committee.
The Standing Committee shall convene special meetings on major national policy at least twice a year.
Article 46
The CPPCC National Committee’s Standing Committee shall exercise the following functions:
1. Interpreting the CPPCC Charter and overseeing the Charter’s implementation;
2. Calling and presiding over National Committee plenary sessions; holding a preparatory meeting prior to the first plenary session of a new National Committee at which all members shall be present to elect a presidium to preside over the first plenary session;
3. Ensuring that the tasks stipulated in this Charter are fulfilled;
4. Executing National Committee plenary session resolutions;
5. When the National Committee is not in session, deliberating and approving important recommendations to be submitted to the National People’s Congress and its Standing Committee or to the State Council;
6. Determining, through consultation, National Committee members;
7. On the basis of a proposal made by the Secretary-general, appointing or dismissing a Deputy Secretaries-general of the National Committee;
8. Determining the makeup or alteration of the working bodies of the National Committee, and appointing and dismissing their leading members.
Article 47
The Chairperson of the CPPCC National Committee presides over the work of the Standing Committee. The Vice-Chairpersons and Secretary-general assist the work of the Chairperson.
The Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, and Secretary-general make up the Chairperson’s Council meeting and attend to the important day-to-day affairs of the Standing Committee.
The Chairperson’s Council meeting is entrusted by the Standing Committee to preside over the preparatory meeting of the first plenary session of the next National Committee.
Article 48
The National Committee shall put in place a certain number of Deputy Secretaries-general to assist the Secretary-general in his or her work. It shall put in place a general office, which operates under the leadership of the Secretary-general.
Article 49
The CPPCC National Committee shall, based on work requirements and at the discretion of the Standing Committee, establish a certain number of special committees and other working bodies. Special committees should play a fundamental role in the work of the National Committee.
Chapter V: Local Committees
Article 50
Provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall set up CPPCC committees; autonomous prefectures, cities with administrative districts, counties, autonomous counties, cities with no administrative districts, and municipal districts, where circumstances allow, shall also establish CPPCC committees.
Article 51
The participating organizations, the member quota and candidate members, and the makeup of the sectors of a new local committee shall, after being reviewed and approved by the Chairperson’s Council meeting of the previous local committee, be decided upon through consultation by that committee’s standing committee.
In the event that, during a local committee’s term in office, it is necessary to add or replace a participating organization, the member quota or select new members, after being reviewed and approved by the Chairperson’s Council meeting of that local committee, it shall be decided upon through consultation by the committee’s standing committee.
Article 52
A CPPCC local committee of a province, autonomous region, municipality directly under the Central Government, autonomous prefecture, city with administrative districts, county, autonomous county, city with no administrative districts, or municipal district shall serve a term of five years.
Article 53
A CPPCC local committee shall have a Chairperson, a certain number of Vice-Chairpersons and a Secretary-general.
Article 54
CPPCC Local committees at each level shall convene at least one plenary session every year.
Article 55
CPPCC Local committees at each level shall exercise the following functions:
1. Electing the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, Secretary-general, and members of its standing committee, and deciding upon additions or changes to the standing committee membership;
2. Hearing and deliberating its standing committee’s work reports, reports on the handling of proposals, and other reports;
3. Deliberating on and adopting resolutions;
4. Participating in the discussion of important issues related to national and local affairs, and making suggestions and criticisms.
Article 56
CPPCC Local committees at each level shall set up standing committees to preside over committee affairs.
The standing committee of a local committee shall be comprised of a Chairperson, a certain number of Vice-Chairpersons, a Secretary-general, and standing committee members, to be elected by a plenary session of the local committee from among candidates nominated by the political parties, organizations, ethnic groups, and people from all sectors of society participating in the local committee.
Article 57
The standing committee of a CPPCC local committee shall exercise the following functions:
1. Calling and presiding over the local committee’s plenary sessions, calling a preparatory meeting prior to the convening of the first plenary session of a new committee to elect a presidium to preside over the first plenary session;
2. Ensuring fulfillment of the tasks stipulated in this Charter and the national resolutions of the National Committee and regional resolutions of higher-level local committees;
3. Executing the resolutions of the local committee’s plenary sessions;
4. When the local committee is not in session, deliberating and adopting important proposals to be submitted to the local People’s Congress and its Standing Committee or to the local people’s government;
5. Determining, through consultation, local committee members;
6. On the basis of a proposal made by the Secretary-general, appointing or dismissing Deputy Secretaries-general of the local committee;
7. Determining the makeup or alteration of the working bodies of the local committee and the appointment and dismissal of their leading members.
Article 58
The Chairperson of a local committee’s standing committee presides over the work thereof. The Vice-Chairpersons and Secretary General assist the work of the Chairperson.
The Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, and Secretary-general make up the Chairperson’s Council meeting to attend to the important day-to-day work of the local committee’s standing committee.
The Chairperson’s Council meeting shall, entrusted by the standing committee, preside over the preparatory meeting of the first plenary session of the next local committee.
Article 59
Local committees at all levels may, as needs require, have one or several Deputy Secretaries General to assist the Secretary-general in his or her work.
Article 60
The local committees of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall set up general offices and, according to actual local circumstances and work requirements and at the discretion of their standing committees, establish special committees and other working bodies.
The local committees of autonomous prefectures, cities with administrative districts, counties, autonomous counties, cities with no administrative districts, and municipal districts shall set up working bodies according to actual local circumstances and work requirements, and at the discretion of their standing committees.
Chapter VI: Emblem
Article 61
The CPPCC emblem is an image composed of a five-pointed star, a gear and ears of wheat, four red flags and ribbons, a map of China and the Earth, and “1949” and “Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference” in Chinese.
Article 62
On the CPPCC emblem, the five-pointed star represents the leadership of the CPC; the gear and the ears of wheat represent the worker-farmer alliance as the foundation; the red flags and ribbons represent the great unity and solidarity of all parties, organizations, ethnic groups, and social strata; the map of China and the Earth represent the unity of the entire Chinese people, including the people of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan, and overseas Chinese; and “1949” and “Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference” are, respectively, the founding year and name.
Article 63
All participating organizations and individuals of the CPPCC must protect the dignity of the emblem. Production and use of the emblem shall be in accordance with regulations.