Deputies to the people's congresses of counties, cities not divided into districts, municipal districts, townships, ethnic townships and towns are elected directly by the electorates.

(2) The rights of the deputies

During the session

1) Right to draft proposals for bills;

2) Right to raise suggestions, criticisms and put forward opinions;

3) Right to vote in election and decide on appointment;

4) Right to examine issues;

5) Right to propose the recall of functionaries;

6) Right to raise bills for questioning and conduct hearings;

7) Right to draft suggestions;

8) Right to vote;

9) Right to impunity.

Not in session

1) Right to maintain contact with original voting units;

2) Right to inspect;

3) Right to propose provisional sessions;

4) Right to audit other meetings;

5) Right to participate in committees for investigating specified issues;

6) Right to sit in meetings of the people's congress and its standing committee of the original unit the deputy is elected from;

7) Right of special protection of the person;

8) Right to privileges for deputies.

5. Composition of the Deputies to the Ninth NPC

Workers and peasants: 18.87%

Intellectuals: 21.05%

Cadres 32.87%

Deputies from non-Communist parties and democrats without party affiliation: 15.42%

Deputies from the PLA: 8.98%

Deputies from the HKSAR: 1.17%

Deputies from the MSAR: 0.40%

Returned overseas Chinese: 1.24%

Women deputies: 21.81%

Deputies from the 55 ethnic minorities: 14.37%