国内英语新闻:Top legislator stresses crucial role of people's congresses

BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Monday called on the people's congresses to better play their roles in building China into a modern socialist country.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, made the remarks at a legislative symposium held in Beijing.

The symposium is held on thoroughly studying and following the important thought of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, on upholding and improving the system of people's congresses.

The system of people's congresses is a fundamental political system combining the Party leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance, Li noted.

Adherence to the people's congresses system gives full expression to the running of the country by the people, Li said, underscoring the need to always uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee and keep to the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics.

Li stressed that the primary principle in the work of the people's congresses is to uphold overall Party leadership.

He also called for efforts to fully ensure the running of the country by the people and improve the legal system.