Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Formation
  
1980

Legal status
  
Active

Founder
  
CPC Central Committee

Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission

Abbreviation
  
Chinese: 中央政法委; pinyin: Zhōngyāng Zhèngfǎwěi; literally: "Central Poli-Legal Commission")

Predecessor
  
Central Leading Group for Political and Legal Affairs

Type
  
Commission directly reporting to the Central Committee

The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China, commonly referred to as Zhongyang Zhengfawei (中央政法委, literally "Central Poli-Legal Commission") in Chinese, is the organization under the Party's Central Committee responsible for political and legal affairs. In practice the organization oversees all legal enforcement authorities, including the police force, making it a very powerful organ.

Contents

All the Party committees of provinces, municipalities, counties and autonomous regions establish respective politics and law commissions.

The Commission is headed by a secretary who is usually a Central Politburo member.

History

The Commission was preceded by a Politics and Law Leading Group (政法领导小组; Zhèngfǎ Lǐngdǎo Xiǎozǔ) which was set up in 1958, with Peng Zhen as its leader. During the Cultural Revolution it was led by Ji Dengkui, who served as group leader until 24 January 1980, when the Commission was established, with Peng Zhen back as its secretary. The Commission was reverted to Leading Group from May 1988 to March 1990.

After the 18th Party Congress in 2012, Meng Jianzhu replaced Zhou Yongkang as the head of the commission. However, Meng, unlike Zhou, was not elected to the 18th Politburo Standing Committee. The apparent downgrading of the post followed Zhou's connection with the Wang Lijun incident, which has discredited Chongqing politician Bo Xilai's method of using the internal security apparatus for political ends. As a result, the independence of the judiciary in China has increased.

Leaders of the Central Political and Law Group

  1. Peng Zhen (1958)
  2. Luo Ruiqing (1958–1960)
  3. Xie Fuzhi (1960–1966)
  4. Ji Dengkui (1969–1980)
  1. Peng Zhen (1980–1982)
  2. Chen Pixian (1982–1985)
  3. Qiao Shi (1985–1992)
  4. Ren Jianxin (1992–1998)
  5. Luo Gan (1998–2007)
  6. Zhou Yongkang (2007–2012)
  7. Meng Jianzhu (2012–incumbent)

Current composition

Secretary
  • Meng Jianzhu, member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China (sub-national-leader-level), executive member of the Central National Security Commission, Chairman of the Central Public Security Comprehensive Management Commission
    • Deputy Secretary
  • General Police Commissioner Guo Shengkun, State Councilor (sub-national-leader-level) and Minister of Public Security
    • Members
    1. Chief Justice Zhou Qiang, President of the Supreme People's Court (sub-national-leader-level)
    2. Chief Procurator Cao Jianming, Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (sub-national-leader-level)
    3. Wang Yongqing, Secretary-General of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (minister-level), also a minister-level Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council
    4. General Police Commissioner Chen Wenqing, Minister of State Security
    5. Wu Aiying (female), Minister of Justice
    6. Chen Xunqiu, Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Vice Chairman and Office Head of the Central Public Security Comprehensive Management Commission (minister-level)
    7. PAP General Wang Ning, Commander of the People's Armed Police
    8. PLA Lit. General Li Xiaofeng, Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Central Military Commission
    9. Deputy General Police Commissioner Huang Ming, Head of the Central 610 Office (minister-level), also a minister-level Vice Minister of Public Security

    References

    Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA