Anyone elected deputy to a people's congress has the right to speak on state affairs, contributing their competence in their respective fields. This often leads to preferential policies of the government towards their industries. It brings about a threat too: some deputies regard the position as honorary. They do not perform the duties of a deputy, but are keen on winning advantages for their enterprises.

Migrant Workers Underrepresented

Another newcomer to the National People's Congress is the migrant worker. This group is reaching 300 million in China, but no presence in the legislature until 2008, and currently holding merely three seats in the 11th NPC.

The election of Hu Xiaoyan into the NPC two years ago was a turning point. The 36-year-old lady from rural Guang'an, Sichuan Province, has only nine years of schooling, and was the deputy head of a workshop in a ceramic company in Sanshui, Guangdong Province, at the time of her election.

Her ascendance to the nation's highest legislature made front-page news that year, and her decision to reveal her mobile phone number and e-mail address created a greater sensation in the public, particularly among her peers from the countryside. She was immediately overwhelmed by thousands of calls and hundreds of e-mails everyday, and was often awakened from sleep in the wee hours. Most of the people coming to her were looking for solutions to their problems, for which she was often of little help. Frustrated by the rage of some people, she had to tell them through the media: "I am an NPC deputy, not a government organ. I cannot handle affairs involving the power of trade unions or government departments. Employment disputes should first be brought to labor unions, and if finding no solution there, go to the relevant authority in the government. An NPC deputy is not supposed to get directly involved in the process."

The deputy status brings Ms. Hu no financial gain. She still lives in a cramped home of a dozen square meters, and the most valuable appliance in her possession is a TV set. But the honor has motivated her to read voraciously in her spare time, and keep vigilant eyes on issues concerning the rights and interest of migrant workers.

She raised seven proposals at the two previous sessions of the NPC and in this session, she calls for NPC attention to back pay for migrant workers, their vocational training opportunities, and education for their children. "Back pay is a chronic pain for migrant workers. I have received hundreds of text messages in regard to this. But I cannot address all these complaints in my capacity. The 300 million migrant workers need more Hu Xiaoyans in the NPC," she said.

Walking the Talk

Eight NPC deputies from Wenling, Zhejiang Province, and their counterparts in the provincial and municipal people's congresses met local constituencies online on the evening of December 30, 2009, soliciting their opinions for proposals to be discussed in the legislature at national and local levels.

People's congress deputies are supposed to be the voice of the people, and knowing the needs of the public is the first step in doing their job. Today new technologies have made the work easier and more effective.