Votes and hopes as villagers flock to elect deputies

Rural polls help to spread political representation at the local level. Zhu Lixin reports from Fengyang county, Anhui province.

Yang Yubing and four other candidates for election to the local county and township's people's congresses in Xiaogang village, Fengyang county, Anhui province, sat at the front of a meeting room, preparing to deliver their speeches and answer questions from residents, who sat opposite the candidates and an invigilator.

The meeting was held on Dec 24 in the village in the eastern province, the day before the election for deputies.