China to ensure socialist legal system shaped this year

BEIJING, March 9 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said Tuesday that the top legislature would ensure the goal of formulating a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics be achieved by the end of this year as scheduled.

The goal is the "bounden duty" and "primary task" of the National People's Congress (NPC) this year, Wu said in a report on the work of the NPC Standing Committee delivered at the ongoing annual NPC session.

Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the legislature would promptly formulate new laws, revise some existing laws, and make legislation more scientific and democratic, in order to meet the goal set at the 15th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

He also promised to supervise and guide efforts to sift through administrative regulations and local statutes, and improve the filing and examination of normative documents.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's  Congress (NPC), delivers a work report of the Standing Committee of the NPC  during the third plenary meeting of the Third Session of the 11th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 9, 2010.  (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

A socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has been basically established and there are now laws that cover almost every area of China's economic, political, cultural and social activities, Wu said.

However, he noted that rapid economic and social development continue to place new demands on China's legislative work.