Full Text: Work Report of NPC Standing Committee
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First, we must fully understand the essential differences between China's people's congresses and Western congresses and parliaments. China's system of political parties is a system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, not a Western-style multiparty system. The CPC is at the core of the country's leadership and the ruling party, while the democratic parties are participating parties. Deputies to the people's congresses representing counties and townships are elected directly by their constituencies. Deputies to the congresses above the county level are elected indirectly by the people's congress at the next lower level, who then form delegations on the basis of their constituencies to attend sessions of their people's congresses. The people's congresses have no congressional party groups, and they do not carry out activities on the basis of sectors of society. No seats are assigned on the basis of parties in either the people's congresses, their standing committees or their special committees. All deputies to the people's congresses, members of their standing committees and members of their special committees shoulder the great trust of the people and fulfill their responsibilities to serve the people under the leadership of the CPC in accordance with the law, no matter whether they are Communists, members of the democratic parties or persons without party affiliation, and they all share the same fundamental interests.
Second, we must be fully aware of the essential differences between the people's congresses' relationship to the governments, the people's courts and the people's procuratorates and the relationships between state organs of Western countries. The people's congresses exercise state power in a unified way, and the governments, the people's courts and the people's procuratorates are all created by them and are responsible to them and subject to their oversight. Although China's state organs have different responsibilities, they all adhere to the line, principles and policies of the Party, enforce the Constitution and laws within their respective jurisdictions under the leadership of the CPC and work to build and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. The system of people's congresses is not a Western system with the separation of the three powers. The people's congresses decide on the major principles and policies of the state by formulating laws and passing resolutions in accordance with the stands of the Party and the will of the people. They oversee and support the governments in carrying out their administrative functions in accordance with the law. They also oversee and support the people's courts and the people's procuratorates in exercising their judicial functions fairly. They ensure that state organs carry out their work in a coordinated and effective manner. In addition, they use the power granted to them by the people to truly further their interests.
Third, we must be fully aware of the essential differences between deputies to the NPC and members of Western parliaments and congresses. Deputies come from every region, ethnic group and sector of society of the country, and there is at least one deputy from each ethnic minority group no matter how small its population is. Deputies are therefore broadly representative and they do not represent a single party or group as members of Western parliaments and congresses do. Deputies live among the people and maintain close ties with them. They all hold posts in their respective fields of endeavor and fully understand how the principles and policies of the Party and the government and the Constitution and laws are implemented and the practical problems of daily life. Deputies exercise their lawful duties and powers collectively at meetings, rather than each deputy addressing problems directly and separately from other deputies. Functional organs of the standing committees of the people's congresses at all levels collectively advise, assist and serve the deputies.