Attending group discussions among deputies from northwest China's Gansu Province at the ongoing first session of the 10th NPC, Li said that the supervisory role should be standardized and codified.

Power must be subject to oversight, he stressed. Without oversight, power would generate corruption.

The 9th NPC has made great progress in the supervisory work, especially with regard to the budget implementation and economic work, said Li.

In order to better exercise the power endowed by the Constitution, Li said, it is necessary to standardize oversight and enact a law in this regard.

A draft law on oversight was discussed at the 29th meeting of the 9th NPC Standing Committee last year, Li said, expressing the hope that it would be reviewed and enacted by the 10th NPC Standing Committee.

Although a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has basically taken shape, Li noted, the progress of globalization, rapid progress of science and technology and rapid economic and social development would give rise to new problems and therefore require the enacting of new laws to keep up with new developments.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2003)