Foreign news

China’s legislature stresses enhancing whole-process people’s democracy

Published

2 years ago

March 8, 2023

China’s top legislator on Tuesday urged the National People’s Congress (NPC) to uphold and improve the people’s congress system and continuously enhance whole-process people’s democracy.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the 13th NPC, made the remarks while delivering a work report at the first session of the 14th NPC.

Whole-process people’s democracy is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society, according to a white paper titled “China: Democracy That Works,” released by China’s State Council Information Office in 2021.

‘Strong vitality and superiority’ of the NPC

The NPC and its standing committee have stayed committed to the Party’s leadership, the people’s position as the masters of the country and law-based governance, according to the report.

Li said the five-year term of the 13th NPC Standing Committee coincides with a period of “great historical change” in which the cause of the Party and the country is flourishing.

Talking about the most important achievement of the NPC Standing Committee during the five years, Li highlighted that the concept of whole-process people’s democracy profoundly explains the basic connotation, essential features and fundamental principles of socialist democracy in China.

In 2021, a central conference on work related to the people’s congresses was held in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said at the meeting that the whole-process people’s democracy in China “not only has a complete set of institutions and procedures but also full participation and practices.”

“It is the broadest, most genuine and most effective socialist democracy,” Xi said.

Meanwhile, the work report said the 13th NPC has ensured the full implementation of the Constitution and upheld its authority and sanctity during its five-year term.

Over the past five years, improvements have been made to the Constitution and other relevant laws, noted the report.

In particular, the NPC adopted the Constitutional amendment, which made it clear that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The constitutional amendment also established the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era in China’s political and social activities.

Adhering to whole-process people’s democracy

The practice of the past five years has further deepened the understanding of the scientific connotation, basic characteristics and essential requirements of the system of people’s congresses, said the report.

“We must uphold the leadership of the CPC and ensure that the constitutional principle that CPC leadership is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is fully implemented,” according to the report.

The year 2023 marks the first year for China to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, the report said.

On the work of the NPC Standing Committee for the coming year, the report highlighted efforts in enforcing the Constitution, implementing legislation, strengthening the supervision of people’s congresses, improving the work of deputies, among others.

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Foreign news

French Envoy Seeks Collaboration With NAN To Boost Seamless Relationship

Published

1 month ago

February 5, 2025

The Gleamer

The new French envoy to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, on Wednesday called for collaboration with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) toward strengthening the mutually beneficial relationship between the two countries.

Fonbaustier, who is the French ambassador to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, NAN’s Managing Director, in Abuja.
The ambassador said that his purpose of visiting was to pay tribute to the MD, and to seek collaboration in three areas with a view to promoting stronger, seamless and fruitful partnership between both countries.

He added that Nigeria and its people were hospitable, especially to the foreigners and ambassadors alike.

He added that Nigeria was a country with so much energy, strength, stamina and so many talents.

In Nigeria, with the population of this size, it is inevitable that the elites of the country are very outstanding, “and there may be a Franco/Nigeria moments now”, he jokes.

According to him, France and Nigeria can collaborate more and learn from each other.
“I could feel it particularly during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu which took place in November 2024.

“I was there and I could see the intensity, the strength and the scope of the partnership, and I am here to scale up that partnership in all sectors.

“I am coming here for three reasons, first, to pay a tribute to the NAN MD and his team for the quality of this agency. We can testify that the contents that you publish are very factual, and also very well set up and structured.

“You do fact checking and you really do try to provide the community with quality information. I think, as a French ambassador, I can recognise that as part of a living democracy,” he said.

The French ambassador said the second reason for the visit was to intimate the NAN MD of France’s eagerness to go on partnership with NAN saying he hoped for assurance of a seamless, fluid and easy relationship.

He said that his third reason stemmed from his observation that NAN recently signed some partnership framework agreements with Egypt and China, saying “it may be time to think of balancing this partnership with others”.

“Especially with French, and to talk with Agence France-Presse (AFP) to see if there’s ground for a closer relationship between NAN and AFP.

“Which is also a recognised agency like yours, and I bet you the sky will be the limit to the collaboration, ’’he said.

Responding, the NAN MD informed the envoy that the agency was African’s biggest news content provider on account of its size.

Ali gave the envoy a little details of the agency’s operation and its outreach, saying “as our continent’s biggest news content provider, we have offices nationwide and in selected African countries.

“We have offices in countries such as South Africa, Cote d’ivoire, Addis Ababa, and then we have offices also beyond the shores of Africa. We have in New York and we are the only resident wire service in the United Nations.

“At a time in the past, the agency had 11 foreign offices, including Moscow, and presently, we are trying to re-open some of our shut offices, especially in London.
“We value partnership and understanding that we have with similar news organisation such as Reuters and, incidentally, we have a long standing relationship with AFP which you just raised.
“I know for years we have exchange of news between NAN and AFP but it’s a cooperation that we will like to strengthen and with your greater involvement,’’ he said.

The MD commended the ambassador for reaching out and engaging with some Nigerians communities to douse the tension of the allegation made by the Nigeriens.

He also lauded the envoy’s leadership and visibility to Nigeria and the ECOWAS, “which has helped to douse the perception and misconceptions about France, especially in the Sahel”.
“I think you have helped to reverse some of this perceptions. I thank you for the kind words that you said about the agency and about our management.

“We also see partnership as an important tool in checking the spread of fake news.
“We’ve seen instances where fake news has done great deal of damage, and with the coming of social media it has done even greater damage.

“Our country is facing a lot of challenges, one of which is the increasing insecurity, and the social media has been used by those who do not want to see our country to prosper,” Ali said.
He further said that NAN was a credible news agency that always fact check to correct the wrong narratives by those who are in the business of causing troubles.

He also told the envoy that the agency has its content in the Nigerian indigenous languages, starting with Hausa and it would proceed to Yoruba and Igbo languages later, “then later in future to French.

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