China's national legislature adopts constitutional amendment

BEIJING -- China's National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature, adopted an amendment to the country's Constitution on Sunday.

Lawmakers at the ongoing NPC annual session agreed that the constitutional revision, which accords with the aspiration of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the people and has won approval from both inside and outside the Party, is of historic significance for ensuring prosperity and lasting security of both the Party and the country.

The draft amendment was submitted to the first session of 13th NPC for deliberation on Monday.

Revising part of the Constitution is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee from the overall and strategic height of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, said Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, when joining NPC deputies in a panel discussion on Wednesday.

This was the first amendment to the country's fundamental law in 14 years.

The People's Republic of China enacted its first Constitution in 1954. The current Constitution was adopted in 1982 and amended in 1988, 1993, 1999 and 2004.

While the reform and opening-up drive, which began 40 years ago, has made amazing progress, it brought major changes to the country's Constitution.