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Nearly 3,000 members of China's top legislature have shown
up?in Beijing?for an annual session to assess the
performance of the Central Government and take the historic
decision to write the protection of private property into the
country's constitution.
In a 10-day session that is scheduled to begin Friday, the NPC
delegates will, as usual, hear Premier Wen Jiabao outlining the
achievements of his government that will include successes in the
fight against SARS, the stunning feat of manned-space trip and an
awesome 9.1 percent GDP growth.
They will also hear him presenting a list of problems, such as
the rebuilding of the health system, corruption, unemployment, the
lightening of the burdens of farmers and the movement of rural
surplus labor the government has tackled and will continue to
tackle.
While there would be no lack of praises of the new and vigorous
government headed by Wen Jiabao, delegates are expected to fire at
loopholes that were revealed in the public health system during the
SARS crisis last year. There will be considerable voices for
solving the problems concerning school-age children of
peasant-workers in cities and for easing the heavy burdens on the
rural people working the land, who are crucial to the goal of
building a well-off society in an all-round manner.
NPC delegates who have arrived in Beijing all say that they have
brought many bills to be tabled at the annual session. They
particularly care about a balanced development between urban and
rural areas and about the enlarging regional disparities.
"Many farmers have pinned high hopes on this year's NPC annual
session," said Zhang Xinshi, mayor of the less-developed Suqian
City in east China's wealthy Jiangsu Province, who had conducted
extensive investigations in preparation for the annual session. "I
hope this year's session would pay more attention to the land-use
and rural education problems."
But what is most important on the agenda of the NPC annual
session is the amendment to the Constitution, which is regarded as
of historic significance in the commitment of the government to
protecting private property and human rights and governing the
country under the guidance of the "Three Represents" approach and
in line with the principle of seeking truth and pragmatism.
The proposal to amend the Constitution was advanced by the CPC
Central Committee last October and it has since aroused extensive
concern across the country.
The draft amendment to the Constitution covers such areas as the
protection of private property, human rights and growth of private
economy as well as the "Three Represents" theory.
In examining the budget and development plans for this year, the
current NPC session is expected to adopt a more scientific approach
to development and GDP growth.
A recent trend shows that a new concept has evolved from among
NPC deputies with regard to the GDP growth target, which used to be
much talked about by officials and experts, and the development
fever at the cost of the environment and resources has been cooling
down. Voices for re-evaluating the GDP accounting system are
expected to run high during the current NPC session.
There are 2,984 delegates to the current NPC, the Chinese
version of parliament. They are elected by provincial level
people's congresses and represent all quarters and interests. They
serve a five-year term.
Parallel with the NPC session will be the annual session of
the2,230-member CPPCC national committee, a top advisory body. The
more liberal-minded advisory body represents all minor parties and
people without party affiliation. It is an essential part of the
multipartite consultation system of the country. It has a big role
to play in supervising and advising the government.
(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2004)
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