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The various delegations to the National People's Congress are
structured according to the units that elected them.
According to the Organic Law of the National People's Congress, the
deputies to the NPC form delegations according to the electoral
units of the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, special
administrative regions and the armed services. Each delegation
elects a head and a deputy head.
Prior to 1997, the deputies to the NPC were arranged in 32
delegations. Of these 31 were at provincial level and with one for
the People's Liberation Army.
However in June 1997, Chongqing became the fourth municipality
directly under the central government. Then on July 1, 1997 the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was officially established.
So the number of delegations was increased to 34 for the Ninth
National People's Congress.
The Macao Special Administrative Region was officially founded on
December 20, 1999 and its deputies then began to attend the Ninth
NPC sessions as an independent delegation. As a result, a total of
35 delegations were present by the time of the Third Plenary
Session of the Ninth NPC.
Each deputy is attached to the local branch of the delegation from
where elected but can transfer to another if later assigned to a
post in another region.
The responsibilities of a delegation to the National People's
Congress are to:
- participate in the necessary preparations for the NPC including
electing a delegation head and deputy head and reviewing the draft
candidate list for membership of the Presidium and for the post of
Secretary-General together with the draft agenda and other
preliminary matters for the session of the NPC;
- consider the reports made by the NPC Standing Committee, the
government, the Plan for National Economic and Social Development
together with its report on implementation, the State Budget and
its report on implementation, the reports of the Supreme People's
Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate together with the
bills and proposals on the NPC agenda;
- discuss and comment on the choice of candidates nominated by
the Presidium for the leadership of the organs of state power
together with those for the leadership roles in government and in
the court and procuratorate systems;
- propose bills, put up inquiries, make calls for dismissal or
propose the establishment of a committee for the investigation of a
special issue (all requiring the approval of a simple majority of
the deputies of the delegation).
Delegation meetings represent the major forum at which the bills
and reports of the NPC session are considered. The larger
delegations hold both group and plenary meetings while the smaller
delegations hold plenary meetings only.
Each NPC delegation has the right to propose bills on any matter
within the jurisdiction of the NPC. A delegation may also make
written inquiries concerning the State Council and its ministries
and commissions
More than three delegations may jointly put forward proposals for
the dismissal of members of the NPC Standing Committee, the
President or Vice President of the state, members of the State
Council or the Central Military Commission, the President of the
Supreme People's Court or the Procurator-General of the Supreme
People's Procuratorate. Such proposals would then be submitted by
the Presidium to the NPC session for deliberation.
Also when the NPC is in session, the Presidium or a meeting present
with the delegation heads has the right to decide whether to hold
secret meetings in addition to open meetings.
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