First Session of 11th NPC concludes

BEIJING—The two-week First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, closed here Tuesday morning after endorsing a new leadership of the country.
Nearly 3,000 deputies throughout the country attended the annual parliament session during March 5-18. They endorsed the report of government work delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao, along with other important reports, and set forth the major tasks and work plans for this year and the five years to come. The closing ceremony of the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 18, 2008. [Xinhua]
They also endorsed the new leadership of the country, with Hu Jintao reelected state president, Wu Bangguo reelected chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, and Wen Jiabao reappointed premier of the State Council, or cabinet. A new NPC Standing Committee and line-up of ministers of the State Council were also approved at the session.
President Hu spoke at the closing meeting and promised clean governance and appropriate use of power to serve the people wholeheartedly. Chinese President Hu Jintao addresses the closing ceremony of the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 18, 2008. [Xinhua]
“I will serve the people and exert myself to work for the country... be a good public servant and sincerely seek benefits for the people,” said the president. He expressed thanks for the NPC deputies and the entire nation for their trust, saying he would lead the country to advance democracy and rule of law, put people first and work in a practical manner.
“I will exert my utmost not to let you down,” he added. China’s new leadership, he said, will unswervingly maintain the uniformity, solemnity and authority of the socialist legal system, promote social equity and justice, and safeguard social harmony and stability.
“We will keep to the principle of ‘putting people first’, respect the people’s status, exert their pioneering spirit and safeguard their rights and interests,” he said. Hu said the new leadership will keep working in a practical manner, free their minds, seek truth from facts and keep up with the pace of the times. “We will take every opportunity, face every challenge, courageously seek reform and innovation and do everything in accordance with objective rules.”
The president spoke highly of China’s achievements in reform, opening up and modernization drive in the past five years, which he attributed to the concerted efforts of the people. “China has entered a critical stage for reform and development, “ he said. Facing the new situation and new tasks, China must keep to its reform and opening up drive, promote scientific development, social harmony and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
He expressed confidence that the country will make new victories, achieve the revitalization of the Chinese nation and make further contribution to the human society as long as it works hard to advance socialism with Chinese characteristics, maintains unity and gets prepared for danger in terms of safety. Wu Bangguo, newly reelected chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered a closing speech and hailed this NPC session as a “complete success.”
He said that a set of effective work mechanisms and measures had been formed within the NPC and its Standing Committee over the past five years, which had resulted in evident progress in legislation, and active exchanges with parliaments of other countries. In the coming five-year tenure, Wu said he would work hard with his colleagues to continue enhancing and improving legislation, loosing no time to make major laws to support the country’s law system while amending laws and regulations that are no longer suitable to China’s economic and social development.—Xinhua