Attaching high priority to and acting in line with the concept of effective and democratic legislation, the Standing Committee engaged in vigorous efforts to refine legislative mechanisms and systems with a view to making our legislative work more systemic, timely, targeted, and effective.

First, with the approval of the CPC Central Committee, adjustments were made to the five-year legislative plan of the current Standing Committee, principally to include into the plan legislative items pertaining to the coordinated implementation of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy. As a result, the total number of legislative items in category I (draft legislation ready for deliberation by the Standing Committee) and category II (draft legislation soon to be ready for deliberation by the Standing Committee) increased from 68 to 102.

Second, we intensified the research and evaluation of legislative items, and carried out dedicated deliberations on key points and difficulties in the drafts of the National Security Law and the Anti-Terrorism Law as well as in the draft revisions of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law and the Advertising Law.

Third, giving full play to the role of NPC deputies, we improved mechanisms for soliciting their opinions on draft laws and invited them to participate in the debate, research, and deliberation process.

Fourth, in a bid to broaden channels for the systematic participation of citizens in the legislative process, we formulated the Procedures for Releasing Drafts of Laws for Public Comments, according to which the drafts of laws for the first and second deliberations of the Standing Committee should both be promptly made available to the public. After the draft of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law was released, for example, we received more than 40,000 comments and suggestions from all sectors of society. We also put in place a sound system whereby specialists are appointed as legislative advisors, thereby further improving our consultation system for legislative decision making.

Fifth, we actively responded to the concerns of NPC deputies, members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and people from all sectors of society, studying and incorporating where possible the comments and suggestions of all sides into the relevant laws as they were drafted, deliberated, or revised.

Sixth, we established a system of staying connected with local communities on legislative issues, making full use of the role of this system in directly soliciting the legislation-related views of the general public and officials at the community level.

2. We strengthened efforts to ensure and oversee the enforcement of the Constitution.

Ensuring the full enforcement of the Constitution represents the most important and fundamental task in building China into a socialist rule of law country. With a continued commitment to upholding the principles of the Constitution, the Standing Committee has worked to fulfill its duty to oversee the enforcement of the Constitution, energetically promote the spirit of the Constitution, resolutely safeguard its authority, and ensure its full and effective enforcement.

1) We introduced a system of pledging allegiance to the Constitution.

The Standing Committee examined and adopted the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Implementing the System of Pledging Allegiance to the Constitution, thereby establishing the system into national law. The decision stipulates, "All those who are elected or appointed to public office by people's congresses at all levels or by the standing committees of people's congresses at and above the county level as well as by people's governments, people's courts, and people's procuratorates at all levels shall make a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution when they officially assume office." This is a major measure for promoting governance of the country based on the Constitution and other laws. The words of the pledge embody the sense of loyalty, responsibility, and commitment that public servants are expected to have toward their country and people. The practice of pledging allegiance to the Constitution will play an important role in urging public servants to remain loyal to, comply with, and safeguard the Constitution, which in turn will help us in our efforts to ensure and oversee the enforcement of the Constitution.

2) We exercised constitutional stipulations on amnesty.

In commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and in the Global War against Fascism, and acting in line with the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee, the NPC Standing Committee, in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution, adopted a decision on granting amnesty to certain prisoners. The President of China issued an order, granting amnesty to prisoners falling into four categories, with one category being those who fought in the War of Resistance and those who fought in the War of Liberation. This marks the eighth time since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the first time since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy, that amnesty has been granted in China. The granting of amnesty represents a new step that has been taken to implement the system of amnesty as stipulated in the Constitution, advance the law-based governance of China in all areas, and apply the spirit of humanitarianism, and therefore has major political and legal implications.

3) We enacted the Law on National Medals and Titles of Honor.

The system of national awards and honors is an important system stipulated in the Constitution. In order to commend and award those who have made outstanding contributions to our country, foster and promote the core socialist values, and enhance the cohesiveness and appeal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Standing Committee, in accordance with Paragraph 16 under Article 67 of the Constitution and on the basis of a review of the past experience in granting medals and awards, drafted and then deliberated and passed the Law on National Medals and Titles of Honor. This law has defined the most important and fundamental provisions concerning national medals and honorary titles, such as the establishment of such medals and titles, eligible recipients, and awarding procedures, thereby laying down an important legal basis for establishing and improving relevant systems of Party and state awards and honors.