Abstract

The composition of the deputies in the National People’s Congress of China shows reliance on the principle of formal proportionality based on the national census and substantial representation based on the inclusion of rural areas, minorities and other groups which are a statistically smaller portion of the population. However the quota system based on these principles of representation cannot mitigate against the overrepresentation of government officials and the increasing elitism of the deputies. Yet these issues are nominal compared to the forging of closer political bonds between the representatives and the represented. The author believes that the correlation between the representatives and the represented may be strengthened by moving towards the direct election of the deputies of the National People’s Congress, thereby placing the constitutionality of the National People’s Congress as the highest organ of state sovereignty on a firmer foundation.