China - Political Structure and Democratic Principles

Question 1

What is the composition of the CCP?

Answer 1

• General secretary
• Politburo
• Politburo standing committee
• Central committee
• National Party Congress

Question 2

What is the composition of the legislature?

Answer 2

• National People’s Congress

Question 3

What is the composition of the executive?

Answer 3

• President

- State council

Question 4

What is the composition of the judiciary?

Answer 4

• Supreme people’s court

Question 5

Explain the role of the general secretary.

Answer 5

The general secretary is the head of the CCP and the highest ranking official. They are also a member of the politburo standing committee. The current general secretary is Xi JinPing since 2012.

Question 6

Explain the role of the politburo standing committee.

Answer 6

The politburo standing committee controls all aspects of the political system and define the Chinese regime’s goals and develops government policy. The politburo standing committee is comprised of 7 of the most powerful people in China, including the general secretary.

Question 7

Explain the role of the politburo.

Answer 7

The politburo is a slightly larger committee than the politburo standing committee comprised of 25 people who oversee the CCP.

Question 8

Explain the role of the central committee.

Answer 8

The central committee convenes at least once per year and is a top forum for discussion about relevant policy issues. It is comprised of 205 full members and 117 alternate members.

Question 9

Explain the role of the national party congress.

Answer 9

The national party congress is the largest body of the CCP and convenes once every 5 years and is involved in the process of leadership change and reviewing the constitution. The national party congress is mostly symbolic as it doesn’t have much influence due to only meeting every 5 years, and doesn’t actually have much say.

Question 10

What is the national people’s congress (NPC)?

Answer 10

The NPC is a unicameral legislative body dominated by the CCP that meets annually to vote on important legislation, approve budgets, and elect high ranking officials. Members aren’t allowed to vote ‘no’ but rather can abstain from a vote.

Question 11

What is the role of the president?

Answer 11

The president is the head of state and is extremely influential over the government. The general secretary automatically becomes the president. They appoint the members of the state council and chairs the seven members of the politburo standing committee.

Question 12

What is the role of the state council?

Answer 12

The state council is the cabinet of ministers who head all the major government departments. This is led by the premier (part of politburo standing committee) who nominates all members.

Question 13

What is the role of the supreme people’s court?

Answer 13

In theory, judges are independent from the other branches of government but in reality is heavily influenced by the CCP. Judges are assigned by the NPC which is dominated by the CCP.

Question 14

Define majority rule.

Answer 14

The notion that the government should reflect the will of the majority.

Question 15

How is majority rule undermined or upheld in china? Provide examples.

Answer 15

• The president and general secretary are not elected by the people but rather by the NPC but in reality is chosen in advance by the top CCP leadership. This does not reflect the will of the majority.
• The people theoretically vote for representatives to be in the NPC, but they are vetted by the CCP and only CCP approved candidates can be elected. This means that even if the majority of people wanted to vote against the current legislative representatives, they would not be able to.
• Even if China’s political system was acting on behalf of the majority, they would still be undermining the rights of minorities (see the Uyghur people), thus majority rule is undermined regardless.

Question 16

Define equality of political rights.

Answer 16

The belief that the rights that are fundamental to citizen’s ability to govern themselves should be extended to all citizens.

Question 17

How is equality of political rights undermined or upheld in China? Provide examples.

Answer 17

• People can be punished with the deprivation of their political rights (as a criminal punishment) which stop them from being able to vote or run of office.
• Societal groups such as women, ethnic minorities, lgbtq+, have no opportunity to gain meaningful political representation. Nominal representatives of ethnic minority groups participate in party and state bodies but their role is symbolic as they share the same socialist political ideology of the CCP an are subordinate to it. Women are severely underrepresented in top CCP and government positions with no woman having been on the politburo standing committee.

Question 18

Define political participation.

Answer 18

The belief that people should actively take part in electoral and political processes by acting on their rights and freedoms.

Question 19

How are political freedoms undermined or upheld in China? Provide examples.

Answer 19

• There is no freedom of media. Social media is closely monitored by the government to conform with government content restrictions. Any media speaking against the CCP is banned. All media is restricted.
• No freedom of speech or expression - limited through constant surveillance, chinese activist calling for free elections died in custody after being arrested, likely murdered as there were signs of abuse on his body. Speaking out against CCP and their policies result in arrest.
• No freedom of movement - arbitrary detention of the Uighur people
• No freedom of religion - Uyghur people being targeted for it and are subject to daily indoctrination into communist ideology.

Question 20

How is political participation undermined or upheld in China? Provide examples.

Answer 20

• Limited opportunities for voting and running for office due to the CCP’s dominance on political processes.
• Can’t participate in political protests - 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre
• Somewhat upheld because of the 2012 Shifang Environmental Protests where people protested the creation of a copper refinery which would have negatively impacted the water quality and environment. Initially, some protesters were jailed, but were later released and plans to build were stopped.
  China is happy to entertain environmental protests as they aim to improve environmental conditions, but if the movement becomes to big and they cannot control it, they will shut it down.