When NPC makes legislation, can the voices of the grassroots be heard?

BEIJING, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news report from Global Times:

"Every year, people are very interested in the two sessions. I'm curious to know to what extent can the masses get involved when the NPC makes legislation? Can the voices of the grassroots be heard?" This is a question asked by a netizen from the People's Daily Online.

This netizen is very astute. As the two sessions are being held, the world's attention is focused on China. Among the many topics discussed during the two sessions, "legislation" has attracted widespread attention.

The NPC and its Standing Committee are China's legislative bodies, and enacting laws is an important responsibility. Can the voices of the people at the grassroots level reach the Great Hall of the People? This is related to the nature of the country, the purpose of legislation and the implementation of the great concept of whole-process people's democracy.

The answer is yes. Through a scientific system, the legislation by the NPC fully embodies scientific legislation, democratic legislation and legislation in accordance with the law, and achieves extensive listening and full absorption of the voices of the grassroots.

The first step is the proposal of the legislative project. In 2024, during the second session of the 14th NPC, 298 proposals were received from deputies, 292 of which were legal proposals, that is, proposals on the establishment, reform, abolition, interpretation or compilation of laws. When formulating the legislative plan, the Standing Committee of the NPC sorts out and studies the proposals and suggestions put forward by deputies, organizes symposiums and demonstration meetings, and gives full play to the important role of deputies in the preparation of legislative plans. Deputies to the NPC come from the people, and grassroots voices have joined in and promote the legislation process.

Let's take a look at the second step: drafting the law. Many people might not expect that the opinions of middle school students could be incorporated into the law. In the newly revised Law on the Protection of Minors, one legislative amendment was proposed by students from the High School Affiliated to East China University of Political Science and Law. This suggestion was submitted through a local legislative contact point and was adopted by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the NPC.

How significant is the role of local legislative contact points? Since the establishment of local legislative contact points by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the NPC in July 2015, more than 90 percent of the laws formulated or amended by the NPC and its Standing Committee have solicited opinions from these contact points.

Local legislative contact points have become a "fast track" for democratic legislation in the new era. They serve as a critical mechanism for gathering public opinion and wisdom, and as an important practical platform for developing whole-process people's democracy.

Another example is the Civil Code, known as the "encyclopedia of social life," which is closely related to everyone's daily life. During its compilation, the legislative body sought public input through the official website of the NPC 10 times, receiving 1.02 million suggestions from 425,000 people.

Initially, the draft of the Civil Code did not include a separate section on personality rights. Many experts and ordinary citizens called for stronger protection of personal information, privacy rights and reputation rights. Ultimately, the finalized Civil Code introduced a standalone personality rights section with 51 articles, significantly enhancing the protection of personality rights.

The third step is the enactment of the law. A draft law typically undergoes multiple reviews by the NPC Standing Committee, and some are also deliberated by the full NPC. During the two sessions in 2015, there was a story concerning the reintroduction of "tax rates" into the "tax law." During the third session of China's 12th NPC held that year, the draft amendment to the Legislative Law was reviewed, and deputies noticed that the third draft revision had removed the provision stating that "tax rates" should be determined by law.

Why were the deputies concerned about removing it or not? During the deliberations, some deputies argued that "tax rates are a crucial element of taxation; if they are not specified by law, the principle of 'statutory taxation' would be significantly undermined." The relevant specialized committees of the NPC carefully studied each amendment suggestion during the unified review and adopted the proposal that "the tax rate be set with the endorsement of the law."

The Legislation Law, which specifically governs the legislative process, safeguards people's democracy through the power of the rule of law. It stipulates that "legislation shall uphold and develop whole-process people's democracy, respect and protect human rights, and safeguard and promote social fairness and justice."

From proposing legislative initiatives to forming draft laws, and from deliberation to adoption, the voices from the grassroots are heard, valued and approved. This is a vivid reflection of the whole-process people's democracy.

Legislative power is a crucial aspect of state authority. Scientific and effective institutions make sure that the people effectively exercise state power through the NPC, ensuring that the future and destiny of the country is in the hands of the people.

This spring, deputies have brought forward "hot-off-the-press" legislative proposals from the grassroots level. The amendment to the Law on Deputies to the NPC and to the Local People's Congresses at Various Levels will also be reviewed during the third session of 14th NPC.

Let us pay attention and look forward together.

SOURCE Global Times