More laws are needed to improve social security in China, a top official said on Saturday.

"China has made unprecedented achievements in social security in recent years," Zhang Baowen, vice-chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee said. "But a gap still remains for us to build a network that covers the whole of society".

Despite progress in recent years, holes still exist in areas such as social relief and social welfare, which require more laws, he said.

Zhang made his comments at a ceremony to mark the founding of the China Association of Social Security which comprises more than 500 members from various universities and institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

It serves as a platform for academic research and as a government think-tank and promotes international exchanges to contribute to improving China’s social security and people’s welfare, according to Zheng Gongcheng, president of the association.

More than 800 million people were covered by basic endowment insurance by the end of 2013 and China will expand the network to all those needing it by 2020, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn