Legislation and Supervision: Li Peng's National People's Congress Diary

Author: Li Peng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The People's Congress system is the fundamental political system of our country, serving as an important institutional guarantee for national prosperity, social stability, and people's well-being. The 16th National Congress proposed strengthening political civilization construction alongside material civilization and spiritual civilization, as a fundamental approach to building socialism with Chinese characteristics and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The People's Congress system is an essential component of socialist political civilization construction. As this system continues to improve, its role in national life becomes increasingly significant. Based on five years of experience in the work of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress, my understanding and insights into the work of the People's Congress can be summarized into the following five points:
First, it is essential to correctly handle the relationship between strengthening the Party's leadership and the role of the People's Congress. The Communist Party of China is the core leading force of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, a position formed through long-term historical practices of revolution and construction in China and enshrined in the Constitution. The People's Congress and its Standing Committee must consciously accept the Party's leadership, fully implement the Party's line, principles, and policies in the process of legally fulfilling their duties, and ensure that the Party's proposals become national will through legal procedures. Integrating the adherence to the Party's leadership, people's sovereignty, and the rule of law is a fundamental political principle and guarantee for effectively carrying out the work of the People's Congress.
Second, it is essential to correctly handle the relationship between the People's Congress and the people. The People's Congress is democratically elected and is accountable to the people and subject to their supervision. The People's Congress must seriously implement the important thought of "Three Represents," remember the people's trust, and take the fundamental interests of the broad masses as the starting point and destination of its work. It must maintain a close bond with the people, understand their opinions, listen to their voices, reflect their will, and consciously place its work under the people's supervision. Only in this way can the People's Congress have a solid foundation and maintain its vitality and dynamism.
Third, it is essential to correctly handle the relationship between the People's Congress, the government, the courts, and the procuratorates. The state organs of our country are an organic whole, differing only in division of labor and responsibilities, with a unified overall goal and tasks. The People's Congress exercises state power by formulating laws and making decisions. On this basis, the government strictly administers the law, and the courts and procuratorates exercise fair and just adjudication according to the law. The People's Congress, in accordance with the Constitution and laws, supervises the "government, courts, and procuratorates" to ensure that they improve their work and truly use the power entrusted by the people for the people's benefit. This supervision is both necessary restraint and support and promotion of the work of the "government, courts, and procuratorates."
Fourth, it is essential to correctly handle the relationship between promoting democracy and implementing centralization. The principle of democratic centralism is the basic guideline for the operation of China's state organs. The People's Congress and its Standing Committee must fully listen to the opinions of NPC deputies and members of the Standing Committee when formulating any laws or making any decisions. The Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress paid great attention to the consultation process before each bill and resolution was put to a vote. Bills generally underwent three readings, allowing for open discussion and collective wisdom, respecting the opinions of the minority while upholding the principle of majority rule, and only then proceeding to a vote to form resolutions.
Fifth, it is essential to correctly handle the relationship between exercising powers legally and continuously innovating. In the practice of China's reform and opening-up and modernization drive, new situations and issues constantly emerge. Therefore, the work of the People's Congress must liberate the mind, seek truth from facts, keep pace with the times, and continuously explore new experiences and practices. The People's Congress must adhere to the working method of "from the masses, to the masses," value the creativity of the broad masses, and recognize the pioneering work of local People's Congresses. Successful experiences and practices should be appropriately elevated to laws and local regulations.
This book is compiled based on the diaries from my five years of work in the People's Congress, supplemented by relevant speeches, work notes, and meeting records. It covers aspects such as legislative work, supervisory work, representative work, and self-improvement of the People's Congress. As an important part of national foreign affairs, the Ninth National People's Congress also carried out extensive pioneering work in foreign affairs, playing a certain role in implementing the independent and peaceful foreign policy.
The following practices were adopted in compiling this book:
First, highlighting key points. The main work of the People's Congress is legislation and supervision. During the term of the Ninth National People's Congress, the NPC and its Standing Committee adopted 113 laws, legal interpretations, and decisions on legal issues. The Standing Committee conducted 22 law enforcement inspections and heard 40 special reports. Given the vast amount of work, only the most important aspects were selected. The book consists of 26 chapters, each with a chapter title and subheadings, to aid readers in understanding.
Second, arranging chapters in chronological order. The diaries within each chapter are generally arranged in chronological order. Due to varying time spans in some chapters, the length of each chapter differs.
Third, editing by thematic content. Some chapters combine legislation with corresponding law enforcement inspections, while others group legislation with legal lectures. Although self-improvement of the People's Congress is a separate chapter, some content is also included in other chapters. These practices are designed to help readers organically connect related content when reading the book.