The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) outlined its tasks in 2026 at the second plenary meeting of the fourth session of the 14th NPC on Monday.
Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered a report on the work of the NPC Standing Committee to the meeting.
Noting that the year 2026 marks the commencement of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), Zhao urged steady progress in pursuing high-quality development in the NPC's work to contribute the NPC's share to a strong start for the new five-year plan.
He called on promoting the comprehensive implementation of the Constitution.
"Efforts should be made to promote the comprehensive implementation of the Constitution. Upholding the Constitution as the fundamental code guiding our activities, we will exercise our functions and powers and perform our duties and responsibilities in strict accordance with the Constitution and ensure its implementation through well-designed, effective, and fully developed institutions. We will conduct rigorous constitutional review and normative document recording and review, and refine institutions and mechanisms for upholding the unity of the rule of law," Zhao said.
Zhao also highlighted the need to improve the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics.
"We will continue to improve the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics. In our endeavor to advance the rule of law, we will place greater emphasis on aligning it with efforts to deepen reform, promote development, and ensure stability, while also paying greater attention to safeguarding and promoting social fairness and justice. With a focus on supporting the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, we will strengthen legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related areas, striving to enhance the quality of our legislation," he said.
On enhancing the targeting and effectiveness of oversight, Zhao said the NPC shall exercise its oversight power conferred by the Constitution and the law to push for the resolution of prominent issues hindering economic and social development and ensure all work of the state is carried out under the rule of law.
Zhao said the NPC will support deputies in the lawful performance of their duties by advancing and expanding the scope of its work with deputies, to help deputies to perform their duties more effectively through activities that are better planned, organized, and regulated.
He also said the NPC will work toward the success of the new round of elections for people's congresses at the county and township levels nationwide.
The NPC will pursue vigorous international engagement, according to Zhao.
He said that grounded in China's overall diplomatic agenda and guided by head-of-state diplomacy, the NPC will strengthen exchanges and cooperation with foreign parliaments as well as international and regional parliamentary organizations in line with its functions and responsibilities.
Stressing serving people through solid work, Zhao said the NPC will launch an educational campaign to ensure officials have a correct understanding of what it means to perform well and act accordingly.
China's national legislature outlines tasks for 2026
China's national legislature outlines tasks for 2026
Li Yuhua, a farmer-turned forest ranger from a mountainous village in Dulongjiang Town, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has spent nine years protecting the forests in her hometown while helping local people increasing their incomes.
Li's family was once a registered impoverished household, relying mainly on corn farming for living. Things began to change for her family in 2016 when China launched a policy allowing registered impoverished population to work as ecological forest rangers, and Li became one of the first ecological forest rangers in the town.
"When I first began to work as a forest ranger, it was hard for me even to climb mountains, let alone climb rocks and cross rivers. But I told myself that since the country gave me this opportunity, I must do it well. I worked hard to improve my physical fitness and learn new skills, always actively taking the missions of patrolling mountains," said Li.
As Li often wears a colorful, vibrantly striped "Dulong blanket," a traditional clothing of the Dulong ethnic group, the villagers call her the "rainbow ranger."
"I think the name 'Rainbow Ranger' is beautiful. It makes me feel like a rainbow for us women of Dulong ethnic group guarding our homeland," Li said.
Dulong is a mountain-dwelling ethnic group in southwest China. It is one of the least populous of China's 56 ethnic groups, and the people were known for "direct transition" from primitive life to the modern socialist society at the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Most Dulong people live in Dulongjiang Town, where an inhospitable mountainous terrain used to thwart the place's development for decades. The town remained to be one of the poorest areas in Yunnan Province and even in the entire country. Thanks to government inputs and the development of industries with local features, the Dulong people have been experiencing remarkable life changes. In 2018, the Dulong ethnic group shook off poverty as a whole.
Beyond safeguarding forests, Li took the lead in developing non-timber forest-based economy in the town, guiding local residents to grow plants like Chinese black cardamom and wild-simulated lingzhi mushrooms as well as raising cattle and bees.
In 2025, the total output value of the town's non-timber forest-based economy reached nearly 30 million yuan (around 4.3 million U.S. dollars), with the annual average income of 43 households increasing by more than 20,000 yuan (around 2,900 U.S. dollars) each.
Li also established a cooperative for Dulong blanket making, attracting more than 170 women to learn traditional weaving techniques. They have developed 12 types of cultural and creative products, including shawls and scarves, and sold them worldwide through livestreaming, generating wealth for themselves.
"In the past, we only wove blankets for our own use. Now she teaches us to make the cultural and creative products and sell them. Last year, I earned more than 4,000 yuan (around 580 U.S. dollars) from weaving. I spent the money on my children's school fees and new appliances for my house," said Mu Jianying, member of the cooperative.
Li's dedication to both forestry and rural revitalization has earned her widespread recognition. In 2024, she was honored as model of ethnic solidarity and progress and received the title certificate from President Xi Jinping. She was also awarded the title of National March 8 Red-Banner Pacesetter, the highest honor presented by the All-China Women's Federation to the country's outstanding women, ahead of the International Women's Day observed on March 8.
Li said her achievements are the result of collective efforts.
"I often think that one person's strength is very limited, but the strength of a group is great. There are 195 ecological forest rangers like me protecting this land in the Dulongjiang Grand Canyon," she said.
As a female forest ranger, Li shared a message for women ahead of the International Women's Day.
"To mark the International Women's Day, I want to say to all my sisters: No matter what position we are in, as long as we are willing to endure hardship and work hard, we will surely weave our own rainbow," she said.
Forest ranger dedicated to guarding green mountains in Yunnan
Forest ranger dedicated to guarding green mountains in Yunnan
