Chinese lawmakers more open to outside world (Xinhua) Updated: 2006-03-12 15:20
"Reference News," a daily newspaper mainly carrying translations of foreign
media reports, is selling like hot cakes in the Zhongyuan Hotel, where some 400
Chinese parliament members are staying during the NPC meeting.
"I have
to pay close attention to what is happening in the world," said Fu Qiping, a
deputy to the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), citing the fluctuation in
domestic oil prices caused by the world oil market last year.
As China
has increasingly involved itself in global affairs, its problems are not limited
to domestic ones alone. Thus the NPC deputies need to "open their eyes wide to
look at the world," said Wu Jiang, an expert on government administration and
president of the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science.
"This
demonstrates the ordinary Chinese person's concern and involvement in economic
globalization," Wu added.
The NPC, China's top legislature, has stepped
up its exchanges with parliaments in other countries. It has also established
regular communication with the United States, France, Germany and Japan, among
others. In 2005, the NPC dispatched 115 delegations for visits and international
conferences.
Duan Liqing, the first NPC deputy who once tabled a motion
for revising the Marriage Law, has borrowed many ideas from foreign countries.
Some deputies choose to make "direct" contacts with foreign countries.
Yang Mianmian, president of China's giant home appliance maker Haier, wants to
erect more factories all over the world including the United States. Pan Yunhe,
president of East China's Zhejiang University, has employed dozens of foreign
experts to boost academic development.
"In recent years, China has urged
the officials to have the ability to deal with complicated international
situations, which to some extent make the deputies think internationally," said
Wu Jiang.
China has doubled its participation in international affairs
in recent years and has played an important role in anti-terrorism cooperation,
the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue, the Iranian nuclear
standoff and the United Nations reform, said Shi Yinhong, a professor with the
People's University of China.
"The Chinese people have showed more
interest in international situation as a result of China's ascending status and
fast economic growth," Shi said.
Guo Fenglian, a 60-year-old female
deputy from Dazhai, North China's Shanxi Province, is studying English together
with the pupils in her village.
"I have learnt quite a lot of English
words and sentences," said Guo, a then "iron girl" who changed the barren land
into a rich village even though she only attended primary school.
Guo
gives strong support for the English learning in her village school. "I want the
children to know about the world as early as possible," She
said.
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