BEIJING -- A meeting on the arrangements of the upcoming elections of deputies to people's congresses at the county and township levels nationwide was held Tuesday in Beijing, emphasizing the importance of the Party's leadership in the elections.

Shi Taifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee's Organization Department, spoke at the meeting, stressing the need to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, especially the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, throughout all aspects and the entire process of the elections.

He also called for efforts to ensure an election environment marked by strict discipline and integrity.

Shi said the orientation of the elections should be aligned with the needs of development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period from 2026 to 2030.

Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said at the meeting that it is necessary to uphold the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee as the highest political principle.

He said the election work should uphold the unity between Party leadership, the running of the country by the people, and law-based governance, and underlined the importance of ensuring the correct political orientation of the elections.