TNAG-2293-FCO40-3305-Official-visits-from-Hong-Kong-to-China-1991 — Page 143

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certain things', 'diligence' and 'results achieved' as the

relevant yardsticks, while there were three overall

-gradings : outstanding, acceptable, and unsuitable. It all

sounds very

familiar. One of the ministry's interpreters

studied for a Master's degree in English at the University

of North Carolina.

Commission of Legislative Affairs,

National People's Congress (CLA)

Standing Committee of

15.

This briefing was conducted by Madam WANG Zhuqian

), the Vice Secretary General of the

1 王著謙

Commission.

Of all the briefings we received, this was the

most overtly propagandist and 'political' in content.

Under the PRC's constitution, power belongs to the people

administrative power of people enjoy the

and the

state.

the

structure.

the

The system of people's conferences from the

national to township levels is the core of China's

political

China has a system of 'centralized

democracy' under which decisions are made by everyone in

people's conferences, and whenever the people feel that

their representatives no longer adequately represent them,

they can veto their decisions. The people's congresses not

only had legislative powers but also were able to supervise

the daily work of the Government at every level. The

Commission was established in 1979 and, since then, had

processed 182 laws, including Hong Kong's Basic Law. China

now giving people choices regarding election

was