Chinese democracy turns “good advice” into “concrete measures”

By Peng Fei, People’s Daily

Wang Yongcheng is a deputy to the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and vice chairman of  the China Disabled Persons’ Federation. As a person with visual impairment, he suggested that large-print textbooks be published for low-vision students enrolled in regular schools during the “two sessions” last year.

His suggestions were later handled and responded to by multiple agencies while a law on the building of a barrier-free environment was drafted. As a result, provisions related to his suggestion were incorporated into the third draft of the law.

To make the replies to his proposal more accessible, the NPC produced a Braille version of the replies for the first time. “For us with visual impairments, such democracy is really tangible,” Wang said. During this year’s “two sessions,” he feels more confident in fulfilling his duties.

The “two sessions” is not only an important platform for participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs, but also an important opportunity to address livelihood and practical issues.

To evaluate the quality of Chinese democracy through the “two sessions,” one must look at both the content and quality of the suggestions and proposals, as well as how these suggestions and proposals are handled and implemented.

Only by promptly responding to, swiftly acting on, and effectively addressing the suggestions and proposals, and turning “good advice” into “concrete measures,” can the country truly deliver a sense of fulfillment to the people.

The continuous improvement of systems, such as a mechanism for coordinating the handling of proposals and suggestions, a whole-process communication mechanism, a mechanism for supervising key proposals and suggestions, a mechanism for tracking the handling of proposals and suggestions, and a work mechanism for handling proposals and suggestions when the NPC is not in session, has enabled high-quality proposals and suggestions to be better translated into practical measures, providing strong support for reform and development.

This also exemplifies the value of “doing everything for the people” and highlights the unique advantages of whole-process people’s democracy.

In February 2022, a digital working platform designed to assist China’s lawmakers in better performing their duties was officially launched, enabling the full cycle of online processing of the proposals and suggestions put forward by deputies to the NPC.

After the “two sessions” of 2023 concluded, over 8,000 chat groups were established on WeChat to facilitate the handling of proposals and suggestions. By embracing digital technologies and establishing online connections, geographical and time constraints have been overcome, allowing more brilliant ideas to be transformed into practical solutions for addressing problems.

Integrating mental health education into the daily teaching at schools, safeguarding the “right to disconnect” of employees… At this year’s “two sessions,” these down-to-earth proposals concerning people’s wellbeing are highly anticipated.

It is believed that through this platform of the “two sessions,” China will make greater strides in delivering tangible benefits to the people by effectively addressing their practical needs and concerns.