Opinion | Serving Hong Kong in the National People’s Congress has been an education and an honour
- Nearly 15 years in the NPC has been an education in China’s state functions, challenges and ambitions – and in gaining perspective on Hong Kong
- If we are to cement the city’s connector role, we need to learn more about China’s complexities and how we can add value
NPC, NPCSC, CPPCC. What layman can keep these acronyms straight? It’s a virtual word cocktail and hodgepodge of China’s political bodies.
To be involved in the supervising enforcement of the nation’s constitution, enacting laws, and reviewing and approving national economic and social development plans for a nation of 1.4 billion people was heady stuff.
Meeting once a year for about two weeks, the NPC votes on important legislation and personnel assignments, among other items. Due to the limited nature of annual plenary sessions, the NPC delegates power to the NPC Standing Committee, which comprises 175 members and typically holds session once every two months when the NPC is not in session.
Some may be surprised to learn that the NPC is the largest legislative body in the world with 2,980 members. It is a diverse legislative body, composed of deputies elected from provinces, municipalities directly under the central government, armed forces, autonomous regions and special administrative regions, with representation from all 56 ethnic minorities.
