HT Archive: Mao elected China chairman under new constitution

MR mao zedong Tse-tung was on sep 27 elected Chairman of the People’s Republic of mainland china by the subject People’s us congress, Peking Radio announced. He was earlier Chairman of the Central People’s Government Council. His new position was created by China’s new Constitution.  “Mr Mao’s election was greeted by thunderous applause,” Peking Radio said. The applause was broadcast too, and shouts of “wansui” (10,000 years) could be heard echoing through the Hall of Benevolence where the National People’s Congress is in session. His elevation comes days after he appealed to the nation to “work harder, be honest and modest, earnest and industrious,” to build China into a great industrial country.“The people of our country should work hard and do their best to learn from the experience of the Soviet Union and of other brother countries.They should be prepared, in the course of several five-year plans, to build our country, at present economically and culturally backward, into a great industrialised country with a high standing of modern culture,” he said during his address to the congress.As defined by the Constitution, Mr Mao’s new position is more decorative than powerful. However, since Mr Mao is still Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, it may be difficult to determine immediately whether the changes introduced by the Constitution reflect any real change in his status. Since the formal inauguration of the Peking regime in October 1949, Mr Mao has chaired the Central People’s Government Council and the Standing Committee of the First National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.In these roles he held more apparent power than any other person in China. Mr Liu Shao-chi, the 49-year-old “brains” of the Communist movement in China, was elected to the key post in the Republic – chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Under the new Constitution, it would appear that the chief power in the State will be in the hands of the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. Gen. Chu Teh was elected Vice-Chairman. Mr Mao nominated Mr Chou En-lai as Premier in accordance with the Constitution,” the Radio said. Mr Chou’s appointment must be approved by the People’s Congress. Further election results are expected later. Gen. Chu Teh was one of six vice-chairmen of the Central People’s Government Council and commander-in-chief of the Army. The new Constitution states that the Chairman of the Republic “commands the armed forces of the country.” Mr Chou En-lai has been Prime Minister since the foundation of the present regime. The Chairman of the Republic promulgates laws, decrees, and appointments, but only in accordance with the decisions of the National People’s Congress, or its Standing Committee. The Vice-Chairman “assists the Chairman in his work” and may “exercise such part of the functions and powers of the Chairman as the Chairman entrusts to him.” The New China News Agency said the election of Mr Mao as Chairman of the People’s Republic of China was unanimous and by secret ballot. This and the remaining elections are the last item on the agenda of the Congress, which today met for the 11th day. According to the New China News Agency, apparently only Mr Mao and Gen. Chu Teh were nominated as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively. “The Presidium had received a joint proposal from 109 deputies nominating Mr Mao as Chairman of the People’s Republic of China and Gen. Chu Teh as Vice-Chairman,” the agency said.It added that Soong Ching-ling, Lin Po-chu, Li Chi-shen, Chang Lan, Lo Jung-huan, Shen Chun-ju, Kuo Mo-jo, Huang Yen-pei, Peng Cheng, Li Wei-han, Chen Shu-tung, the Dalai Lama and Sai Fu-din were nominated as Vice-Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the Congress. Peng Cheng was nominated as Secretary-General and 65 others were nominated as members of the Standing Committee.