China will amend its Constitution in accordance with the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo said in Beijing Wednesday.

Wu, newly elected chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, made the remarks when addressing the First Meeting of the 10th NPC Standing Committee.

Wu said it was necessary to make an appropriate revision of the current Constitution in accordance with the spirit of last November's 16th CPC National Congress.

In the process of amending the Constitution, the leadership of the CPC should be enhanced, it was vital that comprehensive views should be gathered from various parties and the revision should be done legally, he said.

China's current Constitution was enacted in December 1982 during the Fifth Session of the 5th NPC Standing Committee, and was amended in 1988, 1993 and 1999 respectively.

(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2003)