President Xi Jinping has instructed local people's congresses and their standing committees to creatively improve legislation and supervision based on local conditions.

The local people's congresses and their standing committees are expected to better contribute to economic and social development as well as reforms, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in a recent instruction about the work of the local people's congresses and their standing committees.

A symposium was held in Beijing Thursday to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of standing committees at the local people's congresses.

Over the past 40 years, the local people's congresses and their standing committees have been committed to the organic unity of Party leadership, the running of the country by the people and law-based governance and have made important contributions to local reform, development and stability, Xi said.

Local legislatures should consciously follow the leadership of the Party committees at the corresponding level, maintain close ties with the people, ensure deputies play their roles better, strengthen legal protection for the people's rights and interests and improve their well-being, Xi said.

A symposium is held to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of standing committees at the local people's congresses, in Beijing, capital of China, July 18, 2019. Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended Thursday's symposium and delivered a speech. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), attended Thursday's symposium.

He spoke of the need to follow Xi's instructions and comprehensively improve the work of people's congresses in the new era under the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core.

Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, delivered Xi's instructions and presided over the symposium.

A symposium is held to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of standing committees at the local people's congresses, in Beijing, capital of China, July 18, 2019. Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended Thursday's symposium and delivered a speech. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)