观察家 | 从2023年全国人民代表大会看全过程人民民主

I'm Robert Lawrence Kuhn and here's what I'm watching: How the 2023 National People's Congress, the NPC, China's highest organ of state power, plans to implement the policy directives of the 20th CPC National Congress, which provides a roadmap for the next 25 plus years to "realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization."

我是罗伯特•劳伦斯•库恩，以下是我正在关注：2023年全国人民代表大会，即全国人大作为中国国家最高权力机关如何规划落实中共二十大的政策部署。这些部署擘画了中国未来二十五年发展蓝图，要全面建成社会主义现代化强国, 实现第二个百年奋斗目标, 以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴。

Essential is China's commitment to enhance its form of democracy, which it calls "Whole-Process People's Democracy." China's democracy is no verbal mirage — it is the third of six aspirational adjectives that President Xi Jinping uses to describe China's goal of great rejuvenation. Democracy in the Party-led system involves public supervision of people's congresses and all levels of government, via feedback and interactive mechanisms.

至关重要的是中国致力于完善民主制度，即全过程人民民主。中国的民主不是口头空谈，习近平主席在阐述中华民族的伟大复兴目标时使用了六个积极向上的形容词，第三个就是民主。民主在中国共产党领导的体制中是通过反馈和互动机制实现公众对各级人大及政府的监督。

The primary expression of China's democracy is through the formal processes of the people's congresses, culminating with the NPC. Empowered to enact laws, the NPC as a whole meets every March, but its various committees, especially its Standing Committee, meet throughout the year to plan and prepare various pieces of legislation that express the political agenda for the year.

中国的民主首先体现在各级人民代表大会的正式程序方面，最高至全国人大。全国人大拥有立法权，于每年三月召开代表大会。但其下各委员会，特别是常务委员会，全年都会召开会议为当年政治议程下的各项立法工作做好计划和准备。

Deputies of people's congresses are elected according to the Chinese system, which is always under the leadership of the Party, of course. As of 2022, there were more than 2.6 million deputies to China's five levels of people's congresses: state level, provincial, municipal, county and township — with all deputies in county and township people's congresses elected directly by voters.

在中国的体制下，人大代表通过选举产生，当然，这是在中国共产党的领导下。截至2022年，共有260多万名代表来自于五级人大，分别是全国、省、市、县、乡，其中县、乡人大代表由选民直接选举产生。

The election of deputies is called the basic premise for the people to be the masters of the country, to exercise state power and manage state affairs. It is the first link in the whole chain of people's democracy throughout the whole process.

人大代表选举是人民实现当家作主行使国家权力和管理国家事务的基本前提，这是实现全过程人民民主的首要环节。

Candidates for deputies recommended jointly by more than ten voters or deputies have the same legal status as candidates for deputies recommended by various parties and people's organizations, according to the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses. It may surprise some foreigners that the Party promotes competitive elections so that voters and deputies have more choices; Party-led committees are responsible to vet or verify qualifications of candidates and deputies before and after elections.

十名以上选民或者代表联名推荐的代表候选人与各政党、各人民团体推荐的代表候选人享有同等法律地位，这在《中华人民共和国全国人民代表大会和地方各级人民代表大会选举法》中已有明确规定。可能会让外国人感到惊讶的是中国共产党推行差额选举，使选民和代表有更多的选择。党领导下的（全国人大常委会代表资格审查）委员会负责在选举前后审查或核实候选人及代表资格。

To facilitate fair voting, election funds for people's congresses at all levels are provided by the state treasury; secret ballots ensure free choice of voters; and behaviors that undermine elections are sanctioned severely.

为保证选举公平，各级人大的选举经费都由国库支出，采用无记名投票，保证选民自由选择。一些破坏选举的行为会受到严厉制裁。

The people's supervision over deputies is said to embody the whole chain of people's democracy. Supervision by voters over deputies can take various forms, such as listening to deputies' reports, making criticisms, offering opinions and suggestions, and even by recalling deputies.

人民对人大代表的监督是人民民主全链条的体现。选民对人大代表进行监督可以采取多种形式，如听取代表报告，向代表提出批评、意见和建议，甚至罢免等。

The election of deputies must adapt to the times. The ratio of rural and urban deputies has shifted from 8:1 in 1953 to 1:1 today, equality between urban and rural areas. Adjustments are made to ensure an appropriate number of deputies from all regions, ethnic groups, social strata, industrial sectors, and government and military services.  

选举人大代表必须与时俱进，（在代表名额分配上）农村和城市人口比例由1953年的8:1到今天的1:1，实现了城乡"同票同权"。同时做出调整以保证各地区、各民族、各社会阶层、各行各业以及政府和军队都有适当数量的代表。

Not to be overlooked, the 2023 NPC will introduce the government's new senior team, including the premier.

需要注意的是2023年全国人民代表大会将产生包括总理在内的新一届政府领导班子。

I'm keeping watch. I'm Robert Lawrence Kuhn.

我将持续观察，我是罗伯特•劳伦斯•库恩。

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