国内英语新闻:Chinese top legislator calls for improving grassroot lawmakers' work

HANGZHOU, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang has called on township-level lawmakers to improve their work in a bid to make further contributions to local social and economic development.

Zhang, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, made the comments during a four-day tour in the eastern province of Zhejiang.

He called on people's congresses at township level to listen to the opinions of the masses in a better way and explore new methods to exercise their power in accordance with the law.

Efforts must be made to improve elections of deputies to people's congresses to ensure that the elections are clean and just, Zhang said, adding that township-level lawmakers should voluntarily be subject to public oversight.