The Chinese parliament is stepping up legislation efforts to ensure the establishment of a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, a spokesman said Thursday.

Li Zhaoxing, spokesman of the annual session of the National People's Congress, made the remarks at a press conference a day before the meeting's opening.

The news conference on the Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2010. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Li said the establishment of a socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics by 2010 is a goal set by the Communist Party of China at its 15th National Congress in 1997.

"It is a major task for the legislature to meet this target," Li said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2010)