China's top legislator Wu Bangguo urged adhering to and improving the system of the people's congress -- China's legislative system -- to enhance the "governance capability" and "governing status" of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The people's congress system is China's fundamental political system. The power in the People's Republic of China belongs to the people, and the organ for the people to exercise state power is the National People's Congress and local people's congresses at all levels, made up of elected people's deputies.

"Improving the system would help pool the wisdom and power of the whole nation in its efforts to build 'socialism with Chinese characteristics,'" said Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), during his recent inspection tour of east China's Fujian Province made from Nov. 12 to 17.

Wu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, praised the people's congress system as "the fundamental and best route for the people to be masters of their country.

"It embodies the advantages of the socialist system and the universality of socialist democracy," he said.

In a resolution on improving the governing ability of the Party passed in September, the CPC Central Committee has listed constantly improving socialist democracy as a major task of the Party.

Wu asked people's congresses and their standing committees at various levels to further enhance the sense of duty of people's deputies, China's legislators, and perform their work more competently.

"That's a major part of improving the system," Wu said.

He urged creating more conditions for people's deputies to exercise their power, which includes electing and supervising heads of the executive, judicial and prosecutorial branches of the government.

More substantial efforts will be made to beef up and improve the implementation of the recommendations of the people's deputies based on their inspection tours of the country.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2004)