Chinese legislators on Monday introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee private property rights — the first such protection of the communist era.
Another amendment proposed would enshrine in the constitution the theories of Jiang Zemin, the former leader who invited capitalists to join the Communist Party, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Both changes have been the object of extensive and heated debate within the ruling party.
The proposed constitutional changes are meant to bring China’s legal framework in line with its increasingly capitalist economy.
The proposed amendment on property says "private property obtained legally shall not be violated," according to Xinhua. It said that would put private property "on an equal footing with public property."
The amendment on Jiang’s theories says they shall be considered guiding principles of the nation, along with the ideology of communist founder Mao Zedong and the late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, who launched China’s economic reforms.
Achieving such a mention in the constitution would give Jiang a victory in his quest for a place in history alongside China’s communist luminaries. Xinhua, however, didn’t say whether Jiang would be mentioned by name — a feature that many in the party are rumored to oppose.
Jiang stepped down as party leader last year and retired as president in March, handing over power to current President Hu Jintao.
Jiang campaigned before his retirement for his awkwardly titled ideology, the "Three Represents," which says the party must represent entrepreneurs as well as the working class.