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Multi-Party Cooperation and the Political Consultative System

THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an organization of the united front with wide representation. Under the leadership of the CPC, it is composed of the CPC, democratic parties, mass organizations and public personages from all walks of life. Although it is not an organ of State power, it still plays an important part in China's political system.

The First Plenary Session of the CPPCC was held September 21-30, 1949, in the Huairen Hall of Zhongnanhai in Beijing (then Beiping), attended by 662 delegates. The session discussed and adopted the Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which served as the country's provisional Constitution. It drew up and passed the resolution on the establishment of the Central People's Government Committee of the PRC and the Organic Law of the CPPCC, which consolidated the Chinese people's democratic united front. The session also decided on the five-star design of the national flag and March of the Volunteers as the national anthem. Beiping was renamed Beijing and designated as the capital of the PRC. The session adopted the Gregorian calendar and October 1 as National Day. At the session, Mao Zedong declared that, until the generally elected NPC was convened, the CPPCC would exercise in an acting capacity the functions and powers of the NPC.

When the First NPC was held in September 1954, the CPPCC ceased exercising these functions and powers, but maintained its functions as an organization of the united front. Up till now, the CPPCC has convened nine national committee congresses.

CPPCC National Committee	Term of office	Number of members	Chairperson
First	Sept. 1949-Dec. 1954	662	Mao Zedong
Second	Dec. 1954-Apr. 1959	559	Zhou Enlai (honorary chairman: Mao Zedong)
Third	Apr. 1959-Dec.1964	1,071	Zhou Enlai (honorary chairman: Mao Zedong)
Fourth	Dec. 1964-Feb.1978	1,199	Zhou Enlai (honorary chairman: Mao Zedong)
Fifth	Feb. 1978-June 1983	1,988	Deng Xiaoping
Sixth	June 1983-Mar. 1988	2,039	Deng Yingchao (female)
Seventh	Mar. 1988-Mar. 1993	2,081	Li Xiannian
Eighth	Mar. 1993-Mar. 1998	2,093	Li Ruihuan
Ninth	Mar. 1998-	2,196	Li Ruihuan

The CPPCC is well organized. According to its current statute, it establishes a national committee and a standing committee at the central level, and local committees in various localities. Most of the CPPCC members are well-experienced political activists, celebrities, and specialists or scholars from all circles. In addition to directly participating in discussions and consultations on major issues in relation to State and local affairs, they also take part in the CPPCC special committees covering such aspects as foreign affairs, education, science and technology, and law according to their respective specialties. Through investigations and surveys on special subjects, they submit to the Government their proposals and opinions on major issues in various fields.

The Ninth CPPCC National Committee has nine special committees, with He Guangyuan as chairman of the Committee for Handling Proposals; Fang Weizhong, chairman of the Economic Committee; Hou Jie, chairman of the Committee of Population, Resources and Environment; Liu Zhongde, chairman of the Committee of Education, Science, Culture, Health and Sports; Wang Senhao, chairman of the Committee of Social and Legal Affairs; Ulije, chairman of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Zhu Zuolin, chairman of the Committee of Cultural and Historical Data; Zhu Xun, chairman of the Committee for Affairs of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese; and Tian Zengpei, chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs.

The Ninth CPPCC National Committee has 16 deputy secretaries-general.

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