Boost for rural representation in China

CHINA: China will increase rural representation in its Parliament, according to draft legislation unveiled Monday amid concern over a widening gap between its countryside and cities.

The move appeared to be a response to growing calls for the government to address a worsening rural-urban wealth divide that has seen the vast countryside largely left behind in China’s economic boom. The amendment to the election law of the National People’s Congress (NPC) would foster “equality” among the nation’s constituencies, Wang Zhaoguo, a top legislative official, said in a speech.

Wang said rural delegates now represent four times as many citizens as their urban counterparts, which effectively gives urban areas greater representation. The amendment would equalise those ratios, he added.

“The number of deputies to the National People’s Congress shall be allocated ... in accordance with the principle that each deputy represents the same number of urban and rural people,” Wang said.

About 2,900 delegates are attending the current session, which opened Friday and ends on March 14.

According to Wang, it would be the first change to the rules since 1995. NPC delegates are elected by provincial assemblies.

Beijing, Monday, AFP