Parliament considers giving rural population more seats
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The amendment echoed Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee General Secretary Hu Jintao, who proposed in a report to the 17th CPC National Congress in October 2007 that rural and urban areas should have equal rights in election of lawmakers as "the people are masters of the country."
Prof. Han Dayuan of the Renmin University of China said correcting the disparity between representation of rural and urban people in legislative bodies ushers in "a big stride forward in achieving equality in elections and farmers' exercising of political rights."
Han said the amendment is conducive to adjusting lawmakers' composition and expanding farmers' participation in discussing political affairs.
He called for providing training for rural deputies to help them better understand their work.
Liu Wenxi, a farmer of eastern Shandong Province's Yuncheng County, said currently there are very few lawmakers coming from the countryside, and many urban deputies understand little about rural conditions so "even they suggest on agricultural issues, the proposals are more or less divorced from reality."
He said farmers' voice should be more effectively brought to the top leadership through lawmakers.
The law did not specify the exact population that a lawmaker would represent. The supreme legislature would decide the specific ratio after passing the amendment.
NPC Standing Committee Vice Chairman Wang said the amendment ensures "equal representation among people, regions and ethnic groups."
"Every administrative area, regardless of the size of its population, should have the same base number of deputies," and "ethnic groups with the smallest population must also have one deputy," he said.
Lawmaker Meng Yuzhen of the Oroqen ethnic group living in northeastern Greater Hinggan Mountains felt obligated to speak for his people as her ethnic group has only 8,000 members and she is the only national legislator.
As a township head, Meng has brought eight motions to the parliament session after discussing with villagers on their concerns.
She said the number of lawmakers from grassroots should be increased.
The draft amendment also says "the number of grassroots deputies of farmers, workers and intellectuals should be guaranteed."
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