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CPPCC proposals catch Government’s eye     
   MON, MAR 04, 2002    

At each annual CPPCC session, several thousand proposals are submitted by members to give advice or voice opinions on various issues. These proposals touch upon virtually every aspect of the nation's political, economic and social life. Our reporter Liang Limin followed the formulation and handling of one of the proposals.

Every March this CPPCC office is at its busiest. Several thousand proposals raised by CPPCC members from all over the country will be processed here before they are forwarded to corresponding government departments for closer examination.

Li Rong, Director of Office of Proposals, CPPCC, said: "Last year we handled over 3700 proposals, covering the entire spectrum of government policy agenda. The government departments have since carefully studied the feasibility of each proposal and many have been incorporated into decision making."

The Vice President of Zhejiang University, Professor Feng Pei'en, was the initiator of one such motions. As representative from the Jiu San Society, one of the eight non-Communist parties in China, he called for perfection of the Chinese legal system on the eve of China's WTO entry.

Feng Pei'en, Vice President of Zhejiang University said: "An important implication of China's WTO entry is the reshaping of people's attitudes towards established norms. This can only be done through legal reform, which should result in a system that both conforms to international practices and heeds particular Chinese concerns."

With collaboration from several legal experts, Professor Feng put forward a proposal last year on ways to implement "citizen treatment", an essential WTO protocol aiming at removing discriminative trading practices. His motion drew attention from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economics and a 4 page reply reached him three months later.

Professor Feng said: "I think the Ministry is considering my advice very seriously and has pledged to take my ideas into concern when devising new legislation in this area. "

This year, Professor Feng says he will be focusing on how China's education of higher learning in coping with increasing competition from their overseas counterparts after WTO entry. He, along with many other CPPCC members, says raising motions is an effective means for them to exercise political participation and to represent local voices to the central government.

The CPPCC goes from strength to strength, it now puts forward more proposals than ever which continue to enjoy favorable government attention. While CPPCC members do not have direct decision making power, the constant interaction between these members and government agencies has certainly contributed to a more effective and democratic governing process. Liang Limin, CCTV, Beijing.





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