The Invisible Constitution in Comparative Perspective

autonomous

regions

autonomous

prefectures

districts and

counties

counties and

autonomous

counties

townships

ethnic

townships

towns

cities

municipalities

directly under

the central

government

districts

counties

The RNA is interlaced with the unitary system throughout the three levels 

of national administration. In other words, within one autonomous region, 

smaller autonomous areas such as autonomous prefectures and autonomous 

counties can exist. For example, Xin Jiang Uygur Autonomous Region (AR) 

also accommodates six autonomous prefectures and six autonomous coun-

ties where communities of Kazakh, Mongolian, Hui people and Kyrgyz 

live.

59

 This interlaced system also implies that even for the same ethnic  

people, autonomy could be exercised in different areas. Outside the Tibet 

AR, Tibetans also enjoy ten autonomous prefectures and two autonomous 

counties across four provinces.

60

 Moreover, some autonomous areas have two 

or three ethnic minorities as ‘multi-ethnic’ counties, such as the Enshi Tujia/

Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hubei Province or the Weining Autonomous 

County for the Yi, Hui and Miao people in Guizhou Province. However, for 

59 

The State Ethnic Affairs Commission of People’s Republic of China, ‘Basic Information about 

the 155 Autonomous Regions’ (2005) 

www.seac.gov.cn/gjmw/zwgk/2005-02-28/1177034000717203 

.htm

.

60 

Barry Sautman, ‘Scaling Back Minority Rights? The Debates about China’s Ethnic Policies’ 

(2010) 46 Stanford Journal of International Law 51, 59.

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The ‘Invisible Constitution’ seen Realistically 

417

a specific ethnic group that lives in an autonomous area, the closest higher 

authority will either be an autonomous one due to the presence of another 

group of ethnic people, or it will be non-autonomous. This institution is very 

different from the understanding of autonomy based on specific groups of 

ethnic minority people. On the contrary, these groups fall under different gov-

ernments in the areas where they live.

The interlaced system provides contours for the RNA, and the system will 

be clarified by investigating who enjoys autonomous power in autonomous 

regions, what autonomous power includes and how autonomous powers 

are exercised. Article 4 of the Law of Regional National Autonomy (LRNA), 

together with Article 30 of the 1982 Constitution as its constitutional foun-

dation, is supposed to be the key to understanding the constitutional nature 

of the RNA. In accordance with the interlaced system provided in Article 

30 of the 1982 Constitution, Article 4 of the LRNA articulates that the ‘state 

organs of self-government’ in national autonomous areas exercise the power 

of regional autonomy together with powers enjoyed by the regular local gov-

ernments.

61

 In addition, Article 4(3) and Article 115 of the 1982 Constitution 

provide the ‘organs of self-government’ that are the means of exercising auton-

omous power. According to the LRNA, the ‘organs of self-government’ in 

autonomous regions include regional people’s congresses and governments.

62

 

This means that the autonomous powers in ethnic minority areas refer to both 

legislative and administrative powers. Judicial power is excluded from ethnic 

minority regional autonomy. The lack of an independent judicial system indi-

cates the fundamental differences in China’s RNA practice compared to more 

commonly practised local discretion.

63

In practice, autonomous power under RNA is exercised in the ordinary 

operation of those areas’ governments and congresses. In an ideal situation, 

when exercising autonomous power on specific issues, the people’s congress 

and the government in one autonomous area would work as the ‘organs of 

self-government’. In other issues, the non-autonomous government might also 

address the legislative body and the administration of an autonomous county, 

prefecture or region, which function in the same way as the non-autonomous 

61 

Article 4, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy (1984, 

rev. 2001).

62 

Article 15, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Regional National Autonomy (1984, 

rev. 2001).

63 

Erik Friberg, ‘“Master of Their Homelands”: Revisiting the Regional Ethnic Autonomy System  

in China in Light of Local Institutional Developments’ in M. Weller and Stefan Wolff (eds.),