Hu Jintao said that China must further ensure and improve people's well-being.
An amendment to the Criminal Procedural Law, the country's basic guideline on cracking down on criminal offenses and protecting people, has made its latest change to include an article of "respecting and protecting human rights".
The current election system of deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) fits in China's reality.
China's reform and opening up are always seen as a strong driving force for social and economic development and the country now faces new opportunities and challenges.
The draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Law, to be submitted for final review and voting, highlights the principle of protecting human rights and punishing criminals as a whole.
China said Sunday it plans to raise its defense budget by 11.2 percent to 670 billion yuan ($106.4 billion) in 2012.
China's national legislators gathered Sunday to elect a presidium and set the agenda for the legislature's annual session to open on Monday.
More than 2,000 members of the CPPCC National Committee will discuss issues of major concern to the nation during the annual session scheduled to conclude on March 13.
Finding a way to balance the international community's expectation with the country's noninterference policy will be the biggest task before Chinese foreign-policy-makers when they gather in Beijing this weekend.
It's painful to see self-immolation in places that ethnic Tibetans inhabit, said a spokesman for the Fifth Session of the 11th CPPCC National Committee.
China's political reform must be made under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and within the framework of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
A series of self-immolations of Tibetan monks were applauded by the Dalai Lama.