| Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission | |
| Abbreviation: | ) |
| Predecessor: | Central Leading Group for Political and Legal Affairs |
| Formation: | March 6, 1990 |
| Native Name: | Chinese: {{nobold|中国共产党中央委员会政法委员会 |
| Type: | Commission directly reporting to the Central Committee Ministerial level agency |
| Status: | Active |
| Headquarters: | 14 Beichizi Street (北池子大街), Dongcheng District, Beijing |
| Region: | Mainland China |
| Leader Title: | Secretary |
| Leader Name: | Chen Wenqing |
| Leader Title2: | Deputy Secretary |
| Leader Name2: | Wang Xiaohong |
| Leader Title3: | (Other) Members |
| Leader Name3: | 8 |
| Leader Title4: | Secretary-General |
| Leader Name4: | Yin Bai |
| Parent Organization: | Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party |
The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CPLC), commonly referred to as Zhongyang Zhengfawei (中央政法委, literally "Central Poli-Legal Commission") in Chinese, is the organization under the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) responsible for "political and legal affairs". Based on the principles of Leninism and democratic centralism, the organization acts as the overseer and coordinator of all legal enforcement authorities, including the Ministries of State Security, Public Security and Justice, as well as the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate.[1] All provincial, municipal, county and autonomous region CCP committees have their own political and legal affairs commissions.
The CPLC functions as "the general chief of staff of the party committees, and represents the party in overseeing the country’s intelligence, law enforcement, judicial, and to a lesser extent, lawmaking systems". The CPLC maintains effective control over the court system and its personnel.[2] The CPLC ensures that courts implement CCP policies and vets law enforcement officers for political reliability.[3] [4] It is the "organizational linchpin of the Chinese surveillance state," according to Minxin Pei.[5] Its control of China's justice system has been especially useful and important for the CCP since the beginning of Chinese economic reform, because the CPLC has acted, through judges and prosecutors, to seize the assets and imprison those businesspeople who were becoming economically powerful enough to acquire a base independent from that of the party.
The commission is headed by a secretary who is usually a CCP Politburo member.
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.
In 1988, the commission was downgraded to a small leading group (Chinese: 领导小组). This was part of the result of efforts by reformist Zhao Ziyang to separate the CCP from state institutions. The Small Leading Group on Political and Legal Affairs focused on a narrower set of policy and research concerns, and did not take as active a role intervening in cases or issuing directives, resulting in a degree of increased independence of the judiciary. The crisis precipitated by the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre resulted in a reversal of these reforms, and the Small Group was reverted to its Commission status in March 1990, with the goal of maintaining stability through tighter control of public security and legal systems.[6]
After the 18th National Congress of the CCP in 2012, Meng Jianzhu replaced Zhou Yongkang as the head of the commission. However, Meng, unlike Zhou, was not elected to the 18th CCP Politburo Standing Committee.[7] 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 increased.[8] Reforms under CCP general secretary Xi Jinping emphasizing simultaneous need for rule of law and stability have subsequently affected the commission. The commission now has a more policy-and-research oriented focus, although the CCP still maintains control over the legal system.
In March 2018, it was put in charge of maintaining comprehensive public security after the abolishment of the Central Committee for Comprehensive Management of Public Security and its office. It also took over the responsibilities of the Central Leading Group on Dealing with Heretical Religions and its executive organ, the 610 Office, after their abolition.[9]
In May 2021, the commission was criticized after an account belonging to it posted an image on Sina Weibo of a rocket launch in China next to a photo of mass cremations in India as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]
In 2021, it was reported that the commission operates a predictive policing system against Uyghurs and others.[11]
In 2023, Chen Wenqing directed CCP committees at all levels to "attach great importance to, concern themselves with, and support covert front work."[12]
In 2013 and 2014, the Politburo of the CCP Central Committee held meetings to hear the findings of an investigation against Zhou Yongkang and, in June 2015, Zhou was found guilty of accepting bribes, abuse of power, intentionally leaking state secrets for which his private possessions were confiscated and he was sentenced to life in prison. Zhou is among the most senior and powerful Chinese leaders to be jailed in CCP general secretary Xi Jinping's crackdown.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] Zhou's wife and son were jailed for graft charges and his nephew, Zhou Feng, was fined 59 million yuan (approximately $9 million USD).[19]