Beijing Bathroom Fix Shows China’s Grassroots Democracy at Work

When 70-year-old residents in Beijing’s Haidian District struggled with bathroom floors literally tripping them up, local deputy Chen Shaopeng stepped in—turning a quirky problem into a case study for China’s evolving grassroots democracy.

Chen, a member of the Haidian District People’s Congress and housing official, visited an aging community earlier this year after residents flagged a decades-old headache: bathroom floors sitting 10cm higher than living rooms. \"It’s like a mini-mountain range for grandparents every day,\" one resident joked. The uneven design, dating back to 1990s construction, made renovations impossible due to shared piping systems.

But Chen didn’t just nod and leave. He rallied construction teams, securing a fix during water system upgrades. The result? Smoother transitions (literally) for elderly residents.

This micro-story mirrors a macro-trend: China’s people’s congresses marking 70 years of channeling community voices into actionable policies. From bathroom floors to economic reforms, these bodies bridge daily struggles and systemic solutions—one pipe renovation at a time.

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70 years on, China's people's congresses keep enriching democracy

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