What Are the Functions and Powers of the National People's Congress?

The NPC is charged with decision making responsibilities relating to the most important issues concerning the country including:

considering and approving National Plans for Economic and Social Development and reports on the implementation of that planning;

considering and approving the State Budget and implementation report;

approving the establishment of provinces, autonomous regions and those municipalities which come directly under the central government;

deciding on the establishment of Special Administrative Regions and their systems of governance;

deciding questions of war and peace;

making such other decisions as require authorization at the highest level.

The NPC has an overarching responsibility for the supervision of the organs of state. It represents the highest level of supervisory authority. It has a Standing Committee, which also carries constitutional responsibility.

State administrative, judicial and procuratorial organs are created by, are responsible to and are supervised by the NPC. The Chair of the Central Military Commission is responsible to the NPC and the Central Military Commission is subject to supervision by the NPC.

As set out in the Constitution and laws, the principal mechanism for supervision by the NPC is for it to receive and review reports from its own Standing Committee, the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. In addition, there are laws stipulating that when the NPC is in session, a group of more than 30 NPC deputies has the right to raise written questions on the work of the State Council and its ministries and commission, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.