This page collects the explanatory materials we have published that introduce particular aspects of the NPC’s institution or workings and that are not inextricably tied to any specific past event or legislation. Explainers of specific legislation can be found on the relevant bill pages. This page also links to external blogs and websites that we frequently reference in our work.
Explainers & FAQs
Institutions
- Bilingual organizational chart: National People’s Congress (NPC) (kept up to date)
- FAQs: NPC and its annual sessions (published Mar. 3, 2021; last updated Mar. 12, 2021)
- Explainer: Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC) (published June 25, 2018)
- Bilingual organizational chart: State Council (kept up to date)
Lawmaking
- Explainer: Types of NPC legislation (published Mar. 29, 2021)
- Explainer: NPC and NPCSC’s quasi-legislative decisions (published Feb. 22, 2021)
- Explainer: China’s constitutional amendment process (published Dec. 27, 2017)
- Explainer: NPCSC’s reclamation of taxing power (Tax Legislation Tracker) (kept up to date)
- Explainer: NPCSC Legislative Affairs Commission’s responses to legal inquiries (published Dec. 27, 2020)
Oversight
- Explainer: NPCSC’s law enforcement inspections (published May 27, 2017)
- Explainer: NPCSC’s recording of sub-statutory legal documents and review of their validity (published Aug. 18, 2020)
Decision-making
- Explainer: China’s state medals and honorary titles (published Sept. 10, 2019)
User Guides
- Guide to accessing and commenting on bills pending before the NPCSC (kept up to date)
- Guide to requesting the NPCSC to review the validity of sub-statutory legal documents (published Dec. 5, 2019)
- Guide to the National Database of Laws and Regulations (published Feb. 25, 2021)
Useful Links
NPC’s Official Website
- Chinese homepage
- National Database of Laws and Regulations [国家法律法规数据库]
- NPCSC Gazette (2018–) [全国人民代表大会常务委员会公报]
- Online public comments platform [法律草案征求意见]
- Online platform for requesting validity review of sub-statutory documents [审查建议受理平台]
- English homepage
Other Official Websites
News, Translations & Commentary
- China Law Translate: a website created and maintained by Jeremy Daum that translates Chinese legal authorities and provides original commentary and analysis on Chinese legal developments. [Disclosure: we occasionally contribute to China Law Translate and frequently link to its translations on this site.]
- China IPR [中国知识产权]: a blog by Mark Cohen that focuses on Chinese intellectual property law.
- Supreme People’s Court Monitor [最高人民法院观察]: a blog by Susan Finder that focuses on China’s highest court.
- The China Collection: a blog created by Donald Clarke where a group of scholars write on Chinese law, politics, economy, and other matters.
Other Private Websites