China's top legislature starts standing committee session

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the first plenary meeting of the 38th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, started its 38th session Tuesday in Beijing.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the session's first plenary meeting.

Lawmakers reviewed a draft amendment to the Legislation Law, submitted by the NPC Constitution and Law Committee for a second reading. The NPC Constitution and Law Committee suggested that, after reviewing the draft at the session, the NPC Standing Committee make a decision to submit the draft to the first session of the 14th NPC for further deliberation.

The session deliberated a draft revision to the Law on the Protection of Wildlife and a draft reservists law. In its reports to the session, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee said the two drafts are already relatively mature, and suggested the session adopt them.

Lawmakers reviewed a draft revision to the Companies Law, a draft revision to the Counter-Espionage Law, and a draft law on ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The session deliberated a draft revision to the Marine Environment Protection Law, a draft law on rural economic collectives, a draft revision to the Charity Law, a draft amendment to the Foreign Trade Law, a draft value-added tax law, a draft financial stability law, a draft foreign sovereign immunity law, a draft amendment to the Civil Procedure Law, and a draft amendment to the Administrative Procedure Law.

Lawmakers heard explanations to a proposal for giving an interpretation to related provisions in the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

They also deliberated candidates for the Election Committee of the People's Liberation Army and a draft decision on convening the first session of the 14th NPC, among others.