China Strengthens Constitutional Research and Education in Legislative Process

China Ramps Up Constitutional Research in Legislative Process

In a move to safeguard the authority of the Constitution and ensure its alignment with the country's fundamental law, China has significantly increased research on constitutional matters in its legislative process over the past year.

Hou Xiaoguang, an official with the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, stated that they have conducted research on constitutional issues for every draft law before submission to the NPC Standing Committee for review. This has become a regular and institutionalized workflow, ensuring that every piece of legislation conforms to the spirit of the Constitution and reflects its authority.

In addition to strengthening constitutional research, the NPC Standing Committee has expanded constitutional education, introducing the fundamental law to a wider audience and working to improve its implementation. They have collaborated with legal experts at Peking University and China University of Political Science and Law to advance the development of a constitutional discipline system.

The NPC Standing Committee has also pushed for improvements in regulations that restrict employment opportunities for individuals with criminal records. Following requests from residents, they reviewed regulations limiting employment for ex-convicts and determined that some restrictions contradicted the Constitution. They required the regulation providers to revise or adjust the content promptly.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, China has made significant progress in constitutional theories, systems, and practices. The NPC Standing Committee designated December 4th as National Constitution Day in 2014, and in 2018, the NPC adopted the latest amendments to the Constitution to align with public demand and social development. The 20th CPC National Congress report in 2022 outlined plans to optimize the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, with the Constitution at its core.