To further understand the working of the Government of modern China, I found online the current Chinese Constitution, adopted on December 4, 1982. I did not go through it in detail, but what I did see was illuminating, especially Articles 56 to 68.
The ruling body in China is the National Peoples Congress (NPC), which has the power to do virtually anything that it wants. The NPC, from its members, populates the Standing Committee, consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Secretary-General, plus some additional members; it is where decisions are made. Delegates to the NPC are elected, under the eye of the Standing Committee, by the” provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and by the armed forces;” no specific instructions appear in the Constitution to govern how delegates are elected to the NPC.
Amendments to the Constitution are made by the NPC; they can therefore change the Constitution whenever the situation requires it. Since this constitution was adapted in 1882, four amendments have been added. The 1st, adopted on April 12, 1988, is of particular interest to us because it introduced a parallel market force (capitalist) driven economy "The State permits the private sector of the economy to exist and develop within the limits prescribed by law. The private sector of the economy is a complement to the socialist public economy. The State protects the lawful rights and interests of the private sector of the economy, and exercises guidance, supervision and control over the private sector of the economy"
As the country develops further, significant conflicts may arise between the two the two political philosophies being practiced in China – socialist /communist or capitalist. At some point the Chinese may have to decide what they are.
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