The NPC is the highest organ of state power. The NPC and local people's congresses at all levels are all formed through democratic elections.

The NPC consists of deputies elected by 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, special administrative regions and the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Every ethnic minority has an appropriate number of representatives in the NPC. The 10th NPC elected at the beginning of 2003 had a total of 2,985 deputies. According to an announcement of the NPC Standing Committee, the 10th NPC had 2,988 deputies by February 28, 2006.

The NPC exercises the legislative power of the state, including amending and supervising the enforcement of the Constitution and enacting and amending basic laws and laws governing other matters. It also enjoys the power to elect, decide on and remove leaders and members of the highest state organs, oversee the government, and examine and decide on major state issues in line with the Constitution and other state laws. The administrative, judicial, procuratorial, military and other organs of the state are created by the organ of state power, and are therefore supervised by and responsible to it.

The NPC is elected for a term of five years. It meets in session annually, convened by its Standing Committee.

The NPC Standing Committee is the permanent body of the NPC. It exercises the highest state power when the NPC is not in session. The NPC Standing Committee is composed of the chairperson, vice chairpersons, secretary general and members.

The First Session of the 10th NPC was held in Beijing on March 5-18, 2003. It elected Wu Bangguo as chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, and made Wang Zhaoguo, Li Tieying, Ismail Amat (Uygur), He Luli (female), Ding Shisun, Cheng Siwei, Xu Jialu, Jiang Zhenghua, Gu Xiulian (female), Raidi (Tibetan), Sheng Huaren, Lu Yongxiang, Uyunqimg (female, Mongol), Han Qide and Fu Tieshan as vice chairpersons. Sheng Huaren was named secretary general of the NPC Standing Committee, concurrently.

Successive NPCs