China's Political Season: History of China's constitutional amendments

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China's current Constitution has been amended four times since 1982. CGTN's Zou Yun tells what the amendments were as well as the current status of the latest one.

ZOU YUN The Constitution is China's fundamental law of the state and holds supreme legal authority. Adopted in 1982, the current Constitution has been amended four times. (1988, 1993, 1999 and 2004.)

Each amendment must be proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress or by more than one-fifth of the deputies to the NPC. It can only be adopted by a vote of more than two-thirds of all the deputies to the Congress.

The Constitution has proven to be effective in China's current situation, and it's still being perfected to meet the changing demands of changing times.

For instance, in 1988, the first amendment affirmed the legal status of the private sector, as well as transfer of land-use rights.

And in 2004, China enshrined human rights protection into the Constitution for the very first time in history.

The latest amendment is expected to take place at this year's National People's Congress. The proposal includes writing new thoughts and values into the Constitution, as well as setting up supervisory commissions as a new type of state organs. The amendment will apply to the Party's and people's theoretical, practical and systematic innovation, to advance the rule of law in this new era.

Whatever change is made, it has to ensure the Constitution's continuity, stability as well as authority.