National People's Congress (NPC)

The third plenary session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's highest legislative body, will open on Friday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

About 3,000 deputies - elected in 2008 for a term of five years - from the country's provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, as well as from the People's Liberation Army, will attend the session.

The NPC, which oversees national administrative, judicial and procuratorial bodies, will discuss and formulate the country's development.

As an annual task, Premier Wen Jiabao is expected to deliver the central government's work report at the opening of the NPC session.

The report generally details the government's work over the past year and its plans for the coming year.

The Ministry of Finance will deliver a report on the budget to NPC deputies, while the National Development and Reform Commission will submit a report on social and economic development.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, is expected to deliver a work report. The country's chief judge and chief procurator will deliver two speeches to the NPC on the work of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

NPC deputies will examine the reports and air their opinions during group discussions. They will also vote to approve or reject the reports.

This year's proposed agenda includes the review of the draft amendment to the Electoral Law, which is expected to ensure people in the countryside have the same representation in the NPC as urban residents.

Under the existing law, each rural deputy represents four times as many people as an urban deputy.

Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a united front of the people and the country's top advisory body.

It serves as a key mechanism for multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) and is a major manifestation of socialist democracy.

The CPPCC has a national committee and local committees, which hold sessions every year.

The 11th CPPCC National Committee will hold its third session on Wednesday.

Most CPPCC members are experienced political figures, social celebrities, experts and scholars.

The main functions of the CPPCC are to hold political consultations, exercise democratic supervision and participate in discussions in addition to the handling of State affairs.

Political consultation covers major principles and policies proposed by the central and local governments, as well as matters of political, economic, cultural and social importance.

China Daily

(China Daily 03/03/2010 page4)