China's top legislature concludes standing committee session

BEIJING -- The Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) concluded its 13th session here on Wednesday.

At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt a law on value-added tax, a decision on amending the Supervision Law, and a revised Science and Technology Popularization Law.

They adopted a decision on removing Wang Guanghua from the post of minister of natural resources and appointing Guan Zhi'ou to the position.

President Xi Jinping signed four presidential orders to promulgate the laws and the decisions.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the closing meeting.

The meeting decided to submit a draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses at All Levels to the third session of the 14th NPC for further deliberation, and entrusted Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, to make explanatory remarks to the NPC session.

The meeting adopted a decision on convening the third session of the 14th NPC. According to the decision, the third session of the 14th NPC will open on March 5, 2025.

Lawmakers ratified an extradition treaty between China and Zimbabwe and another one between China and Suriname.

They voted to adopt the name list of the members of the sixth-term Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee.

They also adopted a deputy qualification report and personnel-related bills.

Zhao chaired a meeting of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee before the closing meeting and presided over a lecture for lawmakers after the closing meeting.

He also granted letters of appointment to members of the sixth-term Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the NPC Standing Committee.