Deputies to the National People's Congress come from all parts of China and from many walks of life. For some, this will be their first National Congress to serve for five years as a representative for the people of their area. For others, it will be business as usual, in a changing China. To find out how the people of China are best served by their chosen representatives, china.org.cn takes a close-up look at the Congress deputies and what concerns they have for the China of today.
Here we meet Shen Aiqin, a Chinese businesswoman.
Shen Aiqin, 57, is chairwoman of the Wensli Group, a large private-run enterprise in east China's Zhejiang Province. Starting her business from scratch in 1975, Shen now owns a modern enterprise group focusing on silk production, biotechnology, real estate and shopping malls, with total assets of 650 million yuan (US$).
Wensli brand silk, the main product of the Wensli group has sold well in both domestic and overseas markets. Many silk products make for unique presents on occasion such as the APEC conference in Shanghai in 2001.
Shen was also a deputy to the 9th National People's Congress, and is a role model for Chinese women. She speaks exclusively to China.org.cn.
Q: What is the issue of most concern to people in your area of China?
A: They are mainly concerned about how to promote an "affluent" society in all-round ways which was brought forward by the 16th Party Congress; how to improve government's working efficiency through institutional restructuring. In addition, the issues of agriculture: farmer and rural areas being their top concern.
Q: What proposals have you made, or what did you hope to accomplish at this session?
A: Nothing yet. I'm also a deputy to the 9th National People's Congress, so I've submitted a total of 16 proposals to NPC sessions in the past five years. I think that it's enough to pass and implement these bills.
I hope that this NPC session can further promote the concept of "running the country according to law", and strengthen the enforcement of legal cases.
Q: What have you seen achieved over the last five years?
A: I'm quite satisfied with the government's work in the past five years, as mentioned in Premier Zhu's work report. Central government has successfully avoided the impact of the Asian financial crisis, while the institutional restructuring by the Zhu Rongji Administration has greatly improved the working efficiency of government departments and fostered the democratic working style in some sense.
In the past five years, China has maintained social stability and rapid economic growth. It's quite hard for such a huge country like China, but central government has done it very well. On the other hand, the concept of "running the country according to law" has gradually been in the heart of all Chinese.
What's more, the living standard of the Chinese has greatly improved. Nowadays, China's transportation and telecommunication are as advanced as any other developed countries. To take Hangzhou of Zhejiang Province for example, the city has experienced rapid development, and strived to be an international metropolis. All these changes have only come in the last five years.
Q: When the NPC is not in session, how do you exercise your responsibilities as a NPC deputy?
A: I think that the most important thing for a NPC deputy is to be responsible for people of your area. Therefore, I will try to contact the grassroots, and convey their voice. As an entrepreneur, I will make contributions to China through further developing my own enterprise to solve more employment and hand in more tax.
Q: What is your hope for the future?
A: I hope that the central government can give more support for private-run enterprises through preferential policies, regulations or laws. Private-run enterprises are also enterprises in China, so they should be treated the same as state-own enterprises.
Secondly, I hope that government will give direct subsidies to farmers; enhance more capital input in agricultural technology in order to raise farmer's income and develop agriculture.
(China.org.cn by Staff Reporter Tang Fuchun, March 13, 2003)
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