The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC, zh, 中国人民政治协商会议), also known as the People's PCC (, ) or simply the PCC (), is a political advisory body in the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, sli ...
and a central part of the
Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...
(CCP)'s
United Front
A united front is an alliance of groups against their common enemies, figuratively evoking unification of previously separate geographic fronts and/or unification of previously separate armies into a front. The name often refers to a political a ...
system.
Its members advise and put proposals for political and social issues to government bodies. However, the CPPCC is a body without real legislative power.
While consultation does take place, it is supervised and directed by the CCP.
The body traditionally consists of delegates from the CCP and its
front organizations,
eight legally-permitted political parties subservient to the CCP, as well as nominally independent members. The CPPCC is chaired by a member of the
Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
The Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), officially the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is a committee consisting of the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Histori ...
.
In keeping with the United Front strategy, prominent non-CCP members have been included among the
Vice Chairs, examples being
Chen Shutong,
Li Jishen and
Soong Ching-ling
Rosamond Soong Ch'ing-ling (27 January 189329 May 1981) was a Chinese political figure. As the third wife of Sun Yat-sen, then Premier of the Kuomintang and President of the Republic of China, she was often referred to as Madame Sun Yat-sen. ...
.
The organizational hierarchy of the CPPCC consists of a National Committee and regional committees. Regional committees extend to the
provincial,
prefecture, and
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
level. According to the constitution of the CPPCC, the relationship between the National Committee and the regional committees is one of guidance and not direct leadership. However, an indirect leadership exists via the
United Front Work Department
The United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (UFWD; ) is a department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) which is officially tasked with " united front work". For this endea ...
at each level.
The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (, shortened ) typically holds a yearly meeting at the same time as plenary sessions of the
National People's Congress
The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China (NPC; ), or simply the National People's Congress, is constitutionally the supreme state authority and the national legislature of the People's Republic of China.
With 2,9 ...
(NPC). The CPPCC National Committee and NPC plenary sessions are collectively called the ''Quanguo
Lianghui'' ("National Two Sessions").
The CPPCC is intended to be more representative of a broader range of people than is typical of government office in the People's Republic of China. According to
Sinologist
Sinology, or Chinese studies, is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of China primarily through Chinese philosophy, language, literature, culture and history and often refers to Western scholarship. Its origin "may be traced to the e ...
Peter Mattis, the CPPCC is "the one place where all the relevant actors inside and outside the party come together: party elders, intelligence officers, diplomats, propagandists, soldiers and political commissars, united front workers, academics, and businesspeople."
In practice, the CPPCC serves as "the place where messages are developed and distributed among party members and the non-party faithful who shape perceptions of the CCP and China."
The composition of the members of the CPPCC changes over time according to national strategic priorities. Previously dominated by senior figures in real-estate,
state-owned enterprises, and "
princelings", the CPPCC in 2018 was primarily composed of individuals from China's technology sector.
History

The Conference dated prior to the existence of the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, sli ...
. During negotiations between the Chinese Communist Party and the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
in 1945, the two parties agreed to open multiparty talks on post-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
political reforms via a Political Consultative Conference. This was included in the
Double Tenth Agreement. This agreement was implemented by the
National Government of the Republic of China, who organized the first Political Consultative Assembly from January 10–31, 1946. Representatives of the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
, CCP,
Chinese Youth Party
The Young China Party (YCP), also known as the Chinese Youth Party (CYP), is a minor political party in Taiwan (Republic of China). It was one of the three legal political parties in Taiwan during the martial law period from 1949 to 1987, th ...
, and
China Democratic League, as well as independent delegates, attended the conference in
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a municipality in Southwest China. The official abbreviation of the city, "" (), was approved by the State Cou ...
.
In 1949, with the Communist Party having gained control of most of
mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater Chin ...
, they organized a "new" Political Consultative Conference in September, inviting delegates from various friendly parties to attend and discuss the establishment of a new state. This conference was then renamed the People's Political Consultative Conference. The first conference approved the
Common Program, which served as the de facto
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princip ...
for the next five years. The conference approved the new national anthem, flag, capital city, and state name, and elected the
first government of the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, sli ...
. In effect, the first People's Political Consultative Conference served as a
constitutional convention Constitutional convention may refer to:
* Constitutional convention (political custom), an informal and uncodified procedural agreement
*Constitutional convention (political meeting), a meeting of delegates to adopt a new constitution or revise an e ...
.
From 1949 to 1954, the conference became the de facto legislature of the PRC. In 1954, the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princip ...
transferred this function to the National People's Congress.
Present role
The CPPCC is the "peak united front forum, bringing together CCP officials and Chinese elites."
The CPPCC includes the CCP, eight small legally-permitted parties, and independent nonparty "friends."
It provides a "seat" for the non-communist parties and so-called "patriotic democrats."
The conception of the non-communist parties as part of a coalition rather than an opposition is expressed in the PRC's constitutional principle of "political consultation and multiparty cooperation."
This constitutional principle obliges the CCP to consult the others on all major policy issues.
Particularly since the 2000s, CPPCC members frequently petition the
Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, officially the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is a political body that comprises the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It is currently composed of 205 fu ...
regarding socioeconomic, health, and environmental issues.
According to
state media Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: )J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua ...
, it is neither a body of state power nor a policymaking organ, but a platform for participating in state affairs. In practice, CPPCC members serve as advisors for the government and legislative and judicial organs.
Delegate organizations
The CCP and the aligned "democratic parties" participate in the CPPCC. Besides political parties, CPPCC has also delegates from various sectors of society in its ranks. The parties and groups with delegates to the CPPCC are as follows:
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Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...
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Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang
The Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK), also commonly known, especially when referenced historically, as the Left Kuomintang or Left Guomindang, is one of the eight legally recognised minor political parties in the Peo ...
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China Democratic League
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China Democratic National Construction Association
The China National Democratic Construction Association (CNDCA), sometimes translated as the China Democratic National Construction Association (CDNCA), also known by its Chinese abbreviation Minjian (), is one of the eight legally recognized ...
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