Top cadres propose adding ‘Xi Jinping Thought’ to Chinese constitution

Political theory of his predecessor Hu Jintao will also be included

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The revision will make Xi Jinping (fourth from left) the first sitting Chinese leader to see his name in the constitution since Mao Zedong. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 11:00pm, 19 Jan 2018Updated: 1:56pm, 22 Feb 2018

A closed-door meeting of the ruling Communist Party on Friday endorsed a proposal to include “Xi Jinping Thought”, the president’s political theory, in China’s constitution, Xinhua reported.

The proposal – to be formally approved by the national legislature’s full session in March – would make Xi the first sitting Chinese leader to see his name in the constitution since Mao Zedong.

It follows revisions made in October at the party congress that saw Xi’s theory – Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era – enshrined in the party charter.

The South China Morning Post has reported that revisions to be discussed at the meeting were also likely to include the addition of former president Hu Jintao’s contribution to the Chinese Communist Party’s political theory, which was added to the party charter in 2007 but is yet to be included in the constitution.

The preamble of the constitution states that the party is guided by Marxism and Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the Three Represents – the latter three being the theoretical legacies of Mao, Deng and former president Jiang Zemin.

But the statement released after Friday’s meeting put Hu’s theory – Scientific Outlook of Development – ahead of Xi’s thoughts as being among the “guiding principles” for the revision.

Party elites also discussed revisions that will pave the way to set up a new anti-corruption agency. Photo: Xinhua