The meeting was presided over by Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan, all members of the Standing Committee, attended the meeting.

The Party leaders first heard reports from officials of relevant departments on the measures already taken to help the needy to overcome their difficulties.

They pointed out that for Party committees and governments at all levels, it was a "major political task" of "utmost importance? to show great concern for the people's livelihoods and help them overcome troubles and difficulties.

Leading cadres should never forget the Party's purpose of "serving the people wholeheartedly" and must go to the grassroots to hear complaints and take effective measures to help them out of difficulties, they demanded.

Special care should be given to revolutionary veterans, discharged army servicemen, families of martyrs, model workers, retirees, laid-off workers, jobless and impoverished urban residents, and people in disaster-afflicted areas, they said, adding that the rights and interests of farmers and rural migrant laborers must be fully protected.

The Party leaders also required officials across the country to carry on the Party's fine tradition of "frugality and hard work", and always refrain from extravagance or waste.

"Discipline supervisory bodies at all levels should strengthen their monitoring and checking, and severely punish anyone who violates the Party's regulations," they said.

It was also decided at Thursday's meeting that the General Offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council would jointly issue a nationwide notice demanding proper arrangements for the general public during the New Year celebrations for 2002/2003.

The two offices would also send inspection teams to check whether local governments have taken action to carry out the requirements of the central authorities.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2002)