Editor's note: Chinese President Xi Jinping has described China's political system as a "whole-process people's democracy." And lawmakers play a vital role in that process by maintaining close contact with the people. CGTN reporter Yang Jinghao visits a grassroots deputy to the National People's Congress in southwest China's Sichuan Province to see how she has been helping villagers' voices be heard in different ways.

Mao Zhenfang has kept visiting local residents on a regular basis since she was elected as a deputy to China's top legislature – the National People's Congress (NPC).

She collects villagers' opinions on the matters they care about most, and voices their concerns when the annual session of the NPC convenes in Beijing in March.

"As an NPC deputy, it's my obligation to make the villagers' voices heard. I have to act as a bridge and link between them and higher authorities," Mao told CGTN.

Mao is an official of a small village in the city of Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province. The village inhabited by ethnic Yi people sits close to one of the major habitats for giant pandas. She became a lawmaker in 2018.

The people's congress system is China's fundamental political system, which consists of five different levels, ranging from the national, provincial, city and county levels to the township level.

For NPC deputies, who are elected from different walks of life, one of their important duties is to put forward suggestions on the country's governance in all areas.

"I felt perplexed in the beginning and didn't know how to perform my duty," said Mao, adding that she availed herself of all possible opportunities to gain experience.

"A great honor to me though, the identity is more of responsibility. It might be a big challenge for me to be a good deputy, but I should at least try to be a qualified one," Mao said.

During the past few years, she has maintained close contact with local farmers in various ways and submitted quite a few proposals to the NPC, all about their livelihoods. For example, one issue she has raised is how villagers' source of income can be secured when their farmland is turned into protected forests.

In early November, we followed Mao to local families to see how she solicited opinions from her fellow villagers. An elderly man told Mao that as ecological protection has been beefed up in recent years, some savage animals like black bears have preyed upon their livestock more frequently than ever before, and he hoped that local government can lend a helping hand to minimize their losses. Mao reassured him that she would propose to the top legislative body to work out a scheme to compensate the damages in a proper way.

"The NPC values our proposals very much and would reply to each one. It's an inspiration for me," she said.

As a grassroots lawmaker, Mao hopes there will be more channels for ordinary people to engage in the lawmaking process, and she is happy to see that some progress is being made.

In September, a station to collect opinions on draft bills was set up in the legislative body of Ya'an City. It's the first and only organ of this kind in Sichuan Province, which came after Mao's proposal to the NPC last year.

Such establishments, literally interpreted as "grassroots legislation contact stations," have been set up in some cities as a way to boost democracy. Since its creation, the Ya'an station has participated in formulating the amendment to the Seed Law by soliciting extensive public opinion, including from farmers.

"In the past, many people thought the making of national laws was out of their reach, but now, they can even have their say in the process," said Mei Boping, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Committee under the Standing Committee of Ya'an Municipal People's Congress.

Mei said he believes the station will play a bigger role in the future.

"I think it can also serve as a platform to share our experience on local lawmaking and grassroots governance, and the highlights of our social and economic development. We can also communicate the problems we encounter during our legislative work," he said.

Mao expects that she can also enhance communication with villagers through this channel.

"This is just an embodiment of the notion that 'people are the masters of the nation' China has upheld," the deputy said.

Mao has acted as more than just a spokesperson for her fellow villagers. She has also taken the lead in exploring industrial development to increase income, such as raising a new breed of chicken popular with the market.

"With this special role, I don't allow myself to slack off. I have to be a good role model for the villagers. Although it's always tough to try something new, I also feel a sense of happiness from it," said Mao.

The dedicated lawmaker says during her remaining tenure, she will try her best to bring more changes to her hometown, and ideally, the vast rural areas of the nation.

(Cover: China's National People's Congress deputy Mao Zhenfang solicits opinions from local villagers. /CGTN)

Ni Tao from Ya'an TV Station also contributed to this story.