Draft amendment submitted to NPC Session

cctv.com 03-08-2004 17:19

The draft amendment to China's Constitution has just been submitted to the national legislature's annual session for deliberation. The proposed amendment includes human rights and the protection of private property.

The National People's Congress has put forward a landmark constitutional amendment which is expected to enshrine human rights for the first time.

Wang Zhaoguo, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, explained the draft amendment to a plenary meeting of the lawmakers on Monday afternoon.

Wang Zhaoguo said, "It's a consistent principle adopted by the Party and the State to respect and protect human rights. To write this principle into the Constitution will further provide a legal guarantee for its implementation. It will be conducive to the development of China's human rights and international cooperation in this area."

The draft amendment states "legal private property is not to be encroached upon" and adds "the state should give compensation" to the current stipulation that "the state has the right to expropriate urban and rural land."

Other major points include establishment of the guiding role of the "Three Represents" Thought in national political and social life, and improvement of the land requisition system.

Also included are further clarification of the state policy toward non-public sectors, improvement of the social security system and the NPC's composition.

Editor:Xiao  Source:CCTV.com