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The People's Congress system can become a strong weapon to challenge industrial monopoly,says a signed opinion piece on the website of China Radio International. An excerpt follows:

The country's five biggest commercial banks announced a charge of 0.30 yuan (3.7 US cents) for each cross-bank inquiry by card holders from June 1.

In an emergency proposal to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, NPC Deputy Huang Xihua has called on the country's pricing authority to order banks to stop charging customers for cross-bank inquiries.

Her suggestion has received public and media backing. The NPC Standing Committee has also given full attention to it and forwarded her suggestion to the China Banking Regulatory Commission, State Development and Reform Commission and National Audit Office for further research. And it is reported that the authorities are considering suspending the charges.

Although the departments are still only at the stage of considering such a suspension, what has happened so far shows that deputies' suggestions and public opinion can influence government decision-making.

The banking industry has introduced a host of charges in recent years. Despite the large number of banks in the market, customers have no option but to pay these charges. And customers are unlikely to abandon services simply because banks choose to impose such charges. Ordinary people therefore have no option but to grudgingly accept such charges.

The public used to pin its hopes on public hearings to oppose such charges. But such hearings are now powerless in this regard. According to the Price Law, banks are free to set their own charges.

Therefore, the government's response to this proposal is truly inspiring. Influencing the banking authorities through the People's Congress system may be the only way to resolve this issue. If this deputy's course of action bears fruit, it may offer the public a way to protect their interests.

(China Daily July 11, 2006)