According to Li Zhaopeng, 25, one of the four members of the team, their proposal originated from the catastrophic heavy rain that hit Beijing and its surrounding areas last summer. At that time, they found some grassroots subdistricts responded swiftly and resolutely to this sudden natural disaster and successfully protected people's lives and property. However, some other subdistricts showed weaker response capabilities, indicating their deficiency in grassroots-level social governance.
Why did different administrative units show such different emergency response abilities? With this question in mind, they visited grassroots communities and Party-building departments in Haidian, Fengtai, and Tongzhou districts in Beijing, Binzhou in Shandong province, as well as Zhuji in Zhejiang province for in-depth interviews. After five months of theoretical sorting and practical research, they completed their proposal.
In addition to presenting their proposal at the competition and a defense session, they also participated in a panel discussion, in which different teams discussed a certain topic while assuming various roles.
The topic was whether precooked dishes should be used in school canteens. The contestants voiced their opinions, acting as factory representatives, school authorities, parents, and government officers.
The Tsinghua team represented the local education bureau. Wang Yinqi, the team leader, explained the aim of this session.
"Unlike regular debate contests and Model United Nations meetings, where participants try to refute each other, the panel discussion focuses on consultation, coordination, and consensus," he said. "This approach also better aligns with the characteristics of citizens' participation in political consultation in our country."
Li agreed that the CPPCC reflects China's institutional strengths. "Participating in Model CPPCC activities helps young people develop confidence and commitment in our political system, as well as expanding their horizon and personal experience," he said. "The proposals should be genuine, practical, and effective. They are not shams or decorations but are aimed at solving real problems."
