Key tasks on hand as SPC session starts

THE fifth session of the 15th Shanghai People’s Congress opened yesterday.

During the four-day session at the Expo Center, local legislators will deliberate and vote on proposals for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for the city’s economic and social development and its long-term vision through 2035.

Mayor Gong Zheng gave a work report of the government for the last year to the opening plenary of the session yesterday.

The city’s economy grew 1.7 percent in 2020 from the previous year, although it fell 6.7 percent in the first quarter from the same period in 2019, he said.

The economic growth targeted for this year is 6-plus percent.

Apart from the government report, the legislators will also deliberate on work reports of the standing committee of SPC, Shanghai High People’s Court and Shanghai People’s Procuratorate.

Reports on the execution of the city’s budget in 2020 and economic and social development plans will be deliberated, while the budget and plans for the new year will be put to a vote.

Meanwhile, a total of 646 lawmakers and political advisers have been in contact with officials at municipal bureaus and administrations through a firstof-its-kind online consultation service. Offline consulting has been restricted this year due to anti-pandemic measures.

Political adviser You Minjian received advice from the Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau regarding the social security benefits for flexible working hour staff such as delivery firm employees.

An Yiqing, another adviser, also received a prompt reply on the online application of enterprise de-registration processes.

As of yesterday, 672 government officials from 44 departments and bureaus had responded to online enquiries. 2021 Shanghai

in Session

Tencent’s social customer relationship management service Tencent Qidian has helped lawmakers and political advisers to connect with 44 government bureaus they can access from their devices to handle the advice and queries.

The online consultation function is accessible through a WeChat service account and Shanghai’s government affairs official portal.

Combining the existing functions of Shanghai’s unique one-stop government affairs system and technology features such as personal ID verification, has made sure the service is only accessible to eligible members and government officials.