Chinese political and legislative departments must safeguard law and justice and create a harmonious social environment for the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a senior official has stressed.

Political and legislative departments would play a crucial role in building and maintaining a harmonious society, and raising their capability of law enforcement was of utmost importance, said Luo Gan, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.

Luo, also secretary of the CPC Central Committee for Political and Legislative Affairs, told a national conference Tuesday that maintaining national security and social stability required political and legislative departments to safeguard social justice and the legal rights of the people.

He called for the continuation of a campaign against organized crime, regulating behavior through law enforcement, while deepening structural reform and improving the overall standards of personnel.

He also urged the Party organizations at all levels to strengthen leadership over political and legislative work, and to improve inner-Party supervision on law enforcement.

The Party's 17th National Congress will be held in Beijing in the second half of 2007.

Editor: Donald