CHAPTER Ⅰ GENERAL PROVISIONS 

Article 1 

By the present Constitution, a non-profit committee is hereby formed. Its name shall be the UCLG ASPAC Committee on the Belt and Road Local Cooperation (henceforth referred to as BRLC).

Article 2

The proposal of setting up BRLC, within the framework of the World Organization of United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific Regional Section (henceforth referred to as UCLG ASPAC), was jointly initiated by the Hangzhou Municipal Government and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. It was approved at the UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau Meeting in April, 2017 and was inaugurated at the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on May 14th of the same year.

Article 3 

BRLC shall be a non-profit international organization, governed by the Constitution and the law of the Peoples Republic of China. Its legal seat shall be based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

CHAPTER II MISSION

Article 4

The mission of BRLC are: openness, cooperation, shared benefits and win-win outcomes. 

Article 5

BRLC, based within the framework of UCLG ASPAC, is to be committed to integrating the Belt and Road Initiative to various and practical programs and activities of exchanges and cooperation among local governments, and to the building of a platform for cooperation in order to share experience and resources in various fields of economic development, culture, and education as well as both urban and rural governance, for mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.

Article 6

BRLC is to make extensive use of social resources, integrating the efforts from all sides and organizing several working groups, as the case may be, for international exchanges and cooperation, based on a BRLC-dominated, all-sides-involved working pattern.

CHAPTER Ⅲ MEMBERSHIP 

Article 7

The membership of BRLC shall consist of the following categories: Members of UCLG from different sections; Local governments or relevant organizations along the Belt and Road; Sister cities of Hangzhou; Friendly exchanges cities; Other local governments and relevant organizations willing to join BRLC.

Members who have joined BRLC before the first General Assembly are regarded as founding members. 

Article 8

Members shall comply with the following requirements:

a. To join BRLC with the principle of voluntariness;

b. To support the Constitution of BRLC;

c. To actively participate in the various activities of BRLC;

d. For Cities: To possess administrative management organizations;

e. For Local Government Alliances and International Associations for Friendship: To possess decision-making organizations;

f. To have the capacity of fulfilling the obligations confirmed by the Council of BRLC.

Article 9

Admission Process:

a. Application letters or application forms for membership proposed by the top decision-making organizations shall be submitted to the Secretariat of BRLC; They shall be referred to BRLC Council Meetings for deliberation and decided by a simple majority of the votes cast by the Council members or their named delegates in attendance; In between ordinary meetings, cities or organizations which meet the relevant requirements for membership shall be admitted, provided that application letters or application forms have been submitted to the Secretary General and have been decided by Council members.

b. Local governments or organizations which are not members of BRLC decided by the Council, but have submitted application letters or forms for membership shall be entitled to participate in all activities of BRLC as observers, but they shall not have the right to vote or to stand for selection, nor the voting rights in these activities. 

Article 10

Members shall be entitled to the following rights:

a. To have rights to vote for and to be elected as BRLC Council members;

b. To have voting rights in relevant resolutions of BRLC;

c. To participate in the various activities of BRLC;

d. To have equal access to information and resources shared by BRLC.

Article 11

Members shall fulfill the following obligations:

a. To adhere to the Constitution of BRLC;

b. To implement the resolutions of BRLC;

c. To actively participate in the various activities of BRLC;

d. To support the work of BRLC.

Article 12

A member is liable to exclusion or suspension:

If it decides to exclude itself of its own accord, a written application for exclusion shall be submitted to the Secretariat of BRLC and be decided by the Council; If, without justifiable reasons, it has not participated in any activities of BRLC for five years in a row, it will be excluded automatically; If, with the deliberation of the Council, it breaches the obligations and principles set out in this Constitution or performs serious undue behaviors, it will be excluded and suspended.

CHAPTER IV GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

Article 13

The Presidency is assumed by the Mayor of Hangzhou; Five Co-Presidents are assumed by a Mayor of one of the member cities of UCLG ASPAC, two Mayors of two member cities of UCLG (other sections), a Mayor of one of the Chinese member cities of BRLC, and a Chairman of one of the foreign associations or organizations of BRLC; One Executive President is assumed by the Vice Mayor of Hangzhou who is responsible for foreign affairs; One Vice President is assumed by a person with high social prestige and rich experience in foreign affairs. The term of the Presidency shall coincide with the period between ordinary General Assemblies.

Article 14

Roles of Presidents, Co-Presidents and the Executive President and the Vice President:

a. The Presidents shall convene and preside over the Council Meetings and be entitled to assign delegates to represent them at statutory meetings;

b. The Presidents shall examine the implementation of the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Council;

c. The Presidents shall call or assign delegates to call extraordinary sessions between ordinary meetings, in the case of serious emergencies, to make decisions on behalf of the Council.

d. Co-Presidents shall assist Presidents and the Executive President and Vice President shall guide and be responsible for the routine work of BRLC.

Article 15 ADVISORS

BRLC shall invite officials of UCLG, local governments, colleges and universities and other organizations, experts, and celebrities to assume the roles of advisors, which shall be nominated by the Secretariat and decided upon by the Council.

Article 16

The General Assembly is the supreme organ of BRLC. It shall be convened every five years. In the event of special cases, the convening before or after the due date shall be decided by the Council. All active members are entitled to participate in the sessions. Decisions of the General Assembly shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast by the members or their named delegates in attendance and shall be implemented under the Council's oversight.

Article 17 Roles of the General Assembly:

a. to elect and dismiss Council members;

b. to discuss and decide on the work plan of BRLC;

c. to deliberate the work report of the Council, etc.;

d. to decide on terminations or major issues. 

Article 18

The Council is the supreme decision-making organ of BRLC. It shall comprise the following 25 members: The Presidents, the Co-Presidents, the Executive President, the Vice President, the Secretary General of BRLC, member cities of UCLG ASPAC; member cities of UCLG (other sections), foreign members and Chinese members. The candidates of Council members shall be recommended by the Secretariat of BRLC and be approved by the General Assembly. The term of the Council shall be five years, and its function will terminate at the date of the election of the next General Assembly. Members are entitled to be reelected and reappointed and have the right to resign of their own accord during the term.

Article 19

The council shall meet every two years, as convened by the Presidents. All members are entitled to participate in the sessions. If they are absent for some reason, they shall assign delegates in their stead to represent them in the sessions. Extraordinary meetings shall be called provisionally at the request of the Presidents or at least one third of its members, in accordance with the work demands of the Council. They may be convened online in special cases. Resolutions decided by the Council shall be implemented by the Secretariat.

Article 20 Roles of the Council:

a. to adopt and amend the Constitution;

b. to arrange and convene the General Assembly, and to decide on calling the sessions before or after the due date, if necessary;

c. to present work reports to the General Assembly;

d. to decide on applications, exclusions, cancellations and suspensions of membership;

e. to appoint and dismiss the leaders of working groups;

f. to decide on the candidates of the Advisors, etc.;

g. to deliberate the work plan of the Committee;

h. to deliberate and decide on the candidate of the Vice President and the Deputy Secretary General;

i. to discuss and decide on the relevant major issues and events;

j. to supervise the implementation of resolutions of the General Assembly.

Article 21

The Secretariat is a permanent organ under the Council. It shall comprise the Secretary General, assumed by the Director of the Hangzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office; the Vice Secretary General, nominated by the Secretary General and approved by the Council. 

Article 22

Roles of the Secretariat:

a. to suggest the formulation and revision of the Constitution;

b. to be responsible for the routine work of BRLC;

c. to implement the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Council;

d. to formulate the work plan of BRLC and implement it after the deliberation of the Council;

e. to arrange the Council meetings and the General Assembly;

f. to direct the activities of working groups;

g. to select partners in accordance with the work demands;

h. to liaison with and provide consultation and services for the members, the advisors, and the partners;

i. to report its work back to UCLG ASPAC on a regular basis.

Article 23

Roles of the Secretary General:

a. to be responsible for the routine work of the Secretariat;

b. to decide on the major issues of the Secretariat;

c. to nominate the candidates of the Vice Secretary General to assist the work of the Secretary General;

d. to decide on the appointment, promotion, and dismissal of full-time staff;

e. to attend relevant meetings or assume relevant duties entrusted by the President in accordance with work demands.

Article 24 THE WORKING GROUP

In accordance with work demands, BRLC will set up several working groups headed by leading member cities or organizations, which shall be decided by the Council.

Article 25 PARTNERSHIP

Relevant corporations and institutions shall be admitted as partners of BRLC to participate in various activities and programs for win-win development.

CHAPTER V FINANCES 

Article 26 BRLC shall derive its finances from:

a. Governments grants;

b. Social donations.

Article 27

Finances shall be managed and utilized in accordance with the relevant regulations for the development of the scope of business and the undertakings regulated in the Constitution. 

CHAPTER Ⅵ EMBLEM 

Article 28

The emblem is composed of two silk ribbons, the symbolic figure of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (one of the most famous scenic spots of the West Lake), BRLC (short for the Belt and Road Local Cooperation) and UCLG ASPAC (short for the United Cities and Local Governments-Asian and Pacific Section). The two silk ribbons symbolize the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road respectively; the three overlapped spots, the symbolic figure of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, represents Hangzhou. The emblem adopts two color schemes: in the colored version, blue, red, yellow and green symbolize the diversified races and cultures of the countries along the Belt and Road; in the monochromatic version, blue symbolizes the Maritime Silk Road. 

CHAPTER VII APPENDIX 

Article 29 

The official languages of BRLC shall be Chinese and English.

Article 30 

The termination of BRLC shall be suggested by the Secretariat and decided upon by the General Assembly.

Article 31

Matters not covered by the conditions set out in the Constitution shall be carried out in accordance with the law of the People's Republic of China. 

Article 32

The Secretariat reserves the Right of Interpretation over the Constitution.

Article 33

The Constitution shall take effect after being approved by the General Assembly.