Guangming Daily:

The key concept of whole-process people's democracy was first raised by General Secretary Xi Jinping when he visited a local legislative information office of Hongqiao in Changning district, Shanghai. General Secretary Xi pointed out that the system of people's congresses is an important institutional support to whole-process people's democracy. Could you explain the system's role in implementing the key concept?

Song Rui:

Whole-process people's democracy is a creation of the CPC in leading the people to pursue, develop and realize democracy, embodying the significant innovation of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in advancing China's democratic theories, systems, and practices. Whole-process people's democracy is socialist, involves all the Chinese people, and features "whole process" as an advantage. It has complete procedures and practices, ensuring the democratic election, consultation, decision-making, management, and oversight of the people according to law. It is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society. It is a true democracy that works.

Just as you mentioned in your question, General Secretary Xi Jinping noted that the system of people's congresses is an important institutional support to whole-process people's democracy. On the one hand, it works to ensure complete procedures for whole-process people's democracy and, on the other hand, provides a platform for complete practices of whole-process people's democracy. In terms of procedures, the essential thing in ensuring the people's status as masters of the country is that they hold state power and exercise the power of administering the country. The system of people's congresses is a fundamental political system in China. It ensures the people's status as masters of the country. It can strongly and effectively ensure that the Chinese people exercise state power through people's congresses at various levels and manage affairs of the state, the economy, culture, and society according to law. In addition, the constitution and laws formulated and amended under the system of people's congresses provide a sound legal guarantee for whole-process people's democracy. China's constitution specifies citizens' basic rights and obligations comprehensively and systematically. All the systems, policies, and guidelines written into it are intended to realize, safeguard and advance the people's fundamental interests. In addition, the National People's Congress made a series of laws to guarantee, safeguard and develop the political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights and interests of citizens, among other areas, in a bid to guarantee people's democracy and increase people's wellbeing with complete laws. In terms of providing a platform for complete practices of whole-process people's democracy, the work related to the people's congresses covers all aspects of democratic election, consultation, decision-making, management, and oversight. I will give several examples here. The just-concluded election of new deputies to the county- and township-level people's congresses is a vivid illustration of whole-process people's democracy in practice, during which over 2.6 million new deputies were elected by over one billion voters casting one vote each. Democratic consultation is reflected in research, seminar, debate, deliberation, and solicitation of public opinions. The people's congresses widely solicit public opinions and fully build consensus before voting on any law, decision and resolution according to law. Supervision by people's congresses represents the people's will and has legal force. It prompts state organs to exercise power following the law and safeguard the legal rights and interests of the people. With whole-process people's democracy, the people's rights to know, to participate, to express views, and to supervise the exercise of power are ensured in all aspects, and the whole process of the work related to the people's congresses and public opinions of various sides are collected to ensure the interests of the majority of people. Thank you.

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