Mar. 12, 2018 -- President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joins a panel discussion with the deputies from southwestern municipality of Chongqing at the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing, March 10, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Mar. 12, 2018 -- Leading officials should also promote core socialist values and prevent a relapse of negative elements in traditional values, he said.

Xi emphasized the need for three virtues. First, and foremost, he said, is political virtue. Officials should stand firm in their political ideals and convictions, enhance Party consciousness and take clear positions on key issues.

He said officials should also maintain good public virtue, committing themselves to serving the people wholeheartedly and delivering on the promise to strive to meet the people's needs for a better life.

He went on to say that officials should strictly guard individual virtue by refraining from corruption and pleasure-seeking. He warned that an official should keep both himself and his whole family "clean".

"Don't let pillow talk lead you down to corruption. Don't let your children engage in self-dealing using your name. Don't be dragged into muddy water by people around you," Xi warned.

He said officials should strengthen their self-control, so as not to be tempted by even the slightest profit and not to be confused amid all sorts of seduction.

"Officials should never indulge themselves, never cross the line, never break the rules and improve their immunity to corruption," he said.

Other Chinese leaders — Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu and Zhao Leji — also joined panel discussions with NPC deputies.

Speaking to deputies from the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Premier Li Keqiang called for implementation of the country's "go west" strategy to make the region an inland pioneer in reform and opening-up. He also asked the region to improve its business environment by consistently deepening reforms, improving living standards and resolutely securing victory in poverty alleviation.

Meeting with deputies from Yunnan province, Li Zhanshu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said he hopes the province will build itself into an exemplary region in promoting ethnic unity, progress and ecological development, as well as become a center of opening up to South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Joining deputies from the Tibet autonomous region, Zhao Leji, also a Standing Committee member, said the campaign against privilege-seeking should be continued. He called for action against formality for its own sake, bureaucracy and various kinds of misconduct, and for keeping the pressure on problems of personal conduct.