Report on work of NPC Standing Committee

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

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

March 9, 2026

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 2025 was truly remarkable. Facing profound and complex developments at home and abroad, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core united and led the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country in meeting challenges head-on with determination and hard work.

As a result, the cause of the Party and the country has scored major new accomplishments. With the successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan, China’s economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defense capabilities, and composite national strength have reached new heights, enabling us to achieve a strong start on our new journey toward the Second Centenary Goal.

Our great endeavors on the new journey in this new era have fully proven 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. These endeavors have demonstrated the marked strengths of the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and exhibited the promising prospects of Chinese modernization.

Over the past year, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we, the NPC Standing Committee, have upheld Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as our guide and fully implemented the guiding principles from the Party’s 20th National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th Party Central Committee. We have studied and applied Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s key theory on upholding and improving the people’s congress system; stayed true to the unity of leadership by the Party, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance; and practiced whole-process people’s democracy.

This past year, we have leveraged the strengths of China’s fundamental political system, with the focus on refining the system of socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics and building a socialist country under the rule of law to a higher standard. To advance Chinese modernization, we have fulfilled our duties and responsibilities in accordance with the law and achieved fresh progress and results in all areas of our work.

1. We strengthened the implementation of the Constitution and enhanced compliance oversight, ensuring the unity of the rule of law.

Upholding the Constitution as the nation’s legal foundation, we diligently fulfilled our statutory duty to advance implementation of the Constitution and strengthen oversight of constitutional compliance. We fully implemented the provisions, principles, and spirit of the Constitution in all aspects of our work and upheld its authority and sanctity.

• Refining the legal framework relating to the Constitution

Among the major political and legislative tasks planned by the Party Central Committee is the enactment of a law promoting ethnic unity and progress. We held two rounds of deliberation on its draft and have submitted it to this session for deliberation. Once adopted, this law will lay a solid legal foundation for forging a stronger sense of community for the Chinese nation, advancing the building of this community, and further promoting extensive interaction, exchange, and integration among all ethnic groups as we strive together for common prosperity and development.

We made coordinated efforts to revise the Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees and the Organic Law of Urban Residents’ Committees. By improving the composition and functions of these committees and refining their election, deliberation, management, supervision, and other systems, we strengthened the mechanisms for community-level people’s self-governance under the leadership of primary-level Party organizations. We also revised the Law on the Standard Spoken and Written Chinese Language to strengthen the legal status of standard Chinese and provide a strong legal guarantee for its widespread and proper use across the nation.

As stipulated by the Constitution, to complete the great cause of reunifying the motherland is the sacred duty of all the Chinese people, including our fellow Chinese in Taiwan. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War as well as the 80th anniversary of China’s recovery of Taiwan, we decided to designate October 25 as Taiwan Recovery Day in accordance with the Constitution. Our goal in doing so is to demonstrate the Chinese people’s firm resolve to uphold the one-China principle and defend national sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity; strengthen the shared national historical memories of compatriots on both sides of the strait; and inspire all Chinese people to work together for national reunification and rejuvenation. We continued to employ legal means to both combat separatist forces seeking “Taiwan independence” and oppose external interference. We also held a symposium to mark the 20th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law.

• Enhancing the quality of both constitutional review and the recording and review of normative documents

We conducted regular sessions of constitutional review throughout the entire legislative process and enhanced research on constitutional compliance and related constitutional matters in normative documents. In fulfilling the duty of recording and review in accordance with the law, we ensured all documents subject to recording were duly filed, all recorded documents were reviewed, and all errors identified were corrected.

All of the 2,218 normative documents submitted for recording were properly reviewed, including administrative regulations, supervisory regulations, local regulations, autonomous regulations, separate regulations, judicial interpretations, and local laws of special administrative regions. Each of the 6,705 suggestions submitted for review by citizens and organizations was examined, and feedback was provided as stipulated by law. We conducted a comprehensive overhaul of normative documents that hindered private sector development or led to the unequal treatment of enterprises.

In performing our function of rectifying errors through review, we urged relevant enacting bodies to promptly revise, abolish, or take other measures to deal with normative documents found to have issues of constitutionality, legality, or reasonableness. We promoted better alignment and coordination among recording and reviewing bodies to boost the efficacy of the recording and review system. We organized training sessions on this work to strengthen case guidance and facilitate exchange.

• Promoting the spirit of the Constitution and socialist rule of law

Studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law and reviewing our experience in increasing public legal literacy over the past four decades, we enacted the Law on the Publicity and Education on the Rule of Law. This will facilitate regular, long-term promotion and education of the Constitution, enhance the people’s legal awareness, and elevate law-based social governance to a higher level.

In commemoration of the 12th National Constitution Day, we held a conference themed “Strengthening the Implementation of the Constitution and Advancing Socialist Democracy and Rule of Law,” helping the people embrace the foundational law of our country. We also organized five ceremonies for officials to pledge allegiance to the Constitution as they took office as part of our efforts to encourage state employees to be loyal to the Constitution, to abide by the Constitution, and to uphold the Constitution.

• Exercising the power of appointment and removal as mandated by the Constitution and the law

In accordance with the law, we conducted 18 personnel changes, including the appointment or removal of vice chairpersons of NPC special committees, deputy secretaries-general of the NPC Standing Committee, and vice chairpersons of working commissions and committees; accepted the resignation of a member of the NPC Standing Committee; and revoked or terminated 9 individuals’ appointments as members of the NPC Standing Committee or vice chairpersons of NPC special committees due to the termination of their qualifications as deputies to the NPC.

We lawfully fulfilled our duty in making decisions on three personnel changes to the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, which involved the appointment and removal of individuals for the positions of vice chairperson and member of the Commission. We also approved the appointment of a vice chairperson to the Election Committee of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

Furthermore, we made decisions regarding 97 personnel actions within the State Council in accordance with the law, affecting the positions of department head and ambassador. We lawfully made 138 personnel changes to the Supreme People’s Court, involving the posts of vice president, Adjudicatory Committee member, divisional chief judge, associate divisional chief judge, and judge; 23 personnel changes to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, involving the roles of deputy procurator-general, Procuratorial Committee member, and procurator; and 3 personnel changes involving the positions of president of the Military Court and chief procurator of the Military Procuratorate of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. We also approved, pursuant to the law, 10 personnel changes for the position of chief procurator across provincial-level people’s procuratorates.

2. We enhanced legislative work, serving and supporting reform and development through high-quality legislation.

Upholding the Party Central Committee’s centralized, unified leadership over legislative work, we fully leveraged the leading role of the NPC in legislation. We coordinated the enactment, revision, repeal, interpretation, and codification of laws and strengthened legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related areas, using good laws to promote reform, drive development, and ensure good governance.

Over the past year, we deliberated 40 draft laws, legal interpretations, and decisions and adopted 24 of them, including 6 new laws, 14 revised laws, 1 legal interpretation, and 3 decisions on legal matters and other significant issues. We also made decisions on the ratification of 9 treaties and important agreements.

• Strengthening economic legislation

 We enacted the Private Sector Promotion Law to carry out the Party Central Committee’s major principles, policies, and initiatives aimed at further developing the private sector. This law explicitly establishes the principles of impartial treatment, fair competition, equal protection, and common development and lays out rules for market access, availability of production factors, business regulation, and protection of rights and interests, thereby providing the legal safeguards essential for the sustained, healthy, and high-quality development of the private sector.

We revised the Unfair Competition Law and the Civil Aviation Law and deliberated a draft law on state-owned assets as well as draft revisions to the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law, the Banking Regulation Law, the Trademark Law, and the Certified Public Accountants Law. These efforts have been instrumental in the development of a credit-based economy under the rule of law and a unified national market, thus expediting the establishment of a high-standard socialist market economy.

We revised the Fisheries Law and deliberated a draft law on the protection and quality improvement of cultivated land, aiming to balance resource conservation with proper resource utilization in the fishing industry and refine the integrated system for preserving the quantity, quality, and ecosystems of cultivated land. We revised the Maritime Law, the Arbitration Law, and the Foreign Trade Law to better reflect China’s distinctive features and further align with established international rules, thereby better serving high-standard opening up. We made the decision to authorize the State Council to temporarily adjust the application of relevant provisions of the Seed Law in the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

The formulation and implementation of well-crafted five-year plans represents an important political strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We conducted three rounds of deliberation on a draft national development planning law and have submitted it to this session for review. Its purpose is to enshrine into law proven practices used in formulating and implementing national development plans under the Party’s leadership, providing an institutional foundation for improved law-based national development planning and enhanced strategic guidance of such planning.

• Advancing laws for social governance and public wellbeing

Drawing on our country’s experience in epidemic prevention and control, we enacted the Law on Public Health Emergency Response and revised the Law on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases. In doing so, we further improved the institutions and mechanisms for epidemic prevention, control, and response to better safeguard the people’s health and safety.

With a focus on addressing prominent issues, we revised the Food Safety Law to rectify shortcomings in the system of oversight and establish a more robust safeguard for food safety. We deliberated a draft law on procuratorial public-interest litigation in an endeavor to protect national and public interests. We deliberated a draft law on national fire and rescue personnel, motivating and supporting them to better perform their duties in accordance with the law. To advance law-based development of public services that are inclusive, meet essential needs, or provide a safety net for the most vulnerable, we deliberated draft laws regarding medical security, childcare services, and social assistance.

• Enhancing legislation on environmental protection

In compiling the ecological and environmental code, we worked, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Conservation, to codify the theoretical, institutional, and practical achievements made in ecological conservation since the Party’s 18th National Congress. During this process, we carried out comprehensive and systematic compilation and revisions of existing laws and regulations in this area, while taking care to ensure a proper degree of openness, inclusiveness, and adaptability. Following two overall reviews and two reviews of individual sections, the draft code has been submitted to this session for deliberation.

To promote the high-quality development of national parks, we enacted the National Parks Law, affirming their legal status and the institutions for their planning, establishment, protection, management, support, and supervision. We revised the Environmental Protection Tax Law to extend this tax to all volatile organic compounds, thereby promoting the sustained improvement of air quality. We also deliberated a draft law on Antarctic activities and environmental protection in an effort to regulate activities in Antarctica while preserving its environment.

• Fortifying legislation on national and public security

We enacted the Atomic Energy Law to support research, development, and peaceful utilization of atomic energy in accordance with the law and promote the healthy, safe, and sustainable development of related programs. To keep pace with the evolving needs of social governance, we made revisions to the Public Security Administrative Penalties Law, which included appropriately adjusting or defining the scope, category, and severity of penalties, optimizing penalty procedures, and enhancing standardization of law enforcement. We revised the Cybersecurity Law to strengthen legal accountability in cybersecurity and enhance data security and personal information protection, thereby fostering a safer, healthier online environment. In seeking to safeguard the lives and property of the people and protect ecosystems and the environment in accordance with the law, we enacted the Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law to bolster comprehensive safety management across the entire chain. We deliberated draft revisions to the Prison Law to advance, in accordance with the law, the development of safe, law-based, and well-managed prisons.

• Conducting a comprehensive review of the law

A thorough review of existing laws is essential for ensuring the soundness, consistency, and unity of the legal system. Taking the Constitution as the fundamental basis of our work, we followed a problem-oriented approach in conducting a comprehensive review of existing laws, legal interpretations, and decisions on legal matters. For those found to be outdated or inconsistent, we addressed them in accordance with the law, taking into account the specific circumstances.

We deliberated and approved a Legislative Affairs Commission report on this review and its suggestions for follow-up measures, invalidating 104 laws, legal interpretations, and decisions on legal matters adopted by the Standing Committee. As for the validity of 35 laws and decisions on legal matters passed by the NPC, we have submitted them to this session for your deliberation and decision.

• Advancing legislation with a scientific, democratic, and law-based approach

We carried out legislative work in strict compliance with our statutory powers and procedures, guided by the objective principles and the inherent laws governing legislative work. We strived to balance, adjust, and regulate various interest relations and delineate reasonable boundaries for laws and regulations, ensuring rights and obligations are aligned, power and responsibility are matched, and punishments are proportionate to offenses. We sought to strike the right balance between maintaining legal stability and ensuring adaptability, between grounding legislation in current realities and maintaining orientation toward the future, and between upholding principles and guaranteeing practicality. In doing so, we can ensure our legislation remains responsive to evolving times, practical requirements, and people’s aspirations.

We encouraged orderly public participation in legislation; improved the focus of research, symposiums, debates, and assessments; and fostered broad consensus in our lawmaking. After soliciting public input on draft laws through the official NPC website and local legislative outreach offices, we received 364,000 comments and suggestions from all sectors of society, many of which have been accepted with feedback provided.

Meanwhile, we redoubled efforts to provide the public with information and explanations throughout the entire legislation process. Through spokespersons’ press conferences, written responses to journalists’ inquiries, and other channels, we disseminated information on the deliberation of bills, provided explanations of newly enacted or revised laws, and responded properly to legal matters of public concern. We convened a meeting on the work of local legislative outreach offices, reviewing the experience gained over the past decade since their establishment and striving to make this work more institutionalized and standardized.

3. We exercised our oversight responsibilities, fulfilling the NPC’s vital role in the Party and state oversight system.

To ensure our oversight is carried out appropriately, effectively, and lawfully, we improved the mechanisms for implementing the Oversight Law. We strengthened oversight over the implementation of the Constitution and laws and over the work of the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. The aim is to ensure state institutions exercise their powers and perform their functions in accordance with the law and the people’s lawful rights and interests—in particular their democratic rights—are safeguarded and fulfilled.

Over the past year, we heard and deliberated 22 work reports, conducted inspections into the implementation of 5 laws, held 2 special inquiries, undertook 11 research projects, and adopted 1 resolution. We also handled 221,000 public letters and visits in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, with the Council of Chairpersons regularly hearing reports on this work.

• Coordinating the hearing and deliberation of special reports

With the focus on implementing the Party Central Committee’s major decisions and plans and responding to the people’s concerns and expectations, we designated a number of topics for special reports, conducted thorough preliminary research, fostered closer work communication, and urged the relevant parties to take rectification measures. As a result, we have strengthened and improved the relevant work by generating greater synergy.

We heard and deliberated State Council reports on developing new quality productive forces and promoting the application of scientific and technological advances, so as to drive the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation and enhance China’s innovation capacity on all fronts.

To ensure and improve the people’s wellbeing and meet their needs for a better life, we heard and deliberated State Council reports on protecting the rights and interests of workers in flexible and new forms of employment, promoting the deep integration of the cultural and tourism sectors, allocating and utilizing government funding for higher education, and creating sound institutions and mechanisms for integrated urban-rural development.

In seeking to advance the Beautiful China Initiative, we heard and deliberated State Council reports on the state of the environment and the fulfillment of environmental protection targets for 2024, climate change response including peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality progress, and pilot reforms of the water resource tax.

To strengthen oversight over law enforcement and judicial work, we heard and deliberated a State Council report on the enforcement of penal decisions, a Supreme People’s Procuratorate report on the oversight of such enforcement, and a Supreme People’s Court report on maritime adjudication. This work has helped to raise the quality and efficiency of law enforcement and judicial administration, thereby strengthening public confidence in these institutions.

• Enhancing oversight of fiscal and economic affairs

Following a problem- and result-oriented approach, we refined working mechanisms and intensified oversight efforts to facilitate the implementation of the Party Central Committee’s decisions and plans regarding the economy.

We heard and deliberated State Council reports on plan implementation, budget execution, and central final accounts. We examined and approved the 2024 central final accounts thereafter. All of these efforts have contributed to the advancement of more proactive and effective macroeconomic policies and the achievement of major economic and social development targets.

In order to optimize the layout and structure of the state-owned sector and enhance the core functions and competitiveness of state-owned enterprises, we deliberated a comprehensive State Council report on the management of state-owned assets for 2024. We also heard and deliberated a special report on the management of state-owned assets held by enterprises (financial firms excluded) and conducted a special inquiry into this topic. In addition, we refined the reporting system for state-owned asset management and heard and deliberated a State Council report on the handling of our recommendations as well as related rectification and accountability efforts, as required by the established mechanism.

We heard and deliberated State Council reports on financial work and 2024 government debt management. Through these efforts, we have helped to improve the quality and effectiveness of financial support for the real economy, optimize the scale and structure of government debt, curb new hidden local government debt, and clear overdue payments to enterprises, thereby preventing and mitigating risks in key areas.

As part of our efforts to push for more robust mechanisms for ensuring rectification, address problems at their source, strengthen fiscal and economic discipline, and enforce rectification responsibilities, we heard and deliberated State Council reports on the 2024 audit work and the rectification of issues uncovered during audits.

To ensure strict compliance with laws and procedures in public finance management, we heard and deliberated a report on the recording and review of fiscal and budgetary matters. We also strengthened the role of local liaison offices of our Budgetary Affairs Commission.

• Taking concrete steps to carry out law enforcement inspections

We conducted inspections of the performance of statutory functions, the fulfillment of legal responsibilities, and the effect of law enforcement in strict accordance with the law. We also integrated law enforcement inspections with legislative and legal awareness initiatives to promote the full and effective implementation of laws.

We inspected the implementation of the Trade Union Law to strengthen primary-level trade unions, protect the lawful rights and interests of workers, and deepen reforms to further develop the industrial workforce.

We inspected the implementation of the Food Safety Law to ensure whole-process supervision responsibilities are carried out as legally required and improve food quality and safety across the entire supply chain.

In order to cultivate, protect, and develop our forest resources under the strictest institutions and the most rigorous rule of law, we conducted inspections into the implementation of the Forest Law.

We inspected the implementation of the Law on Promoting the Circular Economy with the aim of advancing the creation of a system for recycling waste and used materials, using resources more efficiently, and promoting eco-friendly work practices and lifestyles throughout society.

We also inspected the implementation of the Energy Conservation Law and, on the basis of our deliberation of the inspection report, carried out a special inquiry. Through this effort, we aim to advance the comprehensive conservation strategy by integrating energy conservation into every stage and aspect of economic and social development and promote coordinated progress in cutting carbon emissions, reducing pollution, expanding green development, and boosting economic growth.

Additionally, we further refined our special inquiry work. Adequate preparations, a focus on prominent issues, and enhanced exchanges enabled us to conduct more in-depth inquiries and deliver more tangible results.

• Undertaking well-organized research projects

With the focus on key issues in formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, members of the Council of Chairpersons led research teams with the participation of 10 special committees, 4 working commissions and committees, and the General Office of the NPC Standing Committee. Based on thorough research and extensive consultation, we produced 26 reports. In addition, we organized more than 1,000 NPC deputies to conduct research on relevant issues, resulting in another 50 reports.

In the fiscal and economic sphere, we conducted research to standardize preferential tax policies, manage and reform government capital expenditure, further develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and cultivate industries in rural areas. With regard to social governance and public wellbeing, we carried out research on advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation, strengthening legislation on overseas Chinese affairs, and improving the quality and safety of agricultural products. In the realm of national security, we undertook research on the implementation of the National Security Law and the Land Border Law. We also conducted research on the implementation of the Supervision Law.

Across all of these research projects, we underscored the importance of translating findings into practice by ensuring our reports were transmitted promptly to the relevant parties for their study and work improvements.

4. We advanced and expanded our work related to deputies, helping them better play their role.

In fully implementing the revised Deputies Law, we continued to enhance our capacity to handle deputy-related work, collaborated closely with deputies to advance all aspects of our agenda, and ensured they have the necessary support to perform their duties lawfully.

On the part of our deputies, they immersed themselves in the study of the Deputies Law and executed it conscientiously. With a steadfast political stance, they leveraged their unique strengths—coming from the people and taking root among the people—and their professional expertise, maintained close ties with the public, and fulfilled their responsibilities with great dedication. They faithfully represented the interests and will of the people in participating in the exercise of state power and contributed to the work of people’s congresses and various other fields with their insights and suggestions.

• Advancing efforts to study, promote, and implement the Deputies Law

By prioritizing study and implementation of the Deputies Law as a key measure to enhance deputies’ ability to perform their duties, we ensured that essentially all deputies to the NPC and local people’s congresses at all levels gained a thorough understanding of the law through various channels, such as symposiums and training courses. We promoted the refinement of supporting regulations and related working institutions and mechanisms and enhanced the research, public outreach, and interpretation of the law to create a favorable environment for its implementation.

• Maintaining close contact with deputies

Standing Committee members maintained regular contact with 399 NPC deputies, while special committees, working commissions and committees, and the Standing Committee General Office also refined and implemented their own mechanisms for engaging with deputies. To increase the level of deputy participation in our work, we extended 276 invitations to attend Standing Committee meetings in a non-voting capacity and subsequently held five meetings to hear their opinions. Deputies were also invited to participate in legislative research, law enforcement inspections, oversight of fiscal and economic affairs, and foreign exchanges, with total participation exceeding 900.

Comments and opinions of deputies were solicited for draft laws through the online work platform. Additionally, we organized for the deputies to review and discuss the three draft laws submitted to this session for review and, following careful deliberation, incorporated their feedback where appropriate. During the previous session, deputies submitted 1,622 opinions and suggestions for the NPC’s work. We studied and responded to each of them and used deputy input to improve our work. We provided written updates to each deputy to keep them informed of the progress of our major work. A holistic approach was taken to standardize communication between NPC deputies and the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.

• Assisting deputies in fostering closer ties with the people

In accordance with the law, we systematically organized both inspection tours and research projects for deputies to take part in, with total participation reaching 1,569 and 1,933, respectively. These efforts laid a solid foundation for their informed engagement in deliberations and the submission of proposals and suggestions. We arranged local inspection and research tours for deputies from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, the People’s Liberation Army, and the Armed Police Force. We organized for and encouraged deputies to attend activities held by local deputy groups, outreach offices, and liaison offices. During this process, they listened to the concerns of the people, reported on social conditions and public sentiment, and led by personal example in promoting and implementing the Party Central Committee’s major policies and principles, the Constitution and the law, and national work plans. We also refined working mechanisms for processing and providing feedback on public opinions conveyed by deputies.

• Handling deputies’ proposals and suggestions more effectively

We revised the methods for handling deputy proposals, suggestions, criticisms, and opinions. Committed to high standards in preparing and handling proposals and suggestions, we assisted deputies in formulating initiatives that are politically sound, legally valid, and of high quality. We also held meetings to forward deputies’ suggestions and share work experience in handling these suggestions, lawfully urging the relevant organizations to ensure their effective handling.

The Council of Chairpersons identified 23 priority suggestions, which were forwarded to 20 organizations to lead their processing under the supervision of 10 special committees. The organizations handling these suggestions strengthened communication with the relevant deputies, who were invited to participate in discussions and research. More importantly, these organizations integrated their handling of the suggestions and proposals into efforts to improve their work.

All 269 proposals submitted during the third session of the 14th NPC have been reviewed, with feedback provided to the deputies involved. Among the legislative items covered by these proposals, 27 have been reviewed and adopted or submitted for review, and 50 have been included in our annual or five-year legislative plans. All 9,160 suggestions submitted during the third session and 150 suggestions raised when the NPC was not in session have been processed, with responses communicated to the relevant deputies. Overall, 75.4% of the issues raised have been either resolved or scheduled for resolution over time.

• Improving services and support for deputies in the performance of their duties

We held five themed study sessions for deputies to receive training and share experience gained during the course of their work, with total attendance surpassing 1,000. We also organized themed lectures for Hong Kong and Macao deputies. We advanced the intelligent upgrading of the online NPC deputy work platform, providing deputies with timely information to keep them informed of state affairs and government work. By keeping proper records of how deputies carried out their duties, we enhanced oversight and management of their performance.

• Conducting rigorous examinations of deputies’ qualifications

We deliberated and passed seven reports from the Credentials Committee on the qualifications of certain deputies. We confirmed the by-election results for 7 deputies and terminated the credentials of 58 deputies in accordance with the law. Currently, the NPC has 2,878 deputies.

5. We leveraged the unique features and strengths of the NPC in conducting foreign exchanges to contribute to the country’s overall diplomatic agenda.

We continued to study and apply Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and implemented the Party Central Committee’s major diplomatic policies, decisions, and plans. Giving top priority to materializing the outcomes of head-of-state diplomacy, we consolidated and deepened foreign exchanges and contacts at multiple levels, through different channels, and in various fields. During this process, we drew on the unique features and strengths of the National People’s Congress in engaging with a broad range of counterparts in exchanges covering a rich variety of content and a number of diverse forms. Over the past year, we sent a total of 59 delegations to 58 countries for official visits or participation in international conferences and hosted 92 delegations from 69 countries and international or regional parliamentary organizations for official visits or seminars in China.

• Expanding bilateral exchanges

Members of the Council of Chairpersons led delegations to 25 countries and attended 162 foreign affairs events at home. We organized activities for NPC special committees, friendship groups, working bodies, and deputies to deepen exchanges with their foreign counterparts and held institutionalized meetings with parliaments of 12 countries as well as the European Parliament.

The China-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee convened its 10th meeting and two joint working group meetings. We received a delegation from the US House of Representatives and sent an NPC youth delegation to the US. We engaged in extensive dialogues and exchanges with parliaments of European countries and resumed normal exchanges with the European Parliament. We also strengthened friendships and cooperation with the parliaments of neighboring countries, while fostering closer solidarity and cooperation with those of developing nations. Through these efforts, we played a positive role in enhancing understanding and mutual trust, promoting practical cooperation, consolidating people-to-people friendship, and safeguarding core national interests.

• Deepening multilateral cooperation

We took part in the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and dispatched delegations to the 150th and 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union assemblies, the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, the 11th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, the 55th session of the Steering Committee of the Parliamentary Conference on the World Trade Organization, the 2025 Parliamentary Hearing at the UN, and other multilateral events. On these occasions, we articulated our steadfast stance on practicing true multilateralism, opposing hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts, defending international fairness and justice, and advancing world peace and development.

We attended the 16th plenary session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, participated in the 46th general assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly as an observer, and strengthened exchanges with the Latin American Parliament and the Central American Parliament. These engagements provided opportunities for in-depth discussions on advancing regional cooperation and promoting common prosperity.

We also actively participated in dialogues on youth, demographics, climate change, polar region governance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other topics, sharing China’s practices and contributing China’s solutions.

• Enhancing international communication

During our international exchanges, we actively shared China’s successful practices and elaborated on its key concepts and proposals, such as Chinese modernization, the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, the Global Governance Initiative, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We also presented China’s development achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, its objectives and tasks for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and its policies and initiatives for expanding high-standard opening up.

Over the past year, we hosted six seminars for parliamentarians from developing countries, including our first-ever session for female African parliamentarians. In total, 187 lawmakers and officials from 48 countries and international or regional parliamentary organizations participated upon invitation.

We arranged local visits for foreign delegations to China, including tours of deputy outreach offices, liaison offices, and community-level outreach offices, where they engaged in face-to-face exchanges with local deputies and ordinary citizens, gaining vivid insights into the strengths and effects of whole-process people’s democracy and the people’s congress system.

On matters of core national interests, we reached out to the parliaments and parliamentarians of the countries concerned, unequivocally stated China’s principled position, and fought resolutely to defend our country.

6. We undertook extensive self-improvement efforts, continuously enhancing our competence and performance in fulfilling our duties in accordance with the law.

We remained committed to meeting the fundamental requirement that people’s congresses function as political institutions that consciously uphold the Party’s leadership, organs of state power that ensure the running of the country by the people, working bodies that fully exercise the functions conferred by the Constitution and the law, and representative institutions that always maintain close ties with the people. To better fulfill this four-fold role, we intensified comprehensive efforts to strengthen Party self-governance and enhance our own capabilities. By working to improve the quality of our performance, we became better prepared to carry out the missions and tasks entrusted to us by the Party and the people.

• Strengthening the role of the NPC as a political institution

We continued to build cohesion and forge inner strength with Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, upheld the Party Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership, and dedicated ourselves to a people-centered philosophy of development and comprehensive law-based governance. By enhancing our holistic thinking and our ability to execute, we ensured the full implementation of the Party’s theories, lines, principles, and policies, as well as the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee, in all aspects of our work.

To develop a deeper understanding of relevant theories, we hosted six lectures, organized six study sessions for our leading Party members group, and promoted the integration of regular study sessions into the work of the special committees and NPC bodies. Strengthening our theoretical foundation allowed us to enhance our political acumen and improve our capacity to perform our duties.

• Improving our work conduct through sustained efforts

We took solid steps to advance the educational campaign on fully implementing the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision on improving work conduct. By integrating study with self-examination and rectification, we worked to build unity and strength through exemplary conduct and strived to deliver concrete results through solid work. We maintained strict and impartial rules and discipline, improved our meeting culture and writing style, and consolidated our achievements in streamlining meetings and documents and practicing frugality. We also intensified efforts to eliminate pointless formalities to reduce burdens at the primary level.

Guided by the principle of seeking truth from facts and following a realistic and pragmatic approach, we faithfully performed our duties and diligently fulfilled our responsibilities. We committed ourselves to hard work, took concrete measures, and pursued tangible results. By maintaining close ties with the people, we developed a deeper connection with them. Through research within local communities to understand their actual conditions, we reinforced public support for our work.

• Enhancing media coverage, public communication, and theoretical research

We garnered in-depth media coverage for our institution building, meetings, and achievements and strengthened publicity on how NPC deputies, especially those at the community level, perform their duties. We secured exclusive interviews with 12 incoming parliamentary leaders from other countries, with the outcomes of our exchanges generating prompt publicity. In implementing the responsibility system for ideological work, we strengthened our efforts to develop in-house media and public communication platforms and held the 32nd NPC Journalism Awards. To communicate China’s progress in advancing the rule of law to global audiences, we released multilingual versions of the Constitution and English translations of 21 laws and decisions. We also organized a symposium on the theory and practice of the people’s congress system in the new era.

• Strengthening the development of special committees, working commissions and committees, and NPC bodies

The NPC special committees and working commissions and committees earnestly performed their statutory functions and accomplished a great deal of solid and effective work in leading the drafting of laws, organizing and implementing oversight programs, deliberating bills and reports, engaging with and serving deputies, and conducting foreign exchanges. Prior to this session, they also conducted preliminary review of drafts for the 15th Five-Year Plan, annual plan, and annual budget in accordance with the law.

NPC bodies achieved further progress in advancing full and rigorous Party self-governance, improving the cohesion and capabilities of our primary-level Party organizations, and developing a high-caliber, professional workforce for the NPC. Through meticulous organization and preparation for the NPC session, Standing Committee meetings, and special committee meetings, they provided essential support for deputies and committee members to attend these events and perform their duties.

•Fostering closer communication and coordination with local people’s congresses

We convened a national forum on local legislation, held four study sessions for leading members of the standing committees of local people’s congresses, and organized two training courses on local legislation. We provided timely briefings to provincial-level people’s congresses on relevant work, for which we earnestly sought their feedback and suggestions. Local people’s congresses also extended us their assistance in our legislative, oversight, deputy-related, and foreign exchange work, contributing their share to improve our overall performance.

These achievements, made under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, are the result of the hard work of dedicated NPC deputies, members of the NPC Standing Committee and special committees, and 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 strong support of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. On behalf of the NPC Standing Committee, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude.

We are also keenly aware that there still exist a number of gaps and shortcomings in our work. The quality of our legislation must be further improved, the effectiveness of our oversight yet has room to be enhanced, our ability to support deputies in lawfully fulfilling their duties requires constant improvement, and continued efforts are needed to further build up the competence of our staff. We take these issues very seriously, and we will listen with an open mind to suggestions from all deputies and all sectors of society. We will readily place ourselves under the people’s oversight as we strive to strengthen and improve our work.

The Year Ahead

The year 2026 marks the commencement of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implement the guiding principles from the Party’s 20th National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th Party Central Committee, and earnestly carry out the plans made at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee.

We must gain 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 become 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 General Secretary Xi Jinping’s key theory on upholding and improving the people’s congress system. We will uphold the unity of leadership by the Party, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance; develop whole-process people’s democracy; implement the plans and requirements for comprehensively advancing the rule of law in China; and work to ensure the people’s congress system is upheld, improved, and implemented successfully. We will adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability as we promote high-quality development in the work of people’s congresses, contributing our share to a strong start for the 15th Five-Year Plan.

1. Promoting comprehensive implementation of the Constitution

Upholding the Constitution as the fundamental code guiding our activities, we will exercise our functions and powers and perform our duties and responsibilities in strict accordance with the Constitution and ensure its implementation through well-designed, effective, and fully developed institutions. Guided by the principle of Constitution-based legislation, we will refine relevant legal frameworks to fully leverage the central role of the Constitution and ensure its observance throughout the entire legislative process. We will conduct rigorous constitutional review and normative document recording and review and refine institutions and mechanisms for upholding the unity of the rule of law. We will enhance public awareness, education, and theoretical research on the Constitution, ensuring the effective implementation of the constitutional oath-taking system, holding a variety of events to commemorate National Constitution Day, and sharing compelling stories about China’s Constitution.

2. Improving the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics

In our endeavor to advance the rule of law, we will place greater emphasis on aligning it with efforts to deepen reform, promote development, and ensure stability, while also paying greater attention to safeguarding and promoting social fairness and justice. With a focus on supporting the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, we will strengthen legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related areas, striving to enhance the quality of our legislative work.

With a focus on developing a high-standard socialist market economy, we will formulate a state-owned assets law and revise the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law, the Tax Collection and Administration Law, the Law on Enterprise State-Owned Assets, the Certified Public Accountants Law, the Public Bidding Law, the Government Procurement Law, the Pricing Law, the Trademark Law, and the Urban Real Estate Administration Law.

To accelerate the development of a financially strong nation, we will formulate laws on finance and financial stability and revise the People’s Bank of China Law and the Banking Regulation Law.

Aimed at facilitating efforts to build China into a nation with strong agriculture, we will formulate a law on cultivated land protection and quality improvement and revise the Agriculture Law.

In seeking to further support public wellbeing, we will formulate a medical security law, a childcare services law, a social assistance law, a law on the protection of overseas Chinese nationals’ rights and interests, a law on national fire and rescue personnel, and an industrial workforce development law. We will also revise the Teachers Law and the Road Traffic Safety Law.

As part of our commitment to impartial justice, we will formulate a law on procuratorial public-interest litigation and revise the Criminal Procedure Law, the Prison Law, and the Special Maritime Procedure Law.

To advance national anti-corruption legislation, we will formulate a law on combating cross-border corruption.

In support of environmental protection, we will formulate a law on Antarctic activities and environmental protection and revise the Water Law and the Renewable Energy Law.

Additionally, we will strengthen legislative research in artificial intelligence and other sectors and push forward lawmaking efforts to foster the development of new quality productive forces. We will make timely authorization and reform decisions in accordance with the law to implement major reform measures. We will also take effective steps to promote the understanding, research, interpretation, and implementation of the ecological and environmental code, the ethnic unity and progress promotion law, the national development planning law, and other laws once they are adopted.

3. Enhancing the targeting and effectiveness of oversight

In exercising the oversight power conferred upon us by the Constitution and the law, we will employ a combination of statutory oversight methods to push for the resolution of prominent issues hindering economic and social development and ensure all work of the state is carried out under the rule of law.

We will inspect the implementation of six laws: the Hainan Free Trade Port Law, the Tourism Law, the Food Security Law, the Vocational Education Law, the Law on Building Accessible Environments, and the Law on Ecological Conservation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

To strengthen oversight of fiscal and economic affairs, we will hear and deliberate reports on plan implementation, budget execution, central final accounts, auditing, financial affairs, state-owned asset management, government debt management, and the allocation and use of government funding for public health. We will also work to ensure the recording and review of fiscal and budgetary matters is carried out effectively.

We will hear and deliberate reports from the State Council, the National Commission of Supervision, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate on the following subjects: developing a unified national market, advancing all-around rural revitalization, improving the quality of cultural products and services, promoting public hospital reform and development, strengthening health insurance, protecting the environment, implementing the resolution on the eighth five-year initiative to increase public legal literacy, strengthening the supervision workforce, improving the people’s juror system, and advancing intellectual property procuratorial efforts.

We will undertake research projects in various areas. Their subjects include fostering ethnic unity and progress in the new era, protecting the rights and interests of Chinese nationals residing abroad, returned Chinese nationals, and their families in China, developing high-standard cropland, managing non-performing assets of state-owned commercial banks, developing the national water network, strengthening emergency rescue teams, and refining systems to facilitate the entry and lives of individuals from outside the mainland.

4. Supporting deputies in the lawful performance of their duties

We will advance and expand the scope of our work with deputies by fostering closer ties between the Standing Committee and deputies and between deputies and the public. This will help deputies to perform their duties more effectively through activities that are better planned, organized, and regulated.

We will keep deputies informed of updates to our work through multiple channels, regularly seek their views, and deepen their involvement. We will support deputies in staying connected with the people to ensure their proposals, suggestions, and deliberation remarks better reflect public input.

We will organize well-planned inspection tours and research projects for deputies, provide them with carefully designed training courses, and handle their proposals and suggestions more efficiently and effectively. We will strengthen services and support for deputies in the performance of their duties while enhancing oversight and management of their activities. Acting on the Party Central Committee’s plans and requirements and in keeping with relevant laws including the Election Law, we will work to ensure the success of the new round of elections for people’s congresses at the county and township levels nationwide as well as the integrity of the elections and public satisfaction with their results.

5. Pursuing vigorous international engagement

Grounded in China’s overall diplomatic agenda and guided by head-of-state diplomacy, we will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with foreign parliaments as well as international and regional parliamentary organizations in line with our functions and responsibilities. We will deepen exchanges with other countries on national governance experience and conduct effective communication through thematic and professional dialogues. In order to oppose hegemony and power politics and safeguard our nation’s sovereignty, security, and development interests, we will take the initiative to state our position firmly and unequivocally, demonstrating both the courage and capability to fight back as necessary.

6. Fulfilling the four-fold role

Upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, we will strictly enforce the systems for Party leadership, continue to arm ourselves with innovative Party theories, and resolutely and vigorously implement the Party Central Committee’s major decisions and plans.

We will launch an educational campaign to ensure officials have a correct understanding of what it means to perform well and act accordingly. We will serve the people through solid work, base our efforts on actual conditions and objective laws, and endeavor to continually improve the quality and efficiency of our work.

We will enrich content provided across all media platforms, expand the reach and enhance the impact of our media communication efforts, and strengthen research on the theory and practice of the people’s congress system. We will harness digital and intelligent technologies to improve our work performance.

We will work to ensure that the political responsibility for full and rigorous Party self-governance is fulfilled and our staff has a stronger awareness of the NPC’s role as a political institution. Consistent and unremitting efforts must be made to continue improving conduct and enforcing discipline. We will also strengthen our communication and coordination with local people’s congresses, striving together to bring the work of people’s congresses to the next level in the new era.

Fellow Deputies,

Let us unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, maintain firm confidence, build on our momentum, and forge ahead with determination to create new horizons in Chinese modernization.