Beijing, September 15, 2024 – The Europe Today: President Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of upholding and enhancing China’s system of people’s congresses, the country’s core political framework, during a grand ceremony on Saturday marking the 70th anniversary of the National People’s Congress (NPC).
Addressing an audience of nearly 3,000 attendees, Xi, who also serves as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, reiterated the need to solidify confidence in China’s path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He emphasized the vital role of this framework in fostering the nation’s whole-process people’s democracy.
Xi described the system of people’s congresses as a “remarkable political innovation” born from the unique soil of Chinese governance. He attributed its development to the long-standing efforts of the Chinese people under the CPC’s leadership, noting its critical importance in the evolution of global political institutions.
“The establishment of the people’s congress system represents a profound transformation in China’s political landscape,” Xi said. “It marked the transition from a system where power was concentrated in the hands of a few, to a system that empowers the people to govern as the true masters of the country under the Party’s leadership.”
Reflecting on the 70-year history of the NPC, Xi praised the system’s contributions to China’s rapid economic growth and enduring social stability. He affirmed that it offers a sound institutional framework that aligns with the country’s socialist values.
Xi also stressed the importance of adhering to the CPC’s leadership and ensuring that people’s congresses fully exercise their authority in legislative processes, particularly in emerging and foreign-related fields. He called for people’s congresses to play a key role in safeguarding the rule of law and overseeing both Party and government activities to protect the legitimate rights of the people.
The ceremony was attended by several senior Party officials, including Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Vice President Han Zheng. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the event.
