'For the people,' grassroots lawmakers speak up at 'two sessions'

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Sitting among nearly 3,000 national lawmakers at the Great Hall of the People at the heart of Beijing, Fan Yongzhen feels a great sense of responsibility to her people.

Fan Yongzhen (2nd R), a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), talks with her fellow deputies after a plenary meeting of Yunnan delegation in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

A deputy curator of a local cultural museum in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Fan wants more funding for preserving ethnic minority cultures, as well as better technologies in public museums in less developed areas.

The annual "two sessions," which gather thousands of national legislators and political advisors from across China, present an opportunity for voices like Fan's to be heard on the national level.

Fan attended the sessions for the first time last year. As a beginner, she felt uncertain about how to fulfill her duty well.

From the multi-ethnic Yunnan Province, Fan suggested the government increase support for modern public cultural institutions in the western region. Although she had made thorough research on the topic by visiting local cultural facilities and artists, and conducting surveys, she was not sure about her suggestion.

To Fan's surprise, soon after she went back home from Beijing, she received feedback for her suggestion. Digital museum construction in Lijiang and cultural institutes at the township level have both received strong support from government departments.

"I look at my role as a lawmaker differently after that," Fan said. "The responsibility is huge."

This year, she suggests creating more digital cultural products for better public access.