Chinese leaders called on to improve the job of handling people's letters and visits of complaints at a State Council's meeting on Friday.

The local governments must combine the defense of people's rights and the preservation of social order, said State Councilors Zhou Yongkang.

The system of reception of people's complaining letters and visits has played a significant role in building up a harmonious and stable society in China, Zhou said.

"Local governments must help solve the problems of immediate concern to the people with the concepts of putting people first and exercising state power for the people," Zhou said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2005)