(6) The right to participate

The government will expand citizens' participation in political affairs in an orderly way at all levels and in all sectors, so as to guarantee citizens' right to participate.

- The people's congress system will be improved. Revisions will be made to the Election Law to improve the election system. Deputies to the people's congresses will be elected according to the same ratio of population in both urban and rural areas; the proportions of deputies from among ethnic minorities, returned overseas Chinese, women, grassroots workers, farmers and migrant workers in the total number of deputies to people's congresses at all levels will be increased appropriately, and the close ties between the deputies and their constituencies will be maintained. Earnest measures will be taken to ensure that deputies to people's congresses exercise their functions and powers in accordance with the law.

- Political consultation will be incorporated further in the decision-making procedures, and the effectiveness of the participation and deliberation of state affairs by personages from non-Communist parties and people with no political affiliation will be enhanced. The ratio of personages from non-Communist parties and people with no political affiliation holding leadership positions in government departments, particularly principal positions, will be appropriately increased. Respect will be shown to opinions and suggestions raised by people from non-Communist parties and people with no political affiliation at CPPCC meetings, guaranteeing their right to make inspections, take part in investigations and examinations, submit proposals and report social conditions and public opinion.

- The system of people's self-governance at the grassroots level will be improved, its scope expanded, and the system of democratic management perfected. The amendment of the Organic Law of the Villagers Committee will be pushed ahead, and the level of villagers' self-governance and democratic management enhanced. The coverage of direct elections of urban neighborhood committee members will be expanded, aiming to reach 50 percent by 2010. The democratic management system in enterprises and public institutions, with workers' conferences as its basic form, will be improved; the workers and staff are encouraged to share part of the management duties, and their legitimate rights and interests are safeguarded. Exploration shall be made for new methods and approaches by which neighborhood and social organizations in urban areas participate in neighborhood management and services, and the existing forms of social participation in urban communal affairs, including democratic hearing and coordination meetings, shall be improved. Effective methods and approaches shall be explored to let the floating population participate in residents' self-governance in the neighborhoods they usually live in.

- Democratic and scientific decision-making will be promoted to expand public participation in the decision-making process. In principle, public opinions will be solicited when laws, regulations or public policies which are closely related to the interests of the people are formulated. Institution building will be promoted for holding public hearings on the legislation of important laws and regulations, soliciting public opinions for the formulation of major policies and measures, and holding expert consultation or third-party verification when making decisions over major issues.

- Guarantee will be extended to trade unions, women's federations, youth federations and other mass organizations for them to carry out their work in accordance with the law and their respective charters. The channels will be broadened to support mass organizations to participate in social management and public services, so as to protect the people's legitimate rights and interests. The government will earnestly solicit opinions from the mass organizations when formulating relevant laws, regulations and public policies.

- The construction and management of social organizations will be strengthened to enhance their functions in serving society. Revisions will be made to the Regulations on the Registration and Management of Social Organizations, Interim Regulations on the Registration and Management of Private Non-enterprise Entities, and Regulations on the Management of Foundations to ensure social organizations conduct activities in accordance with the law and their respective charters. The government encourages social organizations to participate in social management and public services, encourages the establishment of private non-enterprise entities in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, health care, sports and public welfare. It gives play to the social functions of social organizations such as industry associations, societies, and chambers of commerce, and develops and standardizes all kinds of foundations to promote programs for the public good.