What's the buzz

The annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conferenece are just around the corner. Deputies are expected to discuss a variety of issues of public concern. As a citizen, what issues concern you the most? If you were a deputy, what would you propose to the top legislature? China Daily's mobile phone news readers share their views:

I want to ask when will the government provide fair pensions. In China, civil servants and employees with public institutions pay very little when they are working, but they enjoy generous monthly pensions that can be thousands of yuan. Meanwhile, when private employees and farmers retire they have to live on ranging from about 50 to 2,000 yuan ($8 to $318) a month. Whatever work people do, they enjoy the same or similar social security when they retire. Hopefully the government will make administrative measures to raise pensions.

FENGHUILUZHUAN, Nanjing, Jiangsu province

I am concerned about the protection of women's rights and interests. The deep-rooted mentality that men are superior to women has led to domestic violence, even though society advocates gender equality. Most women decide to bear the humiliation and pain of verbal and physical abuse to save face and for the sake of their children. The country should increase the punishments for husbands committing domestic abuse and establish protection agencies to help ease the trauma of victims. Individuals should also summon up courage to fight the problem.

LEILEI, Xi'an, Shaanxi province

Reports of people dying suddenly from overwork have become increasingly common in recent years. As an employee who is exhausted from overwork, I am very concerned about the execution of the Labor Law and how to limit working hours and protect the legitimate rights of workers. There should be somewhere workers can go to make reasonable appeals for their rights.

OVERTIED, Beijing

I have my attention on the welfare of migrant workers, not just because their working conditions are tough, but also because they frequently suffer wage defaults. Migrant workers face a great many difficulties. Yet their welfare and the interests of their families are the foundation of urban development, rural progress and social harmony. Hopefully more social services targeting migrant workers can be established, for example, access to training and healthcare.

BUZHI, Xi'an, Shaanxi province

Hopefully the Two Sessions can give special attention to the environment. Although China's economic development has made rapid progress, the problem of pollution has become increasingly more serious. There has been smog and haze in North China and the existence of "cancer villages" has been revealed. Personally I think preventing and controlling environmental pollution should be the focus of policymaking in this year's sessions.

A READER, Fuzhou, Fujian province

In my opinion, the biggest problem is housing, because it tugs at the heartstrings of every Chinese that it can take the efforts of the whole family to purchase an ordinary house. To genuinely curb the soaring house prices requires multiple measures, such as controlling speculation in the real estate market. People's happiness will not be guaranteed without solving the housing issue.

DAMO, Xinxiang, Henan province

(China Daily 02/25/2013 page9)