"DIRECT TRAINS" EN ROUTE TO EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING
Luo Xiaoyou, a convenience store employee in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, feels proud that his opinion on marking the expiration dates on food packaging more noticeably has made an impact on the national law on anti-food waste.
When attending a grassroots seminar for soliciting suggestions on the new legislation in October 2020, Luo's opinion was recorded and sent directly to the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.
This was made possible by the grassroots contact stations set up by the commission. Dubbed "direct trains," they act as a direct link between ordinary people and China's top legislature, demonstrating the country's democratic decision-making.
Over 20 such stations have been established in China since 2015, covering more than two-thirds of provincial-level regions, allowing people from all walks of life to contribute wisdom to the national legislation.
Legislation is a difficult and time-consuming process. For example, the enactment of the e-commerce law took a total of five years, during which three rounds of public opinion solicitation and four deliberations took place.
The final provisions lay more emphasis on consumers' rights, especially their personal safety, and appropriately increase the responsibilities and obligations of e-commerce operators.
In tough situations, China's implementation of democratic centralism guarantees effective, scientific and people-centered decision-making.
When China's Hubei Province was facing the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, the government made a quick decision to build makeshift hospitals to treat patients with mild symptoms, which played a key role in curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
This stands in stark contrast with some countries where people have been involved in an endless fight over whether masks should be mandated in public.
The Chinese government also attaches great importance to the implementation of all decisions and never made empty promises to its people.
Every year, after the government work report is deliberated and adopted by the NPC during the "two sessions," the State Council will soon break down tasks, specify the departments involved and time limits, and strictly supervise their implementation.
