Wu Bangguo (1st, L), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), talks to NPC deputies from east China's Anhui Province in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2007. Wu Bangguo joined in the panel discussion of Anhui delegation on the opening day of the Fifth Session of the Tenth NPC on Monday.

 

China's top legislator Wu Bangguo Monday urged governments and officials to address people's top concerns and meet their pressing demands in a bid to build a socialist harmonious society.

 

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), made the calls at a panel meeting of the top legislature which started its annual session Monday morning.

 

Governments and officials should do their utmost to help raise the income of rural people and ensure their access to safe drinking water, affordable medicare and schooling, Wu, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, told the lawmakers from eastern Anhui Province.

 

Work should be done to make sure all the people can share the fruit of the country's economic growth, Wu said.

 

He said governments and officials should give special care to low-income and jobless urban residents, cover them under the social security net, and tackle the problem of unemployment.

 

The NPC annual session is scheduled to conclude on March 16.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2007)