16th Party Congress spirit to be written into Constitution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, October 15, 2003

16th Party Congress spirit to be written into Constitution

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The major theoretical opinions andpolicies set forth at the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will be written into the Constitution, according to a commuinuqe issued Tuesday in Beijing.

"In light of objective demands arising from China's economic and social development, to write the major theoretical opinions and policies set forth at the 16th CPC National Congress into the Constitution according to legal procedures will better serve its role as the basic law of the country," said the communique adoptedTuesday at the Third Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee, which was held in Beijing on Oct. 11-14.

The four-day plenum deliberated and approved two documents -- adecision of the CPC Central Committee on issues regarding the improvement of the socialist market economic system and a proposalof the CPC Central Committee on revising part of China's Constitution. The latter will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress for deliberation.

The meeting emphasized that China's Constitution, as the basic law of the country, serves as both the general statute in ruling the country and managing state affairs and the legal basis for maintaining state integrity, national unity, economic development,social progress and long-term stability.

Third plenum of 16th CPC Central Committee closes

Practice has proven that the existing Constitution is a good one and should remain stable in that it accords with the specific situation of the country and plays an extremely important role in the country's economic, political, cultural and social lives.

It was pointed out that while revising the Constitution, the four basic principles, namely the adherence to the socialist course, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and Marxism, Leninism and Mao ZedongThought, should be observed.

Democracy would be further promoted, opinions from all social circles be solicited and the law be strictly adhered to.

"The revision of the constitution should help consolidate the leadership of the Party, manifest the advantage of the socialist system, mobilize the initiative of the masses, safeguard state integrity, national unity and social stability and promote economic development and social progress," said the communique.

The existing Constitution, consisting of 138 articles in four chapters, was formulated in 1982 and was later amended three times,in 1988, 1993 and 1999.

The First Session of the Seventh NPC in 1988 approved amendments to Article 11 of the Constitution, which says the statepermits the private economy to exist and grow within the limits prescribed by law and the private economy is a complement to the socialist public economy.

The First Session of the Eighth NPC made nine amendments to theConstitution, adding to the Constitution the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhering to reform, opening up and multi-party cooperation under the leadership of theCPC and the political consultation system.

The Second Session of the Ninth NPC in 1999 made six amendmentsto the Constitution, enshrining the guiding role of Deng Xiaoping Theory. In the amendments, rule of law is stipulated as a nationalpolicy and the role of the private economic sector is further highlighted as important in the national economic system.

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