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Publication of motions online

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-03-12 07:45

Calls for posting the full-text of motions tabled by CPPCC members on the Internet are reasonable, says an article on the website www.gmw.cn. Following is an excerpt:

According to reports, this year's top advisory meetings received in total 5,571 proposals from members of the National Committee of the CPPCC.

The media has already covered part of them, but they can't print the full texts due to time and space constraints in their TV programs and newspapers.

So what the public can access through the media is really just the tip of the iceberg.

The general public has the right to know exactly what members are saying while discussing these proposals. What we must do urgently is to provide the public with a window to all proposals tabled by CPPCC members.

There are no technical barriers in doing so with the widespread usage of Internet and laptop computers. Those portal websites and government websites can easily publish these motions for public review and discussion.

Posting the full text of the proposals, for one thing, can engage more people in public affairs; for another, it can garner better public oversight when a proposal is adopted by the government.

(China Daily 03/12/2009 page9)