Local legislative elections start in 29 provincial regions

BEIJING -- Elections of new lawmakers at county and township levels across China have been completed or are being carried out in 29 provincial-level regions since the first half of this year.

More than 900 million voters are expected to directly elect more than 2.5 million such lawmakers, the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee said Thursday.

Deputies to township and county people's congresses are directly elected in China.

They in turn elect deputies to the congresses of cities who then elect provincial deputies. NPC deputies are elected by the congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

Via the NPC and local congresses Chinese people are involved in managing state affairs and the exercise of state power.