China's legislative outreach office marks 10 years of people-centered lawmaking

In Beijing's Chaoyang district, a modest quadrilateral courtyard tucked inside one of the city's busiest communities is lively. It is from here that residents, lawyers, and local deputies review draft provisions of a new law, before their comments are carefully transcribed and sent to the desks of China’s top lawmakers.

This is one of China's grassroots legislative contact points, often called the nation's "legislative express train." Established a decade ago, these offices give ordinary residents a direct way to participate in the legislative process, a model officials see as a key part of China’s "whole-process people’s democracy."

Rapid institutional growth

The system started in 2015 with four pilot sites in Shanghai, Jiangxi, Hubei and Gansu. The goal was simple: make lawmaking less abstract and easier to understand. Today, the network has grown to 54 national contact points across all 31 provincial regions, along with more than 7,800 offices at the provincial and municipal levels, serving an estimated 186 million people.

The results have been impressive. From July 2015 to August 2025, the NPC gathered opinions on 207 draft laws through these contact points, receiving over 58,000 comments. "More than 3,500 of them were incorporated into legislation," Sun Zhenping, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, told CGTN. “Among 177 laws enacted or revised after the contact points were established, 163 had drawn on feedback from them, about 92 percent in total."

When small voices change big laws

The stories behind those numbers reveal how ordinary voices have made a real impact.

In Shanghai, 71-year-old resident Liu Ersheng suggested that science museums offer free admission, not just discounts, to young people. His idea was included in the Law on Science Popularization. 

In another instance, middle school students in Shanghai raised concerns about a clause in the draft revision of the Law on the Protection of Minors that would have required abusive parents to pay deposits. They argue that this could increase domestic financial burdens.

"Some students told us such a measure might not only fail to protect minors but even hurt their growth," recalled Gao Lina, deputy director of the Commission's Social Law Department. "We studied the issue carefully and accepted their advice."

Contact points in minority regions have also played a vital role. In Xizang and Xinjiang, residents offered valuable suggestions on the draft Qinghai-Xizang Plateau Ecological Protection Law and the National Development Planning Law, many of which were adopted. 

"By encouraging direct participation in legislation, the system helps people from all ethnic groups engage in deeper exchanges, promotes unity, and strengthens the sense of a shared community of the Chinese nation,” said Shi Hongli, deputy director of the commission’s general office. 

She emphasized that the contact points demonstrate that legislation is for the people, depends on the people, protects the people, and benefits the people. “Because they solve problems that people genuinely care about, the system has gained a reputation among residents as something truly effective."

Chaoyang as a window to the future, for the world

Above all, this contact point in Beijing’s Chaoyang district has become a popular showcase. "Chaoyang is Beijing's largest and most populous district. We draw on its vibrant economy, solid legal foundations, and international resources to encourage broad participation, providing strong support for grassroots legislative work," Bao Yuefeng, deputy director of the district’s legislature, told CGTN. Since its founding in 2021, it has received more than 4,600 recommendations on 34 draft laws, with 139 adopted.

The offices have also hosted international delegations. Last year, 36 ambassadors visited and took part in a legislative consultation session. "They were able to see close-up how deputies and citizens interact, and many described it as a vivid demonstration of China’s grassroots democracy," Bao recalled. Earlier this year, Eritrean officials also visited, stating that the model offered valuable lessons for their own governance.

Looking to the future, Sun Zhengping outlined the next steps.

"We will expand the layout of contact points in line with legislative needs, increase their coverage, and ensure more citizens can participate in lawmaking in an orderly way." He added that digital platforms will play a greater role in broadening participation.

For ordinary citizens, such as retirees and students in Shanghai, a more direct and effective way is needed for them to express their ideas, frustrations, and hopes, and to influence the nation’s laws. This would make legislation more grounded, inclusive, and people-focused, helping them feel that democracy truly serves them.