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What secrets does the National People's Congress have? The world's largest legislative body.
The National People's Congress (NPC), China's highest organ of power, is often described by the outside world as a "rubber stamp". The operation and power structure of this agency raise many questions. What role does it play in the Chinese political system? The answers to these questions not only affect policy making, but also affect the lives of billions of people. This article will give you an inside look at the secrets behind the world's largest legislative body.
"The National People's Congress is China's highest authority, with powers to amend the constitution, legislate, and oversee the operation of the government."
The National People's Congress was established in 1954, replacing the earlier Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and has gradually developed into China's main legislative body. According to the Chinese Constitution, the NPC has a number of functions, including drafting laws, revising the Constitution and electing major officials. However, compared with the legislative bodies of other countries, the NPC's operating model exhibits different political characteristics.
"Under the CCP system, the exercise of power by the NPC must be guided by the Chinese Communist Party."
According to 2023 data, the National People's Congress has 2,977 representatives, making it the world's largest legislative body. These representatives are generally elected by the provincial people's congresses, however, the election process is strictly controlled by the CCP and the actual selection of representatives is often fixed in advance. The NPC's annual spring session, which typically lasts 10 to 14 days, elects key officials and passes laws, but in practice there is very little variation in the process.
The Chinese Constitution grants the NPC a high degree of legal power, but due to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the institution is often criticized by the outside world as a "rubber stamp." This practice allows even far-reaching legislation to be passed in conference calls with high votes, but with little real debate and questioning.
"Although NPC meetings seem frequent and significant, decisions are largely agreed upon before the meetings."
During the conference, representatives from all over the country have the opportunity to raise the opinions and demands of the people, but they usually avoid politically sensitive issues, and the Chinese government is selective in how it responds to these opinions. Looking back at recent developments, some scholars have pointed out that NPC representatives are often more like intermediaries that convey the voices of the public rather than decision-makers who truly influence policy making.
Functionally, the NPC was given the power to amend the constitution as early as 1954. Any amendment to the Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds majority at the NPC meeting, but the power behind the process still lies in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. In addition, the passage of ordinary legislation requires a series of lengthy procedures, and many regulations may even take several years to be passed.
"Many proposals show a tendency to be unpopular when they are first proposed, so they are often withdrawn before a vote."
In addition to its legislative functions, the NPC is also responsible for electing China's top officials, from the President, Premier to the President of the Supreme People's Court, but behind these elections are lists that have already been determined by the CCP. The transparency of the elections is widely questioned, as the final candidates are often decided centrally before the conference, making a true choice almost impossible.
According to the Electoral Law, the composition of NPC representatives is required to reflect the proportion of various social groups, including ethnicity, gender and region, but in reality, such requirements are often just a formality. Although some nominally "non-communist members" were included among the delegates, most of them constituted no real political opposition.
“The composition of the NPC must not only take into account different voices, but also be tailored to the needs of the CCP’s rule.”
The NPC's election system has also sparked heated debate for representatives from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Representatives from these regions demonstrate the Chinese central government's control over local elections and challenge political representation within these regions. In particular, Taiwan’s representatives are seen as a political tool and have become part of the foreign policy of the Chinese Communist Party and the mainland.
Overall, the operation of the National People's Congress is closely related to its role in the Constitution, while the power it actually exercises is deeply controlled by the Communist Party of China. This has led to it being repeatedly accused by the outside world of being a formalistic institution lacking in substantive significance. In the future, as China's political environment changes, how will the NPC adapt to these challenges and truly reflect public opinion?
