Deputies now more engaged in legislation

Deputies to people's congresses across China have increasingly engaged in legislation by providing suggestions for lawmaking and participating in law enforcement inspections, thereby advancing the whole-process people's democracy, an official from the NPC Standing Committee said on Friday.

Huang Haihua, spokesman for the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission, revealed at a news conference that 19 legislative items related to 43 motions submitted by deputies have either been approved by the NPC Standing Committee, are currently under review, or have been included in the legislative planning schedule.

"In the process of compiling an environmental code and drafting or revising laws such as those on the private sector, legal education, national parks, cybersecurity, and anti-unfair competition, we've fully incorporated and adopted opinions and suggestions from deputies," he said. "We've also invited deputies, particularly those involved in the fields of drafting or amending laws, to participate in relevant legislative activities and share their ideas in person, further enhancing our communication and engagement with them," he added.

"In addition, at regular press meetings, we've provided updates on how we engage with deputies during the legislative process and which of their suggestions have been incorporated into the draft laws, serving as feedback to them," he noted.

He emphasized that all these measures are designed to implement the amended Law on Deputies to the NPC and to Local People's Congresses at Various Levels, which took effect on March 12, aiming to continuously expand the scope and depth of deputies' involvement in legislative work. "These actions are also implementation of the whole-process people's democracy, as well as being conducive to creating a favorable environment for improving mechanisms that collect public opinions and gather legislative wisdom from all walks of life," he added.

While highlighting the importance of deputies in legislation, he noted that a number of legislative items and reports closely related to economic development and people's livelihood will be reviewed at an upcoming session of the Standing Committee of the NPC, China's top legislature, which is scheduled to be held in Beijing from Monday to Saturday.

For instance, a draft amendment to the Civil Aviation Law is ready to be reviewed by Chinese lawmakers, proposing the inclusion of airworthiness certification for unmanned aerial vehicles and the content on strengthening the protection of passengers and enhancing flight safety, he said.

Given that accidents involving hazardous chemicals still occur frequently in some regions, he stated that a draft law is set to require the establishment of a comprehensive system for identifying potential risks and enhancing skill levels of employees in this sector.

During the upcoming session, Chinese lawmakers will also review a draft law on childcare services and another on activities and environmental protection in Antarctica, with deliberations on a draft decision on the fourth plenary of the 14th NPC.