China's top legislator Wu Bangguo said here Saturday that laws, rather than being regarded as simply words on paper, should be strictly respected and enforced as the basis for governing the country according to the rule of law.

Wu, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks while addressing a closed session of the committee Saturday.

Wu said localities and governmental departments at all levels must explore effective methods for establishing permanent information campaigns to inform the public about the nation's laws.

"Education about our judicial system and laws and the entire nation's increased legal awareness are fundamental during the building of our legal system," Wu said.

The establishment of an effective mechanism to inform and educate the public and government employees about new laws once they are adopted is an urgent task, he said.

Statistics show that China has adopted more than 400 laws and regulations during the past 20 years, with some 200 still in effect.

However, many Chinese remain unfamiliar with these laws and regulations, Wu said. "We must make greater efforts to promote knowledge of the legal system and of China's laws over the long- term," Wu said.

Wu noted that spreading legal knowledge among government officials, especially the leading officials, would be the focus of legal education.

He said that only when leading officials carry out their work according to the laws would ordinary citizens follow their example and respect the laws.