From Chinese Press

Making local legislatures work

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-29 08:22

Some local people's congresses have not yet held their annual meetings. As the highest local legislative bodies in China, local people's congresses should have a clear schedule, says an article in Beijing News. Excerpts:

Local people's congresses in several cities have not held their annual meetings even three months after the annual meeting of the National People's Congress.

As the highest local legislative bodies, people's congresses are responsible to take decisions on many issues.

For example, they are supposed to discuss the nominations and appointments of local leaders, and approve or disapprove of financial budgets at the annual meetings.

Hence, any delay in holding annual meetings of local people's congresses has a negative impact on the functioning of local governments.

Some jurists have said that our Constitution and laws don't give a clear schedule for local people's congresses. A proper schedule should be made in order to make governments more efficient and benefit the people.

(China Daily 06/29/2010 page9)