ober 1949)

National holiday: National Day, 1 October (1949)

Constitution: most recent promulgated 4 December 1982

Legal system: a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely
criminal law; rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987;
new legal codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are
being made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial
law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) and Vice
President RONG Yiren (since 27 March 1993)
head of government: Premier LI Peng (acting premier since 24 November
1987, premier since 9 April 1988); Vice Premiers ZHU Rongji (since 8
April 1991), ZOU Jiahua (since 8 April 1991), QIAN Qichen (since 29
March 1993), LI Lanqing (29 March 1993), WU Bangguo (since 17 March
1995), and JIANG Chunyun (since 17 March 1995)
cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
(NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by the National
People's Congress for five-year terms; election last held 27 March
1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); premier and vice premiers
nominated by the president, confirmed by the National People's
Congress
election results: JIANG Zemin elected by the Eighth National People's
Congress; percent of National People's Congress vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo
Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,977 seats; members indirectly elected at
county or xian level to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held NA March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court, judges appointed by the
National People's Congress

Political parties and leaders: Chinese Communist Party (CCP), JIANG
Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee; eight registered
small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders: no meaningful political
opposition groups exist

International organization participation: AfDB, APEC, AsDB, BIS
(pending member), CCC, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), Mekong Group, MINURSO, NAM
(observer), PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(applicant)

Diplomatic representation in