(July 27, 2015) On July 1, 2015, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) adopted a decision requiring government officials to pledge allegiance to the PRC Constitution upon taking office. (Quanguo Renmin Dabiao Dahui Changwu Weiyuanhui Guanyu Shixing Xianfa Xuanshi Zhidu de Jueding [Decision of the NPC Standing Committee on Implementing the Constitutional Oath System], NPC website.) The Decision will take effect on January 1, 2016.

The oath reads:

I pledge to be loyal to the PRC Constitution, to safeguard the authority of the Constitution, to perform obligations imposed by law, to be loyal to the country and to the people, to be fully committed in performing my official duties, to have integrity and always work in the interest of the public, to accept the supervision of the people, and to work hard for the great cause of building a prosperous, democratic, civilized, and harmonious socialist country! (Id. art. 2.)

According to the Decision, the requirement applies to all government officials who are: (1) elected or appointed by the people’s congresses at the national and all subnational levels and by the standing committees of the people’s congresses at and above the county level; or (2) appointed by the government, the people’s courts, and the people’s procuratorates at all levels. (Id. art. 1.)

Top central government officials, including the President and Vice-President of the PRC, the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the NPC, the Premier, Vice-Premiers, State Councilors, Ministers and Commissioners, the President of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), and the President of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), etc., will swear the oath in ceremonies organized by the NPC. (Id. art. 3.) Other central government officials will swear the oath in ceremonies organized by the NPC Standing Committee, the SPC, the SPP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the appointing authorities, as appropriate. (Id. arts. 4-7.) Standing committees of provincial-level people’s congresses will adopt their own measures for organizing the oath-taking ceremonies for the government officials at all subnational levels in their respective jurisdictions. (Id. art. 9.)

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, the decision to have government officials pledge allegiance to the Constitution was first announced by the Chinese Communist Party last October. The requirement, said Xinhua, “has clearly revealed China’s resolve to bolster the authority of the Constitution.” (China Voice: Officials’ Constitutional Oath Only a Start, but a Good Start, XINHUA (Oct. 29, 2014).)