Report on the Work of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
——2017年3月8日在第十二届全国人民代表大会第五次会议上
Delivered at the Fifth Session of the Twelfth National People’s Congress on March 8, 2017
全国人民代表大会常务委员会委员长张德江
Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
各位代表:
Fellow Deputies,
现在,我受全国人大常委会委托,向大会报告工作,请予审议。
On behalf of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), I will now present to you the report on the work of the Standing Committee for your deliberation.
Over the past year, under the firm leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the NPC Standing Committee has comprehensively implemented the guidelines from the 18th National Party Congress and those of the third through sixth plenary sessions of the 18th Party Central Committee; followed the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development; and carefully studied and put into practice the principles from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s major addresses and his new vision, thinking, and strategies for the governance of China. We have upheld our commitment to integrating leadership by the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country, and law-based governance, and have exercised the functions and powers granted to us by the Constitution and other laws and worked hard in our role as the country’s highest organ of state power, focusing closely on the overall plan for balanced economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress, on the coordinated advancement of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, and on the implementation of the new development philosophy.
Upholding leadership by the Party is the foundation and lifeblood of both the Party and the country and affects the interests and wellbeing of all the people of China. At its Sixth Plenary Session, the 18th Party Central Committee formally affirmed that General Secretary Xi Jinping is at the core of the Central Committee and of the entire Party, reflecting the will of all members of the Party, all members of the armed forces, and all the people of China. We have built a keen awareness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, uphold the leadership core, and keep in alignment; closely followed the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in terms of thinking, political stand, and action; upheld the centralized, unified leadership of the Central Committee and resolutely safeguarded its authority; and worked to see that the line, principles, and policies of the Party as well as the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee are carried out in the NPC’s work.
Since the Fourth Session of the 12th NPC, the Standing Committee has enacted 8 laws, revised 27 laws, passed 7 decisions or resolutions on legal issues, issued 1 legal interpretation, and resolved to present the draft of 1 law and 3 draft decisions on legal issues to this session of the NPC for deliberation. Our legislative work has continued to be characterized by the great number, importance, and pace of activities, and we have further improved the quality of the NPC’s legislative work.
We inspected compliance with 6 laws; heard and deliberated 20 work reports from the State Council, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate; passed 2 resolutions; and conducted 3 special inquiries and 5 research projects. Through these activities, we have achieved continuous progress in the NPC’s oversight work, making it more targeted and effective.
We deliberated and approved 8 reports from the NPC’s special committees regarding their examination of deputies’ proposals, as well as 7 reports from the Credentials Committee pertaining to its review of certain deputies’ qualifications. We ratified 3 treaties and agreements concluded between China and foreign countries as well as China’s accession to 4 international conventions, and made decisions on or gave approval to the appointment or removal of a number of officials of state bodies. New advances and achievements have been made in every area of the NPC’s work.