全国人民代表大会常务委员会工作报告 中英对照

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

全国人民代表大会常务委员会委员长　吴邦国
Wu Bangguo
Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

各位代表：
Fellow Deputies,

我受全国人大常委会委托，向大会报告工作，请予审议。
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.

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

2008年，面对重大困难和严峻挑战，以胡锦涛同志为总书记的党中央团结带领全国各族人民同心同德、顽强拼搏，全面夺取抗灾救灾斗争重大胜利，成功举办北京奥运会、残奥会，圆满完成神舟七号载人航天飞行任务，隆重纪念改革开放30周年，经济保持较快增长，民生得到进一步改善，社会大局保持稳定，国际地位进一步提高，中国特色社会主义事业取得了新的伟大成就。
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.

过去的一年，是十一届全国人大常委会依法履职的第一年。我们全面贯彻党的十七大和十七届三中全会精神，以邓小平理论和“三个代表”重要思想为指导，深入贯彻落实科学发展观，坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一，紧紧围绕党和国家工作大局、紧紧抓住经济社会发展中的突出问题，依法行使职权，积极开展工作，充分发挥了国家权力机关的作用。一年来，共审议15件法律案，通过9件，听取审议国务院、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院13个工作报告，作出3项决议，检查5部法律的实施情况，决定批准我国与外国缔结的条约、协定以及加入的国际公约20件，还决定和批准任免一批国家机关工作人员，为社会主义经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设作出了新的贡献。
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、全力支持抗震救灾和灾后恢复重建
1. Giving full support to earthquake relief and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction

去年5月12日发生的四川汶川特大地震，给灾区人民生命财产造成极大损失，也给国家经济社会发展带来严重影响。灾情牵动着全国各族人民的心。全国人大常委会紧急行动，认真落实中央部署，从人大工作自身特点出发，加强监督和立法工作，全力支持抗震救灾和灾后恢复重建，充分发挥了社会主义制度集中力量办大事的政治优势。
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.

一是及时调整工作计划。去年5月22日，专门召开委员长会议，专题听取国务院汇报，为突出工作重点，支持国务院集中精力抓好抗震救灾工作，决定调整常委会工作计划，将听取审议国务院关于抗震救灾和灾后恢复重建工作报告，以及2008年中央预算调整方案列入6月份常委会会议议程；决定将按惯例在6月份会议审议的中央决算和审计工作报告、审查批准2007年中央决算等议程调整到8月份的会议。为有充分时间把这次抗震救灾、过渡性安置和灾后恢复重建积累的有益经验吸收到相关法律中，决定将原计划6月份会议审议的防震减灾法修订草案调整到10月份的会议审议。
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.

二是坚决落实党中央关于集中财力投入抗震救灾的决策。为确保抗震救灾和灾后恢复重建资金需要，5月22日委员长会议明确，要以保障灾区人民生活为根本，一切从抗震救灾实际情况出发，根据特事特办的原则，建议从中央预算稳定调节基金中调用大部分，建立灾后恢复重建基金，按基金实际收支情况列入和调整中央预算，依法报全国人大常委会审查批准；在预算调整方案批准之前，所需资金可先从中央国库库款中调拨，以确保抗震救灾和灾后恢复重建资金及时拨付到位。同时要求加强资金使用情况的审计和监督，并建议对下一步所需资金早做安排。6月份的常委会会议，审查批准了2008年中央预算调整方案，同意建立灾后恢复重建基金，为抗震救灾和灾后恢复重建工作顺利推进提供了资金保障。还建议有关方面尽快制定灾后恢复重建规划和具体实施方案，明确相关政策，多方位支持灾后重建和生产自救。
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灾的情况下，强调一手抓抗震救灾，一手抓经济社会发展，以确保全年任务的完成。6月26日，常委会专门作出决议，积极评价抗震救灾工作取得的显著成效，充分肯定国务院、地方政府和各方面的工作，要求继续全力抢救伤员、妥善安置受灾群众、扎实推进灾后恢复重建。审议中，常委会组成人员指出，四川汶川特大地震和年初南方部分地区严重低温雨雪冰冻灾害，给做好全年经济工作带来很大困难。在困难的形势下，更要按照中央的决策部署，一手抓抗震救灾，一手抓经济社会发展，高度重视、及时研究、切实解决经济运行中出现的突出矛盾，努力夺取抗震救灾和经济社会发展双胜利。同时要精心做好北京奥运会各项筹办工作，排除干扰，确保把北京奥运会办成一届有特色、高水平的奥运会。
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.

四是全面修订防震减灾法。防震减灾法修订草案在10月份的常委会会议初审后，即通过主要新闻媒体向社会全文公布征求意见，共收到意见建议7300多件。有关专门委员会及时组织精干人员到灾区实地调研，充分听取抗震救灾一线干部群众的意见。根据各方面的意见，常委会对防震减灾法作了较大修改，提高了建设工程尤其是学校、医院等公用设施的抗震设防标准，完善了地震应急救援体系，加强了灾后过渡性安置和灾后恢复重建的制度措施。
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、积极推动经济又好又快发展
2. Vigorously promoting sound and rapid development of the economy

深入贯彻落实科学发展观，推动经济又好又快发展，是常委会工作的一个重点。工作中，我们抓住经济社会发展中的突出问题，综合运用多种监督形式，加强跟踪监督，推动改进工作，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.

一是推动中央宏观调控重大决策部署的贯彻落实。去年以来，面对复杂多变的国际经济形势和国内经济运行中的突出矛盾和问题，党中央审时度势，及时把宏观调控的首要任务从年初的“两防”，即防止经济增长由偏快转为过热、防止价格由结构性上涨演变为明显通货膨胀，调整为年中的“一保一控”，即保持经济平稳较快增长、控制物价过快上涨。为应对国际金融危机快速蔓延，11月份又果断调整为积极的财政政策和适度宽松的货币政策，并采取了一系列扩大内需、促进经济增长的政策措施。
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.

为了确保中央重大决策部署的贯彻落实，常委会除按计划听取审议加强金融宏观调控、稳定物价工作等报告外，面对国际金融危机新形势，12月份的常委会会议专题安排听取审议国务院关于应对国际金融危机、确保国民经济平稳较快发展情况的报告。审议中，常委会组成人员对国务院的工作给予充分肯定。同时指出，当前国际金融危机继续蔓延和对我国实体经济的影响不断加深，我国发展的外部经济环境日趋严峻。在有效需求不足的情况下，我国经济社会发展中的一些深层次矛盾和问题也会更加凸显。要切实增强忧患意识，把思想和行动统一到中央对形势的分析判断和对工作的总体部署上来，全面贯彻中央经济工作会议精神，化严峻挑战为发展机遇，变市场压力为调整动力，在保持经济平稳较快发展的同时，切实把加快经济发展方式转变和结构调整作为主攻方向。大家强调，在许多行业产能过剩的情况下，贯彻落实积极的财政政策和适度宽松的货币政策，最重要的是严格把握政策和投资导向，防止低水平重复建设，防止新一轮城市盲目扩张。
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.

为了保证积极的财政政策顺利实施，根据预算法有关规定，建议2008年新增投资从当年中央预算超收收入中列支，并依法向全国人大常委会报告；同意在全国人民代表大会批准2009年中央预算前，预拨一定比例的资金，保证重点建设项目的资金需要，预算批准后按批准的预算执行；建议经国务院批准由财政部代理发行的2009年地方政府债券纳入地方财政预算，报经同级人民代表大会或其常委会批准。
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.

二是推动转变经济发展方式。加快转变经济发展方式，推动产业结构优化升级，是关系国民经济全局紧迫而重大的战略任务。12月份的常委会会议专题听取审议国务院关于“十一五”规划纲要实施中期情况的报告。审议中，常委会组成人员充分肯定成绩，客观分析问题，提出中肯建议并指出，从评估情况看，纲要确定的大多数指标达到预期进度要求，实施情况总体上是好的。但反映经济结构的4个指标中，服务业增加值、服务业就业、研发经费等3个指标没有达到预期进度要求；单位国内生产总值能源消耗、主要污染物排放总量等两个主要约束性指标与规划目标差距较大。这在很大程度上表明，我国经济发展方式尚未根本转变，产业结构仍以工业为主导，需求结构仍以出口和投资为主导，资源环境压力加重、扩大就业难度加大、消费不足等问题依然突出。建议国务院及有关部门要高度重视存在的问题，按照党的十七大精神，加快推进经济发展方式的“三个转变”，加大工作力度，努力实现“十一五”规划纲要确定的目标任务。常委会还通过制定循环经济促进法、修改专利法，听取审议国务院关于水污染防治工作情况报告、开展环境影响评价法执法检查等方式，推动各级政府和有关方面落实科学发展观，转变经济发展方式。
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.

三是推动农村改革发展。做好农业、农村、农民工作，事关党和国家事业发展全局。上一届常委会连续5年对“三农”问题进行跟踪监督，取得明显成效。去年，常委会在听取审议国务院关于促进农民稳定增收情况报告和相关报告中，都对做好“三农”工作提出重要建议。常委会在开展农民专业合作社法执法检查中，深入了解各类农民专业合作社的发展及存在的主要问题，要求全面落实法律规定的各项扶持政策，使农民专业合作社在提高农民的组织化程度、引领农民参与国内外市场竞争等方面发挥更大作用。通过人大的监督工作，有力地促进了社会主义新农村建设，经过国务院、地方各级政府和广大农民群众共同努力，农村居民人均纯收入在连续4年增量超过300元、增幅超过6%的基础上，2008年增幅达到8%，粮食总产和单产再创历史新高。截至2008年底，全国农民专业合作社超过11万个，登记成员140多万户，加入合作社的农户成员年收入比非成员农户高出20%以上。在充分肯定成绩的同时，常委会组成人员指出，要高度重视农民收入总体水平仍然不高、城乡居民收入差距继续拉大、农业比较效益还在下降、农业基础设施落后、农民务工面临新困难等问题，扎实推进农村改革，大幅增加“三农”投入，严格保护耕地，逐步理顺粮食等农产品价格，不断改善强农惠农的金融和科技服务，支持和引导民营经济发展和农民多渠道转移就业，保持农业稳定发展、促进农民持续增收。
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、着力促进解决民生问题
3. Focusing on solving the problems affecting people's well-being

坚持以人为本，促进解决民生问题，是常委会工作的又一重点。工作中，我们注意把立法和监督结合起来，在推动改进工作的同时注重制定和完善法律，在加强立法的同时注重强化执法检查和工作监督，使人大工作更贴近民生、更具实效。
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.

食品安全事关人民群众身体健康和生命安全，人大代表和社会各界高度关注。针对“三鹿问题奶粉”等重大食品安全事件暴露出的突出问题，常委会在深入调查研究、广泛征求意见的基础上，对食品安全法草案作了进一步修改。一是，为切实加强食品安全监管工作，在确立各有关主管部门按照各自职责分段监管的基础上，国务院设立食品安全委员会，协调、指导食品安全工作；同时规定，县级以上地方人民政府统一负责、领导、组织、协调本行政区域食品安全监督管理工作。二是，为解决食品生产滥用添加剂等问题，本着不用、慎用、少用原则，明确规定只有在技术上确有必要、经过风险评估证明安全可靠的食品添加剂，才能允许使用；确需使用食品添加剂的，必须严格执行食品安全标准规定的品种、范围和用量；不得使用食品添加剂以外的化学物质或其他可能危害人体健康的物质。三是，目前社会上名目繁多的保健品年销售额超过1000亿元，而监管不到位，产品真假难辨，老百姓无所适从。为解决这一问题，明确要求国务院抓紧研究制定相关规定，规范生产活动，整顿销售市场，加强监督管理，让消费者放心。
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.

在上一届工作的基础上，去年常委会又对修改后的义务教育法、未成年人保护法开展新一轮执法检查，并对新颁布实施的劳动合同法进行执法检查。这三项执法检查，直接关系1．7亿中小学生、3．6亿未成年人的健康成长和亿万劳动者的切身利益，涉及的问题都是人大代表和人民群众普遍关注的。我们深入实际、深入基层，弄清法律实施中的突出问题，提出落实义务教育经费保障机制、增加义务教育投入，净化未成年人网络文化环境，重视解决拖欠职工工资尤其是农民工工资等重要建议。国务院及有关部门认真研究我们提出的意见和建议，使法律得到更好实施、工作得到进一步改进。一是，义务教育经费保障机制依法得到落实，义务教育经费大幅增加，全国小学生、初中生的生均预算内公用经费支出同比明显增长，中央财政还提高了中西部地区校舍维修改造资金标准。二是，国务院有关部门联合开展了整治互联网低俗之风专项行动，加强互联网管理，严厉打击毒害青少年的违法犯罪行为，网络文化环境有所改善，得到社会各界好评。三是，劳动合同法颁布实施以来，全社会劳动合同意识普遍提高，劳动合同签订率明显上升，全国规模以上企业劳动合同签订率达93%，新签劳动合同的平均期限有所延长，就业再就业工作力度进一步加大，企业职工尤其是农民工权益保障工作得到加强。针对劳动就业面临的新情况新问题，审议中，常委会组成人员指出，要大力支持中小企业发展和转型升级，千方百计稳定和扩大就业，防止拖欠职工工资和大规模裁员，着力解决服务业和建筑业以及中小企业和私营企业劳动合同签订率低等问题，切实维护劳动者合法权益，努力构建和谐劳动关系。
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.

为健全社会保险制度，解除职工群众后顾之忧，常委会在上一届初审的基础上，对社会保险法草案进行了较大修改，将养老、医疗、工伤、失业、生育等五个险种分章作出具体规定，对职工群众最关心的转移接续基本养老保险关系、提高基本养老保险基金统筹层次、加强社会保险基金监管等问题作出明确规定，引起社会广泛反响，目前正根据各方面意见修改完善。常委会还修改了残疾人保障法，充实了禁止歧视残疾人的规定，并从康复、教育、劳动就业、社会保障和无障碍环境建设等方面强化残疾人权利保障。
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、努力做好经常性工作
4. Striving to successfully carry out our routine work

过去的一年，我们紧紧围绕党和国家工作重点，依照人大工作特点做好以上工作的同时，努力做好人大经常性工作，在立法、监督、发挥代表和专门委员会作用、开展对外交往等方面取得新成效，提高了常委会工作的整体质量和水平。
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，一是编制五年立法规划，召开立法工作会议，统筹部署立法工作。二是制定了企业国有资产法、食品安全法、刑法修正案（七）、循环经济促进法，修改了防震减灾法、残疾人保障法、消防法、保险法、专利法。针对企业国有资产管理和监督中的突出问题，企业国有资产法确立了国有资产出资人制度的基本原则，对关系出资人权益的重大事项，包括企业改制、关联交易、资产评估转让等容易造成国有资产流失的环节，规定了必须遵循的基本规则和严格的监管程序。三是为确保法律的有效实施，督促有关方面加强法律配套法规的制定工作，制定有关工作程序，要求在确定立法项目、起草法律草案的同时，统筹安排制定配套法规，力争与法律同步实施。四是积极推进科学立法、民主立法，扩大公民对立法的有序参与。委员长会议决定，凡是常委会审议的法律草案，原则上都在中国人大网上公布，重要法律草案还要在全国主要新闻媒体上公布，广泛征求意见，使法律草案公布工作常态化。我们还就法律草案中涉及的重大问题，深入调查研究，并通过座谈会、论证会等形式与有关方面充分沟通协商，共同研究解决办法，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.

在监督工作方面，4月份的常委会会议，根据代表们的意见，增加安排听取审议国务院关于抗击南方部分地区严重低温雨雪冰冻灾害及灾后恢复重建工作情况的报告，要求有关方面认真总结经验，完善应急机制，切实提高防灾减灾能力。8月份的会议，集中听取审议中央决算、审计工作和计划执行情况的报告，审查批准了2007年中央决算，提出建立县级基本财力保障机制、2009年全面实施增值税转型改革、规范财政转移支付等重要建议。10月份的会议，听取审议最高人民法院关于加强刑事审判工作情况的报告、最高人民检察院关于加强刑事审判法律监督工作情况的报告，要求法院和检察院正确执行法律和宽严相济的刑事政策，保证刑事审判和法律监督的公正高效，不断提高司法工作水平。一年来，行政法规、地方性法规、司法解释等规范性文件备案审查工作进一步加强，共接收报送备案规范性文件475件，受理公民、组织提出审查建议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.

在发挥代表作用方面，一是认真办理代表议案，上次大会主席团交付有关专门委员会审议的462件代表议案，已经全部办理完毕，其中，26件议案涉及的8件法律已经常委会审议通过，50件议案涉及的4件法律草案正在审议，126件议案涉及的38个立法项目已经列入立法规划。二是扩大代表知情知政渠道，组织代表开展集中视察和专题调研，通过多种形式及时向代表通报情况，继续邀请代表列席常委会会议和参加执法检查等活动。列席会议和参加活动的代表事先认真准备，会上积极发言，充分反映人民群众呼声，为提高常委会工作质量发挥了重要作用。三是认真处理代表建议，上次大会期间代表提出的6279件建议，所提问题已解决或计划解决的有4489件，占代表建议总数的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.

在开展对外交往方面，继续巩固全国人大与外国议会定期交流机制，分别与英国、法国、日本、韩国、埃及等国议会以及欧洲议会开展多种形式的对话。针对国外有的议会在台湾、涉藏等问题上挑起的事端，我们通过外事委员会负责人发表谈话等形式进行针锋相对的斗争，捍卫国家核心利益。委员长会议组成人员、专门委员会和友好小组通过请进来、走出去等形式，与有关国家议会领导人、议员和议员助手加强交流，增信释疑，推动互利合作，促进国家关系全面发展。积极参与国际和地区议会组织的活动，成功举办第五届亚欧议会伙伴会议。
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.

全国人大各专门委员会人才荟萃、知识密集，具有经常性开展工作的特点。常委会注重发挥专门委员会作用，换届后及时与各专门委员会负责同志进行座谈，就加强和改进人大工作特别是专门委员会工作深入交换意见，统一思想认识。各专门委员会围绕全国人大及其常委会的中心任务，在提高立法质量、增强监督实效、发挥代表作用、开展对外交往等方面做了大量卓有成效的工作，有力地促进了常委会工作整体水平的提高。
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、切实加强自身建设
5. Effectively promoting self-improvement

自身建设，事关人大及其常委会职权的正确行使和作用的充分发挥。本届全国人大常委会高度重视自身建设，把思想政治建设摆在首位，坚持正确政治方向，并以此引领人大各项工作。
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，十一届全国人大一次会议胜利闭幕的第二天，常委会即召开第一次会议，着重就把握人大工作正确政治方向等问题提出明确要求。之后，又专门安排时间，认真学习党的十七大精神和胡锦涛总书记有关重要讲话，进一步统一思想，提高认识。常委会组成人员、专门委员会组成人员一致认为，人大及其常委会是国家权力机关，是十分重要的政治机关。坚持正确政治方向是做好人大工作的根本。人大工作坚持正确政治方向，最根本的是坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一，核心是坚持党的领导。人大及其常委会依法集体行使职权、集体决定问题，坚持正确政治方向要靠大家共同来把握。在人大工作，坚持中国特色社会主义道路，坚持和完善人民代表大会制度，必须进一步认识我国人民代表大会制度与西方资本主义国家政体的本质区别。
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.

一要充分认识人民代表大会与西方议会的本质区别。我国的政党制度，是中国共产党领导的多党合作和政治协商制度，不是西方的多党制。中国共产党是领导核心，是执政党，各民主党派是参政党。县乡人大代表是按选区直接选举产生的。县级以上人大的代表由下一级人民代表大会选举产生，并按照选举单位组成代表团参加代表大会。我们的人民代表大会中没有议会党团，也不以界别开展活动。无论是代表大会，还是常委会或专门委员会，都不按党派分配席位。我们的人大代表、常委会组成人员、专门委员会组成人员，无论是共产党员，还是民主党派成员或者无党派人士，肩负的都是人民的重托，都在中国共产党领导下依法履行职责，为人民服务，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.

二要充分认识人大和“一府两院”的关系与西方国家国家机关间关系的本质区别。我国是由人民代表大会统一行使国家权力，“一府两院”由人大产生，对人大负责，受人大监督。各国家机关分工不同、职责不同，都在中国共产党领导下、在各自职权范围内贯彻落实党的路线方针政策和宪法法律，为建设和发展中国特色社会主义服务，不是西方的“三权分立”。人大根据党的主张和人民的意愿，通过制定法律、作出决议，决定国家大政方针，并监督和支持“一府两院”依法行政、公正司法，保障各国家机关协调有效地开展工作，把人民赋予的权力真正用来为人民谋利益。
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.

三要充分认识人大代表与西方议员的本质区别。我们的全国人大代表，来自各地区、各民族、各方面，人口再少的民族也至少有一名代表，具有广泛的代表性，不像西方议员是某党某派的代表。我们的人大代表，生活在人民中间，同人民群众保持密切联系。我们的人大代表，有各自的工作岗位，对党和国家的方针政策、宪法法律的贯彻实施情况体会最深刻，对现实生活中的实际问题了解最深入。我们的人大代表，是通过会议的方式依法集体行使职权，而不是每个代表个人直接去处理问题，各级人大常委会办事机构是代表的集体参谋助手和服务班子。
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.

大家强调，坚持人大工作正确政治方向，核心是坚持党的领导。中国共产党是中国特色社会主义事业的领导核心。党的领导只能加强，不能削弱。通过深入学习讨论，大家更深刻地领会了邓小平同志所指出的“在中国这样一个大国，没有共产党的领导，必然四分五裂，一事无成”“中国由共产党领导，中国的社会主义现代化建设事业由共产党领导，这个原则是不能动摇的；动摇了中国就要倒退到分裂和混乱，就不可能实现现代化”等重要论断，进一步增强了坚持党的领导的自觉性和坚定性，增强了坚持走中国特色社会主义道路的自觉性和坚定性，增强了坚持和完善人民代表大会制度的自觉性和坚定性。要通过人大工作，确保党的主张经过法定程序成为国家意志，确保党组织推荐的人选经过法定程序成为国家政权机关的领导人员。人大各项工作，都要有利于加强和改善党的领导，有利于巩固党的执政地位，有利于保证党领导人民有效治理国家。
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，中国特色社会主义政治发展道路，是中国共产党领导中国人民选择的符合我国国情的唯一正确道路，是我国发展社会主义民主政治的唯一正确道路。我们深化政治体制改革，是不断推进包括人民代表大会制度在内的社会主义政治制度的自我完善和发展。要积极借鉴人类社会创造的文明成果包括政治文明的有益成果，但绝不照搬西方那一套，绝不搞多党轮流执政、“三权分立”、两院制。
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.

一年来，我们在着重加强思想政治建设的同时，还抓了能力、作风和制度建设。一是加强履职培训。组织常委会和专门委员会组成人员，集中学习人大的组织、职权、议事规则以及立法、监督工作的必备知识。每次常委会会议后都结合议程举办专题讲座，取得良好效果。在组织代表初任学习的基础上，重点开展了代表履职培训，先后举办8期培训班，1300多名代表参加培训。二是转变工作方式。本届常委会和专门委员会组成人员大部分长期在党政机关工作，到人大工作后很快进入角色，依法履行职责，花更多的时间、用更多的精力深入实际、深入群众、深入基层，加强调查研究，并形成了一批有分量的调研成果，提高了审议质量，也为党和国家重大决策提供有益参考。三是完善工作制度。在认真总结实践经验的基础上，修改完善了委员长会议议事规则等4个工作文件，并着手研究修改全国人大组织法、选举法以及常委会议事规则。
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.

全国人大机关积极开展深入学习实践科学发展观活动，以服务科学发展、努力提高集体参谋助手和服务保障水平为载体，认真解决存在的突出问题，建立健全改进工作的长效机制，以素质能力建设为重点全面加强机关干部队伍建设，努力创建学习型机关、和谐机关，充分调动干部职工的积极性、主动性、创造性，机关面貌发生了可喜变化。
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,

过去一年全国人大常委会取得的成绩，是在以胡锦涛同志为总书记的党中央正确领导下，全国人大代表、常委会组成人员、各专门委员会组成人员以及全国人大机关工作人员辛勤工作的结果，是国务院、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院协同工作的结果，是地方各级人大及其常委会和广大人民群众大力支持的结果。在此，我代表全国人大常委会表示衷心感谢！
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.

我们也清醒地认识到，工作中还存在不少需要改进的地方。一是如何进一步突出重点、抓住关键问题开展工作，提高人大工作的质量和针对性；二是如何进一步督促有关方面抓紧制定法律配套法规，切实解决因法律配套法规的缺失影响法律有效实施的问题；三是如何进一步提高服务保障水平，更好地发挥代表作用；四是如何进一步协调专门委员会工作，更好地发挥专门委员会作用；五是如何进一步加强人大宣传工作，增强国家机关依法办事的自觉性，增强全社会的法律意识和法制观念。我们将自觉接受人民监督，虚心听取代表意见，认真研究民主法制建设进程中的新情况新问题，不断加强和改进常委会工作，更好地行使宪法和法律赋予的职权。
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.

今后一年的主要任务
Major Tasks for This Year

2009年是新中国成立60周年，是应对国际国内环境变化重大挑战、推动国家各项事业实现新发展的关键一年。常委会工作的总体要求是：全面贯彻党的十七大、十七届三中全会和中央经济工作会议精神，以邓小平理论和“三个代表”重要思想为指导，深入贯彻落实科学发展观，坚持党的领导、人民当家作主、依法治国有机统一，紧紧围绕党和国家工作大局行使职权，着力加强中国特色社会主义法律体系建设，着力促进经济平稳较快发展与社会和谐稳定，着力保障宪法和法律有效实施，努力把人大工作提高到一个新水平。
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、在形成中国特色社会主义法律体系上迈出决定性步伐
1. Taking decisive steps toward establishing a legal system of socialism with Chinese characteristics

党中央明确提出，到2010年形成中国特色社会主义法律体系。今年是实现这个目标的关键一年。我们要按照党的十七大精神，在提高立法质量的前提下，一手抓法律制定，一手抓法律清理，努力在形成中国特色社会主义法律体系上迈出决定性步伐。
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.

一要抓紧制定和修改在法律体系中起支架作用的重要法律，着力加强社会领域立法，继续完善经济、政治、文化领域立法。今年计划安排的立法项目主要有：制定社会保险法、社会救助法、侵权责任法、行政强制法、农村土地承包经营纠纷仲裁法、精神卫生法、国防动员法等法律，修改国家赔偿法、保守国家秘密法、选举法、村民委员会组织法、土地管理法、邮政法、统计法等法律。要加强立法工作的组织协调，积极推进科学立法、民主立法，扩大公民对立法的有序参与，加强立法调研和科学论证，广泛凝聚共识，提高立法质量。要继续督促有关方面抓紧制定法律配套法规，保证法律有效实施。
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。我国现行有效的231件法律中，有的法律也存在一些需要完善的地方。这当中大体分三种情况：一是有的法律是上世纪八十年代或九十年代初制定的，现在看来，有些规定已经明显不适应发展社会主义市场经济的需要；二是由于法律制定的时间有先有后，有的后法与前法的一些规定有不尽一致或不够衔接的地方；三是有的法律操作性不强，难以用国家强制力来保证实施。针对这些情况，去年常委会组织部署了对现行法律的清理工作，今年要完成这项工作。要认真研究和全面分析有关方面提出的清理意见，区分轻重缓急，采取修改、废止、解释、配套等方式进行分类处理，促进法律体系的科学、统一与和谐。
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.

改革开放以来，经过各方面共同努力，到十届全国人大任期届满，以宪法为核心，以涵盖7个法律部门的法律为主干，由法律、行政法规、地方性法规等3个层次法律规范构成的中国特色社会主义法律体系已经基本形成，国家经济、政治、文化、社会生活各个方面基本做到有法可依，有力地保障和推动了中国特色社会主义事业的发展。同时，我们也清醒地看到，经济社会的快速发展，社会主义民主政治的不断推进，文化生活的丰富多彩，和谐社会的积极构建，体制机制的改革创新，经济全球化的深入发展，对立法工作提出了新课题新要求，立法任务依然繁重。
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.

这里需要强调的是，我们的法律体系是中国特色社会主义法律体系，在形成并完善法律体系过程中，必须把握好以下四点：一是不能用西方的法律体系来套我们的法律体系。外国法律体系中有的法律，不符合我国国情和实际的，我们不搞；外国法律体系中没有的法律，但我国现实生活需要的，要及时制定。二是行政法规和地方性法规都是法律体系的重要组成部分。对用法律来规范尚不具备条件的，可依法制定行政法规和地方性法规，待取得经验、条件成熟时再制定法律；对一些地方事务和具有民族地区特点的事项，可依法制定地方性法规或自治条例、单行条例进行规范。三是要区分法律手段和其他调整手段的关系，需要用法律调整的才通过立法来规范，以更好地发挥法制的功能和作用。四是我们的法律体系是动态的、开放的、发展的，本身就有一个与时俱进的问题，需要适应客观形势的发展变化，不断加以完善。
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、把推动中央重大决策部署贯彻落实作为监督工作的重点
2. Focusing oversight work on promoting the implementation of the major policy decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee

今年是进入新世纪以来我国经济发展最为困难的一年，既面临严峻挑战，也蕴含重大机遇，改革发展稳定任务十分繁重。为了做好全年工作，党中央明确提出，要立足扩大内需保持经济平稳较快增长，加快发展方式转变和结构调整提高可持续发展能力，深化改革开放增强经济社会发展活力和动力，加强社会建设加快解决涉及群众利益的难点热点问题，促进经济社会又好又快发展与社会和谐稳定，并作出了一系列重大决策部署，号召全党全国各族人民坚定信心、迎难而上，团结一心、埋头苦干，不断把中国特色社会主义事业推向前进。全国人大常委会要把推动中央重大决策部署贯彻落实作为人大监督工作的重中之重，全面贯彻实施监督法，综合运用多种监督形式，督促和支持“一府两院”按照各自工作报告提出的目标任务做好工作，确保中央重大决策部署的贯彻落实，确保全年经济社会发展任务的顺利完成。
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.

一要加强对经济工作的监督。计划听取审议国务院关于转变经济发展方式、促进中小企业发展、大气污染防治工作情况等专项工作报告，听取审议国务院关于中央决算、审计工作和计划执行情况的报告，审查批准2008年中央决算，努力促进经济平稳较快发展，大力推进经济发展方式转变。
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.

二要加强对解决民生问题的监督。计划听取审议国务院关于农村社会保障体系建设、促进就业再就业、四川汶川特大地震灾后恢复重建、职业教育发展等专项工作报告，听取审议最高人民法院、最高人民检察院有关加强民事执行工作、加强渎职侵权案件检察工作的报告，检查工会法、食品安全法、畜牧法等法律的实施情况，着力保障和改善民生，努力促进社会和谐稳定。
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.

考虑到今年经济形势不确定因素较多，为增强人大监督工作的针对性和实效性，我们要着重加强两方面的工作：一是加强调查研究，深入了解实际，抓住主要矛盾和矛盾的主要方面，提出好的意见和建议。二是综合运用多种监督形式，加强跟踪监督，抓住代表普遍关注的重点难点问题，推动有关方面切实改进工作，建立健全解决重点难点问题的长效机制。
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.

这些年来，我们在加强和改进人大监督工作方面做了大量工作，取得了明显成效，并形成了一套行之有效的工作机制和方法，十届全国人大常委会制定的监督法将其以法律形式固定下来，使各级人大常委会的监督工作更加规范化、程序化。监督法实施两年多来的实践证明，这是一部从我国国情出发、符合人大工作实际的好法律。为了更好地贯彻实施监督法，提高人大监督工作实效，这里需要强调三点：一是，监督权是宪法法律赋予人大的重要职权，人大监督是代表国家和人民进行的具有法律效力的监督，是不可替代的。人大监督包括法律监督和工作监督，内容非常丰富，任务相当繁重，是大有可为的。二是，人大监督与“一府两院”的工作，目标是完全一致的，不是相互掣肘，不是唱“对台戏”。人大依法搞好监督，有利于推动“一府两院”改进工作；“一府两院”依法自觉接受人大监督，有利于依法行政和公正司法。三是，做好人大监督工作关键在于突出重点、增强实效。一部法律的规定有很多，但群众最关注的往往就那么几条；工作中需要解决的矛盾和问题会不少，实际上关键的问题往往就那么几个。抓住这些要害，人大监督工作就能以点带面、举一反三，取得实实在在的效果。
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、在发挥代表作用、开展对外交往、加强自身建设等方面取得新进展
3. Making continued progress in strengthening the role of deputies, carrying out foreign relations work and promoting self-improvement

我们要继续深入贯彻落实中央9号文件精神，从坚持和完善人民代表大会制度出发，坚持尊重代表主体地位，坚持为代表服务的思想，加强服务保障，扩大代表对常委会、专门委员会工作的参与，认真听取代表的批评意见，提高代表议案办理质量，拓宽代表知情知政渠道，开展代表专题培训，努力把代表依法履职的积极性保护好、引导好、发挥好。
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.

我们要继续加强和改进人大对外交往，巩固和完善全国人大与外国议会定期交流机制，认真筹办与有关国家议会的机制交流活动，广泛开展与外国议会友好往来，更好地发挥人大对外交往的独特作用。
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.

我们要加强和改进人大宣传工作，充分利用广播电视、报刊杂志和网络媒体，深入宣传中国特色社会主义政治发展道路和人民代表大会制度，加强人大立法和监督工作的宣传报道，普及法律知识，增强全社会法律意识。
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.

我们要继续加强自身建设，牢牢把握人大工作正确政治方向，牢固树立党的观念、政治观念、大局观念、群众观念和法治观念。深入学习宪法，增强宪法意识，维护宪法权威。坚持依法按程序办事，完善常委会议事程序和工作规则，改进工作作风，加强调查研究，办好专题讲座。加强专门委员会工作协调，进一步提高整体工作质量和水平。加强与地方人大联系，共同推动社会主义民主法制建设。全国人大机关要巩固深入学习实践科学发展观活动成果，不断完善工作体制机制，全面提高干部队伍素质能力，搞好服务保障，当好集体参谋助手。
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，责任和使命激励着我们，困难和挑战考验着我们。让我们紧密团结在以胡锦涛同志为总书记的党中央周围，高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜，深入贯彻落实科学发展观，万众一心，艰苦奋斗，扎实工作，以优异成绩迎接新中国成立60周年，沿着中国特色社会主义道路奋勇前进！
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!