China's law-making process, rooted in the principle of whole-process people's democracy, is highly inclusive, as it enables grassroots participation in consultations and ensures effective implementation of laws, according to Fijian Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group in Beijing, Jitoko shared his firsthand experience of China's legislative process during a visit to a legislative outreach office in Shanghai.
The concept of "whole-process people's democracy" was first put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping during an inspection tour of Shanghai in 2019. Its essence is that people get to discuss their own affairs to reach the greatest common ground based on the wishes and needs of the entire society.
As a renowned lawyer in the South Pacific with over 40 years of experience, Jitoko spoke highly of China's legislative system, which he believes ensures that every individual has a role in the process.
"I am a lawyer by profession and I have practiced as a judge for a long time, and one of the things that always occur when people appear before the court is that they don't know about the law. It brings me to the consultation process of the law, where the grassroots levels are involved in making submissions on how the law should operate and [how it] affects them. If the law proceeds right to its conclusion when it is enacted into law, they become part of it, they own the law as it were. So they say that's our law, and that is why it helps the population to follow the law because it's part of what they want to bring in and to govern their communities," said Jitoko.
In addition to Chinese citizens, foreign residents in China also have the opportunity to participate in the legislative process, which Jitoko found to be more inclusive than he had initially imagined.
"The other important element is that in these communities, there are not only Chinese, there are also people who are non-Chinese, and they also make submissions. So, it's not only that the laws that have been created are made from the locals but also their own visitors who will become residents. And that to me becomes much more all-embracing law," he said.
As a legal professional, Jitoko further emphasized the advantages of China's whole-process people's democracy, noting that it is a model other countries could learn from.
"It makes it much clearer to me, understanding the process of democracy in the Chinese sense. It's much more towards the all-embracing nature of consultation, which we are talking about, and the involvement of the people even to the grassroots level and be part of that decision-making. It makes it important in terms of their following the law, owning the law and being part of the system," he said.
Fijian parliament speaker praises whole-process people's democracy in law-making process
Foreign diplomats and scholars are looking closely at this year's "two sessions", saying China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will not only chart the nation's economic and technological priorities but also reshape global value chains.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, opened on Wednesday, followed by the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday. Together known as the "two sessions," these meetings offer a comprehensive view into China's development priorities.
Global observers emphasized that the 15th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint guiding the nation's economic, social, and technological priorities over the next five years, marks a decisive shift toward high‑quality growth anchored in advanced technologies, with ripple effects across the world.
"The two sessions will discuss China's five-year plan, which is heavily oriented toward China's major technological development. I believe this is important because it represents the new blueprint for China's economy, which is now oriented toward the renowned high-quality development, and this will undoubtedly impact the entire world. I think it is worth studying. This is very important for Latin America. It will help us integrate more intelligently into global value chains and into all aspects of the major development that China is promoting in iconic industrial sectors, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space development, where Latin America also has much to contribute beyond just commercial growth," said Gustavo Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine Ambassador to China.
"The two sessions are a major political milestone in China, and this year's gathering carries even greater significance as this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan represents not only a blueprint for China, but also a guide for other countries. Instruments like the five-year plan effectively provide greater certainty and predictability for the rest of the world," said Chilean scholar of international relations Ignacio Araya Heredia.
"This is a particularly important date, especially due to the fact that the next Five-Year Plan shall be positioned and we're going to see what its main elements shall be. Serbia, which has a very high degree of steel friendship with the People's Republic of China, can expect further assistance in identifying the most prominent areas of Serbian economy and being helped by its great partner, such as it has been done in the previous period, from one part with establishing the main infrastructure projects, but also reshaping the industrial sector of Serbia, not just Serbia, but the region as a whole," said Veljko Mijuskovic, assistant professor of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Belgrade.
Beyond the policy framework, experts also pointed to China's achievements in green energy and technological innovation as models worth emulating.
Tomasz Bielinski, adjunct professor at the University of Gdansk's Faculty of Economics, said the robotics displays at the 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala reflected China's broader push in technological innovation.
"I was really impressed about the robotics. I'm very impressed with Chinese development in the technological field, we can still make great deals with Chinese businessmen and we can cooperate together to use this technology for both the good of China and the European Union. I'm aware of the innovation especially in autonomous drive on the on the Chinese side," he said.
"We hope for more of China's economic cooperation, especially in trade and also in investment. Also, and the other focus, if I talk about the focus of the development, don't forget about the green energy. We know that China is great in the electric vehicle field. So because China's electric vehicles in Indonesia nowadays, since couple of years ago, are very, very popular," said Al Busyra Basnur, president of the Indonesia-China Friendship Association.
Observers see China's new five-year plan driving high-quality development, global tech shifts
