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Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference
Process of Founding and Key Achievements in History
The Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC) is an organization of the patriotic
United Front of the Chinese people. It is also an
important organ for the development of multi-party
cooperation and political consultation under the
leadership of the CPC, and an important forum for
promoting socialist democracy in the Chinese political
system. The Communist Party of China, various democratic
parties, democrats with no party affiliations, people's
organizations and public figures from all walks
of life jointly founded the CPPCC shortly before
the birth of New China.
In commemoration of the International Labor's Day,
the CPC Central Committee issued a call on April
30, 1948, proposing the convening of a new political
consultative conference to set up a democratic coalition
government. This call won an immediate appreciative
response from various democratic parties, people's
organizations, democrats with no party affiliations
and overseas Chinese, who participated in the preparation
of the new political consultative conference later.
??
On September 21-30, 1949, the First CPPCC Plenary
Session was held in Beiping(now Beijing). Altogether,
662 representatives, including those of the Communist
Party of China (CPC), democratic parties, mass organizations,
various localities, the People's Liberation Army,
ethnic minorities, overseas Chinese and religious
groups, attended the session.
Exercising the functions and power of the National
People's Congress (NPC), which had not yet been
established, the session proclaimed the founding
of the People's Republic of China as the will of
all Chinese people. It adopted the Common Program
of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference,
the Organic Law of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference and the Organic Law of the
Central People's Government of the People's Republic
of China.
During the meeting, it was decided to make Beijing
the capital of the republic, designate the five-star
red flag as the national flag, declare the song
of "March of the Volunteers'' as the national anthem
and the common era calendar was adopted.
During the session, the chairman, vice-chairmen
and members of the Central People's Government,
as well as the first National Committee of the CPPCC
were elected. Mao Zedong was made the first chairman
of the CPPCC National Committee.
??
On June 14-23, 1950, the Second Session of the First
CPPCC National Committee was held.
At the
meeting, the draft Law of Land Reforms of the People's
Republic of China, the Report on the Work of the
Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee
and the Report on the Handling of the Proposals
Moved at the First CPPCC Plenary Session were passed.
The meeting greatly promoted CPPCC's self-construction,
participation in the deliberation and administration
of State affairs and political consultation. In
addition, the pattern of New China's national emblem
was also decided at the meeting.
?? On December 21-25, 1954,
the First Session of the Second CPPCC National Committee
was held.
The Constitution of the CPPCC was adopted at the
meeting. According to the document, the Common Program
should be replaced by the country's constitution.
?? Chairman Mao Zedong in 1956
wrote the principle of "long-term co-existence and
mutual supervision" to define the relationship between
CPC and the country's democratic parties in his
article entitled "On Ten Relationships."
In January 1982, the National United Front Working
Conference added "utter devotion, honor and responsibility''
to the original guideline of "long-term co-existence
and mutual supervision."
?? On August 6, 1965, the Fourth
CPPCC National Committee held a tea party in honor
of Li Zongren, a prominent Kuomintang politician,
his wife Guo Dejie and also Cheng Siyuan, who had
just returned from overseas.
?? In February 1978, CPPCC
restored its work after the "cultural revolution"
(1966-76).
?? On
June 15, 1979, Deng Xiaoping, chairman of the Fifth
CPPCC National Committee, said during the opening
of the second session of the committee that China's
united front had changed into an alliance of socialist
laborers and patriots in support of socialism, under
the leadership of the workers and on the basis of
the alliance of workers and farmers.
?? In December 1983, the Third
Session of the Standing Committee of the Sixth CPPCC
National Committee passed an important report that
corrected the mistreatments of some CPPCC members
during the "cultural revolution."
?? On April 10, 1988, Li Xiannian,
chairman of the Seventh CPPCC National Committee,
said on the closing of the committee's first session
that political consultation and supervision of government
operation should become a system.
On April 12, 1988, the First Session of the Standing
Committee of the Seventh CPPCC National Committee
decided to establish 13 special committees to make
political consultation and supervision a system.
?? On March 8-19, 1994, the
Second Session of the Eighth CPPCC National Committee
revised the Constitution of CPPCC for the third
time in history. The latest revised CPPCC constitution
added participation in the deliberation and administration
of State affairs into the main functions of CPPCC.
?? In January 1995, the Ninth
Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth
CPPCC National Committee adopted the Regulations
of the CPPCC National Committee on Political Consultation,
Democratic Supervision and Participation in the
Deliberation and Administration of State Affairs.
?? In March 1998, the First
Session of the Ninth CPPCC National Committee was
held in Beijing and a group of new leaders were
elected at the meeting.
Composition and Functions of the CPPCC
Under the leadership of the CPC, the CPPCC consists
of representatives of the CPC, eight democratic
parties, democrats with no party affiliations, various
people's organizations, every ethnic group and all
walks of life, compatriots from Taiwan, Hong Kong
and Macao, and returned overseas Chinese, as well
as specially invited individuals, reflecting the
interests of various social strata.
According to the principles of "long-term coexistence,
mutual supervision, sincere treatment with each
other and the share of weal or woe'' between the
CPC and the democratic parties and democrats with
no party affiliations, the CPPCC conducts political
consultations on major state policies and important
issues concerning the well-being of the people,
and exercises democratic supervision through proposals
and criticisms. The primary functions of the CPPCC
are to conduct political consultations and democratic
supervision, and organize its member parties, organizations
and personages from various ethnic groups and walks
of life to discuss and manage state affairs. All
activities of the CPPCC are guided by the Constitution
of the PRC.
CPPCC National Committee
The National Committee serves a term of five years.
It has a chairman, a number of vice chairmen and
a secretary-general. Each year the National Committee
holds a plenary session presided over by the Standing
Committee of the National Committee. The Standing
Committee consists of the chairman, vice chairmen,
secretary-general as well as a number of members.
Nine Special Committees of the Ninth National
Committee
The Ninth National Committee of the CPPCC has
nine special committees including the Committee
for Handling Proposals, the Committee for Economic
Affairs, the Committee of Population, Resources
and Environment, the Committee of Science, Culture,
Health and Sports, the Committee for Social and
Legal Affairs, the Committee for Ethnic and Religious
Affairs, the Committee of Cultural and Historical
Data, the Committee for Affairs of Hong Kong, Macao,
Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese, and Committee
for Foreign Affairs.
CPPCC Ninth National Committee Leadership
Chairman: Li Ruihuan
Li Ruihuan, chairman of the eighth National
Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC), was reelected the supreme leader
of the ninth CPPCC National Committee.
His principal duties are to unite all sectors of
society, confer on state affairs and provide ideas
for the top bodies of Chinese government for reference.
The achievements he had scored over the past five
years fully demonstrate that he is qualified to
the noble and sacred post.
Li, born into ordinary peasant family in Tianjin's
Baodi County, September, 1934; worked as construction
worker in Beijing Third Construction Company, 1951-65;
attended spare-time architecture engineering institute,
1958-63; and received college certificate.
Inventor of the "simplified calculation method,"
which updated the traditional "lofting method" in
carpentry, Li was known as young "Lu Ban", a legendary
master carpenter in ancient China.
Li has both practical experience at the grassroots
level and college education. He joined Communist
Party of China (CPC) in September 1959 and served
as deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Beijing
Building Materials Company after 1965. He was prosecuted
from 1966 to 1971 during the "cultural revolution".
After 1971, he held leading posts in civil construction
units, including vice-chairman of Beijing Municipal
Trade Union Federation and vice-chairman of All-China
Youth Federation.
In 1982-84, Li served as secretary of the CPC Tianjin
Municipal Committee and acting mayor and then mayor
of Tianjin. Between 1987-89, he became member of
the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee, secretary
of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee, and Tianjin
mayor.
From 1992 on, he has been a member of the Standing
Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central
Committee and was elected chairman of Eighth CPPCC
National Committee in 1993.
During his tenure of office as Tianjin mayor, he
went all out for institutional restructuring, with
focus of attention placed on improving urban housing
and public transport conditions. He organized and
implemented the project of "diverting water from
Luanhe River to Tianjin" and a chain of construction
project around Tianjin. With many eminent deeds
performed for local residents, he has been highly
praised by locals for his practical style of work.
People of Tianjin still remembered very well his
call-in radio and TV programs broadcast or televised
through which he directly answered residents' inquires,
all in concrete terms.
Li was elected member of the Standing Committee
of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee
and member of the Central Committee's Secretariat
at the Fourth Plenary Session of 13th CPC Central
Committee in 1989, to take charge of ideological
work. He is renowned for his profound study and
open-mindedness in the intellectual circle. And
he published two books "Ideas on Urban Development"
and "Ideas On Doing Practical Things for People".
Since he chaired the Eighth CPPCC National Committee
in early 1993, he has injected new vigor and vitality
into the CPPCC's work with his enlightened views
and practical attitude.
The CPPCC's basic functions in the past were political
consultation and democratic supervision, to which
Li added new contents -- participation in and deliberation
of state affairs, after assuming office. Then, CPC
Central Committee issued a notice to Party committees
at all levels, and urged the committees to create
conditions for the work of local CPPCC committees.
As a result, the CPPCC's status in China's political
life has greatly been raised.
During late November to early December 1993, Li
paid official visits to Nepal, India and Pakistan.
That was the first time for a Chinese leader to
visit foreign countries in the name of the chairman
of the CPPCC National Committee after New China
was founded in 1949. Li's diplomatic activities
has raised the level of the CPPCC's foreign contacts.
Within the framework of China' general foreign policies,
the CPPCC has conducted exchanges with foreign countries
at various levels in the past five years. By 1997,
it has forged ties and conducted friendly exchanges
with 98 institutions from 68 countries and four
international organizations.
Li Ruihuan sets great store by the method of study.
At the 21st meeting of the Standing Committee of
the Eight CPPCC National Committee, he recommended
a unique study method, which integrates theory learning
with the review of experiences and study of practical
work.
On the one hand, reading books is kind of study
and so is application and more important at that,
he said. On the other hand, he added, the process
of book reading is in fact a process of learning
and applying theories.
With regard to his personal life, Li develops a
wide range of interests, with a particular liking
for Beijing Opera. And his other hobbies include
playing tennis or table tennis and going for fishing.
Democratic Parties
Formation and Development of Democratic Parties
Apart from the CPC, there are eight democratic parties
in China. They are the Revolutionary Committee of
the Chinese Kuomintang, China Democratic League,
China Democratic National Construction Association,
China Association for Promoting Democracy, China
Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party, China Zhi
Gong Dang, Jiu San Society, and the Taiwan Democratic
Self-Government League. Formed and developed in
the War of Resistance Against Japan (1937-1945)
and the struggles against Kuomintang autocratic
rule, these democratic parties originated mainly
in the national bourgeoisie, urban upper petty bourgeoisie
circles, and also among intellectuals and other
patriotic individuals.
Soon after their founding, the democratic parties
developed cooperative relations with the CPC at
different levels, and such relations continuously
made headway in their joint struggle against imperialist
aggression and for people's democracy. After the
September 18 Incident in 1931, Japanese troops occupied
the entire northeast China, bringing about an unprecedented
national crisis. The CPC timely put forward the
proposal for establishment of the National Anti-Japanese
United Front, meeting very enthusiastic responses
from the existing democratic parties and various
social groups. The CPC and the democratic parties
cooperated with each other closely in resistance
against Japanese aggression, and for unity and progress.
On July 7, 1937, Japanese troops attacked Lugou
Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) in the suburbs of Beijing,
and the Chinese defenders fought back. This came
to be known as the Lugou Bridge Incident, which
marked the beginning of all-out Japanese aggression
against China and of China's War of Resistance Against
Japan. During the war, the democratic parties and
people from all walks of life supported the CPC's
stand of "Yes to resistance, no to surrender;
yes to unity, no to separation; and yes to democracy,
no to autocratic rule", urging the Kuomintang
to implement political reforms, to establish a coalition
government, to guarantee people's democratic rights,
and to improve people's living conditions. After
the victory over Japan in 1945, the CPC put forward
peace, democracy and unity as the three general
principles for peaceful national construction, which
reflected the common desires of the democratic parties
and democrats from various walks of life. However,
the Kuomintang administration led by Chiang Kai-shek
clung to autocratic rule and began to attack the
Liberated Areas on all fronts in July 1946, leading
to the breakdown of the second period of Kuomintang-Communist
cooperation and the eruption of all-out civil war.
At that time, the democratic parties publicly sided
with the CPC. They broke through Kuomintang's oppression
to develop further cooperation with the CPC.
On April 30, 1948, the CPC issued a call, proposing
that all democratic parties, people's organizations
and other prominent people should convene at once
a new political consultative conference in order
to discuss and call a meeting of people's representatives,
as well as set up a democratic coalition government.
The democratic parties and democrats with no party
affiliations actively responded to the call. On
May 5, leaders of various democratic parties, including
Li Jishen and He Xiangning of the Revolutionary
Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, Shen Junru
and Zhang Bojun of China Democratic League, Ma Xulun
and Wang Shao'ao of China Association for Promoting
Democracy, Chen Qiyou of China Zhi Gong Dang, Peng
Zemin of China Peasants and Workers' Democratic
Party, Li Zhangda of the Association of National
Salvation, Cai Tingkai of the Committee for Promoting
Democracy of the Chinese Kuomintang, and Tan Pingshan
of the San Min Zhu Yi (Three People's Principles)
Comrades' Federation, as well as Guo Moruo, a person
with no party affiliations, sent a joint telegram
to the CPC Central Committee and Mao Zedong, and
the entire nation, from Hong Kong, backing the CPC
call. In the meantime, the China Association for
Promoting Democracy and the Jiu San Society, which
had their headquarters established in areas under
Kuomintang rule, held secret meeting of their central
committees to support the CPC call. Mao Dun, Hu
Yuzhi, Liu Yazi, Zhu Yunshan and 120 democrats published
a joint announcement, expressing their agreement
with the CPC's stand.
Moreover, 55 leaders of democratic parties and personages
with no party affiliations also jointly made comments
on China's political situation, declaring "during
the people's liberation war, we are willing to contribute
to, and cooperate in, planning major undertakings
under the leadership of the CPC, expecting to promote
the rapid success of Chinese people's democratic
revolution and the earlier founding of an independent,
free, peaceful and happy New China." Between
September 21 and 30, representatives of various
democratic parties and democrats with no party affiliations,
together with the CPC representatives, participated
in the First Session of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference (CPPCC). It was at this
meeting that the "Common Program of the CPPCC"
was adopted, the Central People's Government elected
and the founding of the People's Republic of China
(PRC) proclaimed.
After the founding of the PRC, the CPC has continued
to adhere to the policy of "long-term coexistence,
mutual supervision, sincere treatment with each
other and sharing of weal or woe" with the
democratic parties. They enjoy full democratic rights
and freedom of activities as granted by the constitution.
Since the 1950s, the democratic parties have conscientiously
participated in consultations on important issues
concerning the state and management of state affairs,
encouraged their members and people they associated
with to actively take part in all fields of work,
and made important contributions to China's socialist
revolution and construction. Many representative
figures from the democratic parties have been elected
deputies to the people's congress and members of
the people's political consultative conference at
all levels. In addition, many of them serve the
posts of leadership in the standing committees of
the people's congress, committees of people's political
consultative conference, people's governments, and
economic, cultural, educational, scientific and
technological departments at all levels. The democratic
parties have also grown in membership, with local
and primary organizations set up in most of the
country's provinces, municipalities directly under
the Central Government, and autonomous regions and
in many large and medium-sized cities. At present,
each democratic party has become a political alliance
of a section of socialist labor and patriotic individuals
supporting socialism. A democratic party in China
is neither a party out of office nor an opposition
party. Giving full cooperation to the CPC to jointly
strive for the socialist cause, they are actually
friendly parties of the CPC that participate in
state administration.
Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against
Japan in 1937, the patriotic democratic members
of the Kuomintang supported the National Anti-Japanese
United Front initiated by the CPC and participated
in patriotic democratic activities. As of 1943,
two parts of them respectively planned to create
the San Min Zhu Yi (Three People's Principles) Comrades'
Federation and the Kuomintang Association for Promoting
Democracy, to carry out anti-Japanese democratic
activities. The San Min Zhu Yi Comrades' Federation
held its First National Congress in Chongqing in
the autumn of 1945, and the Kuomintang Association
for Promoting Democracy held its First National
Congress in Guangzhou in spring of 1946, each making
their political programs and constitutions and formally
declaring their establishment. At the end of 1947,
the two organizations joined together with democratic
elements from among the Kuomintang to hold their
First Conference in Hong Kong and formally declared
the inauguration of the Revolutionary Committee
of the Chinese Kuomintang on January 1, 1948. In
November 1949, the two organizations, together with
other patriotic democratic elements of the Kuomintang,
called their Second Conference and have since operated
as a single independent political party under the
name of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese
Kuomintang.
It is composed mainly of former Kuomintang members
and those who have had historical connections with
the Kuomintang, including a batch of staff workers
in government organizations and intellectuals in
the fields of science, technology, culture, education,
and medical science. It currently has more than
53,000 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang
are Li Jishen, He Xiangning, Zhu Yunshan, Wang Kunlun,
Qu Wu, Zhu Xuefan and Li Peiyao. Its present chairwoman
is He Luli.
China Democratic League
The predecessor of China Democratic League was China
League of Democratic Political Organizations, which
was founded in October 1941 and composed of China
Youth Party, National Socialist Party (later renamed
the Democratic Socialist Party), Chinese Action
Committee for National Liberation (later renamed
the Chinese Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party),
Chinese Professional Education Community, Countryside
Construction Association and some individuals independent
from these parties and organizations. The China
League of Democratic Political Organizations held
a national congress in Chongqing in September 1944,
deciding to transform itself into a single party
by replacing group membership with personal membership
and changed its name to China Democratic League.
After the War of Resistance Against Japan ended
in 1945, the China Democratic League insisted in
opposing autocratic rule and demanding democracy,
as well as opposing civil war and demanding peace.
In October 1947, the Kuomintang administration declared
that the China Democratic League was an "illegal
organization" and forced its headquarters to
disband. In January 1948, the China Democratic League
held the Third Plenary Session of its First Central
Committee in Hong Kong, establishing a temporary
national headquarters. The meeting also openly declared
the China Democratic League would cooperate with
the CPC to strive for the complete realization of
a democratic, peaceful, independent and united New
China.
Its members are mostly intellectuals. It now has
130,000 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of the China Democratic League are Zhang Lan, Shen
Junru, Yang Mingxuan, Shi Liang, Hu Yuzhi, Chu Tunan
and Fei Xiaotong. Its present chairman is Ding Shisun.
China Democratic National Construction Association
The Association was founded by a number of national
industrialists and businessmen, and some intellectuals
who had a close tie with industry and commerce fields
during the War of Resistance Against Japan. At that
time, they held gatherings and informal talks, with
varied views aired on the problems of the time.
In December 1945, the China Democratic National
Construction Association proclaimed its formal establishment
in Chongqing.
It is mainly composed of national industrialists
and businessmen, and some experts in the fields.
It currently has 69,000 members.
The successive chief members (chairpersons) of the
Central Committee of the China Democratic National
Construction Association are Huang Yanpei, Hu Juewen
and Sun Qimeng. Its present chairman is Cheng Siwei.
China Association for Promoting Democracy
Founded in Shanghai in December 1945, its original
members were mainly intellectuals in the fields
of culture, education and publishing who resided
in Shanghai during the period of the War of Resistance
Against Japan. Its aim is "to carry out the
democratic spirit and push forward the realization
of democratic politics in China."
Its members are mainly intellectuals working in
the fields of education, culture, science and publishing.
It currently has 65,000 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of China Association for Promoting Democracy are
Ma Xulun, Zhou Jianren, Ye Shengtao and Lei Jieqiong.
Its present chairman is Xu Jialu.
China Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party
The predecessor of China Peasants and Workers' Democratic
Party was the Provisional Action Committee of the
Kuomintang, which was founded by Deng Yanda, a famous
Kuomintang left-wing leader, and others in Shanghai
in August of 1930. In November of 1935, the Committee
changed its name to the Chinese Action Committee
for National Liberation. It participated in the
establishment of China League of Democratic Political
Organizations in March of 1941. In February 1947,
it was renamed the Chinese Peasants and Workers'
Democratic Party.
Most of its members are intellectuals in the fields
of medical science, science and technology, culture
and education. It currently has 65,000 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of China Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party
are Deng Yanda, Huang Qixiang, Zhang Bojun, Ji Fang,
Zhou Gucheng and Lu Jiaxi. Its present chairman
is Jiang Zhenghua.
China Zhi Gong Dang
Initiated by the American Zhi Gong Zong Tang, an
organization of overseas Chinese, China Zhi Gong
Dang was founded in San Francisco in October 1925.
Its Second Congress was held in Hong Kong in 1931,
when it decided to establish the headquarters of
China Zhi Gong Dang there. After the outbreak of
the War of Resistance Against Japan, China Zhi Gong
Dang was devoted to mobilizing the broad masses
of overseas Chinese to actively support the just
cause in the motherland. China Zhi Gong Dang called
its Third Congress in Hong Kong in May 1947. The
meeting published a declaration, exposing and condemning
the Kuomintang for launching civil war and continuing
autocratic rule, and calling for struggles for political
democracy. The headquarters of the China Zhi Gong
Dang was moved from Hong Kong to Guangzhou in 1950
and then to Beijing in 1953.
Its members are mainly returned overseas Chinese
and their relatives, and experts, scholars and representative
figures with overseas relations. It currently has
15,000 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of China Zhi Gong Dang are Chen Qiyou, Huang Dingchen
and Dong Yinchu. Its present chairman is Luo Haocai.
Jiu San Society
Carrying on the spirit of the May 4th Movement of
"democracy and science" and adhering to
the objectives to unite to resist Japanese aggression
and strive for democracy, a group of progressive
intellectuals organized the "forum on democracy
and science" in Chongqing at the end of 1944.
Later, in commemoration of the victories of the
War of Resistance Against Japan and the international
war against fascism on September 3, 1945, it adopted
the name Jiu San Forum ("Jiu San" means
"September 3" in Chinese). On May 4, 1946,
the Jiu San Society was formally founded.
Its members are mainly intellectuals in the fields
of science, technology, education, culture, and
medical science. It currently has 68,000 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of the Jiu San Society are Xu Deheng and Zhou Peiyuan.
Its present chairman is Wu Jieping.
Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League
The league was founded in Hong Kong in November
1947. Most of its founding members are patriotic
supporters of democracy who originated in Taiwan.
The aim of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government
League is to fight against imperialist aggression
and all schemes for separating Taiwan from the mainland,
oppose the reactionary rule of the Kuomintang and
promote the establishment of a people's democratic
dictatorship.
Its members are individuals who are either from,
or have family roots in, Taiwan, but now reside
in China's mainland. It currently has 1,600 members.
The successive chairpersons of the Central Committee
of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League
are Xie Xuehong, Cai Xiao, Su Ziheng and Cai Zimin.
Its present chairman is Zhang Kehui.
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