NPC Q&A: How does the NPC exercise its power of supervision?

The National People's Congress (NPC) and its Standing Committee have the power to supervise other national organs of state power and ensure that the government runs in accordance with the will of the people.

The supervisory power of the NPC and its Standing Committee, as defined by the Constitution, includes supervising the enforcement of the Constitution and laws and overseeing the work of the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The NPC and its Standing Committee supervise the enforcement of the Constitution, while people's congresses and their standing committees at local levels ensure that the Constitution, laws, administrative regulations and decisions by people's congresses and their standing committees at higher levels are abided by and enforced in their respective regions.

Another supervisory function of the NPC and its Standing Committee is to check whether the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate follow the Constitution and laws in their work, whether they appropriately implement the principles and policies of the Communist Party of China and the state, whether their work accords with the fundamental interests of the people and whether relevant officials do their jobs competently.

They also examine and approve national or local economic and social development plans and the implementation of such plans on the national or local level, in addition to examining and approving fiscal budgets and their implementation on the national or local level. The body also supervises the elections, appointments and dismissals of government officials and assesses officials' performances.