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UPDATED: October-26-2007 NO.44 NOV.1, 2007
Amendments Update Constitution
The Scientific Outlook on Development and other strategic thoughts and important theories are written into the CPC Constitution
By ZAN JIFANG

The Scientific Outlook on Development and other strategic thoughts and important theories are written into the CPC Constitution

The Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution on the amendment to the Party Constitution at its 17th National Congress, one of the priorities of the Congress that was held on October 15-21.

The Scientific Outlook on Development, the socialism with Chinese characteristics and other important theoretical outcomes that have developed since the 16th Party Congress five years ago have been included in the Constitution.

The amendment, which took effect on October 21, is a future-oriented guideline of the Party that embodies its understanding of socialism with Chinese characteristics and summarizes the Party's practice of reform and opening up during the past three decades, Chinese observers agreed.

New contents

Analysts believe that the most important part of the amendment is the inclusion of the Scientific Outlook on Development into the system of theories of socialism.

"It shows that the Party has also kept up with the times in the aspect of its guiding ideology," said Zhen Xiaoying, former Vice President of the Central Institute of Socialism and an expert on Party building.

"It is a scientific theory that is in the same line as Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents," reads the resolution, passed unanimously by 2,216 delegates at the closing session of the Party Congress on October 21.

The Scientific Outlook on Development was proposed by the 16th CPC Central Committee in 2003, against the backdrop of rapid economic growth and a series of problems, including excessive consumption of resources, damage to the environment and a widening gap between the rich and the poor.

The Scientific Outlook on Development takes development as its essence, putting a people-oriented approach as its core, comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development as its basic requirement, and overall consideration as its fundamental approach.

"It's the leading theoretical development since the 16th Party Congress that was held in 2002," says Yan Shuhan, a researcher with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

The insert of the Scientific Outlook on Development in its Constitution indicates the Party has maintained a clearer understanding of its mission and objectives, says Lin Shangli, a professor of political science with China's prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai.

A conclusion has been incorporated into the Constitution that the fundamental reason behind all the achievements and progress that the Chinese people have made under the leadership of the Party, since the reform and opening-up policy was introduced, is that the country has blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and established a system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

This insertion has shown that the Party has been confident enough to answer the question of how to build socialism in China, said Lin of Fudan University.

The amended Constitution has underscored harmony as one of the Party's goals, alongside prosperity, democracy and cultural advancement. It now defines the objective in the Party's basic line in the Constitution as turning China into a "prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious" modern socialist country.

The overall arrangements for the four-in-one economic, political, cultural and social development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics have also been included in the Constitution.

"The new elaboration on harmony is aimed at addressing some deep-seated issues on China's reform and opening up," says Liu Yunxian, a researcher with the Executive Leadership Academy in Shanghai's Pudong New District.

Other important insights and results that the Party has gained in the course of building socialism with Chinese characteristics have been incorporated in the amendment, which include setting up a sound system of macroeconomic regulations, building a new socialist countryside, taking a new path of industrialization with Chinese characteristics, making China an innovative country and a resource-conserving, environment-friendly society.

What should be noted is that the newly amended Constitution has stated, for the first time, that the Party will continue to "unswervingly encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector of the economy."

The content on developing socialist democracy has been broadened, which can be seen by the elaboration of expanding intra-Party democracy. The amended Constitution has also included contents on respecting and safeguarding human rights and establishing sound systems and procedures of democratic election, decision-making, administration and oversight.

In addition, the principles and policies the Party has formulated for guiding efforts to strengthen the armed forces as well as the work related to ethnic and religious affairs, the united front and foreign affairs have also been incorporated into the Constitution. This is the first time for "religion" to appear in the Constitution of the atheist CPC.

The amendment also involved the content on Party building, such as establishing a sound system to comprehensively deal with corrupted officials and address both the symptoms and root causes of corruption. A tenure system for delegates to Party congresses at all levels is to be adopted while the transparency of Party affairs must be increased at all levels, the amendment reads.

This is the fifth time for the CPC to amend its Constitution since the active Party Constitution was passed at the 12th National Congress of the Party held in September 1982. At the two previous national congresses of the Party, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents have been included in the Constitution in 1997 and 2002 respectively. (See the active Party Constitution at www.bjreview.com.cn)

Key Insertions:

l The Scientific Outlook on Development

l Conclusion on the socialist path with Chinese characteristics and the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics

l Building a harmonious society as one of the Party's goals

l The four-in-one overall arrangements for further developing socialist market economy, socialist democracy, advanced socialist culture and harmonious society

l Principles and policies for guiding efforts to strengthen the armed forces, the work related to ethnic and religious affairs, the united front and foreign affairs

l Strengthening the Party building and the Party's governance capability

l Increasing transparency in the Party affairs

l A tenure system for delegates to Party congresses at all levels

 



 
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