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 NPC 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.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2006)