Constitution of the World Tai Chi Chuan Federation
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 The Name
The name of the Federation is "the World Tai Chi Chuan Federation", hereinafter referred to as "the Federation". The English name is set as World Tai Chi Chuan Federation.
Article 2 The Organization
The Federation is a non-profit-making social organization established according to the law, in order to promote Tai Chi Chuan development around the world, contact with international Tai Chi groups, and do research on Tai Chi. The aim is to carry forward the traditional Chinese martial arts and improve the physical and mental health of human beings.
Article 3 The Organizational Region
The Federation is a global organization. Its organizational scope encompasses Tai Chi Chuan groups and individuals worldwide.
Article 4 The Site
The legal domicile of the Federation shall be determined by the Board of Directors and reported to the competent authority of the registration jurisdiction. The Federation may establish Branch Associations worldwide, with organizational rules drafted by the Board of Directors and approved by the Congress, and, where required, submitted to the competent authority before implementation. The official addresses of the headquarters and all branch offices shall be kept on file with the Secretariat and reported to the competent authority upon establishment or change.
Article 5 The tasks of the Federation:
1. To promote Tai Chi (Tai Chi Chuan) around the world.
2. To recruit members, expand Tai Chi affairs, serve members, and provide a forum for professional and international exchange among members.
3. To assist various regions home and abroad in setting up Tai Chi institutions and promoting Tai Chi teaching.
4. To formulate and compile Tai Chi Chuan competition rules and promotion methods for Duan level.
5. To provide appropriate accreditation for members and issue certificates of qualification.
6. To handle Tai Chi Chuan international referees and coaches' lectures and training, identification, registration, and management of Tai Chi international referees and coaches.
7. To determine the qualifications of the contestants.
8. To handle Duan-level review work and management matters.
9. To handle international Tai Chi competitions, performances, observations and visits.
10. To collect, compile and print Tai Chi Chuan literature, books, and periodicals.
11. To undertake other activities deemed necessary by the Board of the Federation to further its objectives.
Article 6 The Competent Authority
The Federation's legal and supervisory authority is the relevant governmental agency in the jurisdiction of its legal domicile.
The Federation's professional activities and technical standards shall be subject to the guidance and oversight of the Sports Ministry of the Executive Yuan (or equivalent national/international sports authority, as applicable and necessary for recognition).
Chapter II Membership
Article 7 – Membership Categories
Membership applications are submitted to the Secretariat, examined by the Board of Directors, and approved by the Chairman (for routine approvals), with a report provided to the Congress annually.
There are four types of members:
1. Group members: International, national or regional professional Tai Chi groups established by law in their countries.
Group members are entitled to send three member representatives to attend the general meeting/ Congress.
2. Individual members: Members of Tai Chi groups at home and abroad.
3. Probationary members: people at home and abroad who agree with the purpose of the Federation
4. Honorary members: People at home and abroad who agree with the purpose of the Federation and donate more than USD 200 to the Federation at one time or other major contributors.
Article 8 – Rights of Members
1. Members (including member representatives) have the right to speak, vote, elect, and be elected. Each member or member representative possesses one vote. Probationary and honorary members may speak but do not have voting or election rights.
2. Members may participate in all Federation activities, including competitions, seminars, workshops, and other events organized or sponsored by the Federation.
3. Members are entitled to receive publications and materials provided or donated by the Federation.
4. Members may be elected as branch representatives of their city, region, or nation if they meet eligibility requirements, apply according to the Federation Constitution, and receive approval from the General Assembly and ratification by the Board of Directors and Supervisors. The term of office is two to four years.
5. Members may also be elected as Chairman or Vice-Chairmen of the Federation if they meet eligibility requirements, are elected by the Board of Directors, and ratified by the General Assembly. The term of office for Vice-Chairmen is four years, with eligibility for one re-election.
6. Group Members (member countries) have the right to propose hosting international competitions organized or sanctioned by the Federation. Such proposals must be submitted to the Secretariat and Congress at least two (2) years prior to the event and are subject to Congress approval according to procedures established by the Board of Directors.
7. Members also have any other rights stipulated by the Federation’s regulations or as determined by the General Assembly.
Article 9 Obligations of Members:
Members have the obligation to abide by the articles of the Federation, resolutions and pay dues. Members who have not paid the membership fee shall not enjoy membership rights, and those who have not paid the membership fee for two consecutive years shall be deemed to have automatically withdrawn from the membership. Members who have been dismissed, resigned, or suspended from the membership should pay off the dues in arrears if they wish to apply for resumption of membership or reinstatement of rights unless they have justified reasons and have been approved by the board of directors.
Article 10 Member Discipline
Members (member representatives) who have one of the following circumstances may be given a verbal warning, written warning or suspension by the board of directors and if the circumstances are serious, may be removed by the resolution of the general meeting of members.
1. Violating laws and regulations or receiving criminal punishment.
2. Failure to abide by the Articles of Federation and resolutions of the Federation.
3. Those who cause personal injury to the staff of the Federation.
4. Those whose words and deeds have seriously damaged the reputation of the Federation.
5. Membership fees have not been paid for more than two consecutive years.
6. The meeting affairs are obviously suspended and communication has been lost for more than two years.
7. Failure to attend the membership meeting for more than two consecutive times without reason.
Article 11 Expulsion and Ethics Committee
A member who has one of the following circumstances shall be expelled from the Federation.
1. Those who have lost their membership qualifications.
2. Those who are removed by the resolution of the general meeting of members.
An Ethics and Disciplinary Committee shall be established to investigate and rule on breaches of conduct by officials and members.
Article 12 Voluntary Resignation of Members
Members can state their reasons in writing to resign from the Federation.
Chapter III Organization and Authority
Article 13 – Highest Authority
The Congress is the highest authority of the Federation. When the number of members exceeds 300, member representatives shall be elected according to a regional representation ratio, after which the Congress shall be convened. Member representatives are elected for a term of four (4) years. The quota and election method shall be drafted by the Board of Directors and submitted to the competent authority for approval before implementation.
Functions and Powers
The Congress (of Members or Member Representatives) shall exercise the following functions and powers:
1. Articles and Dissolution
Formulation and amendment of the Articles of the Federation.
Resolution on the disposition of property.
Resolution on the dissolution of the Federation.
2. Leadership
Election and removal of directors and supervisors.
Election and removal of executive directors and the chairman.
Resolution on the resignation of directors, executive directors, and the chairman.
Election Note: The Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are indirectly elected through the Board of Directors.
3. Staff
Employment and dismissal of staff.
4. Membership
Deciding on applications for membership and withdrawal.
Examining the qualifications of members (member representatives).
Deciding on the expulsion of members (member representatives) who violate the rules.
Resolution of major issues related to the rights and obligations of members.
5. Finance and Planning
Formulation and approval of annual work plans, reports, budgets, and final accounts.
Deciding on the methods of admission fees, annual membership fees, business expenses, and member donations.
6. Organizational Structure
Deciding on the establishment of Branch Associations and approving their organizational rules.
7. General
Resolution of other matters to be implemented by the Federation.
8. International Events
Member countries may submit proposals to host international competitions. Such proposals must be submitted at least two (2) years in advance and are subject to approval by the Congress.
Article 14 Board of Directors and Board of Supervisors
The Federation shall have thirty-five (35) Directors and eleven (11) Supervisors, elected by members (or member representatives).
A Board of Directors and a Board of Supervisors shall be established, respectively.
In addition to the regular members, eleven (11) alternate Directors and three (3) alternate Supervisors may be elected simultaneously.
Vacancies among Supervisors shall be filled in order of priority from the alternates.
The current session of the Board of Directors may propose a reference list of candidates for the next session of Directors and Supervisors.
If necessary, elections may be conducted by postal voting; however, postal elections may not be used consecutively.
The method of postal election must be approved by both the Board of Directors and the Board of Supervisors and submitted to the competent authority for approval before implementation.
Article 15: Chairman and Vice-Chairmen
1. The Board of Directors shall elect one Chairman and up to 8 Vice-Chairmen from among its members.
2. The term of office for the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen is four (4) years, concurrent with the Board of Directors, with eligibility for one re-election.
Chairman
Comprehensively manages and supervises the internal affairs of the Federation and represents it externally.
Serves as the presiding officer of the General Assembly and the Board of Directors.
May designate a Vice-Chairman to act as deputy when unable to perform duties.
Vice-Chairmen
Assist the Chairman in internal management and external representation.
Act as Chairman in cases of the Chairman’s absence, illness, or incapacity.
Have the right to attend and speak at all meetings of the Board of Directors and General Assembly.
Shall comply with the Articles of the Federation, Board resolutions, and instructions of the Chairman.
Shall actively supervise and implement Federation activities, maintaining the Federation’s reputation and interests.
May be removed by resolution of the Board of Directors and ratification by the General Assembly if violating laws, regulations, Articles of the Federation, or causing serious damage to the Federation.
Vacancies and Representation
Vacancies in the office of Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall be filled by by-election within one month.
When both the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen are unable to perform duties, the Board of Directors shall recommend one director to act as temporary representative.
WTCCF shall ensure fair representation of genders, regions, and generations in leadership positions.
Article 16 The Board of Supervisors
The functions and powers of the board of supervisors are as follows:
1. Supervise the execution of the work of Congress.
2. Review the annual final accounts.
3. Election and removal of executive supervisors.
4. To resolve the resignation of supervisors, standing supervisors, and the convener of standing supervisors.
5. Other matters to be supervised.
Article 17 Standing Supervisors and Convener
The board of supervisors shall appoint three standing supervisors, who shall be elected among the supervisors and a convener shall be selected from among the standing supervisors.
When the convener of the standing supervisor is unable to perform his duties due to certain circumstances, he shall designate a standing supervisor to act as his representative.
Reasonably, if no designation is made or cannot be designated, the standing supervisors shall recommend one of them to act as their representative.
Article 18 Conditions for Removal of Directors and Supervisors
Directors and supervisors shall be dismissed immediately under any of the following circumstances:
1. Those who have lost their membership (member representative) qualifications.
2. Resignation due to reasons passed by the board of directors or the board of supervisors.
3. Those who have been recalled or dismissed.
The suspension period exceeds half of the term of office.
Article 19 Establishment and Composition
The Federation shall establish a Secretariat (秘書處), consisting of:
A Secretary-General
five to six Vice Secretary-Generals
Several secretaries and volunteers
All staff work under the direction of the Secretary-General with the approval of the Chairman.
Appointment and Dismissal
The Secretary-General is appointed by the Chairman to manage the affairs of the Federation.
Officers of the Secretariat shall be nominated by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and approved or dismissed by the Board of Directors.
All appointments and dismissals shall be reported to the competent authority for reference. The dismissal of the Secretary-General specifically requires approval by the competent authority.
Secretariat staff shall not concurrently serve as Directors or Supervisors.
Powers and Responsibilities
The specific powers, duties, and hierarchical responsibilities of the Secretariat staff shall be determined separately by the Congress.
Article 20 Committees, Groups and Operating Organizations
The Federation may set up various committees, groups, or other internal operating organizations, and their organizational rules.
They shall start to function after being approved by Congress, and the same is true for changes.
Article 21 Honorary Chairman, Directors and Supervisors
An honorary chairman of the board of directors may be nominated by the chairman of the board of directors, with the approval of the board of directors.
There are several honorary directors and consultants whose terms of employment are the same as those of directors and supervisors.
WTCCF Constitution – Expanded Articles
Article 22 – Branch Associations
1. Branch Associations may be established in cities, regions, provinces, countries, or a group of countries.
2. To qualify as a Branch Association, the applicant must:
Be a group member of WTCCF;
Be a legally recognized Tai Chi association, federation, or similar organization in the area;
Demonstrate real leadership capability and the ability to organize Tai Chi activities in their region;
Provide proof of regular practice and active Tai Chi promotion.
3. Branch Associations are subject to evaluation and approval by the WTCCF headquarters. Existing branches take precedence in case of competing claims for the same region until their term expires.
4. Branch Associations may apply for a certificate of term:
New branches: 2-year term;
Established branches with proven contributions (World Cup participation, international meeting attendance, donations): 4-year term.
5. Branch Associations must pay entrance fees and annual membership fees unless they have continuous support history exempting them.
6. Branch Associations may propose resident coaches for approval. Resident coaches must apply to WTCCF and pass evaluation and assessment. WTCCF may entrust well-qualified Branch Associations to conduct the evaluation and recommend candidates to the headquarters for certification. Final certification and term length are determined by WTCCF headquarters.
Article 22-1 Rights & Duties of Branch Associations
Rights & Duties
Rights of Branch Associations:
1. Represent WTCCF within their respective regions.
2. Organize events, competitions, and seminars under WTCCF standards.
3. Recommend members for promotion, recognition, and certification.
Duties of Branch Associations:
1. Abide by the WTCCF Constitution and regulations.
2. Promote Tai Chi Chuan and WTCCF activities.
3. Support resident coaches and assist with training and certification.
4. Submit accurate annual reports, accounts, and activity records to WTCCF headquarters.
5. Protect the name and logo of WTCCF from misuse.
Revocation
WTCCF reserves the right to revoke recognition in cases of misconduct, inactivity, or violation of federation rules.
Article 22-2 Branch Chairmen
Eligibility
1. Must be approved by WTCCF.
2. Demonstrate leadership and organizational capability.
3. Represent the Branch Association in official WTCCF matters.
Term
Same as the Branch Association certificate term (2 or 4 years).
Duties
1. Oversee local branch activities.
2. Coordinate with resident coaches.
3. Maintain compliance with WTCCF rules.
Article 22-3 Resident Coaches
1. Definition
A Resident Coach is an instructor authorized by WTCCF to teach Tai Chi Chuan in accordance with WTCCF standards, either within a Branch Association or directly under the Federation.
2. Qualification
Candidates must hold recognized ranks, complete required training, and demonstrate the ethical standards prescribed by WTCCF.
Candidates must be evaluated and certified by the Evaluation Committee or Technical Commission of WTCCF, with final approval confirmed by the Executive Board.
3. Certification
Qualified candidates shall receive a Certificate of Resident Coach, signed by the President and Secretary General, valid for 2 or 4 years.
Renewal requires proof of continued teaching activity and/or participation in refresher courses.
4. Rights and Duties
Rights
Represent WTCCF in seminars and workshops.
Use WTCCF’s name and logo in teaching activities, within approved guidelines.
Duties
Uphold WTCCF standards in instruction.
Abide by the WTCCF Code of Ethics.
Be responsible for teaching and promoting Tai Chi within the Branch.
Report technical progress to WTCCF headquarters.
Submit activity records upon request.
5. Revocation
Certification may be withdrawn in cases of misconduct, inactivity, or failure to comply with WTCCF policies.
Article 23 – Meetings
1. The Congress shall hold both regular and extraordinary meetings.
2. Regular meetings shall be convened once a year.
3. Extraordinary meetings may be convened when deemed necessary by the Congress, upon the request of more than one-third of the members (or member representatives), or at the request of the Board of Supervisors.
4. Except in emergencies, notice of meetings shall be provided in writing at least fifteen (15) days in advance.
Article 24 – Representation by Proxy
When a member (or member representative) cannot attend the Congress in person, he or she may authorize another member (or member representative) in writing to act as proxy. Each member (or member representative) may act as proxy for only one other member (or member representative).
Article 25 – Resolutions
1. Unless otherwise provided, resolutions of the Congress shall be passed by a majority of the members (or member representatives) present.
2. The following matters require approval by at least two-thirds of the members (or member representatives) present:
Formulation and amendment of the Articles of the Federation.
Expulsion of members (or member representatives).
Removal of directors and supervisors.
Disposal of property.
Dissolution of the Federation.
Other important matters affecting the rights and obligations of members.
3. After the Federation is registered as a legal entity:
Amendments to the Articles require approval by at least three-quarters of the attendees or by more than two-thirds of all members in writing.
Dissolution may be resolved at any time with the consent of more than two-thirds of all members.
Article 26 Board Meeting Frequency, Notice, and Resolution Procedures
The board of directors shall convene once every six months, and the board of supervisors shall convene once every six months.
Joint or extraordinary meetings may be called.
When the meeting mentioned in the preceding paragraph is convened, except for an extraordinary meeting, a written notice shall be given seven days in advance, and the meeting shall
Resolutions shall be made when the meeting is attended by more than half of the directors and supervisors, with the consent of more than half of the attendees.
Article 27 Mandatory Attendance and Resignation Rules
The directors shall attend the meeting of the board of directors, and the supervisors shall attend the meeting of the board of supervisors. Attendance by proxy is not permitted.
Directors and supervisors who are absent from the board of directors and the board of supervisors for two consecutive times without reason shall be deemed to have resigned.
Chapter V Funding
Article 28 Sources of Funds
The sources of funds for the Federation are as follows:
1. Membership fee and annual membership fee.
(1) Group membership: Entrance fee USD 100 (NT$3,000), annual membership fee USD 50 (NT$1,500).
(2) Individual membership: The entrance fee is USD 50 (NT$ 1,500), and the annual membership fee is USD 25 (NT$1,500).
2. Business incomes.
3. Member donations.
4. Subsidies from relevant units.
5. Entrusted income.
6. The fund and its interest
7. Other incomes.
Article 29 Accounting Year
The accounting year of the Federation is based on the calendar year, starting from January 1st to December 31st of each year.
Article 30 Annual Work Plan, Budget, and Financial Reporting Procedures
Every year, two months before the beginning of the fiscal year, the Board of Directors prepares the annual work plan, income and expenditure budget statement, and employee treatment statement, and submits them to the general meeting for approval.
If it cannot be held as scheduled, it shall be submitted to the joint meeting of supervisors for approval, and report to the competent authority for approval. And within two months after the end of the fiscal year, the board of directors prepares annual work reports, income and expenditure final accounts, cash registers, assets and liabilities forms, property catalogs and fund income and expenditure statements to be submitted to the board of supervisors for review and after the review, the board of supervisors give opinions and return the books to the board of directors to be submitted to the general meeting for approval, and be reported to the competent authority for approval before the end of March.
(If the general meeting cannot be held as scheduled, it shall be reported to the competent authority first).
Article 31 Distribution of Remaining Property Upon Dissolution
After the Federation is dissolved, the remaining property shall belong to the local government organization or the competent authority in the place where it is located, or its designated agency or organization.
Article 32 Dispute Resolution and Appeals Procedures
Any disputes arising shall be resolved first by WTCCF Disciplinary Committee; appeals may be referred to an independent arbitration body recognized by WTCCF.
Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions
Article 33 Matters Not Covered by the Articles
Matters not stipulated in the Articles of Federation shall be handled in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Article 34 Approval and Amendment of the Articles of Federation
The Articles of Federation are approved by the general meeting of members (member representatives), reported to the competent authority for approval and implemented
The same applies when the articles need to be changed..
Article 35 Initial Approval and Reporting of the Articles of Federation
The Articles of Federation were approved by the first general meeting of the first session of the Federation on August 14, 1999 and reported to the Ministry of the Interior.
