Foreigners see govt planning up close

Observing the provincial two sessions — the annual political gatherings where policy road maps for the coming year are crafted — offers foreigners living in China a firsthand look at how government plans are translated into concrete action, according to an international student in Hubei province.

Ianushauskas Stanislav, a Russian doctoral candidate at Wuhan University, has attended the Hubei Provincial People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Hubei Provincial Committee as an observer for two consecutive years.

When he first attended the provincial two sessions in 2024, Stanislav said he was eager to understand how government initiatives directly affect daily life.

"My major is environmental law, so I was really interested when policymakers discussed the changes they are making to protect nature in Wuhan, Hubei," he said.

The provincial government work report delivered at the meeting outlined a clear strategy for ecological improvement, incorporating priorities such as green development and comprehensive watershed management. During the sessions, delegates also discussed issues including water quality improvement and biodiversity conservation, giving Stanislav insight into how ecological protection is integrated into the province's broader development plans.

Stanislav said that the government work report was available in English, allowing foreign observers to follow the discussions without missing details.

By his second attendance in 2025, Stanislav said he had developed a deeper understanding of how policies proposed during the sessions were implemented and produced tangible results. "Many development goals proposed during the sessions had been successfully achieved by the next year," he said.

For him, the most visible changes were ecological improvements and infrastructure upgrades at East Lake, Wuhan's largest scenic tourist attraction.

"East Lake is right next to my dormitory. When I first came to Wuhan University in 2021, the area next to the lake wasn't well organized, but in recent years, it has changed a lot," he said. "They added paths for running and cycling, and now it's perfect." He said the transformation of the East Lake area took just six months.

"I would go for a walk by the lake almost every night. I also enjoy standup paddleboarding to the lake center, taking in the vast expanse of water," he said, adding that the water at East Lake is the clearest it has been in nearly 40 years and rare species such as the Baer's pochard — diving duck — and peach blossom jellyfish have returned.

Stanislav was also impressed by the rapid upgrading of urban infrastructure, which he said reflects a governance model focused on effective planning and execution.

"During my seven years in Wuhan, many new subway lines have opened, and the city is rapidly developing into a futuristic metropolis," he said. "Achieving such a scale of construction would take much longer in many other countries."

Stanislav is among foreign representatives invited to observe the two sessions.

For 14 consecutive years, Hubei has invited foreign expatriates as well as compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao — including business representatives, experts and international students — to attend the opening meeting of the provincial people's congress.

The initiative aims to enhance government transparency and efficiency while improving foreigners' understanding of Hubei's economic development and rising living standards, according to the Foreign Affairs Office of the Hubei Provincial People's Government.

About 430 representatives have attended Hubei's two sessions as observers so far, the office said.

This year, Stanislav said he will attend the provincial two sessions, scheduled in January, with higher expectations. "I believe this time I will see even more new changes and hope to evaluate how last year's goals have been implemented," he said. "I hope Hubei can further expand exchanges and cooperation with countries worldwide, especially in education, and I look forward to seeing more international students in Wuhan."