Deputies to the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) applauded 22 times when hearing the March 10 work reports of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), a striking contrast with their sharp criticism on similar reports concerning corruption two years ago.

"SPC and SPP did a better job last year and their reports were also true to fact, a sign that the NPC Standing Committee has considerably strengthened its function for supervision," said Tsang Hin-Chi, a NPC deputy from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

As shown in their reports, the two law enforcement departments had taken effective improvement measures concerning issues raised by NPC deputies, and reported good results by putting themselves under NPC's supervision wholeheartedly, Tsang said.

As a matter of fact, China's political life has obviously featured openness and supervision. Open administration, open trial, open prosecution, open village affairs, open factory affairs and accounts, for example, are all aimed to have better supervision by people in general. NPC, the nation's supreme organ of state power, and local people' congresses are entitled to the right for supervision over governments, courts and procuratorates in their work and law enforcement.

NPC Standing Committee chairman Li Peng, China's top legislator, defined clearly in his work report that continued endeavors must be done to intensify supervision in this regard in a bid to guarantee correct implementation of laws and improve their work.

"Power without supervision will lead to abuses of power for personal gains, destruction of state laws and even corruption. So, to strengthen the supervision system is a sound guarantee for political democracy and social justice," said Chen Miaozhen, a NPC deputy from Jieyang city of southern Guangdong Province.

) She was once dressed down by some local officials due to her revelation of their corrupt deeds, with some even having a coffin placed in front of her house as a way of intimidation.

"I find that governments at various levels have begun to pay much more attention to the supervisory function of NPC deputies. Now, we have a stronger voice. As NPC deputies, we should dare to take any pressure upon ourselves and brave risks," said Chen, who has been a NPC deputy for 15 years.

Zeng Xiaoxian, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jilin Provincial People's Congress, is another example. He never dreamed of exercising the right for supervision 18 years ago when he first came to Beijing to attend an annual NPC session.

"I was told to do two things well: to participate in the meeting attentively; and recount what I have learned here about the central policies to people back home," Zeng said.

Deputies attribute the great change to incessant improvement in building the socialist legal system and enhancement of the legal awareness of the broad masses, according to Cheng Xiangqing, director of a research unit of the General Office under the NPC Standing Committee.

NPC and its Standing Committee have approved 370 laws and regulations over the past 21 years since the reform and opening-up drive began in the late 1970s. And the road to supervision was devious, from holding tongues in the beginning to "support-instead- of-supervision" in the second stage, up to the present stage of strict supervision over governments, courts and procuratorates in their work and law enforcement.

In the past year, the NPC Standing Committee passed two resolutions on economic and budget supervision, and examined another resolution concerning supervision over trial and prosecution, to further improve the supervision mechanism.

Proposals, complaints and advice submitted to last year's NPC annual session have been given proper answers and explanations, with all issues having been resolved or being dealt with, sources said.

Supervision by NPC is only part of the country's supervisory system. Critical reports by mass media also have a role, as some of their reports have made local officials lose positions, and even receive penalty according to law.

In addition, wider-ranging supervision by the general public has become "antiseptics" of the Party and governments. Statistics show that the masses provide 80 percent of the clues that lead to prosecutions of officials at all levels.

However, supervision falls far short of the expectations of the masses. "Exposed major cases involving leading officials have shown that the prevalent "power-for-money" transactions are largely attributable to a weak supervision mechanism," said NPC deputy Liu Qingning from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southChina.

Media supervision is vulnerable to legal disputes as no law has ever clearly defined the function. And often times, relevant reporters and media are retaliated for this. Therefore, many deputies suggest a law on media supervision be enacted in a bid to safeguard the legal rights and interests of journalists.

Premier Zhu Rongji said in his report that active measures should be taken to promote open administration and encourage people to supervise governments and officials. And SPC president Xiao Yang and SPP procurator-general Han Zhubin echoed the call in their work reports.

A supervision system that covers all aspects of political, economic and social life and guarantees democracy is taking shape in China, as the process of governing state affairs according to law is accelerating and the enactment of a supervision law is in the pipeline, NPC deputies said.