全國人民代表大會常務委員會工作報告 中英對照

REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE
OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS

Delivered at the Second Session of the Eleventh National People's Congress on March 9, 2009

全國人民代表大會常務委員會委員長　吳邦國
Wu Bangguo
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

各位代表：
Fellow Deputies,

我受全國人大常委會委託，向大會報告工作，請予審議。
I have been entrusted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) to present this report on its work for your deliberation and approval.

過去一年的主要工作
Main Accomplishments of Last Year

2008年，面對重大困難和嚴峻挑戰，以胡錦濤同志爲總書記的黨中央團結帶領全國各族人民同心同德、頑強拼搏，全面奪取抗災救災鬥爭重大勝利，成功舉辦北京奧運會、殘奧會，圓滿完成神舟七號載人航天飛行任務，隆重紀念改革開放30週年，經濟保持較快增長，民生得到進一步改善，社會大局保持穩定，國際地位進一步提高，中國特色社會主義事業取得了新的偉大成就。
Faced with tremendous hardships and rigorous challenges in 2008, the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, united with the people of all our ethnic groups and led them in working hard with one heart and one mind, completely winning a great victory in combating disasters and providing disaster relief, successfully hosting the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, flawlessly accomplishing the Shenzhou VII manned space mission, solemnly commemorating the 30th anniversary of the reform and opening up policy, maintaining rapid economic growth, further improving the people's lives, maintaining overall social stability, enhancing China's international standing and making great new achievements in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

過去的一年，是十一屆全國人大常委會依法履職的第一年。我們全面貫徹黨的十七大和十七屆三中全會精神，以鄧小平理論和“三個代表”重要思想爲指導，深入貫徹落實科學發展觀，堅持黨的領導、人民當家作主、依法治國有機統一，緊緊圍繞黨和國家工作大局、緊緊抓住經濟社會發展中的突出問題，依法行使職權，積極開展工作，充分發揮了國家權力機關的作用。一年來，共審議15件法律案，通過9件，聽取審議國務院、最高人民法院、最高人民檢察院13個工作報告，作出3項決議，檢查5部法律的實施情況，決定批准我國與外國締結的條約、協定以及加入的國際公約20件，還決定和批准任免一批國家機關工作人員，爲社會主義經濟建設、政治建設、文化建設、社會建設作出了新的貢獻。
Last year was the first year in which the Standing Committee of the Eleventh NPC carried out its functions in accordance with the law. We fully implemented the guiding principles of the Seventeenth National Party Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee, took Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide, thoroughly applied the Scientific Outlook on Development, and organically integrated the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country and the rule of law. Focusing on the overall work of the Party and the state, we devoted a great deal of effort to resolving serious issues in economic and social development, exercised our functions and powers in accordance with the law, did our work energetically, and fully played our role as an organ of state power. Over the past year, we deliberated 15 draft laws, passed nine of them, heard and deliberated 13 work reports from the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, adopted three resolutions, investigated compliance with five laws, approved 13 treaties and accords China concluded with foreign countries and its accession to seven international conventions, and made decisions on and approved the appointment and removal of a number of employees in Chinese state organs, thus making further contributions to socialist economic, political, cultural and social development.

一、全力支持抗震救災和災後恢復重建
1. Giving full support to earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction

去年5月12日發生的四川汶川特大地震，給災區人民生命財產造成極大損失，也給國家經濟社會發展帶來嚴重影響。災情牽動着全國各族人民的心。全國人大常委會緊急行動，認真落實中央部署，從人大工作自身特點出發，加強監督和立法工作，全力支持抗震救災和災後恢復重建，充分發揮了社會主義制度集中力量辦大事的政治優勢。
The massive earthquake that hit Wenchuan in Sichuan Province on May 12 inflicted enormous damage to both lives and property in the quake zone and seriously affected the country's economic and social development. The earthquake elicited a sympathetic response from all the Chinese people. The NPC Standing Committee acted promptly, carried out the arrangements of the Central Committee diligently, took the characteristics of the NPC's work as its starting point, strengthened oversight and legislation, fully supported earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in the quake zone, and made full use of the political advantages of the socialist system which enables it to concentrate resources to accomplish large undertakings.

一是及時調整工作計劃。去年5月22日，專門召開委員長會議，專題聽取國務院彙報，爲突出工作重點，支持國務院集中精力抓好抗震救災工作，決定調整常委會工作計劃，將聽取審議國務院關於抗震救災和災後恢復重建工作報告，以及2008年中央預算調整方案列入6月份常委會會議議程；決定將按慣例在6月份會議審議的中央決算和審計工作報告、審查批准2007年中央決算等議程調整到8月份的會議。爲有充分時間把這次抗震救災、過渡性安置和災後恢復重建積累的有益經驗吸收到相關法律中，決定將原計劃6月份會議審議的防震減災法修訂草案調整到10月份的會議審議。
First, we promptly adjusted our work plan. The Chairperson's Council held a special session on May 22 to listen to the State Council's report on the earthquake. In order to focus on our work priorities and help the State Council concentrate on earthquake relief, the Chairperson's Council decided to adjust the work plan of the Standing Committee by putting deliberation of the State Council's report on earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction and its proposed revisions of the central budget for 2008 on the agenda of the June meeting of the Standing Committee. It also decided to postpone deliberation of the 2007 central government final budget and the auditing report as well as the deliberation and approval of the final budget from the June meeting, where this is normally done, to the August meeting. In order to allow sufficient time to incorporate the useful lessons accumulated in carrying out earthquake relief, interim arrangements, and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction into relevant laws, the Chairperson's Council decided to postpone the deliberation of the revised draft Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters from June to October.

二是堅決落實黨中央關於集中財力投入抗震救災的決策。爲確保抗震救災和災後恢復重建資金需要，5月22日委員長會議明確，要以保障災區人民生活爲根本，一切從抗震救災實際情況出發，根據特事特辦的原則，建議從中央預算穩定調節基金中調用大部分，建立災後恢復重建基金，按基金實際收支情況列入和調整中央預算，依法報全國人大常委會審查批准；在預算調整方案批准之前，所需資金可先從中央國庫庫款中調撥，以確保抗震救災和災後恢復重建資金及時撥付到位。同時要求加強資金使用情況的審計和監督，並建議對下一步所需資金早做安排。6月份的常委會會議，審查批准了2008年中央預算調整方案，同意建立災後恢復重建基金，爲抗震救災和災後恢復重建工作順利推進提供了資金保障。還建議有關方面儘快制定災後恢復重建規劃和具體實施方案，明確相關政策，多方位支持災後重建和生產自救。
Second, we resolutely implemented the Party Central Committee’s decision on collecting financial resources for earthquake relief. It was made clear at the Chairperson's Council meeting on May 22 that safeguarding the lives of people in the quake zone was paramount and that we needed to proceed from the actual earthquake relief situation in everything we did. It was proposed that the bulk of the central budget stabilization fund should be used to establish a fund for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction in line with the principle of taking special measures in special situations. According to the proposal, the actual revenue and expenditures of the fund should be included in the central budget, which should be adjusted accordingly, and this plan should be submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for deliberation and approval in accordance with the law. According to the same proposal, before the plan to revise the budget was approved, the fund should be first financed through the central treasury to ensure timely allocation of funding for earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. In addition, the requirement was made that there should be strict auditing and oversight of the use of the funds, and it was suggested that any further funding required should be arranged in advance. At the meeting of the Standing Committee in June, we deliberated and approved the plan to revise the central budget for 2008, and reached agreement to establish a fund for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction, thus providing funding guarantees for smooth progress in earthquake disaster relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. Another proposal was made that the relevant authorities should formulate a plan for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction and specific measures for implementing it as soon as possible, clarify recovery and reconstruction policies, and adopt a variety of means to support reconstruction and help disaster victims to resume production.

三是在全力投入抗震救災的情況下，強調一手抓抗震救災，一手抓經濟社會發展，以確保全年任務的完成。6月26日，常委會專門作出決議，積極評價抗震救災工作取得的顯著成效，充分肯定國務院、地方政府和各方面的工作，要求繼續全力搶救傷員、妥善安置受災羣衆、紮實推進災後恢復重建。審議中，常委會組成人員指出，四川汶川特大地震和年初南方部分地區嚴重低溫雨雪冰凍災害，給做好全年經濟工作帶來很大困難。在困難的形勢下，更要按照中央的決策部署，一手抓抗震救災，一手抓經濟社會發展，高度重視、及時研究、切實解決經濟運行中出現的突出矛盾，努力奪取抗震救災和經濟社會發展雙勝利。同時要精心做好北京奧運會各項籌辦工作，排除干擾，確保把北京奧運會辦成一屆有特色、高水平的奧運會。
Third, while throwing ourselves headlong into earthquake relief, we never lost sight of the importance of promoting economic and social development to ensure that the tasks for the whole year would be completed. The Standing Committee passed a special resolution on June 26 which positively appraised the remarkable achievements made in providing earthquake relief; fully endorsed the work of the State Council, local governments and all sectors of society; and called for continued efforts to do everything possible to rescue the injured, make appropriate arrangements for the disaster victims and effectively carry out post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. During the meeting, members of the Standing Committee pointed out that the massive Wenchuan earthquake and the severe snow and ice storms in part of the south at the beginning of the year made it difficult to successfully carry out our economic work for the whole year. They added that when facing difficulties, it is even more important to follow the Central Committee's decisions and arrangements, provide earthquake relief while also promoting economic and social development, pay close attention to, promptly study and effectively solve the major problems arising in economic activity, and successfully provide earthquake relief and promote economic and social development. Standing Committee members also stressed the need to carefully prepare for the Beijing Olympics despite the disruptions to ensure it is a distinctive and high-level event.

四是全面修訂防震減災法。防震減災法修訂草案在10月份的常委會會議初審後，即通過主要新聞媒體向社會全文公佈徵求意見，共收到意見建議7300多件。有關專門委員會及時組織精幹人員到災區實地調研，充分聽取抗震救災一線幹部羣衆的意見。根據各方面的意見，常委會對防震減災法作了較大修改，提高了建設工程尤其是學校、醫院等公用設施的抗震設防標準，完善了地震應急救援體系，加強了災後過渡性安置和災後恢復重建的制度措施。
Fourth, we completely revised the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters. After the revised version of this law was deliberated for the first time at the meeting of the Standing Committee in October, we released the full text to the public via major news media for comments, and received over 7,300 comments and suggestions in return. Special committees of the NPC promptly organized highly qualified personnel to conduct investigations in the quake zone and carefully listen to the comments of cadres and ordinary people providing earthquake relief on the frontlines. The Standing Committee considerably revised the draft law based on these comments to raise the earthquake resistance standards for building construction, especially for schools, hospitals and other public facilities, improve the emergency rescue system and strengthen the systems and measures for making interim arrangements and carrying out post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction.

二、積極推動經濟又好又快發展
2. Vigorously promoting sound and rapid development of the economy

深入貫徹落實科學發展觀，推動經濟又好又快發展，是常委會工作的一個重點。工作中，我們抓住經濟社會發展中的突出問題，綜合運用多種監督形式，加強跟蹤監督，推動改進工作，完善法律制度，使人大工作更有深度、更具活力。
Thoroughly applying the Scientific Outlook on Development and promoting sound and rapid economic development is a focal point of the work of the Standing Committee. In our work, we focused on major problems in economic and social development, employed a full range of oversight means, strengthened follow-up oversight, made improvements in our work, and improved the legal framework, thereby making the work of the NPC more thorough and dynamic.

一是推動中央宏觀調控重大決策部署的貫徹落實。去年以來，面對複雜多變的國際經濟形勢和國內經濟運行中的突出矛盾和問題，黨中央審時度勢，及時把宏觀調控的首要任務從年初的“兩防”，即防止經濟增長由偏快轉爲過熱、防止價格由結構性上漲演變爲明顯通貨膨脹，調整爲年中的“一保一控”，即保持經濟平穩較快增長、控制物價過快上漲。爲應對國際金融危機快速蔓延，11月份又果斷調整爲積極的財政政策和適度寬鬆的貨幣政策，並採取了一系列擴大內需、促進經濟增長的政策措施。
First, we carried forward implementation of the major macro-control decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee. In the face of a complicated, volatile international economic situation and serious conflicts and problems hindering domestic economic development last year, the Central Committee sized up the situation and promptly shifted the primary task for macro-control, which had been defined at the beginning of the year to be the prevention of excessively fast economic growth from becoming overheated growth and the prevention of structural price increases from turning into significant inflation, and redefined it to be maintenance of steady and rapid economic growth and curbing price hikes in mid-2008. In response to the rapidly spreading global financial crisis, in November the Central Committee resolutely shifted to a proactive fiscal policy and a moderately easy monetary policy and adopted a series of policies and measures to boost domestic demand and promote economic growth.

爲了確保中央重大決策部署的貫徹落實，常委會除按計劃聽取審議加強金融宏觀調控、穩定物價工作等報告外，面對國際金融危機新形勢，12月份的常委會會議專題安排聽取審議國務院關於應對國際金融危機、確保國民經濟平穩較快發展情況的報告。審議中，常委會組成人員對國務院的工作給予充分肯定。同時指出，當前國際金融危機繼續蔓延和對我國實體經濟的影響不斷加深，我國發展的外部經濟環境日趨嚴峻。在有效需求不足的情況下，我國經濟社會發展中的一些深層次矛盾和問題也會更加凸顯。要切實增強憂患意識，把思想和行動統一到中央對形勢的分析判斷和對工作的總體部署上來，全面貫徹中央經濟工作會議精神，化嚴峻挑戰爲發展機遇，變市場壓力爲調整動力，在保持經濟平穩較快發展的同時，切實把加快經濟發展方式轉變和結構調整作爲主攻方向。大家強調，在許多行業產能過剩的情況下，貫徹落實積極的財政政策和適度寬鬆的貨幣政策，最重要的是嚴格把握政策和投資導向，防止低水平重複建設，防止新一輪城市盲目擴張。
In order to ensure proper implementation of the Central Committee's major policies and arrangements, the Standing Committee, in addition to hearing and deliberating the reports on strengthening macro-control in the financial sector and stabilizing prices as originally scheduled, also deliberated and approved the report of the State Council on responding to the global financial crisis and ensuring steady and rapid economic development at its December meeting in response to the latest developments in the global financial crisis. At the meeting, members of the Standing Committee fully affirmed the State Council's work. In addition, they also noted that because the current global financial crisis was spreading and its impact on China's real economy was continuing to widen, the external economic environment for the country's development was worsening by the day. It was also noted that because of insufficient effective demand, some deep-rooted issues and problems in China's economic and social development would also become more serious. This required us to be more aware of potential danger and bring our thinking and actions in line with the Central Committee's analysis and judgment of the situation and its overall work arrangements. It was necessary for us to faithfully follow the guiding principles of the Central Economic Work Conference, transform serious challenges into development opportunities, and change market pressure into an impetus for adjustment. While working to maintain steady and rapid economic development, we needed to concentrate on speeding up transformation of the pattern of economic development and carrying out economic restructuring. Everyone present at the meeting emphasized that the excess production capacity in many industries made it imperative for us to strictly maintain the orientation of policies and investment and avoid low-level, redundant construction and a new round of haphazard urban expansion in implementing the proactive fiscal policy and the moderately easy monetary policy.

爲了保證積極的財政政策順利實施，根據預算法有關規定，建議2008年新增投資從當年中央預算超收收入中列支，並依法向全國人大常委會報告；同意在全國人民代表大會批准2009年中央預算前，預撥一定比例的資金，保證重點建設項目的資金需要，預算批准後按批准的預算執行；建議經國務院批准由財政部代理髮行的2009年地方政府債券納入地方財政預算，報經同級人民代表大會或其常委會批准。
To ensure smooth implementation of the proactive fiscal policy, we proposed funding additional investment programs in 2008 from that year's surplus revenue in the central budget in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Budget Law, which had to be reported to the Standing Committee as required by law. We agreed that a certain proportion of the funds should be disbursed before the NPC approves the 2009 central budget in order to ensure adequate funding for key development projects and that when the budget is approved it should be implemented accordingly. We also suggested that the bonds issued for local governments, which need to be approved by the State Council and issued by the Ministry of Finance on their behalf, be incorporated into their budgets and submitted to the people's congress or its standing committee at the corresponding level for approval.

二是推動轉變經濟發展方式。加快轉變經濟發展方式，推動產業結構優化升級，是關係國民經濟全局緊迫而重大的戰略任務。12月份的常委會會議專題聽取審議國務院關於“十一五”規劃綱要實施中期情況的報告。審議中，常委會組成人員充分肯定成績，客觀分析問題，提出中肯建議並指出，從評估情況看，綱要確定的大多數指標達到預期進度要求，實施情況總體上是好的。但反映經濟結構的4個指標中，服務業增加值、服務業就業、研發經費等3個指標沒有達到預期進度要求；單位國內生產總值能源消耗、主要污染物排放總量等兩個主要約束性指標與規劃目標差距較大。這在很大程度上表明，我國經濟發展方式尚未根本轉變，產業結構仍以工業爲主導，需求結構仍以出口和投資爲主導，資源環境壓力加重、擴大就業難度加大、消費不足等問題依然突出。建議國務院及有關部門要高度重視存在的問題，按照黨的十七大精神，加快推進經濟發展方式的“三個轉變”，加大工作力度，努力實現“十一五”規劃綱要確定的目標任務。常委會還通過制定循環經濟促進法、修改專利法，聽取審議國務院關於水污染防治工作情況報告、開展環境影響評價法執法檢查等方式，推動各級政府和有關方面落實科學發展觀，轉變經濟發展方式。
Second, we promoted transformation of the pattern of economic development. Accelerating change in the pattern of economic development and promoting improvement and upgrading of the industrial structure are pressing and major strategic tasks that have an overall bearing on the national economy. The Standing Committee heard and deliberated the State Council's report on the intermediate assessment of the implementation of the Outline of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan at its December meeting. Those present at the meeting fully acknowledged the achievements made, analyzed problems from an objective perspective, and made pertinent suggestions. They noted that the assessment showed satisfactory progress was being made toward most of the targets set forth in the outline and that the outline was being implemented satisfactorily on the whole. However, three of the four indices reflecting the condition of the economic structure - added value of the service sector, employment in the service sector, and R&D expenditures - failed to achieve the expected progress, and two major binding targets - energy consumption per unit of GDP and total emissions of major pollutants - fell far short of the set goals. To a great extent this showed that the pattern of China's economic development had not been transformed fundamentally: industry still holds the dominant position in the industrial structure, exports and investment still play the leading role in the demand structure, and serious problems such as mounting pressure on resources and the environment, increasing difficulty in expanding employment, and insufficient consumption still exist. We proposed that the State Council and relevant departments attach great importance to these problems, accelerate the implementation of the "three transformations" in the pattern of economic development [transformation from relying mainly on investment and exports to relying on a well coordinated combination of consumption, investment and exports, transformation from secondary industry serving as the major driving force to primary, secondary and tertiary industries jointly driving economic growth, and transformation from relying heavily on increased consumption of material resources to relying mainly on advances in science and technology, improvement in the quality of the workforce and innovation in management - Tr.] in accordance with the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress, and work harder to fulfill the objectives and tasks set forth in the Outline of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan. The Standing Committee also prodded governments at all levels and other concerned parties to apply the Scientific Outlook on Development and transform the pattern of economic development by enacting the Law to Promote a Circular Economy, revising the Patent Law, hearing and deliberating the State Council's report on preventing and controlling water pollution, and investigating compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Law.

三是推動農村改革發展。做好農業、農村、農民工作，事關黨和國家事業發展全局。上一屆常委會連續5年對“三農”問題進行跟蹤監督，取得明顯成效。去年，常委會在聽取審議國務院關於促進農民穩定增收情況報告和相關報告中，都對做好“三農”工作提出重要建議。常委會在開展農民專業合作社法執法檢查中，深入瞭解各類農民專業合作社的發展及存在的主要問題，要求全面落實法律規定的各項扶持政策，使農民專業合作社在提高農民的組織化程度、引領農民參與國內外市場競爭等方面發揮更大作用。通過人大的監督工作，有力地促進了社會主義新農村建設，經過國務院、地方各級政府和廣大農民羣衆共同努力，農村居民人均純收入在連續4年增量超過300元、增幅超過6%的基礎上，2008年增幅達到8%，糧食總產和單產再創歷史新高。截至2008年底，全國農民專業合作社超過11萬個，登記成員140多萬戶，加入合作社的農戶成員年收入比非成員農戶高出20%以上。在充分肯定成績的同時，常委會組成人員指出，要高度重視農民收入總體水平仍然不高、城鄉居民收入差距繼續拉大、農業比較效益還在下降、農業基礎設施落後、農民務工面臨新困難等問題，紮實推進農村改革，大幅增加“三農”投入，嚴格保護耕地，逐步理順糧食等農產品價格，不斷改善強農惠農的金融和科技服務，支持和引導民營經濟發展和農民多渠道轉移就業，保持農業穩定發展、促進農民持續增收。
Third, we promoted reform and development in rural areas. Doing the work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers well has an overall bearing on the progress of the cause of the Party and the state. The last Standing Committee made significant achievements in tracking and overseeing these problems over the course of five consecutive years. Last year the Standing Committee heard and deliberated the State Council's report on spurring steady increase in rural incomes and related reports and made important suggestions on how to do a good job in work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers. It investigated compliance with the Law on Specialized Farmer Cooperatives and acquired an in-depth understanding of the development of all types of specialized farmer cooperatives and the major problems facing them. We called for the implementation of all the policy support stipulated by the law to enable them to play a bigger role in strengthening the organization of farmers and guiding them in competing in domestic and international markets. The oversight by the NPC effectively promoted the building of a new socialist countryside. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the State Council, local governments at all levels and farmers, the growth rate of rural per capita net income reached 8% in 2008 following an annual increase of over 300 yuan or more than 6% over the previous four years running. Both total output and the yield per unit area reached an all-time high in the same year. By the end of 2008, the number of specialized farmer cooperatives nationwide exceeded 110,000, covering over 1.4 million households. The average annual income of rural households that have joined the cooperatives was more than 20% higher than that of those that have not. While fully confirming these achievements, members of the Standing Committee also pointed out that we needed to attach great importance to problems such as the still low overall income level of farmers, the widening income gap between urban and rural residents, the declining comparative returns from agriculture, backward agricultural infrastructure, and new difficulties facing rural workers looking for nonagricultural employment. They also pointed out the need to effectively promote rural reform, significantly increase our funding for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, strictly protect arable land, gradually make the prices of grain and other agricultural products more reasonable, constantly improve financial and technical services to aid agriculture and benefit farmers, support and guide the development of the non-public sector of the economy and rural workers seeking employment in a variety of nonagricultural sectors, maintain steady agricultural development and sustain increase in rural incomes.

三、着力促進解決民生問題
3. Focusing on solving the problems affecting people's well-being

堅持以人爲本，促進解決民生問題，是常委會工作的又一重點。工作中，我們注意把立法和監督結合起來，在推動改進工作的同時注重制定和完善法律，在加強立法的同時注重強化執法檢查和工作監督，使人大工作更貼近民生、更具實效。
Putting people first and promoting the resolution of problems affecting people's well-being are another focus of the work of the Standing Committee. We combined legislation with oversight in our work. While improving our work, we also strived to enact and improve laws and while working on legislation, we also strived to more effectively investigate compliance with laws and carry out work oversight, thus strengthening the connection between the work of the NPC and people's well-being and making the NPC's work even more practical.

食品安全事關人民羣衆身體健康和生命安全，人大代表和社會各界高度關注。針對“三鹿問題奶粉”等重大食品安全事件暴露出的突出問題，常委會在深入調查研究、廣泛徵求意見的基礎上，對食品安全法草案作了進一步修改。一是，爲切實加強食品安全監管工作，在確立各有關主管部門按照各自職責分段監管的基礎上，國務院設立食品安全委員會，協調、指導食品安全工作；同時規定，縣級以上地方人民政府統一負責、領導、組織、協調本行政區域食品安全監督管理工作。二是，爲解決食品生產濫用添加劑等問題，本着不用、慎用、少用原則，明確規定只有在技術上確有必要、經過風險評估證明安全可靠的食品添加劑，才能允許使用；確需使用食品添加劑的，必須嚴格執行食品安全標準規定的品種、範圍和用量；不得使用食品添加劑以外的化學物質或其他可能危害人體健康的物質。三是，目前社會上名目繁多的保健品年銷售額超過1000億元，而監管不到位，產品真假難辨，老百姓無所適從。爲解決這一問題，明確要求國務院抓緊研究制定相關規定，規範生產活動，整頓銷售市場，加強監督管理，讓消費者放心。
Because food safety affects the people's health and safety, deputies to the NPC and all sectors of society attach great importance to this issue. In response to the serious problems revealed by the defective Sanlu milk powder and other major food safety scandals, the Standing Committee revised the draft Law on Food Safety based on in-depth investigations and studies and a wide range of opinions. First, to effectively strengthen oversight and management of food safety, in addition to prescribing that all relevant competent authorities shall exercise oversight within the scope of their duties and responsibilities, the revised draft law stipulates that the State Council shall set up a food safety commission to coordinate and guide food safety work. It also stipulates that local people's governments at and above the county level shall have overall responsibility for and lead, organize, and coordinate oversight and management of food safety within their administrative areas. Second, to address the misuse of food additives, the revised draft law follows a principle of prescribing non-use, use of appropriate amounts or use of lower amounts and clearly stipulates that food additives shall be used only if they are technically necessary and have been proved safe through risk assessment. When the use of a food addictive is necessary, food safety standards shall be strictly followed in deciding the category, scope and concentration of the additive. No chemicals other than food additives and no materials that might be harmful to people's health shall be used in food d, annual sales of health food of every conceivable description have exceeded 100 billion yuan. Without proper oversight in place, people cannot tell what is genuine from what is fake, making it difficult to decide which products to purchase. To address this problem, the revised draft law stipulates that the State Council shall quickly work out regulations to standardize production, restore order in the distribution market and strengthen oversight and management in order to boost the confidence of consumers.

在上一屆工作的基礎上，去年常委會又對修改後的義務教育法、未成年人保護法開展新一輪執法檢查，並對新頒佈實施的勞動合同法進行執法檢查。這三項執法檢查，直接關係1．7億中小學生、3．6億未成年人的健康成長和億萬勞動者的切身利益，涉及的問題都是人大代表和人民羣衆普遍關注的。我們深入實際、深入基層，弄清法律實施中的突出問題，提出落實義務教育經費保障機制、增加義務教育投入，淨化未成年人網絡文化環境，重視解決拖欠職工工資尤其是農民工工資等重要建議。國務院及有關部門認真研究我們提出的意見和建議，使法律得到更好實施、工作得到進一步改進。一是，義務教育經費保障機制依法得到落實，義務教育經費大幅增加，全國小學生、初中生的生均預算內公用經費支出同比明顯增長，中央財政還提高了中西部地區校舍維修改造資金標準。二是，國務院有關部門聯合開展了整治互聯網低俗之風專項行動，加強互聯網管理，嚴厲打擊毒害青少年的違法犯罪行爲，網絡文化環境有所改善，得到社會各界好評。三是，勞動合同法頒佈實施以來，全社會勞動合同意識普遍提高，勞動合同簽訂率明顯上升，全國規模以上企業勞動合同簽訂率達93%，新籤勞動合同的平均期限有所延長，就業再就業工作力度進一步加大，企業職工尤其是農民工權益保障工作得到加強。針對勞動就業面臨的新情況新問題，審議中，常委會組成人員指出，要大力支持中小企業發展和轉型升級，千方百計穩定和擴大就業，防止拖欠職工工資和大規模裁員，着力解決服務業和建築業以及中小企業和私營企業勞動合同簽訂率低等問題，切實維護勞動者合法權益，努力構建和諧勞動關係。
Building on the work of the last Standing Committee, this Standing Committee carried out another investigation of compliance with the revised versions of the Law on Compulsory Education and the Law on the Protection of Minors. We also investigated compliance with the recently promulgated Law on Labor Contracts. These investigations have a direct bearing on the well-being of 170 million primary and junior secondary school students and over 360 million minors and the immediate interests of hundreds of millions of workers. The issues involved in these laws are all concerns of deputies to people's congresses and the general public. We looked closely at actual conditions in society and uncovered significant problems in the enforcement of laws and then submitted important suggestions on implementing a funding mechanism for compulsory education, increasing funding for compulsory education, cleaning up the cultural environment of the Internet to which minors are exposed and doing more to solve the problem of wages in arrears, especially those of rural migrant workers. Our suggestions, which were carefully studied by the State Council and relevant departments, helped to more effectively enforce the law and improve work. First, the funding mechanism for compulsory education was implemented in accordance with the law, and funding for compulsory education throughout the country increased by a large margin. Per capita budgetary expenditures for primary and junior secondary school students increased significantly over the previous year. The central government also increased funding for the renovation of school buildings in the central and western regions of the country. Second, relevant departments of the State Council jointly carried out a special campaign to clean up objectionable and unhealthy online material, strengthen management of Internet content and severely crack down on illegal and criminal behavior dangerous to the young, thereby improving the online cultural environment and winning acclaim from the general public. Third, promulgation of the Law on Labor Contracts has brought about greater awareness of the importance of labor contracts, and significantly increased the number of labor contracts concluded. Some 93% of employees working for large enterprises signed their labor contracts across the country. The average term of newly concluded contracts was also longer. Employment and reemployment efforts were intensified and protection of the rights and interests of workers of enterprises, especially rural migrant workers, was strengthened. In light of the latest developments and problems facing employment efforts, Standing Committee members pointed out at their meeting that we must strongly support the development, transformation and upgrading of small and medium-sized enterprises, adopt whatever means necessary to stabilize and expand employment, prevent accumulation of wages in arrears and huge layoffs and work hard to solve the problem of too few workers concluding labor contracts in the service and construction industries and in small and medium-sized enterprises and private companies in order to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all workers and ensure harmonious labor relations.

爲健全社會保險制度，解除職工羣衆後顧之憂，常委會在上一屆初審的基礎上，對社會保險法草案進行了較大修改，將養老、醫療、工傷、失業、生育等五個險種分章作出具體規定，對職工羣衆最關心的轉移接續基本養老保險關係、提高基本養老保險基金統籌層次、加強社會保險基金監管等問題作出明確規定，引起社會廣泛反響，目前正根據各方面意見修改完善。常委會還修改了殘疾人保障法，充實了禁止歧視殘疾人的規定，並從康復、教育、勞動就業、社會保障和無障礙環境建設等方面強化殘疾人權利保障。
In order to improve the social security system and help dispel the worries of workers, the Standing Committee made big changes to the draft Social Security Law on the basis of initial deliberation by the last Standing Committee. Specific rules were formulated in the five chapters concerning old-age insurance, medical insurance, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and maternity insurance. Clear provisions were set out to address issues of greatest concern to workers, such as transfer of basic old-age insurance accounts between regions, and the need to improve overall planning for basic old-age insurance funds and tighten regulation of social security funds. These changes have been widely applauded by the general public, and we are improving the draft law in light of the suggestions received. The Standing Committee also revised the Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons, adding more provisions prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities and strengthened protection of their rights and interests in matters such as rehabilitation, education, employment, social security and handicap-accessible facilities.

四、努力做好經常性工作
4. Striving to successfully carry out our routine work

過去的一年，我們緊緊圍繞黨和國家工作重點，依照人大工作特點做好以上工作的同時，努力做好人大經常性工作，在立法、監督、發揮代表和專門委員會作用、開展對外交往等方面取得新成效，提高了常委會工作的整體質量和水平。
During the past year we strove to successfully carry out our routine work while concentrating on the main tasks of the Party and the government and doing the above-mentioned work well in accordance with the features of the NPC's work. We made further progress in legislation, oversight, and our efforts to give full play to the role of the deputies and special committees and carry out foreign relations work, and raised the overall quality and level of the Standing Committee's work.

在立法工作方面，一是編制五年立法規劃，召開立法工作會議，統籌部署立法工作。二是制定了企業國有資產法、食品安全法、刑法修正案（七）、循環經濟促進法，修改了防震減災法、殘疾人保障法、消防法、保險法、專利法。針對企業國有資產管理和監督中的突出問題，企業國有資產法確立了國有資產出資人制度的基本原則，對關係出資人權益的重大事項，包括企業改制、關聯交易、資產評估轉讓等容易造成國有資產流失的環節，規定了必須遵循的基本規則和嚴格的監管程序。三是爲確保法律的有效實施，督促有關方面加強法律配套法規的制定工作，制定有關工作程序，要求在確定立法項目、起草法律草案的同時，統籌安排制定配套法規，力爭與法律同步實施。四是積極推進科學立法、民主立法，擴大公民對立法的有序參與。委員長會議決定，凡是常委會審議的法律草案，原則上都在中國人大網上公佈，重要法律草案還要在全國主要新聞媒體上公佈，廣泛徵求意見，使法律草案公佈工作常態化。我們還就法律草案中涉及的重大問題，深入調查研究，並通過座談會、論證會等形式與有關方面充分溝通協商，共同研究解決辦法，完善法律草案。
In our legislative work of the past year, we first of all formulated the five-year program for legislation and held a legislative work meeting to map out the work plan for the coming period. Second, we enacted the Law on State-Owned Assets in Enterprises, the Law on Food Safety, the seventh amendment to the Criminal Law, and the Law to Promote a Circular Economy and revised the Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters, the Law on Security for Disabled Persons, the Fire Protection Law, the Insurance Law and the Patent Law. To address the major problems in the administration and supervision of state-owned assets in enterprises, we defined the basic principles governing the system of investors of state-owned assets as part of the Law on State-Owned Assets in Enterprises. Provisions were set out in this law concerning the basic rules that must be followed and strict oversight procedures for major actions related to investor rights and interests. Provisions covered actions that could easily lead to loss of state-owned assets, such as conversion of enterprises into joint stock companies, related party transactions and evaluation and transfer of assets. Third, we called on the concerned departments to formulate supporting regulations and relevant work procedures to ensure full compliance with laws, requiring that arrangements be made to formulate supporting regulations during the process of deciding on legislative items and drafting laws in an effort to implement laws and corresponding regulations at the same time. Fourth, we worked to make legislation more scientific and democratic and expand the orderly participation of the general public in the legislative process. It was decided by the Chairperson's Council that in principle, all draft laws under deliberation by the Standing Committee should be released to the public on , that major bills should also be published by major national media organizations to solicit opinions from the general public, and that this should become common practice. We also carried out thorough investigations and studies concerning issues of vital importance involved in draft laws and gave relevant parties the opportunity to stay fully informed and express their ideas through workshops and debates so they could participate in efforts to find solutions and improve draft laws.

在監督工作方面，4月份的常委會會議，根據代表們的意見，增加安排聽取審議國務院關於抗擊南方部分地區嚴重低溫雨雪冰凍災害及災後恢復重建工作情況的報告，要求有關方面認真總結經驗，完善應急機制，切實提高防災減災能力。8月份的會議，集中聽取審議中央決算、審計工作和計劃執行情況的報告，審查批准了2007年中央決算，提出建立縣級基本財力保障機制、2009年全面實施增值稅轉型改革、規範財政轉移支付等重要建議。10月份的會議，聽取審議最高人民法院關於加強刑事審判工作情況的報告、最高人民檢察院關於加強刑事審判法律監督工作情況的報告，要求法院和檢察院正確執行法律和寬嚴相濟的刑事政策，保證刑事審判和法律監督的公正高效，不斷提高司法工作水平。一年來，行政法規、地方性法規、司法解釋等規範性文件備案審查工作進一步加強，共接收報送備案規範性文件475件，受理公民、組織提出審查建議86件。
In oversight work, we followed the suggestion of deputies to incorporate deliberation of the State Council's report on counteracting the severe snow and ice storms in part of the south and carrying out post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction into the agenda of the Standing Committee's April meeting. We called on relevant departments to learn from their experience, improve the mechanisms for coping with emergencies and truly enhance disaster preparedness and mitigation capability. At our August meeting we heard and deliberated the reports on the final central government budget for 2007, on auditing work and on plan implementation, deliberated and approved the report on the final central government budget and submitted important proposals on establishing a mechanism for ensuring adequate basic financial resources at the county level, carrying out VAT reform throughout the country in 2009 and standardizing transfer payments. At our October meeting we heard and deliberated the report of the Supreme People’s Court on improving criminal trial work and the report of the Supreme People's Procuratorate on strengthening oversight for criminal trials. We called on the courts and procuratorates to correctly enforce the law, follow a policy of severity tempered with mercy in criminal trials, ensure justice and efficiency in trial and oversight work and constantly work to improve judicial work. We improved filing and examination for normative documents last year, including administrative laws and regulations, local ordinances and legal interpretations. We received a total of 475 normative documents to be filed and handled 86 suggestions from ordinary individuals and organizations concerning examination work.

在發揮代表作用方面，一是認真辦理代表議案，上次大會主席團交付有關專門委員會審議的462件代表議案，已經全部辦理完畢，其中，26件議案涉及的8件法律已經常委會審議通過，50件議案涉及的4件法律草案正在審議，126件議案涉及的38個立法項目已經列入立法規劃。二是擴大代表知情知政渠道，組織代表開展集中視察和專題調研，通過多種形式及時向代表通報情況，繼續邀請代表列席常委會會議和參加執法檢查等活動。列席會議和參加活動的代表事先認真準備，會上積極發言，充分反映人民羣衆呼聲，爲提高常委會工作質量發揮了重要作用。三是認真處理代表建議，上次大會期間代表提出的6279件建議，所提問題已解決或計劃解決的有4489件，佔代表建議總數的71．5%。
In enabling deputies to play their proper role, we first of all diligently processed their proposals. The special committees have handled all the 462 proposals that the Presidium of the last NPC session assigned to them. Eight laws that came up in 26 proposals have been adopted by the Standing Committee. Deliberations are being conducted on four draft laws that were brought up in 50 proposals, and 38 legislative items listed in 126proposals have been included in the legislative plan. Second, we expanded channels through which deputies can stay informed and learn about political affairs. We organized inspection tours and studies for deputies on special topics, informed them of the latest developments through various means, and continued to invite deputies to attend meetings of the Standing Committee as observers and participate in investigations of compliance with laws. Deputies attending meetings and participating in investigations carefully prepared in advance and actively contributed to the discussions. This gave the people a voice and played an important role in improving the quality of the work of the Standing Committee. Third, we took the suggestions submitted by deputies very seriously. A total of 6,279 suggestions were made by the deputies during the last NPC session, and the problems mentioned in 4,489, or 71.5%, of them have been resolved or will be resolved according to plan.

在開展對外交往方面，繼續鞏固全國人大與外國議會定期交流機制，分別與英國、法國、日本、韓國、埃及等國議會以及歐洲議會開展多種形式的對話。針對國外有的議會在臺灣、涉藏等問題上挑起的事端，我們通過外事委員會負責人發表談話等形式進行鍼鋒相對的鬥爭，捍衛國家核心利益。委員長會議組成人員、專門委員會和友好小組通過請進來、走出去等形式，與有關國家議會領導人、議員和議員助手加強交流，增信釋疑，推動互利合作，促進國家關係全面發展。積極參與國際和地區議會組織的活動，成功舉辦第五屆亞歐議會夥伴會議。
In the area of foreign relations, we continued to consolidate the mechanisms for regular exchanges between the NPC and the congresses or parliaments of other countries. We carried out various forms of dialogue with the parliaments of the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Egypt, as well as with the European Parliament. In response to provocations from the congresses of some countries concerning the Taiwan and Tibet questions, we engaged in fierce struggle and defended China's core interests through declarations from the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Members of the Chairperson's Council, special committees and friendship groups worked to improve interaction with foreign congressional leaders, representatives and aides, increase mutual trust, remove misunderstandings, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and promote improvement in all aspects of foreign relations through exchange visits. We actively took part in the activities organized by international and regional parliamentary organizations and successfully hosted the fifth Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting.

全國人大各專門委員會人才薈萃、知識密集，具有經常性開展工作的特點。常委會注重發揮專門委員會作用，換屆後及時與各專門委員會負責同志進行座談，就加強和改進人大工作特別是專門委員會工作深入交換意見，統一思想認識。各專門委員會圍繞全國人大及其常委會的中心任務，在提高立法質量、增強監督實效、發揮代表作用、開展對外交往等方面做了大量卓有成效的工作，有力地促進了常委會工作整體水平的提高。
The special committees of the NPC represent rich funds of knowledge and capable personnel and carry out their work on a regular basis. The Standing Committee makes good use of the role of the special committees. Shortly after it was formed, the new Standing Committee promptly held discussions with leading members of the special committees to exchange views and reach a common understanding on how to strengthen and improve the work of the NPC, especially the work of the special committees. Focusing on the central tasks of the NPC and its standing committee, the special committees did a great amount of effective work in improving the quality of legislation, making oversight more effective, making good use of the role of deputies and carrying out foreign relations work, and effectively promoted overall improvement in the work of the Standing Committee.

五、切實加強自身建設
5. Effectively promoting self-improvement

自身建設，事關人大及其常委會職權的正確行使和作用的充分發揮。本屆全國人大常委會高度重視自身建設，把思想政治建設擺在首位，堅持正確政治方向，並以此引領人大各項工作。
Working on self-improvement helps to ensure that the NPC and its standing committee are able to properly exercise their functions and powers and give full play to their role. This Standing Committee attaches great importance to self-improvement and keeps ideological and political development high on its agenda. It maintains the correct political orientation and uses it to guide all the work of the NPC.

去年3月19日，十一屆全國人大一次會議勝利閉幕的第二天，常委會即召開第一次會議，着重就把握人大工作正確政治方向等問題提出明確要求。之後，又專門安排時間，認真學習黨的十七大精神和胡錦濤總書記有關重要講話，進一步統一思想，提高認識。常委會組成人員、專門委員會組成人員一致認爲，人大及其常委會是國家權力機關，是十分重要的政治機關。堅持正確政治方向是做好人大工作的根本。人大工作堅持正確政治方向，最根本的是堅持黨的領導、人民當家作主、依法治國有機統一，核心是堅持黨的領導。人大及其常委會依法集體行使職權、集體決定問題，堅持正確政治方向要靠大家共同來把握。在人大工作，堅持中國特色社會主義道路，堅持和完善人民代表大會制度，必須進一步認識我國人民代表大會制度與西方資本主義國家政體的本質區別。
This Standing Committee held its first meeting on March 19 last year, the day after the First Session of the Eleventh NPC was successfully concluded. The requirement to maintain the correct political orientation in the work of the NPC was firmly established as the first order of business at that meeting. Time was then set aside for careful study of the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress and General Secretary Hu Jintao's important speeches to strengthen ideological consensus and improve understanding. Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees all agree that the people's congresses and their standing committees are organs of state power and extremely vital political institutions. Maintaining the correct political orientation is essential to the success of the work of the people's congresses. The most fundamental aspect of this effort is to organically integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as the masters of the country and the rule of law, and the core of this effort is to uphold the leadership of the Party. The people's congresses and their standing committees exercise their functions and powers and decide on issues collectively in accordance with the law, so maintaining the correct political orientation depends on each and every person involved. To keep to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve the system of people's congresses in their work, we must more fully recognize the essential differences between the system of people's congresses and Western capitalist countries' system of political power.

一要充分認識人民代表大會與西方議會的本質區別。我國的政黨制度，是中國共產黨領導的多黨合作和政治協商制度，不是西方的多黨制。中國共產黨是領導核心，是執政黨，各民主黨派是參政黨。縣鄉人大代表是按選區直接選舉產生的。縣級以上人大的代表由下一級人民代表大會選舉產生，並按照選舉單位組成代表團參加代表大會。我們的人民代表大會中沒有議會黨團，也不以界別開展活動。無論是代表大會，還是常委會或專門委員會，都不按黨派分配席位。我們的人大代表、常委會組成人員、專門委員會組成人員，無論是共產黨員，還是民主黨派成員或者無黨派人士，肩負的都是人民的重託，都在中國共產黨領導下依法履行職責，爲人民服務，根本利益是一致的。
First, we must fully understand the essential differences between China's people's congresses and Western congresses and parliaments. China's system of political parties is a system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC, not a Western-style multiparty system. The CPC is at the core of the country's leadership and the ruling party, while the democratic parties are participating parties. Deputies to the people's congresses representing counties and townships are elected directly by their constituencies. Deputies to the congresses above the county level are elected indirectly by the people's congress at the next lower level, who then form delegations on the basis of their constituencies to attend sessions of their people's congresses. The people's congresses have no congressional party groups, and they do not carry out activities on the basis of sectors of society. No seats are assigned on the basis of parties in either the people's congresses, their standing committees or their special committees. All deputies to the people's congresses, members of their standing committees and members of their special committees shoulder the great trust of the people and fulfill their responsibilities to serve the people under the leadership of the CPC in accordance with the law, no matter whether they are Communists, members of the democratic parties or persons without party affiliation, and they all share the same fundamental interests.

二要充分認識人大和“一府兩院”的關係與西方國家國家機關間關係的本質區別。我國是由人民代表大會統一行使國家權力，“一府兩院”由人大產生，對人大負責，受人大監督。各國家機關分工不同、職責不同，都在中國共產黨領導下、在各自職權範圍內貫徹落實黨的路線方針政策和憲法法律，爲建設和發展中國特色社會主義服務，不是西方的“三權分立”。人大根據黨的主張和人民的意願，通過制定法律、作出決議，決定國家大政方針，並監督和支持“一府兩院”依法行政、公正司法，保障各國家機關協調有效地開展工作，把人民賦予的權力真正用來爲人民謀利益。
Second, we must be fully aware of the essential differences between the people's congresses' relationship to the governments, the people's courts and the people's procuratorates and the relationships between state organs of Western countries. The people's congresses exercise state power in a unified way, and the governments, the people's courts and the people's procuratorates are all created by them and are responsible to them and subject to their oversight. Although China's state organs have different responsibilities, they all adhere to the line, principles and policies of the Party, enforce the Constitution and laws within their respective jurisdictions under the leadership of the CPC and work to build and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics. The system of people's congresses is not a Western system with the separation of the three powers. The people's congresses decide on the major principles and policies of the state by formulating laws and passing resolutions in accordance with the stands of the Party and the will of the people. They oversee and support the governments in carrying out their administrative functions in accordance with the law. They also oversee and support the people's courts and the people's procuratorates in exercising their judicial functions fairly. They ensure that state organs carry out their work in a coordinated and effective manner. In addition, they use the power granted to them by the people to truly further their interests.

三要充分認識人大代表與西方議員的本質區別。我們的全國人大代表，來自各地區、各民族、各方面，人口再少的民族也至少有一名代表，具有廣泛的代表性，不像西方議員是某黨某派的代表。我們的人大代表，生活在人民中間，同人民羣衆保持密切聯繫。我們的人大代表，有各自的工作崗位，對黨和國家的方針政策、憲法法律的貫徹實施情況體會最深刻，對現實生活中的實際問題了解最深入。我們的人大代表，是通過會議的方式依法集體行使職權，而不是每個代表個人直接去處理問題，各級人大常委會辦事機構是代表的集體參謀助手和服務班子。
Third, we must be fully aware of the essential differences between deputies to the NPC and members of Western parliaments and congresses. Deputies come from every region, ethnic group and sector of society of the country, and there is at least one deputy from each ethnic minority group no matter how small its population is. Deputies are therefore broadly representative and they do not represent a single party or group as members of Western parliaments and congresses do. Deputies live among the people and maintain close ties with them. They all hold posts in their respective fields of endeavor and fully understand how the principles and policies of the Party and the government and the Constitution and laws are implemented and the practical problems of daily life. Deputies exercise their lawful duties and powers collectively at meetings, rather than each deputy addressing problems directly and separately from other deputies. Functional organs of the standing committees of the people's congresses at all levels collectively advise, assist and serve the deputies.

大家強調，堅持人大工作正確政治方向，核心是堅持黨的領導。中國共產黨是中國特色社會主義事業的領導核心。黨的領導只能加強，不能削弱。通過深入學習討論，大家更深刻地領會了鄧小平同志所指出的“在中國這樣一個大國，沒有共產黨的領導，必然四分五裂，一事無成”“中國由共產黨領導，中國的社會主義現代化建設事業由共產黨領導，這個原則是不能動搖的；動搖了中國就要倒退到分裂和混亂，就不可能實現現代化”等重要論斷，進一步增強了堅持黨的領導的自覺性和堅定性，增強了堅持走中國特色社會主義道路的自覺性和堅定性，增強了堅持和完善人民代表大會制度的自覺性和堅定性。要通過人大工作，確保黨的主張經過法定程序成爲國家意志，確保黨組織推薦的人選經過法定程序成爲國家政權機關的領導人員。人大各項工作，都要有利於加強和改善黨的領導，有利於鞏固黨的執政地位，有利於保證黨領導人民有效治理國家。
Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees all strongly believe that the key to maintaining the correct political orientation in the work of the NPC is to uphold the leadership of the Party. The CPC is the core of the leadership for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. Leadership by the Party can only be strengthened and in no way weakened. Through thorough studies and discussions, we have gained a more thorough understanding of the important points made by Comrade Deng Xiaoping, including: "Without the leadership of the Party a big country like China would be torn by strife and incapable of accomplishing anything." "China and its socialist modernization must be led by the Communist Party. There can be no wavering from this principle. Without it China would regress and become divided and chaotic, and modernization would become impossible." We have therefore become more purposeful and resolute in upholding the Party's leadership, in keeping to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and in adhering to and improving the system of people's congresses. Through the work of the NPC, we must ensure that the stands of the Party become the will of the state through legally stipulated procedures and that the personnel recommended by Party organizations become the leaders of the organs of state power through legally stipulated procedures. The work of the NPC must all be conducive to strengthening and improving the leadership of the Party, consolidating its position as the ruling party and ensuring that it is able to lead the people in effectively running the country.

大家指出，中國特色社會主義政治發展道路，是中國共產黨領導中國人民選擇的符合我國國情的唯一正確道路，是我國發展社會主義民主政治的唯一正確道路。我們深化政治體制改革，是不斷推進包括人民代表大會制度在內的社會主義政治制度的自我完善和發展。要積極借鑑人類社會創造的文明成果包括政治文明的有益成果，但絕不照搬西方那一套，絕不搞多黨輪流執政、“三權分立”、兩院制。
Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees all agree that the political development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the only correct path that was chosen by the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC, best suits the conditions of China, and guides the development of socialist democratic politics in China. Deepening our political restructuring means constantly promoting self-improvement and self-development of the socialist political system including the system of people's congresses. We must draw on the achievements of all cultures, including their political achievements, but we will never simply copy the system of Western countries or introduce a system of multiple parties holding office in rotation, a system with the separation of the three powers or a bicameral system.

一年來，我們在着重加強思想政治建設的同時，還抓了能力、作風和制度建設。一是加強履職培訓。組織常委會和專門委員會組成人員，集中學習人大的組織、職權、議事規則以及立法、監督工作的必備知識。每次常委會會議後都結合議程舉辦專題講座，取得良好效果。在組織代表初任學習的基礎上，重點開展了代表履職培訓，先後舉辦8期培訓班，1300多名代表參加培訓。二是轉變工作方式。本屆常委會和專門委員會組成人員大部分長期在黨政機關工作，到人大工作後很快進入角色，依法履行職責，花更多的時間、用更多的精力深入實際、深入羣衆、深入基層，加強調查研究，並形成了一批有分量的調研成果，提高了審議質量，也爲黨和國家重大決策提供有益參考。三是完善工作制度。在認真總結實踐經驗的基礎上，修改完善了委員長會議議事規則等4個工作文件，並着手研究修改全國人大組織法、選舉法以及常委會議事規則。
Over the last year, we improved our competence, work style and institutions while also focusing on our ideological and political development. First, we improved training for deputies on how to carry out their duties. Members of the Standing Committee and the special committees were brought together to learn about the organizational structure, functions and powers and rules for discussion of the NPC and other areas of knowledge closely related to their legislative and oversight work. After each Standing Committee meeting, special topic lectures were held related to its agenda and these proved very effective. In addition to study sessions organized for newly elected deputies, we focused on training for deputies on how to carry out their duties. Eight training courses were held attended by over 1,300 deputies. Second, we revised our working methods. Most members of the Standing Committee and the special committees, who had long worked in Party and government departments, adapted to their new positions in the NPC quickly. They performed their duties in accordance with the law, spent more time and energy than they did in their former positions in investigating actual conditions, meeting with the general public and visiting lower-level organizations, strengthened their investigation and study efforts and compiled a number of valuable reports, thus improving the quality of deliberations and providing reference information that helped in the formulation of major policy decisions of the Party and government. Third, we improved our working systems. We revised and improved four documents concerning our work on the basis of a careful review of practical experience, including rules for discussion in the Chairperson's Council, and conducted studies on how best to modify the Organic Law of the National People's Congress, the Electoral Law of the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses and rules for discussion in the NPC Standing Committee.

全國人大機關積極開展深入學習實踐科學發展觀活動，以服務科學發展、努力提高集體參謀助手和服務保障水平爲載體，認真解決存在的突出問題，建立健全改進工作的長效機制，以素質能力建設爲重點全面加強機關幹部隊伍建設，努力創建學習型機關、和諧機關，充分調動幹部職工的積極性、主動性、創造性，機關面貌發生了可喜變化。
Organs of the NPC launched a campaign to thoroughly study and put into practice the Scientific Outlook on Development. In order to serve scientific development and improve their role as collective adviser and assistant for deputies, they conscientiously worked to resolve major problems, and established a sound permanent mechanism for improving their work. They improved the overall quality of their cadres, focusing on increasing their competence. They encouraged their employees to devote themselves to study, became more harmonious, and strove to fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of their employees, producing positive changes in their overall situation.

各位代表！
Fellow Deputies,

過去一年全國人大常委會取得的成績，是在以胡錦濤同志爲總書記的黨中央正確領導下，全國人大代表、常委會組成人員、各專門委員會組成人員以及全國人大機關工作人員辛勤工作的結果，是國務院、最高人民法院、最高人民檢察院協同工作的結果，是地方各級人大及其常委會和廣大人民羣衆大力支持的結果。在此，我代表全國人大常委會表示衷心感謝！
The achievements of the Standing Committee last year were made under the correct leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary and are the result of the hard work of the deputies, members of the Standing Committee and the special committees, and the employees of the organs of the NPC. Credit is also due to the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate for their assistance and to the local people's congresses and their standing committees and the general public for their support. On behalf of the Standing Committee, I would now like to express my sincerest thanks to all of them.

我們也清醒地認識到，工作中還存在不少需要改進的地方。一是如何進一步突出重點、抓住關鍵問題開展工作，提高人大工作的質量和針對性；二是如何進一步督促有關方面抓緊制定法律配套法規，切實解決因法律配套法規的缺失影響法律有效實施的問題；三是如何進一步提高服務保障水平，更好地發揮代表作用；四是如何進一步協調專門委員會工作，更好地發揮專門委員會作用；五是如何進一步加強人大宣傳工作，增強國家機關依法辦事的自覺性，增強全社會的法律意識和法制觀念。我們將自覺接受人民監督，虛心聽取代表意見，認真研究民主法制建設進程中的新情況新問題，不斷加強和改進常委會工作，更好地行使憲法和法律賦予的職權。
We are also clearly aware that more than a few aspects of our work need to be improved. First, we need to focus more on key areas and concentrate more on key problems in carrying out our work in order to improve the overall quality of the work of the NPC and make it more target-focused. Second, we need to urge the relevant authorities to formulate supporting regulations for laws in a timely manner to effectively resolve the problem of laws that cannot be effectively enforced due to lack of supporting regulations. Third, we need to improve services to deputies to help them better carry out their duties. Fourth, we need to further coordinate the efforts of special committees so that they can function more efficiently. Fifth, we need to improve our publicity efforts related to the law, make state organs more purposeful about carrying out their functions in accordance with the law and enhance respect for the law and increase awareness of the legal system among the general public. We will conscientiously accept the oversight of the people, earnestly listen to the opinions of deputies and carefully study new situations and problems that arise in the development of democracy and the legal system to constantly strengthen and improve the work of the Standing Committee and more effectively exercise the functions and powers granted to us by the Constitution and laws.

今後一年的主要任務
Major Tasks for This Year

2009年是新中國成立60週年，是應對國際國內環境變化重大挑戰、推動國家各項事業實現新發展的關鍵一年。常委會工作的總體要求是：全面貫徹黨的十七大、十七屆三中全會和中央經濟工作會議精神，以鄧小平理論和“三個代表”重要思想爲指導，深入貫徹落實科學發展觀，堅持黨的領導、人民當家作主、依法治國有機統一，緊緊圍繞黨和國家工作大局行使職權，着力加強中國特色社會主義法律體系建設，着力促進經濟平穩較快發展與社會和諧穩定，着力保障憲法和法律有效實施，努力把人大工作提高到一個新水平。
The year 2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China and it will be a crucial year in terms of responding to the major challenges presented by changes in the international and domestic environments and developing all our country's undertakings. The general requirements for the work of the Standing Committee are as follows: We must faithfully follow the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress, the Third Plenary Session of the Seventeenth Central Committee and the Central Economic Work Conference. We must take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents as our guide and thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development. We must organically integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country and the rule of law, focus on the overall work of the Party and the government in carrying out our functions and powers, work to develop the legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, strive to promote steady and rapid economic development and social harmony and stability, intensify efforts to ensure effective enforcement of the Constitution and laws, and work to bring the work of the NPC up to a new level.

一、在形成中國特色社會主義法律體系上邁出決定性步伐
1. Taking decisive steps toward establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics

黨中央明確提出，到2010年形成中國特色社會主義法律體系。今年是實現這個目標的關鍵一年。我們要按照黨的十七大精神，在提高立法質量的前提下，一手抓法律制定，一手抓法律清理，努力在形成中國特色社會主義法律體系上邁出決定性步伐。
The CPC Central Committee clearly set the goal of establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics by 2010. This year will be crucial for efforts to attain this goal. We must both formulate new legislation and revise and eliminate unsuitable portions of existing laws while working to improve the quality of legislation in accordance with the guiding principles of the Seventeenth Congress so we can take decisive steps toward establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

一要抓緊制定和修改在法律體系中起支架作用的重要法律，着力加強社會領域立法，繼續完善經濟、政治、文化領域立法。今年計劃安排的立法項目主要有：制定社會保險法、社會救助法、侵權責任法、行政強制法、農村土地承包經營糾紛仲裁法、精神衛生法、國防動員法等法律，修改國家賠償法、保守國家祕密法、選舉法、村民委員會組織法、土地管理法、郵政法、統計法等法律。要加強立法工作的組織協調，積極推進科學立法、民主立法，擴大公民對立法的有序參與，加強立法調研和科學論證，廣泛凝聚共識，提高立法質量。要繼續督促有關方面抓緊制定法律配套法規，保證法律有效實施。
First, we must promptly formulate new laws and make revisions in existing laws that will form the framework for the legal system, focusing on improving legislation concerned with social issues while continuing to improve legislation concerned with economic, political and cultural issues. Legislative work on the agenda for this year includes the following. We will formulate a social security law, social welfare law, law on tort liability, law on administrative coercion, law on arbitration of disputes concerning contracted rural land, law on mental health and law on national defense mobilization. We will also revise the Law on State Compensation, the Law on Protecting State Secrets, the Electoral Law, the Organic Law of Villager Committees, the Land Administration Law, the Postal Law and the Statistics Law. We will work to improve organization and coordination in legislative work, make legislation more scientific and democratic, expand orderly participation of the general public in the legislative process, improve research and scientific verification to formulate legislation and work to obtain a broad consensus of opinion to improve the quality of legislation. We will continue to urge relevant authorities to promptly formulate supporting regulations to ensure effective enforcement of laws.

二要完成法律清理工作。我國現行有效的231件法律中，有的法律也存在一些需要完善的地方。這當中大體分三種情況：一是有的法律是上世紀八十年代或九十年代初制定的，現在看來，有些規定已經明顯不適應發展社會主義市場經濟的需要；二是由於法律制定的時間有先有後，有的後法與前法的一些規定有不盡一致或不夠銜接的地方；三是有的法律操作性不強，難以用國家強制力來保證實施。針對這些情況，去年常委會組織部署了對現行法律的清理工作，今年要完成這項工作。要認真研究和全面分析有關方面提出的清理意見，區分輕重緩急，採取修改、廢止、解釋、配套等方式進行分類處理，促進法律體系的科學、統一與和諧。
Second, we need to finish the work of revising unsuitable provisions to improve existing legislation. There are 231 laws currently in effect in China, and a number of these have areas that still have room for improvement. There are three main categories of laws requiring improvement. 1) There are some laws which were formulated in the 1980s or early 1990s and contain provisions that no longer meet the requirements for developing the socialist market economy. 2) There are inconsistencies and gaps in laws formulated at different times. 3) Some laws are difficult to apply and the state is unable to enforce compliance with them. In light of this situation, the Standing Committee last year made arrangements for the work of revising unsuitable portions of the existing laws. We need to finish this work before the end of this year. We will carefully study and make a comprehensive analysis of suggestions made by relevant parties and proceed in order of importance and urgency. We will handle this task in accordance with the different types of treatment required, i.e. revision, rescinding, legal interpretation or formulation of new provisions, to develop a scientific, consistent and harmonious legal system.

改革開放以來，經過各方面共同努力，到十屆全國人大任期屆滿，以憲法爲核心，以涵蓋7個法律部門的法律爲主幹，由法律、行政法規、地方性法規等3個層次法律規範構成的中國特色社會主義法律體系已經基本形成，國家經濟、政治、文化、社會生活各個方面基本做到有法可依，有力地保障和推動了中國特色社會主義事業的發展。同時，我們也清醒地看到，經濟社會的快速發展，社會主義民主政治的不斷推進，文化生活的豐富多彩，和諧社會的積極構建，體制機制的改革創新，經濟全球化的深入發展，對立法工作提出了新課題新要求，立法任務依然繁重。
Thanks to the concerted efforts of all sectors of society since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy in 1978,a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics had been basically established by the end of the term of the Tenth NPC. With the Constitution as its core and seven types of laws as its backbone, this legal system consists of three levels of laws and regulations, i.e. laws, administrative regulations, and local ordinances. There are now laws that cover basically every area of the country's economic, political, cultural and social activities, and these laws effectively ensure and promote development of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, we are clearly aware that the rapid economic and social development, constant progress in socialist democratic politics, the rich and varied cultural activities in society, efforts to create a harmonious society, structural and institutional reform and innovation, and the deepening of economic globalization all present new issues and new requirements for our legislative work. Our legislative tasks are still arduous.

這裏需要強調的是，我們的法律體系是中國特色社會主義法律體系，在形成並完善法律體系過程中，必須把握好以下四點：一是不能用西方的法律體系來套我們的法律體系。外國法律體系中有的法律，不符合我國國情和實際的，我們不搞；外國法律體系中沒有的法律，但我國現實生活需要的，要及時制定。二是行政法規和地方性法規都是法律體系的重要組成部分。對用法律來規範尚不具備條件的，可依法制定行政法規和地方性法規，待取得經驗、條件成熟時再製定法律；對一些地方事務和具有民族地區特點的事項，可依法制定地方性法規或自治條例、單行條例進行規範。三是要區分法律手段和其他調整手段的關係，需要用法律調整的才通過立法來規範，以更好地發揮法制的功能和作用。四是我們的法律體系是動態的、開放的、發展的，本身就有一個與時俱進的問題，需要適應客觀形勢的發展變化，不斷加以完善。
It must be emphasized here that ours is a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, so we must bear in mind the following four points in the process of establishing and improving it. First, the Western model of a legal system cannot be copied mechanically in establishing our own. Some of the laws in the legal systems of other countries are incompatible with the situation and conditions in China so we will not formulate such laws. Some laws that are not part of the legal systems of other countries but are nevertheless a practical necessity for China need to be promptly enacted. Second, administrative regulations and local ordinances are both important components of our legal system. When conditions are not ripe to formulate laws, administrative regulations or local ordinances can be legally formulated instead. When sufficient experience has been obtained and conditions become ripe corresponding laws can be formulated. Local ordinances, autonomy statutes or specific regulations can also be legally formulated to cover local issues and matters specific to ethnic minority areas. Third, we need to distinguish between legal means and regulatory tools and resort to legislation only when it is truly necessary in order to make better use of the functions and roles of the legal system. Fourth, our legal system is dynamic, open and in the process of development. We need to constantly improve it in light of developments and changes in the objective situation so that it can keep pace with the times.

二、把推動中央重大決策部署貫徹落實作爲監督工作的重點
2. Focusing oversight work on promoting the implementation of the major policy decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee

今年是進入新世紀以來我國經濟發展最爲困難的一年，既面臨嚴峻挑戰，也蘊含重大機遇，改革發展穩定任務十分繁重。爲了做好全年工作，黨中央明確提出，要立足擴大內需保持經濟平穩較快增長，加快發展方式轉變和結構調整提高可持續發展能力，深化改革開放增強經濟社會發展活力和動力，加強社會建設加快解決涉及羣衆利益的難點熱點問題，促進經濟社會又好又快發展與社會和諧穩定，並作出了一系列重大決策部署，號召全黨全國各族人民堅定信心、迎難而上，團結一心、埋頭苦幹，不斷把中國特色社會主義事業推向前進。全國人大常委會要把推動中央重大決策部署貫徹落實作爲人大監督工作的重中之重，全面貫徹實施監督法，綜合運用多種監督形式，督促和支持“一府兩院”按照各自工作報告提出的目標任務做好工作，確保中央重大決策部署的貫徹落實，確保全年經濟社會發展任務的順利完成。
This year is the toughest year for economic development since we entered the new century, with huge tasks facing us in reform, development and stability. But, great opportunities exist side by side with severe challenges. In order to successfully carry out this year's work, the Central Committee has clearly pointed out that we must maintain steady and rapid economic growth based on boosting domestic demand, promote sustainable development by accelerating transformation of the pattern of development and economic restructuring, make economic and social development stronger and more dynamic by deepening reform and opening up, intensify social development to speed up resolution of difficult and hotspot issues that bear on the interests of the people, and promote sound and rapid economic and social development and social harmony and stability. The Central Committee has made a number of major policy decisions and arrangements to accomplish these tasks and has called on all Party members and the people of all our ethnic groups to enhance their confidence in the face of difficulty and work hard together to constantly move forward the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The top priority for the Standing Committee's oversight work this year is to oversee implementation of the major policy decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee. We will fully implement the Law on Oversight, apply a combination of oversight means, and urge and support the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate in carrying out their work in accordance with the targets and tasks they put forward in their work reports to ensure implementation of the Central Committee's major policy decisions and arrangements and successful accomplishment of this year's tasks for economic and social development.

一要加強對經濟工作的監督。計劃聽取審議國務院關於轉變經濟發展方式、促進中小企業發展、大氣污染防治工作情況等專項工作報告，聽取審議國務院關於中央決算、審計工作和計劃執行情況的報告，審查批准2008年中央決算，努力促進經濟平穩較快發展，大力推進經濟發展方式轉變。
First, we must improve oversight of economic work. We will hear and deliberate the State Council's special work reports on transforming the pattern of economic development, promoting development of small and medium-sized enterprises, and preventing and controlling air pollution, as well as its reports on the 2008 central government final budget, auditing work and plan implementation, and will deliberate and approve the final budget. We will devote a great deal of effort to promoting steady and rapid economic development and transforming the pattern of economic development.

二要加強對解決民生問題的監督。計劃聽取審議國務院關於農村社會保障體系建設、促進就業再就業、四川汶川特大地震災後恢復重建、職業教育發展等專項工作報告，聽取審議最高人民法院、最高人民檢察院有關加強民事執行工作、加強瀆職侵權案件檢察工作的報告，檢查工會法、食品安全法、畜牧法等法律的實施情況，着力保障和改善民生，努力促進社會和諧穩定。
Second, we must strengthen our oversight of the handling of issues affecting people's well-being. We will hear and deliberate the State Council's special work reports on developing a social safety net in rural areas, promoting employment and reemployment, carrying out recovery and reconstruction following the earthquake that hit Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, and developing vocational education, the Supreme People's Court's report on improving enforcement of civil law, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate's report on investigating cases of dereliction of duty and infringement of rights. In addition, we will investigate compliance with laws such as the Law on Trade Unions, the Food Safety Law and the Livestock Breeding Law in a strong effort to maintain and improve people's standard of living and promote social harmony and stability.

考慮到今年經濟形勢不確定因素較多，爲增強人大監督工作的針對性和實效性，我們要着重加強兩方面的工作：一是加強調查研究，深入瞭解實際，抓住主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，提出好的意見和建議。二是綜合運用多種監督形式，加強跟蹤監督，抓住代表普遍關注的重點難點問題，推動有關方面切實改進工作，建立健全解決重點難點問題的長效機制。
In light of the fact that there are quite a few uncertainties in this year's economic situation, we will concentrate our oversight work on two areas to make it more focused and effective. First, we will carry out more investigations and studies to gain a clear picture of actual conditions so we can focus on major problems and the main aspects of those problems and put forward good comments and suggestions. Second, we will use a combination of oversight means, strengthen follow-up oversight, focus on key and difficult problems of common concern to the deputies, and urge the concerned parties to improve their work and set up a sound permanent mechanism for resolving these problems.

這些年來，我們在加強和改進人大監督工作方面做了大量工作，取得了明顯成效，並形成了一套行之有效的工作機制和方法，十屆全國人大常委會制定的監督法將其以法律形式固定下來，使各級人大常委會的監督工作更加規範化、程序化。監督法實施兩年多來的實踐證明，這是一部從我國國情出發、符合人大工作實際的好法律。爲了更好地貫徹實施監督法，提高人大監督工作實效，這裏需要強調三點：一是，監督權是憲法法律賦予人大的重要職權，人大監督是代表國家和人民進行的具有法律效力的監督，是不可替代的。人大監督包括法律監督和工作監督，內容非常豐富，任務相當繁重，是大有可爲的。二是，人大監督與“一府兩院”的工作，目標是完全一致的，不是相互掣肘，不是唱“對臺戲”。人大依法搞好監督，有利於推動“一府兩院”改進工作；“一府兩院”依法自覺接受人大監督，有利於依法行政和公正司法。三是，做好人大監督工作關鍵在於突出重點、增強實效。一部法律的規定有很多，但羣衆最關注的往往就那麼幾條；工作中需要解決的矛盾和問題會不少，實際上關鍵的問題往往就那麼幾個。抓住這些要害，人大監督工作就能以點帶面、舉一反三，取得實實在在的效果。
We have devoted a great deal of effort in recent years to strengthening and improving the oversight work of the NPC, achieved significant results and established a comprehensive system of effective working mechanisms and methods. The Tenth NPC formulated the Law on Oversight to provide a legal framework for these mechanisms and methods in order to make the oversight work of the standing committees of the people's congresses at all levels more standardized and proceduralized. Over the last two years or so since its implementation, this law has proven to be a good law that is in line with China's actual conditions and the work of the people's congresses. In order to ensure that this law is implemented more successfully and that the people's congresses carry out their oversight work more effectively, we need to clear up three points. First, the power of oversight is an important power granted to the people's congresses by the Constitution and laws. Their oversight carries the force of law and is carried out in the name of the country and the people, making it irreplaceable. Their oversight work, which consists of oversight of law enforcement and oversight of work performance, covers a great deal of ground, involves a great variety of arduous tasks and is well worth doing. Second, the people's congresses oversee the work of the people's governments, people's courts and people's procuratorates, but this does not mean that they are confrontational or create difficulties for the parties they oversee. On the contrary, the people's congresses and the organizations they oversee are working toward the same goals. When the people's congresses carry out their oversight work effectively in accordance with the law, it helps improve the work of the people's governments, people's courts and people's procuratorates. When the people's governments, people's courts and people's procuratorates willingly accept the oversight of the people's congresses in accordance with the law, it helps ensure that the people's governments carry out their administrative functions in accordance with the law and that the people's courts and people's procuratorates exercise their judicial functions fairly. Third, the key to doing the oversight work of the people's congresses well is to focus on key areas and stress practical results. A law may contain many provisions, but there are usually only a few that the people are most concerned about. At the same time, there are many issues and problems that have to be addressed in the course of our work, but there are usually only several that are in fact crucial. Therefore, if we focus on resolving these crucial issues, we can expand our efforts to include other issues so that the results of our oversight work can be truly significant.

三、在發揮代表作用、開展對外交往、加強自身建設等方面取得新進展
3. Making continued progress in strengthening the role of deputies, carrying out foreign relations work and promoting self-improvement

我們要繼續深入貫徹落實中央9號文件精神，從堅持和完善人民代表大會制度出發，堅持尊重代表主體地位，堅持爲代表服務的思想，加強服務保障，擴大代表對常委會、專門委員會工作的參與，認真聽取代表的批評意見，提高代表議案辦理質量，拓寬代表知情知政渠道，開展代表專題培訓，努力把代表依法履職的積極性保護好、引導好、發揮好。
We will continue to fully implement the guiding principles of document No. 9 issued by the Central Committee, starting with upholding and improving the system of people's congresses, respecting the major role of deputies and maintaining an attitude of service to deputies. We will work to improve the level of service provided to deputies, expand their participation in the work of the Standing Committee and special committees, sincerely listen to deputies' criticism and comments, improve the handling of bills they submit, expand channels to enable them to stay informed of state affairs and developments, provide special training for them and work hard to protect, guide and unleash their initiative in performing their functions in accordance with the law.

我們要繼續加強和改進人大對外交往，鞏固和完善全國人大與外國議會定期交流機制，認真籌辦與有關國家議會的機制交流活動，廣泛開展與外國議會友好往來，更好地發揮人大對外交往的獨特作用。
We will continue to strengthen and improve foreign relations work of the NPC. We will consolidate and improve the NPC's mechanisms for regular exchanges with the congresses and parliaments of other countries, make good preparations for exchange visits with the congresses and parliaments of the countries included in the mechanisms for regular exchanges, and engage in extensive friendly contacts with foreign congresses and parliaments to give more play to the unique role of the NPC in foreign relations.

我們要加強和改進人大宣傳工作，充分利用廣播電視、報刊雜誌和網絡媒體，深入宣傳中國特色社會主義政治發展道路和人民代表大會制度，加強人大立法和監督工作的宣傳報道，普及法律知識，增強全社會法律意識。
We will strengthen and improve the NPC's publicity efforts. We will make full use of radio, TV, newspapers, periodicals, the Internet and other media to explain the political development path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the system of people's congresses, step up efforts to inform people about and report on the NPC's legislative and oversight work, and work to increase knowledge of the law and enhance respect for it throughout society.

我們要繼續加強自身建設，牢牢把握人大工作正確政治方向，牢固樹立黨的觀念、政治觀念、大局觀念、羣衆觀念和法治觀念。深入學習憲法，增強憲法意識，維護憲法權威。堅持依法按程序辦事，完善常委會議事程序和工作規則，改進工作作風，加強調查研究，辦好專題講座。加強專門委員會工作協調，進一步提高整體工作質量和水平。加強與地方人大聯繫，共同推動社會主義民主法制建設。全國人大機關要鞏固深入學習實踐科學發展觀活動成果，不斷完善工作體制機制，全面提高幹部隊伍素質能力，搞好服務保障，當好集體參謀助手。
We will continue to intensify our self-improvement efforts, maintain a correct political orientation for the work of the NPC and firmly instill the concept of attaching great importance to the Party, political matters, the overall situation, the people and the law. We will carefully study the Constitution to better understand it and safeguard its authority. We will handle matters in accordance with the law and prescribed procedures, improve the deliberation procedures, working rules and work style of the Standing Committee, improve investigation and study efforts, and carefully organize seminars. We will strengthen coordination of the work of the special committees to improve its overall quality and level. We will strengthen ties with local people's congresses and work with them to develop socialist democracy and the socialist legal system. Organs of the NPC need to build on their achievements in the campaign to thoroughly study and put into practice the Scientific Outlook on Development and constantly work to improve their working systems and mechanisms as well as the overall quality of their cadres, improve their services and be a good collective advisor and assistant.

各位代表，責任和使命激勵着我們，困難和挑戰考驗着我們。讓我們緊密團結在以胡錦濤同志爲總書記的黨中央周圍，高舉中國特色社會主義偉大旗幟，深入貫徹落實科學發展觀，萬衆一心，艱苦奮鬥，紮實工作，以優異成績迎接新中國成立60週年，沿着中國特色社會主義道路奮勇前進！
Fellow Deputies,

Our responsibilities and missions inspire us, and our difficulties and challenges test us. Let us rally closely around the Central Committee with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, work hard together with one heart and one mind, greet the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China with brilliant achievements, and courageously forge ahead on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics!