As a business reporter, I used to consider mergers and acquisitions valued at hundreds of billions of dollars more important than wishy-washy political plans that take years to realize. [Special coverage]
I believed the performance of the stock market and company scandals were more relative to people than long-term economic structural plans.
I was wrong.
During this year's two sessions－China's biggest political event, which takes place annually in March－I listened to several discussions among deputies to the National People's Congress. Then, I realized these annual plenary meetings are a real place for the public to speak.
The 5,000 NPC deputies and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee are from all over the country, coming here with their suggestions based on various experiences and expectations with one common goal－making a better China.
The policies they have been discussing concern everyone's daily life－including having a second child, fair education resources, farmers' equal rights, food security, pollution and corruption.
When Vice-Premier Wang Yang went to a discussion with deputies from Liaoning province, a farmer deputy named Mao Fengmei raised several issues with Wang.
Mao said farmers' pensions should be raised. He said people in rural areas get 50 yuan ($7.7) a month, which is not fair compared with 500 yuan a month in cities.
"I think it's better for the government to give the elderly above 80 years old 300 yuan a month, 70 years old 200 yuan a month and 100 yuan monthly for those who are above 60," he said.
I found the communication between Wang and Mao inspiring. This country's real policymakers are people－you and me, senior officials and rural residents, not a small number of smart ones.
The issues that matter in a country are not only how many billionaires it creates or how many successful Chinese companies are in the world's top list.
What matters more is how happy the people living in this country are.
Do they get enough of a pension after retirement? Do they have satisfying jobs? Do their kids get fair education and healthcare? Are children bullied at school?
It has been said that the two sessions are not fruitful since deputies and members are usually government officials, scholars, experts or even celebrities rather than common people.
Maybe. But those officials, scholars and celebrities are also sons and daughters, parents and grandparents. They may be experts in certain sectors, but they are just as common as you and me in other fields and they will speak for us during those sessions.
One day, I took a taxi to the meetings and the taxi driver said he didn't care about the two sessions because politics is far from his life.
I told him Mao's story and many other suggestions I have heard from the two sessions, telling him politics is not far away at all.
He agreed and told me he will definitely read more news these days.
By Du Juan with China Daily
