Chinese Villagers Actively Vote for Deputies to People's Congress

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 21, 2001

Chinese Villagers Actively Vote for Deputies to People's Congress

More than 900 residents in a small village in Chongqing Municipality elected three local legislators at the township level from four candidates Thursday in Chongqing. It marks the improvment of Chinese democracy and legal systems.

900 residents elected local legislators at township level

More than 900 residents in a small village in Chongqing Municipality elected three local legislators at the township level from four candidates Thursday in Chongqing.

Duzhou Town, in the eastern suburb of Chongqing Municipality, is one of the 40,000 Chinese towns currently holding elections for local deputies to the people's congress.

The three-year term election, a major event in the country's political life, marks the improvement of the Chinese democracy and legal systems.

Views of electors and candidates

Reporters from Hong Kong and Taiwan, organized by the National People's Congress, covered the election process in Huanglian Village of Duzhou Town for the first time.

Despite the cold weather, Zhang Ronghua, who is over 70, arrived 45 minutes earlier. " I will vote for a reliable person who can represent our views to the superior," he said.

Deng Fuwei, 29, returned home to vote from faraway Guangdong province. "I value my democratic rights, and will elect representatives who stand for our interests."

Deng En, another voter, expressed his hope that the representatives elected would be just, and lead the people to develop their economy.

Gao Qiang, one of the candidates, promised to carry out his duties in accordance with the law, and to report opinions and suggestions of the villagers.

Liao Chuanying, 54, said if elected, she will present the villager's views on "family planning."

Cai Shuguang, 49, said he will give close attention to irrigation works and foodstuff production if elected.

The election marks democracy improvement

Huanglian Village is a traditional agricultural village with population of 1,775. The average income per year is 2,250 yuan (about 271 U.S. dollars).

New deputies to the people's congress at township level have been elected in 25 districts, cities and counties in Chongqing Municipality. Local elections in 14 others are in process.

Ren Jinlie, vice-chairman of the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee, said although the elections at the town level still need to be improved, voters take their votes seriously, and the election results reflect the voters' will.

Lee Man Wah, a senior reporter from Asia Television Limited in Hong Kong, said she previously thought that there was no democracy in rural areas on the Chinese mainland, but now she has changed her view.

The elections in Chongqing, despite being a bit disorganized are fair, she said. "Democracy in the rural area of the Chinese mainland is developing."

Village Autonomy Changes Farmers' Life

The village-committee law, enacted in 1998, aims to safeguard the decision-making rights of Chinese villagers. It rules that elections of village leaders should be carried out by secret ballot, with choices made in a free and transparent manner.

Some officials were once baffled by the concept of village autonomy and the democratic election of village leaders. The farmers, some of whom are illiterate, would not be able to exercise their democratic rights properly, the officials said. Facts have proved them wrong.

Democratic elections have been successful in 99 percent of the villages. Village autonomy, a new wave of rural reform.

Some 90 percent of the farmers voted in 1999's elections and representatives have been chosen in most villages to supervise the village committee's work, including its administrative spending.

Village autonomy is a revolution. The grassroots democracy marks the beginning of all-round democracy in China.

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