Independents to contest in China's parliamentary election, will CCP allow that?
Compiled by Viktor Wong Elections are underway in China. Not for the country's presidency but for "Renmin Daibiao," or the National People's Congress (NPC). Over the next few months, electorates in townships and urban districts all over the country will elect delegates to their both local and provincial levels People's Congress, the lowest and provincial levels of China's multi-tiered parliamentary system. Conducted every five years, this is the only time citizens can directly vote for their legislators. On paper, anyone can seek a seat by collecting signatures of at least 10 constituents. But in China's tightly-controlled political system, all candidates are closely vetted by both Chinese Communist Party (CCP) local and top officials. Elections are carefully choreographed. Still, there are more than 100 people who have bravely coma forward to offer themselves as independent candidates. Among them is Li Chengpeng, who has declared his candidacy on Weibo, C...