Inclusion of Xi thought will enrich Constitution

The second plenary session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee has proposed to incorporate Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into the Constitution, which reflects democracy and consensus building. The proposal is based on the common wish of the whole Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and embodies a high degree of unity between the Party's views and people's will, which will be of great practical and far-reaching historical significance in consolidating the common ideological foundation of the Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and establish socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Internal requirement of constitutional development

China's Constitution, as the fundamental law of the State, is a set of principles for governance, and embodies the wishes of the Party and the people. Since its enactment, the extant Constitution has played a very important role in the country's reform and opening-up, its socialist modernization drive, and the Party's administration of State affairs.

A series of systems, principles and rules established and a slew of significant policies adopted by the Constitution reflect the common will and fundamental interests of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. They have served as a fundamental legal guarantee for the Chinese nation and people to face and overcome all kinds of difficulties and risks, and consistently march along the socialist path with Chinese characteristics. The enormous achievements made by China in all fields of development since the launch of the reform and opening-up were made possible by the guarantees provided by the Constitution.

Since the birth of the first Constitution in 1954, China has been trying to improve the rule of law through practices. After the 1982 Constitution was enacted, the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and on the basis of the practices and development facilitated by the reform and opening-up and the country's socialist modernization, made necessary and important revisions to some of its specific clauses and contents in 1988, 1993, 1999 and 2004, and passed 31 constitutional amendments, with the main purpose of elevating the great achievements and valuable experiences of the Party and Chinese people to the Constitution.

In the constitutional amendment passed by the second plenary session of the 9th NPC on March 15, 1999, the Deng Xiaoping Theory was written into the Constitution, and in the constitutional amendment made by the second plenary session of the 10th NPC on March 14, 2004, the Theory of Three Represents was added to the Constitution. Both offer important guidance for China's reform and opening-up, and its socialist modernization drive. The practice of timely confirmation of the Party's guiding ideology through constitutional revision has promoted a high degree of unity between the Party's proposals, the will of the State and people's wishes, and advanced the Party's and the nation's cause.

This is a successful example of the Party's governance of the nation since the reform and opening-up, as well as an inherent requirement for the advancement of the Constitution.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping as the core has put forward a series of new concepts on some significant issues of State governance, such as what kind of socialism with Chinese characteristics China should develop in the new era, and how China should adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, and advanced Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which promotes historic changes and development, in order to further the cause of the Party and nation, and build socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Xi's thought, the latest development of Marxism in China, is the crystallization of the collective wisdom of the Party and Chinese people through practices, and the guideline for them to realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Its political, theoretical and practical significance has been fully proved through practice and appreciated by the entire Party and Chinese people.

The 19th Party Congress in 2017 decided to amend the Constitution to make Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era a CPC guiding thought, so as to help the Party advance with the times.

The confirmation of Xi's thought as the guiding principle of the country's political and social development by incorporating it into the Constitution will greatly help consolidate the common ideological basis for the Party and Chinese people of all ethnic groups to jointly struggle to establish socialism with Chinese characteristics.

At the same time, it will help improve and develop the Constitution, and better safeguard constitutional unity, dignity and authority, and allow the Constitution to play a greater role in the country's political and social development.