The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC (Communist Party of China) Central Committee held a meeting Thursday to call for a nationwide campaign of studying and implementing the newly-amended Chinese Constitution.

China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), adopted amendments to the Constitution at the close of its annual session on Sunday. The amendments consist of 14 revisions, including the respect for and protection of human rights and the protection of lawful private property.

The approval of the Constitutional amendments is of great practical and historical importance, the meeting said, pointing out the Constitution is the legal basis for safeguarding national unification, national unity, economic development, social progress and long-term stability, and legally guarantees the CPC's leadership in constructing socialism with Chinese characteristics.     

The amended Constitution better suits the national conditions, better reflects the spirit of the current era and better meets the demand of building an all-round well-off society, the meeting said.

The CPC should lead the public to deeply understand the basic guidelines of amending the Constitution and the importance of pushing forward a socialist market economy, socialist democracy and socialist advanced culture, the meeting said.

The ownership and inheritance rights of private property as well as people's economic, political and cultural rights and interests should be protected in accordance with laws, the meeting said, stressing the development of China's human rights course.

(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2004)