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Backgrounder: People's Congress System, NPC
The people's congress system is the fundamental political system of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the organizational form of the state power of the Chinese people's democratic dictatorship, and the political form of government of China. The system is the most direct reflection of the nature of the PRC, indicating the status of the Chinese people of various nationalities as masters in the country's political life.
The NPC is the highest organ of power through which the Chinese people exercise their state power.
In 1953, China held people's congresses at different levels. In 1954, the First National People's Congress was convened, which marked the establishment of the people's congress system.
The NPC exercises legislative power, amends the Constitution and supervises its enforcement, formulates and amends basic statutes and other laws; elects and decides on leading personnel of state-level administrative, judicial, procuratorial and military bodies, and has the right to recall them; examines and decides on fundamental, long-term and key issues.
All administrative, judicial, procuratorial and military organs and other state-level institutions are responsible to the NPC and supervised by it.
The NPC Standing Committee, the executive organ of the NPC, is elected by the NPC and exercises state legislative power together with the NPC. Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Ye Jianying, Wan Li and Qiao Shi served as chairman of past NPC Standing Committees. Li Peng is chairman of the current NPC Standing Committee.
Among the nine terms of the NPC, eight have special committees except the Fourth NPC which was in sessions during the "Great Cultural Revolution" (1966-1976).
The Ninth NPC has established nine special committees: the Ethnic Affairs Committee, Law Committee, Committee for Internal and Judicial Affairs, Financial and Economic Committee, Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee, Environment and Resources Protection Committee, and Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee. These committees are permanent bodies under the leadership and supervision of both the NPC and its Standing Committee.
The NPC's delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is known as "the NPC Delegation." On December 8, 1983, the Third Meeting of the Sixth NPC Standing Committee decided to join the IPU. In April 1984, the IPU Council's 134th meeting made an official announcement to accept the NPC Delegation as its member.
The NPC Delegation's motto is to promote mutual understanding and friendly exchanges with parliamentary members of different countries, develop friendship and cooperation with peoples of different countries, and safeguard world peace.
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