This year marks the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China
今年是新中國成立70周年
Over the past decades, the country has risen from shambles into the world’s second-largest economy.
在過去的幾十年里，中國從一個一窮二白的國家成為世界第二大經濟體
It now has the world's biggest middle-income population and it's the largest contributor to global economic development.
現在中國擁有世界最龐大的中等收入人口，并為世界經濟增長提供強大動力
It's widely acknowledged that a key to China's success is its system of democracy, which results in political stability and vitality.
外界普遍認為，中國的成功得益于它特有的民主制度，及其帶來的政治的穩定和活力。
You might need an encyclopedia to thoroughly understand the system, but you can see how the Chinese democracy works by following an annual event that takes place in Beijing -- the "Two Sessions.”
要弄懂中國民主制度，你不一定要讀百科全書，你關注一下在北京召開的全國“兩會”就能看明白。
The “Two Sessions” are the annual meetings of the country’s top legislature, the NPC, and top political advisory body, the CPPCC National Committee.
“兩會”是指每年一次召開的全國人民代表大會和中國人民政治協商會議。
In Chinese, democracy is called Min Zhu and it means that "the people are the masters of the country."
But how exactly does China’s democratic system work and how can its people's voices be heard? Let’s check it out.
在漢語中，“民主”兩個字的意思是“人民當家作主”。中國的民主制度是如何運作的，民眾的呼聲又是如果被聽到的？讓我們一起來看看
Shen Jilan from Shanxi is a lifelong farmer And China’s longest serving national lawmaker
申紀蘭，一位來自山西的農民，是中國唯一連任十三屆的全國人大代表。
In the early years after new China’s founding, Shen proposed "equal pay for equal work" between men and women.
新中國初期，她提出“男女同工同酬”
The clause was written into the country’s first Constitution when the NPC held its inaugural session in 1954.
這一建議寫入新中國頒布的第一部憲法，在1954年第一屆全國人大第一次會議上獲得通過。
Yao Ming, an NBA Hall of Famer, is a CPPCC National Committee member.
籃球明星姚明是全國政協委員。
In 2014, Yao suggested the government scrap unreasonable administrative approval procedures to benefit competition organizers. Yao’s suggestion was later turned into government measures as the country is determined to turn the sports industry into an $800 billion sector by 2025.
2014年，姚明建議將體育賽事審批改為備案，激活體育市場。他的建議被政府采納。這將有助于中國體育產業到2025年實現8000億美元的目標。
The idea that migrant workers in cities should receive unemployment insurance was proposed by Zhang Xiaoqing during the annual session(2016). Zhang, a migrant worker and an NPC deputy, saw her suggestion come to fruition in the same year, which benefits tens of millions of migrant workers.
為農民工建立失業保險是全國人大代表張曉慶(2016)兩會期間提出的。她自己就是農民工，她的議案現在已經讓廣大農民工獲益。
SOUNDBITE: ZHANG XIAOQING, Worker at Sunward Intelligent Equipment Group/NPC deputy
全國人大代表 張曉慶
I'm so happy and gratified that our migrant workers can get the attention of the government.
我很高興，我們這個群體得到國家的關注，我也很欣慰。
These figures are only three of tens of thousands of national legislators or political advisors.
剛才的三個故事，只是眾多兩會代表委員的履職縮影。
China’s NPC deputies and top political advisors work pro bono. They have full-time jobs in addition to participating in political affairs.
在中國，人大代表和政協委員是兼職的，有自己的本職工作，同時要參政議政。
To fulfill their duties, the lawmakers and advisors spend countless hours gathering the opinions and expectations of the people that they represent.
代表和委員們投入大量時間履職，了解民情民意。
全國人大代表 趙皖平 :
同期聲：每年我統計了一下，整個2/3時間是不在我的辦公室，在田間地頭。
SOUNDBITE: ZHAO WANPING, Vice-President of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ NPC deputy
According to my memory, I spent two thirds of a year out in the fields, not in my office.
全國人大代表 柴閃閃：
SOUNDBITE: CHAI SHANSHAN, Courier at China Post Shanghai Bureau/NPC deputy
Even on my way to work, whenever I encountered deliverymen, I would stop and talk with them, to learn more about them. This is important for us to perform our duties of an NPC deputy.
同期聲：上班的時候，等紅燈的時候，碰到一些送外賣的，跟他們了解一下他們的情況，這些情況都是我們履職（要了解）的
From 2013 through 2017, deputies raised more than 41,000 suggestions.
從2013年到2017年，全國人大代表共提出建議4.1萬余件
全國人大代表 郭小芹
在這次全國人代會上，我將以綠色發展產業和振興鄉村文化提交議案
SOUNDBITE: GUO XIAOQIN, Guangming Village Party Chief in Guidong, Hunan/NPC deputy
During this year’s NPC session, I will make motions regarding green growth and reinvigorating rural culture.
小索頓 全國政協委員
SOUNDBITE: Xiao SoDhon, CPPCC National Committee member from Tibet
I’ve brought the proposal is about college graduates returning to their hometowns to build startups.
我帶來的提案是大學生返鄉創業、雙創這一塊的，希望更進一步把雙創的政策具體落實到創業者身上
周漢民 全國政協常委
ZHOU HANMIN
CPPCC National Committee member
Vice Chairman of China National Democratic Construction Association
我從自貿區開始的時候就提到，應該在中國建立，在上海初創，那是2012年、13年，一個大會書面發言，一個提案。
I suggested at the very beginning that
China should build free trade zone in Shanghai. That was in 2012 and, in 2013, I put forward the proposal at the "two sessions."
胡小燕 第十一屆全國人大代表
SOUNDBITE: HU XIAOYAN, Deputy Chairman of Sanshui District Trade Union in Foshan/NPC deputy from 2008 to 2012
The tenure of an NPC deputy lasts five years, but the responsibility lasts a lifetime. I put forward 20 proposals, and when I reflect on them, each proposal was fairly responded to.
我當代表的五年，提了20個建議，現在回想起來，基本上事事都有回音，件件基本都在落實。
Each of China’s national lawmakers and political advisors has a story to tell.
在中國，每一位人大代表和政協委員都有他們自己的故事
NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members consist of top leaders, renowned economists, entrepreneurs, artists, sportsmen and representatives from all walks of life.
他們當中有領導，有經濟學者，企業家，藝術家，體育工作者和來自各行各業的普通勞動者。
As President Xi Jinping said, "Democracy is not a decoration, but a means of solving problems.
國家主席習近平說：“民主不是裝飾品，不是用來做擺設的，而是要用來解決人民要解決的問題的”。
China’s People’s Congress system, and multiparty cooperation and political consultation, are different from other systems. the people as masters of the country is the essence and core of socialist democracy
中國的人民代表大會和多黨合作政治協商制度與其他國家制度不同。人民當家做主是社會主義民主政治的本質和核心。
s national lawmakers and political advisors gather in Beijing this March for their annual sessions, we’ll be looking forward to hearing people's stories and learning whether or not their expectations were met.
今年3月，兩會代表委員們又一次齊聚北京。我們期待聽到更多人民的故事，了解他們的愿望將如何實現。
