China’s Two Sessions, or the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have always been in the spotlight of the country’s political life, as proposals will be discussed and important decisions involving China’s development and people’s livelihood will be made. This year’s Two Sessions, namely, the First Session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee and the First Session of the 14th NPC, start on 4 March and 5 March respectively. 

With this year’s Two Sessions approaching, proposals prepared by NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members have once again caught the eye.  

Among them are proposals to provide fairer job opportunities for people above the age of 35, who have faced age-based discrimination in the job market for a long time. 

These proposals well reflect the concerns of the people, but will they turn into policies that address the concerns? 

According to the legislative process, proposals made at the Two Sessions are forwarded to relevant government organs and departments, which are required to handle them. Investigations and discussions follow, which may lead to either drafting of new policies, measures or laws, or a formal explanation why the proposal will not be acted upon. Each year, over 10,000 proposals are submitted during the Two Sessions. 

Such proposals were behind a number of important events and changes in China, such as the introduction of national laws like the law on the protection of minors, the construction of key infrastructure projects like the Three Gorges Dam, the establishment of national parks, and the creation of holidays such as the National Day and the Teachers’ Day. 

It is safe to say that a proposal during the Two Sessions might well be the first step in addressing a public concern. It will be interesting to observe what proposals are submitted during the Two Sessions this year and which of them will finally turn into national policies propelling China’s progress.