Editor's Note: Marking International Women's Day, China Daily highlights women deputies to the National People's Congress and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference who are actively fulfilling their duties in support of the country's and society's development.

Sheng Hong, a deputy to the National People's Congress and Party secretary of a residential compound in Hongqiao subdistrict of Shanghai's Changning district, has been at the forefront of an innovative democratic practice in China.

The community Sheng works with was among the first four grassroots legislative contact points established by the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission in 2015, a pioneering effort aimed at directly involving citizens in the legislative process. As of December 2025, there were 60 such contact points nationwide.

As a participant and witness to the whole-process people's democracy, Sheng said her experience has taught her that the practice of democratic legislation extends beyond the written law to enrich people's capabilities and democratic awareness.

Over the past decade, numerous legislative consultation meetings have been held at Hongqiao subdistrict, involving grassroots government units and social stakeholders. These meetings are a platform for both consensus and debate, ensuring that authentic voices from the grassroots are conveyed to the country's legislative body.

As of January, the Hongqiao subdistrict legislative contact point had reviewed 117 draft bills covering areas of environmental protection, urban governance, livelihood security, and ethnic unity, among others, submitting 5,800 suggestions, of which more than 430 were adopted.

In late January, a legislative consultation meeting on the draft of the country's law regarding childcare services was held at the subdistrict, attended by representatives from relevant local government departments, childcare institutions, kindergartens, as well as lawyers and experts.

As a participant, Sheng diligently recorded public opinions before the meeting to ensure that grassroots voices were incorporated into the legislation.

During the meeting she pointed out a crucial point regarding care and education that required explicit definitions, highlighting the importance of public participation in the legislative process.

"It is not only me, but also the resident representatives around us and people working in various industries who are gaining a stronger sense of democratic participation and an increasing sense of happiness through such participatory processes," said Sheng.

"From understanding legislation to participating in it and then promoting it, residents have formed a broad network of public opinion," she said.

Having worked in the community for 14 years, Sheng sees her primary role as a bridge between the government and the people, extensively gathering opinions and suggestions from the public and bringing the most genuine voices and critical expectations of the people to the ongoing sessions of the country's top legislative and political advisory bodies.

On the sidelines of the sessions, Sheng proposed improving the mechanism for collecting and responding to public opinions, advocating for a more comprehensive feedback loop that turns good ideas from the public into effective governance measures.

Another of her suggestions was to improve graded protection for minors when accessing the internet. For instance, online platforms should have clear grading prompts and precontrol responsibilities, requiring that films, games, and livestreams indicate appropriate age levels, and content without such labels should never be shown to minors, she said.

Additionally, virtual top-up and stranger social features should be unavailable to users under the age of 8, and there should be restrictions on daily usage times and single transaction amount for users under 16, she said.

As an NPC deputy, Sheng said she learned to view issues from a higher level and with a broader perspective. Last year, with a view to boosting consumption, she suggested optimizing outdoor seating arrangements for small restaurants and cafes, which received positive responses from relevant government departments.

"Shanghai has introduced corresponding supporting plans. Now, we see more unique shops with increased outdoor seating, which is done in a very standardized manner. This is in line with people's expectations for a better life," she said.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn