Hainan civil servants take oath to Constitution for first time

Three newly appointed officials take a solemn oath to China's Constitution on November 26, 2014. [Photo: Hainan Daily/ Li Chao]

(ECNS) -- Three officials newly appointed by the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Hainan Province, the legislative body, took a solemn oath to China's Constitution before taking office on Wednesday.

"Cadres at the level of assistant department and higher should take the oath before assuming office. The oath-taking system will be a normal requirement from now on," said Bi Zhiqiang, deputy director of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial People's Congress.

Ding Wujiang, head of the province's Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department, said he felt that the ceremony was a wake-up call.

"The constitution is our country's fundamental law. As civil servants, we should comply with the constitution and laws," said Deng Xiaogang, head of the Department of Environmental Protection of Hainan Province.

Deng also said the oath-taking could motivate a greater sense of responsibility.

The fourth plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which focuses on "comprehensively advancing the rule of law" in China, required civil servants selected or appointed by the People's Congress to take an oath to the Constitution as a way of enhancing awareness of the law.