Chinese President Hu Jintao (C, front) talks to female deputies during the panel discussion of deputies from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to the Fifth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress on the occasion of International Women's Day in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2007. (Xinhua/Jin Xiaoding)  Photo Gallery >>>

Wu Bangguo (C), chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), attends the panel discussion of the deputies from northeast China's Jilin Province to the Fifth Session of the Tenth NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd, L) attends the panel discussion of the deputies from southwest China's Guizhou Province to the Fifth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

Jia Qinglin (3rd L), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends the panel discussion of the deputies from southeast China's Taiwan to the Fifth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong (2nd, R) attends the panel discussion of the deputies from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the Fifth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

Wu Guanzheng (C), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, attends the panel discussion of the deputies from west China's Qinghai Province to the Fifth Session of the Tenth National People's Congress in Beijing, capital of China, March 8, 2007.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday urged Party and government officials to better serve the people and live frugally.

    "Our life is improving, but we should keep a clear mind and carry forward our glorious traditions," he said when joining a panel discussion with lawmakers from southwest China's Chongqing Municipality during the annual full session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature of the country.

    The Chinese government has taken strong measures to step up crackdown on corruption and build a clean government. In the past four years, around 30 NPC deputies and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) have been ousted.

    Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)Central Committee, took the opportunity of the panel discussion to call for nationwide effort to modernize the agriculture sector, increase farmers' income and build a new socialist countryside.

    "We should effectively change the mode of economic growth, and go all-out for industrial restructuring, innovation, energy conservation, and environmental protection, while deepening reform and opening-up.

    In a separate panel discussion with NPC deputies from the Jilin Province, Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the draft property law, which was put for deliberation at the ongoing NPC session, is a basic law on regulating the property ownership and will play a supporting role in the Chinese-style socialist legal system.

    Wu said legislation must combine the Party's opinions with the people's will under the principle of "putting people first", with an aim to safeguard the fundamental interest of the people.

    Joining the discussion of lawmakers from Guizhou Province, Premier Wen Jiabao called on the Guizhou people to build more infrastructure projects, develop industries that suit local conditions, curb desertification and continue with their poverty alleviation efforts.

    Senior leaders Zeng Qinghong and Wu Guanzheng, while joining the discussions of lawmakers from Xinjiang and Qinghai respectively, voiced their opinions on a wide range of issues, including building a harmonious society and a new socialist countryside, and the fight against corruption.