Li Ruihuan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), Monday urged leading officials to learn how to do mass work.

Discussing a government work report delivered by Premier Zhu Rongji at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress ( NPC) with NPC deputies from Tianjin, Li said, "With the deepening of reforms and development of a market economy, we face an increasing number of problems, especially those concerning people's interests."

In such a situation, he said, doing a good job of mass work is the key to ensuring progress in all fields.

Li, also chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said, for leading officials, being able to do mass work is a basic requirement.

He called for leading officials to help people know where their interests lie and be united in striving for their own interests. He said mass work needs making earnest efforts and accumulating experience.

Li noted that, fundamentally speaking, reform means a readjustment of interests and that reform cannot benefit every member of society. But reform should benefit the society as a whole, he said.

In doing mass work, officials should know that the people are masters of the country while officials are servants, he said. Li urged officials to be strict with themselves, be honest and treat people as equals.