On March 30, Ambassador Shen Minjuan published a signed article titled “China’s Two Sessions: The Whole-Process People’s Democracy in Practice” in the “China’s Effective Governance” column of Mongolia’s Daily News, as well as on major Mongolian media outlets news.mn. Full text:

China’s Two Sessions: The Whole-Process People’s Democracy in Practice

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Mongolia

Shen Minjuan

Not long ago, China’s annual Two Sessions, namely the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), were successfully convened. Nearly 5,000 deputies and members from across the country gathered in Beijing to deliberate on state affairs and plan for development. The Two Sessions represent a distinctive institutional arrangement through which China pools wisdom and builds consensus, and they also stand as the most vivid practice of the whole-process people's democracy in the most comprehensive way. The question is what is the whole-process people's democracy? I would like to answer with a deputy, a proposal, and a screen.

The first story is about a deputy. In the delegation from Henan this year, there was one special lady, Li Cuili. She is the owner of a small village shop in Lishi Village. Eighteen years ago, in order to enrich the cultural life of her villagers, she made a bold decision: she removed the shelves of the shop’s best-selling liquor and replaced them with a wall of books, allowing villagers to borrow them free of charge. Today, the initiative that grew out of this effort—the “One-Square-Meter Bookshelf”—has expanded to 400 places across the country. At the Two Sessions this time, she hopes to share the needs of rural development with a wider audience.

Among the deputies and members attending the Two Sessions are not only government officials, scientists and entrepreneurs, but also many ordinary workers like Li Cuili. Of the nearly 3,000 deputies of the NPC, more than 16% are blue-collar workers and farmers, and about 15% are from ethnic minorities.

China’s whole-process people's democracy has never been a privilege reserved for a few; it is a robust guarantee of every citizen’s equal right to participate in state affairs.

The second story is about a proposal. Wang Sen, a Shanghai resident with a lower-limb disability, noticed in his life that although some barrier-free facilities had been built, they still had practical shortcomings when used. During the drafting of Shanghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan, the municipal government solicited proposals from the public. Wang Sen suggested that barrier-free facilities should include an “experiential acceptance inspection” before completion. After review by the drafting committee, this proposal was included into the outline of Shanghai’s 15th Five-Year Plan.

There are many similar examples. When China formulated the 15th Five-Year Plan, public opinions were widely solicited online, yielding over 3.1 million messages and comments from the public. These online messages were eventually transformed into more than 1,500 constructive and representative recommendations across 27 areas. From pension benefits for retirees and ethics in artificial intelligence to the repair of farmland irrigation systems, many of these proposals were incorporated into the final plan.

China’s whole-process people's democracy is never a mere formality. The pressing concerns of ordinary people can reach the highest legislative body directly, ensuring that public affairs are discussed and handled through broad consultation.

The third story is about a screen. At this year’s Two Sessions of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, a list of key livelihood initiatives was released. One of the cases was a proposal submitted by the Jiusan Society, one of the other political parties in China, which suggested equipping key groups, such as the elderly, pregnant women, and patients with chronic diseases, with AI-powered family doctors, providing round-the-clock services including health consultation, medication guidance, and medical report interpretation. Within just a few months after the submission, this proposal had already become reality through a simple screen. Health indicators such as blood pressure and blood glucose measured by residents at home can now be transmitted in real time to the hospital’s health management platform. Doctors can track patients’ health data, while village doctors and family physicians provide follow-up explanations by phone or through home visits.

Every year in China, thousands of proposals are translated into concrete outcomes. In 2025, all 269 motions and 9,160 proposals submitted by deputies of the NPC were adopted and completed. Among more than 5,000 proposals filed by members of the CPPCC, many opinions and recommendations were incorporated into relevant policy documents.

China’s whole-process people's democracy is never an ornament. It treats every matter of people’s livelihood as a matter of policy importance, addressing real problems that people truly care about.

When the people voice their concerns, deputies and members respond, and the government takes action. China’s whole-process people's democracy is the broadest, most genuine and most effective form of democracy. It is also the form of democracy best suited to China’s national conditions, reflecting the governance philosophy of the Communist Party of China to serve the public good and exercise power in the interests of the people. The CPC is currently carrying out educational campaign on the correct understanding of what it means to perform well, with the aim of further translating its commitment to serving the people into concrete action. China will continue to advance the whole-process people's democracy to promote national development, foster social progress, improve people’s well-being, and make greater contributions to international politics.