China's top legislator vows to push 'rule of law', keep power in check

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Friday vowed to help enhance the "rule of law" in national governance and social management, and keep the power in check through harsher supervision.

"We will comprehensively advance law-based governance of the country, and enhance the important role that the rule of law plays in national governance and social management," said Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature.

"We will strengthen constraints and oversight of the exercise of power, oversee and support state bodies in exercising their power in accordance with statutory mandate and procedures," Wu said while delivering a work report of the 11th NPC Standing Committee at the ongoing annual parliamentary session.

Wu said the Standing Committee would strengthen oversight of the State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Only in this way shall laws be obeyed and strictly enforced and lawbreakers be prosecuted, Wu said.

After reviewing the work over the past five years, Wu promised to speed up the "building of a socialist country under the rule of law," and put all the country's work on a legal footing.

"We will make legislation more scientific and democratic and expand channels for orderly public participation in legislation," the top legislator said.

He said law awareness would be intensified not only among the public, to guide them better express their demands, protect their rights and interests, and resolve disputes, but also among officials.

"We will carry out intensive publicity and education about the law, and make officials more aware of the law and better able to act in accordance with it," Wu said.

Wu said the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in November had set out new requirements for strengthening and improving the work of the NPC.

"We will ensure that the people exercise state power through people's congresses ... and make full use of the institutional strength of the people wielding all state power," he said.

As the highest body of state power, the NPC Standing Committee will "promptly formulate or revise laws" in regards to the progress of socialist market economy, growth model, people's wellbeing, social management innovations, socialist culture and ecology, Wu said.

The year 2013 is the first year of the term of the 12th NPC and its Standing Committee, and also the first year for implementing the guiding principles of the 18th NPC.

Wu said a plan for the legislative and oversight work of the Standing Committee this year had been drawn up and passed.

He urged the new NPC and its Standing Committee to accomplish their mission and improve the system of people's congresses in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.