BEIJING, March 9 -- More than 900 million Chinese voters are expected to directly elect more than 2.5 million lawmakers in county or township-level elections set to begin this year, top legislator Zhang Dejiang said on Wednesday.

"Beginning in 2016, elections will be held for new people's congresses at the county and township levels across the country," Zhang said when delivering a work report on the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

"This will be a major political event in China, and an important step in the development of socialist democracy," he said.

Under China's current Electoral Law, deputies to people's congresses at the level of townships and counties, who account for more than 90 percent of lawmakers at all levels nationwide, are elected directly by voters.

They in turn elect deputies to people's congresses of cities who then elect deputies at the provincial level.

NPC deputies are elected by people's congresses of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

"Adhering to the (Chinese Communist) Party's leadership, we will fully promote democracy, follow procedures in strict accordance with the law, and strengthen guidance and monitoring of the election work, in order to ensure that elections are held honestly and election results meet public expectations," Zhang said.