This year marks the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China
今年是新中国成立70周年
Over the past decades, the country has risen from shambles into the world’s second-largest economy.
在过去的几十年里，中国从一个一穷二白的国家成为世界第二大经济体
It now has the world's biggest middle-income population and it's the largest contributor to global economic development.
现在中国拥有世界最庞大的中等收入人口，并为世界经济增长提供强大动力
It's widely acknowledged that a key to China's success is its system of democracy, which results in political stability and vitality.
外界普遍认为，中国的成功得益于它特有的民主制度，及其带来的政治的稳定和活力。
You might need an encyclopedia to thoroughly understand the system, but you can see how the Chinese democracy works by following an annual event that takes place in Beijing -- the "Two Sessions.”
要弄懂中国民主制度，你不一定要读百科全书，你关注一下在北京召开的全国“两会”就能看明白。
The “Two Sessions” are the annual meetings of the country’s top legislature, the NPC, and top political advisory body, the CPPCC National Committee.
“两会”是指每年一次召开的全国人民代表大会和中国人民政治协商会议。
In Chinese, democracy is called Min Zhu and it means that "the people are the masters of the country."
But how exactly does China’s democratic system work and how can its people's voices be heard? Let’s check it out.
在汉语中，“民主”两个字的意思是“人民当家作主”。中国的民主制度是如何运作的，民众的呼声又是如果被听到的？让我们一起来看看
Shen Jilan from Shanxi is a lifelong farmer And China’s longest serving national lawmaker
申纪兰，一位来自山西的农民，是中国唯一连任十三届的全国人大代表。
In the early years after new China’s founding, Shen proposed "equal pay for equal work" between men and women.
新中国初期，她提出“男女同工同酬”
The clause was written into the country’s first Constitution when the NPC held its inaugural session in 1954.
这一建议写入新中国颁布的第一部宪法，在1954年第一届全国人大第一次会议上获得通过。
Yao Ming, an NBA Hall of Famer, is a CPPCC National Committee member.
篮球明星姚明是全国政协委员。
In 2014, Yao suggested the government scrap unreasonable administrative approval procedures to benefit competition organizers. Yao’s suggestion was later turned into government measures as the country is determined to turn the sports industry into an $800 billion sector by 2025.
2014年，姚明建议将体育赛事审批改为备案，激活体育市场。他的建议被政府采纳。这将有助于中国体育产业到2025年实现8000亿美元的目标。
The idea that migrant workers in cities should receive unemployment insurance was proposed by Zhang Xiaoqing during the annual session(2016). Zhang, a migrant worker and an NPC deputy, saw her suggestion come to fruition in the same year, which benefits tens of millions of migrant workers.
为农民工建立失业保险是全国人大代表张晓庆(2016)两会期间提出的。她自己就是农民工，她的议案现在已经让广大农民工获益。
SOUNDBITE: ZHANG XIAOQING, Worker at Sunward Intelligent Equipment Group/NPC deputy
全国人大代表 张晓庆
I'm so happy and gratified that our migrant workers can get the attention of the government.
我很高兴，我们这个群体得到国家的关注，我也很欣慰。
These figures are only three of tens of thousands of national legislators or political advisors.
刚才的三个故事，只是众多两会代表委员的履职缩影。
China’s NPC deputies and top political advisors work pro bono. They have full-time jobs in addition to participating in political affairs.
在中国，人大代表和政协委员是兼职的，有自己的本职工作，同时要参政议政。
To fulfill their duties, the lawmakers and advisors spend countless hours gathering the opinions and expectations of the people that they represent.
代表和委员们投入大量时间履职，了解民情民意。
全国人大代表 赵皖平 :
同期声：每年我统计了一下，整个2/3时间是不在我的办公室，在田间地头。
SOUNDBITE: ZHAO WANPING, Vice-President of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ NPC deputy
According to my memory, I spent two thirds of a year out in the fields, not in my office.
全国人大代表 柴闪闪：
SOUNDBITE: CHAI SHANSHAN, Courier at China Post Shanghai Bureau/NPC deputy
Even on my way to work, whenever I encountered deliverymen, I would stop and talk with them, to learn more about them. This is important for us to perform our duties of an NPC deputy.
同期声：上班的时候，等红灯的时候，碰到一些送外卖的，跟他们了解一下他们的情况，这些情况都是我们履职（要了解）的
From 2013 through 2017, deputies raised more than 41,000 suggestions.
从2013年到2017年，全国人大代表共提出建议4.1万余件
全国人大代表 郭小芹
在这次全国人代会上，我将以绿色发展产业和振兴乡村文化提交议案
SOUNDBITE: GUO XIAOQIN, Guangming Village Party Chief in Guidong, Hunan/NPC deputy
During this year’s NPC session, I will make motions regarding green growth and reinvigorating rural culture.
小索顿 全国政协委员
SOUNDBITE: Xiao SoDhon, CPPCC National Committee member from Tibet
I’ve brought the proposal is about college graduates returning to their hometowns to build startups.
我带来的提案是大学生返乡创业、双创这一块的，希望更进一步把双创的政策具体落实到创业者身上
周汉民 全国政协常委
ZHOU HANMIN
CPPCC National Committee member
Vice Chairman of China National Democratic Construction Association
我从自贸区开始的时候就提到，应该在中国建立，在上海初创，那是2012年、13年，一个大会书面发言，一个提案。
I suggested at the very beginning that
China should build free trade zone in Shanghai. That was in 2012 and, in 2013, I put forward the proposal at the "two sessions."
胡小燕 第十一届全国人大代表
SOUNDBITE: HU XIAOYAN, Deputy Chairman of Sanshui District Trade Union in Foshan/NPC deputy from 2008 to 2012
The tenure of an NPC deputy lasts five years, but the responsibility lasts a lifetime. I put forward 20 proposals, and when I reflect on them, each proposal was fairly responded to.
我当代表的五年，提了20个建议，现在回想起来，基本上事事都有回音，件件基本都在落实。
Each of China’s national lawmakers and political advisors has a story to tell.
在中国，每一位人大代表和政协委员都有他们自己的故事
NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members consist of top leaders, renowned economists, entrepreneurs, artists, sportsmen and representatives from all walks of life.
他们当中有领导，有经济学者，企业家，艺术家，体育工作者和来自各行各业的普通劳动者。
As President Xi Jinping said, "Democracy is not a decoration, but a means of solving problems.
国家主席习近平说：“民主不是装饰品，不是用来做摆设的，而是要用来解决人民要解决的问题的”。
China’s People’s Congress system, and multiparty cooperation and political consultation, are different from other systems. the people as masters of the country is the essence and core of socialist democracy
中国的人民代表大会和多党合作政治协商制度与其他国家制度不同。人民当家做主是社会主义民主政治的本质和核心。
s national lawmakers and political advisors gather in Beijing this March for their annual sessions, we’ll be looking forward to hearing people's stories and learning whether or not their expectations were met.
今年3月，两会代表委员们又一次齐聚北京。我们期待听到更多人民的故事，了解他们的愿望将如何实现。
