All power in China belongs to the people. The organs through which the people exercise state power are the NPC and the local people's congresses. Therefore, the people's congress system is China's fundamental political system or the system of government. Its basic characteristics are: It has extensive representation, and is the basic form for the people to administer the country. It follows the principle of democratic centralism, i.e., it guarantees that the people enjoy extensive democracy and rights, at the same time guaranteeing that state power is exercised in a centralized and unified way. Under the premise that the people's congresses exercise the state power in a unified way, the state's administrative power, judicial authority, procuratorial authority and leadership over the armed forces are clearly divided to ensure that the organs of state power and administrative, judicial, procuratorial and other state organs work in a coordinated way. Deputies to the people's congresses at all levels are elected, and are responsible to and accept supervision by the people. The deputies are broadly representative: They include people from all ethnic groups, all walks of life, and all regions, classes and strata. As they come from the people, the deputies maintain close ties with their respective constituencies and electorates, and earnestly listen to their views and demands. When the congresses meet, they can air their views fully or address inquiries to governments at the corresponding level and their affiliated departments, and the parties concerned are duty-bound to reply to the inquiries. The electorates or constituencies have the right to recall the deputies they elected according to the procedures prescribed by law.
Composition of the Deputies to the Ninth NPC Workers and peasants: 18.87% Intellectuals: 21.05% Cadres 32.87% Deputies from non-Communist parties and democrats without party affiliation: 15.42% Deputies from the PLA: 8.98% Deputies from the HKSAR: 1.17% Deputies from the MSAR: 0.40% Returned overseas Chinese: 1.24% Women deputies: 21.81% Deputies from the 55 ethnic minorities: 14.37%
