Deputies urged to help advance modernization

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, delivers a speech on Monday at the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th NPC in Beijing. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

Stressing the importance of developing whole-process people's democracy, China's top legislator called on national lawmakers on Monday to unite and gather strength to continuously promote Chinese modernization and realize people's aspirations for a better life.

"With a people-centered development concept, we'll fully respect the will expressed by the people, the experience they have created, the rights they have, and the role they play to stimulate the enthusiasm and vitality of the whole of society and build up a powerful force of unity," Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said as the top legislature wrapped up its annual session on Monday.

At the closing meeting of the second session of the 14th NPC, deputies voted to approve resolutions on the Government Work Report, the national economic and social development plan for 2024 and the central budget for 2024.

They also passed resolutions on the work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the revised Organic Law of the State Council.

The amended law, taking a people-centered approach to law enforcement, optimizes the workflow and functions of the central government, clarifying that all those working for the State Council must exercise power by the rule of law to build a law-based government that the people are satisfied with.

Zhao called on all NPC deputies to work hard and concentrate their efforts to achieve the annual economic and social development goals, and unswervingly promote Chinese modernization.

NPC deputies interact during the meeting at the Great Hall of the People. FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and is also a crucial year for achieving the goals of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), he said, urging NPC deputies to try their best to overcome difficulties and serve the people, in order to meet the public's aspiration for a better life.

Qin Baohua, an NPC deputy and a teacher from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said that she has long paid high attention to issues regarding education, especially in the middle school stage.

"In the process of performing my duties, I have implemented whole-process people's democracy, solicited suggestions and opinions on the balanced development of education from people at the grassroots, and brought their voices to the NPC session," she said.

"I will take the people-centered approach by increasing my visits and research, and expand my focus to other issues involving people's livelihoods, such as social insurance and nursing care services," she added.

At the second session of the 14th NPC, 298 motions put forward by NPC deputies had been submitted as of Friday noon. Of these, 292 concentrated on legislative items, with major themes including enhancing high-quality development and promoting new quality productive forces.

Many motions were made based on surveys and opinions collected from the public, showing the implementation of whole-process people's democracy, according to the session's secretariat.

In addition, the secretariat had also received more than 7,000 suggestions from NPC deputies as of Friday, mainly covering the digital economy, education, emerging businesses and opening-up.