CHINA'S top legislature has launched a bi-monthly publication to help enhance the status of the national lawmaking body in the Chinese hierarchy. In the preface of the National People's Congress' (NPC) Work Bulletin, published on Saturday, the former national parliament head Qiao Shi said legislators faced an arduous task. He said the development of a socialist democracy and legal system should be greatly strengthened to meet the needs of economic reform. Mr Qiao, who is a Politburo Standing Committee member, underlined the significance of the formulation of economic laws. ''[We should] strive for the establishment of a legal framework for a socialist market economy in the next few years,'' he said. The bimonthly was published by the NPC Standing Committee's General Office. Mr Qiao said the slowness of implementing laws as well as violations in the past should be eliminated. The former NPC head said supervision of the executive branches should be improved. Mr Qiao vowed to exercise the NPC's power entitled under China's Constitution to increase its say over national policies. Though officially the highest organ of power, the NPC has more been seen as a rubberstamp parliament. Mr Qiao, who was replaced as NPC head last year, is keen on elevating the status of the NPC, partly to increase his power in the communist leadership. Legislators, he said, should build closer ties with the people to identify and listen to their problems and aspirations. ''We have to be honest and have self-discipline and to whole-heartedly serve the people,'' Mr Qiao said.
