Observers say China needs consistent leadership as CPC proposes removing presidential term limit

By Yang Sheng

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee made public its proposal on amendment to the country's Constitution Sunday.

The proposal includes addition of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to the Constitution and removing the expression of term limits for the country's President and Vice-President, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Removing the constitutional restriction to two terms is a significant decision made by the CPC to serve its historic mission in the new era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Su Wei, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Especially in the period from 2020 to 2035, which is a crucial stage for China to basically realize socialist modernization, China and the CPC need a stable, strong and consistent leadership. So removal of the section of the clause about the presidency in the Constitution is serving the most important and fundamental national interest and the Party's historic mission," Su said.

In a two-stage development plan of China, drawn up by President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, the first stage is "from 2020 to 2035" which is "to see that socialist modernization is basically realized"; and the second stage from "2035 to the middle of the 21st century," China will develop "into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful."

"The decision has been made after careful consideration, and this is an adjustment to serve China's current situation and future development, which is consistent with Chinese political characteristics and goals," a Chinese scholar who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday.

The trinity of the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission has positive meaning, the expert said. "In order to achieve the great goal from 2020 to the middle of the 21st century, China needs a centralized and unified leadership; otherwise the decentralization of authority will impact realization of the great goal."

On Saturday, Xi stressed the important role of the Constitution.

"No organization or individual has the power to overstep the Constitution or the law," Xi said while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Xinhua reported.

The CPC Central Committee also proposed writing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into the country's Constitution. The proposal was made public on Sunday, Xinhua reported.

The proposed Constitutional amendment requires the approval of the National People's Congress, which is scheduled to hold its annual session in March.

Supervisory reform

The CPC Central Committee also proposed listing the supervisory commission as a new State organ in the Constitution.

According to the proposal, supervisory organs will be listed together with administrative, judicial and procuratorial organs of the State, all of which are created by the people's congress to which they are responsible and by which they are supervised. 

Supervisory commissions, the supervisory organ of the State, will be made up of national and local commissions, according to the document.

China has established supervision commissions in every county, city and province now that the last remaining county, Daxin in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, set up its supervision commission on Sunday, Xinhua reported. 

The new nationwide supervision commissions incorporate existing supervisory, corruption prevention and control agencies within the government and procuratorates and are in charge of three major duties: supervision, investigation and punishment.

Guo Yong, director of the Center for Anti-corruption and Governance of Tsinghua University, said that "the country's reform on supervisory commissions has multiple significance. It strengthens the Party's leadership on anti-corruption, and it covers everyone who executes public authority," not just Party members."

The National Supervisory Commission will oversee local commissions and answer to the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee.

The supervisory commissions will "independently exercise their power of supervision and not be subject to interference by any administrative organ, public organization or individual," said the proposal.