Southern Metropolis Daily:

In the past two years, the organic law and procedural rules of the NPC and the Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments have been amended. The procedural rules of the NPC Standing Committee were revised again during the session that concluded a few days ago. What is the significance of these amendments to improving the system of people's congresses?

Wang Tiemin:

I will answer your question. Although the people's congress system has incomparable advantages, it still embraces changes. It has been continuously developed and improved in practice, showing that the system has been moving forward and advancing with the times. The organizational systems and work mechanisms have been improved to make them more dynamic and better suit the characteristics of organs of state power, which is an essential epitome of advancing with the times of the system of people's congresses. The NPC and its Standing Committee amended the organic law and procedural rules of the NPC for the first time, amended the procedural rules of the NPC Standing Committee for the second time, and revised the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses and the Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments twice, during which plans and requirements of the CPC Central Committee, the concept of China's whole-process people's democracy and mature and efficient practices have been incorporated. 

In terms of improving organizational structures, the 13th National People's Congress set up the Social Development Affairs Committee, the Supervisory and Judicial Affairs Committee, and the Constitution and Law Committee. The organic law of the NPC was revised in 2021, increasing the functions of its special committees from five to 12 to leverage their strengths better. The Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments was also revised, according to which, the number of deputies to standing committees of local people's congresses was increased; people's congresses at the county level will set up special committees and their standing committees will set up working bodies in sub-districts; the responsibilities and positioning of presidiums of township people's congresses when the congresses are not in session were clarified. All these efforts have fundamentally laid a solid foundation and strengthened the force for improving the work of local people's congresses. 

In terms of optimizing session organization procedures, to meet the requirements of regular epidemic response, the procedural rules of the NPC were revised based on the practice over the past several years, clarifying that the Standing Committee of the NPC can appropriately advance or postpone sessions of the NPC. Furthermore, provisions were made regarding attending sessions via video link. The NPC's work has been getting heavier in recent years, and it has become customary to hold extra meetings of the Standing Committee of the NPC. The amendment of the procedural rules of the Standing Committee of the NPC stipulates that additional meetings can be held when necessary. Based on the two amendments to procedural rules, several new measures have been rolled out to streamline meeting procedures, improve voting methods and regulate group and joint-group meetings to improve the quality and efficiency of deliberations at the NPC. Thank you. 

Xing Huina:

Today's news conference is concluded. Thank you for the two speakers and friends from the media. Goodbye. 

Translated and edited by Zhang Jiaqi, Zhou Jing, Liu Qiang, Zhang Junmian, Zhang Rui, Yuan Fang, Yan Xiaoqing, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Wang Qian, Zhang Liying, Li Huiru, Yang Xi, Zhu Bochen, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.

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