China's top legislature convenes standing committee session

BEIJING -- China's top legislature on Monday began a regular session to review a raft of documents, including reports and draft laws.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the first plenary meeting of the committee's 19th session.

Lawmakers reviewed a slew of draft laws, including a draft environmental code and draft laws on promoting ethnic unity and progress, national development planning, the safety management of hazardous chemicals, state-owned assets, childcare services, and activities and environmental protection in Antarctica.

They deliberated draft revisions to several laws, including the fisheries law, the civil aviation law, the law on the standard spoken and written Chinese language, the foreign trade law, the law on banking supervision and regulation, and the trademark law.

The lawmakers also reviewed a bill on draft interpretations of certain provisions of the criminal procedure law, as well as a draft decision on convening the fourth session of the 14th NPC.

They also reviewed a report on deputy qualifications and personnel-related bills.

Zhao on Monday also attended the standing committee session's second plenary meeting, during which the lawmakers heard reports on multiple issues, including inspection reports on the implementation of the energy conservation law and the law on promoting the circular economy, and a report on the rectification of problems identified in the audit of the implementation of the 2024 central budget and other fiscal revenues and expenditures.