ABSTRACT
OneofChina'sbrightestpoliticalrisingstars,ifmenofseventy yearscanbeknownasrisingstars,isQiaoShi.Currently,heis chairmanoftheNationalPeople'sCongress(NPC).Underhis leadership,theNPChasevolvedfromasimplerubber-stamp bodyintosomethingapproachingamoretraditionallegislature. AlthoughithasnotyetoverturnedanyoftheleadershipdecisionsofeithertheCommunistPartyorthegovernment,therehas beensignificantoppositiontotheappointmentofcertainofficials andtothegovernment'sinfamousThreeGorgesdamproject.1 Thisoppositionsoundsfairlytamefromtheperspectiveofwestemdemocracies,butinChinaitisasignofsometoleranceof dissentandoftheNPC'sadmittedlylimitedeffortstogaina voiceinatotalitariansociety.
