Global Times
February 27, 2013
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on Wednesday confirmed the qualifications of a total of 2,987 deputies to the 12th NPC. Government and Party officials comprise 34.88 percent of the total deputies, down 6.93 percentage points from the 11th NPC. Now, 401, or 13.42 percent of the 12th NPC deputies, are workers and farmers, an increase of 5.18 percentage points from the last NPC. The changes are helpful in terms of giving the public at the grass-roots level a voice, which is in accordance with China’s moves toward developing political democracy.
Although the two sessions are constantly criticized as making no improvements or even moving backwards, these criticisms don’t represent the true feelings among the public.
The public’s participation in the two sessions has changed over the past few years. Nowadays, it is well known among the public that the two sessions are the most important channel for them to participate in politics.
Making the deputies to the two sessions play a bigger role is not only a problem of political design, but also a practical move strongly demanded by the public.
The annual two sessions are the platform which includes the most active discussions on reform. They can generate many suggestions regarding political reform and suggestions on tapping the potential of the current political system.
Improving the role of the two sessions in China’s political framework needs farsighted design as well as a process that allows for practice. The people’s congress system is widely considered as being in accordance with China’s situation. The maturation of the system must be in compliance with the development of China’s society and politics.
The rise of the Internet and social diversity has promoted the realization of the two sessions’ functions in terms of public participation and discussion of political affairs.
It has had many positive results. This should increase our confidence to explore other functions of the two sessions, such as supervising the government, examining appointments of officials and approving budgets and so on. More comprehensively fulfilling these functions could strengthen restrictions on power.
As long as we stick to the Party’s leadership on reform, China could learn the lessons of the Soviet Union and avoid its mistakes. Under the leadership of the Party, if the NPC could be granted more real power, China could realize effective restriction of power.
The Party’s leadership and authority, as well as tapping the potential of the people’s congress system to boost the rule of law should be the two wheels that move China forward.
China should have the courage, wisdom and ability to realize a breakthrough in its model of governance.
