Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday hailed China's political development saying the country's democracy is reflected in all procedures and vowed to carry out "people-centered development" in urban construction during an inspection tour in east China's Shanghai Municipality which is also the country's economic hub. 

On Saturday afternoon, Xi visited the city's Yangshupu Waterworks located in Yangpu Binjiang public space and the Gubei Civic Center in Changning district, to learn about the planning and construction of urban public space as well as community governance and services.

When he arrived at the Gubei Civic Center, residents there were putting forward suggestions for a draft bill. Xi talked to both the Chinese and foreign residents in attendance and asked about their work in soliciting opinions on the draft.

Xi spoke highly of China's political development, calling China's democracy "a type of whole-process democracy."

According to him, China is on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics where all major legislative decisions in the country are based on legal procedures, democratic discussions, as well as scientific and democratic decision-making.

He called on more efforts to develop socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics.

Xi highlighted the concept of people-centered development when visiting Yangshupu Waterworks, stressing that it must be carried out in urban construction because "the cities are built by the people and are for the people," said Xi.

Xi hailed Shanghai's century-old industrial development, adding that people here have a sense of happiness and gain after seeing the city's transformation from a rust-belt area to a beautiful livable zone.

Xi called for efforts to reasonably arrange the space for production, living and ecological purposes and expand public space so that people can have spaces for leisure, fitness and entertainment.

"We should let the city become a paradise for the public to comfortably live and work in," Xi said.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping makes an inspection tour of east China's Shanghai Municipality, November 2, 2019. /Xinhua Photo)