Senior Chinese leaders Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, and Li Xi on Sunday attended deliberations at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature.

Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joins deputies from Yunnan Province in a group deliberation at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

They stressed the significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and of establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

They also gave their support for the government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening meeting of the session.

When joining NPC deputies from Yunnan Province in a group deliberation, Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, urged staying true to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability and stepping up efforts to promote high-quality development.

He stressed giving priority to ensuring stable growth, employment and prices and promoting a full economic recovery this year.

In addition to calling for good work in COVID response in the new phase, he urged efforts to expand domestic demand, vigorously advance technological innovation, and better ensure and improve people's wellbeing.

Reforms should be deepened unswervingly, with further reform of state-owned capital and state-owned enterprises and support for the growth of the private sector, he said.

Efforts should also be made to promote high-standard opening up and foster a business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized, he noted.

When joining the deliberation with his fellow deputies from the delegation of Sichuan Province, Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called on the national lawmakers to thoroughly study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and contribute to building a modern socialist country in all respects.

They should uphold the overall leadership of the Party, particularly the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as their guides to action, Zhao said.

The NPC deputies, representing the interests and will of the people, should exercise the state power in accordance with the law and improve their ability to perform duties, said Zhao, asking them to keep the people uppermost in their minds.

Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, joined deputies from Guizhou Province in a deliberation.

Wang emphasized the need to align efforts to consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation with efforts to promote rural revitalization, and underscored promoting common prosperity and persevering with enhancing ecological conservation.

He urged efforts to resolve issues that are of common concern to the people, including employment, education, medical services, housing, elderly care, and childcare, accelerate development in ethnic minority areas and promote ethnic unity and progress.

Deliberating with Shandong Province deputies, Vice Premier Han Zheng called for efforts to fully implement the CPC Central Committee's decisions and plans, and continue to secure new victories for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Han also stressed effectively upgrading and appropriately expanding China's economic output so as to realize high-quality development. China should ensure and improve the people's wellbeing in the course of pursuing development, and achieve solid progress in promoting common prosperity, said Han.

Li Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, stressed ceaseless efforts in improving conduct, enforcing discipline and combating corruption, thus providing a strong guarantee for advancing Chinese modernization, in a group deliberation with NPC deputies from Fujian delegation.

The anti-graft chief urged discipline inspection and supervisory agencies to conduct strict political supervision to guarantee effective implementation of the decisions and plans set out at the 20th CPC National Congress and resolutely win the tough and protracted battle against corruption.

He also required efforts to ensure people can benefit from development, create a sound development environment, and help modernize the system and capacity for governance with an improved supervision system.