The Hindu : A reflection of people's will: Wen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 15, 2004

International

International

A reflection of people's will: Wen

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, MARCH 14. The constitutional amendments are of "great significance" for China's overall development, said the Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao,

The National People's Congress (Parliament) passed 14 `revisions' with overwhelming support in a televised secret balloting in Beijing today. While 2,863 delegates voted in favour and 10 others against, 17 abstained. Only 2,891 of the 2,903 ballots issued were recovered. Of these, one was deemed invalid.

The centrepieces of the amendments were those enshrining human rights and the concept of lawful private property. While legally-obtained private property will now be safeguarded under the Constitution, a specific provision has been enacted to guarantee respect for and protection of human rights.

Overarching these socio-economic amendments was the ideological framework of the Theory of "Three Represents." The theory was incorporated as an integral aspect of the package.

The new doctrine is that the governing Communist Party of China and the Chinese state represent the advanced productive (or production] forces, its advanced cultural forces and its overwhelming population.

This theory and the consequential constitutional amendments are seen by the West as a reflection of China's measured shift towards some form of capitalism or "red capitalism" or "a capitalist manifesto with Chinese characteristics".

The Chinese leaders themselves have projected the changes as essential aspects of the political dynamics of their society.

At a televised press conference after the conclusion of the 10-day annual session of the NPC, Mr. Wen said: "(The adoption of the amendments) is a reflection of the will of the Chinese people." In particular, he said, the Constitution had now placed "the important Thought of Three Represents" alongside Marxism-Leninism, Mao's Thoughts and Deng's Theory as "the guiding ideology for the whole party and country".

To a question whether the Communist Party of China was not placing itself above the country, Mr. Wen said: "We always follow two principles. First, the party leads the people in (the) formulation of Constitution. So, the party leadership and the entire membership should set an exemplary example in complying with the Constitution. Secondly, the Constitution is a fundamental law of China. . The Constitution and the other laws are long-term (documents) in nature. That means the Constitution will not be affected by changes in the leadership or the changes in the attention of the leadership... We will make serious efforts to carry them (these new changes) out in practice."

The NPC Chairman, Wu Bangguo, said they "represent the common aspirations of the Communist Party of China and the people of all nationalities in the country." He called for the `valid' implementation of the new measures.

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