The local vote

Grassroots political activity came to the fore at the recent Third Plenum, when the body's members agreed to add the promotion of democratic politics in China's rural areas to the reform agenda.

The subject is a contentious one. Su Jianxin, 63, who worked as a village official in Jiangxi province for 28 years, said he's dissatisfied with the current election system at village and township levels.

"Democratic elections became popular in the 1980s, with people above 18 voting for candidates nominated by the higher-level governments," he said.