The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China and a central part of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s united front system. Its members advise and submit proposals for political and social issues to government bodies. However, the CPPCC is a body without legislative power. While consultation does take place, it is supervised and directed by the CCP.
The Political Consultative Conference was established in 1945 as part of peace negotiations between the Kuomintang and the CCP. The conference ultimately ended in failure, leading the CCP to withdraw. In 1948, after major successes in the Chinese Civil War, the CCP started to gather a new conference to discuss a new state and new government to replace the Republic of China. In 1949, the first plenary session of the CPPCC gathered, and adopted the Common Program, and laid the groundwork for the foundation of the People's Republic of China. The CPPCC initially acted as the de facto legislature of the PRC, until its legislative powers were transferred to the National People's Congress with the adoption of the 1954 Constitution.
The organizational hierarchy of the CPPCC consists of a National Committee and regional committees. Regional committees extend to the provincial, prefecture, and county level. According to the charter of the CPPCC, the relationship between the National Committee and the regional committees is one of guidance and not direct leadership. However, an indirect leadership exists via the CCP Central Committee's United Front Work Department at each level. The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference typically holds a yearly meeting at the same time as plenary sessions of the NPC. The CPPCC National Committee and NPC plenary sessions are collectively called the Two Sessions.
The body traditionally consists of delegates from the CCP and its people's organizations, eight non-oppositional democratic parties subservient to the CCP, as well as nominally independent members. The CPPCC National Committee is chaired by a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP, who is assisted by several vice chairs and a secretary-general. The CPPCC is intended to be more representative of a broader range of people than is typical of government office in the People's Republic of China, including a broad range of people from both inside and outside the CCP. The composition of the members of the CPPCC changes over time according to national strategic priorities.
History
thumbnail|The first Plenum of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in 1949
The origins of the conference date prior to the existence of the People's Republic of China. During negotiations between the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang in 1945, the two parties agreed to open multiparty talks on post-World War II political reforms via a Political Consultative Conference. This was included in the Double Tenth Agreement. This agreement was implemented by the National Government of the Republic of China, who organized the first Political Consultative Assembly from 10 to 31 January 1946. Representatives of the Kuomintang, CCP, Young China Party, and China Democratic League, as well as independent delegates, attended the conference in Chongqing.
After major successes in the civil war, the CCP, on 1 May 1948, invited the other political parties, popular organizations and community leaders to form a new Political Consultative Conference to discuss a new state and new coalition government.
In 1949, with the CCP having gained control of most of mainland China, it organized a "new" Political Consultative Conference in September, inviting delegates from various friendly parties to attend and discuss the establishment of a new state. This conference was then renamed the People's Political Consultative Conference. On 29 September 1949, the first plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference unanimously adopted the Common Program as the basic political program for the country. The conference approved the new national anthem, flag, capital city, and state name, and elected the first government of the People's Republic of China.
During the Hundred Flowers Campaign between 1956 and 1957, Mao Zedong encouraged members of the CPPCC to speak about the shortcomings of the CCP. However, those who did faced severe repercussions such as heavy criticism and or incarceration in labor camps in the subsequent Anti-Rightist Campaign. It convened panels of experts who recommended delaying the project.
Present role
The CPPCC is the highest-ranking body in the united front system. It is the "peak united front forum, bringing together CCP officials and Chinese elites." According to state media Xinhua News Agency, the CPPCC is described as an "organization in the patriotic united front of the Chinese people" as well as "an important organ" of the "system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CCP." It is further explained that the CPPCC is neither a body of state power nor a policy-making organ, but rather a platform for "various political parties, people's organizations, and people of all ethnic groups and from all sectors of society" to participate in state affairs. According to Sinologist Peter Mattis, the CPPCC is "the one place where all the relevant actors inside and outside the party come together: party elders, intelligence officers, diplomats, propagandists, soldiers and political commissars, united front workers, academics, and businesspeople." In practice, the CPPCC serves as "the place where messages are developed and distributed among party members and the non-party faithful who shape perceptions of the CCP and China." However, the CPPCC is a body without real legislative power. The composition of the members of the CPPCC changes over time according to national strategic priorities. The party's Organization Department is responsible for the nomination of prospective deputies who are CCP members.In keeping with the united front strategy, prominent non-CCP members have been included among the Vice Chairs.
The CPPCC provides a deputy "seat" for the 8 non-communist parties and so-called "patriotic democrats". The CPPCC also reserves seats for overseas delegates, as well as regional deputies from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The National Committee holds plenary sessions annually, though a session can be called by the National Committee's Standing Committee if necessary. During the Two Sessions, the CPPCC and the NPC hear and discuss reports from the premier, the prosecutor general, and the chief justice. However, an indirect leadership exists via the United Front Work Department at each level.
The following regional committees are modeled after the National Committee with identical composition of deputies elected to them and are each supervised by regional level Standing Committees: