National political advisers advance scientific and ecological governance

The latest amendment to the provisional regulations for express delivery has brought a sense of fulfillment to Ma Junsheng, a veteran national political adviser. The revised regulations, which took effect on June 1, feature a dedicated chapter on "express packaging", marking a significant milestone in the green transition of China's massive logistics sector.

As a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, Ma's advocacy for the changes was forged on the front lines of the industry. The former director of the State Post Bureau spent much of the past year touring e-commerce hubs, distribution centers and community recycling points to hear directly from couriers, merchants and residents.

Ma found that previous regulations relied on broad principles that lacked specific, workable measures to tackle the "mountain of waste" created by overpackaging. His subsequent proposal, submitted during the annual two sessions last year, focused on clarifying the responsibilities of platforms and manufacturers while promoting a system of shared social governance.

"High-quality development in the courier industry is inseparable from a green transition; it is a matter of public well-being," Ma said.

Ma's efforts reflect the evolving mission of the CPPCC as a specialized consultative body. Over the past year, the CPPCC National Committee has intensified efforts to ensure policy suggestions are grounded in grassroots realities. According to official data, 19 senior CPPCC leaders headed 37 inspection teams — involving more than 500 members — to nearly every corner of the country. The field trips produced 14 high-level reports and 13 specialized research papers, covering topics ranging from the ecology of the Yellow River basin to the protection of traditional villages.

The mechanism is designed to ensure that advisers' insights are translated into more scientific state governance. In early 2025, Ma led a survey on reducing social logistics costs. His team conducted field visits to Hubei province and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, seeking to identify systemic bottlenecks that keep costs high. Their joint proposal, which called for promoting high-speed rail freight, was selected as a key proposal of the year.

Wei Yuansong, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and director of the Laboratory of Water Pollution Control Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, had the same approach. Last year, Wei surveyed the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, trekking through the deserts of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region to assess the large-scale ecological project. During on-site visits, Wei identified innovative models such as photovoltaic sand control. Those findings helped him refine policy suggestions for "green wealth synchronicity", a concept that balances environmental restoration with economic returns.

"The value of a quality proposal lies not in the honors it receives, but in its ability to take root and produce tangible results through continuous tracking and dynamic optimization," he said.