In a bid to encourage public opinion in lawmaking, a group of legislators has urged the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to hold more public legislative hearings on draft legislation.

The first-ever public legislative hearing was held by China's top legislature on September 27 to discuss the draft amendments to the personal income tax law. Lawmakers and officials from taxation and finance departments considered opinions given during the hearing.

Legislator Zeng Xianzi said holding the public hearing was a step towards enhancing transparency in the policy-making process. He suggested more public hearings.

Yang Xingfu, member of the Standing Committee of the 10th NPC, showed his agreement for the decision to raise the personal taxable income threshold to 1,600 yuan (US$198), which was adopted last Thursday. He believes the decision had considered not only opinions suggested by legislators but also opinions aired at the public hearing.

Legislator Yang Guoliang said public hearings would help the legislature to understand the situation on the ground, and make decision more scientifically.

A public hearing is also a good opportunity to educate the public on the country's legal system, said another legislator, Ni Yuefeng.

Li Lianning, one of the legislators who attended the September 27 public hearing, said fairness and transparency were taken into consideration when selecting the 20 speaker representatives. Some 40 people from various walks of life and regions across the country, representing different opinions, attended the hearing. The hearing was also televised and broadcast on the Internet.

Li also noticed that a large amount of money and human resources were used to organize the hearing. He suggested online hearings and also allowing more people to attend such hearings in future. 

China put in force a law on legislation on July 1, 2000, which provides that the standing committees of local people's congresses should solicit public opinion when drafting laws and regulations. The opinion-collecting process might take various forms, including symposia, debates or hearings.

By the end of 2004, 24 provincial legislative bodies had held 38 legislative hearings on regional draft laws and regulations concerning market administration, protection of consumer rights, the environment and resources, construction of urban utilities and other major issues of public concern.

(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan November 1, 2005)