President Hu Jintao has called for greater promotion of grassroots democracy and the protection of the people's direct exercise of democratic rights.

 

At a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Hu said electing deputies for the people's congresses at all levels while exercising direct democracy at grassroots level reflected advantages of the people's democratic system.

 

Governments must ensure the direct exercise of democratic rights of the people in grassroots organizations, their administration of grassroots public affairs and their supervision of cadres, he said.

 

Laws and regulations in promoting grassroots democracy needed to be improved, and the exercise of rights by the people should vary in form and more public participation should be encouraged.

 

The success of promoting socialist grassroots democracy depended on the care and support of the people, so issues and conflicts concerning the interests of the people must be properly handled, Hu noted.

 

Party committees must establish a coordinated mechanism with the leadership of the Party and the participation of society to boost grassroots democracy, strengthen supervision and carry out the policies of the central leadership in accordance with their circumstances, he said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2006)