How much does the the constitution of China mean?

It is well known that China does not have freedom of speech. China ranks 174th out 179 countries in terms of free press. 

It is also well known that Chinese people do not have the freedom of association, of procession or of demonstration.  If anyone has any doubt about this, just go to Tiananmen Square and get a few friends together talking about weather, food, etc. and watch the approach of plainclothes police to disperse the gathering.

One may be surprised to find the following article in the constitution of China:

"Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration".

This article is essentially an outright lie.

However, the constitution is not a complete joke.  The following paragraphs mean what they say:

"China is at the primary stage of socialism. The basic task of the nation is, according to the theory of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, to concentrate its effort on socialist modernization. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the guidance of Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, the Chinese people of all nationalities will continue to adhere to the people's democratic dictatorship and follow the socialist road, persevere in reform and opening to the outside, steadily improve socialist institutions, develop socialist democracy, improve the socialist legal system and work hard and self-reliantly to modernize industry, agriculture, national defense and science and technology step by step to turn China into a socialist country with prosperity and power, democracy and culture." 

"The system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China will exist and develop in China for a long time to come."