1. Nature

The system of people's congress is an organizational form for the state power in China. It is China's fundamental political system.

The power in the People's Republic of China belongs to the people and the organ for the people to exercise state power is the National People's Congress and local people's congresses at all levels.

The National People's Congress is the highest organ of state power. Local people's congresses are local organs of state power.

2. Composition and Term of Office

The NPC is composed of deputies elected from the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government and deputies elected by the armed forces.

Deputies to the NPC are organized into delegations according to the units they are elected from. Each delegation is headed by a chairman and vice chairmen.

All the ethnic minorities are entitled to appropriate representation.

The NPC is elected for a term of five years.

The Standing Committee of the NPC must ensure the completion of election of deputies to the succeeding NPC two months prior to the expiration of the term of office of the current NPC. Should extraordinary circumstances prevent such an election, it may be postponed and the term of office of the current NPC extended by the decision of a vote of more than two-thirds of all those on the Standing Committee of the current NPC. The election of deputies to the succeeding NPC must be completed within one year after the termination of such extraordinary circumstances.

The NPC meets in session once a year and is convened by its Standing Committee.

A session of the NPC may be convened at any time the Standing Committee deems it necessary or when more than one-fifth of the deputies to the NPC so propose.

3. Functions and Powers

The NPC exercises the following functions and powers:

(1) to amend the Constitution;

The amendment of the Constitution shall be proposed by the Standing Committee of the NPC or more than one-fifth of the deputies to the NPC and can only be adopted by a majority of no less than two-thirds of the deputies to the NPC.

(2) to supervise the enforcement of the Constitution;