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.