The Communist Party of China Central Committee has proposed the removal of the expression that the President and Vice-President of the People’s Republic of China “shall serve no more than two consecutive terms” from the country’s Constitution.

CGTN’s Toby Muse reports.

Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was also proposed to be included in the Constitution, according to a proposal on the revision to the country’s Constitution, which was made public Sunday.

Another recommended constitutional change includes listing a supervisory commission as a new state organ.

According to the CPC document, supervisory organs will be listed together with administrative, judicial and procuratorial organs of the State, all of which are created by people’s congresses to which they are responsible and by which they are supervised.

A new section about supervisory commissions is proposed to be added to the third chapter titled “The Structure of the State” in the Constitution.

Also included is a sentence stressing the Party’s leadership will be added to the fundamental law.

“The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” the document said.

The announcement follows a Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee group study session on Saturday, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping, also the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, stressed the important role of the Constitution.

Highlighting its supreme status, Xi said, “No organization or individual has the power to overstep the Constitution or the law. All activities that violate the Constitution and laws must be reprimanded and rectified.”

The proposal further suggested writing building “a community with a shared future for humanity” into the Constitution, and that China’s adherence “to the peaceful development path and the mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up” should be added to the preamble.

Other changes to the Constitution have been brought forward, including adding core socialist values, and the mechanism that all state functionaries should pledge allegiance to the Constitution upon assuming office .

The second plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee adopted the proposal concerning amending China’s Constitution in January, giving full play to its important role in advancing the rule of law in all areas and modernizing national governance system and capacity.

China’s current Constitution was adopted on Dec. 4, 1982 and has been amended four times – in 1988, 1993, 1999 and 2004. The proposal for a fifth amendment will be later explained and put towards a vote to be legalized at the annual session of National People’s Congress (NPC) in March when the 13th NPC convenes its first session.

Story by Xinhua