Office bearers are elected to serve for five years on people's congresses at the level of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, autonomous prefectures, counties, autonomous counties, cities and municipal districts. The term of election is three years for people's congresses of townships, ethnic townships and towns. Local people's congresses at various levels exercise their functions and powers according to the Constitution and laws.

Local people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government and their standing committees have powers to formulate and promulgate local laws and regulations in line with local conditions and local needs. Such laws and regulations must of course not contravene the Constitution, state statutes or administrative regulations. They require to be reported to the NPC Standing Committee and the State Council for the record.

People's congresses of cities which are the capitals of provinces or autonomous regions and of such other major cities as are approved by the State Council, together with their standing committees, may also enact local laws and regulations. These require the approval of the standing committee of the people's congress of the province or autonomous region. They are then reported to the NPC Standing Committee and the State Council for the record.

The NPC Standing Committee has powers to annul any locally made regulations or decisions that contravene the Constitution, the statutes or administrative rules and regulations.

The autonomous statutes and local regulations enacted by the people's congress of an autonomous region do not take effect until they have been approved by the NPC Standing Committee.

The autonomous statutes and local regulations enacted by the people's congress of an autonomous prefecture or an autonomous county also do not take immediate effect. In this case they must first be approved by the standing committee of the people's congress of the provincial or autonomous region and then reported to the NPC Standing Committee for the record.

The standing committee of a people's congress at provincial level may send its chairman or vice chairman to attend a meeting of the NPC Standing Committee to represent its views.

The NPC Standing Committee is responsible for the process of electing the deputies to the NPC. It is also responsible for responding to questions concerning law enforcement raised by people's congresses at provincial level or by their standing committees.