A municipal legislature in southern China has become the country s first lawmaking body to publish the attendance records of deputies in a bid to strengthen public accountability.
Observers say the move is a sign that China s legislatures, which usually meet behind closed doors, are more willing to submit to public scrutiny.
A circular released late Monday by the secretariat of the annual session of the Guangzhou Municipal People s Congress showed 494 delegates attended the morning plenary session, while seven asked for leave and four were absent without excuse.
Guangzhou Vice Mayors Xu Ruisheng and Gong Erzhen and three other local government officials were among those who asked for leave due to official duties.
Olympic fencing champion Dong Zhaozhi, a deputy to the congress, also asked for leave for reasons unknown.
The four deputies who were absent without excuse were all senior executives at local firms.
Chen Guijiang, executive deputy manager of Guangzhou JFE Steel Sheet Co., said he had been on a business trip and could not attend.
He said he had faxed a note asking for leave in advance, but was told it did not comply with the rules.
Chen Yunxiang, chairman of Guangdong Kemei Industry Corp., said she was caught in a traffic jam on her way to the meeting. She attended the afternoon session.
Of the total 125 non-voting deputies, 121 attended, while three asked for leave and one was absent without excuse, according to the circular.
The Standing Committee of the Guangzhou Municipal People s Congress agreed in August last year that attendance at annual sessions should be published and committee members who failed to attend three or more sessions a year without excuse should be asked to resign.
Lawyer Chen Shu, who is a deputy to the National People s Congress, said deputies have the right to ask for leave, but have to comply with legal procedures and obtain approval in advance.
Since we exercise these rights on behalf of the people, we must also perform our duties accordingly, said Chen.
Zhu Lieyu, a deputy to the Guangdong Provincial People s Congress, said the measures would strengthen discipline for deputies to ensure they fully exercised their duties.
More importantly, it showed our courage in accepting public scrutiny, Zhu said.
Guo Weiqing, a professor at the Sun Yat-sen University, said it was a step toward transparency.
People will be able to keep an eye on the conference and the bond between the deputies and the people will tighten, Guo said.
