THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE
1.
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC) (in its latest version adopted on 4 December 1982) makes one mention of the Chinese People's Political Conference (CPPCC). This occurs in the preamble and reads:
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"The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is a broadly representative organization of the united front, which has played a significant historical role and will continue to do so in the political and social life of the country, in promoting friendship with the people of other countries and in the
the struggle for socialist modernization and for the reunification and unity of the country."
The CPPCC also has its own Constitution (adopted on 11 December 1982), a copy of which is attached. Neither of these Constitutions gives the CPPCC any powers, except those specified the CPPCC Constitution which are solely concerned with the covening of
of meetings and other activities of the CPPCC itself. The CPPCC has in fact not had any power since the adoption of the first formal Constitution of the PRC in 1954.
in
contains
3. The CPPCC Constitution/is a formulation on reunification simi- lar to that in the State Constitution. It also contains several references to Hong Kong, as well as to Macao and Taiwan. Article 10 consists of two sentences: the first calls for fostering ties with people in Taiwan and promoting reunification; the second
reads:
4.
"Efforts must be made to strengthen ties and unity with the compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao,
Macao, and encourage them to make contributions to building and reunifying the motherland."
The National Committee of the CPPCC normally meets at same time as the National People's Congress (the parliamentary body). It did So during the
the last National
National People's
People's Congress (November-December 1982). Deng Xiaoping as Chairman of the CPPCC presided over the opening session and delivered a speech emphasiz- ing the importance of united front work and reunification. Like the National People's Congress the CPPCC National Committeee has some Hong Kong residents among its members.
5. During the last session of the CPPCC National
the CPPCC National Committee a China News Agency report at that time referred to "the Hong Kong- Macao group of the CPPCC"; this held a meeting to discuss the recovery of Hong Kong in the light of Article 31 of the Constitu- tion, then still in draft. Among the persons who spoke at this meeting were Li Zisong (Lee Tsz-chung in Cantonese), publisher of the Hong Kong Wen Wei Po, and Huo Yingdong, otherwise known as Henry Fok (both of whom are members of the CPPCC). It would be