On May 26, 2025, the College of International Education (CIE) at ECUST organized a visit for 18 international students from 12 countries to the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress. This visit offered the students a firsthand experience of China’s People’s Congress system and provided valuable insights into the practical application of whole-process people’s democracy.

The students began their visit with a tour of a special exhibition that highlighted Shanghai’s achievements in reform and opening-up. Through engaging graphic materials and video presentations, the students gained a vivid understanding of the city’s development over the years.

Later, Huang Hong, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Congress, and Fei Jian, Vice Chairperson, provided detailed introductions to the students in the meeting hall of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People’s Congress. At a symposium, Fei Jian explained the main responsibilities and working mechanisms of the Standing Committee, using video materials to illustrate the legislative and supervisory accomplishments of the Congress, as well as Shanghai’s impressive socio-economic achievements.

The students actively engaged in the discussions, raising questions on topics such as the mechanisms for soliciting public opinion, urban safety governance, and youth employment. They were eager to learn about how China’s governance system works in practice.

Reflecting on the visit, one Indonesian student majoring in Business Administration described it as "eye-opening to experience the deliberative process firsthand." A Sierra Leonean Ph.D. candidate noted the system’s inclusivity, saying, "It’s far more open than I imagined—real public engagement shapes policies."

Li Xiaopeng, Dean of CIE, emphasized that this visit provided international students with a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of China’s political system. He added that the college would continue to create platforms for promoting cross-cultural communication and understanding between civilizations.

As President Xi Jinping has said, “Democracy is not an ornament to be put on display, but a means to address the issues that matter to the people.” This visit effectively demonstrated the practical aspects of Chinese-style democracy, allowing international students to experience the essence of whole-process people’s democracy. It also opened an important window for them to understand contemporary China and its development story, further enriching CIE's efforts to deepen international students’ engagement with China’s dynamic reality.