On March 18, Zheng Yali, Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Vice President of Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (ZUFE), led more than 20 international student representatives on a visit to the Hangzhou Practice Center for Consultative Democracy in the New Era, where they andgained a firsthand experience of whole-process people’s democracy with Chinese charateristics.
During the visit, Zheng shared her experiences and reflections on participating in the China’s annual Two Sessions in her capacity as a CPPCC member. She explained that the annual sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC serve not only as a vivid demonstration of China’s democratic political system, but also as an important window through which international students can learn about new initiatives in China's modernization drive and better understand the country’s development path.
Through visits to featured spaces such as “Invite Public Consultations” and the “People’s Livelihood Consultation Hall,” students learned about the historical development of democracy in China and the practical achievements of the Hangzhou Municipal Committee. They also gained insight into how political advisors address social issues and improve public well-being through consultation and dialogue. Many students remarked that the openness and transparency of this consultative process left a deep impression on them and demonstrated the pragmatism and efficiency of Chinese-style whole-process democracy. consultative of the CPPCC.
During a simulated proposal session, seven international students serving as member representatives analyzed existing problems and put forward targeted solutions concerning convenient services for foreigners in Hangzhou and the optimization of the entrepreneurial environment for international students, which sparked enthusiastic responses. To prepare for the activity, the students organized multiple extracurricular meetings to identify issues, develop solutions, and draft proposals. Russian student Tanya said: “This is the first time I have participated so closely in discussions on urban governance. The openness of the process allowed me to experience the vitality of Chinese democracy firsthand.”
A representative from the Hangzhou CPPCC noted that the event not only provided international students with a valuable opportunity to observe China’s democratic political practices , but also generated constructive suggestions for Hangzhou’s development as an international city. Encouraging greater participation by international residents in urban governance, the representative added, reflects both the innovation and progressive development of democracy. firsthandconsultative.
(Editor: Che Peng)
