BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The leading Party members group of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) met Thursday to study a speech made by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at the fourth plenary session of the 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the CPC.

Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and secretary of its leading Party members group, presided over the meeting.

The leading Party members group should follow Xi's speech and the spirit of the CCDI session and elevate the work of people's congresses to a new level, said a statement issued after the meeting.

Stressing the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the meeting called for persistence in improving Party conduct and fighting corruption as well as improvement in political ability to ensure the work of people's congresses is conducted in the right direction.

The functions of people's congresses should be given full play to ensure full and effective implementation of major decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee through the rule of law, the statement read.