AN academic conference has ended in Hawaii with an agreement to speed up the drafting of a new ''Chinese constitution'' that would adopt a federal system of government and grant semi-autonomous administrative status to Taiwan and Tibet under a unified China.
Well known dissident scholars, such as Yan Jiaqi and Taiwan constitutional expert Professor Hu Fu, took part in the three-day conference organised by the US-based Foundation for China in the 21st Century.
Mqapoi Jigme, who represented the Dalai Lama, has written a letter to the conference to express the Tibetan religious leader's support. Mr Jigme is the younger brother of Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme, who is a vice-chairman of the National People's Congress.
A final draft of the constitution will be made public when it is ready next year.
It is expected to adopt a bicameral system, protection of human rights, an independent national legislature and autonomy for provincial governments.
Provincial legislatures would have the authority to draft their own mini-constitutions as long as they did not contradict the national constitution or violate the interests of other provinces and administrative regions.