Dongsheng explains: the two sessions (Lianghui)

Dongsheng News - The “Two Sessions” (两会, liǎnghuì) will be held in March. At this annual event, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) hold simultaneous meetings to set the country's course for the rest of the year.

These two platforms are essential parts of China's unique political system and Chinese-style democracy. According to the first article of the Chinese Constitution, "The People's Republic of China (PRC) is a socialist state under the people's democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants." But how does this political leadership and "people power" function in practice?

There are two channels of political representation in China: the first is substantive and material representation through the Communist Party of China (CPC), governed by a top-down, centralist democratic structure. The second is a procedural representative channel through the National People's Council (NPC), governed by a bottom-up electoral process. Linked to these channels is the CPPCC platform for broad and democratic consultations.

Dissecting China's political system

In China's political system, collective leadership is structured the same way at all levels—with the exception of the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions—and is represented by the Party Committee (党委, dǎngwěi), the People's Congress (人大, réndà), the government (政府, zhèngfǔ), and the Political Consultative Conference (政协, zhèngxié). Together, they are known as the "four instances" (四套班子, sìtào bānzi), and are classified to reflect the hierarchical order of these four political institutions in China.

1. The Party Committees are the CPC authorities established in administrative areas. Following the Reform and Opening Up process, the CPC's leadership over the state was somewhat weakened, especially in governmental affairs. However, starting with its 18th National Congress, the CPC reaffirmed the political principle of defending and strengthening its leadership on all fronts, a principle enshrined in the Party and national constitutions.
2. The People's Congresses are the organs of state power under the leadership of the CPC, established in 1954 to provide the Chinese people with a formal and procedural channel of representation from the local to the national level. The People's Congresses oversee government operations (administrative and judicial), enact, amend, and supervise the implementation of laws and regulations, and elect and dismiss government officials, review and approve government work plans and budgets. The Congresses are democratically elected, with county and municipal deputies being directly nominated and voted on by the people. The nomination process is rigorous, ensuring representativeness based on local demographics (e.g., occupation, place of residence, gender, age, political affiliation, etc.) and broad participation from the grassroots. From the grassroots level, each People's Congress elects the members of the next-level Congress. The People's Congresses are the primary means through which the "people's democratic dictatorship," as defined by the Constitution, is exercised.
3. Governments are administrative authorities under the system of the People's Congresses, as well as the executive bodies of the Congresses. This means that government officials are appointed and accountable to the people through the Congresses, which receive and approve work plans and proposals submitted by the governments.
4. The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is a key institution for multi-party cooperation and political consultation, establishing a united front of the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC. The CPPCC is a political consultative and advisory body without legislative or executive power, composed of representatives of the CPC, eight democratic parties, mass organizations, ethnic minorities, other sectors of society, and invited individuals. This is a unique pillar of China's socialist political system, and it seeks broad popular consensus across all sectors of society through consultative democracy at both the central and local levels.

The history of the Two Sessions in China's socialist political system.

The Two Sessions, held annually in the Great Hall of the People (人民大会堂, rénmín dà huìtáng) in Beijing, are a national political mobilization event. This is an important opportunity for central leaders to exchange ideas with local authorities and grassroots representatives. The national meetings are preceded by provincial Two Sessions that summarize, plan, and make decisions on local issues and prepare for the national sessions.

In September 1949, on the eve of the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Mao Zedong convened the first CPPCC, which was attended by 662 participants from 46 political parties and groups. This Conference laid the legal foundations for the formal establishment of the PRC and defined the nature and political system of the state. Furthermore, it adopted national resolutions, including those concerning the flag, anthem, national capital, and calendar, and elected the head of state and state organs. In the early years of the PRC, as there was still no officially established parliamentary system, the CPPCC acted as the supreme organ of state power. With the convocation of the first NPC, which approved the Constitution of the PRC in 1954, the latter became the official parliament and the supreme organ of state power, while the CPPCC remains, to this day, a consultative united front organization.

What is the multi-party system like in China?

Many people are unaware that China has a multi-party political system. The eight Patriotic Democratic Parties were established before the founding of the PRC as part of the united front strategy. These parties continue to play a key consultative role within the CPPCC. They are:

1. The Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (中国国民党革命委员会, zhōngguó guómíndǎng gémìng wěiyuánhuì), formed from the Left Kuomintang that supported the CCP before the liberation of China in 1949.
2. The China Democratic League (中国民主同盟, zhōngguó mínzhǔ tóngméng), composed mainly of cultural figures.
3. The China National Democratic Construction Association (中国民主建国会, zhōngguó mínzhǔ jiànguó huì), composed mainly of businessmen and members of the business sector.
4. The Chinese Association for the Promotion of Democracy (中国民主促进会, zhōngguó mínzhǔ cùjìn huì), which primarily represents the education sector.
5. The Democratic Party of Chinese Peasants and Workers (中国农工民主党, zhōngguó nónggōng mínzhǔ dǎng), composed mainly of doctors and health professionals.
6. The Zhi Gong Party of China (中国致公党, zhōngguó zhì gōng dǎng), composed mainly of Chinese who were abroad and have returned to the country, as well as representative figures with connections abroad. This party also acts as a chapter of the Hongmen in China, a worldwide Chinese secret fraternal society.
7. The Jiusan Society (九三学社, jiǔsān xuéshè), primarily composed of those in the fields of science and technology.
8. The Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League (台湾民主自治同盟, táiwān mínzhǔ zìzhì tóngméng), comprised of proponents of socialism in the Taiwan region.

What is the role of mass organizations in China?

Other representatives of the CPPCC come from the Communist Youth League, the Federation of Trade Unions, the Women's Federation, the Youth Federation, the Federation of Industry and Commerce, the Science and Technology Association, the Taiwan Compatriots' Friendship Association, the Federation of Returned Chinese, and other mass organizations. Also included are representatives from art and culture, science and technology, social sciences, the economic community (including representatives from the productive sector, business, etc.), agriculture, education, sports, media, medicine and health, international friendship, social welfare, and other sectors, as well as ethnic minority groups, the Hong Kong and Macau regions, religious communities, among others. Mass organizations play an important role at all levels of society. National Federation of Women of China (NFMC)For example, the National Women's Movement (FNMC) played a pivotal role in the campaign to eradicate extreme poverty in China, from the grassroots to the national level. In key poverty-stricken counties, they conducted research with rural women to understand their conditions, which was incorporated into the government's Poverty Alleviation program. The FNMC not only participates in key government bodies overseeing the Poverty Alleviation program, but also mobilized its online and in-person grassroots work to build it, from its 900.000 "sister" WeChat chat groups to 641.291 grassroots organizations nationwide.

What happens before and during the Two Sessions?

All members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Political-Pacific Partnership (PPPC) serve five-year terms, coinciding with the term of the CPC National Congress. The NPC meeting is a continuation of the 20th CPC National Congress held in October 2022, which elected the Party's top leaders, from Central Committee members to the General Secretary. At the NPC, deputies will elect the country's president and vice-president, as well as vote to approve the president's nomination for premier of the State Council, following the list of nominees suggested by the CPC Central Committee. Prior to the Two Sessions, public opinion is consulted on specific legislation that undergoes analysis by various sectors of society. For example, on January 1, 2021, China's first comprehensive Civil Code was promulgated, with 1.200 articles covering property, marriage, inheritance, and individual rights, among other areas. Over a four-year period, the legislative process received 2.956 opinions from 1.241 deputies in 13 rounds of consultation with the CNP; over five years, three rounds of centralized study were conducted by CNP representatives; and ten rounds of online public consultations received 1,02 million opinions from over 420 citizens. The legislation was finally voted on and approved at the CNP session in 2020.

The current CNP and CCPPC and their achievements.

The term of the 13th NPC began in 2018 and ends in 2023. The composition of the 2.980 deputies is as follows: 2.119 (71,1%) are members of the CPC and 861 (28,9%) belong to the eight democratic parties or are non-partisan individuals. Of this total, 468 (15,7%) are workers, including peasants; 742 (24,9%) are women; and 438 (14,7%) are from ethnic minorities. In China, 91,1% of the population belongs to the Han ethnic group, while the other 55 ethnic groups comprise 8,9% of the population, meaning that their representation of ethnic minorities in the NPC is greater than their proportion in the Chinese population. 

The current 13th National Committee of the CPPCC, whose term also runs from 2018 to 2023, is composed of 2.158 representatives from diverse sectors, with 60,2% not being members of the CCP. CPPCC members are nominated and recommended by parties and groups, and are elected through consultation with the CCP.

Conclusion

The upcoming Two Sessions will be a significant political event in China, especially as they are a continuation of the 20th National Congress of the CPC and because the leaders of state organs will be elected. The People's Congress system is an innovation and a pillar of socialist governance in China, ensuring that the people have representation and oversee their government. The CPPCC plays a complementary role by providing broad consultation and consensus within Chinese society. Both political platforms emerged from China's historical conditions and needs and have continued to evolve over the past seven decades of socialist construction and governance.