BEIJING, Sept. 18 -- Senior Chinese security official Meng Jianzhu lauded online petitions during a seminar at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China(CPC) on Friday.

Meng, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, said petitions were an important part of soliciting pubic opinion, and the system should be easy to use and accessible.

Concerns lodged by the public, as well as those forwarded by petition bureaus, should be handled properly, in time and according to law, Meng said.

Meng also underscored the role the public play in decision making, and they should be consulted before major policy decisions, he said.