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At the annual parliament session, Zhang Dejiang, also a member of the top decision-making body of the ruling Communist Party, was elected as chairman of the NPC Standing Committee.
Zhang graduated from the Kim Il-Sung University in Pyongyang, and had served as vice premier since 2008.
Prior to that, he led Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces, two of the country's most developed provinces.
As he takes over as China's top legislator, the 66-year-old is eyeing enhancement of rule of law, saying, "power should not be aloof from public supervision".
PKG
Zhang Dejiang was elected as China's top legislator last Thursday to lead the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the institution at the apex of state power in China.
The 66-year-old now faces many heavy responsibilities as China increasingly emphasizes reliance on the rule of law to govern the country in the new era.
Reliance on the rule of law in governing the country is the CPC's basic policy.
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 State Council, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
Since he was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in November last year, Zhang has reiterated several times the importance of stepping up the construction of the national democratic legal system and channeling every type of work through the legal system.
Zhang encourages the NPC and its Standing Committee to conduct supervision in a firm and confident manner.
"Everyone is equal before the law and it is absolutely impermissible for any organization or individual to stand above the law," he said.
He has repeatedly emphasized the supervisory role of people's congresses during his political career.
Zhang was born in Tai'an County in northeast China's Liaoning Province in November 1946. He joined the CPC in January 1971. He graduated from the Department of Economics at Kim Il-Sung University in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
In 1986, he went to Beijing after being appointed vice minister of civil affairs and deputy secretary of the ministry's Leading Party Members' Group.
Zhang served as Party secretary in four provincial-level regions from 1995 until late last year. He also served as vice premier over the past five years.
Before he was elected to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November last year, Zhang was a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee for two consecutive terms.
When major disasters occurred, Zhang, as Party chief of provincial-level regions, would set out for a disaster site immediately to oversee rescue operations.
Zhang also showed his concern for the people by attending to issues concerning their livelihood.
One of his major concerns is legislation in the field of the environment.
"The heavy smog that shrouded north China including Beijing for several days has further heightened public concern about environmental protection," Zhang said.
Zhang advocated the building of a modern and life-long education system as well as a vocational training system covering all laborers so as to tap human resources in a comprehensive way.
Zhang has attached great importance to the development of the private economy and stressed the importance of a sound policy environment for the sector's development.
When he worked at the State Council, Zhang actively pushed for building a new-type rural pension system and a pension system for urban residents. Now, the systems cover almost all parts of China.
In addition, when he served as Party secretary of Guangdong, between 2002 and 2007, he was very concerned about the development of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao.
He once wrote in an article, "CPC members should foster an image of clean governance, love of the people, pragmatism, plain living, hard work and perseverance."
This is also Zhang's expectation for himself.
