Four farmers in central China's Henan Province have been invited, on behalf of their peers, to attend a special meeting of the Standing Committee of the provincial people's congress on Thursday and to voice their opinions on a draft law on expressway construction in the province.

"I never thought that I could attend such a 'sacred meeting' and discuss such important issues with government officials, experts and entrepreneurs," said Li Yongqi, a villager of Tongcun Village in Houzhai Town of Zhengzhou City, the provincial capital. 

Li told the meeting that he was especially concerned about whether farmers would receive compensation for land requisitioned for building expressways and if the rights and interests of farmers' could be guaranteed.

"In drafting laws and regulations, it is imperative for the legislatures of various levels to solicit public opinions, especially the opinions of the needy groups, so that the rights and interests of various social groups can be better protected, thus laying a good foundation for smooth law enforcement," said

Zhang Yong, vice-chairman of the Legal System Committee of the Henan Provincial People's Congress.

"More than 20 articles that reflect and protect the rights and interests of the general public have been included into the draft regulations on expressway construction which consists of 66 articles," said Li Chengkuan, an official with the Legal System Office of the Standing Committee of the Henan Provincial People's Congress.

"Open-door legislation" has become a trend among the standing committees of local people's congresses across China, which have the right to law-making.

The Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress publicized a draft of the five-year legislation program (2004-2008) that concerns economy, social progress and people's lives to solicit public opinions last June. Thirty-six proposals suggested by local residents were added into Beijing's five-year legislation program which consists of 54 legislation items.

Inviting common people to attend meetings of standing committees of local people's congress has also been practiced in provinces of Hunan, Jiangsu and Shandong and many Chinese cities including Guiyang, Ningbo, Nanjing and Zhengzhou.

The purpose of "putting people first and offering convenience to the people" is fully materialized in each of Chinese laws drafted by local legislatures or the top legislature of China, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

This March, clauses called "legal private property is not to be encroached upon" and "respecting and guaranteeing human rights" were added into the constitution.

"Open-door legislation" marks a big step forward in promoting democracy by returning law-making to the common people, said Zhang Ziqiang, a member of the Zhengzhou City Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body.

Zhang Yong, an official with the legal system committee of Henan People's Congress, said that more than 20 percent of local laws and regulations drafted in Henan over the past two years were open to public opinions.

Last May, the province solicited opinions of more than 95 million people on the Five-Year Legislation Program (2004-2008). In one month and a half, local people presented more than 300 suggestions over phone, over 90 letters and 177 proposals on making laws and regulations concerning politics, economy, culture, health care, social security, building of democracy and legal system and social stability.

(People's Daily November 29, 2004)