China's top legislature began oath-taking ceremonies for new officials on Friday.
Six senior officials with special committees of the National People's Congress (NPC) and commissions of the NPC Standing Committee pledged allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.
They were appointed by the NPC Standing Committee at the bi-monthly legislative session that closed shortly before the ceremony.
In July last year, the top legislature adopted a resolution that all officials elected or appointed by people's congresses at all levels and their standing committees above the county level, as well as state functionaries appointed by people's governments, courts and procuratorates at all levels should take a public oath of allegiance to the Constitution while assuming office. The resolution took effect on Jan. 1.
Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the ceremony in front of the national flag and emblem.
At around 5 p.m., following a chorus of the national anthem sung by all participants, Liu Yuan, deputy head of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee, recited the oath and placing his left hand upon the Constitution. The others stood behind him, raising their right fists and reciting the oath together.
"I pledge my allegiance to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China; to safeguard the Constitution, perform my legal obligations, be loyal to the country and the people, be committed and honest in my duty, to accept the people's supervision and work hard to build a socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious," the oath read.
Pledging allegiance to the Constitution is important to the advancement the rule of law, said Han Xiaowu, deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, when explaining the resolution to lawmakers in July.
It will raise the public's awareness of the Constitution, he added.
Those who must take the oath, include the president, vice president; chairman, vice chairpersons, secretary-general, and all members of NPC Standing Committee; premier, vice premiers, state councilors, ministers, the governor of the People's Bank of China, auditor general of the National Audit Office; chairman, vice chairpersons and members of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China; heads of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).
Deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, members of various commissions under the NPC Standing Committee, vice president and other officials of the SPC and SPP, officials appointed by the State Council and its ministries, as well as ambassadors to other countries should also swear the oath.
The current Constitution was adopted on Dec. 4, 1982, based on the 1954 version. Dec. 4 is China's Constitution Day.
The fourth plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee decided to establish a system of pledging allegiance to the Constitution in October 2014.
