Charting the course

TASK FULFILLED: The Third Session of the 12th National People's Congress concludes in Beijing on March 15 (LAN HONGGUANG)

The Third Session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, concluded in Beijing on

March 15, while the Third Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, ended two days earlier.

Two sessions

The NPC session fulfilled its tasks of building consensus among the people, clarifying the missions ahead and raising confidence, stated Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, who presided over the NPC closing meeting.

The NPC deputies approved a number of important documents, including the government work report, the national economic and social development plan and the central budget.

They endorsed the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

One of the most important outcomes of the session was the revision of the Legislation Law.

The revised law improves the legislative system, further clarifies legislative power and streamlines procedures, he explained.

The law is of great significance to the effort of perfecting China's socialist legal system centering on the Constitution, Zhang said.

The top legislator stressed that all work should center on the strategic layout of the "Four Comprehensives" unveiled by President Xi Jinping, which refer to comprehensively building a moderately prosperous society, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law and strictly governing the Party.

"The NPC is facing new requirements and having new tasks to keep a balance between reform and legislation," he noted.

While adhering to the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, the NPC will work to ensure that all reform measures are legitimate and that legislation is updated according to the needs of the reform and economic and social development, he said.

Zhang stressed the role of the peoples' congresses as a major platform to connect with the people in a bid to push forward with building a socialist democracy.

Zhang called on all NPC deputies to enhance their sense of responsibility, develop close contacts with the people, promptly respond to people's requests and be supervised by them.

At the same time, the session also approved a report on motions raised by NPC deputies.

By March 10, the deadline for motions, the secretarial department of the NPC had received 522 motions—54 more than last year—said Guo Zhenhua, deputy head of the department's proposal group. Of those, more than 90 percent had to do with the country's major legislative initiatives, including economic and judicial reform, Guo commented.

At the closing meeting of this year's annual session of the CPPCC National Committee, Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, highlighted the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the work of the political advisory body, while urging political advisors to pool "positive energy" to contribute to the country's development.of the CPPCC National Committee, highlighted the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the work of the political advisory body, while urging political advisors to pool "positive energy" to contribute to the country's development.

A political resolution adopted at the meeting made extensive references to the "Four Comprehensives," calling them a "guideline for advancing Party and national undertakings" in the new year.

The annual session also approved a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the 12th CPPCC National Committee over the past year, and a report on the proposals submitted by CPPCC National Committee members to the session.

This year, CPPCC National Committee members had submitted some 5,800 proposals concerning the country's economic and social development.

According to the report on the proposals, much of the political advisors' attention was focused on deepening reforms, advancing the rule of law, and safeguarding and improving people's well-being.

Political advisors raised some 2,100 proposals regarding China's economic development and the formulation of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) in the face of the "new normal" of slower economic growth. Another 600 proposals focused on the political front, with political advisors calling to intensify the anti-corruption campaign, improve legislation and build a law-based government. About 1,500 proposals focused on social affairs, and over 400 on environmental protection and ecological progress.