Residents in more than 40,000 Chinese towns have started to reelect local deputies to the people's congress at township level since the second half of last year.
The three-year term of office is a matter of great importance at the government's grassroots to strengthen political power, democratic and legal system, said He Shaoren, deputy director of the Information Department of the General Office of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC).
The official made the remarks recently prior to the township people's congress election in East China's Jiangsu Province.
In Jiangsu Province, a total of 1,073 towns had held township people's congress elections by the end of January 2002, said Sun Tingzhao, director of Election Division of the Deputies Liaison Committee of the Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial People?s Congress.
"We villagers hope the new deputies we have elected will carryout solid work for us, as well as reflect our opinions and suggestions to their superiors," the paper cited a retired primary school teacher Tang Zengbao as saying.
Another voter Wang Yundi hopes the representatives elected will be just, and can lead the people to develop their economy.
( March 1, 2002)
