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Lianghui has become one of the most popular Chinese words this spring among college students across China, implying their growing enthusiasm about domestic political affairs.
Lianghui refers to the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and the First Session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body.
Wang Xiaolong, a student with the Hebei Teacher's University in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, comes just from the city. He used to visit his family once a month.
However, these days he hurries home, together with several classmates, almost every day if time permits to catch the top political meetings on television.
"All Chinese people are concerned with the ongoing Lianghui, and we college students are no exception," Wang said.
Since the opening of the annual sessions of the NPC and CPPCC in early March, students at the Hebei University of Economics and Trade have been crowding from 4:00-5:00 p.m. every day in front of the college's billboards.
The students used to rush to the cafeterias as soon as class was over, but now they stop first at the billboards to get news about the Lianghui, a student told Xinhua.
Currently, the Internet plays an important part among college students, becoming a major means for them to get information about and pay attention to the Lianghui. Now they discuss the affairs of the NPC and CPPCC eagerly by BBS on almost all campus websites.
Immediately after Premier Zhu Rongji delivered his report on the government work over the past five years on March 5, college students expressed on BBS their admiration for and satisfaction with the government's achievements in the period.
"The last government was challenged by a grim situation both at home and abroad when it took charge. It has managed to make such achievements -- good for it! We'll give it a big hand," a college student said via the Internet service, echoed by many netizens.
On March 10 and 11, Xinhua journalists conducted a simple random survey of 50 students at the Hebei University of Economics and Trade and the Hebei University of Science and Technology. All of the respondents showed deep interest when asked about their views of the Lianghui.
Most of the students thought the proposals and motions that NPC deputies and CPPCC members raised have direct relationship with the prosperity of China and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and therefore, the college students had no choice but to pay attention to them.
"These days, the Lianghui is the hottest topic among students in their leisure time. They also discuss it with teachers," said Wang Xiaoling, a teacher with the Hebei Teacher's University.
"Nowadays college students have a strong sense of independence and pay attention to state affairs. They are aware of the fact that the nation's future will hinge on them," Wang added.
(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2003)
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