People’s Republic of China

2004-03-14 The 10th National People’s Congress constitutional amendment “3 represents” theory private property right human rights

Outline Center of party-state Local structure of party-state Party structure at the center Government structure at the center National People’s Congress Local structure of party-state Local people’s congresses Local government Local party organizations

Ruling Party: CCP Chinese Communist Party founded in Shanghai in 1921

CCP’s Birthplace Today

Communist party-state Organizational design of political system borrowed from Leninist party-state of the FSU principles of guardianship and hierarchy Mao added the idea of the “mass line” in ’40s political reforms after the Maoist era ideology became much less prominent and coherent do not add up to fundamental systematic change

Communist party-state guardianship party represents the “historical best interests” of the people CCP’s “people’s democratic dictatorship” allows no organized opposition to party leadership hierarchy of party organizations “democratic centralism”: consult & implement Mao added the idea of the “mass line”

Village

CCP General Secretary Jiang Zemin (1989 - 2002) Hu Jintao (2002 - )

Politburo Standing Committee Each heads party work in one area organization and personnel propaganda and education finance and economy political and legal affairs foreign affairs etc.

CCP Central Committee About 200 members (and 150 alternate) membership in CC reflects political power Central Committee departments: Department of Organization Department of Propaganda Department of United Front Department of International Liaison Central Committee elects Politburo

CCP National Congress Meets every 5 years since 1970s elects 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 16th National Party Congress November 2002 2154 delegates elects Central Committee

PRC Head of State President Jiang Zemin (1993-2003) also then CCP General Secretary Hu Jintao (2003-2008) also current CCP General Secretary

Central Government Premier: Wen Jiabao (2003-2008) State Council 29 Ministries and Commissions Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of National Defense State Development & Reform Commission People’s Bank of China etc.

Central Military Commission Commanders-in-chief of the People’s Liberation Army in both the central Party and government structures same composition Chair: Jiang Zemin 11 members

National People’s Congress According to the constitution, the highest organization of state authority NPC Standing Committee the permanent body of NPC exercises all but the most formal powers of the NPC 8 Special Committees legislative affairs, nationalities, agriculture & rural, foreign affairs, etc.

National People’s Congress NPC plenary sessions meet annually in Beijing for about 2 weeks the nearly 3,000 deputies are elected for 5-year terms by provincial-level people’s congresses

National PC State Council Power Relationship CCP Politburo National PC State Council

Local People’s Congresses Eligible voters Township County County or district PC’s City City PC’s Province Provincial PC’s National Elected by People’s Congresses

Provincial level governments 22 Provinces 5 Autonomous Regions 4 Municipalities 2 Special Administrative

Local governments of the P.R.C. Cities 4 cities at the rank of provinces Beijing, Shanghai, ... 15 cities at the rank of “semi-provinces” 265 cities at the rank of prefectures 393 cities at the rank of counties 2,053 counties and 808 city districts Townships and (villages)

Local Party Structure 3.5 million party committees, party general branches, and party branches provinces, cities, counties, townships, and villages enterprises state-owned enterprises less than 1% of private enterprises have party organizations

Replicated at lower levels Local party committee local people’s congress local government