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At China's top annual political gathering in March, national lawmakers and political advisers, originally from Taiwan, raised proposals not only on issues directly affecting Taiwan compatriots and businesses in the Chinese mainland, but also on the mainland's economic development planning and ecological governance.

That was believed to reflect the participation of Taiwan compatriots, as "masters of the country", in whole-process people's democracy.

From early to mid-March, the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress and the fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference were held in Beijing.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and over 2,100 CPPCC National Committee members from across the country took part, including some from Taiwan province, most of whom are Taiwan compatriots born or working on the mainland.

At present, the NPC has 13 deputies from its Taiwan delegation. The CPPCC National Committee members from Taiwan mainly come from the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, a non-Communist political party, and the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, a social organization, totaling 34.

The 13 NPC deputies include officials as well as experts and scholars in science and technology, education, healthcare and the economy, according to the Taiwan delegation. They come from different parts of the country.

During the two sessions in March, the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and the government work report were reviewed and approved. National lawmakers passed the Ecological and Environmental Code, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law and the National Development Planning Law.

For many years, NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members from Taiwan have submitted numerous suggestions and proposals on major issues, including this year's agenda. Many of them were adopted and made notable contributions to China's modernization drive and the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, according to Li Yihu, an NPC deputy and dean of Peking University's Institute of Taiwan Studies.

Li said these deputies and members still maintain close ties with Taiwan, including through relatives and their original hometowns, enabling them to make suggestions on the mainland's Taiwan-related policies, cross-Strait relations, and the rights and interests of Taiwan businesses and enterprises on the mainland.

"They are indeed very enthusiastic about reflecting the concerns of Taiwan compatriots and problems encountered in cross-Strait integrated development," Li said. "At the same time, as NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members, they can of course also make suggestions on the country's environmental governance, economic and social development, and cultural and educational undertakings."

Advice and suggestions

At an open-day event of the Taiwan delegation on March 8, the 13 NPC deputies shared their suggestions on a wide range of issues discussed during the two sessions, including political, economic and environmental topics such as the Ecological and Environmental Code.

Zou Zhenqiu, an NPC deputy from the Taiwan delegation and a standing committee member of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League's Central Committee, said the code is like a main thread linking together the environmental laws China has enacted over the past decades.

He cited his research visits to Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Gansu province, where he said overgrazing and disorderly development had once left irrigation areas in very poor ecological condition.

Now, after ecological restoration, the area has become picturesque and attracts many tourists from home and abroad. "Villagers have turned natural resources into sources of income through eco-tourism, yak breeding and dairy processing," said Zou.

"The changes in Gannan tell us that ecological governance is not only a form of restraint, but also a productive force," he said.

"When we institutionalize this win-win model of environmental protection and development through law, we can provide a system guarantee for more places, so that more people can protect their homeland while making a living from ecology and tourism," the deputy noted.

While affirming the necessity of the environmental code, Zou also put forward concrete suggestions on enforcement. "Rigid laws should also carry a degree of flexibility and warmth, and punishments should fit the offenses."

He suggested severe punishment for malicious pollution that causes irreversible environmental damage, such as radioactive emissions in industrial production. But for minor violations caused by lack of awareness and corrected in time, such as small vendors improperly using plastic bags, he asked whether first-time leniency or educational guidance could be introduced.

Yan Ke, an NPC deputy from the Taiwan delegation and vice-president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, suggested that after the environmental code is passed, efforts should be accelerated to build a complete institutional system comprising the code, individual laws and supporting regulations.

"On the one hand, relevant departments should be guided to promptly revise and improve individual laws such as the Forestry Law and the Grassland Law, … so that these laws complement and connect with the code," she said.

On the other hand, she suggested that local governments should be encouraged to formulate targeted, operational regulations and rules based on their own resource endowments, development positioning and ecological conditions.

At a news conference in late February, the TDSL said it had submitted 29 proposals to this year's CPPCC National Committee session, mainly covering four areas, including building China's strength in science and technology, social well-being, and the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.

Ma Yupeng, deputy director of research for the TDSL's Central Committee, said the proposals included research and application of domestically developed high-end equipment, marine energy development, online medical science communication, and comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases among the elderly.

Research beforehand

Before and after submitting suggestions and proposals, NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members from Taiwan usually travel to many parts of the country and visit relevant institutions for field research to understand the real situation and ensure the accuracy and quality of their proposals.

According to a January release by the TDSL, the league has continued to focus on the digital transformation of Taiwan-funded enterprises. In May, Su Hui, chairwoman of the league's central committee, led a team to Jiangsu province, visiting several Taiwan-funded enterprises and cross-Strait exchange bases to gather their opinions and suggestions.

Ma, the league's deputy research director, said that the league's seven key research topics include education, science and talent development, agricultural and rural modernization, marine energy and resource development and utilization, and ecological protection of the Yellow River basin.

According to a January release on the CPPCC National Committee website, since 2023, the TDSL has submitted 80 group proposals focusing on high-quality development and deeper cross-Strait integrated development.

Li, the Taiwan expert from Peking University, said that those NPC deputies and CPPCC National Committee members representing Taiwan, by making suggestions on the motherland's economic, social and environmental development through the two sessions, reflect a reality, adding that "It is not empty talk that Taiwan compatriots participate in the management of national affairs".

"They are the masters of the country, just like compatriots on the mainland," he said. "This is a citizen's right and obligation, which is made very clear by our Constitution."

Cao Yin and Li Shangyi contributed to this story.

jiangchenglong@chinadaily.com.cn