Even before the opening of this year's session of the CPPCC, some of the delegates' proposals have drawn quite some discussion and debate among the public. Attracting particular interest are proposals that touch on hot-button issues, ones that affect the daily lives of people.[Special Coverage]
Q1: You've been sifting through the proposals this year. So what have been some of the most hotly discussed and debated ones?
A: Yes, the proposals that have garnered the most attention so far are those related to topics that we've been covering all year long. And air pollution is again at the top of the totem pole of proposals. CPPCC delegate and board chairman of Hotel Group Baolong Mr. Xu Jiankang, submitted a proposal to levy a so-called "smog tax" in a bid to rein in air pollution produced by vehicle exhaust emissions. The proposal has received quite some support online. But there are also those who say a "smog tax" only scratches at the surface of the problem. Another issue that has risen to prominence in the past year is violence in schools. Video clips of violent bullying by minors towards their peers have surfaced time and again online in the past year. In response, CPPCC delegate and Chinese actor Mr. Gong Hanlin has submitted a proposal focusing on just this issue. He recommended "mandatory education" for offending minors and "necessary actions" for legal guardians among other measures. And finally a proposal advocating the construction of nursing rooms in public spaces submitted by a group of high schoolers from Xi'an has drawn both attention, and applause. A CPPCC delegate will formally submit the proposal, which aims to address the plight faced by millions of breastfeeding mothers in China.
Q2: While China has been facing some economic headwinds lately, its booming internet sector has remained robust. So what have delegates from this sector brought to the table?
A: Well these internet moguls of China are sticking to what they know best: technology. Among the giants of China's internet sector attending this year's CPPCC session are co-founder of Chinese search engine Baidu Li Yanhong, founder and CEO of Tencent Ma Huateng and the founder of indigenous smartphone brand Xiao Mi, Leijun. First of all, Li Yanhong really has his eyes set on the future. One of the Baidu CEO's proposals this year focuses on the development and improvement of relevant policies and regulations on driverless cars. Baidu joined the driverless car race as early as 2013, so this may sound more like a move for the company than the people. Meanwhile, Mr. Leijun has his eyes set on entrepreneurship and innovation, something that his company Xiaomi certainly knows a lot about. Having been founded just 6 years prior, the firm has literally innovated its way up to the top of the tech food chain. And finally, Mr. Ma Huateng's proposal on the development of China's internet healthcare industry probably says a lot about the future ambitions and focus of Tencent's efforts in ever-extending fields.
