China Committee on Religion and Peace (abbreviated to CCRP), as a national social organization with the status of independent legal person registered at the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, is a nonprofit mass organization composed voluntarily of representatives from religious groups in China, with objectives of adhering to the principles of friendship, peace, development and cooperation, carrying forward the fine traditions of loving the country and religion and cherishing peace in the Chinese religious circles, taking initiative to promote unity and harmony among all religious groups, developing exchanges and cooperation with the religious circles in all countries, the religions for peace organizations of other countries and those at regional and world level, safeguarding the unification of the motherland and striving for world peace and common prosperity.
This Committee works to carry out friendly exchanges with religion and peace organizations in the world, introduce China’s religious policies and its realities of freedom of religious belief; participate in activities organized by the world religion and peace organizations, promote the cause of safeguarding world peace by China’s religious groups, adhere to the one-China principle, safeguard national unity in the field of the world religions, and oppose any behaviors and activities of separatism, terrorism and violence.
This committee is composed of representatives from China’s Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity, as well as heads of this Committee’s executive office. The Committee members shall love the cause of peace, uphold the Charter of this Committee, have an intention to join this Committee, and are representative in his/her religious group. Members of this committee shall be recommended by national religious groups and this committee in accordance with the quota determined by Presidium of this committee, then approved and granted certificates also by Presidium. Members shall join and withdraw from this committee based on their own wills, and enjoy the right to elect and be elected at this Committee; to be informed of the affairs of this Committee and to vote at this Committee; to take part in the activities organized by this Committee; have priority to acquire service from this Committee; to advise and supervise on the work of this Committee; and to voluntarily join or to freely withdraw from this Committee, while complying with this Charter, carrying out resolutions of this Committee, safeguarding legitimate rights and interests of this Committee, accomplishing tasks assigned by this Committee; and paying membership fees in accordance with pertinent provisions. Members hereof shall inform the Presidium by written notice for withdrawal from this Committee and return his or her membership certificate. Such members as violates this Charter, upon the approval of the Presidium by vote, shall be deprived of the membership.
This Committee shall be elected for a term of five years. Where, under special circumstances, the election has to be carried out in advance or postponed, the decision hereof shall be approved by the Presidium by vote, then submitted to the governing body for deliberation and reported to the authorities liable for registration and management of social organizations for approval. However, the election shall not be delayed to the maximum of one year. The plenary session of this Committee held once a year shall be the top authority of this Committee, and responsible for formulating and amending this Charter, electing presidents, vice presidents and secretaries-general, engaging honorary presidents and advisors, deliberating on the work reports and other related reports of this Committee, discussing and determining the Committee’s work guidelines, tasks and other important matters; and determining the termination of this committee. The plenary meeting of this Committee shall not be held unless attended by a majority of more than two-thirds of members, and resolutions shall not be deemed effective unless approved by more than two-thirds of the members present and voting at the plenary meeting.
Presidium, composed of presidents, vice presidents and secretaries-general, is the leading agency of this Committee during the period when the plenary meeting of this Committee is not in session, and be liable for guiding the implementation of this Charter as well as of a work plan set at the plenary meeting of this Committee; examining and discussing work reports and other related reports and delivering these reports to the plenary meeting of this Committee; examining, discussing and determining the schemes and measures to implement the work plans of this committee and other important matters; determining or adjusting candidates for deputy secretaries-general and directors and vice directors of special committees in accordance with the nomination by the secretary-general; determining the admittance or removal of members; and making decisions on major matters.
Presidents, vice presidents and secretaries-general shall be elected for a term of five years, and may be re-elected and reappointed consecutively for one more term. Where, under special circumstances, the reappointment needs to be extended, the decisions hereof shall be approved by a majority vote of more than two-thirds of the members of the plenary meeting of this Committee, then submitted to the governing body for review, and reported to the authorities liable for registration and management of social organizations for approval.
President, as the legal person of this Committee, shall exercise such duties as convening and presiding over the meetings of Presidium and its extended meetings; examining the implementation of all resolutions made at the Presidium; signing related important documents on behalf of this Committee; and entrusting vice presidents to preside over the meetings of Presidium, and vice presidents or secretaries-general on behalf of this Committee to sign related documents.
The meeting of secretaries-general, composed of secretary-general and deputy secretaries-general, is the working agency of this Committee, and responsible for carrying out all resolutions made at the Presidium; guiding the working bodies of this Committee to carry out their work; organizing the implementation of annual plans and various activities; submitting the Committee’s annual work summary and plan; and submitting the Committee’s annual financial budget and final accounts report. Secretary-general, under the leadership of the Presidium, shall exercises such duties as dealing with routine affairs of this Committee; nominating candidates for the deputy secretaries-general and heads of executive offices, and submitting to the Presidium for approval; convening and presiding over the meeting of secretaries-general and other related meetings; signing related documents on behalf of this Committee upon the president’s authorization; and entrusting deputy secretaries-general to preside over the meeting of secretaries-general. Should the need arise for work, this committee should set up special committees to carry out work under the leadership of the Presidium in accordance with the state’s laws and regulations as well as this Charter, the post of executive deputy secretary-general to assist the secretary-general in the work, and an office that deals with routine affairs under the leadership of the secretary-general, as well as agencies concerning culture, charity and social services.
The funds of this Committee include membership fees, voluntary donations from religious groups, religious personages, and other religious believers in China, donations from the society; and other legitimate incomes. This Committee adopts the accounting system of social nonprofit organizations and the state’s relevant financial system and assets management system, and accepts financial audits by the governing body and the agency for registration and management of social organizations.
The funds of this Committee shall be used exclusively within the scope of work or for development of this Committee, as provided by the Charter, and shall be neither distributed or impropriated among members, nor occupied, embezzled, or misappropriated by any organizations or individuals. Before general election or renewal of the legal person, financial audits by the governing body and the agency for registration and management of social organizations shall be accepted.
Amendments to the present Charter shall, upon the agreement of more than two-thirds of the entire members of the plenary meetings of this Committee by vote, deliberation of governing body for approval, and review of agencies liable for registration of social organization, come into effect.
The termination of this Committee shall be proposed by the Presidium, agreed by a majority vote of more than two-thirds of the entire members of the plenary meeting of this Committee, submitted to the governing body for deliberation and approval, and handled in line with pertinent provisions in the Regulations for Registration and Management of Social Organizations. A liquidation team shall, before the termination of this Committee, be established under the guidance of the governing body to settle the Committee’s issues and other remaining matters, and shall not, during the liquidation, carry out other activities irrelevant to liquidation. This Committee is terminated immediately after recording its nullification at the agency for registration and management of social organizations. The remaining assets after the termination of this Committee shall be, under the supervision of the governing body and the agency for registration and management of social organizations and in line with the state’s pertinent provisions, used for the cause related to the purposes of this Committee.
The emblem of this Committee headquartered in Beijing is round, with green as its background color and a flying pigeon at its center. On the top right corner of the design are five olive leaves; over the design is the Chinese name of this Committee (Zhongguo Zongjiaojie Heping Weiyuanhui); and below the design is the abbreviation of its English name—CCRP.
This Charter was adopted at the First Plenary Session of the First Committee of the China Committee on Religion and Peace in 1994, amended at the First Plenary Session of the Third Committee of the China Committee on Religion and Peace in 2009, and shall be effective from the date of its ratification by the agency for registration and management of social organizations. The right to explain this Charter is reserved by Presidium of this Committee.
