All political parties and mass organizations that support the
charter of the CPPCC may sit on the National Committee or local
committees, upon agreement by the National Committee or local
committees after deliberation.
Individuals, invited by the National Committee or the standing
committees of local committees, may also become members of the
National Committee or local committees.
Units or individuals who have joined the CPPCC have the obligation
to observe and implement the charter of the CPPCC. They have the
freedom to withdraw from the CPPCC.
The relationship between the National Committee and local
committees and between higher level committees and lower level
committees is one of guidance.
Local committees have the obligation to observe and carry out
national decisions adopted by the National Committee and lower
level committees have the obligation to observe and carry out
regional decisions adopted by the higher level committees.
The National Committee serves for a term of five years and holds a
plenary session once every year.
The National Committee has a chairman, vice chairmen and
secretary-general. Its Standing Committee presides over the work of
the National Committee.
The Standing Committee is composed of the chairman, vice chairmen,
secretary-general and members. Candidacy of members to the Standing
Committee is proposed by political parties, mass organizations, and
people representing various walks of life of the CPPCC, and elected
by the plenary session of the National Committee. The chairman of
the National Committee presides over the work of the Standing
Committee and vice chairmen and secretary-general assist the
chairman in his (her) work.
The meeting of the chairmen is composed of the chairman, vice
chairmen and secretary-general and deals with the important aspects
of the day-to-day work of the Standing Committee.
The National Committee has several vice secretaries-general to
assist the secretary-general in his (her) work.
The National Committee operates a general affairs office which
conducts its work under the leadership of the secretary-general.
The CPPCC National Committee also sets up a number of special
committees and other working organs in accordance with the actual
need of its work. The special committees, under the leadership of
the Standing Committee and the meeting of the chairmen, organize
CPPCC members to engage in regular activities. Each special
committee consists of a chairman, vice chairmen and members. The
CPPCC National Committee has nine special committees: the proposals
handling committee, the economic affairs committee, the population,
resources and environment committee, the education, science,
culture, health and sports committee, the social and legal affairs
committee, ethnic and religious affairs committee, the cultural and
historical data committee, the Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and
overseas Chinese liaison committee, and the foreign affairs
committee. The People's Political Consultation News,
established in 1983 and published in six issues a week with a
circulation of 200,000 copies each issue, is the organ newspaper of
the CPPCC National Committee.
The CPPCC is actively engaged in exchanges with foreign countries
for the purpose of strengthening the friendship with people in
foreign countries. It has established friendly contacts with 105
national organizations in various countries and 4 international
organizations.
Local committees of the CPPCC at various levels serve a term of
five years. The way of organization, responsibilities and the setup
of major working bodies of local committees and their standing
committees are the same as the National Committee.
(China.org.cn May 20, 2003)