Constitution of China

Constitution of the
People's Republic of China
Cover of the current constitution
Overview
Original title中华人民共和国宪法
JurisdictionPeople's Republic of China
RatifiedDecember 4, 1982
Date effectiveDecember 4, 1982
SystemUnitary Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republic
Government structure
BranchesSix (Legislative, Executive, Military, Supervisory, Judicial, Procuratorial)
Head of statePresident[a]
ChambersUnicameral (National People's Congress)[b]
ExecutiveState Council headed by the Premier of the State Council
JudiciarySupreme People's Court
Supreme People's Procuratorate
FederalismNo - Decentralization within a Unitary State (special administrative regions)
Electoral collegeYes – the National People's Congress, which elects all other state authorities, is itself elected by two layers of Indirect election: County and Township People's Congresses elect the members of Provincial People's Congresses, who in turn elect the members of the National People's Congress.
History
First legislatureSeptember 21, 1949 (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference)
September 27, 1954 (National People's Congress)
First executiveSeptember 27, 1954 (1st National People's Congress)
October 1, 1949 (Central People's Government)
First courtOctober 22, 1949
Amendments5
Last amended11 March 2018
LocationBeijing
Commissioned by11th Communist Party Central Committee
Supersedes1978 Constitution of the People's Republic of China
Full text
Constitution of the People's Republic of China at Wikisource
Footnote
  1. ^ China does not have a head of state constitutionally, but a "state representative". While the President of China has many of the characteristics of the head of state, the Chinese constitution does not define it as such.
  2. ^ The de facto legislature is the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Constitution of China
Simplified Chinese中华人民共和国宪法
Traditional Chinese中華人民共和國憲法
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Xiànfǎ

The Constitution of the People's Republic of China is the supreme law of the People's Republic of China. It was adopted by the 5th National People's Congress on December 4, 1982, with five further revisions. It is the fourth constitution in PRC history, superseding the 1954 constitution, the 1975 constitution, and the 1978 constitution.[1]

  1. ^ Diamant, Neil J. (2022). Useful Bullshit: Constitutions in Chinese Politics and Society. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-1-5017-6129-4. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2022.