Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697728952320.pdf (China)
NPC National People’s Congress of China ISSUE 4 · 2012 《中国人大》对外版 XI JINPING PLEDGES ‘GREAT RENEWAL OF CHINESE NATION’ 2 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xi Jinping (C) and the other newly-elected members of the Standing Committee of the 18th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau Li Keqiang (3rd R), Zhang Dejiang (3rd L), Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R), Liu Yunshan (2nd L), ISSUE 4 · 2012 Wang Qishan (1st R), Zhang Gaoli (1st L) meet with journalists at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 15, 2012.
Xie Huanchi 3 28 Xi Jinping: Man of the people, statesman of vision People 28 Xi Jinping: Man of the people, statesman of vision Contents Hot Topics Special Report 6 China adds residents' per capita in- come into economic growth target 9 Income doubling plan spurs a changed growth model 22 China's new helmsmen 26 Xi Jinping pledges ‘great renewal of Chinese nation’ Focus 36 Uphold Constitution, Xi says 4 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA 6 China adds residents’ per capita income into economic growth target 46 China amends law to boost care for elderly 40 A glimpse of NPC’s decade-long legislation achievements ISSUE 4 · 2012 Review Picture 16-21 40 A glimpse of NPC’s decade-long legislation achievements Legislation 46 China amends law to boost care for elderly ISSUE 4 · 2012 COVER: Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), speaks at the press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capi- tal of China, on November 15, 2012.
Liao Pan NPC General Editorial Office Address: 23 Xijiaominxiang, Xicheng District Beijing 100805,P.R.China Tel: (86-10)6309-8540 (86-10)8308-3891 E-mail: zgrd@npc.gov.cn ISBN 1674-3008 CN 11-5683/D Price:RMB35 Edited by The People’s Congresses Journal Published by The People’s Congresses Journal Printed by Beijing Guo Cai Printing Co., Ltd. in China 5 HOT TOPICS China adds residents’ per capita income into economic growth target 6 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Chinese leader Hu Jintao set a new tar- get for economic growth on November 8, 2012, saying that the country should double its 2010 GDP and per capita in- come by 2020.
“On the basis of making China’s development much more balanced, coordinated and sustainable, we should double its 2010 GDP and per capita in- come for both urban and rural residents (by 2020),” Hu said in a report at the opening of the 18th Na- tional Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

This is the first time that per capita income has been included in the country’s 2020 blueprint for a moderately prosperous society.
Solemn promise An internationally accepted indicator for gauging people’s living standards, per capita income refers to the earnings of each person if the national income were to be equitably divided between the country’s 1.3 billion people.
Chang Xiuze, an economist with the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s economic planner, sees the quantitative target as a solemn promise made by the Party as well as a manifestation of the Party’s resolve to address public concerns and facilitate economic growth for the good of the people.

Official statistics showed that China’s fiscal revenues broke the 10-trillion-yuan benchmark in 2011, registering growth of 24.8 percent from 2010.
Also in 2011, the per capita disposal income for Chinese urban dwellers rose by 14.1 percent to 21,810 yuan ($3,493) over that in 2010.

The figure for rural residents rose by 17.9 percent to 6,977 yuan.

The figures could be lower with con- sideration of inflation.

In 2007, the world’s average income per person stood at $7,000, according to the Globalist Quiz produced by the Glo- balist, an online magazine that focuses on globalization.
As China’s economic take-off has been largely propelled by cheap labor in past decades, Chinese workers have remained at a disadvantage in terms of income distribution.

With more wealth in the treasury, the government can build up public infrastructure and improve public services, while financially capable corporations can expand their pro- duction and boost the economy, experts say.
Hu Jintao made it clear on November 8, 2012 that China must deepen income distribution reforms and increase indi- vidual incomes in step with economic development.

“We should raise the share of individual income in the distribution of national income and increase the share of work remuneration in primary distribution,” Hu said.

Delegate Liu Ke took the target as a signal that the peo- ple’s wellbeing would occupy a more prominent position in China’s future reforms.
“It is in line with the requirements of scientific development, the essential target of which is to benefit the Tourists ride bicycles at Qionghai Wet- land Park in Xichang, Sichuan Prov- ince on November 20, 2012.

Liu Chan ISSUE 4 · 2012 7 HOT TOPICS Hu said China will strive to increase contributions made through scientific and technological progress to economic growth.

people,” he said.
people,” he said.

To realize the target, Hu said China will strive to increase contributions made through scientific and technological progress to economic growth and turn China into an innova- tive country.
Under the Party’s blueprint, China should basically accomplish industrialization, significantly expand IT application and markedly improve the quality of urbanization by 2020. Notable progress should also be made in modernizing agriculture, and a basic mechanism for promoting balanced development between regions should be in place, Hu said.

The biggest challenge facing the target, delegate Song Chan- grui said, will be downward pressure in the Chinese economy.
“For the wellbeing of all, Chinese people should unite and double their efforts to advance economic restructuring for a sustainable future,” he said.

Social justice and fairness Delegate Lin Duo viewed social justice and fairness along with economic reforms.

“If the fruits of China’s economic reform and opening up can benefit all Chinese equally, both overall living standards and social harmony will improve,” he said.
According to Hu, the upcoming reforms will strike a bal- ance between efficiency and fairness in both primary and secondary distribution, with particular emphasis on fairness in secondary distribution.
China should improve the primary distribution system to allow factors of production such as labor, capital, technology and managerial expertise to have their due share of income according to their respective contributions, and China should take swift action to improve the mechanism for adjusting secondary distribution through taxation, social security and transfer payments, he said.
Reforms for the wage and salary system in enterprises, government bodies and public institutions will be deepened and collective bargaining for wages in enterprises will be pro- moted, Hu said.

He said the Party will protect income earned through work and increase proprietary individual income through multiple channels.
“We should improve the way in which income is distributed, protect lawful income, increase the income of low-income groups, adjust excessively high income, and prohibit illicit income,” he said.

Ungad Chadda, senior vice president of the Toronto Stock Exchange, a world leader in mining and energy financing, is closely watching the congress in order to better understand China’s future growth prospects.
He said he has been looking at elements related to the emerging middle class, increasing migration into urban centers and an increased appetite for goods, all of which are critical to the market.

William Ratliff, a fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the Independent Institute, said one of the biggest challenges facing the government and the CPC will be figuring out how to steadily improve governance, the economy and living conditions in a rapidly changing world by balancing development.
Hu Jintao urged all Party members to use greater political courage and vision and discard any notions that could hinder efforts to pursue development in a scientific way.

“As long as we remain true to our ideals and firm in our conviction, never vacillate in our efforts or act recklessly, we will surely meet the goal,” he said.

(Xinhua) File photo taken on September 27, 2012 shows farmers of Xuetian Vil- lage, Wuchang city in Heilongjiang Province harvest crops.
Wang Song Workers assemble new energy vehicles on August 27, 2012 at a work- shop of Yulin Dongfang New Energy Vehicles Co. Ltd. under the Shaanxi Automobile Group Co. Ltd. Jiang Hongjing 8 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Income doubling plan spurs a changed growth model By Li Songtao Gui Liyan, an agricultural technician in Xuan’en County, Hubei Province, bakes hot peppers in a curing barn on August 29, 2012.
Gui works for a hot pepper co-operative, which assists local farmers to grow, process and sell hot peppers.

Xinhua “Earning a salary of more than 2,000 yuan ($350) a month, can I expect a double over the next few years?” inquired Pang, a 41-year- old driver who works for a travel agency in southern China, during an interview with reporter.
Pang, who rarely reads newspapers, was deeply impressed by the report of the recently-concluded 18th CPC National Congress, which promises to double China’ GDP as well as its per capita income by 2020.

For the first time the authorities incorporate a specific income growth into their development blueprints, which undoubtedly would influence the welfare of every Chinese citizen.

It is also regarded as a solemn commit- ment made by the newly-elected collective leadership towards its people.
Meanwhile, Pang has his own doubts on how to increase their income.

“It is the company, not the government, has the final say on wage increases.

Even if our salaries got increased, does that mean the prices of commodities will be soaring consequently?” In his spare time, Pang talks with his colleagues on this issue but nobody could figure out his puzzle.

Similar queries and debates are rife in China’s online forums and Internet portals.
Income doubling refers to the doubling of actual purchasing power after the price factor is taken out, said Liu Shangxi, vice-director of the Research Institute for Fiscal Science under the Ministry of Finance.

Meanwhile, not everyone’s earning would be doubled.
With the aim to diminish the wealth chasm, corresponding preferential policies would be introduced in middle and western areas, ISSUE 4 · 2012 9 HOT TOPICS Customers deposit and withdraw money at a branch of the Agricultural Bank of China in Huaibei, Anhui Province on December 6, 2011.

CFP among farmers, migrant workers as well as poverty-stricken groups.
In the opinion of Professor Huo Deming from Chinese Center for Economic Research of Beijing University, China has taken a step forward in the right direction by improving the income of ordinary people, but it would not be an easy task.

During the past decades, China has laid too much stress on GDP, taking for granted that higher growth rates would bring a rapid income rise among citizens.
As a result, some of Chinese officials paid more attention to GDP growth rate partly because the figure was crucial to their performance as- sessment and consequent promotion.

Data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that China’s GDP growth rate has reached a surprising 9.9 percent annually during 1979-2009, dwarfing the 7.3 percent of growth rate of the per-capita disposable income for urban residents and the 7.2 percent of the per-capita income for farmers during the same period of time.
Ten years ago, the consumer spending was 46 percent of GDP compared with 35 percent today.

The rapid slump of consumer spending indicates that ordinary people have not enjoyed the fruits of economic growth, noted Huo.

Another concern is the high saving rate among the Chinese people.

“The saving rate has reached an unprecedented star- tling 50 percent (of GDP),” said Wu Jinglian, a well-known economist, at an international finance forum in Sanya, Hain- an Province at the end of 2012.
Wu noted the high saving rates are mainly created by the State as well as the (State-owned) enterprises, not ordinary people.

The pattern of distribution is determined by that of production.

China’s investment-oriented economy leads to an inevitable outcome that the more you invest, the more you get.

Because the major investors in China are the State as well as the State-owned enterprises, the income of ordinary peo- ple is relatively low due to fewer investments, Wu explained.
“In China, quite a lot of citizens in urban areas receive no income from investment, which has been reinvested by the enterprises in the form of profits and bank interests,” echoed Huo Deming.

Companies in foreign countries usually pass dividends to their shareholders after making money.

They would borrow money from the banks if fluid funds needed.

While there is a different story in China, a considerable pro- portion of profits have to be held by the enterprises.
A frequent measure adopted by the State on macro- economic control is to urge the banks reducing their lending, which would produce a direct impact towards the operation of enterprises, Huo said.

For many private-owned enter- prises, they have to pinch pennies in case of any fluctuations.

Even for State-owned enterprises (SOEs), their development target is to build stronger enterprises, also lacking the inten- tion to share the bonus among their shareholders or citizens.
As a result, the income of the State as well as the SOEs might snowball but the ordinary people see no fundamental increases in their pockets.

Moreover, the income gap has been enlarged among different companies.

According to NBS statistics released on May 29, 2012, the average per-capita income of employees working in private companies and in non-private companies were 24,556 yuan and 42,452 yuan respectively in 2011.
“Besides, China has more than 200 million migrant 10 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC “The saving rate has reached an unprecedented startling 50 percent (of GDP),”said economist Wu Jinglian.

will reach 38,000 yuan by 2020 from 17,813 yuan in 2011 and farmers’ income raised to 16,000 yuan from 6,629 yuan.
In Gansu Province, the provincial government adopted an income rise plan for 2012-16 on November 20, 2012, which promised that the growth rate of rural resident’s income will surpass 15 percent annually.

Two days later, Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China put forward a similar plan, vow- ing to increase local people’s income at a growth rate of 12 per- cent each year.
Huo Deming expressed his worries towards the imple- mentation of the plans, saying “It is easy to add up GDP but difficult to calculate residents’ income.” Different from many advanced countries, in which citi- zens’ income could be calculated accurately on the basis of taxation, more than 90 percent of China’s taxes are levied in- directly.

In other words, a substantial portion of citizens’ real incomes is not reflected in taxations at all.
“A transparence service is needed in counting residents’ incomes,” said Huo.

For example, some units have altered parts of salaries into off-payroll incomes by allowing their employees to use receipts for reimbursement.

Necessary adjustments in taxation system should be taken to expose the invisible incomes, he added.

As for farmers who have no invisible income, it would be impossible to double their earning only by agricultural production.
Huo suggested a feasible way is to speed up the process of urbanization, which would improve the utilization of lands.

Xiang Songzuo, chief economist of Agriculture Bank of China, listed five major measures to increase people’s income.

First is to ensure that each person has an equal opportunity to education and employment.

Second is to support and stimulate the development of mid- and small- enterprises through easing their taxation burdens and pro- viding more loans.
Third is to levy resources tax and proper- ty tax as well as combat the collusion between officials and businesses in resources tapping.

Fourth is to terminate the monopoly of large-scale State-owned enterprises in some sectors and to welcome the investment of private investors.

Fifth is to diminish expenditures on fiscal administration and to put at least 60 percent of fiscal funds into education, medical care, unemployment insurance and other social welfare systems.
“The nation should not only take efforts in greatly im- proving citizens’ disposable incomes but also adopt measures to narrow the gaps between rich and poor,” said Xiang.

The growing gulf of income distribution between rich and poor will decrease people’s satisfaction in terms of happiness and trigger various social conflicts.

It is of necessity to change the development pattern, oth- erwise all those income doubling plans are of no avail, Xiang concluded.
(China Youth Daily) A female shopper purchases vegetables at a community market in Gui- yang, Guizhou Province on October 25, 2012.

Ou Dongqu workers, who have no additional money to consume at all,” noted Wu, adding that the government decided to issue more money, exempt taxations and introduce home appliances to countryside, leading to the so-called taxation leap forward.
At first, the central government did not pay enough at- tention to the above-mentioned problems and suggested to stimulate consumptions 10 years ago and later realized to increase citizens’ income.

The Party’s report in 2012 stepped further, planning to double people’s income.

Starting from December 1, 2012, China has kicked off a household investigations program in terms of unification of rural and urban areas.

A total of 400,000 households began to keep unified accounts of their life.
Such a movement would provide solid foundation for the implementation of Party’s income doubling plan by 2020, said Ma Jiantang, head of NBS.

Statistics from Ma’s bureau indicated that the per-capita disposable income for urban citizens grew 9.8 percent during the first three quarters in 2012 and the figure for rural resi- dents was 12.3 percent, surpassing the 7.7 percent growth of GDP during the same period of time.
Many provinces and municipalities, such as Guizhou and Jiangsu provinces, followed the suit in 2011.

The State Council, China’s central government, officially approved the Development Plan of Zhongyuan Economic Zone on November 17, 2012.

Zhongyuan area, which literally means Central Plains, refers to the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, which includes Henan Province and parts of Shandong, Hebei, Anhui and Shanxi provinces.
According to the plan, the annual disposable income for rural residents ISSUE 4 · 2012 11 HOT TOPICS Key quotes from Hu Jintao’s report to CPC national congress Chinese leader Hu Jintao delivered a report on November 8, 2012 at the opening ceremony of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The following are key quotes from his report: On Scientific Outlook on Development – The most important achievement in our endeavors in the past ten years is that we have formed the Scientific Outlook on Development and put it into practice.

– This theory provides new scientific answers to the major questions of what kind of development China should achieve in a new environment and how the country should achieve it.
– Together with Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development is the theo- retical guidance the Party must adhere to for a long time.

On socialism with Chinese characteristics – We must unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
– Our overall approach is to promote economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress, and our general task is to achieve socialist modernization and the great renewal of the Chinese nation.
On building moderately prosperous society – We need to have a correct understanding of the changing nature and conditions of this period, seize all opportunities, respond with cool-headedness to challenges, and gain initiative and advantages to win the future and attain the goal of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020.
– An examination of both the current international and domestic environments shows that China remains in an important period of strategic opportunities for its development, a period in which much can be achieved.

– On the basis of making China’s development much more Workers with the Changdao Power Supply Company under the State Grid lay submarine cables on September 2, 2012.
Chu Yang Lu Yifan, a 3-year-old boy, shows his railway ticket on December 26, 2012, when the Beijing-Guangzhou High Speed Railway came into operation.

With a length of 2,298 kilometers, it boasts to be the lon- gest high speed railway in the world.

Hou Yu 12 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC balanced, coordinated and sustainable, we should double its 2010 GDP and per capita income for both urban and rural residents.
– To complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we must, with greater political courage and vision, lose no time in deepening reform in key sectors and resolutely discard all notions and systems that hinder ef- forts to pursue development in a scientific way.

On economy – Taking economic development as the central task is vital to national renewal, and development still holds the key to addressing all the problems we have in China.
– The underlying issue we face in economic structural reform is how to strike a balance between the role of the gov- ernment and that of the market, and we should follow more closely the rules of the market and better play the role of the government.
– We should firmly maintain the strategic focus of boost- ing domestic demand, speed up the establishment of a long- term mechanism for increasing consumer demand, unleash the potential of individual consumption, increase investment at a proper pace, and expand the domestic market.

– We should give high priority to rural areas in developing infrastructure and social programs in the country.
On political structure reform – We must continue to make both active and prudent ef- forts to carry out the reform of the political structure, and make people’s democracy more extensive, fuller in scope and sounder in practice.

– We should place high importance on systemic building, give full play to the strength of the socialist political system and draw on the political achievements of other societies.

However, we will never copy a Western political system.
An employee works at a solar photovoltaic power station established in a fishpond on August 19, 2012 in Jianyang Township, Jianhu Coun- ty, Jiangsu Province.

It is the first photovoltaic power station built in the province, which conserves energy and reduces emissions by suc- cessfully combining aquaculture and power generation.

Pu Liangping Spectators attending the International Consumer Electronics Show in US’ Las Vegas visit the booth set by China’s Haier Group on January 11, 2012.
Founded in 1984, Haier has grown from a small plant on the verge of bankruptcy into a multinational consumer electronics and leading home appliance company based in Qingdao, Shandong Prov- ince.

Yang Lei Residents living in Qingyou Xili Community, Tianjin look through re- sumes of candidates running for neighborhood committee members on March 24, 2012.

A total of 977 communities held elections to select new neighborhood committees in the municipality.
Zhang Chaoqun ISSUE 4 · 2012 13 HOT TOPICS On improving people’s wellbeing – We should keep making progress in ensuring that all the people enjoy their rights to education, employment, medical and old-age care, and housing so that they will lead a better life.
On ecological progress – We must give high priority to making ecological progress and incorporate it into all aspects and the whole process of advancing economic, political, cultural, and social progress, work hard to build a beautiful country, and achieve lasting and sustainable development of the Chinese nation.
On military modernization – Building strong national defense and powerful armed forces that are commensurate with China’s international standing and meet the needs of its security and development interests is a strategic task of China’s modernization drive.

– We should attach great importance to maritime, space and cyberspace security.
We should make active planning for the use of military forces in peacetime, expand and intensify military preparedness, and enhance the capability to accomplish a wide range of military tasks, the most important of which is to win local war in an information age.

On Taiwan – We are ready to conduct exchanges, dialogue and cooperation with any political party in Taiwan as long as it does not seek Taiwan independence and recognizes the one- China principle.
– We hope that the two sides will jointly explore cross- Straits political relations and make reasonable arrangements for them under the special condition that the country is yet to be reunified.

– We hope the two sides will discuss the establishment Medical workers at Xuzhuang Health Center in Zaozhuang city, Shan- dong Province help local farmers participating new cooperative medi- cal system reimburse their medical fees.
Li Zongxian Nearly 1,000 aged people practice exercises, such as Taijiquan, in the Temple of Confucius in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on October 5, 2011, to celebrate the Double-Ninth Festival, a traditional festival for the aged people in China.

Lai Liusheng Under the guidance of their teacher, third grader Yang Zheyu (2nd L) and his classmates at Wenqing Experimental School in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Prov- ince participate an art class on November 20, 2012.
Song Zhenping China’s manned submersible Jiaolong gets ready to dive on June 1, 2012.

Submersible Jiaolong set a new national dive record on June 27 after reaching 7,062 meters below sea level during its sixth dive into the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
Zhang Xudong 14 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC of a cross-Straits military security confidence-building mechanism to maintain stability in their relations and reach a peace agreement through consultation so as to open a new horizon in advancing the peaceful growth of these relations.

On foreign affairs – China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace.
– We are firm in our resolve to uphold China’s sovereignty, security and development interests and will never yield to any outside pressure.

– We will decide our position and policy on an issue on its own merits and work to uphold fairness and justice.
– international disputes and hotspot issues, opposes the wanton use of force or threat to use it, opposes any foreign attempt to subvert the legitimate government of any other countries, and opposes terrorism in all its manifestations.

– China opposes hegemonism and power politics in all their forms and will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.
On Party building – Combating corruption and promoting political integrity, which is a major political issue of great concern to the people, is a clear-cut and long-term political commitment of the Party.

If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the Party, and even cause the collapse of the Party and the fall of the State.

– Leading officials at all levels, especially high-ranking officials, must readily observe the code of conduct on clean governance and report all important matters.
They should both exercise strict self-discipline and strengthen education and supervision over their families and their staff; and they should never seek any privilege.

(Xinhua) Photo taken on a marine surveillance plane B-3837 on December 13, 2012 shows the Diaoyu Island and nearby islands.
Xinhua Cai Jian (2nd R), head of Xuetian Village in Huaibei, Anhui Province, explains village affairs, such as land acquisition, rural policies, collec- tive assets and new co-operative medical insurance to fellow villagers on September 12, 2012.

Jin Mu Left: File photo shows a new J-15 fighter jet takes off from China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
Designed by and made in China, the J-15 is able to carry multi-type anti-ship, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs.

Right: After its delivery to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on September 25, 2012, the aircraft carrier Liaoning has undergone a series of sailing and technological tests, in- cluding the flight of the carrier-borne J-15.
Zha Chunming ISSUE 4 · 2012 15 Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Com- mittee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, delivers a keynote report during the opening ceremony of the 18th CPC National Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 8, 2012.
Liao Pan The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu (front, in red), attends, as a non- voting delegate, the opening ceremony of the 18th National Congress of the Commu- nist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 8, 2012.

Liao Pan FOCUS PICTURE The 18th National Congress of the Com- munist Party of China (CPC) opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on November 8, 2012.
Li Tao 16 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Delegates attending the 18th CPC Na- tional Congress from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region discuss the con- gress report and open to media on November 9, 2012 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Sheng Jiapeng Delegates attending the 18th CPC National Congress from Jilin Province discuss the congress report and open to media on November 9, 2012 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Sheng Jiapeng Video journalists cover the opening ceremony of the 18th National Con- gress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on November 8, 2012.

A total of 2,732 Chinese and foreign journal- ists are involved in the coverage of the 18th CPC National Congress.
Li Xin Zhang Jinzhong, a 65-year-old Party member, listens to a special news broadcast on the on-going 18th CPC National Congress on November 14, 2012 at Zhongguo- dian Village, Liu’an city, Anhui Province.

Chen Chaoping A newsstand is filled with newspapers on the 18th CPC National Congress in Taiyuan, Shanxi Prov- ince on November 9, 2012.
Wei Liang ISSUE 4 · 2012 17 FOCUS PICTURE Scrutineer and working staff check a ballot box during the closing session of the 18th National Congress of the Com- munist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 14, 2012.

Li Xueren Delegates watch their ballots during the clos- ing session of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 14, 2012.
Liu Weibing The 18th CPC National Congress concludes on November 14 at the Great Hall of the Peo- ple in Beijing.

The photo shows that delegates cast their votes to select members and alter- native members of the CPC Central Commit- tee and CPC Central Disciplinary Committee.

Ju Peng 18 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC The 18th CPC National Congress concludes on November 14 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Rao Aimin Citizens and tourists watch a live broadcast of the 18th CPC National Congress at the Wangfujing Street in Beijing on November 15, 2012, when the new members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau made a debut.

Li Huisi Women textile workers of Jifa Group in Jimo, Shandong Province study the spirit of the 18th CPC National Congress on Novem- ber 18, 2012.
Liang Xiaopeng ISSUE 4 · 2012 19 FOCUS PICTURE Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with newly-elected General Secretary of the Commu- nist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission Xi Jinping as they meet with del- egates, special delegates and ob- servers to the recently concluded 18th CPC National Congress, in Beijing, capital of China, on No- vember 15, 2012.
Xinhua Xi Jinping (C), Li Keqiang (3rd R), Zhang Dejiang (3rd L), Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R), Liu Yun- shan (2nd L), Wang Qishan (1st R) and Zhang Gaoli (1st L) attend the first plenary ses- sion of the 18th Central Com- mittee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 15, 2012.
Lan Hongguang 20 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Chinese President Hu Jintao(7th L) and members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 17th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Wu Bangguo (6th L), Wen Jiabao (5th L), Jia Qinglin (4th L), Li Changchun (3rd L), He Guoqiang (2nd L) and Zhou Yongkang (1st L) pose for a group photo with newly-elected General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission Xi Jinping(7th R) and members of the Standing Committee of the 18th CPC Central Committee Political Burea Li Keqiang(6th R), Zhang Dejiang (5th R), Yu Zhengsheng (4th R), Liu Yunshan (3rd R), Wang Qishan (2nd R) and Zhang Gaoli (1st R), in Beijing, on November 15, 2012.
Lan Hongguang Makeup of delegates to 18th CPC National Congress The following are changes in the makeup of delegates to 18th CPC National Congress, compared with that at the 17th Party congress in 2007.

-- The number of leading officials at different levels accounts for 69.5 percent of the total delegates to the 18th Party congress, 2.1 percentage points lower than that at the previous congress.

-- The number of grassroots-level del- egates accounts for 30.5 percent, up 2.1 percentage points.
-- The percentage of workers remark- ably increases to 7.4 percent.

Their num- ber grows from 51 five years ago to 169, including 26 farmer-turned workers.

-- The average age of delegates is 52.

Those under the age of 35 account for 5 percent, up 1.9 percentage points.

-- Party members who joined the CPC after the country's reform and opening up in the late 1970s constitute the majority of delegates.

-- Those who joined the Party after November 1976 account for 72.2 percent, up 20.5 percentage points.
(Xinhua) Chinese President Hu Jintao and newly-elected General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission Xi Jinping meet with delegates, special delegates and observers to the just concluded 18th CPC National Con- gress, in Beijing, capital of China, on November 15, 2012.
Ju Peng ISSUE 4 · 2012 21 SPECIAL REPORT China’s new helmsmen A new generation of top Chinese leaders took the stage on November 15, 2012 in one of the world’s most important power transitions, taking the helm of the ruling party of the world’s second-largest economy and the most populous country.
Xi Jinping was sworn in as general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), lead- ing the seven-seat Political Bureau Standing Committee.The other six members are Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zheng- sheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli.

They were elected at the first plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee following the CPC’s 18th National Congress.
Their election marked a smooth top leadership transition following the 16th National Congresses of the Party in 2002.

The smooth transition demonstrates that the Party is mov- ing steadily towards an established norm regarding the hand- 22 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA China’s new helmsmen NPC “We will rally and lead the whole Party and the people in making continued efforts to free our minds, carry out reform and open up,” Xi said.
The leaders made their debut upon their election at the Great Hall of the People under the spotlight of hundreds of reporters across the world.

Xi said they will take “the relay baton passed on to us by history” and make continued efforts to achieve the renewal of the Chinese nation.

“We will rally and lead the whole Party and the people in making continued efforts to free our minds, carry out reform and open up,” Xi said.
Xi noted that the Party faces many severe challenges and that there are many pressing problems within the Party, cit- ing corruption, out-of-touch from the people, and bureau- cracy.

Amid global economic uncertainties and domestic com- plaints over the wealth gap, corruption and environmental woes with rising calls for deepened reform, analysts said China will face more challenges in the years to come.
From the people The seven Standing Committee members of the Political Bureau have witnessed and endured China’s vicissitudes and hardships over the last six decades, including the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).

Xi and Li were born in the 1950s, while the other five were born in the mid- to late 1940s.
Xi, Li, Zhang Dejiang and Wang toiled in communes and villages during the Cultural Revolution, when millions of high school graduates were sent to rural areas to receive “re-education” from peasants and help with rural develop- ment.

It was during their re-education that Xi and Li received their first official titles.

Acting as the Party branch secretaries of their respective production brigades, they got the chance to learn administration at the grassroots level.
Yu worked as a technician at a radio factory in the city of Zhangjiakou in North China’s Hebei Province for a few years, while Liu was a teacher before becoming a reporter at the Xi- nhua News Agency.

Zhang Gaoli was a craneman and loader at an oil company in South China’s Guangdong Province after graduating from university.

Such experiences, analysts observed, gave them keen insight into China’s situation and helped them understand the people’s woes and expectations.
Xi previously said that he received a great deal of guidance from two groups of people: the old generation of revolutionaries and the village people in Shaanxi, his ancestral home where he received seven years of “re-education.” Governance experience As observed by Professor Xie, the new generation of 23 Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yun- shan, Wang Qishan, Zhang Gaoli, who have been elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th Cen- tral Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), arrive to meet with Chinese and foreign journalists at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on November 15, 2012.
Liao Pan ing over of power, which will be crucial for sustained stability and development of the country, analysts observed.

“The new leaders are not ossified or conservative.

Their election will ensure that China continues with both reforms and the socialist path with Chinese characteristics, as they have witnessed, participated in and benefited from reform and opening-up,” said Xie Chuntao, a professor of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.
ISSUE 4 · 2012 SPECIAL REPORT More than 2,300 delegates to the na- tional congress elected the 18th CPC Central Committee through secret bal- lots, who then voted on the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee.

leaders have shown “capacity in controlling overall situ- ations and tackling complicated emergencies” and “are well prepared for challenges and ready to take opportuni- ties.” All of them advanced with rich governance experience through the Party cadre echelon step by step.
Over his 40-year-long career, Xi left his footprint in both the comparatively underdeveloped inland and rural areas, such as a commune in Shaanxi province and Zhengding county in Hebei province, as well as the more prosperous coastal Fujian and Zhejiang provinces and the country’s financial and economic hub of Shanghai.

Most of the new leaders have experience in governing frontier regions for reform, while others are familiar with the situation in underdeveloped central and west regions.
Analysts said the lineup will help the collective leadership to consider matters from an overall perspective when making decisions.

In addition, as a result of long years of experience as local governors, they have also cultivated a down-to-earth work style.

“Do it now” is Xi’s motto.

He always warns officials to perform services while keeping in mind that their official titles are in the hands of the people, instead of within their own grasp.
Theoretical grounding, global vision Unlike their predecessors, the new leaders grew up in a peaceful time, which offered them a chance to receive better education than previous generations.

Notably, they received a complete and systematic education on the mainstream ideology of socialism, which had a formative effect on their views and values, said Dai Yanjun, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

in February, 2012.
in February, 2012.

In a written interview with Washing- ton Post before his tour, the vice president said, “The vast Pacific Ocean has ample space for China and the United States.” As vice premier, Li Keqiang visited the three European na- tions of Spain, Germany and Britain in January 2011.

Prior to his visits, he wrote three articles that were published in influ- ential newspapers in the countries, stating China’s develop- ment orientation.
Another vice premier, Wang Qishan was described by for- mer US Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson as a man who “enjoys philosophical debates and has a wicked sense of humor.” Right formula According to the CPC’s constitution, a Central Committee is elected at a national congress, which is held every five years.

The Central Committee, usually with more than 300 full and alternate members, then elects its Political Bureau and the bureau’s Standing Committee.
More than 2,300 delegates to the national congress on November 14 elected the 18th CPC Central Committee through secret ballots, who then voted on the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee on November 15, 2012.

In the eyes of Huang Yebin, a delegate to the Party con- gress, the new generation of leadership are “energetic, trust- worthy and with both integrity and capacity.” “I’m sure they will lead the nation to a prosperous society,” Huang said.
The CPC’s National Congress was a widely watched agenda in 2012 for “one of the world’s most important power transitions” that followed it, as some foreign media said.
Daniel Bell and Eric Li, a professor of political theory at Tsinghua University in Beijing and a Shanghai-based venture capitalist co-published a comment in the Financial Times on November 12, which said that China “has developed the right formula for choosing political rulers that is consistent with China’s culture and history and suitable for modern circum- stances.” “The Chinese political system has undergone significant change over the past three decades and it comes close to the best formula for governing a large country.” “It should be improved on the basis of this formula, not Western style democracy,” they observed.
backgrounds, varying from engineering to humanities.

Xi holds a doctorate of law from Tsinghua University, where he also received education in chemical engineering af- ter he returned to Beijing from Shaanxi.

Li studied law at Beijing University after he finished “re- education” in Anhui province.

He later received a doctoral degree of economics from the university.
New faces in Political Bureau In addition to the seven Standing Committee members, the Political Bureau has another 18 members, among whom Liu Yandong, Li Yuanchao and Wang Yang are serving their second term.

These education opportunities equipped the leaders with a Liu, 67, also a State councilor, holds a doctoral degree of firm theoretical grounding.

law.
law.

Xi has urged officials at various levels to “read some history” and learn to “seek the correct orientation and path from history.” As witnesses and participants in ongoing globalization, the new leaders also have a broad vision and know how to deal with the international community.

Xi Jinping made a successful visit to the United States Li is also a doctor of law.

He was previously a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

He is 62.

Wang, 57, is Party chief of Guangdong Province.


He previously worked in Chongqing.

He is a master of engineering.

The new members of the bureau are: Ma Kai, Wang Hun- ing, Liu Qibao, Xu Qiliang, Sun Chunlan, Sun Zhengcai, Li 24 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Musical play Tian’anmen is performed at the China National Stadium in Beijing on May 16, 2012.

CFP Jianguo, Zhang Chunxian, Fan Changlong, Meng Jianzhu, Zhao Leji, Hu Chunhua, Li Zhanshu, Guo Jinlong and Han Zheng.

Autonomous Region.
Autonomous Region.

He holds a master’s degree in manage- ment.

He worked in Hunan Province before he was trans- ferred to Xinjiang.

Among the new faces, eight were born around 1949, the founding year of New China.

State Councilor Ma Kai is 66.

The master of economics previously led the National Devel- opment and Reform Commission.

Sun Chunlan from Fujian Province is currently the only woman Party chief in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland.
Her entry added one more woman member to the Political Bureau.

Sun is 62.

Li Jianguo, 66, is vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

The senior legislator is a Chinese language and literature graduate.

Meng Jianzhu, 65, is a state councilor and also minister of public security.

He holds a master’s degree of engineering.

Li Zhanshu is director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.

He was previously Party chief of Guizhou Province.

He is 62.
He is 62.

Beijing Party chief Guo Jinlong received a physics education in university, and previously worked in Tibet for 11 years.

He is 65.

Fan Changlong, 65, and Xu Qiliang, 62, are two members from the army.

The two generals are both vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission.

They began service in the 1960s.

Seven new faces are under the age of 60.

Wang Huning, 57, was previously a member of the Central Committee’s Secretariat.
Before he started a political career, he was a professor of the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai.

Sichuan Province Party chief Liu Qibao, 59, is a master of economics.

He previously worked at the Communist Youth League of China, served as deputy secretary-general of the State Council and deputy editor-in-chief of the People’s Daily.

He has also worked in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Zhang Chunxian, 59, is Party chief of Xinjiang Uygur Zhao Leji, Party chief of Shaanxi Province, previously worked in Qinghai, a plateau province with adverse natural condition, for 27 years.

The philosophy graduate from Beijing University is 55.

Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng is a master of economics.

He is 58.

Notably, the Political Bureau has two members who were born in the 1960s – Sun Zhengcai and Hu Chunhua.

Sun, 49, is a doctor of agronomy.


The Party chief of Jilin Province was previously minister of agriculture.

Hu, also 49, is Party chief of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

He volunteered to work in Tibet after graduating from university, and stayed there for about 20 years.

He worked at the Communist Youth League of China before go- ing to Inner Mongolia.
The plenum also elected the Secretariat of the Central Committee, which includes Liu Yunshan, Liu Qibao, Zhao Leji, Li Zhanshu, Du Qinglin, Zhao Hongzhu and Yang Jing.

It is observed that the new leading echelon has rich governance experience at provincial levels, and they also boast good education backgrounds, with more than 10 doctors and masters, whose majors vary from economics, politics and law to agronomy and management.
Their experience and education backgrounds will help push China towards greater progress, observers said.

Liu Xiangting, a resident at Dashilar, a community near Tian’anmen in downtown Beijing, said the emergence of a new leading team indicates that China will enjoy greater de- velopment momentum.

“I hope the new leaders will care for our livelihoods, boost development and keep themselves clean,” said Liu.
(Xinhua) ISSUE 4 · 2012 25 SPECIAL REPORT Xi Jinping pledges ‘great renewal of Chinese nation’ Xi Jinping (2nd R, front), general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPC Central Military Com- mission (CMC), views “The Road Toward Renewal” exhibition along with other members of the Standing Committee of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee including Li Keqiang (3rd R, front), Zhang Dejiang (4th R, front), Yu Zhengsheng (2nd R, back), Liu Yunshan (1st R, front), Wang Qishan (1st L, front) and Zhang Gaoli (2nd L, front) at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, on November 29, 2012.
Ju Peng Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on November 29, 2012 visited "The Road Toward Renewal" exhi- bition in Beijing, pledging to continue targeting the goal of “great renewal of the Chinese nation.” Xi made the comments as he viewed the exhibition, on display in the National Museum of China, along with other members of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau including Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli.
Xi went through the exhibition halls one by one, carefully examining the exhibits and listening to explanations made by staff of the museum, which houses a large number of historic 26 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC pictures, charts, material goods and videos on Chinese his- tory since the First Opium War (1840-1842).
Xi stopped in front of some exhibits on major histori- cal events in the 19th century, including charts illustrating how the West had occupied China’s territories, established concessions and drew up spheres of influence; the cannons installed at the fortifications of Humen in Guangdong during the Opium War; materials and pictures on the 1911 Revolu- tion that overthrew China’s last feudal dynasty, the Qing Dy- nasty (1644-1911).
The Party leader also studied the first Chinese version of the Communist Manifesto, material exhibits and photos relating to the founding of the CPC in 1921, the autobiography of one of CPC founders Li Dazhao, the first national flag of the People’s Republic of China, and photos on the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee at which Deng Xiaoping and his comrades launched the epoch-making reform and opening up drive.
Making a keynote speech during his visit, the general sec- retary described “The Road Toward Renewal” as a retrospec- tive on the Chinese nation, a celebration of its present and a declaration on its future.

Citing a line from one of Mao Zedong’s poems, “Idle boast the strong pass is a wall of iron,” Xi said the Chinese nation had suffered unusual hardship and sacrifice in the world’s modern history.
"But the Chinese people have never given in, have strug- gled ceaselessly, and have finally taken hold of their own des- tiny and started the great process of building the nation," he emphasized.
“It has displayed, in full, the great national spirit with patriotism as the core.” Talking about China’s today, Xi borrowed another line from Mao’s poems, “But man’s world is mutable, seas become mulberry fields,” referring to the country’s hard-earned find- ing of a correct road toward rejuvenation and its remarkable achievements since the launch of reform and opening up.

“It is the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” he stressed.
Afterwards, Xi cited a poetic sentence from Li Bai, one of the best-known ancient Chinese poets, “I will mount a long wind some day and break the heavy waves.” It indi- cates that, after more than 170 years of hard struggle since the Opium War, the Chinese nation has bright prospects, is closer than ever to reaching its goal of great renewal, and is more confident and capable of reaching the goal than ever.
Xi urged all Party members to firmly keep in mind that lagging behind leaves one vulnerable to attacks and only development makes a nation strong.
At present, he said, “all comrades have to keep in mind that the path decides the destiny, which indicates how dif- ficult it is for us to choose a right road, and that we have to continue taking this road, unswervingly.” “Looking toward the future, all the Party’s comrades have to keep in mind that to turn blueprints into realities takes a long time and it also demands long and hard efforts,” the general secretary said.
Xi went on to say that everybody has one’s own ideal and pursuit as well as one’s own dream.

“Nowadays, everyone Thousands of citizens and tourists gather at the Shuguangbei Square in Wenling, Zhejiang Province to welcome the first ray of the new year on January 1.

Sun Jinbiao is talking about the ‘China Dream,’” he said.
“In my view, to realize the great renewal of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream for the Chinese nation in modern history.” The China Dream has conglomerated the long-cherished aspiration of Chinese people of several generations, represented the overall interests of the Chinese nation and Chinese people, and has been a common expectation of every Chinese, according to Xi.
“History tells us that everybody has one’s future and des- tiny closely connected to those of the country and nation,” the Party leader said, noting that the people’s wellbeing relies on the strength of the country and prosperity of the nation.
It is a glorious and difficult cause to realize the great reju- venation of the Chinese nation, which calls for efforts by Chi- nese generation by generation, said Xi, emphasizing, “Making empty talk is harmful to the nation, while doing practical jobs can help it thrive.” “We, this generation of Communists, must take what has been left to us by our predecessors as a departure for forging ahead into the future,” Xi said.
He pledged to build the Party well, unite all Chinese people to build the country well and develop the nation well, in a bid to continue marching boldly toward the goal of great renewal of the Chinese nation.
At the end of his speech, Xi said, “I believe that by the time when the Communist Party of China marks its 100th found- ing anniversary, the goal to complete the building of a mod- erately prosperous society in all respects will be inevitably achieved.” When it comes to the 100th founding anniversary of New China, the goal of building an affluent, strong, civi- lized and harmonious socialist modern country will cer- tainly be fulfilled, and the dream of great renewal of the Chinese nation will inevitably be accomplished, Xi said.
(Xinhua) ISSUE 4 · 2012 27 PEOPLE Xi Jinping: Man of the people, statesman of vision Xi Jinping (C), general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPC Central Mili- tary Commission (CMC), talks with retired comrades who partici- pated in the construction of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in Shenzhen Lianhuashan Park on December 11, 2012 in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province.

Xi made an inspection tour in Guangdong from December 7 to 11.
Lan Hongguang 2828 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA Xi Jinping: Man of the people, statesman of vision It was a pleasant early December morning in 2012 in a ver- dant park in Shenzhen, in south China’s Guangdong Prov- ince.

Early risers, carrying on their usual morning exercise, did not expect to see a big name.

The park was not cordoned.

There was no red carpet nor were there people waving welcoming banners.
A middle-aged man in a dark suit, and a tieless white shirt, laid a wreath at the park’s statue of the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

Then he walked into the surrounding crowd and be- gan a casual chat.

The visitor was Xi Jinping, the newly elected general secre- tary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
During his visit to Guangdong, Xi called on the entire Party and people from all ethnic groups to unswervingly adhere to the path of reform and opening up and put greater focus on pursu- ing reform in a more systematic, integrated and coordinated way.

Xi vowed no stop in reform, and no stop in opening up.
In his first visit outside Beijing as the top CPC leader, Xi went to Guangdong, the forefront of China’s reform and opening up, following the route Deng had toured 20 years ago when the country was at a crossroad.

Media reports remarked that Xi is a leader who brings a fresh breeze to the country’s political life, unswervingly pushes for- ward reform and opening up, and is beginning to lead the Chi- nese nation in realizing the China Dream.
Xi, 59, who was elected to his new role at the first plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee on November 15, 2012, is the first top Party leader born after 1949, the year the People’s Re- public of China (PRC) was founded.

He now leads the 91-year-old CPC, the world largest political party with more than 82 million members, as it rules China, the world’s second largest economy.

The whole country and the world are putting their eyes on Xi: – What will he do to lead the CPC to better serve the people?
– What will he do to lead China’s 1.3 billion people to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the 100th anni- versary of the founding of the CPC in 2021?

Furthermore, what will he do to lead the people to achieve the goal of building an affluent, strong, democratic, civilized and harmonious modern socialist country by the time the PRC marks its centennial in 2049?

– What will he do to lead the country to make its due contri- bution to world peace and development?
As he met the press on the November day the new leadership was formed, Xi summed up the CPC’s mission as comprising three responsibilities – to the nation, the people and the Party.

Advocate of China Dream “The people’s longing for a good life is what we are fighting for,” Xi said in his first public speech as general secretary on No- vember 15.
Shortly after taking office, Xi and the other six members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee visited the exhibition “The Road Toward Renewal” at the National Museum of China.

The comprehensive display illustrates the huge challenges China has surmounted on the road to national revival since 1840.

“Nowadays, everyone is talking about the China Dream,” he said.
“In my view, realizing the great renewal of the Chinese na- tion is the Chinese nation’s greatest dream in modern history.” ISSUE 4 · 2012 NPC “In my view, realizing the great renewal of the Chinese nation is the Chinese nation’s greatest dream in modern history,” Xi said.
To achieve this sacred goal, Xi has clarified his positions on various aspects of the country’s development: On the country’s economic development, Xi opposes a blind focus on growth and upholds the principle of scientific develop- ment, which seeks sustainability in terms of both resources and the environment.
On political development, he stresses the idea that all power belongs to the people, and calls for active and steady political reform while adhering to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

He also stresses the rule of law and exercising State power according to the Constitution.
On cultural development, he highlights developing human talent and fostering a Chinese national spirit, especially as typi- fied by the words of the national anthem: “We will use our flesh and blood to build our new Great Wall.” On social development, he proposes continuous efforts to safeguard and improve people’s lives through economic devel- opment.
He also supports building a harmonious society and realizing a good life for the people based on hard work, while taking into consideration the country’s practical circumstances.

On ecological progress, he emphasizes a national strategy of resource conservation and environmental protection and a sus- tainable pattern of development.
From the Loess Plateau to the southeast coast, from locali- ties to the central leadership, Xi has had a well-rounded politi- cal career and has developed a deep understanding of the con- ditions of his country and people.

In 2007, he was promoted to the nine-member Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 17th CPC Central Com- mittee, after working for decades in various locations, including Shanghai Municipality, the provinces of Shaanxi, Hebei, Fujian and Zhejiang, as well as serving the army.
He served concurrently as a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and as president of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

In 2008, he was elected the coun- try’s vice president.

Over the past five years, he has participated in the creation of major policies for the Party and the country, and has gained rich leadership experience in all respects.

During that time, Xi was in charge of Party affairs and at- tached great importance to Party building.
He reiterated that the Party must police itself with strict standards as well as listen to the call of ordinary people.

Beginning in 2008, he worked intensively on the campaign to study and implement the Scientific Outlook on Development.

The year-and-a-half campaign further made the Scientific Out- look on Development a consensus of the whole Party and coun- try, and a driving force for economic and social development.
He also led a group of officials in drafting the 17th CPC Cen- tral Committee’s report to the 18th CPC National Congress and the amendment to the CPC Constitution, which were adopted at the congress and have become important guidelines for Chi- na’s future.

29 PEOPLE Xi has had a connection with the armed forces since his early days.

After graduating from university, he worked at the General Office of the Central Military Commission (CMC) for three years, a job that deepened his affection for the army.
In the following years, he served concurrently as Party chief for military subareas in addition to holding his Party and gov- ernment titles.

He was familiarized with grassroots military af- fairs.

He became CMC vice chairman in 2010 and was named CMC chairman at the first plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November 2012.

Xi is also familiar with work related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

His 17 years in Fujian gave him a deep under- standing of Taiwan and enterprises from Taiwan.
The first Tai- wan chamber of commerce on the mainland was established in Xiamen when he worked in Fujian.

He solved many problems for Taiwan compatriots, and has been seen as a good friend by many of them.

As a top leader in charge of Hong Kong and Macao affairs, Xi helped work out a number of important policies on the long- term stability and prosperity of the two special administrative regions.
In 2008 and 2009 when Hong Kong and Macao were seri- ously hit by the international financial crisis, Xi visited the cit- ies to show his support.

In 2008, Xi was also tasked with heading up preparations for the much-anticipated 2008 Olympic Games and the subse- quent Paralympics, both in Beijing, playing a key role in China’s hosting of these high-standard events with distinctive features.
Man of the people Xi has expressed his deep feelings for the people on many occasions, saying for example, “How important the people are in the minds of an official will determine how important of- ficials are in the minds of the people.” His love of the people stems from his unique upbringing.

A son of Xi Zhongxun, a Communist revolutionary and for- mer vice premier, Xi Jinping did not live in comfort as a boy.
Beginning in 1962, when his father was wronged and fell in disgrace, Xi experienced tough times.

During the Cultural Rev- olution (1966-1976), he suffered public humiliation and hunger, experienced homelessness and was even held in custody once.

At the age of 16, he volunteered to live in a small village in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province as an “educated youth.” That area, part of the Loess Plateau, was where the Com- munist revolutionaries, including his father, rose to found New China.
Life there was tough for an urban youth.

In the beginning, fleas troubled him so badly he could not even fall asleep.

In the Shaanxi countryside, he had to do all sorts of harsh labor, such as carrying manure, hauling a coal cart, farming and building water tanks.

As time passed, tough work became easy.

Xi became a hard- working capable young man in the villagers’ eyes.

By gaining their trust, he was elected village Party chief.
He led the farmers to reinforce the river bank in a bid to prevent erosion, organized a small cooperative of blacksmiths in the village, and built a methane tank, the first in landlocked Shaanxi.

He was once awarded a motorized tricycle after being named Vice President Xi Jinping (2nd L) checks vegetables at a high-tech veg- etable garden in Shouguang, Shandong Province on May 9, 2008.

Xi paid an inspection tour in Shandong from May 6-10.
Ma Zhancheng a “model educated youth.” However, he exchanged the tricycle for a walking tractor, a flour milling machine and farm tools to benefit the villagers.

Although he was not in school, Xi never stopped reading.

He brought a case of books to the village and was always “reading books as thick as bricks,” recalled by villagers of Liangjiahe.

He formed close ties with the villagers during his seven years in the province.
After he was recommended for enrollment at Tsinghua University in 1975, all the villagers queued to bid him farewell and a dozen young men walked more than 30 kilome- ters to take him to the county seat for his trip back to Beijing.

Xi has never forgotten the folks in the Shaanxi village.

Even after he left, he helped the village get access to power, build a bridge and renovate a primary school.

When he was Party chief of Fuzhou City, he returned to the village, going door by door to visit people.
He gave senior villagers pocket money, and schoolchildren with new schoolbags, school supplies and alarm clocks.

When a farmer friend got sick, Xi, then a senior provin- cial official of Fujian, at his own expense, brought him to Fujian for better medical treatment.

Years of toiling alongside villagers allowed him to get to know the countryside and farmers well.
Xi has said that the two groups of people who have given him the greatest help in his life are the older revolutionary generation and the folks in the Shaanxi village where he lived.

He arrived in the village as a slightly lost teenager and left as a 22-year-old man determined to do something for the people.

Xi’s affection for the common people influenced him as he made a number of critical decisions.
In the 1980s when many of his contemporaries were going into business or leaving to study abroad, Xi gave up a comfortable office job in Beijing and went to work as deputy Party chief of a small county in north China’s Hebei Province.

Later he became Party chief of Ningde Prefecture in southeast China’s Fujian Province, one of the poorest regions at the time.

The people weigh most in Xi’s heart and grassroots units are where he pays most visits.
In Ningde, he sometimes traveled for days on the mountain roads to reach the farthest corner of the prefecture.

The roads were so bumpy that he often had to take a break to recover 3030 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC “Officials should love the people in the way they love their parents, work for their benefit and lead them to prosperity,” Xi said.

from back pain before arriving at destinations.


He once walked nearly five hours on a rugged mountain road to get to a town- ship called Xiadang, which was not accessible by highway, and received the most passionate welcome from local residents, who said Xi was “the highest-ranking official who has come to the village.” He also helped thousands of farmers in Ningde renovate dilapidated thatched huts and guided fishermen to live better lives on the land.
When working as Party chief of Fuzhou, capital of Fujian, he took the lead in the country in establishing a mechanism for officials to meet with petitioners face to face.

He introduced the same mechanism in places where he later served.

Once, he and other senior officials in Fuzhou met with more than 700 petitioners in two days.
While working in east China’s Zhejiang Province, he went down into a coal mine nearly 1,000 meters underground and walked more than 1,500 meters along a narrow and inclined shaft to visit miners and see their working conditions before the Spring Festival in 2005.

Xi attaches importance to communication with the people via news media.

He wrote a popular column for the Zhejiang Daily, using the pen name Zhexin.

In his 232 columns, he dis- cussed everyday problems of interest to the common people.
As mild a person as Xi is, he is very tough in policing of- ficials and preventing them from harming the interests of the common people.

In an investigation into illegal housing con- struction by officials in Ningde, he grew angry and pounded the table, saying, “Shall we offend hundreds of officials, or shall we fail millions of people?” Also, a number of officials in Zhejiang were punished during his tenure of leadership for failing to ful- fill their duties.
His work style earned him the nickname “secretary of the people.” “Officials should love the people in the way they love their parents, work for their benefit and lead them to prosperity,” Xi said.

Leader with foresight On several recent occasions, Xi showed a strong sense of responsibility towards the future of the nation and declared his determination to push forward reform and opening up.
Throughout his political career, people have seen his fore- sight and resolve as well as his willingness to sacrifice personal gain and one-time fame for a bigger cause.

When working in Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian, he took charge of drafting a development plan for the city from 1985 to 2000 and lobbied for preferential policies from the central gov- ernment, both of which benefited the city long after he left the province.
When working in Zhengding, Hebei Province, he saw poten- tial business opportunities when he learned that the crew of “A Dream of Red Mansions,” a popular novel-turned-TV drama, was looking for a filming location.

He then proposed building in Zhengding a large residential compound featured within the novel.

The compound, which was used by the TV crew, later became a tourist attraction.
Tourist income from the compound exceeded 10 million yuan the year it was completed, paying back more than the invest- ment.

The compound has been used as the set for more than 170 movies and TV dramas, with up to 1.3 million tourists every year.

In Fuzhou, after intense deliberation and discussion, he and his colleagues devised a strategic development plan for the city for the coming three, eight and 20 years.
All the main targets set by the plan were achieved years ago, and a number of en- terprises that were set up or brought to Fuzhou when Xi served there remain the industry leaders, playing a significant role in the city’s development over the past two decades.

Working as Fujian governor, he was the first in the country to launch a campaign to crack down on food contamination.

In 1999, he first put forward the idea of improving IT infra- structure and introducing information technology to help the public.
Fujian had been the only province in China where all hospitals were linked by computer networks and shared digital medical records by 2010.

In 2002, Fujian launched the reform of the collective forest property right system, becoming the first in the country.

During Xi’s tenure, Fujian was among the first provinces in China to adopt special policies to restore ecological balance and protect the environment.
This has made Fujian the province with the best water and air quality as well as the best ecology and environment in the country.

After his transfer to Zhejiang Province in 2002, Xi put for- ward numerous development targets for the economy, public security, culture, the environment and the rule of law.

He initiated local industrial restructuring, transforming the province’s extensive, less-efficient growth pattern, and encour- aged quality enterprises from outside the province to invest in Zhejiang.
In addition, he proposed a development mode that would give equal weight to both manufacturing and commerce, a mode based on Zhejiang’s own conditions.

He also supported enterprises’ efforts to expand overseas and supported start-ups by ordinary citizens.

At the same time, he encouraged more cooperation among Zhejiang, neighboring Shanghai Municipality and Jiangsu Province in order to tap their potential as an integrated eco- nomic powerhouse.
In 2004, under Xi’s leadership, Zhejiang made an attempt to improve grassroots democracy.

Villages there set up residents’ committees to supervise the village Party committee and ad- ministrative committee on public affairs, a move that received a positive response from the public.
Village supervision committees, which sprang from the Zhejiang model, were later introduced in an amendment to the Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees in 2010 by the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, the top Chinese legislature.

Shanghai was Xi’s last local post before he was promoted to the central leadership.
Despite a relatively short term in the country’s financial hub, he left his mark by promoting the eco- nomic integration of the Yangtze River Delta and enhancing ISSUE 4 · 2012 31 PEOPLE Shanghai’s leading role in the region.

Xi added “enlightened, sagacious, open-minded and mod- est” to the official wording of the Shanghai Spirit slogan, which previously had just read “inclusive and sublime.” The Shanghai Spirit was intended to capture the essence of the city.
Media in Shanghai remarked that these emendations helped present Shanghai to the rest of the world in a deeper, more thoughtful way.

These changes were also noticed by people outside Shang- hai.

Being in front ranks requires solid work “Making empty talk is harmful to the nation, while doing practical work can help it thrive,” Xi said during a visit to “The Road Toward Renewal” exhibition in Beijing on the 15th day after his election as the CPC’s new helmsman.
To put “practical work” in place, Xi presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee that ad- opted eight measures to improve Party work style and tighten the bond with the people.

The measures include more meetings with the people, traveling light with a small entourage and us- ing fewer traffic controls, shortening meetings and speeches.

The new measures have earned acclaim both at home and abroad.

“Only solid work ensures that one will take the lead,” Xi has said.
He has demanded concrete effort to tackle issues the peo- ple care about most.

He believes that without implementation, the best blueprint will be nothing more than a castle in the air.

When he served in Zhengding County, Xi said that develop- ing human resources was the key to shaking off poverty and backwardness in the county.

He attended to the job himself by inviting professionals to the county and drawing up recruit- ment advertisements for talented personnel from across the country.
In the winter of 1983, he traveled to the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang to invite a cosmetics expert to work in Zhengding.

Without a detailed address for the expert, he went door to door asking where the expert lived and finally found him at night after yelling his name near his home.

Xi and the expert talked until midnight and Xi finally persuaded the man to work in Zhengding.

The expert later created more than 300,000 yuan in revenue for the county within the first year.
In the same year, Xi decided to publish nine ways for recruit- ing talented personnel, something that was rare at the time and became a front-page story in the Hebei Daily.

He wrote more than 100 letters to experts and scholars, as well as colleges and research institutions, and paid visits to dozens of experts.

Within two years, Zhengding attracted 683 talented personnel and hired 53 well-known experts as economic counselors.
Xi, together with his colleague Lu Yulan, then deputy Party chief of Zhengding, despite heavy pressure, told superior au- thorities about the excessive burden faced by the county due to compulsory grain purchases.

The issue was eventually resolved.

In Ningde, Xi was also practical and realistic.

He pooled resources to implement aquaculture of the large yellow croaker, a local specialty, and greatly increased the income of local farmers.
He also ordered Party and government offices to make things convenient for the people.

When serving in Fuzhou, he advocated the principle of “special procedures for special issues, and do things now” to make the government more ef- “Making empty talk is harmful to the nation, while doing practical work can help it thrive,” Xi said.

ficient.

This principle was attractive to numerous Taiwan enter- prises and helped boost the local economy.
He also proposed the compilation of two handbooks on government procedures for residents and overseas businesspeople.

In 2000, Xi initiated a move across Fujian to make the gov- ernment more efficient.

He proposed changes in government functions and procedures to reduce the number of matters that require government approval.

By the end of 2001, the number was reduced by 40.4 percent, or 606 items.

In 2001, Fujian became the first province in China to enact a policy making government affairs public.
In August 2002, Xi published an article on a major news- paper on “The Experience of Jinjiang,” which emphasized the importance of the private economy in the development of the county.

Also in 2002, he published an article on Nanping City’s effort to send officials to work in villages.

The practice of Nan- ping was later introduced all over the province, thus enhancing ties between officials and farmers and making officials more oriented towards grassroots achievement.
In Zhejiang, Xi stressed provincial development in the fields of public security, the environment, culture, the rule of law and the marine economy.

To achieve these goals, he made an individual case study in addition to making overall arrangements.

In order to know how the localities were affected by provincial policies, he went five times to a less-developed mountain village called Xiajiang within less than two years.

He paid special attention to the marine economy.


In Decem- ber 2002, he put forward the goal of building Zhejiang into a province with a strong marine economy, followed by guidelines and plans to realize this goal.

The marine economy in Zhejiang has since developed quickly, with annual growth of 19.3 per- cent.

It accounted for nearly 8 percent of the Zhejiang economy in 2005.

He pushed for the integration of Ningbo and Zhoushan harbors.
In 2006, Ningbo-Zhoushan harbor had 420 million tonnes of cargo throughput, ranking the second in China and among the world’s top three.

He also pushed for the construction of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, an icon of cross-sea bridges in China and once the world’s longest cross-sea bridge.

In 2003, Xi proposed that rural communities should be more like urban communities, and efforts should be made to reduce the urban-rural gap in quality of life.
Zhejiang had realized the development targets one by one during Xi’s tenure.

The province had the highest rating in ecol- ogy and the environment among all provincial-level regions in 2005.

In 2006, 94.77 percent of the people were satisfied with the province’s public security, making Zhejiang one of the saf- est provinces in the country.
When Xi was in Zhejiang, the province’s GDP exceeded 1 trillion yuan in 2004, GDP per capita exceeded 3,000 U.S. dol- lars in 2005 and stood at nearly 4,000 U.S. dollars in 2006.

The province ranked the fourth in sustainable development in 3232 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Xi Jinping, the then Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province, meets with a delegation from Macao in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province on October 16, 2005.
Xi briefed guests on Zhejiang’s economic and cultural development in recent years.

Song Jianhao File photo taken on September 29, 2007 shows Xi Jinping, the then Party Secretary of Shanghai, ignites the “Fire of Hope” torch at the launching ceremony of the 2007 Special Olympic World Summer Games in Shang- hai.

Zhang Ming 2006, next to Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin.

Furthermore, all the province’s poverty-stricken counties and townships shook off poverty during the period.
In 2007, Xi was appointed secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

Within a month of his appointment, Xi conducted research on the people’s livelihood, development, the Shanghai World Expo, and the fight against corruption.

The ninth Shanghai municipal congress of the CPC was successfully held, which in- vigorated local officials, rebuilt Shanghai’s image and set forth a blueprint for Shanghai for the next five years.
Xi has said that a county Party chief should visit all the vil- lages within the county, a city Party chief all the townships and a provincial Party chief all the counties and cities.

He visited all the villages in Zhengding.

In Ningde, he visited nine counties within the first three months, and traveled to most townships later on.

After he was transferred to Zhejiang in 2002, he visited all 90 counties in just over a year.
During his tenure in Shanghai, he visited all 19 districts and counties in seven months.

After he came to work in the central authority, he visited all the 31 provinces, regions and municipalities on the mainland.
Statesman aiming for better earth During a recent meeting with foreign experts working in China, Xi said that China, as a responsible country, will not only manage its own affairs, but also properly handle its rela- tions with the rest of the world, so as to foster a more favorable external environment and make a greater contribution to world peace and development.

“China needs to know more about the world, and the world also needs to know more about China,” Xi said.
Whether work- ing at the local level or in the central leadership, Xi attaches great importance to international exchange and making foreign ISSUE 4 · 2012 friends.

He has taken every opportunity to meet foreign guests visiting China.

Within the past five years, he traveled to more than 40 coun- tries and regions across five continents and has had extensive contact with people from all walks of life.
He frankly and hon- estly introduces to foreign friends how the Chinese people view their own country and the world, and is always willing to listen to them as well.

In the eyes of many foreign dignitaries, Xi is a confident, sagacious and amicable leader.

He often tells foreign friends that the international commu- nity has increasingly become an integrated one with a common destiny.

China’s continuous rapid development depends on world peace and development.
It also provides opportunity and room for other countries, so together they may achieve win-win results and common development through mutual respect and pragmatic cooperation.

At a World Peace Forum organized by Tsinghua University in July 2012, Xi noted that a country must let others develop as it seeks its own development; must let others feel secure as it seeks its own security; must let others live better when it wants to live better itself.
In a meeting with Lee Kuan Yew in Singa- pore, Xi said not all strong countries will seek hegemony.

China will stick to the path of peaceful development, a win-win strat- egy of opening up and the pledge of never seeking hegemony, now or in any future generation.

Xi’s foreign visits have sent out signals that countries should work together to establish a more equal and balanced global partnership, so as to safeguard the common interests of all hu- man beings and make Earth better.
During his five-day visit to the United States, Xi participated in 27 events and engaged in exchange with US politicians and the public alike.
“As long as the Chinese and US sides grasp the thread of common interests, they can explore a path of new partnership for major powers to live in harmony, engage in positive interaction and achieve win-win cooperation.” His re- 33 PEOPLE After attending the 10th East Asia Summit of the World Economic Forum in Hong Kong, the then Fujian Governor Xi Jinping answers reporters’ questions on economic cooperation between Fujian and Taiwan on Oc- tober 30, 2001.
Xi made a speech at the summit themed at China’s eco- nomic rising and its influence towards East Asia.

Shen Qiao File photo taken in August 1993 shows the then Vice Premier Zou Jiahua (2nd R), accompanied by the then Party Secretary of Fuzhou Xi Jinping (3rd R), inspects an urban redevelopment project in Fuzhou, Fujian Prov- ince.

Zhang Ruisan marks elicited positive feedback from many in the US.
In a recent meeting with former US President Jimmy Carter, Xi called for more “positive energy” for the China-US partnership.

During his visit to Russia, Xi showed the strong importance China attaches to developing bilateral relations.

The Sino- Russian strategic partnership of coordination has become the closest, most dynamic and most profound between major pow- ers, and developing relations with Russia is always a priority of China’s foreign relations.
Xi attended the second meeting of the dialogue mechanism between the Chinese and Russian ruling parties, and had extensive and in-depth discussions with lead- ers of various parties in Russia, further enriching Sino-Russian relations.

Xi highly values relations with developing countries.

He has said consolidating and developing relations with develop- ing countries is the starting point and object of China’s foreign policy.
In South Africa, Xi attended the fourth plenary session of the China-South Africa Binational Commission, looking forward, together with the South African side, to a bright future of bilat- eral cooperation.
In a speech delivered at a seminar marking the 10th an- niversary of the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Xi underscored China’s friendship with Africa, emphasizing that “a friend in need is a friend indeed.” In Saudi Arabia, he said a more prosperous and open China will bring great development opportunities to the Middle East and countries in the Gulf.
In Chile, he proposed that China and Latin America should be good partners in the fields of politics, economics, culture and international affairs, when speaking of the relationship over the next decade.

Xi has been pragmatic and efficient on the international stage.

In the course of only one day, while attending the cel- ebration of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, Xi exchanged ideas with leaders from more than 20 countries and international organizations.
During his visit to Germany and four other European countries, Xi attended five signing ceremonies for economic and trade agreements, six economic and trade forums, and pushed for the signing of 93 cooperation agreements involving a total of 7.4 billion U.S. dollars.

Xi has also emphasized the role of cultural exchange in the building of a harmonious world.
When addressing the Frank- furt Book Fair in 2009, he said that through exchanges between different cultures, people from different countries have come to know Confucius from China, Goethe from Germany and Shake- speare from Britain.

Pushing forward world cultural exchange creates important momentum for human progress and the world’s peaceful development.

During his visit to Russia, he launched the “Year of Chinese Language” in Russia, side by side with Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.
He said in his address, “Culture is enriched, hearts are linked up, and friendship is deepened through exchange.” Xi is good at drawing wisdom from Chinese culture and pre- senting ideas clearly in a straightforward and humorous way.

During his US visit, he borrowed a line from the theme song of the popular Chinese TV drama “Monkey King” to ease the grav- ity of the bilateral issue.
“The road is right under our feet,” he said when describing the “unprecedented” relations between China and the US, displaying the confidence and courage of Chinese leaders.

When facing questions about China’s human rights situa- tion, he said there is “no best, only better.” Xi said every coun- try’s condition is different and path is different.

“Whether the shoe fits or not, only the wearer of the shoe knows.” Amity between people is the key to sound relations between States.
Xi has said the level of State-to-State friendship depends on amity between people.

He has humorously said to foreign ministry officials on diplomatic trips that life lies in motion and diplomacy lies in activity.

In other words, diplomats should travel widely and make friends broadly and deeply.

During his visit to Laos, he specially arranged a meeting with children of the late Lao leader Quinim Pholsena.
Xi joined sev- eral children of Pholsena, who had lived and studied in Beijing, in recalling their days at Beijing’s Bayi School.

He even remem- bered the nickname “Chubby Boy” for Pholsena’s second son.

During his US visit, Xi traveled to Iowa to join a dozen of 3434 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC his old acquaintances for tea and conversation at a house in an Iowa farm community.
Most of the people at the gathering were friends Xi had made during a 1985 visit to Iowa as a member of an agricultural research delegation.

In Russia, he visited a children’s center that had cared for Chinese students who were affected by the devastating Wen- chuan earthquake of 2008, and expressed his gratitude to the staff.

He kicked a Gaelic football in Dublin’s Croke Park when vis- iting Ireland and watched an NBA game in the US.

The media described both activities as evidence of his amicable image.
“He succeeded in not only demonstrating his personal manner and bearing, but also the charm of China’s economic development and social progress,” an overseas media outlet re- marked.

Son of revolutionary family, caring husband Xi Jinping’s father Xi Zhongxun was a Party and State leader.
The senior Xi served as chairman of the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Region, a CPC revolutionary base of the 1930s, and was called by Mao Zedong a “leader of the people.” Xi Zhongxun had suffered political persecution for 16 years beginning in 1962.

However, he never gave in to adversity and ultimately helped clear the names of other people who were persecuted.
After the end of the Cultural Revolution, he served as Party chief in Guangdong, the forefront of China’s reform and opening-up drive, making important contributions to the establishment of special economic zones in the province and their rapid development.

Xi’s mother Qi Xin, nearly 90 years of age, is also a veteran cadre and Party member.

As a filial son, Xi takes walks and chats with his mother, holding her hand during the process, after he finds time to dine with her.
The Xi family has a tradition of being strict with children and living a simple life.

Xi Zhongxun believed if a senior Party official wanted to discipline others, he should begin first with himself and his family.

Xi Jinping and his younger brother used to wear clothes and shoes handed down from their elder sisters.

After Xi Jinping became a leading official, his mother called a family meeting to ban the siblings from engaging in business where Xi Jinping worked.
Xi Jinping has carried on his family’s tradition and has been strict with family members.

Wherever he worked, he told the family members not to do business there or do anything in his name, or else he “would be ruthless.” Whether in Fujian, Zhe- jiang or Shanghai, he pledged at official meetings that no one was allowed to seek personal benefit using his name and wel- comed supervision in this regard.

Xi married Peng Liyuan, a renowned and well-liked soprano and opera singer.
In 1980, Peng, on the behalf of the Shandong provincial delegation, caused quite a stir while attending a na- tional art performance in Beijing.

She was the first in China to obtain a master’s degree in national vocal music.

She is a representative figure of national vocal music and one of the founders of the school of national vocal music.

Her most famous works include On the Plains of Hope, People from Our Village, and We Are Yellow River and Tais- han Mountain.
She was the winner of many top awards at national vocal music contests.

She played the leading roles in the Chinese na- tional operas The White-haired Girl and Mulan, among others.

She also won the highest theatrical award in China, or the Plum Blossom Prize, and the highest performance art award, the Wenhua Prize.

Peng has attributed her accomplishments to the people and said she should contribute all her talent to the people.
Over the past 30-plus years, she has given hundreds of free perfor- mances for people from all different walks of life across the country as an expression of gratitude or appreciation.

These in- cluded performances in impoverished mountain areas, coastal areas, oil fields, mines and barracks, as well as in deserts and the snowy plateau.
She also performed in Wenchuan after the devastating earthquake of 2008, in Beijing’s Xiaotangshan af- ter the SARS outbreak and in flood-hit Jiujiang in Jiangxi Prov- ince.

To better introduce Chinese national vocal music and na- tional opera to the world, Peng took the lead to play a solo concert in Singapore in 1993.

She has also performed in more than 50 countries and regions representing China, becoming a world-famous Cultural Ambassador for China.
She produced and played the leading role in the opera Mu- lan, which was performed at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and at the Vienna State Opera House in Austria.

Peng is currently shifting her focus from performance to education, aiming to nurture more talented people and produce more masterpieces.

Peng is very much committed to charity work.


She is a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, a na- tional AIDS prevention advocate, and an ambassador for the prevention of juvenile delinquency and for tobacco control.

At a recent World AIDS Day activity raising awareness about AIDS, she was called “Mama Peng” by AIDS orphans.

Xi and Peng fell in love at first sight in 1986 and got married the same year.
Although they were often separated due to work, they have understood and supported each other and continu- ously shown concern for each other.

As a member of the People’s Liberation Army, Peng was often tasked with staging performances in remote areas.

These tours sometimes kept her on the road for two to three months at a time.

Being concerned about his wife, Xi would phone her before bedtime almost every night, no matter how late it was.
On Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve, Peng would often per- form in the Spring Festival Gala presented by the China Central Television.

Xi would make dumplings while watching the show and would wait for her return to begin cooking the family feast.

In the eyes of Peng, Xi is a good husband and a good father.

She always shows care and consideration for him.

Peng takes every opportunity to get together with her husband, cooking for him dishes of different styles.
In Peng’s eyes, Xi is both different from anybody else and also an average person.

He favors home-made cooking in the Shaanxi and Shandong cuisines, and also drinks a bit during parties with friends.

He likes swimming, mountaineering, and watching basketball, football and boxing matches.

Sometimes he stays up late to watch televised sports games.

The couple have a daughter, Xi Mingze.


Mingze in Chinese implies “living an honest life and being a useful person to so- ciety,” which is their expectation for her and also a symbol of their family’s simple style.
(Xinhua) ISSUE 4 · 2012 35 FOCUS Uphold Constitution, Xi says By Zhao Yinan 36 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, pledged to protect the rights of citizens on December 4, 2012, in a message aimed at promoting the faithful implementation of China’s Constitution.
Xi called on officials to respect and protect citizens’ rights, including human rights, and to reinforce public confidence in the law, as he delivered a speech marking the 30th anniversary of the current edition of the Con- stitution.
Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission (CMC), speaks at a congress marking the 30th anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution in Beijing, capital of China, on December 4, 2012.

Huang Jingwen He urged officials to work hard to let the people feel the sense of justice in every legal issue, and never allow unfair rulings to hurt people’s feelings.
“We must firmly establish, throughout society, the authority of the Constitution and the law and allow the overwhelming masses to fully believe in the law,” Xi said.

“To fully implement the Constitution needs to be the sole task and the basic work in building a socialist na- tion ruled by law.” The current version of China’s Constitution, passed in 1982, is more rights-oriented than previous versions, Xi said.
To accommodate the broad changes that have taken place in China’s social and economic spheres, the Con- stitution was amended four times - in 1988, 1993, 1999 and 2004. Notable amendments include those that emphasize the rule of law, the protection of human rights and the protection of citizens’ private property.

Xi said the supervising system that ensures the Constitution is carried out is not well established, and occasional dereliction of duty has dented the authority of the country’s judicial system.
Violations of laws and the lax enforcement of laws have also occasionally oc- curred.

“No organization or individual has the privilege to overstep the Constitution and the law, and any viola- tion of the Constitution and the law must be investi- gated,” he said.

“We must establish mechanisms to restrain and su- pervise power.

Power must be made responsible and must be supervised,” he said.
“We must ensure that the power bestowed by the people is constantly used for the interests of the peo- ple.” Han Dayuan, a professor at Renmin University of China, said the speech delivered on December 4 is Xi’s first targeting the rule of law and it has sent a strong message.

He said Xi pointed out some of the most acute prob- lems faced by law enforcement, problems that are ex- pected to be addressed in future measures.
As of the end of August in 2011, China’s top legisla- 2011, China’s top legisla- in 2011, China’s top legisla- ture had enacted 240 laws, including the current Con- stitution.

(China Daily) State leaders including Xi Jinping (3rd L), Wu Bangguo (3rd R), Li Keqiang (2nd L), Zhang Dejiang (2nd R), Yu Zhengsheng (1st L) and Liu Yunshan (1st R) appear in a gathering on December 4, 2012 to mark the 30th anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Lan Hongguang ISSUE 4 · 2012 37 FOCUS Constitution of 1982 beefs up people’s congress system The people’s congress system is a fundamental political system in China.

The National People’s Con- gress (NPC) and local people’s congresses at all levels are basic channels and organs through which the people exercise State power.

Besides, such a system also enables the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) to materialize its political concepts through legislative process into the will of the State.
The State power cannot run smoothly if the people’s congress system works ineffectively.

At the very begin- ning, the amending efforts of the Constitution in 1982 had focused on how to strengthen and improve the people’s congress system.

After revision, the Constitution helps push forward the development of the system.

Enlarge NPC Standing Committees’ power A most frequently discussed ques- tion at that time was how to uphold the authority of people’s congresses as well as their standing committees.
One opinion suggested the NPC to scale down its deputies’ number so as to convene constantly to tackle major State issues.

Given the fact that China has a population of more than 1 billion, including 56 ethnic groups in more than 2,000 counties, cities and prefectures, every group, class, stratum, party and place are entitled to appropriate representa- tion.

Meanwhile, if the number of deputies is too large, it would influ- ence the efficiency of NPC.
After rounds of deliberation, the revised Constitution enlarges the power and enhances the organi- zation of the Standing Committee of NPC, which is the top legislature of the nation.

Being a component of the highest organ of the State pow- er, the NPC Standing Committee is NPC’s permanent body.

Because the members of the NPC Standing Committee are elected from among the NPC deputies, its number is compa- rably small and that enables it to have meetings frequently.
The Constitution adopted in 1982 hence transfers some pow- er exercised by the NPC according to the 1954 Constitution to its standing committee.

Such an arrangement expanded the power of NPC Standing Committee: First, it can enact and amend laws with the exception of those which should be enacted by the NPC.

Second, it can interpret the Constitution and supervise its enforcement.
Third, it can examine and ap- prove partial adjustments to the plan for economic and social development and to the State budgets that prove necessary in course of their implementation.

Fourth, it can decide, when the NPC is not in session, on the choice of ministers in charge of ministries or commissions or the auditor-general and the secretary-general of the State Council upon nomination by the premier.
NPC is empowered by the Constitu- tion adopted in 1954 as the sole top legis- lature to make laws and the NPC Stand- ing Committee can only enact decrees.

After the Constitution’s implementation, problems emerged that the annual NPC session, which lasts half a month each year, could not meet the demand of in- creasing legislation.

In 1955, the NPC adopted a resolution that empowered the NPC Standing Committee to enact bylaws on the basis of actual need.
The 1982 version of Constitution prescribes that both the NPC and its standing com- mittee are entitled to make laws.

It was proven a major legislative reform, which not only sped up the legislative process but also improved the quality of law making.

Since the implementation of the Constitution, 80 percent of laws and decrees were deliberated and approved by the NPC Standing Committee.
Even major laws to be passed by the NPC have been deliberated carefully by the NPC Standing Committee in advance with the aim to listen to different opinions and suggestions.

Moreover, the 1982 version of the Constitution also em- powers the State Council, which is China’s central govern- ment, to adopt administrative measures, enact administra- tive rules and regulations and issue decisions and orders in accordance with the Constitution and the statutes.
People’s congresses and their standing committees at provincial level are also empowered to adopt local regulations, which must not contravene the Constitution, the statutes and the admin- istrative rules and regulations, and they shall report such lo- cal regulations to the NPC Standing Committee and the State Council for record.
Historical development has proved if China had not adopted the 1982 version of Constitution, it could not make such remarkable achievements in legislation, let alone the formation of socialist legal system with Chi- nese characteristics.

The legislative reform fit in with the needs of reform and opening-up as well as of the socialist modernization.

The 5th Session of the 5th NPC passes the Constitution on December 4, 1982.
Guo Jianshe 38 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA Organization of NPC and its Standing Committee strengthened Ushered by the changed situation, the Constitution in 1982 also made some new stipulations on the organization of NPC and its standing committee.

It prescribes that the NPC establishes special committees to examine, discuss and draw up relevant bills and draft resolutions under the direction of the NPC and its standing committee.
Besides, no one on the NPC Standing Committee shall hold any post in any of the ad- ministrative, judicial or procuratorial organs of the State.

The stipulation aims to better supervise the above-mentioned units as well as to ensure the NPC Standing Committee members to carry out full-time work.

Besides, chairmanship meetings with the participation of the NPC Standing Committee Chairman, vice-chairmen and secretary-general handle the important day-to-day work of the committee.
Practice proves that such regulations have greatly safeguarded the daily work of the highest organ of State power.

The establishment of special committees greatly improved the organization of the NPC and its standing committee.

Without the involvement of special committees in advance, it would be beyond imagination that the highest State organs can deliberate all kinds of resolutions.

When amending the 1982 version of the Constitution, some people proposed to set up more than 20 special com- mittees.
After careful deliberation, law makers agreed that the number of special committees should not be too large at the very beginning and can be increased when necessary in the future.

The Constitution stipulates that the NPC es- tablishes special committees, including Nationalities Com- mittee, Law Committee, Finance and Economic Committee, Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee and Overseas Chinese Committee and such other special committees as are necessary.
Among the many issues handled by the special commit- tees are two major tasks when the NPC is in session: One is to deal with the proposal raised by NPC deputies or relevant departments as well as to draft relevant proposals.

Another task is to address inquiries to State organs, such as the State Council, ministries, departments, the Supreme People’s Court or the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
Based on the special committees’ deliberations, the NPC presidium could conduct thorough considerations to help the NPC sessions make more feasible resolutions.

When the NPC is not in session, special committees will carry out day-to-day work, study, deliberate and make relevant proposals and assist the NPC Standing Committee to make laws or conduct supervi- sion.
Since the scale of special committees is not very big, their members are usually familiar with certain issues so that they could make profound and far-reaching decisions in those fields.

To sum up, the special committees conduct re- searches, deliberations and preparations for the NPC Stand- ing Committee or presidium to make final decision.
Standing committees established at county-level people’s congress and above The 1954 version of the Constitution stipulates that only the NPC set up its standing committee.

Local people’s con- NPC gresses do not have standing committees but select people’s committees instead, which serve both as the administrative organs and as the permanent unit of the people’s congresses at the same level.

Meanwhile, obvious drawbacks appeared with the implementation of the Constitution.
First, without the establishment of standing committees, local govern- ments took the place of people’s congresses, which could not convene in time to deal with major issues.

Second, when the people’s congresses are not in session, personnel reshuffle at local governments and courts cannot be carried out.

Third, local people’s congresses cannot realize effective supervi- sion toward governments and courts.
In the year of 1957, motions were put forward on the establishment of stand- ing committees at the same level of people’s congresses to replace people’s committees and enact local regulations.

The following anti-right struggle disrupted the process of democratic development gradually and shelved the above- mentioned suggestions.

In 1965, the CPC Central Commit- tee and the NPC Standing Committee once again proposed to set up standing committees at and above county-level people’s congresses.
Unfortunately, such a proposal was aborted with the outbreak of Cultural Revolution (1966-76).

After the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, the people’s congress system was restored.

In July 1979, the 2nd Session of the 5th NPC passed a resolu- tion to revise the Constitution as well as the law for orga- nization of local people’s congresses, calling for the estab- lishment of standing committees.
Consequently, the 1982 version of Constitution confirmed and clarified the regula- tions on the establishment of standing committees at and above county-level people’s congresses.

After the establishment of standing committees at local people’s congresses, some local standing committees de- manded to make clear their relations with the NPC Standing Committee.
Comrade Peng Zhen, who was elected as Chair- man of the 6th NPC Standing Committee in 1983, noted that the Constitution rules that local people’s congresses – under the leadership Party’s committee at the same level – should be responsible to their electorate or electing units, not the above-level people’s congresses.

That is to say the NPC is not the superior of local people’s congresses.
It is the provincial people’s congresses not the NPC to make a final decision on the elections, appointments and removals of provincial of- ficials.

When speaking of legal supervision, there are some connections between the NPC Standing Committee and the standing committees of local people’s congresses.

The NPC Standing Committee supervises the implementation of the Constitution and other statutes.
Chairman Peng also noted that a chairman or vice-chairman of the standing committee of local people’s congress is invited to attend the meetings of NPC Standing Committee as a nonvoting delegate in or- der to reflect the opinions of local place when enacting laws.

At the same time, delegates from local people’s congresses could also learn the work-style of NPC Standing Committee.
Such a resolution (establishment of standing committees at and above county-level people’s congresses) was adopted, legalized and implemented by the 14th Meeting of 5th NPC Standing Committee in 1980.

Practice has proved it plays an effective role in strengthening the construction of local peo- ple’s congresses and propelling the development of socialist democracy.
(NPC) ISSUE 4 · 2012 39 REVIEW A glimpse of NPC’s decade-long legislation achievements Constitutional revision represents a milestone in human rights development The Second Session of the 10th NPC approved the fourth amendment to the Constitution in March, 2004.
The revision absorbed the Party’s major theories and policies adopted in the 16th CPC National Congress as well as other concepts and experiences that had proved mature, especially the “Three Represents” thought, which reflects the interests and will of the people.

Such a revision has produced profound and far- reaching influences on China’s social development.

Another eye-catching achievement is to write the principle of “respecting and safeguarding human rights” into the Con- stitution.
Stipulations concerning non-State economy, social security, protection of private assets, public interest compen- sation and State emergency all relate with human rights pro- tection.

To safeguard human rights is the core value, a start- ing point and the final pursuit of the rule of law.
It was the first time in China to upgrade human rights from a political concept to a legal term, which means to buoy up the Party’s and the government’s political concepts and documents to the level of common will of the people and a basic law of the State.

Such a change is regarded as a milestone in China’s human rights development into a new era.

It is basic pursuit for China’s legislation workers to re- strain national public power as well as to protect citizens’ legal rights.
A series of related laws have been hammered out since then: The Property Law stimulates the whole society to pursue wealth while protecting private assets; The Tort Law fills the “right gaps” of Chinese people and provides them weapons to safeguard their legitimate interests; The Administrative Compulsory Law enlarges the scope of legal right pro- tection by curbing the administrative compulsory; The revised State Com- pensation Law improves the system of civil rights protection; The Law of Criminal Procedure, after amending, appropriately deals with the relations between punishment of criminals and protection of human rights.
Jin Haiping (C), an NPC deputy from Anhui Province, carefully examines the draft amendment to the Consti- tution at a group discussion of NPC session on March 8, 2004 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
CFP 40 To sum up, the 2004 version of the Constitution has triggered out a “right revolution” in legislation and the top legislature has depicted a rosy picture that China is transform- ing from “power society” to a “right society.” NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC On March 18, 2003, the newly-elected NPC Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo made a solemn promise at the closing ceremony of First Session of 10th NPC: A socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics will take shape during his tenure.
Wu’s remarks ushered in decade-long leg- islative efforts.

From the 9th to the 11th NPC, China’s lawmakers have made enormous strides in legislation with the forma- tion of a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics as scheduled.
During the past 10 years, the NPC and its standing committee spare no efforts in drafting quality laws and harvest outstanding achievements: deliberating and approving one amendment to the Constitution, adopting 185 drafting laws, legal interpretations and relevant statutes.

Starting from a new point, we look forward to kicking off a new journey.

In retrospect, we could clearly see every step we have made in the pursuit of the rule of law.
Property Law: An example of democratic legislation Since law makers began to draft the property law in 1993, a record of 15 years had passed when it finally got approved at the 5th Session of the 11th NPC.

The marathon process re- flects the difficulties of law making.

During the process, leg- islators voluntarily listened to the opinions from people from all walks of life, especially the voices from the grassroots.
The NPC Standing Committee publicized the full text of the draft property law to solicit more than 10,000 suggestions from deputies, central and local officials, legal experts and economists.

The NPC Standing Committee then organized more than 100 symposiums and held special meetings on some professional topics.

In one word, the promulgation of the Property Law spreads legislation knowhow among the or- dinary people, setting up an good example of democratic law making.
After repeated deliberation , the Property Law is overwhelmingly adopted by the 5th Session of the 10th National People’s Congress on March 16, 2007.

Several citizens in Kunming City, Yunnan Province are consulting lawyers on the Property Law.

Cai Xiangrong 41 Citizens of Nantong, Jiangsu Province handle relative administrative approval projects in Government Affairs Service Center in Nantong on February 8, 2012.
CFP Law on Administrative Permit triggers a transition from administrators to service providers Following the promulgations of the State Compensation Law, the Administrative Punishment Law and the Adminis- trative Reconsideration Law, the Law on Administrative Per- mit is another important law that helps regulate the activities of the government.

The law not only changes the concepts of the administrators but also their management models.
The enactment of the law helps improve the relations between government officials and ordinary people, pushing forward the “omnipotent” government to become a responsible, transparent and honest one.

Trivial and unnecessary admin- istrative permits have existed for quite a long time in China, breeding corruptions.

The law aims to curb corruptions through streamlining the issuance of administrative permits.

After its implementation, the law has brought profound changes to China’s administrative system.
Governments at vari- ous levels began to provide conveniences to the people rather than just issue administrative orders.

The massive of people were not troubled by the mountains of red tapes any more.

ISSUE 4 · 2012 REVIEW Labor Contract Law: Changing labor conflicts into harmony How to dissolve labor contradictions is an important topic faced by the law makers when drafting the labor contract law.
Owing to the peculiarity of labor relations, employees are usually in an unfavorable position game, demanding a fa- vorite in the implementation of the law.

Meanwhile, a stable and harmonious employment relationship concerns not only the employees but also the employers, demanding a win-win solution in handling labor conflicts.

After careful consider- ations, legislators chose to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties of labor contracts to protect their legitimate rights and interests.
The legislation conforms to the inter- national common practice and meets the demand of China’s situation as well.

Due to the complexity of labor relations, the legislation process of Labor Contract Law is not an easy one.

Meanwhile, the law makers have demonstrated their intel- lectual prowess and are ready to listen to suggestions from the people.

Nowadays, more efforts are still needed to better implement the law.

On December 25, 2007, migrant workers and their employer sign a labor contract.
The Sichuan Huaying Stars Construction Group signed a labor contract with more than 1,300 migrant workers in accordance with the rele- vant provisions of the Labor Contract Law which was formally implemented on January 1, 2008.

Xinhua Anti-money Laundering Law: Another weapon to combat corruption Anti-Monopoly Law: To create a fair and orderly marketing environment Being a rampant public nuisance around the world, mon- ey-laundering always triggers corruptions and other crimes as well.
One prominent feature of money-laundering is that it often connects closely with corrupt officials.

Through cross- boarder money laundering, many corrupt officials transferred abroad their dirty money.

Legislators have adopted a series of measures to fight against corruptions.

The enactment of the law represents another showdown towards corruption in China.
Being an important component of the socialist legal sys- tem, the Anti-Monopoly Law is dubbed as “the economic constitution.” It not only safeguards marketing competition order but also plays a key role in adjusting national economy.

The law gives legitimate weapons for further reform and opening up policies, helps build a fair environment for mar- keting competition, boosts international trade and techno- logical cooperation and stimulates economic vitalities as well.
The Anti-Money Laundering Law, which was approved during the 24th meet- ing of the 10th NPC Standing Committee on October 31, 2006, takes into ef- fect on January 1, 2007.

CFP 42 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA The cartoon shows that the Anti-Monopoly Law, which was approved during the 29th meeting of the 10th NPC Standing Committee on August 30, 2007, takes into effect on August 1, 2008.
CFP NPC Tort Law safeguards people’s legitimate rights The Tort Law fills the “right gaps” of Chinese people by tackling issues ranging from product defects, traffic ac- cidents, medical damages, environmental pollution, to cy- berspace tort disputes and animal attacks.

It also clarifies defective products recall system, formulates compensations for mental injuries as well enhances the protection of ju- niors.
For the first time, it stipulates the compensation stan- dards following a principle of “Where the same tort causes the deaths of several persons, a uniform amount of death compensation may be determined.” The stipulations on the responsibilities of medical damages were seen as a big stride in the protection of privacy.

Law makers spent seven years and four rounds of deliberations in drafting the law.
To sum up, the law bears great importance in safeguarding the le- gitimate interests of citizens and legal persons, preventing and punishing tort activities and diminishing the number of social and civil conflicts.

Cartoon shows China has for the first time clarified compensations for men- tal injuries.

The Tort Law, which was approved by the 12th Meeting of the 11th NPC Standing Committee, took effect on July 1, 2010.
CFP Law on Promotion of Employment Order: To create more opportunities for employees Circular Economy Promotion Law embodies harmonious development concepts For the vast number of ordinary employees, employment is the pillar of life that guarantees their welfare and happi- ness.

To promote employment order means to create more job opportunities for laborers so that they can enjoy the fruits of social development as well as to boost social harmony and stability.
The law makes concrete stipulations on employ- ment policies, fairness, service and management, training, assistance, supervision and legitimate responsibilities.

As a result, it offers legal weapons to boost people’s employment.

The enactment of the Circular Economy Promotion Law aims to push forward a circular economy in order to rack in more economic, social and environmental benefits with less development cost.
The law sets up six basic measures to en- sure the development of circular economy: national circular economy development plan, control index of the discharge of main pollutants, assessment index system for circular econo- my, responsibilities of producers, administration and super- vision system concerning major energy and water consump- tion enterprises and stimulus system.
To implement these measures conscientiously is of great importance to building a “beautiful China,” a target set by the just–concluded 18th CPC National Congress.

Job seekers swarm into a job fair held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province on Oc- tober 13, 2012.

Wang Jiankang A worker passes a sewage water disposal system installed at a coal tar company in Fugu County, Shaanxi Province on May 16, 2012.

The county pushes forward upgrading its traditional enterprises into a model of circular economy.
Liu Xiao ISSUE 4 · 2012 43 REVIEW Food Safety Law reshapes food safety awareness A Chinese saying goes, “Food is the first necessity of the people.” As a result, food safety is bound up with everybody’s welfare and has become an important part of international supply chains in an era of globalization.

The frequent food safety incidents have accelerated the promulgation of food safety law, which attracts the attention of the people and of- fers a promising hope for the future.
After paying dearly for life safety and social cost, the people hope that the law could bring them a systematic guarantee to food safety by getting rid of forged and fake food.

After implementation, the law has greatly improved food safety in China.

Due to the limit of economic development and the productivity level, the overall situation of food safety in China is not satisfactory.

As China’s economic development enters drive, food safety incidents also enter period.
The promulgation of the law was just a first step to deal with food safety issues and reshape people’s awareness.

State Compensation Law: A heartwarming revision In modern society, a special relief system usually bases on and serves for an entity right.

We now live in an era that people’s legitimate rights are highly valued.

As a result, the promulgation of State Compensation Law, which stresses right relief, has become a landmark achievement in China’s legislation.
Judged from the revision, the law explicitly stipu- lates the scope, procedure and standard of State compensa- tion.

It also adopts the compensation of mental injury, an issue of common concern.

Moreover, the revised law makes further regulations on the payment mechanism of compensa- tion, clarifying duration and channels.

These regulations not only ensure citizens to safeguard their legitimate rights by us- ing legal weapons but also streamline the public power used by national organs.
It is safe to say the revised State Com- pensation Law brings warmth to ordinary people by seeking State compensation if necessary.

Local policemen from Zaozhuang Public Security Bureau in Shandong Prov- ince explain the newly-adopted State Compensation Law on November 30, 2010.

The law took effect on December 1, 2010.


Ji Zhe Amendment to the Criminal Law answers the call of the people A structural paradox has existed in China’s Criminal Law for quite a long time: There are too many death penalty offenc- es but many criminal offences are not heavy enough to punish criminals.

A latest amendment to the country’s 1997 version of Criminal Law annuls 13 economical crimes-related death penalty offences, accounting 19.1 percent of the total.
It is the first time that the top legislator slashed the death penalty offences since the laws was adopted in 1979.

Such a revision conforms to the international trend to limit the use of death penalties.

It also echoes to the spirit of judicial reform urged by the CPC Central Committee.

Traffic police in Jinan, Shandong Province conduct a large scale in- spection on traffic violations on May 4, 2012.

The revised Criminal Law introduces penalties to drunk-driving one year ago.
CFP Besides, the amendment tackles many hot issues concerned by many, introducing penalties on reckless driving, payment in arrears and illegal human organs trade.

It also adds provisions on community corrections and lowers the punish- ment threshold toward the produce and sale of fake medicines and environmental pollutions as well as gang crimes.

44 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC Tourists purchase sugarcoated haws at Wangfujing Street in Beijing on October 1, 2011.
The seven-day National Day holiday is dubbed as the “Golden Week,” during which millions of Chinese would choose travel- ling and shopping.

CFP Women city inspectors in Chenzhou, Hunan Province persuade citizens to correct illegal bicycle parking at the Wuling Square.

He Maofeng Citizens of Haikou, Hainan Province handle endowment insurance at Haikou Social Security Bureau on December 6, 2012.
CFP Social Insurance Law weaves a safety web for ordinary people A basic law in the field of social security, the Social Insur- ance Law aims to weave a protection web for ordinary people.

There are three highlights of the law: Firstly, a nationwide social security system that covers both rural and urban areas has taken shape.

Secondly, a balanced urban-rural develop- ment of basic pension insurance and basic medical insurance has been realized by and large.
Thirdly, the law protrudes the protection of legitimate rights of insurers through the design- ing and implementation of insurance system, which stresses the insurers’ rights and services provided by the government.

Administrative Compulsory Law aims to better regulate administrative activities Since it was first drafted in 1999, 12 years had passed until the Administrative Compulsory Law was adopted in 2011 after five rounds of deliberations by the NPC.
It seems like a dilemma to safeguard the administrative functions of the governments while to prevent the abuse of powers by the administrative compulsory as well.

Lawmak- ers have demonstrated excellent legislative intelligence to realize the balance of the two, especially the introduction of principles, procedures and responsibilities in regulating administrative compulsories.
The law has set up systematic limits and standards in regulating administrative compul- sories while seeking the protection of legitimate interests of citizens and legal persons.

The implementation of the law is of great importance to pushing forward administration by law.
(NPC) ISSUE 4 · 2012 45 LEGISLATION China amends law to boost care for elderly A running toddler attracts the attention of some senior citizens at a nursing home in Du’an Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on May 31, 2012.

The region invested a total of 830 million yuan into the service facilities for rural senior citizens.
Huang Xiaobang ad- December 28, 2012 ad- opted a bill to amend the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly in order to improve care for people ages 60 and up.

China’s top legislature on December 28, 2012 ad- The bill to amend the 16-year-old law was passed following a vote by lawmakers at the conclusion of a five-day bimonthly session of the National People’s Congress Standing Commit- tee.
President Hu Jintao issued an order to publicize the amended law containing 85 articles, which will replace a ver- sion of the law from 1996 and take effect from July 1, 2013.

The legislation came amid government efforts to find com- prehensive solutions to issues facing the elderly population, as the number of Chinese senior citizens has grown rapidly in recent years.

The amended law says China considers it a long-term stra- tegic task to actively confront the challenges posed by an ag- ing society.
Efforts shall be made to boost people’s awareness on adapting to an aging society and urge the public to care for and help the elderly, it says.

“These clauses carry significance for China in devising and carrying forward a national agenda on the aging population on strategic fronts," legislator Yu Jianwei told reporters.

China was home to over 184 million people over the age of 60 by the end of 2011, who accounted for 13.7 percent of the population, according to official figures.
disabled or partially disabled elderly citizens, and caring for them will be an increasingly pressing issue.

The amended law says governments at all levels should in- corporate work regarding the aging population into the over- all economic and social development plan and ensure that funds are available.
In addition to urging family members to care for the el- derly, the law stipulates that the government will ensure a basic living and basic medical care for the elderly through the pension mechanism and healthcare scheme.

The government shall provide basic living, healthcare, housing and other services to poverty-stricken elderly, and it will support those elderly who are disabled but have no sup- porters to rely on.
The amended law says local governments will roll out measures that encourage organizations or individuals to offer elderly-care services, while improving supervision over nurs- ing homes for the aging population.

Moreover, government authorities should thoroughly con- sider the needs of the elderly in urban and rural development project plans, with an aim of creating a safe, convenient and comfortable environment for them, according to the law.
Many of China’s current development projects are de- signed based on the needs of the young population and are inconvenient for the elderly, said Dang Junwu, deputy chief of the China Research Center on Aging.

“Some six- or seven-story apartment buildings in cities Yu said China’s elderly population is expected to exceed just have no elevators," he said, offering an example.

200 million in 2013.


China should move to make its public facilities more Statistics also show that China has more than 33 million elderly-friendly, according to experts.

(Xinhua) 46 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA NPC NPC The NPC is an English magazine of the General Of- fice of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.
Edited by The People’s Congresses Journal, The NPC aims to introduce to the outside world Chinese system of people’s congress, the work of people’s congresses at all levels as well as how their deputies do their duties.

Published quarterly, the maga- zine contains 48 copperplate color pages.

Each issue, which is 200*267mm in format, includes approximately 30,000 words.

magazine ISSUE 4 · 2012 47 LEGISLATION 48 NATIONAL PEOPLE’S CONGRESS OF CHINA