I'm Robert Lawrence Kuhn and here's what I'm watching: How the 2023 National People's Congress, the NPC, China's highest organ of state power, plans to implement the policy directives of the 20th CPC National Congress, which provides a roadmap for the next 25 plus years to "realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization."

Essential is China's commitment to enhance its form of democracy, which it calls "Whole-Process People's Democracy." China's democracy is no verbal mirage — it is the third of six aspirational adjectives that President Xi Jinping uses to describe China's goal of great rejuvenation. Democracy in the Party-led system involves public supervision of people's congresses and all levels of government, via feedback and interactive mechanisms.

The primary expression of China's democracy is through the formal processes of the people's congresses, culminating with the NPC. Empowered to enact laws, the NPC as a whole meets every March, but its various committees, especially its Standing Committee, meet throughout the year to plan and prepare various pieces of legislation that express the political agenda for the year.

Deputies of people's congresses are elected according to the Chinese system, which is always under the leadership of the Party, of course. As of 2022, there were more than 2.6 million deputies to China's five levels of people's congresses: state level, provincial, municipal, county and township — with all deputies in county and township people's congresses elected directly by voters.

The election of deputies is called the basic premise for the people to be the masters of the country, to exercise state power and manage state affairs. It is the first link in the whole chain of people's democracy throughout the whole process.

Candidates for deputies recommended jointly by more than ten voters or deputies have the same legal status as candidates for deputies recommended by various parties and people's organizations, according to the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses. It may surprise some foreigners that the Party promotes competitive elections so that voters and deputies have more choices; Party-led committees are responsible to vet or verify qualifications of candidates and deputies before and after elections.

To facilitate fair voting, election funds for people's congresses at all levels are provided by the state treasury; secret ballots ensure free choice of voters; and behaviors that undermine elections are sanctioned severely.

The people's supervision over deputies is said to embody the whole chain of people's democracy. Supervision by voters over deputies can take various forms, such as listening to deputies' reports, making criticisms, offering opinions and suggestions, and even by recalling deputies.

The election of deputies must adapt to the times. The ratio of rural and urban deputies has shifted from 8:1 in 1953 to 1:1 today, equality between urban and rural areas. Adjustments are made to ensure an appropriate number of deputies from all regions, ethnic groups, social strata, industrial sectors, and government and military services. 

Not to be overlooked, the 2023 NPC will introduce the government's new senior team, including the premier.

I'm keeping watch. I'm Robert Lawrence Kuhn.

Script: Robert Lawrence Kuhn

Editors: Yang Yutong, Duan Jiaxin, Qi Haiming

Designer: Qi Haiming

Producer: Wang Ying

Chief editor: Li Shouen

Supervisors: Ge Jing, Adam Zhu

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