Full text: Report on work of NPC Standing Committee

REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE
OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS[*]

Delivered at the Third Session of the 14th National People’s Congress

March 8, 2025

Zhao Leji

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress

Fellow Deputies,

On behalf of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), I now present this report on our work for your deliberation.

The Year in Review

The year 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core brought together the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and led them in overcoming numerous challenges and forging ahead with courage and determination. The economy maintained overall stability while achieving steady growth, solid progress was made in high-quality development, and reform and opening up were further advanced. Robust support was provided in improving public wellbeing, social stability was maintained, and fresh, substantial strides were made in advancing Chinese modernization.

Through its 75 years of relentless effort, China has undergone tremendous and transformative changes, setting the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on an irreversible historical course and fully demonstrating the exceptional strengths of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and our country’s socialist system.

Last year was also the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the National People’s Congress. In his speech at a commemorative meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping spoke in depth on the glorious journey of the people’s congress system as well as its notable strengths, valuable experience, and practical requirements. His insight provides us with fundamental guidance for upholding, improving, and implementing the system.

Seven decades of experience have proven that the people’s congress system is a sound system that is suited to China’s national conditions and realities, embodies its socialist nature, and ensures that the people run the country. It is a system that is able to concentrate the collective efforts of the Chinese people into a single endeavor to drive China’s modernization forward. This gives it tremendous vitality and significant strength. Our practices over the past 70 years have inspired in us greater confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, allowing us to remain firmly committed to the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics and leverage the political strengths of the people’s congress system to an even greater extent. In doing so, we can provide a solid institutional guarantee for achieving the goals of the Party and the people on the journey ahead in this new era.

This past year, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we, the NPC Standing Committee, upheld Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide and applied the guiding principles from the 20th National Party Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee in each aspect of our work. We studied and applied Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and his key ideas on upholding and improving the people’s congress system. We stayed true to the unity between leadership by the Party, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance, practiced whole-process people’s democracy, and performed our functions as mandated by law. As a result, new progress and results were achieved in all areas of our work.

1. Strengthening the implementation of the Constitution and enhancing compliance oversight to uphold its authority and sanctity

Upholding the Constitution as the nation’s legal foundation, we fully implemented its provisions, principles, and spirit and made constitutional implementation, compliance oversight, and public awareness initiatives integral parts of our endeavors. This allowed us to fully leverage the NPC’s vital role in ensuring comprehensive and effective implementation of the Constitution and laws.

We refined and implemented the legal framework related to the Constitution.

We made major revisions to the Law on the Oversight by the Standing Committees of People’s Congresses at All Levels on the basis of reviewing our oversight experience since the law’s implementation in 2007, especially since the 18th National Party Congress in 2012. Through these revisions, we improved the guidelines, principles, and systems for oversight, better ensuring the law-based exercise of oversight powers by the standing committees of people’s congresses at all levels.

We revised the Supervision Law, improving provisions on areas such as the dispatch of supervisory teams and personnel, supervisory powers and procedures, international cooperation against corruption, and oversight over supervisory bodies and personnel. Having consolidated and built upon our previous achievements in reforming the national supervisory system, these revisions made supervisory work more procedure-based, legally grounded, and standardized.

To better support and standardize the lawful performance of deputies’ duties and roles, we conducted two rounds of deliberation on the draft revisions to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses at All Levels, and we decided to submit the draft revisions to this session for deliberation.

As part of our efforts to implement the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and plans, we made the decision to award national medals and titles of honor on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in accordance with the relevant provision of the Constitution.

We moved forward with our work on constitutional review and the recording and review of normative documents.

Guided by the principle of legislating in accordance with the Constitution and the law, we conducted constitutional reviews of all legislative items submitted for deliberation. In response to public concerns, we actively worked to ensure that the Constitution was observed throughout the entire legislative process.

In fully implementing the decision on improving and strengthening the recording and review system, we enhanced the alignment of the recording and review system with the constitutional review process. We reviewed all 2,146 normative documents submitted for recording, including administrative regulations, local regulations, autonomous regulations, separate regulations, judicial interpretations, and local laws of the special administrative regions. We also examined 5,682 suggestions for review made by citizens and organizations and provided feedback for each suggestion as stipulated by law.

To execute the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and plans and ensure the effective implementation of key laws, we pushed for an overhaul of relevant regulations, rules, and other normative documents. In doing so, 1,040 normative documents of various types were processed by the relevant formulating bodies at our request. We shared typical cases to guide the recording and review process and supported the establishment and functioning of 31 provincial-level normative document databases across the country.

We enhanced theoretical research, public outreach, and education regarding the Constitution.

In studying and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important statements on the Constitution, we disseminated information about its history, nature, characteristics, strengths, and functions supported by detailed explanations and analyses. This has strengthened public confidence in the Constitution and enhanced awareness of compliance.

In commemoration of the 11th National Constitution Day, we held a conference with the theme of “Promoting the Spirit of the Constitution and Upholding Its Authority,” encouraging the whole of society to respect, study, observe, uphold, and apply the Constitution. We enhanced public outreach and education regarding the Constitution in the special administrative regions. We also convened a conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy.

We organized five ceremonies for officials to pledge allegiance to the Constitution as they took office, heightening their sense of responsibility and mission in fulfilling their duties as stipulated by the Constitution and laws.

We exercised the appointment and removal powers as mandated by the Constitution and laws.

We carried out, in accordance with the law, 20 appointments and removals of officials, including vice chairpersons and a member of NPC special committees, a deputy secretary-general of the Standing Committee, vice chairpersons of working commissions, and members of the Sixth Committee on the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region. We lawfully conducted or made decisions on 276 appointments and removals of officials of the State Council, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. We also approved 6 appointments and removals of chief procurators of provincial-level procuratorates.

2. Fulfilling our legislative functions to enhance the Chinese socialist legal system

In exercising the legislative power of the state, we bolstered legislation in key areas, emerging areas, and areas involving foreign affairs. We advanced legislation in a scientific and democratic manner in accordance with the law and, through such high-quality legislation, supported and served reform and development efforts. Over the past year, we deliberated on 39 legislative items, 24 of which were adopted, including 6 new laws, 14 revised laws, and 4 decisions on legal matters and other significant issues. We also made decisions on the ratification of 12 treaties and important agreements.

We improved legislation governing the economy.

We enacted the Law on Rural Collective Economic Organizations, marking a significant step toward promoting high-quality development of new types of rural collective economies, protecting and advancing the interests of rural residents, and driving all-around rural revitalization. Acting on the principle of legality of taxation, we enacted the Value Added Tax Law and the Tariff Law to create taxation systems more conducive to high-quality development, social fairness, and the establishment of a unified market.

We revised the Statistics Law and the Accounting Law to address prominent problems, such as statistical and financial fraud, and uphold order within the market economy. We revised the Anti-Money Laundering Law and advanced deliberations on a draft law concerning financial stability, further ensuring financial order, public interests, and national security. We conducted two rounds of deliberation on a draft law regarding the promotion of the private sector. We held initial deliberations on draft revisions to the Unfair Competition Law, the Civil Aviation Law, the Fisheries Law, the Arbitration Law, and the Maritime Law.

We strengthened legislation to improve public wellbeing.

We enacted the Preschool Education Law in response to public expectation for the safe, high-quality development of universal, public-interest preschool education. Drawing on more than four decades of experience since the implementation of the Regulations on Academic Degrees, we enacted the Academic Degrees Law to advance the reform and development of higher education in the new era.

To carry forward China’s fine traditional culture, we revised the Cultural Heritage Protection Law in line with the demands of prioritizing protection of cultural heritage, strengthening its management, tapping into and effectively utilizing its value, and injecting into it new life.

In response to the need to promote scientific literacy in the new era, we revised the Science and Technology Popularization Law to cultivate a social environment that values science and encourages innovation.

We revised the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law and coordinated efforts to revise the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and formulate a law on public health emergency response. These moves have provided stronger legal safeguards for public health.

We advanced deliberations on draft revisions to the Public Security Administrative Penalties Law. We also conducted initial deliberations on a draft law aimed at promoting public awareness and education regarding the rule of law.

We advanced legislation concerning resources, energy, and the environment.

We enacted the Energy Law, a foundational piece of legislation in the energy sector that will play a critical role in ensuring China’s energy security, advancing high-quality development of the energy sector, and promoting a green, low-carbon transition. We revised the Mineral Resources Law to ensure the security of China’s mineral resources in accordance with the law, promote their rational development and utilization, and enhance their protection. We conducted two rounds of deliberation on a draft law concerning national parks and held initial deliberations on a draft law regarding atomic energy. We took concrete steps to advance the codification of environmental legislation.

We modernized the legal framework to strengthen national security.

We revised the National Defense Education Law, laying a solid legal foundation for promoting and enhancing national defense education, fostering patriotism, and supporting the development of national defense. We revised the Emergency Response Law to refine systems and mechanisms for preventing and defusing major security risks and responding to emergencies, thus better safeguarding the lives and property of the people. We conducted initial deliberations on a draft law on hazardous chemical safety.

We provided support and safeguards for further deepening reform in all areas.

We developed specific initiatives to implement the reform tasks set during the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. By enacting and revising laws and making decisions on various legal matters, we have strived to establish a solid legal foundation for all major reforms and codify the achievements of our reforms into law in a timely manner.

To implement the decisions and plans of the Central Committee, we made the decision to gradually raise the statutory retirement age, which will help China better adapt to recent changes in demographics and unleash the full potential of its human resources. We made decisions authorizing the State Council to temporarily adjust the application of relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law in the Hainan Free Trade Port and extend the period for temporarily adjusting the application of certain provisions of the Metrology Law in cities piloting business environment innovations. These decisions will support the law-based and orderly advancement of reform initiatives. Revisions were made to relevant provisions of the Agricultural Technology Popularization Law, the Law on the Protection of Minors, and the Biosecurity Law in line with the demands of institutional reforms.

We harnessed the leading role of the NPC in driving legislative initiatives.

We diligently fulfilled our responsibilities throughout the entire legislative process, including the determination of legislative items, the guiding of the drafting process, organization and coordination, and quality control through thorough deliberation. The collaboration with all sides concerned under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee resulted in a strong synergistic effect on our legislative initiatives. With a focus on improving legislative quality, we adhered to the objective principles and the inherent laws governing legislative work, striving to make our legislation more systematic, holistic, coordinated, and responsive.

We revised, published, and applied the Technical Standards in the Legislative Process. In light of actual conditions, we lawfully terminated deliberations on a draft law regarding compulsory civil enforcement and a draft decision authorizing pilot reforms for rural residential land use.

Guided by the principle of democratic legislation open to public input, we solicited 28 rounds of public feedback on draft laws and received more than 70,000 comments and suggestions from all sectors of society. We organized legislative research projects, meetings, debates, and assessments. We also took active steps to develop local legislative outreach offices and leverage their role as channels for directly gathering public input, earnestly considered comments and suggestions from all sides and accepted those applicable, and fostered broad consensus in our legislation.

We redoubled our efforts to provide the public with information and explanations regarding the entire legislation process. To this end we held five press conferences, where our spokespersons provided 39 updates on bills to be deliberated and details on 22 rounds of public opinions and comments solicited for draft laws. By responding to hotspot legislative issues and providing interpretations of newly enacted or revised laws, we turned the legislative process into opportunities to disseminate legal knowledge, enhance public awareness of the rule of law, and practice whole-process people’s democracy.

3. Lawfully exercising oversight functions to fulfill the NPC’s role in the Party and state oversight systems

Focusing on the central task of economic development, overall national interests, and key areas of work, we employed a combination of statutory oversight methods to conduct appropriate and effective oversight in accordance with the law. In doing so, we supported the implementation of the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and plans and ensured the lawful exercise of powers by state institutions, the protection of the people’s legal rights, and the advancement of their interests.

Over the past year, we heard and deliberated 21 reports from the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, conducted inspections to ensure the proper implementation of 5 laws, held 2 special inquiries, undertook 9 research projects, and adopted 2 resolutions. We also processed 194,000 letters and visits from the public in compliance with laws and regulations, with the Council of Chairpersons regularly hearing reports on this work.

We supported high-quality development.

We heard and deliberated a financial work report from the State Council, and, based on this report, we proposed recommendations to strengthen comprehensive financial regulation and improve the financial sector’s capacity to serve the real economy. We conducted inspections into the implementation of the Law on State-Owned Assets of Enterprises, helping deepen the reform of state capital and state-owned enterprises and promote high-quality development of the state-owned sector. We heard and deliberated a State Council report on stimulating the growth of the private sector, seeking to foster a complementary effect among economic entities under diverse forms of ownership and promote their shared development.

In order to better implement a package of new policies designed by the CPC Central Committee, we adopted a resolution approving the State Council’s motion on increasing the debt ceiling for local governments to facilitate the swapping of existing hidden debts, a move that supported our country’s economic recovery and helped to mitigate risks.

To improve the disciplinary structure and enhance China’s capacity to cultivate top-notch innovators, we heard and deliberated a State Council report on efforts to develop world-class universities with Chinese features and cultivate strong disciplines. We also held a special inquiry into this initiative. We carried out research projects aimed at investigating how best to enhance stability, security, and development in border areas in the new era, as well as leverage the strengths of overseas Chinese nationals to support China’s modernization efforts.

We strengthened examination and oversight of the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development, government budgets, and final accounts.

We heard and deliberated State Council reports on the implementation of the 2024 plan for national economic and social development, the execution of government budgets, central government final accounts, and the allocation and utilization of government funding for disaster prevention and mitigation and emergency management. We also examined and approved the 2023 central government final accounts. Based on these deliberations, we proposed recommendations to improve budget execution and performance-based management, effectively implement a proactive fiscal policy, ramp up efforts to stimulate domestic demand, and further build on the momentum of economic recovery and growth.

We heard and deliberated a State Council audit report on central budget execution and other fiscal revenues and expenditures for 2023 as well as its report on the rectification of issues discovered during the audit. During this process, we helped refine the long-term rectification mechanism and tighten up financial and economic discipline.

We conducted research projects on the implementation of the Budget Law and the management and reform of government procurement. We formulated measures for recording and reviewing fiscal and budgetary matters, leveraged the role of local liaison offices under our Budgetary Affairs Commission, and improved the online budget oversight system.

We enhanced oversight of state-owned asset management and government debt management.

We deliberated a comprehensive State Council report on the management of state-owned assets for 2023 and heard and deliberated its special report on the management of state assets held by administrative and public institutions for the same year. Following these deliberations, we developed a set of recommendations aimed at refining the state asset management system, enhancing the performance of state assets held by administrative and public institutions and their accessibility to the public.

We heard and deliberated a State Council report on its response to our recommendations, which were based on deliberations of its earlier report on the management of state assets held by financial enterprises. The later report included the measures taken to address issues identified during our deliberations and to hold those responsible accountable. Through these continuous efforts, we have strived to ensure relevant parties fulfill their responsibilities in correcting misconduct.

With the establishment of the system requiring the State Council to report on government debt management to the Standing Committee, we heard and deliberated the first such report and proposed recommendations to defuse government debt risks while ensuring stable development and establish government debt management mechanisms to the standard required of high-quality development.

We contributed to ensuring and enhancing public wellbeing.

We heard and deliberated a State Council report on progress in improving elderly care services, especially for those with functional disabilities, as well as its report on improving childcare services. Our efforts helped alleviate public concerns regarding care for children and the elderly.

We carried out inspections on the implementation of the Social Insurance Law and proposed recommendations to improve the social insurance management and services, steadily expand coverage, and increase benefits.

We inspected the implementation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law to promote more effective protection, utilization, preservation, and development of intangible cultural heritage. We also carried out a research project on progress in building safer cities.

We promoted environmental conservation and all-around rural revitalization.

To support steady advances in the critical battle against pollution and promote green, low-carbon development, we heard and deliberated a State Council report on the state of the environment and progress in meeting environmental protection targets for 2023. We heard and deliberated another State Council report on desertification control, promoting a systematic, scientific, and law-based approach to fighting desertification and building upon the promising momentum of “advancing green, retreating sands.”

We carried out inspections and a special inquiry into the implementation of the Yellow River Protection Law, as part of the efforts to promote ecological conservation and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin.

We conducted inspections on the implementation of the Agriculture Law and heard and deliberated a State Council report on cultivated land protection. We carried out research projects on the development of commercial agricultural services and advances in agricultural modernization, the support of financial services for all-around rural revitalization, and progress in fostering smart agriculture. These efforts helped promote sustained growth in rural incomes and reinforce the foundation for the stable production and adequate supply of grain and other major agricultural products.

We enhanced oversight of supervisory and judicial work.

We heard and deliberated a report from the National Commission of Supervision on addressing misconduct and corruption directly affecting the public. Based on deliberation of this report, we developed recommendations to improve the mechanism for investigating and penalizing both misconduct and corruption, intensify targeted measures to root out these problems in key areas, and make consistent, long-term efforts to deliver better results.

We heard and deliberated a report from the Supreme People’s Court on the adjudication of administrative cases by the people’s courts and a report from the Supreme People’s Procuratorate on the oversight of administrative litigation by the people’s procuratorates. Our work contributed to the impartial administration of justice, law-based administration, substantive resolution of administrative disputes, and the development of a government based on the rule of law. We also conducted a research project on the implementation of the resolution regarding the eighth five-year initiative to enhance public legal literacy.

4. Strengthening deputy-related work to support deputies in the lawful performance of duties

We maintained a strong sense of responsibility in serving deputies and continued to strengthen our capacity for deputy-related work, striving to make it more institutionalized and procedure-based. We provided deputies with the necessary support and safeguards to facilitate their lawful participation in the exercise of state power, enabling them to faithfully represent the interests and will of the people and serve as a bridge connecting the people with the Party and the state.

Coming from the people and rooted in the people, our deputies leveraged their unique strengths to perform their duties in accordance with the law, proving themselves worthy of the great trust placed in them. They took the lead in maintaining close ties with the people and supported and participated in the initiatives of the Standing Committee and special committees, making positive contributions to the high-quality progress in the NPC’s work.

We handled deputy proposals and suggestions more effectively.

We refined the working mechanisms for the entire process of handling proposals and suggestions, including submission, forwarding, processing, supervision, and feedback. By enhancing comprehensive and targeted analysis, along with the application of analytical results, we helped improve the quality of deputy proposals and suggestions and ensured their more effective handling.

NPC special committees, our working commissions and committees, and relevant departments of the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate all maintained close communication with deputies. They held meetings to consult with deputies, advance the processing of their proposals and suggestions, and keep them informed of the handling process. They also invited deputies to participate in research projects and debates. Such measures ensured that deputy proposals and suggestions not only formed the foundation for higher-quality legislation and oversight but also served as an important basis for enhancing all aspects of work.

All of the 298 deputy proposals put forward during the second session of the 14th NPC have been reviewed by relevant special committees, with feedback given to deputies. Among the legislative items addressed in these proposals, 19 were adopted following review or have been submitted for review, and 58 have been included in our regular work enacting legislation or as part of the five-year plan.

The 9,235 deputy suggestions submitted during the previous session were forwarded to 213 organizations for processing, and the 105 suggestions raised when the NPC was not in session were handed over to 73 organizations. All of these suggestions have been handled and feedback provided. Up to 76 percent of the issues raised in these suggestions were either solved or addressed with plans to resolve them over time. The Council of Chairpersons identified 20 priority suggestions, which were forwarded to 19 organizations to lead the handling process under the supervision of 7 special committees. As a result, a number of practical problems have been solved.

We maintained close ties with deputies.

Through the mechanism enabling Standing Committee members to stay connected with deputies, we maintained regular contact and communication via meetings, research projects, visits, phone calls, letters, and WeChat. We also refined the mechanisms for special committees and working commissions and committees to engage with deputies from relevant fields or with particular expertise, which allowed us to fully connect with all NPC deputies from the community level nationwide.

We utilized the professional expertise of our deputies and increased their involvement in the Standing Committee’s work. During the previous session, deputies submitted over 1,200 opinions and suggestions for improving the work of people’s congresses, each of which was thoroughly studied, with those applicable being accepted.

We invited 275 deputies to attend Standing Committee meetings in a non-voting capacity and held 5 follow-up meetings to solicit their input. We also invited deputies to take part in legislative research projects, inspections of law implementation, oversight of financial and economic work, and foreign exchanges, with the total participation exceeding 1,100.

We gathered comments and suggestions from deputies during 28 rounds of deliberation on draft laws by the Standing Committee, with a total participation of approximately 2,700. We arranged for deputies to take part in activities organized by the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, with the total participation exceeding 1,600. We also supported the standing committees of provincial-level people’s congresses in increasing communication with the deputies they elected to the NPC.

We helped our deputies maintain close ties with the people.

Focusing on our statutory functions, we organized a number of activities in a law-based, systematic manner to meet deputies’ needs in the performance of their duties. Among these activities were 209 research projects with the total participation surpassing 1,800. We also arranged for deputies from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to carry out inspections and research projects in Henan, Shanxi, Guangdong, Gansu, and Hainan.

We supported deputies in hearing and conveying public opinions and suggestions on a routine basis through various channels, including deputy group activities, outreach and liaison offices, research projects, visits, and meetings. We guided deputies to analyze problems and propose solutions from institutional and legal perspectives, enabling them to incorporate public input into their proposals and suggestions as well as remarks during deliberations.

We enhanced our services and support for deputies.

In providing deputies with systematic, standardized, and specialized training, we prioritized theoretical and political guidance, emphasized the basic knowledge required for deputies to perform their duties effectively, and expanded the scope and depth of training.

We held five themed study sessions for deputies and organized lectures for those from Hong Kong and Macao. We developed a curriculum outline for deputy training and advanced the creation of a pool of teachers. We updated the mechanisms serving and supporting deputies and optimized the functions of the online NPC deputy work platform. Meanwhile, we enhanced oversight and management of deputies’ work performance and regulated their behavior online.

We conducted rigorous examinations of deputies’ qualifications.

We deliberated and passed six reports from the Credentials Committee on the qualifications of certain deputies. We confirmed the by-election results for 3 deputies to the NPC and terminated the credentials of 30 deputies in accordance with the law. Currently, the NPC consists of 2,929 deputies.

5. Engaging in foreign exchanges to advance our nation’s diplomatic agenda

In implementing the major diplomatic policies, decisions, and plans of the CPC Central Committee, we prioritized the execution of diplomatic outcomes achieved between heads of state. In accordance with the NPC’s functions and responsibilities, we strengthened foreign exchange at multiple levels, through different channels, and in various fields. Over the past year, we sent 71 delegations to 68 countries for official visits or international conferences. We hosted delegations from 86 countries visiting China on diplomatic business or to attend seminars. We signed six cooperation agreements with other legislative bodies.

We deepened and expanded bilateral exchange.

Members of the Council of Chairpersons led delegations to 32 countries while also attending 249 domestic diplomatic events. We organized activities for NPC special committees, friendship groups, working bodies, and deputies to engage in exchanges with their counterparts.

The China-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee convened its ninth meeting, along with meetings of its joint working group. We maintained contact and dialogue with the Congress of the United States, strengthened communication with parliaments of European countries and the European Parliament, and consolidated friendship and cooperation with the parliaments of neighboring countries and developing nations. Through these efforts, we enhanced political trust and mutual understanding, provided legal support for bilateral practical cooperation, and advanced relations with other countries at the parliamentary level.

We substantively participated in multilateral cooperation.

We successfully held a commemorative event marking the 40th anniversary of the NPC’s membership of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the sixth seminar for members of parliaments of developing countries. The IPU President and Secretary-General as well as 145 representatives from 32 developing countries participated in these activities, sharing experience, enhancing friendship, deepening cooperation, and voicing the aspirations for peace and development shared by all developing nations.

We sent delegations to the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, the IPU assemblies, the G20 Parliamentary Speakers Summit, the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, preparatory meetings of the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, and other multilateral events. We also attended meetings of the Latin American Parliament, the Central American Parliament, and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly as an observer. On these occasions, we fostered consensus among legislative bodies of participating countries to advance BRICS Plus cooperation and build solidarity and self-reliance within the Global South.

We actively enhanced foreign communication and outreach.

We took active steps to practice and explain Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. We promoted China’s ideas and proposals on the international stage, including the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, Belt and Road cooperation, Chinese modernization, and the policy of One Country, Two Systems, along with our successful practices in these areas. We also presented China’s achievements in pursuing development since the founding of the People’s Republic of China 75 years ago, as well as the strengths of its whole-process people’s democracy and people’s congress system.

We organized six seminars for countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America as well as the Pacific island nations, receiving a total of 283 members and officials of the parliaments of 60 countries visiting China and participating in exchanges. We arranged for visiting delegations and foreign diplomatic envoys to China to visit the Museum of the Communist Party of China, deputy outreach and liaison offices, community-level outreach offices, and local communities. During their visits, they experienced firsthand a beautiful, respectable, and charming China as it truly is.

In response to the wrongful remarks and actions concerning China’s core interests by certain countries’ parliaments, we issued stern statements to refute their fallacies and safeguard our nation’s sovereignty, security, and development interests.

6. Enhancing self-improvement to strengthen our competence in the law-based performance of functions

To meet the requirements necessary to fulfill the four-fold role,[†] we strengthened ourselves politically, theoretically, and organizationally, as well as in terms of work conduct and discipline in order to cultivate and sustain a healthy political environment that encourages integrity, dedication, and hard work.

We strengthened ourselves theoretically and politically.

We continued to study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, ensuring that each of our initiatives was designed to synchronize with the overall work of the Party and the nation. We carried out an educational campaign to promote study, thorough understanding, and observance of Party discipline.

We hosted six lectures and organized for our leading Party members group six study sessions in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the Party’s latest theories and increase the knowledge necessary for the performance of duties.

We held two symposiums aiming to aid study and implementation of important ideas and concepts: one on General Secretary Xi Jinping’s thinking regarding upholding and improving the people’s congress system and the other concerning the key concept of whole-process people’s democracy. We earnestly studied General Secretary Xi’s On Upholding and Improving the People’s Congress System. These activities led to solid progress in studying, researching, disseminating, and applying these ideas and concepts.

We continued to improve work conduct.

We strictly complied with the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision on improving work conduct. We continued to intensify our efforts to eliminate pointless formalities in order to reduce the burdens on those working at the community level, streamline meetings and documents, improve our meeting culture and writing style, and strictly adhere to meeting rules.

With a firm commitment to seeking truth from facts, we took a realistic and pragmatic approach, strengthened coordination and cooperation, and steadily enhanced the quality and efficiency of our work. In fulfilling our functions, we conducted research projects in local communities to deliver real results. We also enhanced the utilization of our research outcomes, fully drawing on public input in our work.

We effectively carried out our work in press, public communication, and theoretical research.

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NPC, we edited and published important works, produced promotional videos, held dedicated exhibitions, and launched serial media reports, better presenting the people’s congress system as a historical inevitability and explaining its unique characteristics and strengths.

We provided extensive, in-depth media coverage of the NPC sessions and the progress made in all aspects of our work, greater publicity for deputies, especially those from the community level, and exclusive interviews of visiting parliamentary leaders of other countries, presenting the NPC to a broader audience. We released English translations of 24 laws on the official website of the NPC and opened a column specifically for English translations of laws related to the people’s congress system, introducing China’s achievements in the rule of law to international audiences.

We improved the working mechanisms for assessing, analyzing, and addressing public opinion, thus effectively responding to public concerns. We strengthened our position in media and public communication, further integrated our outreach efforts through publications, the internet, microblogs, WeChat, and mobile applications, and encouraged our staff to better understand the people’s congress system and introduce it to the public. A new council was elected for the China Institute of Theory on the People’s Congress System.

We promoted the development of special committees, working commissions and committees, and NPC bodies.

Special committees and working commissions and committees focused their work on the central tasks of the Standing Committee while staying grounded in their own functions and actual work. Through their concrete, efficient efforts, they greatly contributed to the drafting and deliberation of bills, organization and implementation of oversight programs, supervision over the processing of deputy suggestions, and foreign exchanges.

NPC bodies continued to improve the competence of their staff, strengthened the political and organizational functions of their primary-level Party organizations, and enhanced their ability to provide advice, assistance, service, and support for the work of the NPC.

We strengthened our ties and coordination with local people’s congresses.

We held five study sessions for leading members of the standing committees of local people’s congresses. We organized three training sessions: two on local legislation and one on government debt oversight for officials from local people’s congresses. We called a meeting for a number of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government to share their experience in local legislative work. We convened a conference on strengthening deputies’ ties with the public under the new circumstances. Special committees also enhanced contact and exchanges with local people’s congresses through various avenues. In the meantime, we briefed the standing committees of provincial-level people’s congresses on relevant work in a timely manner and earnestly heard their views and suggestions on our work.

We have made these achievements under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. They are the result of the diligent, hard work of the NPC deputies, members of the NPC Standing Committee and special committees, and the employees of NPC bodies. They are the result of close collaboration and cooperation from the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and local people’s congresses at all levels and their standing committees. And they are the result of the full trust and robust support of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. On behalf of the NPC Standing Committee, I would like to express our sincere gratitude.

We are also keenly aware that there are a number of gaps and shortcomings in our work. We must work to further improve the quality of our legislation, strengthen legislation in emerging areas, and address the inadequacies and weaknesses in legislation involving foreign affairs. Our oversight must become more effective and its outcomes more binding; intensified efforts in this respect are required to promote the full and effective implementation of our laws. We must further improve our ability to provide services for deputies. Our staff must further enhance their political stance, theoretical understanding, and professional skills.

We will readily place ourselves under the oversight of the people and listen to advice and suggestions from deputies and all sectors of society with an open mind in a continuous effort to strengthen and improve our work.

The Year Ahead

The year 2025 marks the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Standing Committee will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and fully implement the guiding principles from the 20th National Party Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee.

We must acquire a deeper understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must be more conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership. We must stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

We will thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and his key ideas on upholding and improving the people’s congress system. We will uphold the unity between the leadership by the Party, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance and advance whole-process people’s democracy. We will faithfully exercise the legislative, oversight, decision-making, and appointment and removal powers conferred upon us by the Constitution and laws. We will make steady progress in pursuing high-quality development in the work of people’s congresses and contribute further to building a great nation and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

       1. Ensuring constitutional implementation and strengthening compliance oversight

       We will improve the systems ensuring comprehensive implementation of the Constitution and establish a system for reporting on its implementation. To uphold the unity, sanctity, and authority of China’s legal system, we will enhance our capacity to conduct constitutional review and normative document recording and review and improve the quality of our work. We will improve mechanisms for alignment and coordination among recording and reviewing bodies. We will make progress with targeted review and overhaul of normative documents. We will strengthen public outreach, education, and theoretical research on the Constitution and uphold order in the special administrative regions as established by the Constitution of China and the Basic Laws of those regions.

       2. Advancing high-quality legislative work

       As is necessary in deepening reform in legislation, we will pursue reform under the rule of law, advance legislation with a scientific, democratic, and law-based approach, and ensure that citizens’ rights are effectively safeguarded. To this end, we plan to deliberate on 34 bills this year.

To enhance the systems for whole-process people’s democracy, we will revise the Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees and the Organic Law of Urban Residents’ Committees.

We will formulate a law on promoting ethnic unity and progress to forge a strong sense of national identity, reinforcing the Chinese people as one cohesive community.

In order to strengthen the legal framework for the development of the socialist market economy, we will formulate a law on promoting the private sector, a law on national development planning, a financial law, a financial stability law, and a law on cultivated land protection and quality improvement. We will also revise the Unfair Competition Law, the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law, the Agriculture Law, the Fisheries Law, the Civil Aviation Law, and the Banking Regulation Law.

In the social and cultural sectors, we will formulate a law promoting public awareness and education regarding the rule of law, a social assistance law, a childcare services law, and a law on public-interest litigation initiated by procuratorates. We will also revise the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and the Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language.

With a focus on refining the systems concerning ecological conservation, we will continue with the compilation of an environmental code and formulate a national parks law.

To modernize the national security system and public security governance mechanisms, we will formulate an atomic energy law, a law on public health emergency response, and a hazardous chemicals safety law. We will also revise the Road Traffic Safety Law, the Food Safety Law, the Cybersecurity Law, the Public Security Administrative Penalties Law, the Prison Law, and the State Compensation Law.

In regard to legislation in areas involving foreign affairs, we will revise the Maritime Law, the Foreign Trade Law, and the Arbitration Law.

We will intensify research on legislation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, big data, autonomous driving, the low-altitude economy, and aerospace, initiate the review and overhaul of laws in specific areas, and provide guidance to joint efforts in enacting interregional legislation.

3. Conducting effective oversight to serve the overall national interest

In implementing the newly revised Law on the Oversight by the Standing Committees of People’s Congresses at All Levels, we will focus our oversight on carrying out major decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee, addressing the people’s concerns, and meeting their expectations. During the course of this process, we will maintain a problem- and result-oriented approach and structure our oversight to be more targeted and effective. We have prepared 37 oversight programs for this year.

We will conduct inspections into the implementation of five laws: the Trade Union Law, the Energy Conservation Law, the Forest Law, the Food Safety Law, and the Law on Promoting the Circular Economy.

To enhance our oversight of financial and economic affairs, we will hear and deliberate reports on the implementation of the 2025 plan for national economic and social development, the execution of budgets, central government final accounts, auditing work, the rectification of issues found during the audit, financial work, state-owned asset management, government debt management, allocation and utilization of government funding for higher education, and other matters.

We will hear and deliberate special reports on a variety of issues, such as fostering new quality productive forces, promoting integrated development of the cultural and tourism sectors, encouraging the application of advances in science and technology, creating sound institutions and mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development, protecting the rights and interests of workers in flexible and new forms of employment, environmental protection, climate change action including peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, enforcement of penal decisions and oversight work therein, and adjudication of maritime cases.

We will carry out special inquiries on the basis of hearing and deliberating a special report on the management of state-owned assets held by enterprises for 2024 and a report on inspections into the implementation of the Energy Conservation Law.

We will conduct research projects on 11 topics, including major issues related to the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and legislation regarding the affairs of Chinese nationals overseas.

4. Fully leveraging the roles of NPC deputies

We will implement the revised Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses at All Levels and refine and put into effect our working mechanisms for collecting public input. We will advance and expand our deputy-related work through enhanced ties both between the Standing Committee and deputies and between deputies and the public, better serving and supporting deputies in the lawful performance of their duties.

We will continue to operate the mechanism for members of the Standing Committee, special committees, and working commissions to maintain close contact with deputies, via which we will carefully examine deputies’ feedback and suggestions and apply their ideas. We will encourage deputies to engage the people on a broader range of issues and in more diverse forms. Meanwhile, we will continue to improve working mechanisms for handling and giving feedback on public opinions brought forward by deputies.

We will process deputy proposals and suggestions more effectively. We will provide well-designed deputy study sessions and training programs with more extensive and diverse content and organize inspection tours and research projects for deputies. We will improve services and support for them in the performance of their duties while strengthening oversight and management of their activities. We will carry out a research project on the election of deputies to county- and township-level people’s congresses.

5. Strengthening foreign exchanges

       In carrying out the nation’s overall diplomatic agenda and the functions of the NPC, we will leverage our unique characteristics and strengths when conducting foreign exchanges and strive to make these exchanges more proactive, better targeted, and more fruitful.

We will coordinate and promote further foreign exchanges across all levels, engage in communications and cooperation in all areas with parliaments of other countries and multilateral parliamentary organizations, and continue to hold seminars for parliamentarians from developing nations.

We will deepen exchanges on national governance experience with other countries and actively promote China’s path, theory, system, and culture to enhance the influence and appeal of these contributions. On matters involving core national interests, we must assert our position firmly and resolutely and demonstrate both the courage and capability to defend our nation as necessary.

6. Fulfilling the four-fold role

We must uphold the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and ensure that the Party’s theories, lines, principles, and policies, as well as the decisions and plans of the Central Committee, are fully implemented across all aspects of the work of people’s congresses.

We will continue to apply Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in enhancing cohesion and developing inner strength. By further refining our theoretical thinking, we will improve our political competence and strengthen our ability to fulfill our functions. In performing our statutory functions, we will act strictly in accordance with the law, be pragmatic and realistic, and constantly improve the quality of our work.

We will maintain close ties with the people, carry out in-depth investigations and research, and bolster public support for the work of people’s congresses. We will perform our duty in enhancing public outreach and responding to public opinion. We will also advance IT application in our work.

We will ensure the fulfillment of the principal responsibilities for full and rigorous Party self-governance. We will improve our conduct, tighten discipline, and motivate our staff to exert themselves to the best of their ability. Our goal is to build an NPC team that is politically steadfast, dedicated to serving the people, respectful of the rule of law, committed to promoting democracy, and diligent in fulfilling their responsibilities.

We will strengthen our ties with local people’s congresses and work together with them to deliver better results in our work in the new era.

Fellow Deputies,

As we advance on the new journey in this new era, let us unite even more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.

Let us remain true to our original aspirations, keep our missions firmly in mind, and forge ahead with unwavering confidence and determination.

Let us faithfully fulfill our constitutional and legal functions and successfully uphold, improve, and implement the people’s congress system.

Together, we will strive to build a great country and achieve national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

The official Chinese version of this report will be released by Xinhua News Agency.

[†] The four-fold role refers to the fundamental identity of the people’s congresses and their standing committees as political institutions that consciously uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, institutions of state power that ensure the running of the country by the people, working institutions that fully assume functions conferred by the Constitution and laws, and representative institutions that always maintain close ties with the people.