3. We need to constantly promote the improvement and development of the system of people's congresses.

The reforms we have been undertaking under the leadership of the Party for more than 30 years since reform and opening up began are comprehensive reforms spanning economic, political, cultural and social systems. These reforms have constantly given impetus to the self-improvement and self-development of our socialist system and infused new vigor and vitality into socialism. The development of praxis has no limits, and neither do exploration and innovation. The system of people's congresses will therefore inexorably keep improving and developing through the creative praxes of the Party and the people. To improve and develop this system, we need to have a firm grasp of the correct political orientation; adhere to the socialist path of political development with Chinese characteristics; and organically integrate the leadership of the Party, the position of the people as masters of the country and the rule of law. We need to steadfastly proceed from our country's conditions and realities and work actively yet prudently to achieve solid progress in making innovations in the work of the NPC. We need to further improve the organizational system and operating mechanisms of people's congresses as organs of state power, optimize the composition of deputies in people's congresses and their standing committees, forge closer ties between deputies and the people, improve the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics, strengthen and improve the oversight work of people's congresses, and make sure the system of people's congresses always keeps up with the times as we advance in the great course of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The system of people's congresses is our country's fundamental political system, and upholding and improving it is an important aspect of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is our bounden duty and a noble mission entrusted to us by the Party and the people. Comrades working at people's congresses should enhance their theoretical competency, maintain a high level of political unity with the Party Central Committee, and take a clear stand in rejecting the influence of all erroneous ideologies and theories. They should constantly become more purposeful and resolute in adhering to and expanding the socialist path with Chinese characteristics, in upholding and enriching the socialist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics, and in upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. And they should be firm believers in and faithful followers of the common ideals of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Over the past year, NPC special committees did a huge amount of effective work focused on the central tasks of the NPC and its Standing Committee in accordance with their mandates given to them by the Constitution and laws, and played an important role in raising the quality and level of the NPC's work. While fulfilling their duties in accordance with the law, local people's congresses actively cooperated with and supported the work of the NPC Standing Committee, and made positive contributions to establishing and improving the socialist system of laws with Chinese characteristics and promoting the implementation of the central leadership's major decisions and arrangements. By deepening activities to encourage Party members to excel in their work, NPC bodies effectively improved their ideology, organization, work style, and competency, and provided good advice, assistance, and services to the NPC and its Standing Committee in carrying out their duties.

Fellow Deputies,

Under the leadership of the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Hu Jintao as General Secretary, the NPC Standing Committee made new progress in all its work. This was attributable to the hard work of NPC deputies, members of the Standing Committee and the special committees, and employees of NPC bodies. It was also attributable to the close cooperation of the State Council, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and to the strong support of local people's congresses, their standing committees, and people throughout the country. On behalf of the Standing Committee, I would like to express sincere thanks to them all.

Our work over the past year still leaves room for improvement in utilizing the role of deputies, improving the quality of legislation, and making our oversight more effective in order to meet the new requirements for economic and social development and new expectations of the people. We will willingly accept oversight of the people, listen with an open mind to comments and suggestions from deputies, and further enhance and improve our work.