The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) issued a circular on June 17 encouraging government at all levels to help implement policies giving greater scope to the work of national legislators throughout the year.

Earlier National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee guidelines had stated that "NPC deputies may solicit views of people in their constituencies by means of holding symposiums, public e-mails and through NPC websites" even when the legislature is adjourned.

Friday's CPC circular said that improving the system is central to developing socialist democracy, enhancing the legal system, building political civil culture and constructing a harmonious society.

The developments are part of wider ongoing efforts to improve the role of NPC deputies, who will also conduct one year-end inspection trip and one mid-year special investigation and study trip in their constituencies.

During these trips, deputies will be entitled to give views or criticize the performance of organizations they visit but not to get directly involved in addressing issues. Instead, they will be expected to write reports on their investigations and submit them to the NPC Standing Committee.

NPC deputies will be able to report contents of petitions they receive from the public directly to government agencies, and pass them on to the NPC Standing Committee, which will forward them to government departments and monitor their outcome.

Measures to safeguard deputies' right to know have also been pledged, as has increasing their budget for off-session activities, and guaranteeing their salaries, bonuses and other benefits from their usual jobs, as well as time off to fulfill their NPC duties.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2005)