• What were the reasons of the Cultural Revolution?

• Who were the Red Guards? And what was their role in the Cultural Revolution?

• When and how was the activist phase of the Cultural Revolution brought to an end?

• How did the events develop after the end of the activist phase of the Cultural Revolution?

Practice

Make a presentation about any historical character (or event) of China.

Report

Using your background knowledge and information from library resources and the Internet, prepare a report about the reforms of 1980-1988.

Section 3. POLITICAL STRUCTURE

Vocabulary Study

Explain the meaning of the following words and word-combinations as they are used in the texts. Translate them into Russian:

the implementation of the Constitution	to recall the personnel
to handle	national defense
to resist foreign aggression	an armed force of the masses

Reading

Read the passages about the leading organs of the Chinese political structure. Be ready to summarize it and answer comprehension questions.

The National People’s Congress

The NPC, the highest organ of state power in the People’s Republic of China, consists of deputies elected by all the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, special administrative regions and the armed forces. It exercises legislative power, revises the Constitution and supervises the implementation of the Constitution; examines and approves national economic and social development plans and reports on their implementation; examines and approves state budgets and reports on their implementation; and elects and decides on the choice of leading personnel of the highest state organs, i. e., elects the members of the Standing Committee of the NPC, the state president and vice-president, decides on the premier and other members of the State Council, and elects the chairman and other members of the Central Military Commission, the president of the Supreme People’s Court, and the procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. The NPC has the power to recall the above-mentioned personnel.

The NPC is elected for a term of five years. It usually meets once a year. When the NPC is not in session its Standing Committee exercises state power. The NPC Standing Committee is composed of a chairman, several vice-chairmen, a secretary-general and additional members. Members of the NPC Standing Committee may not concurrently hold any position in any of the state administrative, judicial or procuratorial organs. Under normal circumstances, the NPC Standing Committee meets once every two months. Important day-to-day work is handled at executive meetings attended by the chairman, vice-chairmen and secretary-general.

(from http://www.china.org.cn)

Comprehension Questions:

• What is the highest organ of state power in the People’s Republic of China?

• Which powers does it have?

• What is the form of its work?

The Central Military Commission

The Central Military Commission is the nation’s leading military organ and commander of its armed forces. The armed forces of the PRC consist of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force and the Militia. The main tasks of the PLA are strengthening national defense, resisting foreign aggression, defending and building up the motherland, and working hard to serve the people. The main tasks of the Armed Police Force include defending the frontiers, performing guard duties and maintaining public security. The Militia is an armed force of the masses who, when not on duty, remain engaged in their normal productive activities

The Central Military Commission is composed of a chairman, vice-chairmen and other members.

(from http://www.china.org.cn)

Comprehension Questions:

• What is the Central Military Commission?

• How many organs does it consist of?

• What are its main goals?

Practice

Using your background knowledge and information from library resources and the Internet, make a presentation about the Communist Party of China.

Discussion

Comment on the following quotations:

1. Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility (Peter Ducker).

2. To me party platforms are contracts with the people (Harry S. Truman).

Practice

Using your background knowledge and information from newspapers and the Internet, prepare a report about today’s Chinese foreign and home policy.

Section 4. THE ECONOMY