Lawmakers, advisers active on microblog

BEIJING - Amid China's microblog boom, a growing number of national lawmakers and political advisors have opened verified real-name microblogs to stay in touch with the country's estimated 260 million microbloggers.

Following are daily highlights from their microblogs, which are most active during the ongoing annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, the top political advisory body.

----Zhu Yongxin, a political advisor and vice president of the Chinese Society of Education, defended China's use of the death penalty:

"The conditions for abolishing the death penalty are not yet sufficient. Although 139 other countries have annulled the death penalty, Chinese law still insists on it because the country has a 4,000-year tradition of capital punishment and the people here think 'whoever shed the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed' is a self-evident truth."

"It's also because social security is not optimistic and the crime rate is still relatively high. In my view, the death penalty should be limited as much as possible and not be meted out on economic crimes."

"I think for the Chinese economy to develop, (the government) must surrender some profits to the people through measures like tax cuts, lift ?unnecessary approvals in the economy, and open more sectors to private enterprises and private investment."

----Wang Mingwen, an NPC deputy and law professor from Sichuan province, said her hectic days during the two sessions have had a weight-loss effect:

"Each year, attending the two sessions is like fighting in a battle. A day is packed with activities: hearing reports, joining panel discussions, revising my own proposals, preparing speeches, taking interviews and surfing the Internet. I lost 2.5 kilograms in my first year and have lost 1.5 kilograms every year since. With four days to go this year, I have successfully lost 1 kilogram. Is it good or bad?"