China's top legislator yesterday stressed the importance of the
Constitution, saying that abiding by this basic law is necessary to
achieve rule of law.
The document endows government bodies with power and citizens with
rights. It has supreme legal force, said Li Peng, chairman of the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Li's comments came at a seminar on the country's first day for
promoting its legal system nationwide, which is today.
The Chinese Government decided in April that every December 4 is
the day for promoting the nation's legal system as part of efforts
to raise the public awareness.
The theme of this year's day is "enhancing awareness of abiding by
the Constitution and pushing forward the process towards the rule
of law."
The current Constitution resulted from the efforts of several
generations and was not easy for them to establish, Li said.
He
said the current Constitution not only embodies what the Chinese
Communist Party stands for but also the will of the Chinese people.
It includes a series of the guidelines and policies adopted since
the Third Session of the 11th Plenary of the Party in late
1970s.
Li
especially stressed the importance of the prelude to the
Constitution, saying it captures the spirit of the basic law.
To
disobey the prelude of the Constitution is to disobey the most
important part of the Constitution itself, he said.
Li
said the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress as
well as the National People's Congress, which are prescribed by the
Constitution as the top national power body, must follow the rules
of the Constitution when they undertake their law-making and
supervisory functions.
As
the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee supervise
the implementation of the Constitution itself, Li vowed that the
Congress and its Standing Committee will continue to strengthen
such a duty.
(China Daily December 4,
2001)