The key of modern state governance is to use laws to regulate the operation of power and social development, says an article in the 21st Century Business Herald. (Excerpts below):

Liu Binjie, a standing committee member of the National People’s Congress, China’s top State power body, said in a recent interview that the NPC at various levels must pay more attention to improve the efficiency of making laws to let the people exercise their power as owners of the country.

The people’s expectations of the People’s Congress is higher than ever before, calling on the superior power organ to fulfill its duty as lawmakers and government supervisors.

However, the NPC relies too much on department legislation, which is based on the opinions of relevant government ministry and departments, while ignoring public opinion. That said, the laws or the amendment of laws are often influenced, if not taken over, by some ministries and departments’ interests, or even some big enterprises’ interests.

Liu also admitted that some NPC departments and society have not fully participated in the lawmaking process as yet.

All relevant parities to a new law should have the legal right to participate in the lawmaking process. Laws that lack recognition by the public cannot be implemented well.

Some laws, such as the government budget law, have been used by vested interests to defend their positions and interests. Letting the public have a bigger say in making and amending laws is necessary to make breakthroughs in some reforms of crucial areas held by vested interests for a long time.

Theoretically, the current NPC has a fully developed department system to perform its duties well.

However, some of these departments have already developed deaf ears. Thus, if China wants to deepen its reform and modernize its governance system, it must reform its NPC system first.