The reform of China's law enforcement and judicial system will focus on limiting and supervising the use of power, said Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday.

Hu made the statement when meeting with officials from the law enforcement bodies as well as Justices and prosecutors.

The President pledged that China will promote law enforcement and judicial system reforms "actively and steadily."

The reform is intended to close the loopholes in the system that the public complains most about and to regulate law enforcement activities so as to create a fair and effective system, he said, adding that malpractice would be targeted.

Law enforcement and judicial branches of government should prioritize the rights and interests of the people and try their best to solve the problems that matter most to the public, while working to protect state security, he said.

Special attention must be paid to curbing crimes and maintaining law and order through preventive measures and penalties, Hu said.

"The Party organs at all levels shall set an example of abiding by the Constitution and laws and support the work of law enforcement," said Hu, who is also the General Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC).

The President also asked the police, the procuratorates and courts to improve staff training.

The country needs to promote the public awareness of the law and ensure that the rule of law is part of the behavior of every citizen, Hu said.

"Justice and law enforcement are vital to the state. Its major tasks are to safeguard the rule of the Party, state security, the interests of the people and social stability," he said.

The meeting was presided over by Zhou Yongkang, the secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Other leaders present were Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao and Xi Jinping.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2007)