Pragmatic and amiable, Wu Bangguo has kept a low profile, though he and the National People's Congress (NPC) he leads have frequently come under the spotlight for their outstanding legislation and supervision efforts.

"The NPC exercises power collectively in accordance with the law. The chairman (of the NPC Standing Committee) enjoys the same power as the other deputies."

Wu often says these words, usually to play down his role.

Nevertheless, he has impressed the nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and was reelected chairman of the NPC Standing Committee on Saturday at the NPC's annual full session.

In March 2003, Wu was elected as China's top legislator to succeed Li Peng.

The NPC is sovereign in China as it is authorized by the Constitution to elect the country's top leadership, enact laws and supervise the cabinet, the supreme court and the supreme procuratorate. The NPC Standing Committee serves as its executive body when the NPC is out of its annual full session.

The NPC maintains its authority because it does everything according to law, he said.

One hundred new or revised laws were adopted over the past five years, Wu said in a report to the NPC annual session.

The clauses that "the State respects and preserves human rights" and "the State, in accordance with the law, protects the rights of citizens to private property and to its inheritance" were for the first time enshrined in the amended constitution, a milestone in China's constitutional history.

The Anti-Secession Law, promulgated in 2005, provides a legal basis for the mainland's stance to strive for peaceful reunification of the country and oppose and contain secessionist activities.