Local legislative outreach offices have been described as direct lines to national legislation for the public. They have proved to be important platforms for the democratic expression of public opinion, demonstrating a unique role in developing whole-process people's democracy and strengthening governance in China.
To carry out whole-process people's democracy, the top legislature has designated more than 30 sites, including colleges and subdistricts, as grassroots stations to collect people's ideas and suggestions on legislation over the past few years.
As of September this year, the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) has set up 32 legislative outreach offices, covering all provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland.
Whole-process people's democracy has been highlighted in a draft law amendment, so as to ensure public opinions are heard in every step of legislative affairs.
Whole-process people's democracy is a system in which all key legislative decisions are made in accordance with procedures and through deliberations to make sure the decision-making system is sound and democratic, said Xi, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
The "courtyard meeting room" is a self-governance organization for local residents, which is largely composed of retirees who are keen on public affairs.
President Xi Jinping first advanced the concept during a visit to Changning's Hongqiao subdistrict in 2019. It's a system designed to ensure that all major legislative decisions are formulated democratically and generated through scientific, democratic decision-making.
More than 2.6 million deputies to people's congresses at the township and county levels have been directly elected across China, a Chinese spokesperson said Wednesday.