China's top legislature prepares for upcoming annual session

BEIJING -- Important documents for the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), scheduled to convene on March 5, were adopted Saturday.

Members of the 12th NPC Standing Committee adopted the committee's work report, the agenda of the first session of the 13th NPC, the presidium and secretary-general name list, and a name list of non-voting delegates for the upcoming session.

The work report of the 12th NPC Standing Committee will be submitted to the session in March after further revisions, while the agenda and the presidium and secretary-general name list will be submitted to a preparatory meeting before the session.

Lawmakers also confirmed the validity of all 2,980 deputies to the 13th NPC.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the 12th NPC Standing Committee, presided over Saturday's closing meeting of the last regular session of the 12th NPC Standing Committee.

Lawmakers also adopted an amendment to a 2015 decision on pledging allegiance to the Constitution and a decision to extend the adjustment to certain provisions of the securities law to allow reforms that will change the listing system of the Shanghai and Shenzhen bourses from approval-based to registration-based.

The other documents adopted were a report on the qualifications of some NPC deputies and a motion to add a new member to the military's election committee, in addition to appointments and dismissals.