Li Peng, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Thursday urged NPC members to carefully handle complaint letters and visits.

The work is very important for lawmakers to be aware of people's concerns and needs, said Li at a working conference here.

Complaints from the public display the public's confidence in the NPC, said Li, citing Chinese President Jiang Zemin's remarks on party building which ask the NPC to represent the basic interests of the masses.

Since people's congresses at all levels receive a large number of such letters and visitors every year, Li asked those who are responsible for receiving such complaints to give priority to dealing with questions appeared in law making or in the process of implementing law, both major tasks of the NPC.

Li noted that national and some provincial people's congresses have set up a series of working systems on handling letters from people. He hoped that more efforts should be made to improve the work in a bid to legitimately handle these letters and visitors.

Representatives from all parts of the country attended the working conference which was held here from Sept. 23 to 26.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2002)