1. China Political Institutions Yvonne Luk, Pd 7

2. Standing Committee Politburo Central Committee National Party Congress Standing Committee State Council Ministries & Commissions Standing Committee National People’s Congress Legislature Government Party Supreme People’s Court Supreme People’s Procurator Judiciary Intermediate/ Lower Court & Procurators Provincial Governments Provincial Congresses Municipal Governments Municipal Congresses County Governments County Congresses Township Governments Township Congresses General Secretary Premier President

3. Intro  Authoritarian government  Democratic centralism  One party system basically - 8 other minor political parties that have to listen to the Chinese Communist Party  Authoritarian government  Democratic centralism  One party system basically - 8 other minor political parties that have to listen to the Chinese Communist Party

4. Chinese Communist Party (CCP)  Head: General Secretary  Current General Secretary: Xi Jinping  Largest political party in the world (85 million + members)  Exclusive membership – have to apply and go through rigorous examination  Nomenklatura system: management of all party and government officials in positions by party committees; recruitment and promotion of elites  Guanxi: personal connections that are important to gaining higher positions within the party  Head: General Secretary  Current General Secretary: Xi Jinping  Largest political party in the world (85 million + members)  Exclusive membership – have to apply and go through rigorous examination  Nomenklatura system: management of all party and government officials in positions by party committees; recruitment and promotion of elites  Guanxi: personal connections that are important to gaining higher positions within the party or Communist Party of China (CPC)

5. Party Structure National Party Congress  About 2000 delegates  Meets every 5 years - too infrequent to play a significant role in policy-making  Ratify important changes in broad policy – already decided by smaller party structures but sessions publicize changes  Elects the Central Committee Central Committee – the political elite  About 350 members  Meets every year – meetings are called plenums  Determines number of congress delegates and procedures for their election  Elects Politburo, Politburo Standing Committee, General Secretary, and Party Secretariat National Party Congress  About 2000 delegates  Meets every 5 years - too infrequent to play a significant role in policy-making  Ratify important changes in broad policy – already decided by smaller party structures but sessions publicize changes  Elects the Central Committee Central Committee – the political elite  About 350 members  Meets every year – meetings are called plenums  Determines number of congress delegates and procedures for their election  Elects Politburo, Politburo Standing Committee, General Secretary, and Party Secretariat

6. Party Structure Politburo  25 members – 7 on Politburo Standing Committee who each head an important area of national concern (such as economy or legislation)  Meetings held in secret – believed to be once every week Politburo  25 members – 7 on Politburo Standing Committee who each head an important area of national concern (such as economy or legislation)  Meetings held in secret – believed to be once every week

7. Party Political Structure  Party hierarchy similar to government hierarchy  On each level of government, Party has similar function, and Party has more power over government on each level  Many top members of the Party are also top members of the government  Party hierarchy similar to government hierarchy  On each level of government, Party has similar function, and Party has more power over government on each level  Many top members of the Party are also top members of the government

8. People’s Liberation Army (PLA)  “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” – Mao Zedong  Includes navy, air force, and army  Not national army but serves the Communist Party – de facto armed forces of China  Under command of the Central Military Commission of the CCP (and not Ministry of National Defense)  Chairman of CMC is Xi Jinping  3 million active personnel  “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” – Mao Zedong  Includes navy, air force, and army  Not national army but serves the Communist Party – de facto armed forces of China  Under command of the Central Military Commission of the CCP (and not Ministry of National Defense)  Chairman of CMC is Xi Jinping  3 million active personnel

9. Legislature Structure National People’s Congress (NPC) – not to be confused with National Party Congress  Head: Chairman of the NPC  Current Chairman: Zhang Dejiang  Unicameral  Highest organization of state authority according to constitution  Delegates elected every 5 years  2987 members  Formal powers include amendment of the constitution, passage and amendment of legislation, approval of economic plans and government work reports, and appointment/removal of top state and government leaders (such as president, vice president, premier of State Council, and president of the Supreme People’s Court) National People’s Congress (NPC) – not to be confused with National Party Congress  Head: Chairman of the NPC  Current Chairman: Zhang Dejiang  Unicameral  Highest organization of state authority according to constitution  Delegates elected every 5 years  2987 members  Formal powers include amendment of the constitution, passage and amendment of legislation, approval of economic plans and government work reports, and appointment/removal of top state and government leaders (such as president, vice president, premier of State Council, and president of the Supreme People’s Court)

10. Legislature Structure National People’s Congress (cont.)  Acts more as rubber stamp – decisions already made by the CCP  Standing Committee – about 150 members who are elected by the NPC from members of the NPC National People’s Congress (cont.)  Acts more as rubber stamp – decisions already made by the CCP  Standing Committee – about 150 members who are elected by the NPC from members of the NPC

11. Local Government Township County  Municipal  Provincial  At each of these levels is a government and congress  The congress at each level elects the corresponding level government  The congress at each level also elects the congress for the next level, except for the township and county congresses  Only time Chinese citizens are allowed to vote is for the township and county congresses  Provincial congresses elect members of the NPC Township County  Municipal  Provincial  At each of these levels is a government and congress  The congress at each level elects the corresponding level government  The congress at each level also elects the congress for the next level, except for the township and county congresses  Only time Chinese citizens are allowed to vote is for the township and county congresses  Provincial congresses elect members of the NPC

12. Government Structure  Head of State: President, who is elected by the NPC. Role is highly ceremonial.  Current President: Xi Jinping State Council  Head: Premier of the State Council – the “prime minister”  Current Premier: Li Keqiang  Composed of premier, cabinet of vice-premiers, state councilors, ministers  The premier of the State Council is nominated by the president, reviewed by the NPC, and appointed and removed by the president  Other members of the State Council are nominated by the premier, reviewed by the NPC, and appointed and removed by the president  In charge of ministries and commissions in bureaucracy  implement and execute policy  Head of State: President, who is elected by the NPC. Role is highly ceremonial.  Current President: Xi Jinping State Council  Head: Premier of the State Council – the “prime minister”  Current Premier: Li Keqiang  Composed of premier, cabinet of vice-premiers, state councilors, ministers  The premier of the State Council is nominated by the president, reviewed by the NPC, and appointed and removed by the president  Other members of the State Council are nominated by the premier, reviewed by the NPC, and appointed and removed by the president  In charge of ministries and commissions in bureaucracy  implement and execute policy

13. Judicial Structure  Four-tier system (like local government)  Lower three tiers in charge of criminal and civil cases  Special jurisdiction courts for military, railroad transportation, and maritime  Special administrative regions (ex: Hong Kong and Macau) have their own judicial system  Criminal court has 99% conviction rate Supreme People’s Court  At top of four tier system  Judges selected by president, approved by NPC Supreme People’s Procuratorate  Highest agency responsible for prosecution and investigation  Four-tier system (like local government)  Lower three tiers in charge of criminal and civil cases  Special jurisdiction courts for military, railroad transportation, and maritime  Special administrative regions (ex: Hong Kong and Macau) have their own judicial system  Criminal court has 99% conviction rate Supreme People’s Court  At top of four tier system  Judges selected by president, approved by NPC Supreme People’s Procuratorate  Highest agency responsible for prosecution and investigation

14. Media  Some independent media, but mostly state-run  All media outlets heavily censored by government – Propaganda Department  Xinhua is the official press agency  People’s Daily is the official newspaper of the Central Committee  China Central Television (CCTV) is the major state television broadcaster  Some independent media, but mostly state-run  All media outlets heavily censored by government – Propaganda Department  Xinhua is the official press agency  People’s Daily is the official newspaper of the Central Committee  China Central Television (CCTV) is the major state television broadcaster