The NPC, the highest organ of state power in the PRC, consists of deputies elected by all the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, special administrative regions and the armed forces. It exercises legislative power, revises the Constitution and supervises the implementation of the Constitution; examines and approves national economic and social development plans and reports on their implementation; examines and approves state budgets and reports on their implementation; and elects and decides on the choice of leading personnel of the highest state organs, i.e., elects the members of the Standing Committee of the NPC, the state president and vice-president, decides on the premier and other members of the State Council, and elects the chairman and other members of the Central Military Commission, the president of the Supreme People’s Court, and the procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. The NPC has the power to recall the above-mentioned personnel.

The NPC is elected for a term of five years. It usually meets once a year. When the NPC is not in session its Standing Committee exercises state power. The NPC Standing Committee is composed of a chairman, several vice-chairmen, a secretary-general and additional members. Members of the NPC Standing Committee may not concurrently hold any position in any of the state administrative, judicial or procuratorial organs. Under normal circumstances, the NPC Standing Committee meets once every two months. Important day-to-day work is handled at executive meetings attended by the chairman, vice-chairmen and secretary-general. The current chairman of the NPC Standing Committee is Li Peng.