Yang Changqin, one of the 72 deputies of southwest China's Guizhou province, gave an interview at the “deputies' passage” before the opening of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing on March 5.

Yang Changqin displays the bamboo cover of her cup at the "deputies' passage" before the opening of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 5. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 27-year-old, from Guizhou’s Chishui city, is a provincial-level inheritor of bamboo weaving, and has practiced the art for 10 years.

Yang displayed the bamboo cover of her cup at the passage, which was completely handmade using local bamboo from Chishui.

“Plain as it seems, it’s actually a tool that has helped lift local villagers out of poverty,” she said.

Reporters were given more opportunities to interview the National People's Congress deputies and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) this year, since a passage has been reserved for them in the Great Hall of the People for the first time.

Yang drinks water from the bamboo-covered cup in her hotel room, March 4. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The bamboo cup cover is completely handmade using local bamboo from Chishui. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]